Sunday, 1 April 2012

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

Bihar News, Latest News from Bihar, News of Bihar, Biharprabha News

The dangerous implications of India’s nuclear romance

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 11:18 AM PDT

Efforts are on to squelch the months-long peaceful movement by villagers living in the neighbourhood of the Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu which has delayed its commissioning. What brought the people out of their homes is the fear that the plant is a threat to their lives and livelihood. Repeated assertions by spokesmen of the national science and technology establishment, from former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam downwards, have not convinced them that the plant is accident-proof. Instead of talking to the people and addressing their concerns, the Government of India appears set to crush their movement using crude force.

At the best of times, it is not easy to have open and honest deliberations on the nuclear issue. Since nuclear technology has military applications, all countries routinely conduct much of the work in this area in total secrecy. The Indian nuclear programme has been directly under the prime minister since its inception, and Parliament does not look into the working of the Department of Atomic Energy closely. The institutional mechanism set up to oversee nuclear safety is under the department itself. So long as the government fights shy of creating an independent nuclear safety mechanism outside the department’s control, its claims about the safety of the nuclear installations cannot be taken at face value.

The arguments advanced by the official establishment to allay fears about the safety of the Kudankulam plant are irrational and unscientific, not to say dishonest. How can Abdul Kalam guarantee its safety when the Russian equipment suppliers are not ready to do so? In a bid to belittle fears of radiation emanating from the plant, the government points out in an advertisement placed in the newspapers, that the people are already exposed to radiation present in nature and used in medical treatment. It is absurd to cite the presence of natural radiation and its use for medicinal purposes to justify exposing the people to a possible nuclear catastrophe.

One factor that complicates decision making on the Kudankulam project, the first stage of which is almost ready to be commissioned, is that the government has already spent about Rs.150 billion on it. When India signed an agreement with the Soviet Union in 1988 for setting up the project, the cost was estimated at Rs.40 billion. It shot up as a result of the inordinate delay in starting and completing the work, occasioned partly by the Soviet Union’s collapse. But can a democratic government approach an issue involving people’s lives and livelihood the way an auditor looks at a statement of expenditure? That a lot of money has been sunk is no justification for continuing with a project about which grave doubts remain in people’s minds after Fukushima.

Anti-nuclear groups, which include persons with expertise in the area, have suggested that part of the investment in the ongoing nuclear projects can be salvaged by converting them into natural gas-based plants. After the Three Mile Island accident, the US had converted the Shoreham nuclear plant in Long Island, New York, the William H Zimmer nuclear plant in Ohio and the Midland Cogeneration Facility in Michigan to run on fossil fuel.

The argument that India cannot ensure energy security without nuclear power rests on questionable grounds. Currently nuclear power constitutes only three per cent of the country’s energy requirement. Even if the projects conceived in the pre-Fukushima period are implemented on time (which, going by the record, is most unlikely), the expectation is that nuclear plants will supply 25 per cent of the power by 2050. This means there is enough time to recast the energy plans in the light of current realities.

Two years ago many countries were working on new nuclear plants. Last week the Germans backed out of a commitment to supply equipment for two plants in Britain citing the Fukushima disaster and the European economic crisis as the reasons. Today, India shares with China the dubious distinction of being the only countries determinedly pursuing the nuclear path, undeterred by Fukushima. The ruling establishments in the two countries are guided by visions of reaching the heights of the global economy. As the most populous nations, it is quite legitimate for them to aspire to be the world’s largest economies. The moot question is what route to take to reach the destination.

Currently India and China are on a track cut by the Western countries which, having brought large parts of the world under their heel, had access to cheap energy sources. This raises two problems: large-scale consumption of energy and large-scale expulsion of poisonous wastes. Neither China nor India is engaged in scientific pursuits to find solutions to these problems. Instead they are claiming the right to follow the disastrous path of the developed economies. Their scientific efforts are limited to demonstrating that they can do what the West had done.

The motivation behind India’s nuclear romance is not the need for energy security, as the ruling establishment claims, but the overweening desire for big power status. Its achievements in the fields of nuclear and missile technology have generated a sense of pride not only in its scientific and technical personnel but in the nation as a whole. This sense of pride effectively camouflages the stark fact that very little original work is being done in the fields of science and technology.

As a country blessed with sunshine, India stands to benefit the most by a breakthrough in solar energy technology, which is already available but is not cost- effective. Yet the government has neglected this area, transfixed as it is by delusions of nuclear grandeur. The fall of the Soviet Union, which had made great advances in some critical areas, like space technology, pushing the US to the second place, holds a lesson for India: big power status built up overlooking the interests of the masses is liable to collapse like a house of cards.

The Kudankulam line-up reveals the contours of a division within the country. Ranged on one side are various elements of the establishment: the central and state governments, the science and technology bureaucracy, the political parties, etc. On the other side are poor, marginalized people, backed by small, scattered groups of human rights defenders. A similar line-up can also be seen at other centres where nuclear plants are coming up as also at places all across the country where national or multinational corporations are trying to squeeze the poor people out to set up mega projects.

(B.R.P.Bhaskar is a veteran journalist and commentator. He can be contacted at brpbhaskar@gmail.com)

Now Cheques and Drafts valid for 3 months only

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT

Banks from today will stop honouring cheques and drafts if they are not presented within three months of the date of issue as against six months earlier. The decision to reduce the validity of cheques, bank drafts and other instruments to three months announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) earlier will come into effect from today. With a view to mitigating frauds related with such instruments, the RBI in a directive had said with effect from April 1, 2012, banks should not make payments against cheques, drafts, pay orders or banker’s cheques if they are presented after the period of three months from date of issue. The directive followed complaints that some persons were taking undue advantage of the six-month validity period and circulating these instruments like cash. Commenting on the decision to curtail the validity period of cheques and drafts, a senior banker said, the three-month validity period is a good enough time for conciliation of these instruments. The RBI had said, “In public interest and in the interest of the banking policy, it is necessary to reduce the period within which cheques/drafts/pay orders/banker’s cheques are presented for payment from six months to three months from the date of such instrument.”

More Mobiles than toilets in Himachal

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 07:29 AM PDT

In Himachal Pradesh, connectivity through mobile phones came twice as fast than basic facilities like toilets and latrines.
This fact has come to light in the new Census of India 2011 data on “House listing and housing census” detailing the assets available to households.

There has been a huge jump of 65.4 percent of people owning mobile phones in the state in the past one decade, while the number of people having access to latrines and toilets increased by just 35.7 percent and 32.1 percent respectively during the period, director (census) Balbir Tegta told IANS.

The report said the number of mobile phone users in the state has increased from 16.9 percent to 82.3 percent, against 63.2 percent at the national level. Likewise, the number of families having latrines in houses increased from 33.4 percent to 69.1 percent and toilets from 35.4 percent to 67.5 percent.

Similarly, the percentage of families defecating in the open has come down to 29.7 percent from 66.6 percent.

The report says that there is marked improvement in the lifestyle and prosperity of the hill people.

As many as 72.4 percent households have good housing facilities, which is higher than 53.2 percent at the national level. Seventy-three percent families own TV sets, up from 50.4 percent in 2001.

The number of people who own cars has risen from 2.6 percent to 8.3 percent, while the number of two-wheeler owners has gone up from 7.4 percent to 15.5 percent.

The percentage of those using banking services has risen from 59.5 percent to 89 percent.

The dependence on nature for firewood has seen a marginal decline from 64.6 percent to 57.5 percent. Likewise, the percentage of cooking gas users has gone up from 28.1 percent to 38.6 percent.

But the state’s housing sector is over-saturated.

The percentage of vacant houses has increased in urban areas from 13.9 percent to 17.6 percent and in rural areas from 9.9 percent to 11.1 percent.

Solan and Shimla districts are the top districts with the highest percentage of vacant houses.

The percentage of vacant houses in Lahaul and Spiti district, which remains cuts off from the rest of the world for over five months due to heavy snow, has increased from 8.2 percent to 13.9 percent. This indicates people migrated to other towns due to hard climatic conditions there.

Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, in his budget speech in the assembly session, said the state economy grew at an average rate of 8.3 percent in the past four years, taking the GDP of the state from Rs.33,963 crore in 2007-08 to Rs.54,695 crore in 2010-11.

“The growth rate in 2011-12 is expected to be 7.6 percent which is much higher than the national estimate of 6.9 percent. The per capita income of the state has increased from Rs.43,966 in 2007-08 to Rs.65,535 in 2010-11 and is expected to be Rs.73,608 in 2011-12, which is 20 percent higher than the national level of Rs.60,972.

“Thus in the last five years the income of the people of the state has increased by almost Rs.30,000 per capita which is a reflection of the growing prosperity of the people.”

Zardari to visit Ajmer on April 8

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 06:27 AM PDT

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is likely to visit Ajmer on April 8 to pay obeisance at the famous Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. A request for a “private visit” by the President has been forwarded to the Indian side though a final date for the trip is yet to be set, sources in the Pakistan government told PTI. However, sources in Delhi said the visit is likely to take place on April 8. The Pakistani sources said the government has kept Zardari’s planned visit to the famous 13th century shrine in Ajmer in Rajasthan under wraps as it is intended to be a “purely private” matter. “The visit is supposed to be devoid of political or diplomatic content but since it involves the President, the possibility of some meetings with Indian leaders cannot be ruled out,” said a source familiar with the plans for the visit. When Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar was reached for comment, he said he was “really not aware” of such a visit. However, a Presidential aide, who spoke on condition that he would not be named, said Zardari’s visit to Ajmer had been in the pipeline for almost a year. “This visit has been planned since last year as the President wants to make a trip to the dargah in Ajmer,” the aide said. (More)

CBI issues restraint order against Rishi in Tatra Case

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 05:24 AM PDT

The CBI today issued a restraint order to prevent London-based NRI businessman Ravi Rishi, an accused in a case of alleged irregularities in purchase of Tatra trucks for the Army, from moving out of the country. The agency has alerted all airports and exit points to ensure that he does not leave the country, official sources said. Rishi was not available for his comments and his company, when contacted, refused to react to the development, saying it were cooperating with the CBI in the case. 57-year-old Rishi, named as an accused in the agency’s FIR in alleged irregularities in purchase of Tatra trucks for the Army, has been questioned twice so far by the CBI and was likely to be summoned again. Rishi has termed the allegations against him as unfortunate, saying the trucks were sold through public sector undertaking Bharat Earth Movers Limited. He also said the charges levelled with regard to Tatra trucks by Army Chief Gen V K Singh were baseless. The move comes after the Army chief complained alleging Lt Gen (retired) Tejinder Singh had offered him a bribe for clearing a consignment of “sub-standard” trucks. Lt Gen Singh has refuted the allegations and has filed a defamation case against the Army chief and some other senior officers. CBI officials will be seeking more details from the Army chief before they decide on whether to register a preliminary enquiry or a case in connection with the bribery charge. The sources said the Army chief was expected to soon provide more material about the alleged bribe offer

Amitabh is the Superstar not me, says Rajnikanth

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 04:17 AM PDT

His stardom has transcended borders and the fan frenzy Rajinikanth generates is unmatchable but the veteran thespian says that Amitabh Bachchan is the only one who can be called a superstar. When asked about how he felt about being a superstar, Rajinikanth, who was here to promote his upcoming film “Kochadiyaan”, said, “For me, the only superstar is Amitabh Bachchan.” “For me every film is like the first picture. I am very choosy with the director and producer,” said the 61-year-old, who has given hits like “Chandramukhi”, “Sivaji” and “Robot”. Rajinikanth, who was admitted in the hospital and treated for dehydration and exhaustion some time back, said, “I am 90 per cent fine now, thanks to the prayers of my fans.” He is now gearing up for the release of “Kochadiyaan”, a Tamil period film directed by his daughter Soundarya and with music by AR Rahman, this Diwali on November 13. “Kochadaiyaan is a fantasy film. It will attract not only children but everyone. It will be of international standards and the film will be ready by Diwali November 13 this year,” Rajinikanth said at the Bentley Hotel here last evening. “Kochadiyaan” is partly inspired by the name of the Pandya Dynasty king Kochadaiyan Ranadhiran and the plot will be a fictional account with small references to history. “I will have the new experience of singing in the film. It is going to be very different,” said Rajinikanth, who will be singing a song for a film after 21 years.

Aung San Suu Kyi set to make history as Myanmar votes

Posted: 01 Apr 2012 01:59 AM PDT

Yangon, Thousands Sunday voted in Myanmar’s parliamentary by-elections in which Nobel laureate and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is contesting for the first time.

Over six million voters are eligible to decide the fate of 157 candidates from 17 parties, media reports said. The balloting is taking place for 45 vacant seats in nine regions.

Over 150 observers from the European Union, the US, Canada, Australia, India and Asean are monitoring the exercise.

The 66-year-old Suu Kyi is standing for a lower house seat from Kawhmu Township constituency near Yangon. On Sunday, she visited polling stations in Kawhmu.

A day earlier, around 60 percent of respondents in a countrywide survey said they will vote for Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).

The NLD is contesting all 45 seats. BBC said it was the first time the NLD was taking part in elections since 1990.

The ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party and the NLD are the two main contestants.

The Myanmar government is still dominated by military and former military officials from the former regime that ruled the country for decades.

Since 2010, a transition of power began and the government freed many political prisoners, relaxed media restrictions and persuaded Suu Kyi and the NLD to rejoin the political process.

In 1990, NLD had won a landslide victory in a general election but the military refused to accept the result.

Suu Kyi spent much of the following 20 years under house arrest and refused to take part in the 2010 election.
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