The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Going down the drain
Water requires better management

By its own admission, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation wastes 27 per cent of the 87 million gallons of water it gets daily largely due to pipe leakages. Citizens too waste a lot, using drinking water for car washing and irrigating kitchen gardens, that too in the morning when demand is at its peak. The situation in other towns and cities is even worse because municipalities there lack resources. Water is heavily subsidised and penalties for misuse or wastage are small and rare. Many villages do not have an easy access to clean, drinking water. Though there is an alarming rise in water-borne diseases with cancer-causing heavy metals found in drinking water in the Malwa region of Punjab, this has not yet shaken the political leadership or officialdom.

An acute water shortage every summer is followed by an excess of water, and sometimes floods, during the monsoon. Much of rainwater goes down the drain as efforts to harvest rainwater are still limited. Since ponds have been levelled and brought under agriculture, rainwater fails to replenish water resources. Excessive groundwater extraction without adequate recharge has led to a sharp decline in the water table. State efforts are now focussed on timing paddy transplantation with the onset of the rainy season, but if the rains are deficient, as it happened last year, pressure increases manifold on groundwater extraction. Since food output is maintained almost at the previous levels, the Centre remains unmoved as farmers’ higher diesel spending shrinks their earnings. The status quo, therefore, continues.

To avoid an emerging catastrophe on water, efforts are required on a war-footing. Water conservation is the need of the hour at the state, municipal/panchayat and individual levels. There is merit in Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh’s suggestion to the government to bring in a Water Security Act on the lines of the Food Security Act with rewards for conservation, stiffer penalties for wastage and higher charges for excessive use.

Towards a new regime
Consensus may still elude Nepal

It would indeed be foolhardy to surmise that the resignation of Mr Madhav Kumar Nepal as Prime Minister of Nepal would spell the end of unrest in the troubled Himalayan state. The 13-month rule of Mr Nepal was characterised by constant needling by the opposition UCPN (Maoist), which had emerged as the single largest party after the last parliamentary elections in 2008.The party was constantly baying for his ouster, sometimes through violent street protests, including a week-long complete shutdown in the country. When the Prime Minister finally decided to call it a day, it was not without a tongue-lashing for the Maoist party. In an address to the nation, he berated them for non-cooperation and active disruption throughout the 13-month period of his government’s tenure, blaming the Maoists for his failure to bring the peace process to a conclusion. With so much acrimony in the air, the portents can hardly be bright.

Predictably, the struggle for succession will now intensify within all the major parties and it would be no mean task to forge an alliance with so many claimants to the top “gaddi.” The UCPN (Maoist) is laying claims to leading the new consensus government but its isolation a few months after it assumed power following the 2008 elections was the result of its uncompromising attitude on many issues. Clearly, by resigning, Mr Madhav Kumar Nepal has gained the high moral ground. That makes the task for the Maoists even more difficult.

The immediate task before the country is the passage of the budget which the Maoists had been threatening to stall to force Mr Nepal out of office. After that the priorities before any new government would have to be to complete the peace process and to facilitate the writing of the new Constitution. There is understandably a lot of public bitterness over the killings of 13,000 people by Maoist cadres in the decade before the UCPN (Maoist) joined the mainstream and contested elections. Any renewal in effort to assimilate the Maoist cadres into the army would be resisted strongly.

Thought for the Day

All sins are attempts to fill voids. — Simone Weil

ARTICLE

A new great game
China’s moves in Kabul need to be watched
by Harsh V. Pant

A confidential Pentagon memo has suggested that there are $1trillion worth of minerals under Afghanistan and that the country could emerge as “the Saudi Arabia of lithium”. Other estimates have suggested that the reserves could be worth as much as $3trillion. The previously unknown deposits include huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and lithium. This has fuelled speculation that Afghanistan has the potential of getting transformed into one of the most important mining centres of the world. To take advantage of this renewed global interest in the nation’s resources, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines has hosted a meeting in London as a first step towards opening its mineral reserves to international investors. The ministry is in touch with nearly 20 mining investors from around the world on developing the iron ore deposits in the Hajigak area of Bamian province.

But clearly it is a long way off before Afghanistan can take advantage of its geological wealth. Under the prevailing circumstances of conflict and tribal tensions, mining companies will only have limited interest in going into the country, especially as it takes up to 20 years for a mine to start earning profits. Mineral mining is an extraordinarily expensive and time-consuming task. Countries with a history of conflict have only experienced more war and corruption as a result of their mineral wealth.

More likely, the real winners from the new-found underground treasure in Afghanistan are likely to be the warlords and, of course, China. It is China’s voracious appetite that is driving most mineral prices up today. And it is unlikely that China will be deterred by conflict to invest in Afghanistan. The discovery in the late 1990s of minerals in eastern Congo gave a new life to the civil war in the country. Beijing wooed the Congolese government for access to the country’s resources and much of the resources eventually flowed to China. Beijing’s traditional aid policy is premised on its “non-interventionist” foreign policy agenda and no covert political strings. China’s state companies bid for concessions all over the Third World, taking risks that private ones can’t.

Under the US security umbrella, Chinese investments in Afghanistan are flourishing. The state-owned China Metallurgical Group has a $3.5 billion copper mining venture in Logar province. Beijing is yet to view the stabilisation of Afghanistan and elimination of terrorist havens in the country as shared goals of the West. China will be the leading contender for the development of new Afghan resources and China’s influence will grow with its ability to control the flow of funds. Given China’s worries about Afghanistan providing a refuge for Uighur separatists, it is reasonable to expect that the goal of a stable central government in Kabul that provides no havens for terrorists is the one China shares with the West. Moreover, a stable Pakistan is also in China’s interest.

The Obama Administration has already asked China to contribute troops to the Afghan effort. Yet Beijing continues to free-ride, relying on Washington to provide security for its limited interests. It is possible that China’s awareness of its growing need for foreign export markets will make it a “responsible” global power, but there is little sign of that yet happening. This is likely to exacerbate tensions between Washington and Beijing in the coming months as domestic political pressure builds on the Obama Administration to leave Afghanistan.

The news of Afghanistan’s new-found mineral wealth arrived recently along with the United Nations report that the security situation in that country had deteriorated significantly in recent months with roadside bomb attacks during the first four months of the year increasing by 94 per cent compared with the same period last year. The Taliban believe that they need only wait out the NATO coalition and what may seem the inevitability of its departure. The July 2011 deadline was intended to force Karzai to address urgent problems like corruption and ineffective governance. But it may have had the opposite effect, convincing Karzai that in a year from now, he will be on his own.

Though the US is at pains to underline that July 2011 “will be the beginning of a conditions-based process” and that the deadline will be debated in the military’s formal review of progress later this year in December, there are few who are willing to bet at the moment that the Obama Administration has the stomach to stay for much longer in Afghanistan. Karzai in particular seems convinced that Americans will not be able to stay the course.

Not surprisingly, he is trying to craft a more autonomous foreign policy. Kabul is now dealing with Islamabad to shape the aftermath of what they fear could be a more abrupt withdrawal of US troops than is now anticipated. Pakistan’s military and intelligence chiefs have visited Kabul in recent weeks to discuss a wide range of possible cooperation, including mediating with Pakistan-based insurgents. Though there are serious differences, this is being viewed as Karzai’s attempt to look beyond the US in his national security imperatives.

The news of Afghanistan’s newly discovered natural resources comes at a critical time for the nation. The Karzai government is among the world’s least effective. It is likely to squander a large portion of the windfalls from its mineral wealth. But the competition for influence over Afghanistan will take a different trajectory as China will try to emerge as the most important player in the new gold rush and the US will try to regain its lost initiative. India cannot be a mute spectator to these far-reaching developments in its vicinity. It has a significant stake in the stability and economic prosperity of Afghanistan and, therefore, should be prepared to participate in the new great game about to commence in its neighbourhood.

The writer teaches at King’s College, London.

MIDDLE

Good Samaritans and us!
by Krishna Mohan

While returning from abroad, my daughter noticed a teenaged girl who was being deported for want of valid documents, crying inconsolably at the immigration counter. She was visiting India to meet her sister, whom we located at the arrival lounge clutching a bunch of flowers.We took her to the immigration authorities and it was only after my introduction that the authorities, though reluctantly, agreed to let the visitor meet her sister. Why they could not grant her a temporary visa like it is done by many countries, baffled us.

How many of us help accident victims or carry them to the hospital? My daughters often do this since we have given them the desired etiquette and civic sense.

Once we found a scooter skidding before our eyes and a boy and a girl getting hurt. They were reluctant to be taken to hospital, as they were going together without the knowledge of their parents. On our insistence, the girl came with us to the hospital and after first aid, she asked us to be dropped; not at her parents’ place, but where the boy had to pick her up.

Why can’t we help others in times of need? I wonder. Whenever I have helped someone, I have always thought about some ‘purvajanma karz’ — previous birth debts re-paid.

As DC Karnal, I witnessed a heavily drunk person run over by a truck and lying there with one leg gone. I got him shifted to the hospital in my escort vehicle. Another incident was of a youth who, was lying in a pool of blood near Karna Lake. I stopped a private canter and sent my PSO with him to the hospital. Both the injured were taken good care of on my intervention.

Such opportunities of helping others keep visiting us. They test our feelings of humanism, compassion and helpfulness. I and my wife were once going in our personal car when we stopped near a girl who was lugging along her scooter with great difficulty. We took her in our car to the nearest garage, brought the mechanic to the site and gave some cash also, as she did not have any money to get the scooter repaired. On recollecting this, we still find solace in the act of good Samaritans.

As DC Chandigarh in 1986, I accompanied Mr J. N. Kaushal to Manimajra to a function. He was the local MP and a renowned advocate and had also served as Governor and Union Law Minister. While delivering his address he turned towards me and said, “DC Sahib, you will be the pivot around which the whole Chandigarh Administration will turn, and your pen will wield immense power; endowed with these, you will be able to help the needy and the poor. They will in turn give you ‘ashirwad’ and ‘dua’ which will come to you free. Rather the government will pay you salary for this”. His words are still with me.

We should not take pride in only being Good Samaritans but rejoice in our indulgence which makes our life more meaningful for humanity.

THE TRIBUNE INTERVIEW

by Raj Chengappa, Editor-in-Chief
‘We want to make Uttarakhand a heaven on earth for tourists’— Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

With the BJP stalwarts in Uttarakhand warring, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, 51, a poet-turned politician, emerged as the surprise Chief Minister of the hill state last year. He replaced Maj Gen (retd) B.C.Khanduri, who had finished only two years of his tenure. Now a year in the saddle Nishank faces flak on several fronts. His state is reeling under both an acute power and water shortage and, adding to his woes, the state BJP unit still remains a house divided. In an interview with Editor-in-Chief Raj Chengappa in Dehradun on the day he completed a year in office, Nishank though exuded confidence that he would stay on as the Chief Minister till the next elections. Excerpts:

Q: You have just completed one year in office. What did you focus on during this period?

We have done a lot of work on the development of basic infrastructure in the state — roads, water, power and education sectors. We have done a lot of new things like getting sanctioned some institutions of national and international repute for the state. We have got an NIIT and an IIM sanctioned for the state. We have set up an Ayurvedic University and will soon be getting sanction for a National Law University. We have started setting up Ayurvedic villages, named “Ayush grams”, to promote Ayurveda. Our state is Devbhoomi ( land of gods). Ayurveda started from here and so did yoga. The Vedas, Puranas, Upnishads and other religious texts were written here. It is the land of Ved Vyas and countless rishis and munis. It has always been the land of knowledge. The Sanskrit language, which even scientists believe is the mother of all other languages in the world, took birth here. We are the first to give second language status to Sanskrit in the state.

Q. Before you took over, the BJP government headed by Maj Gen (retd) B.C. Khanduri was in power in the state. Is there any new vision that you have brought in?

We do have a Vision 2020 much of which I have already outlined. We are already moving ahead on the path of development and achieving this vision. Uttarakhand could soon become an organic farming state. Already truckloads of organic and off-season fruits and vegetables are going outside the state. This year we have earned a sum of Rs.100 crore alone by sending flowers from the Valley of Flowers. We have such flowers which do not wilt for more than two months. We have one of the best winter games resort of Auli, which we want to develop further. Besides developing tourism, we want to develop Ayurveda. Uttarakhand is the land of Rishi Charak and it was from here that Hanuman took “Sanjeevani” herb to Lanka. We have Sanjeevani groups to look for such wonderful herbs. We already have the biggest pharma city in the state and also want to develop it as a major centre of Ayurvedic medicines.

Q. What are your plans to promote tourism in the state?

We want to make Uttarakhand a heaven on earth. We have pristine places that are the best in the country and we have identified such spots. We also have plans to take tourists to these spots by planes, helicopters and by trekking. We have such beautiful places that Switzerland would fade in comparison. To further this cause, we will be developing new airports and strengthening and expanding the existing ones. We are in the process of developing and expanding the existing airports at Pitthoragarh and Pantnagar in the Kumoan region, for Gangotri-Yamontri at Chinyalisaur and for the Badrinath and Kedarnath dhams at Gauchar in the Garhwal region. We are spending a sum of Rs. 7 crore on the expansion of Naini Saini airport at Pitthoragarh. Dehradun airport at Jollygrant will also be developed into an international airport. Moreover, we have plans to develop helipads in every district and identify places of tourism and religious interest where we could build helipads. We have a vision that anyone coming to Dehradun or Uttarakhand, in a few hours should be able to travel to exotic locales without spending days of road travel. We not only want to build its tourism potential but also want to reaffirm that it is also the spiritual capital of the world. We have joined yoga with Ayurveda. Anyone who wants to get peace of mind can come to Uttarakhand.

Q. Your state is facing an acute power crisis. On the one hand, there are long power cuts of 8 to 10 hours per day while on the other, hydro-electric projects in the state are stalled. What do you plan to do?

Yes, we are facing a crisis due to the fact that most of the power generated in Uttarakhand is going out. A total of 1500 MW of power is going outside the state. With the development of industries, 60 per cent of the power consumption is in the industrial sector. To meet the demand, we have embarked on a scheme to develop small hydroelectric projects of up to 25 MW. Instead of stopping the flow of the Ganga river, we want to develop small hydro power projects so that local people get employment, there is no harm to the environment and the energy needs of the state are taken care of.

Q. Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said in Dehradun recently that there could not be a blanket ban on hydroelectric projects in the state. What is your stand on the issue?

We are not for stopping the unhindered flow of the Ganga river but we are for building other small hydroelectric projects which are more eco-friendly.

Q. You have just launched the Sparsh Ganga programme to clean the Ganga. How different is it from the central government’s Ganga Action Plan which hasn’t succeeded?

This is different. We want to involve the comman man with this campaign since the Ganga is the Mother of us all. We want to make the people aware about the importance of the Ganga and turn it into a “Jan Andolan” (people’s movement). We hosted the Mahakumbh at Haridwar in which more than four crore pilgrims from 140 countries participated. Earlier, the Ganga was a national heritage but after Mahakumbh it has become an international heritage. We have started this programme to maintain the purity of the Ganga and also to take care of the environmental aspect.

Q. There is an acute shortage of water in many parts of the state. Do you have any plans to enhance water availability?

There is drinking water shortage in some areas and we are seriously working on water conservation projects. Since Uttarakhand is an ecologically fragile area, earthquakes, landslides and earth movement could disturb the natural water resources in the hills. We are aware of the problem. In the past one and a half years, we worked on a project to provide drinking water to Almora town which was suffering acute water shortage. Now the situation has eased. Where the problem persists, we have made plans to pump river water for the people.

Q. As you have said Uttarakhand is an environmentally fragile area. What plans do you have for its sustainable development?

It is an environmental friendly state. More than 66 per cent of the total land mass of the state is under forests and perhaps it is the first state to have such a large green cover. We have six national parks and six wildlife sanctuaries. It is also the first state to have nearly 12,000 van panchayats where lakhs of people nurture forests like their own children.

Q. What about the danger of glacial melting?

These things are linked. Even in the Sparsh Ganga campaign there is a component of forest conservation, besides river conservation. We are working on the melting of glaciers and have formed an authority to study Glacier melting.

Q. In overall development, Uttarakhand seems to be lagging behind.

No we are doing well. Ours is a young state but we are moving forward on the path of development. Uttarakhand is third in the country on development index. In 2000 when the state came up, the growth rate was 2.9 per cent. That has risen to 9.3 per cent now. The per capita annual income of every individual in Uttarakhand was Rs 14,000 in 2000 which has climbed to Rs. 42,000 per annum now. We have done well in tax revenue and taken a giant leap. In the days to come we will do even better.

Q. Industries had come up in a big way in Uttarakhand initially but are facing an acute power shortage now. What do you plan to do to attract industries?

We are having a contract with Gas Authority of India (GAIL) to set up two gas-based plants, one each in the Garhwal and Kumoan regions of 500 MW capacity each. This will ease the power situation in the industrial sector. With more hydro-power generation and after getting 250 MW from the Tehri dam project that was denied to us, I am hopeful that the situation would be comfortable in future.

Q. What about effective industrial package for the state?

We have started a special industrial package for the hill areas so that industrial development also reaches the remote areas. We are fighting for the industrial package given to us by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. We want to impliment it by 2020 and we will meet the Prime Minister again along with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj ji soon.

Q. In politics, the state BJP is divided. Are you confident of staying on as the CM?

I am getting full support of all the legislators, ministers, party workers and the general public. I am absolutely confident. There is no doubt about it. My name is “Nishank”, which means without any doubt.