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Global N-Centre in Haryana
Compensating Bhopal victims
Threat from Pak nukes |
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India’s alarming job problem
Goodbye, doctor
Save Chandigarh’s character
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Global N-Centre in Haryana
THE finalisation of the plan to set up a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership near Bahadurgarh in Haryana with assistance from the US, France, Russia and some other countries is a major achievement for India’s nuclear establishment. It will be a unique facility as it will comprise four schools engaged in research in nuclear security, radiation safety and nuclear energy system studies. It will serve as an international venue for the exchange of knowledge and ideas relating to nuclear science and technology in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency and other such global institutions. Predictably, Kheri Jassaur village, where the centre will come up, will get transformed into a destination for nuclear experts of international repute, who will be debating on how to go about nuclear power generation by ensuring that the technological expertise, equipment and nuclear fuel are not misused for producing nuclear bombs. The setting up of the nuclear study centre fits in with India’s impeccable reputation as a responsible nuclear weapon power despite not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and other such discriminatory regimes. The landmark Indo-US nuclear deal could be signed and successfully operationalised mainly because of India’s image as a strict non-proliferator. The deal with the US has led to India being allowed by the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group to engage in nuclear trade. India’s No-First Use nuclear doctrine also provides proof, if it is needed, that this country does not stand for the use of nuclear power technology for destructive purposes. Increased nuclear power-related activity will help India in enhancing nuclear energy generation to meet the fast rising demand from industry and other sectors. India, which is in the process of importing a number of reactors, has a three-stage nuclear power production programme, as envisioned by Dr Homi Bhabha. The chain of reactors that India has and plans to acquire is set to enable the country to emerge as a major nuclear power producer in the years to come. It needs to intensify its R and D efforts not only to enhance its capability as a nuclear power but also as the one which lays great emphasis on the safety aspect.
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Compensating Bhopal victims THE Central Government’s petition before the Supreme Court seeking an 11-fold increase in compensation for the victims of the Bhopal gas disaster more than 21 years after the apex court awarded 470 million dollars (Rs 705 crore) and 26 years after the horrendous tragedy occurred, is a shot in the dark devoid of chances of success. While the court had taken the fatalities at 3,000 while passing the verdict in 1989, the figure has now been revised to 5,300 dead and over 40,000 crippled as a result of the leakage of toxic gas from the plant of the multinational Union Carbide Corporation. The number of cases of minor injury is now placed at 5,27,894 as against 50,000 estimated by the apex court earlier. Significantly, Union Carbide was bought over by Dow Chemicals 11 years ago and the latter claims that all liabilities were settled in the out-of-court settlement entered into between Union Carbide and the Indian government in 1989 and then accepted by the apex court. Since Union Carbide no longer owns property in India, it is difficult to see how it can be held to account by the court. That the Indian government had settled for an extraordinarily measly amount was clear even when the deal was struck in 1989. The fact that the Central government has woken up to the need to seek a revision two decades later makes a mockery of Indian concerns over the shortchanging. Equally bizarre is the move to seek extradition now of the then Union Carbide Chairman, Warren Anderson, who came to India at that time but was allowed to get away even though he was the prime accused in the case. Instead of taking a line that has little chance of success, the Manmohan Singh government must concentrate on better management of relief and rehabilitation. At the same time, it must take steps to deal with the 425 tonnes of toxic waste that is yet to be cleared from the site of the plant where the disaster occurred. It is in that aspect that Dow Chemicals must be called to account and the American government must be reminded of its moral obligations.
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Threat from Pak nukes THE WikiLeaks expose of cables from the US Embassy in Islamabad to Washington DC has confirmed the fear that Pakistan has been banking on its two major “assets” to meet its perceived threat from India — its nuclear weapons and the ISI-sponsored terrorist outfits like the Lashkar-e-Toiba. In its quest to take on India, Pakistan has been producing smaller tactical nuclear warheads on a large scale despite the acute shortage of funds for even its foreign debt repayment obligations. Keeping in view the huge number of Pakistan nuclear establishment employees, the world cannot rule out the possibility of some of these people colluding with the extremist elements. If, by any chance, any such weapon falls into the hands of these rogue elements, the consequences can be devastating. India obviously will be their primary target, but the rest of the world, too, cannot feel safe in such an eventuality. Now the question is: what should be done to ensure that the extremists are never able to lay their hands on nuclear weapons as well as nuclear technology? India will have to launch a major worldwide drive so that an answer to this question is found before it is too late. After all, Pakistan’s entire nuclear programme is aimed at securing itself from India. Interestingly, however, the Zardari-Gilani regime in Islamabad has come to realise that the biggest danger to Pakistan’s existence lies from the extremists, and not from India, as one of the dispatches from former US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Peterson points out. But there is a problem: this view is not shared by the Pakistan Army, which virtually runs the show even if there is a democratically elected government in Islamabad. Pakistan is also yet to abandon the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy irrespective of what it says for the consumption of the international community. The world cannot afford to ignore the truth that has come out after the publication of the secret cables sent from Islamabad to Washington DC.
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If we find an answer to that (why it is that we and the universe exist), it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason — for then we would know the mind of God. — Stephen Hawking
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India’s alarming job problem ONE of the most interesting aspects of President Barack Obama’s visit to India was his job hunting spree. He was proud that he had secured 50,000 jobs from India. It feels good to see that the US needs jobs from India. All these years we saw Indians leaving for the US in search of better avenues. Around 3 million Indians have settled in the US and most are enjoying a much higher standard of life than those back home. But is America, the biggest and the most powerful country in the world, in dire straits so that its President has to go for job hunting in developing countries like India? Indeed, the statistics say so — the US has 9.6 per cent unemployment and the government has incurred $13.4 trillion in public debt though we all know that a country like the US with its immense wealth, technological superiority, research and innovations will take a long time to decline and sink. Indeed, the October 2010 data show signs of revival. Consumer spending, which accounts for 70 per cent of economic activity in the US, has risen by 2.8 per cent, the fastest such increase in four years. Corporate profits are also up at $1659 billion, the peak level reached in four years. Obama’s interest in India also springs from the fact that the US has a prosperous Indian community that has contributed to the creation of thousands of jobs in the past. Indian-American entrepreneurs, hotel and motel owners and doctors have created thousands of jobs. During 2004-2009, Indian companies have made 127 Greenfield investments amounting to $5.5 billion, creating 16,576 jobs in the US. Around 239 Indian companies during the same period made 372 acquisitions in the US and generated a large number of jobs. The global economic downturn, however, has shaken the US and led to mass unemployment, something which has not been seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Many bankers, however, have bounced back with the $18 billion bailout package by the US government. But many millions are still without jobs. While exhorting others not to be protectionist, the US has tried to impose curbs on outsourcing from India and other countries to save jobs. Its own exports are doing well because of a weak dollar. Its trade deficit with China, however, has been ballooning and for the past few years, the US has blamed it on China’s currency manipulations. The whole world may be losing out owing to the forced low value of the yuan, but China is not paying much heed to it. Today the two biggest countries in the world — the US and China — are playing in the world arena on their own terms. Jobs are, indeed, something to be worried about because not only is there a threat of a deflationary spiral in the US with prices falling and investments declining that would lead to higher unemployment, but there is also a huge fiscal deficit of $1.4 trillion which needs financing. It will mean austerity (decline in demand) and job losses. No wonder, the government is keen on reviving demand by injecting $600 billion in the guise of quantitative easing (QE2) which will also help bridge the deficit. Brazil, Germany and China have objected to the release of freshly printed billions of dollars in the international financial system because to solve its own domestic problem the US is trying to create international imbalances. There is going to be a huge surge in FII (foreign institutional investment) inflows into the emerging market economies like India, Taiwan and Thailand as a result of QE2. Many countries have already taken action to control these inflows. But India has not done anything about it yet. India’s current account deficit is growing fast and perhaps that is why it wants FII inflows to come in unabated as these will help finance the deficit. But India needs jobs too! We are burdened with our own unemployment problem. The latest Labour Bureau report says that there is 9.4 per cent unemployment in India which means that around 40 million people are jobless in this country as compared to the 12 million unemployed in the US. Should we not be worried about India’s own unemployed, who have no social security? For many in India, unemployment means starvation and receding into poverty. Our own huge unemployment problem is worrisome especially when there has been a sudden decline in industrial growth, particularly that related to manufacturing. The service sector, despite its rapid growth and its 62 per cent contribution to the GDP, does not have jobs for the unskilled and uneducated. And most of our 524 million-strong labour force lacks skills and training and consititutes semi-literate people. There has to be extensive investment in skills training to get jobs for the jobless because, despite huge unemployment, there is labour shortage. There are not enough skilled persons in the labour market as most of the jobless are unemployable. Though the government has proudly declared that the growth rate for 2010 will be around 8.5 per cent, making India one of the fastest growing countries in the world, it may not translate into more jobs because, as everyone knows, there has been jobless growth in India during the past few years. For retaining flexibility in production and for cost reduction, many industrialists are going in more for capital-intensive production rather than hiring labour, training them and then facing problems with unions. Jobs can be created with a higher rate of investment and industrial expansion, but right now there is a cautious outlook in the market with industry not being able to gauge the demand prospects due to inflation and high interest rates. Inflation is definitely a big problem in India and other emerging market economies. Instead of monetary easing, India has had to embark on a year-long monetary tightening. With more money flowing into the emerging market economies, there will be higher inflation in India. There can be an asset price bubble and India’s rupee may gain more against the dollar, playing spoilsport in the country’s export markets. As opposed to the US, which has low inflation and close to a zero interest rate, a higher interest rate in India will mean higher debt servicing money outgo by the government and a cut in public spending. This will mean less public investment in training and poverty relief programmes. India urgently needs a higher investment in education and skill upgradation for job creation. Should we not be aware of our own needs first when our own jobless problem is so
alarming?
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Goodbye, doctor THE good doctor took one look at me and frowned. “You seem to have gained five kilos since you last came in,” he admonished, directing me to the weighing machine. I was astonished, once again, to find that Dr Kapoor was precise to the point of perfection. I had indeed added 4.8 kilos. He had this God-given gift of looking into the eyes of his patients, check their pulse rates and diagnose with almost unerring accuracy what they were ailing from. No fancy tests for him. Actually, he would very often make the correct diagnosis by merely looking at the patients who had already undergone tests in hospitals but which left the doctors clueless. Doctors from the PGI would sometimes write to him, expressing their admiration. Some would take the trouble of meeting him in person. When the doctor suffered a massive heart attack in 1983, heart bypass surgery was not very popular in the country. But Dr Dharam Pal Jain, whose father had been cured by the doctor and who had since then become a cardiologist in the US, invited him over and got the bypass done. Dr Niranjan Prasad Kapoor had turned 90 this year. Yet, every morning he could be seen in his clinic with his trademark bright red tie, a white shirt and meticulously ironed trousers. Grateful residents had named the crossing at Kharar, where his clinic stood, after him and it continues to be known as Kapoor Chowk. He would often be seen taking down notes from the American Journal of Medicine or other foreign journals that he subscribed or borrowed. Even at this ripe, old age, he did not require the help of glasses to read. I am in my late twenties but the huge age gap never came in the way of communicating with Dr Kapoor. The fact that he treated four generations of the family and had attended to me since my infancy helped. But I sought him out to listen to him speak on various issues. It was always a learning experience. Dr Kapoor never left Kharar, where he started practising as an assistant to a British physician during World War II. He did not have fancy medical degrees but was devoted to his calling. He would respond to calls even at midnight and would often visit the poorer sections on his bicycle even when the high and the mighty from Chandigarh lined up at his clinics, the road leading to the clinic crammed with cars with beacon lights. “In 65 years of my professional life,” he once told me, “I have never accepted kickbacks from any laboratory or pharmaceutical company.” A few weeks ago, he told me with a smile, “I am feeling a bit feverish today. It seems that God is finally calling me”. On last Sunday morning he died in his
sleep.
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Save Chandigarh’s character The Tribune investigative series “Chandigarh skyline in danger” exposed how Punjab politicians had combined with the Tata Housing Project to plan a 19-tower township in the vicinity of Sukhna Lake, marring the city’s skyline. We have been flooded with letters expressing concern over the project. Many letters have been published online, and a select few letters are being printed today.
Let the city breathe freely
I fully support the stand taken by The Tribune. It is really unfortunate how people in high places cannot even respect the integrity of one of the few remaining beautiful cities of India. Cities are, in a sense, ‘living’ things and there can be no better example of this than Chandigarh. All the parts of a living thing are made and designed for a purpose. That is why the byelaws of Chandigarh were enacted. The creator of Chandigarh had some concepts in mind and lesser beings cannot even hope in several lifetimes to match his intent and capabilities. How then, and with what intellectual authority, can anyone by pass these laws. Let anyone prove his intellectual superiority over Le Corbusier and then can we gladly follow him. Till then, let the city breathe freely. VIKAS
GOEL,
Defending the indefensible
In an attempt to defend the controversial Tata Housing Project near the Chandigarh Capitol Complex, the focus is being put on two aspects: One, the city has already done many similar wrongs, as if two wrongs would make a right. Two, that no rule was flouted as if the ‘killing’, without any rhyme or reason except benefiting the rule-makers themselves, of the existing Periphery Act does not constitute any irregularity. In a recent significant judgment, the Supreme Court has rightly noted that “the object of a cooperative society is not to earn but to enable the members to improve their economic conditions by helping them in their pursuits.” Strangely, nobody has pointed out that house building cooperative societies can’t be constituted to make profit. BALVINDER, Legislators must preserve city
Chandigarh is a famous city in the world. Therefore, all the Members of Legislative Assembly and Parliament belonging to Punjab must help preserve the city. The proposed project is located less than 2 km from the Sukhna Lake, where residents and tourists come to relax and enjoy themselves in a pollution-free environment. If the project is allowed to go ahead, it will mar the beauty of the city. Therefore, it should be cancelled. JASKIRAT SINGH
LALPURA, Marvel of creativity
The Tribune has truly lived up to the expectations of its readers in exposing this negative development. This is just one such case which has come into the limelight, many more projects might be hibernating somewhere and have to be found out. By designing Chandigarh, Le Corbusier presented a model for other cities to follow but sadly, it is being destroyed in the name of development. How can the top honchos even think of destroying such a marvel of creativity and that too behind everyone’s back? Is it not that some ‘iniquitous’ people have reached the top posts and instead of leading the nation, are trying to ruin it? Please continue with the task that you have taken up of exposing the corrupt practises. We, as readers, will always back you. NIKITA SHARMA, Provide alternate site
The City Beautiful is a gift of Jawaharlal Nehru and Le Corbusier to the free India. During my dozens of sojourns abroad, I have been sharing the fact with my Chandigarh friends that this is a well-nurtured city with many amenities and rich aesthetics. After Independence, we have not been able to create another Chandigarh. During our student days at PEC, we were taught that the city has been designed as human body and its ‘head’ lies in the Capital Complex. The present lot of bureaucrats and politicians are dismembering and disfiguring the head and ruining the body by violations of all rules and regulations. It is a pious city created by devoted men of calibre and vision. Let us preserve it for generations to come and let this monument stand out as salutation to its creators. New cities with so many virtues and qualities cannot be created just like that, they just happen with the great ideas of the greatest men on this planet. Hence, it becomes our paramount obligation to preserve it at any cost. All those who are craving for houses can be allotted an alternate site, if at all they need them, away from the dream city. Er KULDIP RAI
WADHWA, Hope rests on the Tatas
It looks as if some ‘organised gang’ is out to mortgage the Chandigarh skyline and its original ethos. Hope may only rest on the Tata group, who are a business house with some ethics. Let the Tata group itself give up its project. A review may also be taken of the so-called “Chandigarh Extension” at Mullanpur near PGI, where some bigwigs are alleged to be involved by proxy and where too high-rise towers are planned in the Shiwalik foothills, within eight kilometres of the city. Initially, even the coming up of Mohali and Panchkula was not in the spirit and ethos of the makers of Chandigarh. The two additional townships have, no doubt, thoughtlessly expanded, becoming districts recently, but these are putting unbearable strain on UT’s infrastructure. Mohali, of late, has got a new dimension, and it may in the long run engulf the City Beautiful. With Sukhna Lake rapidly silting up, the day is not far when our “adarsh politicians” will buy the silted up Sukhna and either convert it into a private stadium or gift it to another builder! Everyone should read the recent book Chandigarh 1956 published this year from Zurich. It is a pity the Swiss feel emotional about our city because of the Corbusier connection, but not our politicians. Prof. ARUN D.
AHLUWALIA, Right time for introspection
Thanks for generating appreciable awareness among people about the THDC project. Once again, it is the right time we introspect and figure out where and how we have, directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly, contributed to a catastrophe like the THDC project that threatens to take away the very spirit of the City Beautiful. Let us take it as a chance to revise the gamut of principles that we live by. It is not hard to unify the masses on an issue, but sustained efforts for the unification that yield results have seldom been possible. Let us make sustained efforts towards safeguarding a city we have always loved and cherished. NAVI, Skyscrapers will be a disaster
It is indeed very painful to read the recent investigation reports on the Camelot. In this country, where a large portion of the population is struggling to get a single room for living, how do the rich and influential people manage to get plots, flats, etc., at negligible prices? Moreover, the politicians who do not share same views on any issue are united as their personal interests matter more. The skyscrapers will be a disaster for the city because the view of the Shivaliks will be marred by high-rise towers, while the famous Sukhna Lake will die an unnatural death. The Tribune has done a commendable job in highlighting the issue. It is now the duty of the common man to raise his voice against such scams. If the skyscrapers are allowed, it will be very difficult to get the coveted Heritage City status for Chandigarh. DAVINDER
SAINI, Deal with malpractices
Whenever people think about a city in India with planned architecture, good roads, neat and clean lush green gardens, educated and mannered people, the name “City Beautiful” comes in the mind. I grew up in the city, got quality education, medication, transportation, etc. This was achieved not with the effort of one, but scores of people. Now, the political and industrial tycoons are making it sick and surely the Chandigarh skyline is in danger. Such malpractices should be strongly dealt with, so that no such activities may “arise” in the periphery. Therefore, we will have to sensibly gear up for a “gigantic crusade” against such tycoons. Prof. RAJESH KUMAR, Project should not take off
At present, the space in Chandigarh is inadequate because of the increase in population, infrastructure, etc. The Tata’s project is likely to spoil the beauty, culture and heritage of the city. Also, the project is not going to help the common man and it will add to the degradation of environment. Therefore, it is necessary to safeguard the interest of the City Beautiful and its residents because Chandigarh is one of the best cities in the country in terms of quality of life, infrastructure, civic sense, greenery, clean environment, etc. To maintain it at every level by the Administration and the Municipal Corporation is the need of the hour. As such, the project should not take off. BALDEV RAJ, Governor
should intervene
It is really shameful to know that bigwigs in Punjab have joined hands not only for open ‘loot’ but to destroy the basic concept of the City Beautiful. It is not a question of the need of residential accommodation to these politicians or high-ups involved in this project. If investigated, it will be found that almost all of them have their own houses in Chandigarh or other cities/towns. If that is so, why should they clamour for these flats, except for greed? Such housing projects have to be ‘need based’ and not ‘greed based’. What about the infrastructure required for such a housing colony? It will need parking of about 2,000 vehicles. About 1,000 M3 of water per day will be required for drinking purposes and almost 800 M3 of sewage will need treatment and disposal. Medical facilities for about 7,000 people will be needed. All these are going to put pressure on the existing facilities in Chandigarh. Have the development authorities in Punjab given any thought to this reckless development in the northern part of Chandigarh and just adjacent to a water body and a wetland for migratory birds, before giving permission to the builders. Such highrise buildings are definitely going to affect the flora and fauna of the area, apart from destroying the city’s skyline. I feel that the Punjab Governor should put his foot down to such an eco-unfriendly project, which is mainly aimed at benefiting the politicians and the high-ups in the government. A. K.
UMMAT, It will mar the city
The Tata Housing project will cause a grave danger to the city. It is hard to believe that this may happen to Chandigarh, which is one of the well-planned cities in the world. This housing project will put pressure on infrastructure and mar the beauty of the city. Also, this ‘scam’ has proved that corruption in the country has crossed all the limits. Now is time to save the prestige of Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. JASKARAN SINGH KALSI, Sukhna will be affected
The issue has unmasked the politicians having big palatial houses and once again brought to the fore how the rules were twisted in their favour to grab the flats. This goes to prove as to what extent one can stoop so low. They have even ignored the fact that the already-drying Sukhna Lake will be affected. The City Beautiful has its own attractions. The new structure will affect both the skyline and the soil. The bare soil will not be saved from erosion. Therefore, the government must take steps to save the beauty of the City Beautiful. N. P. S. SOHAL, Adjust plans accordingly
In less than 60 years since the conceptualisation of this well-planned city, many problems are already proving to be citizens’ nightmares. We have only 4 sq km of vacant land in the city and there is no scope for further expansion. We are already encircled by those townships which allow high-rise buildings. Either we can go up or down, as these are the only two directions the city can expand. I, therefore, suggest that stilt parking in all residential buildings on ground floor should be allowed. Also allow the construction of an additional floor. Let high-rise buildings come up in specified areas in the city by taking care of parking and civic amenities. Accept that all cities will grow, so adjust your plans accordingly or you are left to deal with slums and their rehabilitation problems. Dr NEERAJ
NAGPAL, Another example of ‘greed’
I live in the UK and am a regular reader of The Tribune. Recently, I visited India and was pleased to see the overall development at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and elsewhere in cities like Chandigarh, Mohali and Ludhiana. The world is looking at India as a great developing nation but unfortunately, politics and corruption are letting us down. This Camelot housing project is just another example of ‘greed’ of our politicians. It isn’t that the politicians in other countries are clean but at least they are made accountable for their deeds. The housing project is not only going to destroy the geographical beauty of the City Beautiful but it will also be a complete waste of money as most of these politicians already own several houses. There should be a thorough inquiry into the assets of these politicians and the guilty should be sacked immediately. If people of Bihar can wake up to throw the Lalu and Co. out, they need to watch out for their deeds. Dr JASWINDER SINGH,
Send in your views whether for or against the project at editorinchief@tribuneindia.com We will carry a select few of them in the paper apart from putting the rest on our website.
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