Flooding in Bihar - from bad to worse

Bihar accounts for 17.2% of the flood-prone area of India. Floods creating havoc in over 20 districts of the state are confined by thousands of km. of embankments on both banks. This type of flood control measure has aggravated the problem. Millions of rupees are spent on maintenance of embankments in the cash-starved state. Yet, all this heavy expenditure provides no relief. With every passing year, the situation moves from bad to worse. The year 2002 has now witnessed the nature's fury at its peak. Experts feel that Bihar's floods are best example of worst water resource management in the country. Destruction uncontrolledThe rampaging rivers claimed lives of 360 people and 1,100 cattle by the end of August this year, in Bihar. The Water Resources Department of the state recorded 5.77 lakh cusecs of discharge in the river Gandak - exceeding the earlier highest value of 5.42 lakh cusecs, recorded in 1978. Other rivers including Kamla Balan, Bagmati, Kosi either breached or spilt over the embankments at more than 30 places inundating 204 blocks of 24 districts of the state affecting about 160 million people. The massive flood deluged 1,700 thousand hectares of land, destroying crop in 1,100 thousand hectares by the end of August.

Destruction uncontrolled
The rivers swell to over 1 metre above the danger mark at several places. The river Gandak breached the Saran embankment and flooded the Gopalganj district - the home district of Bihar's Chief Minister Mrs. Rabri Devi and Rashtriya Janta Dal supremo Mr. Laloo Yadav. The floodwaters entered the Gopalganj district headquarters. Over 6 lakh people were affected and ready crops worth US $ 2.4 million were destroyed in the district. A small town, Jogbani on eastern side of the state on the Indo-Nepal border, was completely cut off from rest of the country. The earthwork below the railway track in the Forbesganj-Sharsa section of the North Eastern Railway was washed off. Even a man on a motorcycle was swept away on a Bihar highway. The discharge of 638 thousand cusecs of water in 2002 was the highest in recent years, said Jagdanand Singh, the Water Resources Minister of the State. Kosi, the "Sorrow of Bihar," affected as much as 4 districts with an alarming peak discharge of 386 thousand cusecs. Discharge above 4 hundred thousand cusecs could have left the situation uncontrolled incase of Kosi. In undivided Bihar, in 1996, floods affected 31 districts claiming lives of 207 people and 66 cattle and destroyed 66,955 dwellings. After five years in bifurcated state during 2001, 8 million people in 5,477 villages of 22 districts were affected. Altogether, 203 lives were lost. But, the current year's offered record statistics, putting a question mark on the state and union government's determination to control flooding in over 50% of the districts in the state, which are declared flood-prone. Banking on the ProblemFive hundred odd villagers of 'Pupri' in 'Sitamarhi', a flood-prone district, want the embankment to be demolished. This embankment was constructed way back in early 60's. Reason - the embankment has adversely affected entire cropping patterns, setting back their economic status. Production of the commercial crop linseed was drastically reduced after the embankment had been constructed. The rice mills of this region have shut down. Every year, water gushes into their villages, leaving them in the lurch. "The embankments in north Bihar have not only affected the habitat and breeding grounds for wild animals and fishes but also the entire agricultural pattern and productivity in the region," says Dr. R.K. Sinha of Environmental Biology Laboratory of Patna University. "Prior to embankments the region was a good habitat for wild boar, black buck, rhinoceros, leopard, etc. But now these animals have become extinct in north Bihar," adds Dr. Sinha. The floodwater spread in the area increased soil fertility by layering fertile soil in the area. The idea to tame the river by raising dykes or earth works parallel to the river channel was conceived during 1896-97 at a conference in Calcutta. At that time too, doubts were raised about the efficacy of embankments. Debates on construction of embankments as a flood control tool had raised several doubts. In November 1937, the then Chief Minister of Bengal, Captain G.F. Hall, warned during the second flood conference held at Sinha Library, Patna, "If embankments continue to be built or even a status quo is maintained, I am sure, we are inviting catastrophe for the future generation." The length of embankments grew from 160 km in 1954 to 3,465 km in 1998 and at the same time the flood prone area went up from 2.5 million hectares in 1952 to 6.89 million hectare in 1994. Hall was bang on in his assessment, all those decades ago. "Such an enormous extension of embankments as the only flood control measure in the last 45-50 years has been proved to be suicidal," adds Dr. T. Prasad, Executive Chairman of Integrated Hydro Development Forum, Patna and Ex-Director of Centre for Water Resources of Patna University. Construction of embankments has resulted in blockades of natural drainage patterns affecting the entire ecology of the area. It has been proved to be a bane for agricultural crops, which remain submerged during monsoon. "Such water logging not only provides a suitable breeding ground to vectors of Malaria and Kala-azar (a deadly disease that has accounted for millions) but also renders the soil saline, hence reducing fertility," says Dr. Sinha. Nearly 224 thousand hectares are saline and the districts are "Kala-azar" hotspots in the country. Construction of embankments, have become a money spinning machine for corrupt politicians and engineers and an unlawful business for contractors and criminals in the state. In the last ten years over US $ 2 billion have been spent on flood control. With the yearly increase in expenditure for embankment construction and maintenance, the devastation also increases in accordance, rendering the public helpless.

Woman burnt alive in anti-Christian violence

BHUBANESWAR (ICNS): A woman, working as a cook in a missionary-run orphanage, was burnt alive on Monday in Orissa by Hindu fanatic groups protesting the murder of their leader.Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxamanananda Saraswati and four others were shot dead by Maoist rebels on Saturday night in the leaders' residence. The VHP-sponsored shut-down in the state, protesting the killing of Sarawati, turned violent in several places. Mobs attacked at least 10 Christian institutions including orphanages, convents, and parish houses across the state. The woman was killed when she tried to stop a mob from attacking orphan children. A mob reportedly ordered people out of the orphanage building before setting fire to it. The woman was thrown into the fire when she tried to stop them from attacking the children. Earlier some Catholic priests said the woman killed was a Catholic nun, which they now said they could not verify. Most priests are hiding in forests fearing attack from fanatic groups. Unconfirmed reports also said a nun was rapped. Christian leaders in the villages are out of touch. Those in cites and towns are shut inside rooms, and do not move out. They do not have details of the violence on the streets. "We are afraid to move out. Christians are hiding in jungles," Sambalpur Bishop Lucas Kerketta told a New Delhi newspaper. The killed religious leader was a controversial figure, who persistently spoke against Christian missions. The Hindu violence against Christians last December in Orissa was linked to this leader. Violence began after Hindus accused Christians of attacking him. Christian leaders say the attack on the Swami last December was stage-managed to give a reason for the violence against Christians. Hindu extremists have targeted Christians in Orissa before. Nine years ago an Australian missionary and his two sons were burnt alive by a mob that set their car on fire.Vatican cardinal speaks for Orissa Christians NEW DELHI (ICNS): In the wake of continuing violence in Orissa, a senior Vatican cardinal has called on the international community to pressure Indian government to ensure and respect constitutional religious freedom. Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, made his remarks in Italy's leading daily, Il Corriere della Sera. He also made similar remarks in the Vatican daily, L'Osservatore Romano, on Aug. 26. "One cannot but condemn all this," the cardinal told Il Corriere della Sera soon after the news of violence broke on Monday. At least 10 people are reported killed In the violence that continued for the fourth day on Wednesday. Armed men continue to ransack and torch churches, presbyteries, convents and Christian health-care centers and hostels. "It is a sin against God and against humanity. There is no possible justification for it. Certainly one cannot invoke religion (to justify) crimes of this kind." Hindu radical violence against Christians began on Sunday after a Hindu religious leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, and five of his associates were killed on Aug. 23 in the state's Kandhamal district. Maoists reportedly claimed responsibility for the killings, but some Hindu groups have alleged Christians masterminded the killing, a charge all Christian Churches and denominations have denied. L'Osservatore Romano reported that the cardinal had appealed to the international community to put pressure on the Indian government, "because the main reason for the attack on Catholics" is their charitable work. Cardinal Tauran said "it cannot be denied that Catholics are being targeted by fanatics" and "this happens because we are building schools and orphanages." "They accuse us of proselytism, because once in a while someone converts (to Catholicism)," he elaborated. "But we are only asking the possibility to carry out our duty as Christians: to help the one who is poor, the one who is in grave need," he continued. "The fanatics who attack us are those who want an India with only one religion: Hinduism. Clearly we cannot accept this," he stated. "We will respond to violence," the Vatican official continued. "We will do so with charity, by combating discrimination, educating children, by giving them a future." He said the both the group have "a great need to get to know each other better," the cardinal stated, revealing plans to "organize a meeting next year in India to analyze relations between Hinduism and the Catholic Church. The Cardinal said he was "very proud of the Catholics in India, who are determined to continue living in the midst of their fellow citizens and to give testimony to the love of Christ for the poor, even at the price of their own life."Orissa Government Was Forewarned of Violence Says Gujarat-Based Human Rights Association By SAR NEWSAHMEDABAD, Gujarat (SAR NEWS) -- "Sufficient warning was given to the Orissa Government, of the deteriorating situation, as early as in September 2006, with the publication of "Communalism in Orissa" - the Report of the Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights - headed by Justice K. K. Usha (Retd.) former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court" Father Cedric Prakash, Director of PRASHANT, a Gujarat-based human-Rights Organisation, told SAR News August 26th. Condemning the killing of Swami Saraswati and four of his associates during the attack on the VHP Ashram in the Kandhamal District of Orissa on Saturday 23rd August 2008, Father Cedric also expressed sympathy for the bereaved members of the families who have lost their loved ones. In a statement to The Government of Orissa and the Central Government, PRASHANT called upon them to "do all in their power to bring to book immediately, those responsible for this dastardly act; that anti-social elements do not take law and order into their own hands and above all, to ensure that peace and calm prevail in the area, and in other parts of Orissa". Father Cedric held that " in the last several months, the Government of Orissa has allowed some fascist and fundamentalist forces to terrorize the poor, the marginalized and the minorities of the State. These forces have carried on their virulent propaganda and their violent acts with apparent immunity". He accused the Government of Orissa and police authorities of "total abdication of responsibility" "They should now also be held totally responsible for these deaths and for allowing the situation to go out of control" he added.John Dayal reports ORISSA ANTI CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE UPDATE 25th August 20081. NUN REPORTED BURNT ALIVE: A Christian woman, possibly a nun, wasreported burnt alive on 25th August 2008 by a group of Vishwa HinduParishad mob which stormed the orphanage she ran in the district ofBargarh (Orissa). Police Superintendent Ashok Biswall has told this tonews reporters. A priest who was at the orphanage was also badly hurtand is now being treated in hospital for multiple burns.2. NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar dioceseworking Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon inKandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups ofHindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.3. SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the DiocesanPastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from theSocial Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centrewas attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveledstate as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre wasthen set afire.4. BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August 2008evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the veryheart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between 24thand 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery, conventand hostel damaging the properties.5. The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholichostel and tonsured their heads.6. PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning followers ofthe late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church inPhulbani, the district headquarter town.7. MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: mobs attacked the MotherTeresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed oncebefore and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients.Fundamentalists have targeted Priests, religious and also the Faithfulin Pobingia also.8. BHUBANESWAR BISHOP'S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th August2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds ofCatholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital ofthe State of Orissa. They could not enter because of the policepresence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House,damaging windows.9. DUBURI PARISH; Another group of fundamentalists entered presbyteryin Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and damagedproperty. Two priests of the parish are missing.10. Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked andhis property, vehicle etc. damaged, burnt and looted.11. A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also damaged.12. Christian institutions like St. Arnold's School (Kalinga Bihar),AND NISWASS report some damage.13. BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter theCatholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing tosafer places. But nothing seems safe.14. Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have been damaged.15. Sambalpur HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffereddamage.16. Padanpur: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital.Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.17. Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack.18. SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in variousdistricts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera,Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada,Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.19. VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on foresthamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia(G.Udayagiri), Padangiri, Tikabali.20. KALAHANDI DISTRICT: houses burnt even though the district is morethan 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda waskilled.21. Pastor Sikandar Singh of the Pentecostal Mission beaten up and hishouse burnt in Bhawanipatna.22. Kharihar: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Dasand Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.23. Aampani: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, PastorPradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with theirfamilies.24. Naktikani: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians. Thegovernment has sent forces, it is reported.[This list is compiled with assistance from Archbishop's House,Bhubaneswar and other sources]

L K Advani on Indian 'superbrands'

Indian 'superbrands'

Business Standard BS
Brand awareness, brand building, brand management and the whole concept of 'Business Organisation as a Brand' is relatively new in India. It is an outcome of the liberalised and competitive business environment that was created in the early 1990s.
During the 'Licence-Permit-Quota' Raj, there was no opportunity, incentive or compulsion for Indian companies to prove themselves. The ruling party of that period did not trust the Indian entrepreneurial class.
As a result, India's economic growth was severely stunted. My party was strongly opposed to this Soviet-inspired economic model that successive governments had followed until the arrival of the 1990s. And when this model was jettisoned, we supported the change enthusiastically.
The change enabled thousands of new private sector companies to enter the marketplace. Many public sector companies also restructured themselves to better meet the requirements of the consumer.
Thanks to liberalisation, our people were also exposed to the products, services, technologies and business management practices from abroad. Indian companies realised that they had to not only compete amongst themselves, but also compete, survive and succeed against foreign firms.
There are many reasons to rejoice at the emergence of Indian Superbrands. The most important reason is associated with national pride. Many of you will recall that in the past - and I am referring here to the era of the 'Licence-Permit-Quota' Raj - many Indians had a craze for "foreign brands".
And because these imported goods were not easily available, the craving to have them was even more intense. At that time many Indians believed that India could not produce goods or provide services of matching quality. This created an inferiority complex among these Indians.
The emergence of globally competitive Indian companies has dispelled the inferiority complex. It is these great Indian companies - Tata, Reliance, Aditya Birla Group, Moser Baer, Infosys, Wipro, etc - that have enhanced the reputation of India as an emerging economic power. The national pride associated with this phenomenon has tremendous transformational power.
I find that 'brand' is now being used in political parlance, too. Insofar as this concept is not used loosely in politics, the true reputation of a party or a leader should be judged by the credibility they enjoy. One must be true to one's own beliefs. One's practice should match one's precept. The test of the survival of a free society and a vibrant democracy is whether our public life has a sufficient number of people who value their own credibility, who safeguard the trust that people have in them, and set an example.
There is a close linkage between the brand value of individual companies and the value of 'Brand India' as such. The value of 'Brand India' depends on how good are the infrastructure facilities in our country, how attractive is the environment for investment and doing business, how efficient, transparent and corruption-free is the functioning of various government bodies and how good is the law and order situation.
If investors and businessmen are satisfied on all these counts, naturally trade and businesses will thrive and many more 'Superbrands' will emerge.
Sadly, the environment for investment and business in many parts of India is far from satisfactory. I am told that there is still a lot of red-tapism, bureaucratic harassment and delay for small and medium companies.
Infrastructure is improving in some states, but it is still very poor in many other states. Corruption is rampant. Judicial delays are the order of the day. Our education system, especially the system of higher and professional education, is in need of radical reforms.
We have a strange situation in our country where on the one hand tens of thousands of young men and women are in need of employment, but, on the other, properly skilled and trained people are not available for the jobs that do exist.
All this is unacceptable. We must change this situation. Without changing it, the true potential of India's development cannot be realised.

Excerpts from a speech by L K Advani, Leader of the Opposition, at the release of a book: Business Superbrands, in New Delhi on August 20, 2008

Rat meat to be commercialised in Bihar

Rat meat may soon be available in hotels as a delicacy. Rat farming, akin to rearing poultry, would be given to the poor Musahar community of Bihar as a means for their socio-economic upliftment as well as promote a new kind of food item in urban pockets. The Musahars, known as the traditional rat eating community and still regarded as 'untouchables', usually hunt rats in the paddy fields. "The government has decided to engage the Musahars in commercialisation of rat meat for their overall development," Vijay Prakash, principal secretary in the social welfare department, said. "We will encourage and help the Musahars to organize rat farms in order to commercialise rat meat" he said. The Musahars, estimated to number 2.3 million, are among the most deprived and marginalised section of the society in Bihar . They are yet to taste the fruits of development. They are widely known as rat eaters either out of choice or as compulsion to fight hunger. Engaging Musahars in commercialisation of rat meat would help create a regular source of income for them. "It will help empower them and change their poor living conditions if the venture is properly designed and clicks," said Prakash. Prakash maintains rat meat has the "potential" to become a popular food. According to dieticians, rat meat is rich in protein and tastier than chicken. Prakash said when Musahars rear rats in farms, on the lines of chicken and fish farming, the age-old image of catching rats being a wild activity will change. Eating rat meat is considered a stigma in urban pockets and confined to the poorer sections of society, said Prakash. "However, I discovered during a fact-finding mission about rat meat that it is a popular food item in the Mokama riverine areas and roadside hotels in Danapur in Patna district. It is called 'patal-bageri' and its demand is high," he said. Many people at toddy shops demand rat meat for its rare taste with spices. The state government plans to set up stalls in rural fairs across the state, followed by rat meat centres in urban areas. Prakash hinted that his department would approach government and private agencies in and outside the country to speed up commercialisation of rat meat. "We'd like to have a network with other experts to boost the rat meat business," he said. Dalits constitute nearly 15 percent of Bihar 's population of 83 million. The poorest Dalits were declared Maha Dalits in Bihar . A government commission has identified 18 of the 22 Dalit sub castes, including Musahar, Bhuiyan, Dom, and Nat as Maha Dalits. They constitute 31 percent of the Dalit population in the state. The commission has not included four Dalit castes - Paswan, Pasi, Dhobi and Chamar - in the Maha Dalit category. These four constitute 69 percent of the Dalit population in the state. A few months ago Nitish Kumar announced a special package of Rs.3 billion ($76 million) for the socio-economic development of the poorest among Dalits. He set up a commission in August last year for the welfare of certain Dalit castes that are socially and educationally more backward than others. Bihar is the first state to constitute a commission to study the status of the neglected sub-castes among Dalits and suggest ways to uplift them. The commission in its first interim report to the government a few months ago painted a bleak picture of the Dalit sub-castes. The report said there were no high school teachers or senior officials from these castes in the state despite reservations in government jobs for them.

Need of the Hour

From:- Pankaj Gupta, Gorakhpur
I agree the secrecy surrounding clauses of Nuclear Deal needs to be made public , common man should decide for the deal
India utilises just 18% of its thermal power potential and similar amount of its hydro power , where as China does utilise 80% of its thermal and hydro potential ,,, I feel it is like we being sold again at the hands of present government into the hands of American MNC's waiting to clinch more then 100Billion dollars worth of projects
Nuclear Power is good ,,, strategic deals have worked in past with Russian help and this is just like bowing our heads into Allied setup
!!! Good people never do politically correct things, Wisdom devoted to social welfare is the biggest virtue bestowed by One's god on humankind, it is like a blinking star which inspires to gaze and explore!!!
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The people who saw the shameful act in parliament to stop upa to win the vote of confidence on nuclear deel are may be feel ugly but what a common man feel about this act. I fail to know one thing that few peoples sitting there are not the god father's.This type of voting must be done through the common man.Every govt is elected by a common man..The common man have right of knowing whats Nuclear deal.And they will decide what to accept or reject.Is all of my friends are agree on my views ?If yes, how we can do that ?Is our constitute needs big change ?Your replys help me to know about what my friends feel to stop shame ful act in parliament.