Will Vasundhara Raje give in?

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Rainfall, power crisis grips northeast

The entire northeastern region has been plagued by a serious power crisis for the past one month following a prolonged dry spell and lowering of the water level in rivers and water reservoirs, officials said Friday. "Though the southwest monsoon came into northeast India during the end of last month, the rainfall scenario in most of the states is even worse," Tripura power corporation chairman-cum-managing director Dipak Ganguly said.

"The demand and power supply gap ranges between 60 percent to 80 percent in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura," said Ganguly, also a renowned electrical engineer of India. State-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) have been operating most of the major power projects (both hydel and thermal power plants) in the northeast.
"Due to the shortage of waters, the generation capacity of the Khandong and Kopili hydro electric power projects in Assam, Ranganadi hydro power project in Arunachal Pradesh, Doyang hydro power plant in Nagaland, Loktak hydro power project of Manipur and Dambur hydro power project in Tripura has been reduced by 50 percent," Ganguly said. According to power engineers, in view of the soaring temperatures coupled with high humidity, electricity demand has risen by 25-30 percent.
NEEPCO Executive Director T.C. Borgohain also admitted that there is severe power crisis in the entire northeast. "Our engineers and employees are working hard to deal with the situation and to maximise production from our (NEEPCO's) thermal power plants," Borgohain informed.
The power situation in Assam is, however, even worse. Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) chairman A.K. Sachan said in Guwahati: "The power crisis was due to the present dry spell. While the demand for power in the state is over 800 MW, there has been a daily shortfall of over 135 MW during the peak hours and 50 MW during the off-peak hours."
The situation is same in Meghalaya where the demand is about 250 MW while shortfall is more than 75 MW as there has been rapid industrialisation in the Byrnihat area of the state. Though there was some rain during the past few days, it was not enough for the plants to generate power at full capacity, said the power boards and corporation functionaries. However, meteorological officials have forecast rain over the region during the next few days.

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"Bangladesh worried over Tipaimukh"

Several organisations based in Bangladesh including political parties such as BNP, Awami League, NGOs, CSOs and academics of the country have raised their opposition and concerns against Tipaimukh Dam in Manipur.

The concerns range from possible impacts such as reduced water flow of Barak river resulting into destruction of wetlands and farmlands, seismicity issues to problems of fish movements etc, conveyed a joint press release issued by Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) and Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Project (ACTIP) whose members were invited to the National Taipaimukh Dam Conference (NTDC) 2009 .

The team from Manipur comprising of RK Singh, Joseph Hmar and Ramananda Wangkheirakpam of CCDD and Bikramjit Oinam of ACTIP held a series of meetings from June 12 to 22 at Dhaka, Sylhet and Sunamgonj districts of Bangladesh.

Saying that the Tipaimukh Dam issue has become an issue of national importance for Bangladesh, it asserted that for many organisations and groups, the issue has become a 'do or die' situation.

Participants taking part in the series of meetings were concerned that India would be blocking all water sources to Bangladesh including that of Barak river.

In accordance to the gravity of the situation being felt by Bangladeshi people and its Government, a Parliamentary Committee including experts is visiting the Tipaimukh Dam site in Manipur in the first week of July.

On their part, the team from Manipur expressed their renewed commitment to stop the dam here in Manipur as well as support the anti-dam movement in Bangladesh.

The CCDD and the ACTIP further claimed that a new platform for regular interaction and exchanges with their Bangladeshi counterparts would be created so as to enable concer ted effort that would help fight the dam, added the release.

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Row over US Bollywood 'detention'

I
ndia has asked the US to explain why a leading Bollywood film star was allegedly detained for two hours at Newark airport, which serves New York.

Shah Rukh Khan, who was released after India's embassy in the US intervened, said he felt angry and humiliated.

The actor, who is promoting a film on racial profiling, said he was stopped because he had a Muslim name.

But US customs officials denied that Mr Khan had been detained, saying he was questioned for 66 minutes.

Elmer Camacho, a spokesman for the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, said the questioning was part of the agency's routine process to screen foreign travellers, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Check list

The US ambassador to India, Timothy Roehmer, said the embassy was looking into Mr Khan's case.

Speaking in Delhi, Mr Roehmer said: "Shah Rukh Khan, the actor and global icon, is a very welcome guest in the United States. Many Americans love his films."

He said the embassy was trying to "ascertain the facts of the case - to understand what took place".

Mr Khan, 44, earlier told the Press Trust of India news agency he had been detained by immigration officials at Newark airport because his name came up on a computer check list.

He told the agency that he had been released after he was allowed to message a politician in India, who contacted the Indian embassy in Washington on his behalf.

Mr Khan was on his way from New York to Chicago to attend an Indian independence day celebration when he was stopped at Newark airport in the state of New Jersey.

Mr Khan later tried to play down the incident.

When asked about it while attending the Chicago celebration, he said: "I think it's a procedure that needs to be followed, but an unfortunate procedure."

The news was widely reported by Indian media outlets.

Mr Khan has appeared in more than 70 films and is considered one of India's most recognisable and popular celebrities.

Last month, America's Continental Airlines apologised to APJ Abdul Kalam amid outrage in India when it emerged that the former Indian president had been frisked and made to remove his shoes at Delhi airport in April.

The airline said in a statement that it had not intended to offend Mr Kalam or the sentiments of the people of India.

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IPS officer left waiting for award on I-Day in Orissa

A
senior IPS officer selected for the Police Medal was not given his award even as Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik honoured 26 other personnel on 63rd Independence Day on Sunday.

Vinaytosh Mishra, an IPS officer of 1983 batch at present posted at Bokaro in Jharkhand as DIG, CISF on Central deputation, has lodged a complaint with state Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy expressing his dissatisfaction over the denial of the medal under meritorious service category.

Mishra was posted as DIG (Home Guard and Fire Service) till he went on central deputation on November 3, 2008.

"I do not know why I was denied the award. I was earlier informed that I was to receive the award," he told reporters Bhubaneswar.

Though Mishra had a good track record, at least 13 tribals were killed in a police firing at Kalinga Nagar on January 2, 2006 when he was the superintendent of police (SP) of Jajpur district.

Mishra was promoted to DIG rank, while the judicial commission probing the incident is yet to give its report.

His selection for the award was announced on Republic Day year and he had travelled from Bokaro with his family to receive the award.

With the police fraternity in the state expressing surprise over the denial of the award to him, Tripathy said, "I will examine why Mishra was denied the award."

Mishra's name, recommended by the state government to the President, was in the list of eight awardees even on Saturday when the state police conducted rehearsal for Sunday's function.

Though the seven others in the list were honoured by the Chief Minister, Mishra was not invited to the dais as he kept waiting for his turn.

The incident had raised many eyebrows as this was the first time that a senior IPS officer was denied award even after getting the invitation.

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Drought in Bihar, Jharkhand; no silver lining in sight

W
ith each passing day, the drought situation in Bihar and Jharkhand is getting worse. And with people getting more and more anxious, some are resorting to desperate measures, to try and minimise the impact of the drought.

The pumps have run dry. And hope is fading fast for residents of Amraha village near Patna.

"Water has dried up in most areas around the village. Water table seems to have fallen drastically in the area," said Umesh Kumar, villager.

There is only one handpump in Amraha for about 400 residents. And caste politics is already muddying the simmering water war here. The handpumps are mostly near upper caste homes and some villagers say they don't allow others to use them.

Manju Devi has a pump near her house, and she justifies rationing of water.

"See, I m not stopping anyone from drawing water here. But it is completely unfair of people to come here and take a bath," said Manju Devi.

Blockades are becoming common in neighbouring Jharkhand as well. Farmers are demanding they be included in the Below Poverty Line list, so that they get benefits like cheaper grains and pulses, even though they don't qualify. They want the government to take quick action to help them fight the drought.

But there doesn't seem to be any silver lining in sight.

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I will not seek an apology, says SRK

Aday after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said it was embarrassing to be detained by officials at the Newark airport for two hours, the actor is now downplaying the entire episode saying it was a procedure and he would not seek an apology for it.

"I think it is a procedure that needs to be followed. But it is an unfortunate procedure," said Shah Rukh.

The news had all his fans reacting angrily. King Khan, who was heading to an Independence Day event in New York, was questioned for two hours after his name is said to have cropped up after it matched a checklist.

The actor spoke to NDTV after the incident.

"My name popped up on their computer. I was taken to a room for questioning. I was questioned for two hours," he said.

The actor said that he was not even allowed to use his phone.

"This is not the first time this happened to me. I am glad my family was not travelling with me," he added.

However, the United States has denied the allegations that the Bollywood superstar was singled out because of his name or Asian identity.

The allegations "happen to be incorrect," the spokesman of the US Customs and Border Protection Elmer Camacho said.

The spokesman said Khan was inspected because his baggage had not arrived.

"His documents and papers were checked, which were found to be in correct order. After a normal check at the airport, Khan was taken to a different room where he was waiting for his turn since many other people were already there. The entire process ended in one hour," said the spokesman.

The entire process, he said, was handled in a "professional manner" and there was no evidence of Khan being pointed out because of his name or Asian identity.

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Air India flight returns after pilot alarmed of fault

K
OLKATA: An Air India Kolkata-Hyderabad flight with 31 passengers on board on Saturday made a "precautionary" landing at the NSC Bose
International airport here half an hour after take-off as the pilot was alerted by an alarm about technical fault in the aircraft.

The flight, IC-7217, which also had a four-member took from the airport at 5:15 pm but returned half an hour later after the alarm, airport sources said.

The pilot informed the Air Traffic Control and the aircraft was allowed to return and make a "precautionary" landing, one of the three categories of landing in aviation parlance.

The plane was taken to an isolation bay and the passengers disembarked. However, no ambulance or fire fighter was requisitioned as is the normal practice during emergency landing.

Airport sources said the passengers and crew are safe. An investigation is on to find out why the alarm went off and what for, said the sources.

The passengers were later accommodated in a Kolkata-Bangalore flight which took off at 6:15 pm.

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Finally, city gets 2nd flu isolation ward

KOLKATA: The state government scrambled to set up swine flu isolation wards on Friday even as seven more patients tested positive and the
administration mulled asking schools to shut down for some time. Students have been advised to wear masks to school.

With 10 positive patients and four suspects already under treatment at Infectious Diseases Hospital, Beliaghata, the number of affected has shot up to 21 — far surpassing the capacity of the lone H1N1 quarantine ward.

After dithering for over a week, the government finally started a second isolation ward, at MR Bangur Hospital, and decided to rope in private hospitals as well. Isolation wards have also been planned at the district hospitals.
“We’ve spoken to a few private hospitals and they could start isolation wards within a week,” said director of health services Aniruddha Kar.

That’s only part of the problem. The H1N1 testing facility is already working beyond capacity and can handle no more. Angry scenes were witnessed at ID Hospital as hundreds swarmed the clinic for swab tests. Ninety-two samples were collected while NICED can hardly manage 20 a day — twice its capacity.

There was just one doctor on duty on Friday, forcing patients to wait for hours. Some even alleged that they were turned away.

“After waiting in the queue with my son for two hours, I was told to come back on Monday because the time for swab tests was apparently over,” fumed Anindya Banerjee.

“My nephew, who is running a high temperature, nearly fell unconscious during the long wait,” complained Tapas Mondol, who had come from Kalyani. Raktim Chatterjee, a student from south Kolkata, fell ill while waiting in queue.

Doctors admitted that staff shortage has affected the scree-ning and testing facilities. “There aren’t enough doctors to handle this huge volume of patients. Unless patients are referred to other hospitals, the situation could go out of control,” said a doctor.

Patients complained that the isolation ward had become so crowded that it was difficult to breathe inside. “It is very stuffy and it has no air-conditioner. Even the nurses feel suffocated and have stopped wearing the protective gear, which is risky,” said a patient who was released on Thursday.

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Our sons will be soldiers, say Gorkha war widows

D
ARJEELING: Whenever Deepika Mukhia looks at her son, now seven, she can't help thinking of his father, who so longed to hold him in his arms
but never got to even see him. Deepika's husband Uttam Mukhia of 17 J&K Rifles died battling terrorists in Kashmir and was given a Sena Medal for gallantry. The son was born six months later. She named him Utsav (celebration).

Deepika can't wait for Utsav to grow up and don the olive green. "It is a great honour to serve the country. If you die wearing the uniform, you die a glorious death. I feel satisfied that I have played my part too for the nation. My son will also join the army, as an officer," said Deepika, who works as a non-teaching staff at the Army School at Ghoom, about 8 km from Darjeeling.

As many as 34 Gorkha soldiers, most of them in their early twenties, have been martyred in Operation Rakshak (counter-insurgency in Kashmir) and the Kargil conflict (Operation Vijay). Casualties do not deter this warrior race. It only spurs war widows to turn their sons into soldiers.

"I have a son who is in Class XI. I would definitely want him to join the army," said Lalita Rai, widow of havildar Man Bahadur Rai of 6/11 Gorkha Rifles, who laid down his life in the icy heights of Kargil.

It was this unwavering resolve of Gorkha war widows that prompted Lt Gen Chandra Shekher, former vice-chief of army staff and president of the Gorkha Brigade, not to shift the Gorkha Recruiting Depot from Jalapahar in Darjeeling to Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) in 2000. "The war widows submitted a memorandum to the general, requesting him not to shift the Gorkha Recruitment Depot from Darjeeling so that their sons could be enrolled in the army to serve the nation," said S P Pradhan, secretary of All India Gorkha Ex-Servicemen's Welfare Association.

Some war widows are upset with government apathy and indifference towards their problems. "We have not got any help from the state government although though my husband gave his life for the country. It is sad that they ignore us," said Sunita Thapa, widow of lance-naik Rojin Thapa, who died fighting insurgents during Operation Sangram (2002) in the North East.

The likes of Deepika and Lalita may have got some help from the government, but not all have been so fortunate. While Lalita got a small plot at Sukhiapokhari in 2008 and a gas agency in 2003, Deepika received some monetary help from the defence forces. But Sunita says she got nothing. "Last year, I was felicitated with a shawl and a certificate by the Kurseong SDO. But I have to educate my son and look after my in-laws with only Rs 9,000 that I get as pension,"she adds.

"War widows and their children are entitled to benefits like free education, liberalized pension, re-employment and residential land, but these facilities have not yet been provided by the state government," said Pradhan.

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