Naxalites kill 16 in Bihar

GUNS ROARED AGAIN IN BIHAR AFTER A LONG TIME

Left ultras have killed 16 People in Khagaria district of Bihar on 2^nd October night. The scheduled castes supported by naxalites  attacked people who were asleep in the village Ichwara in Khagaria district, some 200 Kilometers away from state capital Patna. The suspected maoists who were said to be 20 in numbers segregated the old and young and tied their hands and legs and then fired on them with firearms killing 16 of them on the spot. One man who saved his life by pretending to be dead narrated the whole  gruesome story to the police. The dead bodies were lying for autopsy to be done and the situation on the spot is pathetic. The helpless women and children are weeping bitterly making the environment very emotional. Among the dead bodies, there are some 10-12 years children also. Nobody understands why did they kill these children?  

The villagers were so angry that they did not allow deputy chief minister shushil modi to stay and talk to the villagers. He was hackled and forced to leave the village instantly. The chief minister Nitish kumar has announced ex-gratia payment of  one lakh and fifty thousand rupess to the next of the kin killed in this dastardly act of mayhem. The police says that land dispute is the reason for this attack. The 200-300 bighas of gairmazarua, the government land is said to be under the possession of the people belonging to keori and kurmi caste. The Mushars, a scheduled caste who are called mahadalits now wanted to take possession of these lands, they said that these lands belonged to their ancestors and farmers have fraudulently and forcefully grabbed this when they were innocent and helpless. There were some scuffles also few months back which was reported to the police, but they alleged that police in connivance of these farmers did not take any action. Therefore the Mushars decided to kill them in order to teach them a lesson, some people say on condition of anonymity.  They contacted the left ultras, the police says, and with the help of them, they perpetrated this violence.

Bihar had been not witnessing such type of massacres for quite some time and people were taking sigh of relief that perhaps the massacres are the incidents of past. But this incident has again exposed that smoulder of hatred and violence still exist in the society. In recent years, Nitish Kumar had earned reputation of being a good administrator who has set the house in order. Media houses has been flooded with reports of improvement in law and order situation. This incident has again raised eyebrows of doubts and the government witll have to leave no stone unturned to improve the state police machinery and deal with therse elements with iron hands.

Land reforms has taken back seat over a decade or more. No political party, for risk of loosing vote banks dare to touch this contentious issue on one pretext or the other. Nitish Kumar, just after coming to power some three and half years ago, set up one ‘Land Reform Commission’ under a retired IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, D. Bandhopadhyay, who had earned reputation in West Bengal for implementing some excellent measures in that state. This Commission has submited its recommendations also some six months ago. The report has been made public also. But due to setbacks received by NDA( alliance of JD(U) and BJP) in the recently concluded bye elections, Nitish Kumar is not daring to implement the recommendations. The political observers say that recommendations like giving statutory rights to the share-croppers, which government said would be implemented very soon has infuriated the farmers, mostly upper and other backward castes. These groups opposed this move and voted against the NDA, the alliacnce of which Nitish Kumar is the chief minister.   Thus this opportunity of implementation of land reforms has also been lost. It is being said that now onwards no political party will even like these issues to be raised and discussed on public forums.

Markel to be chancellor for second term

IRON LADY; FIRST AFTER MARGRET THATCHER


Angela Markel is all set to become the Chancellor of Germany for the second term as election held on Sunday gave her fractured mandate to rule the nation for second time in row. Markel’s party Christian Democrats (CDU) and ruling coalition partner Social Democrats (SPD) fought election on separate manifesto but SPD performed badly and won only 23%of the votes. On the other hand, a pro-business party Free Democrats (FDP) secured 14% of the votes. The Markel’s CDU/CSU won 33%. Markel is not set to end the grand coalition with Social Democrats and forge alliance with FDP.

Markel, who become first woman Chancellor of Germany in 2005, by overshadowing the towering personality like Helmut Kohl, has proved herself by spectacular performance in so many difficult times for Germany. Silencing the critics who call Markel as unimpressive and under-performer leader, she sometimes outsmarted leaders like Gordon Brown and Obama also on a number of occasions at international platforms.

TOUGH JOBS AHEAD- Speculation was rife in international media ever since recession took second toll in Japan after USA when 55 years of rule of LDP and 8 years of rule of Republicans came to an end after elections which were held after recession has begun in Japan and USA respectively, that Markel would not be able to hold the key. Nevertheless, the jobs ahead her are not easy. The largest economy of Europe and biggest partner in EU, Germany too is facing rough times due to recession. The unemployment is all time high and economic recovery is sluggish. Although, Germany is not as shopaholic as many other European countries, the recession has taken heavy too here also. The export is low and deficit is high. The public debt is also not very comfortable. In this situation, the task is tough and mandate is thin. The performance of Free Democrats (FDP) has aroused expectations of the business community all time high. She had to fine tune her economic and financial policies so that the workers and owners both are satisfied. The vote percentage of left parties has registered a growth of 3.2% and they have secured 11.9%, therefore the job of Markel vis-a-vis reforms and austerity would not be so easy.

The erstwhile partner Socialist Democrats’ leader Westerwelle has said that he would act as a vigilant but responsible opposition. Markel, sensing the mood of the people and vote percentage she got, has said that her job would be for ‘all Germans’. 

MARKEL; AN IRON LADY- Born in 1954, Markel’s rise in Germany’s politics is somewhat meteoric. She joined CDU in 1990, when the entire World, especially Europe was in turmoil. The collapse and dismemberment of the USSR and subsequent end of communist world put tremendous socio-economic stress on many European countries including Germany. The Unification of East and West Germany had stymied the economic progress of Germany for quite some time. It was a phase of transition when Markel joined the party.  Within four years of joining politics, she became environment minister and her interaction with political figures like Helmut Kohl made her political more mature and administratively more acumen. In 2000, she was elected leader of CDU and in the election held after in 2005 she was elected to lead this nation. She became the first Chancellor of Germany a country historically in turmoil for years. She embarked on the journey and led successfully her nation to the present situation where even USA and UK has to think twice before refusing Germany’s words on international politics. Germany’s ascendancy to this position could be made possible by many others including Markel. That is why she rightly deserves to be called as Iron Lady, but only after Margret Thatcher.                    

G-20 Summit at Pittsburgh, will it be second Bretton Wood?

ACCOMMODATE MORE OR QUIT THE PLACE 

The G-20 summit at Pittsburgh, once the epicentre of America’s heavy industries has aroused many hopes and placed the World at new horizons. The world leaders of both developing and developed countries met together to explore ways to tide over the ongoing recession and evolve system to protect world economy from similar global financial crisis in future. The World has changed ever since the Lehman brothers fell and failed; the too big to fail is now too big to survive, a conceptual change that has penetrated into the hearts, minds and system of the people in Europe and in USA as well. What a change indeed! The collapse of WTC on 9/11 changed the American psyche and so did the collapse of Wall Street on 9/15. Although many people, especially American, would not like this similarity to be drawn, the history once written cannot be rewritten.

The first Economic Crisis, the Great Depression in 1930s led to assemblage of world leaders at Bretton Wood in England in 1944 and this led to subsequent emergence of new world economic order, an order which till 9/15 remained unshakeable. Now the world is changed place to live and think. The G-20 summit at Pittsburgh where leaders of both developed and developing countries were rubbing shoulders in one conglomeration is testimony and witness to this change. The change has arrived, now it is up to the leaders of the developed nations to accept graciously or not, is to be seen.

AGENDA AND EXPECTATIONS FROM G-20- the G-20 is now gradually assuming the role of navigator of the ship of world economy. The association which was formed in 1999   to undo the after-effects of Asian crisis has now grown bigger and stronger. The official members of G-20 now are Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi-Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. Thus, gradually this organisation is grown both in size and strength and world is likely to take the rein of leadership from G-8 and hand it over to G-20. In fact this would be the biggest success of this organisation, a success for which probably founders had also not thought and longed for. 

Underpinning the significance of this Summit and understanding the indispensability of this group, the developed countries like USA and developed continent, the Western Europe have agreed to rub shoulders with the east and north. The north-south divide is being blurred; the abhorrence towards east by west is now bygone. Even Obama had to admit in UN general assembly that distinction of north and south no longer exits.  

The macro agenda of the summit was to strengthen, revamp, reorganise and reorient global financial architecture. The focus is to remove aberrations which have developed in the financial systems over decades since the Bretton- Wood. The aberrations are too obvious and conspicuous to be discussed. The voting right in IMF has to be rescheduled. China has a double the size of French economy, but even then France has more voting right than China. In fact, Europe as a whole has as big as 40% of voting rights in IMF even when it is only 25% of the world economy, whereas USA has only 17% voting rights with 25% share in world economy. Thus USA is also singing in chorus with Asian countries. In this summit the demand again was raised that Europe should give up at least 7-8% of its voting rights for countries like china and India, a demand Europe is unlikely to accept. Thus perhaps for the first time in the economic-political history in the modern times, USA is seen standing on the side of developing nations on such important international platform.  It was perhaps due to mounting pressure, the summit agreed to give 5% voting rights to countries like India and China.

MAJOR DECISIONS TAKEN- The decisions taken at Pittsburgh has been published in a book titled ‘G-20 leaders statement’ which entails 32 major points on which either consensus is arrived or decision is taken. Important among them are constitution of one Financial Stability Board (FSB) which would take care of the financial systems across the globe. India has also been made member to it which signifies the emerging importance India vis-a-vis fiscal and financial system. In fact, world community is very much impressed to learn how smartly Indian banking and other financial systems survived the shock. The statutory provisions with regard to keep minimum reserve to be kept by banks found place in the G-20 deliberations and the world leaders agreed that this model should be made applicable to all the banks across the world.   The FSB shall monitor and regulate whimsical and unfettered functioning of financial institutions which the most important factor was contributing to the GFC.  On the issue of revamping world financial institutions like IMF, the summit committed to reschedule the ‘Quota Formula’ of governance and give weightage to the emerging economies like Indian and China vis-a-vis their share in the world economy. They pledged that this review would be complete by 2011, which means that performance of the economies of these two ‘Asian Giants’ would remain under watch for a couple of years.

Apart from above decisions on economic fronts, the summit also took some very important and valuable decision in areas of climatic change, international terrorism, narco-drug smuggling, trade and commerce and stimulus packages etcetera.

To sum up the whole discussion one can have reservations to say that this Summit was a huge success, but there is no denying the fact that the G-20 has now occupied the driving seat and the engine of the world economic and financial vehicle can no longer be driven by the small group of nations comprised of USA, UK, Germany, France and Italy etc. G-20 has assumed the role of global leadership and would write the history of years to come, it is however premature to say that India has been given her due and desired share on the board.              

ESIC to gift one medical college to Bihar

CM NITISH KUMAR; get going

Union government has gifted Bihar a model medical college cum hospital. The Ministry of labour and employment, government of India, has decided to setup a medical college in Bihar. Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), a corporation under Union Ministry of Labour and employment, working for the benefit and welfare of the state employees, has planned to open a 500 beds medical college cum hospital at Bihata, a place some 50 KMs away from state capital Patna. Foundation stone of this proposed Medical College cum Hospital was laid by Meira Kumar, the speaker of Lok Sabah, who hails from Bihar.

This project would incur Rs/-523 crore and would be completed within a couple of years. The 500 bed hospital will be come up in 25 acres of land which has been made available by the state government. Speaking on the occasion, Malikarjun Kharge, the union minister for labour, said that this hospital will be the first of its kind and the labour ministry will provide additional funds also if need arises.

CM Nitish Kumar requested the minister to ask his officials to start the construction work as soon as possible. He also requested Mera Kumar to direct union ministry of health and family welfare to complete the AIIMS project at Patna. The proposed hospital’s foundation stone was laid by Bhairon singh shekhawat, the then Vice President some 8 years ago, but nothing tangible has so far been done. CM was particularly referring to the delay and requested both speaker and Minister to ensure that this project is completed within stipulated time.

If the ESIC project is completed in time, the session can begin from 2011-12 itself.  Minister elaborated upon the scheme and said that out of total seats for medicos, 40% each will go to all India test and state government and out of remaining 20% seats will go to the children and wards of the employees of ESIC and wards of insured employees. The process to take nod of MCI is underway, the minister added. At present there are 19 dispensaries and one model hospital in Bihar which are catering to the needs of employees. If this project gets completed in time, it will be a great boon for state as well as employees of the state. At present, the State has only 6 government medical colleges and two private medical colleges catering to the needs of about 8.5 crores population. The need to open new medical colleges and hospital both in government sector as well as in private sector is urgently felt. The CM, nitish kumar is desperately trying to improve healthcare infrastructure by way of creating more administrative and building infrastructure. He has already planned to open as many as 6 new medical colleges but due to procedural and legal wrangle, none of them could be started. The Medical Council of India (MCI), a regulatory body to oversee medical education created under an Act, has declined to give its nod to start the session in these proposed medical colleges.

In this backdrop, this step is a big leap for the CM who is leaving no stone unturned to improve the ailing state.             

WATER ON MOON; CHANDRAYAN I PIONEERED THE WORLD

WATER ON MOON; WHAT ABOUT ON EARTH

Chandrayan I, the maiden lunar mission of India had detected the existence of water on the surface of Moon much before its demise just previous month. The instrument of NASA called Moon Mineralogy Mapper i.e. MMM or M3 onboard Chandrayan-I has sent data and images which confirm existence of water on Moon ending four decades of speculation. Speculation had been rife and ideas had been vacillating ever since Apollo astronauts brought some sample rocks from the Moon in a box which got contaminated because the box leaked. The scientists therefore could not draw any inference on the basis of these contaminated rocks.

What is MMM or M3- Moon Mineralogy Mapper or triple M, popularly known as M3 is one of the two instruments which NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) had fitted on Chandrayan-I to collect images and gather data from the Moon. Chandrayan was fitted with 10 more other equipments apart from this M3. This instrument is led by Principal investigator Carle Pieters of Brown University and was managed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA. This instrument is manufactured and designed to the state of the art imagining spectrometer which can provide high resolution spatial and spectral map of the surface of Moon.  M3 is a discovery Program, a series of low cost instruments which focuses on scientific space missions. M3 is one such instrument which was installed into Chandrayan-I and sent some information. The instrument picked up electromagnetic radiations from the rocks of the lunar surface.

BASIS OF CLAIM- Scientists have drawn preliminary inference that water could have been formed due to interaction of Oxygen and Hydrogen. The Oxygen might have been present in the rocks and soil present on the lunar surface and Hydrogen might have come due to nuclear fusion taking place in the sun. In fact, due to ongoing nuclear fusion in the sun, the photons are emitted which contain hydrogen. The interaction of Oxygen and Hydrogen (O+H2= H20) forms water and this calculation is the basis on which it is being said that lunar surface has water.

M3 instrument analysed that how the sun light reflected from the surface of moon and mapped electromagnetically the presence of water on the surface. The wavelengths of received from M3 could be easily analysed because each matter gas or liquid has a different wavelength of electromagnetic image.

FINDING OF CENTURY- it is a being termed as the finding of century which brought to an end the four decades of speculation. Although the available water is not in abundant or in pool and is in form of moistures in rocks and soils, it is a big leap in scientific exploration. The NASA has also confirmed this findings with a sense of gratitude towards ISRO and Chandrayan-I.   

CLAMOUR FOR CLAIM- the findings has now been confirmed by NASA and subsequently it has been put to online edition of Science journal. With the completion of these formalities, the exploration is confirmed and the scientific communities have accepted the findings of M3. Although NASA has thanked ISRO for making this discovery possible, quarrel is likely to begin as to who is the real taker of credit, NASA or ISRO. The world and especially west would not like to accept this claim very easily due to inherent societal and scientific temperament whereas the Indian scientist community will leave no stone unturned to stake the claim in its accounts. Director of NASA Jim Green said ‘water ice on the moon has been something of a holy grail for lunar scientists for a very long time’. Commending the discovery, Carle Pieters, Principal Investigator said ‘for silicate bodes, such features are typically attributed to water and hydroxyl-bearing materials’. Downplaying excessive euphoria, she said that evidence of water on the Moon does not mean that it is in lakes and oceans or even puddles, it is in molecules and embedded in rocks.

There is no doubt about the fact that it is a big leap and discovery is made by an instrument which was built and installed by NASA, the association of Chandrayan-I with it can never be ruled out and name of India and ISRO have permanently been associated with this historic scientific event which will pass into the pages of history.     

                

BIHAR WATER POLICY ON ANVIL

TAP IT AS FLOWS INTO OCEAN

Bihar is a land of paradoxes. The northern part of the state is flooded with both under and surface water whereas; the southern and central part of the province not so lucky and richly endowed with this resources. But at the same time the north Bihar bears almost invariably every year the brunt of rivers like Kosi, Adhwara groups, Bagmati, Kamal balan etc. the districts falling under this region experience wrath of the virulent and furious rivers every year leaving hundreds dead and extensive damages. This year also, the state is marked by this dichotomy and paradox. The 26 districts of central and north Bihar have been declared drought hit whereas about 6-7 districts have been facing wraths of flood fury. The people of Bihar have accepted this state of affairs as nature’s injustice to them, but government, this time, seems determined to fight to finish this natural calamity once for all.

It is therefore and under this backdrop, the Government of Bihar is coming out with a comprehensive water policy very soon.  A draft has already been prepared by the Water Resource Department (WRD) and put to website for inviting suggestion from across the board and people at large. In fact, during the last year’s unprecedented flood in North Bihar caused by Kosi River, which devastated the socio-economic fabric of almost entire northern region of the state, necessitated the government to evolve such policy with respect to water management and flood control. The extensive damage caused by this flood, which according to many was nothing short of a catastrophe, had evoked public debate in the media and in government circles also. Many experts suggested that merely doing some anti-erosion and embankment strengthening would not work. A plethora of suggestions in forms of articles, columns and seminars were put into public domain regarding flood control and disaster management. It was during this period the details of steps suggested by the engineers and civil servants during British government also came up for discussion. Only few months ago, Rajendra Singh and Sandip Pandey, both Magsaysay award winner came to Bihar and delivered speech. They suggested ways to conserve and manage water resources. They were particularly averse to the idea of taming rivers by way of construction of dams and embankments. The duo was in favour of allowing the rivers to flow their natural courses.    

The ‘Saharsa Gazetteer’ a valuable document, which entails details about the flood control, safety of embankment of rivers etc, also drew government’s attention. Many engineers and experts are of the opinion that the government’s apathy and neglect towards these old but precious documents, which according to them are as valuable as anything and adoption of strategies on adhoc basis has allowed the situation to go from bad to worse.    

Taking cue from all such documents and suggestions, the govt has decided to formulate a comprehensive water policy of the state so that strategies to tackle the problems related to rivers are evolved. The objectives of this proposed policy are

·      Irrigation and flood management so that flood devastation is mitigated

·      To evolve water drainage system in the affected areas

·      Development of river basin system and transfer of river basin from excessive water availability area to scanty water availability area. The idea is to transfer water from north to south region of the state

·      Strengthening river embankment to tame the fury of river

·      Interlinking river on lines of river linking mega project of national government.

·      Deepening of river and de-siltation of rivers

·      To treat north and south Bihar rivers on different footing and evolve different strategies for these rivers.

·      Recycling of underground water and evolve and formulate rain water harvesting rules and laws. The excessive exploitation of underground water especially by commercial enterprise are sought to be regulated and the government is determined to enact law related to it also.

·      Evolve multi-sectoral approach  etc

Officials connected with the WRD say that the CM is committed to give final shape to this policy very soon and like to announce it on republic day celebration on 26^th January, 2009.

INDIA LAUNCHES 7 SATELLITES

MORE FEATHERS IN CAP

Indian Space programme got another further in its cap following successfully launch of seven satellites by rocket, the PSLV on Wednesday from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Out of the seven satellites launched, six belonged to foreign countries, meaning thereby that India’s share in multi-billion dollar international space market has been on increase. This is the first space venture by India after failure of Chandrayan- I, a setback which many called a fiasco. This success is being viewed as a major breakthrough and confidence building event because the failure of Chandrayan-I had stigmatised Indian space programme in eyes of cynical elements.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is a seven storeys and 230 tonne rocket and this launch was the 16^th mission by PSLV for India. The credibility of this satellite Launch vehicle has immensely increased because now more and foreign countries are showing confidence in this vehicle for launch of their satellites.

The 21^st century is era of space and satellites, and commercial launch vehicle can earn huge revenues in space market. Therefore India should augment its space programme and can further improve upon PSLV so that we can earn huge resources to finance our future space and defence programme.         

Global Mental Health Summit held in Athens

POISED TO TAKE ON LEADERSHIP


The first ever summit on Mental Health was convened in Athens, the capital of Greece on 2-6^th September, 2009. This Global Mental Health Summit (GMH) was hosted as a part of world federation for mental health biennial congress. It was the first global initiative in this regard to focus attention on the growing problem of metal disorders and mental depressions. This summit was supported by global organisations like Lancet, The welcome trust and World’s initiative on psychiatry etc.  The theme of this conglomeration was ‘working together for Mental Health’. The theme itself signifies the importance of this congress which is the first global concerted and serious effort in this regard. The participants deliberated upon among other things issues like scaling up mental health in low income countries, human rights and metal disorders (how human right violations take place of the mentally disordered patients, chaining, whipping etc are frequently reported in media in India and other countries also.) and strategies for future.

With the changing pace of time in terms of economic, social, political and ethical metamorphosis, the stress on mind, cutting across the social stratum, is now a global phenomenon. Its impact is devastating both in terms of mental agony and social disorder. The impact may not be as perceptible and discernible as any other pandemics like H1N1 etc, but its long term impact on social and psychological tapestry is more deleterious than any other disease. It is perhaps due to this fact, the mental health disorder or mental depressions are termed as silent and mute pandemic.

According to one rough estimate, because there is no census on this issue in India, there are roughly 40 million people suffer from mental depressions. Number of mental illness, which is an advance stage of mental disorder, is about 30 to 35 lakhs in India. According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), by 2010 this disease will be largest and shall overtake cardiovascular disease in this country. The global figure of metal depression persons is around 120 million, and this number is increasing by leaps and bounds. Many psychiatrics are of the opinion that the ongoing Global Financial Crisis (GFC) has only added to the agony. The uncertain future, job cuts, rising inflation and soaring unemployment have inflamed the situation. There is however no such survey or specific scientific study conducted on this issue, the recession has inflated depression and there is no doubt about it.

Under the prevailing circumstances, this summit is being attached immense significance both in India and abroad.  In India the availability of psychiatrics and psychiatric nurse is dismal. There is only 0.05 Psychiatric per one lakh patients in India whereas the trained nurses for this job are 0.16 per one lakh only.

Hopefully this World Summit would spread awareness and will make people acquainted with the horrifying scenario of this silent but deadly pandemic.  Although we have enacted legislation in 1987 itself, which is known as Mental Health Act, 1987, this law requires amendment because either most of the provisions have become obsolete or they are not in commensurate with the changing pace of problem. A comprehensive bill with respect to this disease or disorder, whatever one calls it, is lying pending; it therefore be discussed and with necessary changes be passed as soon as possible.         

        

Genes for Alzheimer discovered

IN HOPE OF DISCOVERY AND RECOVERY

Team of British and French scientists have discovered three more genes which are associated with a disease called Alzheimer. As it is known that Alzheimer is disease related to brain in which there is loss of memory in human beings, according to web dictionary it is ‘A progressive form of pre-senile dementia that is similar to senile dementia except that it usually starts in the 40s or 50s; first symptoms are impaired memory which is followed by impaired thought and speech and finally complete helplessness’.

At present the only gene known to the scientists which is linked with Alzheimer disease is APOE4, which according to them causes only 10% of the case (Alzheimer). APOE4, discovered in 1993, was the only focus of scientific research and perhaps due to this fact, no big headway could be made over the last decade and half. The prestigious science journal ‘nature genetics’ has also published a detailed report of discoveries made by different teams comprised of scientists like Prof Kelvin Morgan from University of Nottingham, Julie Williams of Cardiff University in Wales, Philippe Amouyel of University of Lille in France, Allan Rose of Duke university etc.  According to reports, British scientists discovered two genes and named them CLU (Clusterin) and PICALM.  Clusterin gene is protective in nature and protects the brain from Amyloid proteins which causes inflammations in brains. The scientists are of the opinion that these genes after mutation become annihilative and cause inflammation in the brain which later develop into Alzheimer.  Prof Julie Williams who led the research team in Britain said that it is the path breaking discovery and will led to development of treatment of Alzheimer, the disease so far almost incurable.

French scientists team also experimented on 14000 DNA samples on the basis of the data shared with them by the British scientists who discovered the two other genes as described and found another gene called CR1. Thus as on now, there are four genes discovered which cause Alzheimer disease.  It is said that these discoveries will enable scientists to work in a more specific direction in the field of invention of drug for the treatment of Alzheimer disease which is increasing at an alarming pace. According to one estimate there are about 26 millions Alzheimer patients in the world and it would quadruple over the next four decades. In India alone, there are approximately 2, 50,000 Alzheimer’s patients and the number are increasing day by day. The saddest part of the disease is that the man develops this symptom in the later phase of life when he is in dire need of social security cover. This state of dementia leaves the patient in such a situation when he forgets everything and life becomes horrible. In the developing and developed economy which has created a society where no one including own children have the patience and time to take care of their parents or grandparents, this disease is proving a curse for them. So many famous persons and celebrities have become victims of this disease and important among them are Ronal Reagan, Atal Bihari Bajpai, George Fernandes etc.  Hopefully these discoveries would bring for them a hope of blessings. Truly said, science is both a blessing and curse depends how you utilise it.                

    

CHANDRAYAN I MISSION IS OVER

BYE-BYE CHANDRAYAN-I

The Chandrayan I mission is over, said ISRO. Annadurai, the project director of Chandryan I, said that ISRO has not been able to establish link with the spacecraft and it will not be established in future also. The ‘mission is over’, he lamented. The unmanned Chandrayan, the spacecraft, launched by ISRO on 22^nd October, 2008 from Satish Dhavan centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh was the first such scientific and space mission of India. This spacecraft was launched with PSLV-C-11, the indigenously developed launch vehicle. The proposal to send this moon mission, prepared by ISRO, was approved by government in November, 2003 and about 386 Crore rupees were spent on this mission.

DESIGN LIFE AND MISSION LIFE- the design life of this space craft was two years, meaning thereby that this space craft was expected to remain in the orbit at least up to October, 2010. The spacecraft developed some technical snag within few months of its launch. The star sensor of the craft had gone out of order owing to which the photographs sent by the Chandrayan were not as clear as they should have been. Some scientists had casted a shadow of doubt that time itself that this spacecraft would not survive its full life. Due to some other snag, the craft suddenly went overheated, but it was rectified soon.

As far as mission life is concerned, many scientists believe that this spacecraft has been successful and has sent about 95% of the data expected. The solar plate fitted (700 watt) spacecraft fixed national flag on surface of the moon and sent very useful pictorial and digital data which are of immense scientific experiment under Research and Developed programme (R&D). Among other scientific experiments and discoveries, the space craft was inserted into the Moon’s orbit to discover the history of origin of Moon, its geographical structure and terrain, collection of some meteorological data and install some scientific instruments on moon. Chandrayan-I accomplished most of them, the scientists said. The majority scientists are of the opinion that the conditions around the moon’s orbit are very hostile under which the spacecraft has to survive, it is therefore the life tenure of these spacecrafts sometimes gets shorter, they add.

FATE OF CHANDRAYAN-I -The spacecraft’s technical life has come to an end within 10 months of its launch, but this does not mean that the spacecraft would fell down into the earth immediately. This craft would continue to rotate in the 200 km orbit, which is very stable orbit, around the moon for many years as ‘Space Debris’. The scientist communities say that after revolving and rotating for many years, the space craft would dash to the moon and would be destroyed. There are so many spacecrafts which still remain in space as space debris.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CHADRAYAN-I – the mission helped India become member of elite club of nations which include countries like Germany, USA, U.K., Japan and China. Although Chandrayan-I could not survive its full life tenure, it holds a significant scientific place in the success story of Indian space programme. India is expected to launch Chandrayan-II, the improved version of Chandrayan-I, sometimes in 2012. The shortcomings in this mission could be utilised in the phase-II of chandrayan by the scientists, on which we have great faith. Hopefully Chandrayan II would be able to complete the unfinished tasks of the Chandrayan I and India would embark on many more such scientific voyages.

WOMEN RESERVATION BILL FOR PRIS ON ANVIL

WOMEN RESERVATION IN PRIs; WHEN IN PARLIAMENT

The union government has decided to provide 50% reservations to the women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). A proposal to give effect to this provision has been taken by the Cabinet, which met in New Delhi yesterday. The Bill, the government said, would be tabled in the coming session of Parliament. This would necessitate a constitutional amendment; therefore the proposed bill will be in a Constructional Amendment Bill form and would amend Article 243(D) of the constitution of India. This article provides for reservation of one third of seats in PRIs for the women.

It is being interpreted as a major step in the area of empowerment of women in the country. The 73^rd Constitutional Amendment Act, which conferred constitutional status on the PRIs, brought in by Rajiv Gandhi was a land mark in the field of devolution of power at grass root level, and was regarded as the first serious attempt to visualize the dream of Gandhi. Although the framers of constitution had enshrined in the constitution, the directives principles of state policy, the devolution could not be made till the 73^rd constitutional amendedment was brought in.

Bihar, under Nitish Kumar, became the first state to provide reservation up to half the total number of seats to the women by enacting a law called Bihar ‘Panchayati Raj Act’ in the year 2005 i.e. just after coming to power in the state. This legislation was hailed through out the length and breadth of the country by people across party lines and from different walks of life. Subsequently, two years after the huge success of this provision in terms of wider participation of women especially from Scheduled Castes (SCs,) Most Backward Castes (MBCs) and Other Back ward castes (OBCs) in the elections held, the Bihar government enacted similar legislations for providing reservation to women in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) also. The Bihar model of reservation to the women in ULBs and PRIs paved way for many states to legislate on similar patterns. States like MP and UP have also made similar provisions.

Now with the proposed constitutional amendment, it would be mandatory on the part of all the federating units and UTs to legislate provisions for Women up to 50% in near future. This constitutional amendment will again bring to the fore, the Women’s reservation Bill, which has now gone in to oblivion. The civil society must rise above and exert pressure on the government to pass the legislation and cherish the goal of women empowerment. Bihar has played the role model now it is the turn of union to do the same.

Patna police to go hi-tech

GO AND CATCH THE THIEF;NOT INNOCENT

With spurt in crime, the city police in Patna, the state capital of Bihar, is all set to go hi-tech, thanks to initiative taken by police head quarters in this regard. Police Patrol cars will now carry GPS on them. Only a few weeks ago, the entire police officers right from IG to Dy.S.P and many SHOs of the state capital were reshuffled after a bizarre incident in which one girl was stripped in full public view on a busy exhibition road round . It earned lots of criticism for the police and national media, both electronic and print, got flooded with news related to police apathy and non-competence.

The young IPS Manu Maharaj was made City SP and crackdown has been unleashed on the criminals bring the morale of criminals down to a considerable level. Now herculean task with the top cop of the city is to keep constant watch on the movement of patrol cars, which is said to be 100 odd in number, so that the police personnel performs up to the expectations. IG PN Roy, who is also an expert in disaster management and has undergone trainings in countries like USA has chalked out plans to install Global Positioning System (GPS) on all the patrolling cars of the city in first phase.

It has been seen in recent times that Police patrol cars remained conspicuously absent from the site of crime and could only be located when the criminals left the place of occurrence (PO). The arrangement had has already been done that at least one police patrol should touch one particular place within 10-15 minutes. But due to absence of any device, the police parties on the patrol cars could easily lie about their locations at the time of commitment of crimes. Now with the installation of GPS, this problem can be checked and no police patrol can lie about its location. The SP or any other senior police official can locate the particular police parties.

If this experiment goes successfully implemented will certainly enhance the mobility of the police patrol parties and also help, in a better way, to keep watch on the movement of police patrol cars. At present the City police use primitive method of wireless as the sole method of communication which is far from satisfaction. There are several electronic devices easily available in the market which can intercept and leak the messages. Naxalites are using this methodology on large scale and thus they easily track the movement of police force. The leakage of wireless messages are said to be major cause of attacks on police by Naxalites.

The use of GPS will certainly improve the efficiency and communication network of the police, provided it is implemented religiously. While Nitish Kumar, the CM, has been relentlessly trying to improve the police force to bring the house in order, there are large numbers of elements in the police department itself who leave no stone unturned to thwart the reform process. The official website of the police department still carries the name of DN Gautam as DGP, whereas he has retired few weeks ago. Such is the apathy and irresponsibility of the senior police officers. Hopefully this innovation would go un-sabotaged and is implemented in letter and spirit. If it happens so will improve efficiency of the city police and help improve law and order, bring down crime rate and un-choke the traffic of the city.

Yahoo-Microsoft have to wait; Google goes unchalleged

JUST WAIT AND WATCH TILL NOD IS GIVEN

The deal which was struck between Yahoo and Microsoft last month in order to pose a united challenge to Google, the world’s largest search engine, may face some bumpy hurdles before getting it operationalised. The duo (Yahoo-Microsoft) had to pass the test of regulators in the USA which looks after the ‘Anti-trust provisions’ in matters of (acquisitions and mergers) A&M, tender offers and other such deals between two companies. This deal made headlines in media across the world because, for the first time, Google is likely to face serious business challenges since its inception.

But before Operationalisation of this huge deal, this has to be approved by Federal Trade commission and Attorney General of Anti-trust division of Justice Department in US administration. All these provisions have been made under a US law, the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-trust Improvements Act, 1976, popularly known as HSR Act. This law was drafted by Senators P.A.Hart and H.D. Scott and Representative Peter. W. Rodino to prevent violations of TRUSTS in business transactions like merger and tender offers etc.

Under the provision of the said Law, the concerned companies have to file detailed reports in prescribed manner with the federal regulators within 30 days of such transactions. Yahoo-Microsoft complied with this provision and filed information with the same. The law require filing details of all cash transactions in such deals within 15 days only. In nut shell, this law ensures that no secrecy is maintained which bolsters unhealthy competitions and in which trust is broken. The US’s justice department is empowered under this ACT to seek any further information which it deems necessary with respect to the deal, transactions, operations, partnerships etc and it is only after the approval of the Justice department, the deal can be operationalised. Title III of this HSR Act confers powers on the US justice department to sue any Inc which violates the ‘Trust’ of either the parties or any other stakeholders. The concerned companies can be sued on behalf on any American citizen also by the Justice department, if it feels that Trust of American has been broken.

In the case of this Microsoft-Yahoo deal, the Federal Trade Commission has sought certain more information which has been provided by the duo. The Federal Trade commission is processing the information and seeing to it that terms of agreements between Yahoo and Microsoft would not encourage unhealthy competition or break trust of any stakeholder. They have been kept on ‘stand by’ and are waiting for the results. The waiting period is likely to go up to September, this year and the deal can be made operational only when it is approved and ratified till then the Google will go unchallenged un-chased. The Microsoft-Yahoo thus is left with no option but to wait and watch and of course pray that US Justice department dispense justice with them and gives its nod to go ahead with their plans.

LIVER SWAP TRANSPLANTATION; FIRST IN INDIA

LIVER THE WORSHOP OF MAN

Science and Love can hardly be confined to geographical boundaries. Interestingly hatred also spill over lines of countries. Now it is up to the mankind as to what does he want to spread.

Love and Hate, Science and Nature do not recognize geographical boundaries. Our history and civilisation are stuffed with such examples in which love transcended the border but at the same time hate in form of terrorism has become pan civilization crossing all boundaries in the world. It is now the turn of science. A new chapter of sacrifice, pain sharing and love making has been written with the indelible ink of Medical science on 18^th August in Sir Ganga Ram hospital in New Delhi, the national capital of India.

Indian doctors successfully conducted first ever liver swap transplantation in Sir Ganga Ram hospital and made confluence of the liver, the workshop of human body, of one Nigerian and Indian. This operation has added one new chapter in the success story of Indian Medical Science.

It so happened that Dike, the 18 months boy from Nigeria and 44 years old Priya of India became India’s first patients who successfully underwent Swap liver transplantation’ in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital at Delhi. Dike was suffering from Bellary Astresia, a disease in which is the common bile duct between the liver and the small intestine is blocked or absent. It is a very rare condition and if not diagnosed and treated in time would lead to Liver failure.

Priya on the other hand was suffering from Hepatitis C infection and it was in advance stage. She was later diagnosed with tuberculosis. Blood group of Dike’s mother Chinwe was A+, which matched with that of Priya. On the other hand, Haresh, the husband of Priya had blood group B+, which was the same as Dike’s. Chinwe gave 50% of her right liver to Priya while 20% of Haresh’s left liver was transplanted into Dike. Thus both ailing patients got a fresh leash of life. It was a prestigious moment for all of us because this was one of the rarest surgical operations because doctors had to conduct four operations at the same time. At team of 35 doctors worked for 16 hours led by chief Liver transplant surgeon Dr. A.S. Soin. Three cheers for all of them.

NEW FEATHERS IN CAP- Medical Sciences in India is making huge success both in the fields of surgery and medicine. In July last Year one Supratim Dutta met an accident in Delhi, in which his vehicle rammed into Delhi Metro Construction site and an iron bar pierced into his chest through the bonnet of the car. The Iron rod pierced his liver, stomach and lung and his conditional was very critical obviously. When he was brought to the trauma centre of AIIMS at Delhi he was in pool of blood. Dr. Biplab Misra and his team of 8 doctors, attending on Dutta, did the operation and saved dutta’s life which was nothing short of a miracle.

In an another miraculous surgery, Doctors in Sparsh Hospital at Bangalore successfully operated Laxmi, a two years old girl from Bihar, who had eight limbs. In a complicated surgery which lasted for 40 hour and conducted by a team of as many as 36 doctors including 30 neurosurgeons and 16 super specialists, Laxmi was successfully separated from her ‘Parasitic Conjoined Twin’. This operation made big news in the world of medical sciences and our doctors earned worldwide appreciation.

Similarly Asian Heart Instituted Bandra came in limelight when Dr Panda conducted on the rarest of the rare cardiac surgery on a 70 years old lady from Ludhiana who suffered two massive heart attacks in 24 hours.

It has proved beyond doubt that country is stuffed with brilliant doctors and scientist. But unfortunately still rural India lacks even the basic healthcare facilities. The miracles of metros need therefore to reach out in the countryside also.

INDIA BECOMING POORER?

STILL IN HOPE OF BETTEMENT

S.D.Tendulkar, the former chairman of Prime Minister’s economic advisory council has prepared a report, according to which India has 38 % population below poverty line (BPL). At present Planning commission of India’s 2006 figure is only 28.5%. of the population is under BPL.

If Tendulkar’s report is accepted officially by the Govt and the Planning commission, there shall be an addition of about 11 crore populations in the exiting number of people living BPL. In India, since 1972, Poverty is being calculated in terms of calories. 2100 calories for Urban and 2400 calories for rural areas are the yardsticks to measure poverty in India.

Tendulkar has used different methodology for this survey and took education, health, sanitation, nutrition and household income etc into account while calculating Poverty, the definition of which has always been a point of difference amongst economists and experts. Many experts, economists and rights activists believe, and they give some convincing arguments also to support their views, that poverty measurement formula in India is not satisfactory, there are actually more people below BPL, they argue.

Efforts has had been made earlier also by the government in order to find a broader consensus on the definition of poverty. One N.C.Saxena committee was formed by government in June this year which suggested that 50% people are under BPL. In 2007, Arjun Sengupta, associated with National commission for enterprises in unorganised sector, said that 77% of Indians are in BPL.

Only a couple of years ago, NSSO, the national sampling govt organisation, has thrown a figure in the public domain that about 70% of populations in India don’t even spend 20Rs/- a day on them. Whereas in this country itself, there are people who gifts 700 crores plane to his wife on birthday. The number of HNI in India is increasing with galloping speed and it has crossed one lakh figure till date. What a contrast and irony in deed!

Nitish Kr, CM of Bihar, only a couple of years ago, organised one ‘Global Seminar’ at Patna for evolving a unanimous definition on poverty. It was attended by a plethora of luminaries from across different fields ranging from economy to science and from NGO to government functionaries. The seminar deliberated upon ‘Poverty’ and consensus was arrived at that the definition of poverty should be made ‘broad based’. Kumar had called on the union government to reconsider the determinants to define the poverty. The report of Tendular has vindicated the stand of Nitish kumar.

FALL OUT ON PROPOSED NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY ACT- the union government is to come out with a historic bill on food security in the next session of parliament. The proposed legislation is historic in the sense that it would guarantee availability of at least 25 Kg of grains to one BPL families per month @ 3 Rs/-. The proposed legislation would incur an additional 9500 crore rupees on the subsidy of the grains. At present government is incurring 37,010 crore rupees on the subsidy of the food meant for BPL families.

Chanda Kochar makes debut in Forbes

DESIRE TO FLY AT MORE HIGHER ALTITUDE

Chanda Kochar, Chief Executive of ICICI, made debut in the list prepared by Forbes Magazine, of world’s powerful women for the year 2009. Sonia Gandhi continued to occupy 13^th Position in the list prepared by this Magazine. Besides this, among newcomers in the list, prominent are Michelle Obama, the wife of American President, Barrack Obama and Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Prime minister of Bangladesh came on number 40 and 78 respectively.

Angela Markel, the chancellor of Germany, continues to be on the top of the list for successive years. She has emerged more powerful due to her strong political clout and unmatched diplomatic manoeuvring. Some people believe that sometimes she outsmarts her counterparts in UK and USA also. Under the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), Markel managed her country’s economy in much better way and kept contagion somewhat less virulent.

Indira Nooyi, the Chief Executive of Pepsi Co, an Indian American ranked 3^rd in the list. She has become CEO of an American company despite being an Indian in origin. This perhaps brought for her lots of praise and admiration.

Forbes is a reputed Magazine and publishes list of, among other things, most powerful women of the world every year. They look at hundreds of women who are on the top in fields like business, politics, and non-profit organisations like social services etc. Melinda Gates, for instance, the wife of Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, could find a place at 34^th position due to her contribution in Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This organisation works globally for eradication of diseases like AIDS, Kalazar etc from the world.

This is the sixth year in a row that such list has been published. Over years, the publication of this list has become a very popular event which many people ecstatically watch. People across the world wait the publication very curiously as appearance of names in this list add additional feathers in their cap.

Sonia Gandhi continues to maintain her position because she has been arduously keeping the pivot of power around her. The 10 Janpath, the official residence of Sonia, the congress president and chairperson of UPA, the alliance in power at centre, has become symbol of power in India and perhaps it is due this reason she is stealing the show. Her name is revered because she voluntarily and willingly refused the post of Prime Minister of Indian, unheard in politics. She was equated with Gandhi by many in the rank and file of congress because no one except Gandhi has made so huge sacrifice, many among them feel.

The list of some names for 2009 is as below-

1	Angela Markel	Germany	Chancellor
2	Sheila Blair	USA	Chairman federal deposit insurance corporation
3	Indira Nooyi	USA	Chief executive pepsi
4	Cynthian carroll	UK	Chief Executive, Anglo American
5	Ho ching	Singapore	Chief Executive Temasek
6	Irene Rosenfeld	USA	Chief Executive krafts food
13	Sonia Gandhi	India	President INC
20	Chanda Kochar	India	Chief Executive ICICI