Monday, July 25, 2011

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Editorial, 'TERROR STRIKES AGAIN' in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 July 2011 issue

TERROR STRIKES AGAIN
the commercial capital of India, this time claiming 21 lives in addition to causing hundreds injured. This is some fourteenth such blast by terrorists in Bombay and the fourth major terrorist operation since the gruesome 26/11 attacks and every time the cliché cheer of the ‘spirit of Bombay’ standing up to such gory carnages is freely raised by all and sundry leaders in and out of government. But, regretfully, nothing is done to see to it that the necessary preventative/detective mechanisms are installed to come to grips with such artificial calamities. Kishwar Desai in guardian.co.uk , one of the TV reporters who covered the first serial bomb blasts 1993 in Mumbai, witnessing and feeling the ‘unimaginable shock of 13 coordinated explosions going off simultaneously’ when “the deadly twisted wreckage spread through the city, and the enormous death toll revealed the malevolent design to hit India where it would hurt most, was rightly furious about “the shocking admission by the … chief minister, Prithviraj Chavan, that even the purchase of 5,000 CCTV cameras for Mumbai [a suggestion by the Ram Pradhan Committee 2009] is still pending with the central government,” and justified in questioning “…is it any surprise that Mumbaikars are furious with ministers who surround themselves with high security and bodyguards, but have no money to spend on the aam aadmi, the common man?” It is a matter of unshakable common sense that such attacks cannot take place without solid local links, and especially the bombs planted on this occasion seem to be homemade improvised IEDs, but unfortunately, it is alleged, due to the nasty vote-bank politics effective investigation through widespread arrests and interrogations is not done and this holds good even in case of the 26/11 mayhem. We concur with Keith Jones that “…the wanton slaughter of ordinary people can only strengthen reaction … helping poison relations between Hindus and Muslims in India and between the peoples of India and Pakistan,” and condemn such genocidal crimes in no uncertain terms. We demand that governments reacting with alacrity and gravity unravel the conspiracy behind such repeated terrorist attacks and do their best to prevent their reoccurrence §§§

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Editorial, ROILING OIL' in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 30 June 2011 issue, Vol. 7, Part 1, No. 12

ROILING OIL
is really foiling all the prospects of a fair living for the vast masses of our country, and the too obvious incompetence of the governments at the helm to control the same that comes in the wake of the worldwide decline in the prices of crude oil naturally points out to corruption and other vices also contributing to the gruesome decisions of the Central Government to go on increasing the prices of oil commodities. When Oil prices fell from the peak $145 in July 2008 to $17 in January 1999 and then rose to $90 by October 2007 and to more than $140 in July 2008, but again started falling down, and on 24 June 2011 The Hindu Business Line reported a further dip to about $90 dollars, the tail-end consumers here are getting no relief at all in all these fluctuations. The prices of petrol, diesel, etc. are being constantly increased; the very recent steep increase in the prices of diesel, kerosene and cooking gas is indeed a “cruel blow struck at the people.” The entire energy sector in our country is mainly a public sector monopoly though in recent decades private sector is also being allowed some space. As such the State has more responsibility and cannot leave things to the so-called free market, especially when a prime part of the price structure is its heavy taxation. It should ensure reasonably low and fixed prices, not to be disturbed for long periods, to all these essential oil commodities. It should tax the corporate rich heavily, strictly curb conspicuous consumption, economize government consumption and adequately subsidize the common consumers. There should be an Oil Prices Regulatory Authority [on the lines of Electricity Regulatory Authority] where people can complain and pressurize at every step to get economical and reasonable prices. Finally, realizing that all these non-renewable fossil fuels are getting fast depleted, but meanwhile are polluting the earth and atmosphere causing an almost irreversible eco-damage, the governments and the peoples should take initiative in switching over quickly to renewable sources of energy like solar power, wind power, etc. and take effective steps to innovatively develop these sectors to provide cheap and clean energy §§§