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EDITORIAL Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitly's perceptions about various aspects of administration are quite clear when he mentions the dire necessity of downsizing the top-heavy bureaucracy. Although what he says is not new, such downsizing is very much there in the Godbole Committee recommendations on economic reforms. 30% reduction in strength is also included in the 5th Pay Commission recommendations. Above all Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has stated that he would reduce the size by thirty percent. But what lacks is the political will to go for it. There is no denying the fact that internal revenue accruals are not sufficient to bear the monthly pay bill of the employees. Very often salary is not released due to empty coffers. It also explains why annual plan funds get routinely diverted to meet recurring and unavoidable expenditure. Now here is a problem which is in the full know of the Government but action on this front remains as much elusive today as it was when popular Government took over......more On the first day of Mahakumb of the millennium, more than 15 lakh devouts had the sacred 'snan' and many lakh more would have taken the bath by the close of the Paush Poornima night. It is an unprecedented event with largest ever gathering of the believers worldwide. There have been mismanaged melas resulting in large casualties. in the past both at Haridwar and Allahabad. This time ...more |
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Legal provisions
for air security By D K Arora The Government has decided to introduce soon the "Regulated Agents Scheme", popularly referred to as the "Known Shipper" concept. Necessary rules to this effect would be placed before Parliament during the next session.......more West Asia:
Peace By Jagmohan Mathur West Asia is again in turmoil. The hopes generated after 1993 accord in Washington between Israel and the PLO have shattered to pieces. The violence which erupted after Israel's rightwing leader Arial Sharon's.... visit....more By O P Modi What for the leaders of Hurriyat Conference want to go to Pakistan? It is reported that they will talk to the ''boys with guns'' (read militants) there and in PoK and convince them .....more By Ranjita Biswas It was a sunny November day when life seemed to stop for vi-vacious Indira Choudhary. A full life and a busy schedule at home and office had not prepared this 45-year-old ...more |
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EDITORIAL Chief Secretary Ashok Jaitly's perceptions about various aspects of administration are quite clear when he mentions the dire necessity of downsizing the top-heavy bureaucracy. Although what he says is not new, such downsizing is very much there in the Godbole Committee recommendations on economic reforms. 30% reduction in strength is also included in the 5th Pay Commission recommendations. Above all Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah has stated that he would reduce the size by thirty percent. But what lacks is the political will to go for it. There is no denying the fact that internal revenue accruals are not sufficient to bear the monthly pay bill of the employees. Very often salary is not released due to empty coffers. It also explains why annual plan funds get routinely diverted to meet recurring and unavoidable expenditure. Now here is a problem which is in the full know of the Government but action on this front remains as much elusive today as it was when popular Government took over. To be precise during the last four years unprecedented recruitments have been made. It was the commitment of National Conference party and repeatedly stressed by Chief Minister to absorb at least 26,000 new hands in the administration within months of assuming power. It was also committed that all unemployed engineers would be either provided employment within a week and the left-overs would be given stipend. It has not happened though. For all one knows this target of 26000 stands exceeded like never before. This is however exclusive of recruitment in police whose strength also stands substantial augmented during these four years. J&K establishment on per capita basis is perhaps the highest in India. Performancewise however it is the other way round. Government of India has announced scaling down the Central establishment by 10% over the next couple of years. They have also decided to introduce Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) which is sometime referred to as golden hand-shake. In fact, this VRS is already introduced in some public sector banks and other undertakings with remarkable success. Government is thus tempted to offer VRS as the decent exit route for those who opt for it. Objective however is the same i.e. to scale down the top heavy establishment. In the case of Jammu & Kashmir State it has been a typical position. Political rulers saying something and bureaucracy doing another. This means there is no authentic direction. It is the political ruling clan that has to make up its mind and decide about any aspect of administration. The bureaucrats are bound to implement the laid down policies. Here it is a question of knowing the evil and doing nothing to remove it. It is as much true of the Government service as that of public sector undertakings. Some months back Government decided to close down the non-functional Himalayan Woolcombers having a strength of less than 200 employees. Till this day no formal orders are issued. To be precise there are many more loss making and unviable public sector units. It is good that Government has become IT Savy with establishment of Software Park in Srinagar. But it refuses to address to more urgent measures in tune with streamlining of economy. No wonder, almost every PSU in J&K is acutely sick. Despite pressure from Planning Commission to carry out fiscal reforms and inspite of recommendations by Godbole report, nothing concrete has been done to close down these white elephants which bankrupt State like J&K can ill afford. One tends to criticise from another angle. First, you have gone in for wholesale recruitment, backdoors included, and then one hears from political bosses about downsizing. This is a contradiction that stems from misconceived notions and wrong priorities. This aspect has also spilled over to admission in professional colleges which has led to many heart-burns amongst the unemployed youths when laid down procedures and guidelines are tampered with gay abandon. For instance all the vacancies of teachers notified to SSB have been withdrawn and now ad-hoc recruitment is on under Rehbar-e-Taleem scheme. Over a certain period they will all be absorbed as regular Government teachers. Chief Secretary is right on course once again when he discloses that 1000 MW thermal power station is envisaged at Kathua and that it would be ready for generation of power within 2 years. It is nice of him to take congnisance of our regular mention of this dire necessity in these columns at regular intervals during the last three years. If only political bosses had not shelved this project in 1975-76, people of this wretched State would have been spared the agony of living in primitive age of darkness and deprivations. This Government thus wakes up rather too late when the problems get compounded. Even now it would be indeed full application and follow up to the minutest details at all levels that could ensure completion of this project in 2 years. One hopes all bottlenecks would be cleared expeditiously. Top heavy administration breeds multiple ills. For instance there are redundant posts where incumbents go either once a week or on the salary day. There are others who officially abstain without facing any action. There is also the typical case of Basohli where the incumbent sent in a substitute. One really does not know what action was subsequently taken, if any. It thus results in overstaffing in certain establishments and under-staffing in others where services are most needed. There is no rotational pattern. Besides downsizing, rationalisation is also indispensable. Take the case of ad-hoc recruitment of doctors when clear vacancies exist. The faux pas is complete in as much as most of those thus recruited refused to join. All in all, perceptions are good and noble. It is the implementation that is conspicuous by its absence in almost all fields. On the first day of Mahakumb of the millennium, more than 15 lakh devouts had the sacred 'snan' and many lakh more would have taken the bath by the close of the Paush Poornima night. It is an unprecedented event with largest ever gathering of the believers worldwide. There have been mismanaged melas resulting in large casualties. in the past both at Haridwar and Allahabad. This time round elaborate policing and camping is in place toward off any mishap. In fact, such arrangements are the best ever and the reason is not far to seek. There are apprehensions that terrorists and ISI agents could move in to destroy peace and tranquility of this largest religious gathering leading to total anarchy. So frisking, checking, deployment of sniffer dogs, mine detecting vehicles and instruments are there to ensure that no saboteur gains access to the Mela site in Allahabad at Sangam, the holy confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati. As if all this ground work is not enough, aerial surveillance is also there for quick reaction to any mishap. These precautions have become all the more indispensable as many foreign hindus also come as a matter of belief. Media hype is in evidence in as much as many TV channels have sent in their teams to have an elaborate coverage of the event, including live telecast and internet. This is an occasion to ponder over the blisses of deites and provide enough of strength to India's unity in diversity where one and all are free to take the holy dip, the estimated total being about 7 crore. The most auspicious days for 'shahi shanan' being January 14, 24, 29 and Feb 8 and 21 when over a month long Kumbh Mela concludes. |
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Legal provisions for air security By D K Arora The Government has decided to introduce soon the "Regulated Agents Scheme", popularly referred to as the "Known Shipper" concept. Necessary rules to this effect would be placed before Parliament during the next session. The proposed scheme was introduced to cargo agents by the Commissioner of Security, Civil Aviation, Mr Veeranna Aivalli, at the annual conference of the Air Cargo Agents Association of India (ACAAI) held at Calcutta last month. In fact, Mr Aivalli sought views from the cargo agents to make the proposed notification fool-proof. He disclosed that the Government proposed to put the draft notification on the web for suggestions. As per the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a "Regulated Agent" means an agent, freight forwarder or any other entity who conducts business with an airline operator and provides security controls that are accepted or required by the Commissioner of Security in respect of cargo, courier, express parcels or mail." In a significant move, the Government proposed to include in the term "Air Cargo" any material that is to be transported by aircraft that may or may not be accompanied by the consignor. Mr Aivalli said the Government proposed to register only those as "Regulated Agents" who had five years' existence and three year's experience in air cargo business. These could include manufacturers and exporters dealing directly with air carriers; cargo agents who were either members of ACAAI or accredited to IATA or recommended by an air carrier; Government or semi-Government ware houses handling shipment of air cargo; exporters from common-users customs bonded facilities like air cargo complexes and department of posts. For registration, he said, one had to apply in the prescribed form to the Commissioner of Security who in turn would constitute an "Inspection Team" comprising of an officer of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) as Chairman and the representatives of Air India, Indian Airlines and of the concerned airline as members. The job of the Inspection Team would be to inspect the premises and look into the security requirements and infrastructure. If found fit, the COSCA would issue a certificate or registration. The Regulated Agent has to strictly follow the security norms and standards fixed by the COSCA. Any violation could result in heavy fine by the Commissioner of Security. Mr Aivalli said the registration would be initially given for a period of three years. However, it could be either cancelled or suspended if the agent failed in maintaining security safety, sanitation, business ethics and environmental purity in the air cargo business. The authorised cargo handling facility, either individual or shared, of the "Regulated Agent" should be located in the notified area and approved by the competent municipal authority. Undoubtedly, the facility would be somewhere close to the airport. The premises used for the purpose of carrying on business had to be safe, secure, fully protected and segregated area with proper lighting and other necessary facilities for handling, packing and storage of cargo. The agent is also expected to install an X-ray machine and other electronic equipment for screening the cargo. The agent would also have to get all his security personnel vetted by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. It would be his duty to have all the cargo security - cleared by the duly trained security staff either by physical examination of X-ray screening or 24-hour cooling off. Besides these, the agent shall have to have the cargo packed in the presence of his security personnel and have it strapped by security tape and kept in a safe place under proper guard. The duly trained and certified security employees of the "Regulated Agent" shall undertake the handling and security of the cargo from the time of its receipt by the shipper till its delivery to the air carriers. Such security controlled air cargo items shall be transported to the airport or the warehouse of the air carrier by the "Regulated Agent" in a safe and secure manner in a sealed container or trucks under appropriate surveillance for delivery to the airlines so as to prevent any tampering or mischief during transit. Such cargo meant for shipment must be delivered to the airlines or tendered at their air cargo ground service facilities at the airport. The "Regulated Agent" has to give the airline a written declaration certifying that the cargo delivered by it has been subjected to prescribed security controls and that the consignments do not contain any "dangerous goods" as defined in the technical instructions by ICAO. In case the "Regulated Agent" is not an exporter, he has also to obtained a certificate from the exporter to the effect that the consignment does not contain any "dangerous goods" and is safe for carriage by air. This will, however, not in any way absolve the agent of the responsibility in regard to security control. The agent would be required to maintain a permanent record showing the security regulation such as 24-hour cooling, X-ray examination and physical examination that a particular cargo consignment has been subjected to, indicating the name of the security official conducting the verification and certification. A copy of such certificate shall be handed over to the airlines along with the air cargo. The inspection team shall check a record of such certificate regularly. As per the proposed notification, he said consignments containing dangerous goods, arms and ammunition, currency, gold, silver jewellery, precious and semi-precious items, drugs and narcotics would not be covered under the scheme. Some of the other items such as mail, courier materials, human remains, live stock, life saving drugs and other essential medical supplies, diplomatic bags and trans-shipment cargo, both online and interline, were exempted from the purview of such agents. It has also been made mandatory for every airlines accepting the cargo from any "Regulated Agent" to inspect at least 15 per cent of the consignments at random and maintain a record of that. The acceptance of cargo by an airline will create liability on the part of the airline about the contents of the cargo and their being legitimate and not in violation of any law. The airline shall cause loading of the cargo in the aircraft in accordance with the prescribed directions by the BCAS and the ICAO standards. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the carriers would also be expected to carry out surprise inspection of the "Regulated Agent" from time to time to ensure that there is no deviation from the prescribed security norms. The agent shall also comply with the orders and directives of the customs and other authorities with regard to the export cargo and he shall also be responsible to pay all the taxes and duties for exporting the cargo. It may be mentioned here that Parliament has recently passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2000 enhancing the penalty under section 11A from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10 lakhs for not complying with the directions of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or the Commissioner of Security, Civil Aviation. The Bill, as its statement of objects stated, was intended to facilitate the introduction of the "Regulated Agents" scheme. CNF |
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By O P Modi What for the leaders of Hurriyat Conference want to go to Pakistan? It is reported that they will talk to the ''boys with guns'' (read militants) there and in PoK and convince them to respond positively to the cease-fire. The other thing that they intend to do while in that country is to talk to the government of Pakistan to find a ''lasting'' solution to the Kashmir problem. In principle no one who really wants peace in the region would differ with the Hurriyat on these two counts; only if the intentions of its leaders were transparent. Firstly their habit of ambiguous references to the militants and terrorists operating at the behest of Pakistan as ''boys with guns'' or simply ''boys'', secondly their inability to spell out a united stand and thirdly their failure to call a spade a spade by condemning the killings of innocent civilians by the ''boys'' render their motive questionable in the public eye. Each time, after their much publicised meetings, they come out with their ambiguous statements to the waiting pressmen. They keep mum when daily a number of civilians are reported killed in the press. They were unable to decide as to who out of the seven executive members should go to Pakistan and who should not. While they claim that APHC is the overground ''umbrella'' organisation of 23 separatist militant groups almost none accepts them as such; despite its welcoming the cease-fire the militants are still targetting civilians and the security forces. The Hurriyat Conference leaders have been threatened with dire consequences by their own supporters if they do not toe the idea of merger of Jammu & Kashmir with Pakistan. They hold their meetings under the protection of Indian security forces, which has been severely criticised by Dukhtaran-e-millat. The day is not far off when no one will take these leaders seriously and they will become a laughing stock for the public. Not only that they are quarreling with each other even their supporters have started accusing them of having sold Kashmir to India. On the other hand their opponents allege that they have sold the State to Pakistan. This is the natural outcome of dithering attitude and opportunist politics. On their own they have no idea as to what the ''lasting solution'' for Kashmir dispute should be. Though they are doing their best to put up a show of unanimity in their approach towards a final settlement of the problem in reality the Hurriyat leaders are hopelessly divided. A section of the Hurriyat led by Ali Shah Geelani is for merger of Kashmir with Pakistan while the one led by Abdul Gani Lone stands for independence of Kashmir. The two stands are diametrically opposed to each other. How long can they put up a show of unity with such diverse views. Can anyone convince Pakistan for supporting the formation of an independent Kashmir? On the contrary Pakistani leaders have been describing Kashmir as the jugular vein of Pakistan and its merger with that country as the unfinished agenda of partition of the sub-continent. Therefore their visit to Pakistan will not only be an exercise in futility, it will end up as a bitter disappointment to Lone and other protagonists of the idea of an independent Kashmir. General Musharraf is eager to get the Hurriyat leaders in Pakistan, as early possible, simply because he would be happy to use these unsuspecting leaders as the grist to his propaganda mill. Presenting them as the only representatives of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh they will be shown as demanding the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan as the only solution of the Kashmir tangle. This would provide much needed advantage to Pakistan which presently stands completely isolated. The Indian print and electronic media are as much responsible for lionising the Hurriyat Conference leaders as the Indian government is. The glorification has been so loud that even in India many have started believing them to be the real representatives of J&K. These men, who do not represent any constituency in the valley and who have negative public acceptance in Jammu and Ladakh regions, have been turned into heroes by the media. While pro-India leaders, who day in and day out sing praise of India, do not find any space in the national papers and TV news, there is hardly any day when the activities of the Hurriyat leaders are not prominently reported by these agencies. Their photographs are printed on the front pages and the TV channels view with each other in exhibiting the shots of Hurriyat leaders' activities. If this trend continues we should not be surprised if Pakistan is benefited in the international arena by the publicity that the APHC leaders have received from the indigenous media. Though Home Minister L K Advani has been saying that talks to resolve the Kashmir problem and strengthen the peace process would be held not only with the Hurriyat but also with all other groups in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, it should be realised that the trouble in Kashmir cannot end by talking to the Hurriyat nor can this group solve the Kashmir issue. While the earlier stand taken by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that no talks would be held with Pakistan until it stops cross border terrorism ought to be reiterated it needs to be applied to the Hurriyat and the militants as well. Unless the killings are stopped in the state no talks should be held with either the Principal (Pakistan) or its puppets whether they operate as overground ''umbrella'' or as underground enemies of peace and prosperity. |
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By Ranjita Biswas It was a sunny November day when life seemed to stop for vi-vacious Indira Choudhary. A full life and a busy schedule at home and office had not prepared this 45-year-old executive for the verdict of a routine test by her doctor. So she was completely shocked when she was told that she had to undergo mastectomy and live with one breast for the rest of her life if she wanted to survive. Noorjahan belongs to an altogether different social background but she too was given the same verdict by her doctor. Only the consequences in her life were more severe. Belonging to the lower middle class, Noorjahan was abandoned by her husband when she lost one breast because he no longer found her desirable. For wome undergoing mastectomy, it is the mental trauma which is as agonising as the physical pain because of centuries the image of feminine beauty has been inextricably associated with the mammary glands. According to legends, Amazons, a race of women warriors, cut off their right breasts to facilitate the use of the bow. But Indira and Noorjahan are no Amazons. They need family support as well as networking with other women to overcome the mental depression and other problems that follow mastectomy. Yet, the urgency of counselling is hardly recognised in India. ''It was to listen to such women and give support to them that we thought of starting Hitoishini (well-wisher),'' says Vijaya Mukherjee, a founder member of the Calcutta-based organisation. As someone who has gone through mastectomy, Mukherjee maintains that she can relate better to the problems faced by other women. Originally known as Mastectomies Association of India (MAI), Calcutta, the Centre started in a small room in the corner of the outpatients room of the Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital in 1995. Space and privacy were both at a premium but the Centre immediately established a rapport with the patients who were referred to the Centre by doctors working in the hospital. The only thing that MAI insisted on was that the voluntary members working for the organisation should have undergone mastectomies. As an independent sister organisation now, Hitoishini also involves family members, social workers and people from other streams in its work. ''We lay a lot of stress on the involvement of the family because even if the woman wants to come out and volunteer her services, family members often prevent her from doing so. They find something shameful about breast cancer, as if it is the woman's fault,'' says Mukherjee. According to Dr Jaideep Biswas, a senior surgeon at the Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital, ''Earlier, the incidence of breast cancer was seen to be more among women in the 45 plus years age group. But now it is increasingly being observed that women in the 35 to 45 years age group also have breast cancer.'' Moreover, the number of women from rural areas suffering from breast cancer is also increasing. The first advice given to women who come to the Centre is to think positively. For instance, when Mita Deb who had come to the Centre with her husband from the suburbs broke down when she was told that the tumour in her breast was malignant, Mukherjee promptly told her about her own case. Seeing Mukherjee's cheerful demeanour, Deb too brightened visibly. Mukherjee believes that support from the male partner is important, so counselling is also given to the husband of the patient. However, despite the fact that Hitoishini members try and give whatever support they can to patients, they rue the fact that due to economic constraints many women cannot afford the hormone supplements that they are supposed to take as a part of the treatment. Besides, doctors advise wearing 'arm stockings' for the first six months after the operation but most patients who come to the Centre cannot afford the Rs 150 that they cost. In such a scenario, Hitoishini members have decided to concentrate more on the rehabilitation of women from the lower income groups. ''Whatever little funds we have, we try to use them to rehabilitate women by doing things like buying them sewing machines so that they can become financially independent,'' says Mukherjee. She, however, believes that all that they are doing is like a drop in the ocean. On a long-term basis, Mukherjee believes that all cancer support services across the country should work together and network so that the help for patients can not only be more comprehensive but also more pervasive. (Some names have been changed to protect privacy) (WFS) |
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