EDITORIAL
Accept the challenge
It is after quite some
time that one has heard from the State's self-styled
"group of four". It is not a forum for
development but actually seeks to wreck both peace and
progress from top to bottom. It is an ill-famous quartet
of militant organisations. From its actions and
utterances it is clear that it is a body of religious
extremists. That is why it has been variously described
as an off-shoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
Possibly it is a combination of both. Such outfits have
seen a mushroom growth during the last nearly two
decades. There have been a few one-man shows as well. It
is probable, therefore, that the same individual or
individuals constitute all the four teams. They may have
given them different names. This is done as a tactic to
create a wider negative environment by talking about and
spreading the cult of violence. Last time it had sought
to make waves was during the launch of the
Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service. It had threatened to
stop the vehicle and kill those who boarded it. They did
succeed in creating a scare. But all that they could do
in reality was to destroy one of the Summer Capital's
popular symbols --- the building of the Tourist Reception
Centre (TRC) --- in a fire. The bus moved on and has been
doing so since then. It has been giving a fillip to
mutual bonhomie and goodwill on both sides of the Line of
Control. There are some who dispute its pace in achieving
the objective for which it was started. They feel it is
slow. But even they fight shy of questioning its merit as
a tool of harmony in the region. In sharp contrast, one
finds that the "G-4" is reported to have
developed cracks. Al Arifeen, one of its founding
members, has been expelled for an unexplained act of
defiance. It has been replaced by Al Istiqlal. The other
three in the line-up remain the same: Al Naisreen,
Ferzandan-e-Millat and Save Kashmir Movement.
The apparent in-house
upheaval has not prevented the foursome from playing its
dirty trick. In its latest statement it has warned
"Muslim Kashmiri" youth against joining the
"Indian" security forces. It has threatened to
target their families and relatives if they choose to do
so. Its ire is directed against the Army in particular.
Its venom comes out clearly from its assertion: "Odd
jobs and working as a labourer is far better and
dignified than joining the Indian Army." Joining the
security forces, according to it, is in
"unforgivable sin" and "unemployment is
not excuse for it as other avenues of earning livelihood
are present in abundance." It sees a conspiracy in
Muslims being inducted into local battalions which, it
says, will not be allowed to succeed. This is not the
first time that such hot balloons have been floated to
intimidate young persons. Some other leaders have done so
in the past. It is possible they are behind if not the
same people constituting this "G-4". What is
apparent from their warnings is that they are actually
the forces venomously working against this country. Their
reference to the "Muslim Kashmiri" hardly
leaves any doubt about their credentials. They leave no
scope for debate either on whether they are
"Muslims" or "Kashmiris" and their
perception of "Kashmiriat". They are cogs in a
global terror machine operating in the name of religion.
Their threat to take on defenceless kith and kin shows
their distinct lack of respect for human dignity. It is
not for nothing that they don't elaborate the
"other" available means of livelihood. There is
only one so far as they are concerned: to use the
"Kashmiri" youth as fodder in their violent
designs. It is too early to forget that they had shut out
almost the entire business activity in the 1990s.
If the life is somewhat
normal these days it is because the people have seen
through their wicked game. With the masses wresting
initiative it has been possible to revive tourism
especially and other economic activities in general. They
must continue to exhibit similar determination against
elements out to destroy them. It is necessary for them to
develop stakes in their own well-being. They can't allow
their lives to be held to ransom by those inimical to
them and their land. Therefore, they must call the bluff
of their tormentors by doing exactly what they don't want
them to do.
Tainted uniform
Two reports on the same
day reveal a dismal side of the police force in the
State. One is about a station house officer of a police
station in Doda district. He was allegedly involved in
the black-marketing of kerosene oil. The other news is
about an assistant sub-inspector accepting bribe from a
person in this city. Quick administrative penalties have
followed in both the instances. Clearly these are not
enough to eradicate a malady that is perceived to be
deeper and wider. The issue of corruption in uniformed
forces has been discussed at different forums from time
to time. Nobody denies that it a grave problem demanding
immediate cure. To say that the political intervention
alone is responsible for this is totally wrong. After all
it is always possible for the concerned men to say no to
an illegal advice and order. The least that they can do
is not to take part in unacceptable actions. They should
not let monetary or any other temptation detract them
from their sense of duty. Unfortunately our State is not
the best example of bureaucratic honesty and efficiency.
Instead, it is exposed to the charge of being the second
most corrupt in the country. We must live down such
dubious reputation. Of late the State Vigilance
Organisation (SVO) has been doing a good job in this
direction. It has caught a few bad fishes. To its credit
it has been able to instil some fear in the minds of the
immoral and the deceitful. But again one will notice that
even its well-intentioned moves have not been enough to
eradicate the popular perception that the disease is far
more pervasive than it seems. There always is the feeling
that not enough is done in this regard in top echelons of
power.
So far as the police is
concerned it is the only visible arm of the state
apparatus. It is directly in touch with the people at
large all the time unlike other administrative limbs.
Therefore, the impression it carries is important. It can
be effective only if it is perceived to be sincere and
unbiased.
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Bhagwan
Sathya Sai Baba
By
Purshotam Bargotra
Sri Sathya Sai Baba,
is an embodiment of God. His 81st
birthday falls on 23 Nov, 2006.
Millions of His devotees from
more than 180 countries throng
His magnificent abode- the
Prashanthi Nilayam (the
eternal-peace-conferring place)
to receive their loving Swami's
Divine Blessings.
Sage Bhardwaja was
granted a boon by Lord Shiva that
He will incarnate in Kaliyuga
thrice. The First Shiva
Incarnation was Sai Baba of
Shirdhi born to Maa Devagiriamma
and Ganga Bhavida in village
Patri near Manmad in Maharashtra.
The Second is Shiva-Shakti Avtar
Bhagwan Sathya Sai Baba. He had
chosen Mother Easwaramma and Sri
Pedda Venkama Raju as parents of
His physical body of Ratnakar
family of Bhardwaja Gotra in
Village Puttaparthi of Anantpur
District in Andhra Pradesh. Till
late sixties the village had a
few mud huts with about 100
souls. During his visit in late
sixties, a Western author, Arnold
Schulman, described this hamlet
‘‘Ten Minutes Past The
Stone Age. ’’ The 3rd
Incarnation will appear as Prema
Sai, a Shakti Avtar, in
Rangapatnam (Mandya District of
Karnataka) after 8 years of
Sathya Sai Baba's leaving earthly
sojourn of 96 years. Named Sathya
or Raju in His child-hood, He was
the lover of all. His heart
brimmed with love and compassion.
Strict vegetarian, he expressed
deep repugnance to cruelty to
animals. A born scholar with
unbounded wisdom. He was called
Biddalaguru (a child teacher) and
a Brahmjnani. He excelled in
dance, drama, composing and
singing ‘bhajans’,
poetry and scouting etc. He
materialized sugar candies,
note-books and pencils from His
satchel and distributed among His
school-mates.
Like Yashoda to
Krishna, Subamma was to Sathya.
She lived next door and He spent
most of the time in her care.
Subamma died when Baba was away
but He returned when her body was
about to be carried for
cremation. He called the dead,
Subamma ! Subamma ! and Lo! and
Hail! she opened her eyes with a
smile playing on her lips and
feasted herself with Bhagwan's
‘Darshan’. Bhagwan
poured sacred water in her mouth
to meet her last wish. She shut
her eyes and happily returned to
her heavenly abode.
Sathya declared His
Avtaarhood on 23rd May, 1940,
saying’ I am Sai Baba’.
He put aside His school bag on 20
Oct, 1940, and took up His
Mission of ‘Transformation
of Mankind’. He announced
His Divine Mission in a letter to
His elder brother Seshama Raju on
25th May, 1947, saying :
‘‘I have a Task: To
foster all mankind and ensure for
all of them lives full of Anands
(Bliss).
I have a vow : To
lead all who stray away from the
straight path again into goodness
and save them.
I am attached to a
work that I love: To remove the
suffering of the poor and grant
them what they lack.
I have My definition
of devotion I expect :
Those devoted to Me
have to treat joy and grief, gain
and loss, with equal fortitude.
This means that I will never give
up those who attach themselves to
Me.’’
Great inner
significance lies in 3 letters of
word ‘Sai’. S stands
for Service (Work), A for
Adoration (Worship) and I for
Illumination (Wisdom), that is,
Nishkaama-karma, Bhakti and Jnan
which lead to Liberation. SAI
also means Transformation at
Spiritual, Association and
Individual levels.
Baba's Divine-Plays
are amazing. Elements of nature
obey him meticulously. He creates
Shiva-Lingam(s) within His body
and ejects from His mouth on the
auspicious day of Maha Shivratri.
He materializes chains, rings,
pendants, necklaces and idols and
awards these to devotees and to
others who deserve His
appreciation. He knows every
body's past, present and future.
He cures fatal maladies, gives
sight to blinds, makes lames to
run, turns pains into pleasures,
reaches thousands of His devotees
at any one time to extricate them
from perilous situations.
He showers His grace
on His devotees in abundance. His
devotees carry unflinching faith
and love for Him and invariably
feel themselves in His refuge.
They affectionately call Him
‘Sai Maa’ (Mother Sai)
and leave everything to His
Divine care.
His message of
manifestation of inherent human
values, namely, Sathya (Truth),
Dharma (Righteousness), Shanthi
(Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa
(Non-Violence) is fast
transforming the people all over
the world.
‘‘Love as
thought is Sathya
Love as action is
Dharma
Love as feeling is
Shanti
Love as
understanding is
Ahimsa’’
Love is the
sustenance for all other four
values. Bhagwan Baba says--
‘‘Love all, serve all
’’. ‘‘Help
ever, hurt never’’.
‘‘Atma glows when ego
goes,’’
‘‘Promote the religion
of love’’.
‘‘Promote
Morality’’.
‘‘Word man of three
letters stands for Maya, Atma,
Nirvana. Overcome Maya, have the
vision of Atma and attain
Nirvana.’’ ABC of life
is ‘‘Always be
careful.’’
‘‘Always be
cheerful’’.
‘‘Avoid bad
company’’.
‘‘Education without
wisdom and wisdom without
humility are husks without
grain.’’
‘‘Everyone should
attain bliss. Everyone should
overcome sorrow, develop true
love and experience unity and
divinity’’.
Sri Sathya Sai
Institute of Higher Learning at
Puttaparthi is a Deemed
University. Colleges at Bangalore
and Anantpur, many other schools
from kindergarten to Higher
Secondary are Divine boons.
Greater stress is
laid on value-based education and
character building. These
educational institutions are
producing finest human beings who
would further speed-up the
Transformation. Hundreds of
thousand children receive
education under Sai Bal Vikas
Programme all over the world.
Baba says
‘‘I consider students
as my very life’’. His
students outmatch physically,
mentally, academically and
spiritually. A magnificent Indoor
Stadium at Puttaparthi is likely
to be inaugurated in the near
future. Bhagwan Baba's water
projects supply safe and clean
drinking water to millions of
people living in drought-affected
villages. Construction of roads,
bridges and houses for the
homeless, school-buildings, mass
marriages of poor girls and
providing food and clothing to
the needy are routine social
welfare activities.
Baba equally loves
animals, birds and all creatures.
Sai Geetha is His dear elephant
which is invariably seen during
special occasions.
His cows in Gokulams
at Brindaban (Bangalore) and at
Prasanthi Nilayam are the best
ones.
In His commandments
Swami lays emphasis on
Patriotism, respect for all
religions, brotherhood of man,
cleanliness of surroundings, not
to encourage begging but provide
livelihood for the needy, not to
have difference of caste, creed
or religion, not to give or take
bribes, self-dependence, fear of
sin, love for God and to honour
law of the land. Sai Organization
has three wings : Service Wing,
Education Wing and Spiritual Wing
which function all over the globe
under their respective Sai
Centres/Samities. Swami has
‘Army’ of volunteer
devotees who work as Seva Dal and
perform various duties in the
Ashram with love and enthusiasm.
There are thousands of Sai
Centres all over the world who
spread Sai's divine message and
conduct service, spiritual and
educational activities.
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Nuclear
and radiation safety
regulation
By
Dr K.S.Parthasarathy
The
Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board (AERB) which
enforces nuclear and
radiation safety
provisions nationwide and
industrial safety in the
Units of the Department
of Atomic Energy, reached
a noteworthy milestone as
it secured the ISO
9001-2000 certification
on November 15 this year.
This is an international
standard that gives the
requirements for an
organization's Quality
Management System (QMS).
AERB,
with its unique mandate,
is the only regulatory
agency in India which
attained this
distinction.
Set
up exactly 23 years ago,
the mission of AERB is to
ensure that the presence
of ionizing radiation and
the use of nuclear energy
in India do not cause
unacceptable impact on
the health of workers,
members of the public and
the environment.
AERB's
jurisdiction covers
uranium and thorium mines
and processing units,
fuel fabrication
facilities, nuclear power
projects and operating
nuclear power plants. The
Board also enforces
radiation safety in
institutions using
ionizing radiation and
radioisotopes for
medical, industrial and
research purposes.
AERB
evolved appropriate
mechanisms to carry out
safety review of reactors
of new and diverse
designs (pressurised
heavy water reactors of
220MWe, light water
moderated and light water
cooled reactors- VVER-of
1000 MWe of Russian
Design and Prototype Fast
Breeder Reactor-PFBR- of
500 MWe) and to issue
authorisations at various
stages of the projects.
AERB
reviewed the safety
upgradations of the two
boiling water reactors at
Tarapur (these were
constructed in 1969) and
the pressurised heavy
water reactors at
Rawatbhata and Kalpakkam
and issued operating
authorisations to them.
The process is on for
Unit 1 at Narora. This
will be followed by Unit
2 at Narora after 2007.
Indian
scientists and engineers
develop innovative
technologies and
solutions to ensure
continuous safe operation
of Indian reactors.
Review of these
technologies continues to
be a challenging task.
On
a few occasions, AERB
imposed regulatory
restrictions such as
reducing the power levels
of some reactors,
directing modifications
of equipment and systems
and shutting down the
plants. The Board set up
specialist committees to
investigate the fire
incident at Narora and
the incident involving
the failure of the inner
containment dome in one
of the reactors at Kaiga.
AERB and NPCIL learnt
useful lessons from these
incidents.
Nuclear
Power Corporation
implemented several
elegant engineering
solutions to reduce
radiation doses to
workers. But AERB
insisted that there was a
lot of scope for
improvements in this
area. The Board may not
take any credit for the
successful steps taken by
NPC. But AERB's
persistence definitely
helped.
In
1987, in the wake of
reports that some
companies may import
foodstuffs contaminated
by radioactive substances
released during the
accident at the Chernobyl
nuclear power station
into India, AERB
prescribed permissible
levels of radio-nuclides
in foodstuffs. The entire
process evolved by AERB
was a subject of judicial
scrutiny in the
"Irish Butter
Case".
In
disallowing a related
writ petition, the Bombay
High Court observed:
" We are satisfied
that the best scientific
brain available in the
country has applied
itself to the
question"....
‘‘We
have already broadly
indicated the complicated
nature of the questions
involved. We are also
satisfied that the
authorities concerned are
fully aware of the
problem at the highest
level. They have adopted
methods regarded by them
as best suited-methods
which have been approved
by scientists..."
While dismissing a
special leave petition
the Supreme Court
endorsed these
statements.
In
1991, when AERB
implemented the latest
recommendations of the
International Commission
on Radiological
Protection (ICRP) on dose
limits to workers, India
became one among the
handful of countries to
enforce the stipulations.
In
1993, Halliburton
offshore Services a
foreign company operating
for the Oil and Natural
Gas Commission (ONGC)
could not ensure the
physical security of
sources entrusted with
them at one site. AERB
directed the company to
cease all activities
involving the use of
radioactive sources in
India. The ban affected
logging operations at
seven oil rigs of the
ONGC. The Board lifted
the ban after the company
implemented fool-proof
methods to ensure
physical security of the
sources. AERB directed
other companies to
enforce similar measures.
In
light of the criticality
accident at Tokaimura,
Japan on September
30,1999, AERB directed,
as a prudent measure,
detailed safety review of
the plants carrying out
fuel fabrication and
spent fuel reprocessing
in India. Indian plants
have been designed
conservatively with
adequate safety margins
and are operated by duly
trained operators as per
approved procedures.
Based on a preliminary
review, the management of
the Nuclear Fuel Complex
at Hyderabad implemented
some remedial measures at
the Enriched Uranium
Oxide Plant at Hyderabad.
AERB's
enforcement of radiation
safety stipulations in
the field of industry
radiography led to spate
of litigations against
it. The Board won all the
cases.
Overall,
the safety status in
institutions handling
sources for medical
purposes is satisfactory.
AERB is continuing its
efforts to decentralize
regulatory control of
medical x-ray
installations.
AERB
imposed regulatory
restrictions whenever it
observed procedural
lapses leading to
unacceptable incidents
such as loss of sources,
improper design of
radiation facilities,
non-compliance of safety
stipulations, etc.
Surprisingly, AERB staff
found many violations in
nuclear medicine
facilities.
AERB
prohibited a radiotherapy
centre from operating a
medical accelerator
because it used very
low-density construction
materials in parts of the
wall. Inadequate
shielding led to
unacceptably high
radiation levels outside
the treatment room. AERB
lifted the ban when the
institution took remedial
measures; the hospital
spent Rs one crore to
implement them.
AERB,
which started as a
fledgling organization of
four scientists and
engineers and three
administrative staff in
1983, occupying a corner
room in Old Yacht's Club
building, has grown from
strength to strength. Now
the Board employs nearly
150 engineers and
scientists; it owns to
easily accessible and
aesthetically designed
buildings. With over two
decades of solid
experience in regulatory
matters, the mood is
upbeat in AERB; the
agency is poised to face
the twin challenges
thrown by globalization
of technology and
possible private
participation in nuclear
power generation. PTI
Feature
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IOC plagued
by politics
By Raju
Bhartan
There are only two
places today where people from
all parts of the world gather:
the United Nations and the
Olympics. This is not to say that
the Olympics are any less
political than the United
Nations. However, contrary to
popular belief, the
politicization of the Olympics is
not recent phenomenon.
It is often stated
that the "intrusion" of
politics into the Olympics began
in a serious manner with the
black-gloved, clenched-fist
salutes of US sprinters Tommie
Smith and John Carlos in Mexico
City in 1968. Smith and Carlos
staged their black Power protest
while "The Star-Spangled
Banner" was being played
during the medal ceremony for the
200-meter dash. They were
immediately suspended by the IOC
and ordered to leave the Olympic
Village by the USOC.
From the point of
view of the IOC, the
"crime" committed by
Smith and Carlos was not that
they had made a political
statement, but that they had made
the wrong political statement.
Although Olympic athletes may be
a representative group, IOC
members and other Olympic leaders
are not. They are, in fact, very
much like UN delegates. They have
definite political beliefs. They
support nationalism.
The 1976 Olympics,
held in Montreal, were hit by a
boycott of African nations led by
Tanzania. The Africans had
demanded expulsion of New Zealand
because a rugby team from that
nation had made a tour of South
Africa. The IOC claimed that
controlling the travel of rugby
teams was outside its authority
since rugby isn't an Olympic
sport, but the Africans, joined
by Iraq and Guyana, held firm. Of
the boycotting nations, only
Tanzania stayed home completely,
while the others travelled to
Canada and didn't make their
final decision until the last
minute. Despite the absence of
the Africans, the 1976 Olympics
were filled with excellent
competitions. However, poor
planning and corruption caused
the city of Montreal to suffer a
major financial loss.
The 1980 Moscow
Olympics were disrupted by
another boycott, this one led by
US President Jimmy Carter, part
of a package of actions to
protest the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan. With his eyes on the
upcoming presidential election
and his pride on the line, Carter
engaged in extensive arm-twisting
to get other nations to support
the boycott.
According to an
Austrian court decision, IOC
president Jacques Rogge and World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Chief
Dick Pound would be summoned to
appear before an Austrian court
before February 2007 to face
charges of making defamatory
comments about banned Olympic ski
coach Walter Mayer, just before
the International Olympic
Committee panel will visit
Pyeongchang and Sochi sometime in
February next year. Mayer was
banned from the Olympics
following allegations of blood
doping at the 2002 Salt Lake City
Games, but travelled to Turin for
the 2006 Games. He fled Italy
after police raided the living
quarters of the Austrian biathlon
and cross-country ski teams in
search of banned substances and
equipment. Mayer was admitted to
a psychiatric hospital after
ramming his car into a police
blockade over the Austrian
border.
There is no doubt
that Austrian Preparation
Committee intentionally organized
it for putting pressure on IOC
and Jacques Rogge. Since being
elected president in 2001, Rogge
has pursued a policy of
eliminating corruption and use of
steroids, stimulants, gene doping
as prescribed by the Word
Anti-Doping Code (Code), which is
administered by the WADA. WADA's
List Committee has 11 scientists
chosen for their international
expertise. "We are promoting
the Olympic ideals and values. We
fully expect you to do this in
the Olympic spirit, following the
bidding rules set down to ensure
a fair process, playing fair and
by the rules" Rogge said. It
is a classical variant of
blackmail by the Austrians
bidding for the 2014 Winter
Olympics.
Austrians are of the
opinion that Jacques Rogge
doesn't have a decisive
(unimpeachable juristic) evidence
of direct use of dope by the
Austrian Olympians. The Italian
law enforcement agencies have not
confirmed the dope-tests findings
to the Olympic Committee of
Austria; however, there is
unconfirmed report that the
dope-tests, taken during Olympic
Games in Turin at the Austrian
biathlon and cross-country ski
teams, have yielded negative
result.
In case of dope
charges against Mayer is proved
he will not only suffer financial
losses but also be imprisoned.
Thus, Jacques Rogge and Dick
Pound will be looking for a
compromise formula favouring a
report in favour of Salzburg. The
panel, which includes IOC members
and Olympic experts, has to issue
a report assessing the three bids
a month before the vote on the
winning city in Guatemala City in
July 2007.
Earlier this year, a
Vienna court ruled that Rogge
could not be tried in Austria
because he made his comments
abroad. However, a second Vienna
court has overturned that
decision. It is obvious that
overt and covert attempts are
being made to push Salzburg to
host the 2014 Winter Olympics. In
contention are Pyeongchang and
Sochi to host the Winter
Olympics. Thus, the IOC is a
divided house with contentious
issues plaguing the apex world
sporting body. INAV
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