Farmers in Bihar have asked their unmarried daughters to plow parched fields naked in a bid to embarrass the weather gods to bring some badly needed monsoon rain, officials said.
Witnesses said the naked girls in Bihar plowed the fields and chanted ancient hymns after sunset to invoke the gods. They said elderly village women helped the girls drag the plows.
"They (villagers) believe their acts would get the weather gods badly embarrassed, who in turn would ensure bumper crops by sending rains," Upendra Kumar, a village council official, said from Bihar's remote Banke Bazaar town.
"This is the most trusted social custom in the area and the villagers have vowed to continue this practice until it rains very heavily."
India this year suffered its worst start to the vital monsoon rains in eight decades, causing drought in some states.link
Thursday 23 July 2009
Nitish wants Centre to help make Bihar ethanol hub
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has written to Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar urging him to relax the amendment in Sugar (control) order of December 2007 and strive for presidential assent to the Bihar Sugarcane (Regulation of supply and purchase) Amendment Bill, 2007, to help Bihar develop as an ethenol hub.
Referring to Pawar's statement in Parliament on Bihar's demand for promoting ethanol production directly from sugarcane juice, Nitish said Pawar's assurance on the floor of the House was still "short of expectations".
Pawar, in his statement in Parliament, said the Centre had taken initiatives to blend up to 10 per cent of ethanol in petroleum products. He said the gap between prices of sugar and ethanol made production of ehtanol exclusively an unviable project.
Pawar also pointed out that 11 exclusive ethanol plants in Maharashtra were now closed and at present nobody would come up with such a proposal. He said after their visit to Patna, industrialists in their field and study reports mentioned they did not want to set up sugar mill there. Pawar stressed that in Brazil the mills had a crushing capacity of 35,000 tonnes compared to 2,000 tonnes in India.
Nitish, in his letter dated July 22, said Pawar' arguements we "not in consonance with facts". He said if the Union government was to make mandatory blending up to 10 per cent ethanol with petroleum, the requirement will be very large and it should encourage local ethanol production to meet the demand.
The Bihar CM also said the price of ethanol (Rs 22.50 per litre) was fixed six years ago when crude and petroleum prices was nearly half the current rates.
"There is enough justification to have a re-look at the price being offered for ethanol by petroleum companies," Nitish said stressing that the price difference between sugar and ethenol was an artificial one.
Nitish also stressed that experience of Maharashtra in ethanol production was not relevant to Bihar because the production is targeted to meet the export requirements, not domestic needs. Nitish said in Bihar proposals for setting up 25 sugar mills have been approved of which only four have initiated action.
"The main reason for the others not immediately showing interest is the fall in sugar prices. However, the scenario is likely to change with the rising sugar price," he said maintaining that the state has succeeded in reviving some of its closed sugar mills through privatization and firms like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and M/s Reliance India made successful bids.
He also pointed out that the state investment promotion board had approved 13 mega projects for production of ethanol, ten of which were sugar-based and three maize-based.
"The proposed capacity of the sugarcane-based plants are 25,000 tonnes per day and in case of maize-based 1,25,000 tonnes," he said while pointing out that each of these mega projects will produce 200 MW power. link
Referring to Pawar's statement in Parliament on Bihar's demand for promoting ethanol production directly from sugarcane juice, Nitish said Pawar's assurance on the floor of the House was still "short of expectations".
Pawar, in his statement in Parliament, said the Centre had taken initiatives to blend up to 10 per cent of ethanol in petroleum products. He said the gap between prices of sugar and ethanol made production of ehtanol exclusively an unviable project.
Pawar also pointed out that 11 exclusive ethanol plants in Maharashtra were now closed and at present nobody would come up with such a proposal. He said after their visit to Patna, industrialists in their field and study reports mentioned they did not want to set up sugar mill there. Pawar stressed that in Brazil the mills had a crushing capacity of 35,000 tonnes compared to 2,000 tonnes in India.
Nitish, in his letter dated July 22, said Pawar' arguements we "not in consonance with facts". He said if the Union government was to make mandatory blending up to 10 per cent ethanol with petroleum, the requirement will be very large and it should encourage local ethanol production to meet the demand.
The Bihar CM also said the price of ethanol (Rs 22.50 per litre) was fixed six years ago when crude and petroleum prices was nearly half the current rates.
"There is enough justification to have a re-look at the price being offered for ethanol by petroleum companies," Nitish said stressing that the price difference between sugar and ethenol was an artificial one.
Nitish also stressed that experience of Maharashtra in ethanol production was not relevant to Bihar because the production is targeted to meet the export requirements, not domestic needs. Nitish said in Bihar proposals for setting up 25 sugar mills have been approved of which only four have initiated action.
"The main reason for the others not immediately showing interest is the fall in sugar prices. However, the scenario is likely to change with the rising sugar price," he said maintaining that the state has succeeded in reviving some of its closed sugar mills through privatization and firms like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and M/s Reliance India made successful bids.
He also pointed out that the state investment promotion board had approved 13 mega projects for production of ethanol, ten of which were sugar-based and three maize-based.
"The proposed capacity of the sugarcane-based plants are 25,000 tonnes per day and in case of maize-based 1,25,000 tonnes," he said while pointing out that each of these mega projects will produce 200 MW power. link
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Child labour rampant in cosmetic industry: NGO
The sparkle in the make up box that you dab on just before going to a party is the result of the hard labour of a child who, in all probability, had spent hours in the scorching heat looking for shining pieces of mica in the soil. This in turn is used in the cosmetic industry.
After garments, sports goods, accessories and ornaments, it’s the cosmetics industry that is the latest employer of child labour, especially in places like Jharkhand and Bihar, according to a child rights NGO.
Bhuwan Ribhu, national secretary of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) said that children, as young as six and eight toil away in the mica mines in Jharkhand and Bihar, collecting mica for export all over the world in the cosmetics industry.
“Thousands of children are involved in illegal collection of mica from the soil, which is being exported to major brands including Merck KGaA, the German based pharmaceutical company, which further supplies this mica to some of the biggest names in the cosmetics industry,” he said.
“There are more than 5,000 children involved in mica collection in the area. Since mica is right there in the soil, the opportunity to make easy money was more appealing to children and their parents than education.
“However over a period of time, people are beginning to understand that poverty can not be seen as a reason for children’s exploitation and exposing the children to health and safety hazards like skin and respiratory diseases. Yet, a lot of effort is required from the government, since NGOs can only do so much,” Ribhu said.
Districts like Giridih and Koderma in Jharkhand and Nawadah in Bihar are the worst hit in this case.
“International corporations need to do more work and take up more responsibility in their supply chain. Leaving an area or changing one supplier after child labour is found is not the solution. Corporations must ensure that their profits are not made at the cost of children and should work towards elimination of child labour,” he added. link
After garments, sports goods, accessories and ornaments, it’s the cosmetics industry that is the latest employer of child labour, especially in places like Jharkhand and Bihar, according to a child rights NGO.
Bhuwan Ribhu, national secretary of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) said that children, as young as six and eight toil away in the mica mines in Jharkhand and Bihar, collecting mica for export all over the world in the cosmetics industry.
“Thousands of children are involved in illegal collection of mica from the soil, which is being exported to major brands including Merck KGaA, the German based pharmaceutical company, which further supplies this mica to some of the biggest names in the cosmetics industry,” he said.
“There are more than 5,000 children involved in mica collection in the area. Since mica is right there in the soil, the opportunity to make easy money was more appealing to children and their parents than education.
“However over a period of time, people are beginning to understand that poverty can not be seen as a reason for children’s exploitation and exposing the children to health and safety hazards like skin and respiratory diseases. Yet, a lot of effort is required from the government, since NGOs can only do so much,” Ribhu said.
Districts like Giridih and Koderma in Jharkhand and Nawadah in Bihar are the worst hit in this case.
“International corporations need to do more work and take up more responsibility in their supply chain. Leaving an area or changing one supplier after child labour is found is not the solution. Corporations must ensure that their profits are not made at the cost of children and should work towards elimination of child labour,” he added. link
Monday 20 July 2009
Floating restaurant in Ganga inaugurated by Nitish Kumar
“It’s an amazing experience to watch the sun set from this vessel... This is something like Shaam-e-Magadh,” exulted chief minister Nitish Kumar as he sat in the air-conditioned floating restaurant, MV Ganga Vihar, on Monday evening.
Nitish was on board to inaugurate this novel restaurant which will be operated by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation on the Ganga river twice every day. As the vessel anchored off the city’s Gandhi Ghat and chugged down the river, ideas started floated into the CM’s mind. “I will hold a Cabinet meeting on it — a floating Cabinet meeting,” he said.
Development commissioner Anup Mukherjee was asked on the spot to organize the meet. And yes, the CM and his ministers won’t be free-trippers. “The government will pay for it,” Nitish said while turning towards culture secretary Vivek Kumar Singh.
“Cruising down the Ganga is a heart-soothing experience. The government will take some major decisions while afloat,” he said and added this floating restaurant is yet another example of changing Bihar.
The floating restaurant should be made available on rent for social and family functions like birthday and marriage, was another idea the CM came up with.
“I think people will prefer this novel venue to hotels more so because this will be cheaper @ Rs 20,000 for four hours,” he said.
Yet another idea of the CM needed some quick actions to translate that into reality. In response to Nitish’s advice “let this vessel be booked by people for viewing solar eclipse on Wednesday morning”, tourism department’s bosses immediately decided to offer an entry ticket of Rs 100 each at 4 in the morning on Wednesday. The tickets along with sunglasses can be have from Kautilya Vihar and Chandragupta Swimming Pool at the Moinul Haq Stadium.
The vessel sailed up to the Collectorate Ghat and turned for downstream cruise up to Gandhi Setu from where it returned and was anchored at the Gandhi Ghat. Seeing the Gandhi Setu from under it, Nitish looked a bit worried at its dilapidated condition. “It should be used only by light vehicles,” he said.
Nitish said if the cruise restaurant proves a success, more vessels would be pressed into service. “Private operators would be welcome to run the show,” he said.
Referring to the proposed Marine Drive along the Ganga from Digha to Patna Saheb, he said its DPR is being prepared. A DPR for the River Front is also under preparation, he added.link
Nitish was on board to inaugurate this novel restaurant which will be operated by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation on the Ganga river twice every day. As the vessel anchored off the city’s Gandhi Ghat and chugged down the river, ideas started floated into the CM’s mind. “I will hold a Cabinet meeting on it — a floating Cabinet meeting,” he said.
Development commissioner Anup Mukherjee was asked on the spot to organize the meet. And yes, the CM and his ministers won’t be free-trippers. “The government will pay for it,” Nitish said while turning towards culture secretary Vivek Kumar Singh.
“Cruising down the Ganga is a heart-soothing experience. The government will take some major decisions while afloat,” he said and added this floating restaurant is yet another example of changing Bihar.
The floating restaurant should be made available on rent for social and family functions like birthday and marriage, was another idea the CM came up with.
“I think people will prefer this novel venue to hotels more so because this will be cheaper @ Rs 20,000 for four hours,” he said.
Yet another idea of the CM needed some quick actions to translate that into reality. In response to Nitish’s advice “let this vessel be booked by people for viewing solar eclipse on Wednesday morning”, tourism department’s bosses immediately decided to offer an entry ticket of Rs 100 each at 4 in the morning on Wednesday. The tickets along with sunglasses can be have from Kautilya Vihar and Chandragupta Swimming Pool at the Moinul Haq Stadium.
The vessel sailed up to the Collectorate Ghat and turned for downstream cruise up to Gandhi Setu from where it returned and was anchored at the Gandhi Ghat. Seeing the Gandhi Setu from under it, Nitish looked a bit worried at its dilapidated condition. “It should be used only by light vehicles,” he said.
Nitish said if the cruise restaurant proves a success, more vessels would be pressed into service. “Private operators would be welcome to run the show,” he said.
Referring to the proposed Marine Drive along the Ganga from Digha to Patna Saheb, he said its DPR is being prepared. A DPR for the River Front is also under preparation, he added.link
Precautions needed while watching eclipse
A workshop on total solar eclipse of 2009 was held at Patna University (PU) physics department here on Monday in which more than 80 students and teachers participated. Patna Science College principal Kashi Nath inaugurated the workshop.
PU physics teachers U N L Mathur, Rohit Raman and S K Sinha presented their views on topics relating to the total solar eclipse which will be visible in different parts of Bihar, including Patna. Amarendra Narain spoke about necessary precautions while watching the eclipse. Rakesh Kumar presented the scientific details of the eclipse. Swetambar Das explained the phenomenon of solar eclipse using photographs and animation.
Symposium on development: The Central University of Bihar (CUB) is organizing a symposium on "Development Studies and India's Development" at A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies here on Tuesday. Chief minister Nitish Kumar will be the chief guest and eminent social scientists like Jean Dreze, Pradeep Bhargave, Chandrakala Padia and Ravi Srivastava will address the symposium.
CUB vice-chancellor Janak Pandey said that the new university seeks to educate and develop human resources for the development of the country, establish linkages with industries for the promotion of science and technology and to pay special attention to the improvement of socio-economic condition of the people.
Employees' agitation: About 33,000 non-teaching staff of colleges and universities in Bihar will remain on mass casual leave and stage dharna before the state legislature from July 21 to 24 in support of their long-pending demands, including new payscales, payment of arrears and removal of pay anomalies, said Bihar State University and College Employees' Federation general secretary Ganga Prasad Jha.link
PU physics teachers U N L Mathur, Rohit Raman and S K Sinha presented their views on topics relating to the total solar eclipse which will be visible in different parts of Bihar, including Patna. Amarendra Narain spoke about necessary precautions while watching the eclipse. Rakesh Kumar presented the scientific details of the eclipse. Swetambar Das explained the phenomenon of solar eclipse using photographs and animation.
Symposium on development: The Central University of Bihar (CUB) is organizing a symposium on "Development Studies and India's Development" at A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies here on Tuesday. Chief minister Nitish Kumar will be the chief guest and eminent social scientists like Jean Dreze, Pradeep Bhargave, Chandrakala Padia and Ravi Srivastava will address the symposium.
CUB vice-chancellor Janak Pandey said that the new university seeks to educate and develop human resources for the development of the country, establish linkages with industries for the promotion of science and technology and to pay special attention to the improvement of socio-economic condition of the people.
Employees' agitation: About 33,000 non-teaching staff of colleges and universities in Bihar will remain on mass casual leave and stage dharna before the state legislature from July 21 to 24 in support of their long-pending demands, including new payscales, payment of arrears and removal of pay anomalies, said Bihar State University and College Employees' Federation general secretary Ganga Prasad Jha.link
Uproar in Bihar assembly
Several opposition MLAs on Monday made uproar in the Bihar assembly and staged a noisy walk-out in protest against "inordinate delay" in implementing the centrally-sponsored multi-sectoral development schemes in seven minority concentrated districts in the state.
Replying to a call-attention notice of RJD's Akhtarul Iman, Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Surendra Prasad Singh and others state Minority Welfare Minister Shahid Ali Khan said the union minority works ministry had in April 2008 earmarked a sum of Rs 523.20 crore for the multi-sectoral development projects for seven muslim concentrated districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Katihar, West Champaran and Darbhanga.
Mr. Khan said on he basis of the baseline surveys conducted by a Delhi-based institution, the detailed project reports for sanctioning the funds for these schemes were submitted to the Centre
The Centre later allotted Rs 36.63 crore in February 2009 for various projects to be implemented in three of these districts-- Darbhanga, Araria and Katihar and subsequently, released Rs 16.75 Crore to the state government, he said.
Once again, the union ministry for minority works released of Rs 74.72 crore in May, 2009, Mr. Khan informed..link
Replying to a call-attention notice of RJD's Akhtarul Iman, Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Surendra Prasad Singh and others state Minority Welfare Minister Shahid Ali Khan said the union minority works ministry had in April 2008 earmarked a sum of Rs 523.20 crore for the multi-sectoral development projects for seven muslim concentrated districts of Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Sitamarhi, Katihar, West Champaran and Darbhanga.
Mr. Khan said on he basis of the baseline surveys conducted by a Delhi-based institution, the detailed project reports for sanctioning the funds for these schemes were submitted to the Centre
The Centre later allotted Rs 36.63 crore in February 2009 for various projects to be implemented in three of these districts-- Darbhanga, Araria and Katihar and subsequently, released Rs 16.75 Crore to the state government, he said.
Once again, the union ministry for minority works released of Rs 74.72 crore in May, 2009, Mr. Khan informed..link
Thursday 16 July 2009
Bihar villages to have animal, relief shelters
In A major move, which will benefit the rural people in the state of Bihar, state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced setting up of a relief as well as an animal shelter in each village at the cost of Rs 52 lakh. The chief minister said that one billion rupees have been allocated for construction of these sheds.
These sheds will be put under the control of village panchayat and they will serve the village community in lieu of some money, which will be used for upkeep of these shelters.
Speaking at the national seminar on disaster management for the protection of livestock at Veterinary College, Patna, Nitish said that this plan has been approved by the cabinet and soon the tenders will be floated for this purpose.
The chief minister said that 28 districts of Bihar are flood affected as such it is imperative for the Union government to announce relief for the people of Bihar.
He exhorted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare the Kosi floods as national disaster.
Kumar said that the government had learnt a number of lessons during the Kosi floods. The government machinery has realised that in addition to measures taken for human beings, effective steps have to be taken up for welfare and rescue of livestock.
The proposed shelters, he said, are being built keeping this finding in mind and these will help the people during floods.
The government has also invited public private partnership to construct these shelters, he informed. He asked the Vice Chancellor Dr ML Choudhary to make a road map for the protection of livestock with the help of disaster experts.
During the programme, Philip Russel, director of the World Society for the protection of animals promised to help the university in helping them to learn various aspects of disaster management.
Dr Chowdhury, vice chancellor appreciated Bihar government's commitment to the agricultural sector. Animal Husbandry minister Ramanarayan Mandal was present on the occasion and said that the board is now ready to deal with any calamity. Renu Kumari, Minister of Agriculture said agriculture road map is also ready to be implemented.
Dr JN Singh, dean of Rajendra Agriculture University expressed gratitude towards the guests.link
These sheds will be put under the control of village panchayat and they will serve the village community in lieu of some money, which will be used for upkeep of these shelters.
Speaking at the national seminar on disaster management for the protection of livestock at Veterinary College, Patna, Nitish said that this plan has been approved by the cabinet and soon the tenders will be floated for this purpose.
The chief minister said that 28 districts of Bihar are flood affected as such it is imperative for the Union government to announce relief for the people of Bihar.
He exhorted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to declare the Kosi floods as national disaster.
Kumar said that the government had learnt a number of lessons during the Kosi floods. The government machinery has realised that in addition to measures taken for human beings, effective steps have to be taken up for welfare and rescue of livestock.
The proposed shelters, he said, are being built keeping this finding in mind and these will help the people during floods.
The government has also invited public private partnership to construct these shelters, he informed. He asked the Vice Chancellor Dr ML Choudhary to make a road map for the protection of livestock with the help of disaster experts.
During the programme, Philip Russel, director of the World Society for the protection of animals promised to help the university in helping them to learn various aspects of disaster management.
Dr Chowdhury, vice chancellor appreciated Bihar government's commitment to the agricultural sector. Animal Husbandry minister Ramanarayan Mandal was present on the occasion and said that the board is now ready to deal with any calamity. Renu Kumari, Minister of Agriculture said agriculture road map is also ready to be implemented.
Dr JN Singh, dean of Rajendra Agriculture University expressed gratitude towards the guests.link
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