We are a country of 1.2 billion people, more than half live below poverty line which implies their total energy consumption is far and far lesser than the upper middle class and rich class of people which is roughly 20-25% of the total population. Their is huge disparity between the rich and poor in energy consumption which is also one of the index of poverty measure according to me other than food, health and education. According to World bank 40% f Indian households are without electricity. Since we are developing, our energy needs are growing at faster rate. Poverty eradication also resulted in more consumption of power, since India's per capita income is doubled in just a 5 years interval which reflects the more energy consumption. Their is very good correlation between energy consumption and income level of an individual and the economy as a whole. Because of increasing industrialization, Urbanization and more consumerism lead to more energy needs. There is huge energy deficit growing of our country. We are highly relying on the imports which is giving extra stress to our Forex reserves.
Currently our country is mainly dependent on two kind of sources of electricity - Coal/Thermal power and Hydro power. Coal power accounts for 80 % of our energy requirements , hydro power around 16 % and nuclear source around 2 % and rest with other sources which is around 2%. Even after venturing out many projects by GoI and state govts. , India is still facing huge shortages of electricity.
Now India govt is planning to venture out Nuclear power plants for meeting the energy needs. Argument is that it is a clean source of energy, helps is environment conservation because hydro power projects cause heavy deforestation and huge soil erosion, it takes lesser time to complete the project implies time efficient and many others. But there are many issues pertaining to this Nuclear way of energy.
I was reading one of the article in Hindu which says that most of India lies in seismic zone 4 and 5 (max. level is 6) and many of our Nuclear plants are located in these zones. Take an example of Jaitapur, it is located very near to Bhuj where terrible earth quake occurred few years ago. Narora plant and Rawat bhatta plants are located very near to Delhi i.e zone 5. Now what happened in Japan in Fukushima should be an eyeopener for all the policy makers to think twice while taking any decision about the location the plant. Germans have already started protesting against increasing the time permits of running nuclear power plants and their is public opinion against the nuclear energy which led to fall of incumbent party in local elections because of their apathy to nuclear concerns. I guess we have to learn something from there.
Secondly , the variety of Nuclear reactor which is supplied by companies like Areva i.e EPR reactors have a big loophole in their design which is even claimed by their own govt. Means we are giving invitation to our own destruction. Indian authorities are giving contradictory statements on this issues. Instead of bickering over issue they should work for more safety of the reactor. Instead of getting a second hand technology, go for most advanced and safest technology.
Third issue is about the civil nuclear liability. India is buckling under the pressure of USA , Russia and EU countries. India's civil liability act itself put very less liability on the agencies who are supplying equipments and most of the liability is putting on the operator i.e NPCIL which is a PSE of GoI which means payment of liability through public exchequer. We should learn from Bhopal gas tragedy.
Most important issue is the environment. What will do with that nuclear waste which is produced out of nuclear plants. Usual practice is dumping this waste in the sea. Their is very slow progress in the R&D of nuclear waste management because this will make the cost effective nuclear power a costly affair. This dumping will lead to destruction of our coasts, wetlands which is very essential for our eco-system balance. This will impact the livelihood of millions of fishermen and also impact out marine food production. Apart from these the surrounding habitats will be exposed to nuclear radiation which can cause many hereditary diseases.
Indian govt should work on a comprehensive energy policy which not only addresses the energy production issue but also its optimum consumption and also wastage issues. India has a huge potential of energy from renewable sources - Solar energy ( because in India 8 months are around clear weather day), Tidal energy (huge coastline) , Wind energy, Bio-mass , Geothermal energy and others. Though I don't opt out the option of nuclear energy but it needs a meticulous approach to mitigate the safety concerns and environmental impact.
What we can do as a citizen is especially - rich and upper middle income groups - try to change attitude towards consumerism because I feel India is not in a position to adopt American way of consumerism. What I feel is - "India doesn't need SUVs , Harley davidson, Iphone , Ipads , Mcdonalds , Pepsi and coco cola because neither they are our requirements and nor they are our needs, they are just our wants". We really need modern and state-of-art technologies for agriculture to achieve food security, for Industries which generate huge employment, a well developed education structure and robust health system. According to Hans Rosling in one of his talk, it is possible for us to reduce our net energy demands even after poverty eradication and that should be ours approach.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Jan Lokpal and Civil Society's role
I thought of sharing some of my views regarding this hot Topic : "Jan Lokpal and Civil society's role". What Anna Hazare is doing is a selfless act and his intentions are perfectly fine to end corruption. But I disagree with the formation of Joint committee for making this bill because I have some strong apprehensions about this process in future.
A work of making the laws is in the hands of parliament which is enshrined in our sacred constitution. We elect them and now we don't have faith in them. What Anna Hazare pointed out is a widely accepted fact that most of the politicians are corrupt and he has no faith in them in the formulation of bill. His argument is perfectly valid about the corruption but then I strongly believe that civil society should not have role in the formulation of this bill though the bill is diluted by the government.
Reasons:
1) Law making which is enshrined in our constitution is with the parliament, this process will undermine so called our constitution because of which India is surviving.
2) Once the process of forming a joint committee is started, in future NGOs and the people with wrong intentions just for political mileage will black mail the elected govt to become the part of committee for every bill. Though everyone demands govt. should be transparent but administration can't be run without secrecy. Involvement of civil society in every thing will definitely slow down the administration because of policy of obstruction and non cooperation by both the parties - civil society and Govt.
3) Running the administration is a non trivial job, So by this kind of activity we are actually making this administration more difficult because now the officers will be sacred to work and take decisions effectively though he is honest because every decisions taken by him will be highly scrutinized by civil society. You must be aware that 2/3 of the cases pending in our courts are because of govt. inability to decide on issue matters.
4) The members who are selected from the civil society don't have mandate of the people except Anna Hazare. These members though they are from solid law background are chosen by Anna Hazare himself. One of the member is ex-Union minister of Law which contradicts the Anna's statement that he has no faith in Politicians. Any ways the people who are heading this committee are politicians only.
5) Yesterday's Anna statement about Modi and Nitish was the political statement which is not digested by his own supporters who threatened him that they will take back their support , if he won't back off from this statement . Baba Ramdev who is associated with this movement has political Lineage towards BJP because his org. had donated 11 lakhs to BJP for the party fund.
6) Lets suppose this bill will be enacted, who can give the guarantee that the Lokpal of India will be a man of impeccable integrity, no one. Because all constitutional appointments are political in nature, Govt. definitely won't make the strong person to chair this. And if the lokpal is elected by people then again the element of politics will be involved which in turn damage the foundation of this so called Lokpal institution. This institution has great possibility of misuse.
I don't want to make you skeptical about Anna and his intentions but one thing is true fact that every person has political mindset and you can't detach this from a human being.
We say politicians are corrupt but this reflects only one thing to me- "Common man of India is corrupt". Very simple to explain : Politician starts corruption for winning the mandate of the people. Many of us don't vote which is also a corruption and those who vote, they are bought by spending crores. Who involves in these spendings - So called ethical and efficient Corporate world, big Industrialists ,NRIs and countries like USA , EU etc. If common man of India stops accepting these kind of favors then surely no politician will tend to do corruption.
In India , govt is not "for the people, by the people , of the people " but it is "far the people, buy the people , off the people " and common man owes big responsibility for this.
For me, the main causes of corruption are not Politicians and bureaucracy but they are poverty and illiteracy.
What we can do as a civil society :
1) Fight for right to recall in this country through PIL or through legislative intervention. Right to recall means representatives like MPs and MLA should be recalled by the people if they don't work for the people. Madhya Pradesh is the only state where this instrument is used for Panchayat Raj Institutions. We have to fight for extending it to all level.
2) Fight for making vote a compulsory exercise for every citizen
3) Fight for the effective use of Article 49-O which gives right to abstain in voting.
4) Fight for the Police reforms, To end the nexus between police and Politicians which will automatically reduce corruption.
5) Fight for asking our common rights - right to have road, electricity, quality water, house etc. Irony is no one does An-san for these causes, they do for state's bifurcation and other political motives.
6) Spreading awareness about the right candidates among poor because they are one who are easily fooled.
7) Most important is the to change the attitude of ourselves like don't bribe a police man if you are at mistake, pay the fine and learn not to repeat the mistake; no to bribe at govt offices, let your work will be delayed; use of RTI more and more; effective use of consumer forum etc.
Lokpal institution will automatically be the fruit once if we clear the roots of corruption at common man level and sow the seeds of "No to corruption".
I am not here to teach anyone, I also don't follow all the things which I have mentioned but I have strong belief in them and some where we have to start.
A work of making the laws is in the hands of parliament which is enshrined in our sacred constitution. We elect them and now we don't have faith in them. What Anna Hazare pointed out is a widely accepted fact that most of the politicians are corrupt and he has no faith in them in the formulation of bill. His argument is perfectly valid about the corruption but then I strongly believe that civil society should not have role in the formulation of this bill though the bill is diluted by the government.
Reasons:
1) Law making which is enshrined in our constitution is with the parliament, this process will undermine so called our constitution because of which India is surviving.
2) Once the process of forming a joint committee is started, in future NGOs and the people with wrong intentions just for political mileage will black mail the elected govt to become the part of committee for every bill. Though everyone demands govt. should be transparent but administration can't be run without secrecy. Involvement of civil society in every thing will definitely slow down the administration because of policy of obstruction and non cooperation by both the parties - civil society and Govt.
3) Running the administration is a non trivial job, So by this kind of activity we are actually making this administration more difficult because now the officers will be sacred to work and take decisions effectively though he is honest because every decisions taken by him will be highly scrutinized by civil society. You must be aware that 2/3 of the cases pending in our courts are because of govt. inability to decide on issue matters.
4) The members who are selected from the civil society don't have mandate of the people except Anna Hazare. These members though they are from solid law background are chosen by Anna Hazare himself. One of the member is ex-Union minister of Law which contradicts the Anna's statement that he has no faith in Politicians. Any ways the people who are heading this committee are politicians only.
5) Yesterday's Anna statement about Modi and Nitish was the political statement which is not digested by his own supporters who threatened him that they will take back their support , if he won't back off from this statement . Baba Ramdev who is associated with this movement has political Lineage towards BJP because his org. had donated 11 lakhs to BJP for the party fund.
6) Lets suppose this bill will be enacted, who can give the guarantee that the Lokpal of India will be a man of impeccable integrity, no one. Because all constitutional appointments are political in nature, Govt. definitely won't make the strong person to chair this. And if the lokpal is elected by people then again the element of politics will be involved which in turn damage the foundation of this so called Lokpal institution. This institution has great possibility of misuse.
I don't want to make you skeptical about Anna and his intentions but one thing is true fact that every person has political mindset and you can't detach this from a human being.
We say politicians are corrupt but this reflects only one thing to me- "Common man of India is corrupt". Very simple to explain : Politician starts corruption for winning the mandate of the people. Many of us don't vote which is also a corruption and those who vote, they are bought by spending crores. Who involves in these spendings - So called ethical and efficient Corporate world, big Industrialists ,NRIs and countries like USA , EU etc. If common man of India stops accepting these kind of favors then surely no politician will tend to do corruption.
In India , govt is not "for the people, by the people , of the people " but it is "far the people, buy the people , off the people " and common man owes big responsibility for this.
For me, the main causes of corruption are not Politicians and bureaucracy but they are poverty and illiteracy.
What we can do as a civil society :
1) Fight for right to recall in this country through PIL or through legislative intervention. Right to recall means representatives like MPs and MLA should be recalled by the people if they don't work for the people. Madhya Pradesh is the only state where this instrument is used for Panchayat Raj Institutions. We have to fight for extending it to all level.
2) Fight for making vote a compulsory exercise for every citizen
3) Fight for the effective use of Article 49-O which gives right to abstain in voting.
4) Fight for the Police reforms, To end the nexus between police and Politicians which will automatically reduce corruption.
5) Fight for asking our common rights - right to have road, electricity, quality water, house etc. Irony is no one does An-san for these causes, they do for state's bifurcation and other political motives.
6) Spreading awareness about the right candidates among poor because they are one who are easily fooled.
7) Most important is the to change the attitude of ourselves like don't bribe a police man if you are at mistake, pay the fine and learn not to repeat the mistake; no to bribe at govt offices, let your work will be delayed; use of RTI more and more; effective use of consumer forum etc.
Lokpal institution will automatically be the fruit once if we clear the roots of corruption at common man level and sow the seeds of "No to corruption".
I am not here to teach anyone, I also don't follow all the things which I have mentioned but I have strong belief in them and some where we have to start.
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