Round The States

New Delhi, 4 September 2008

Floods Play Havoc

BIHAR’S WOES CONTINUE

By Insaf

The river God continues on a destruction course. Not only in Bihar but has engulfed Assam as well. Till yesterday, only cries of misery rent the air as lakhs watched their homes submerge in 800 villages in Bihar, left people marooned and bereft of succor and food, today disease is on a rampage with death stalking the poor and the destitute.   Worse, according to experts, the Kosi river may have changed course. Its first eastward shift in recorded history, since it breached its eastern embankment in Nepal last month. Interestingly, the current flood zone has reverted to the “Dhusan channel” which Kosi occupied between 1921-26. Thus, making relief and reconstruction plans and operations difficult. Given that nudging the river back on its westward course would only “postpone the problem.”

If the Kosi river being termed as “mother of all floods” has left lakhs homeless and changed the map of Bihar, the Brahmaputra is above the danger mark and has already submerged 60 per cent of the Kaziranga National Park. The world famous rhino’s habitat has already lost three rhinos to the havoc wrought by the raising river. Even as most of the rhinos have shifted to the high lands, a herd of 50 elephants and hog and swamp deers brought the national highway 37 to a grinding halt. But this is not all. Sadly, the State Government in its endeavour to contain the damage suddenly woke up to the rude fact that 295 out of the 423 river embankments along the Brahmaputra and its numerous tributaries had ‘expired.’ Shockingly, their efficacy had expired 25 years ago. No matter that the third wave of floods had already affected over 10 lakh people. 

*                                 *                                               *                                       *

Three States Against Order On FIRs

Three States namely Maharashtra, Orissa and Haryana are upset with the Supreme Court’s directive on registration of FIRs. Wherein they have been asked to take punitive action against police officers who failed to register any FIR. The States have opposed this order on the grounds that it would make it easier for individuals to file false, frivolous and malicious cases against innocent persons to settle personal scores. Instead, the States argued that the FIRs could be registered after a preliminary enquiry by the investigating officer. However, their plea fell on deaf ears given that the other States agreed to comply with the Apex court’s directives.

*                                 *                                               *                                       *

Committee On Jammu’s Discrimination? 

Even as Jammu and Kashmir limps back to normalcy after two months of agitation, there are hints of another stir in the offing. Monday last saw the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SASS) agreeing to the State Government’s offer of making temporary use of 40 hectares of land in Kashmir during the Yatra period and calling off its agitation. However, after sustaining the agitation for 62 days, the SASS is talking of launching another front to tackle what it calls is “the discrimination meted out to Jammu during the last 60 years by Kashmir-centric leadership.” Insofar as the separatists in Kashmir are concerned, Governor NN Vohra is trying to soften the blow of the agreement and is keen that cross border trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote roads is facilitated at the earliest. Meanwhile, the Election Commission has called an all-party meet on September 8, to discuss prospects of holding Assembly elections. Though the term of the Assembly was till November 20, polls can well be held till January 10, as Governor Rule was imposed on July 10.  When will the State have a popular government again, is the big question.

*                                *                                               *                                       *

Orissa Fallout Elsewhere

With Orissa yet “not normal” after ten-days of communal fury, stray incidents in BJP-led States of Gujarat and Rajasthan should put authorities on alert. Two Christian missionary schools in Ahmedabad and one in Jaipur were attacked on Wednesday night last, by miscreants. While the school authorities in Ahmedabad felt the attack was a fallout of the march by Christians against Orissa violence, in Jaipur they said VHP activists were protesting against the suspension of few students who had performed Ganesh Puja in school. While no police complaints have been filed, the situation should be watched and administration can ill-afford any laxity. More so in the background that the communal outrage in Kandhamal district and 10 others in Orissa, has claimed 16 lives so far and about 558 homes and 17 churches were set on fire. Two weeks later, the villages wear a deserted look, forcing the Supreme Court to ask the Naveen Patnaik government to give an affidavit that it would provide protection to the people and their property in affected areas. Bring back normalcy, is the order. 

*                                *                                               *                                       *

Akalis Poll Preparation

Is “Punjabiyat” going to be the buzz word for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections? Signs of the SAD seeking to again promote itself as an orthodox Sikh party are slowly emerging. On Wednesday last, SAD’s young President Sukhbir Singh Badal had himself baptized as an Amritdhari Sikh at the historic Takht Keshgarh Sahib. This apart, the Punjab Cabinet cleared a draft Bill making Punjabi compulsory in schools up to class tenth in the State. Further, government officials could be liable for disciplinary action if they don’t use Punjabi in their administrative functioning. Add to all this, the State government withdrawing its consent to make Punjab University a Central university. While, these signs may be dismissed by party officials as matter of faith and simple promotion of the mother tongue, a watch on SAD’s election campaign will reveal if it compromised with its traditional Sikh vote bank.   

*                               *                                               *                                       *

More Navodaya Vidyalas

The States have reason to rejoice. They are all set to get 20 new Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in districts with high SC/ST population following the Centre’s approval. Importantly, this is the first time since the inception of these schools in 1985 that a district will have more than one Vidyalaya. The schools, to be set-up at a cost of Rs.430 crores will offer free education to students selected through the all-India entrance exam held at the district level. Thus, taking the total number of Vidyalayas from 400 to 420. Not only that. Kerala has gone a step further. It has decided to reserve seats in colleges and universities for the economically backward students belonging to the forward communities. Towards that end it had earmarked 10 per cent in universities. Needless to say this will add impetus to the States policy of educating India’s Young.---INFA

 (Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)