India Nuclear News and Discussion 4 July 2011

[Neela]

Did anyone notice the Indian government machinery at work through the entire episode. When the elephant moves , boy does get its act together.
When things got a little serious, the government started the inquiries as to who was behind all this. Simultaneously, it engaged the TN govt and the protestors. It invited key members from the protest group for negotiations for the panel constituents . The central government wanted the TN govt to be on board as well - see PC's plea to TN govt. Notice how the the NPCIL and AEB suddenly went silent ( looks like GoI told them to shut up while they handled the issue) .
In the meantime, it looks like the inquiry was done, reached babus in PMO. Babus frame the message and finally the PM of India makes a press statement. For those puckers who thought they could stir trouble, this is a warning shot. Imagine, if I were a NGO funding this, I would be a little worried that the PM of India making a veiled warning to me - it is like the GoI saying "We know who you are . Here is your chance to stop" .

[nawabs]

Just heard that licenses of 3 NGO's have been cancelled.Can anybody confirm it?

[SSridhar]

So, it is now official and the protestors stand exposed. When the PM of India says so, what does one call a person who acts against the interests of the country at the instigation of his/her foreign masters ? I am sure he has not said so lightly or without evidence.

Neela, I agree with you about some of the 'green' people being part of the anti-KKNPP agitation. But, as in most such cases, ultimately, there will be many shades of people being part of that. This was what I said in October last and I believe it is true.

Certainly, Fukushima has created a scare. But, I doubt if the fisherfolk in these areas would have been able to grasp the magnitude of or the reasons for that calamity. I am sure that even more educated people here on the BRf would not be able to follow fully a technical briefing on the safety or otherwise of the KKNPP. It is far easier to arouse fear among the simple folk than douse it. Now, some of those spearheading the agitation might be genuinely opposed to nuclear energy (similar people are in large numbers all over the world), some others might have fears about their lives and livelihood and yet some others might have an entirely different agenda. We can do nothing about the first category except ignoring them until they become a nuisance wih law and order issues. The second category can be 'converted' through genuine efforts by GoI/TN/DAE and discussions at their level. AERB must review KKNPP and look into the safety aspects in the situation of multiple failures as happened in Fukushima and explain it all in simple terms to these fisherfolk. The third category of people and their backers must be isolated and dealt with severely.

One of the fears that was raised was that the womenfolk would become barren (maladi in Tamil) and their race would become extinct. This was how fears were aroused. Dr. V. Shantha , Director of the Adyar Cancer Institute and a noted oncologist, whose team has studied extensively the Kalpakkam zone, strenuously tried to allay the fears, but might not have succeeded. We have heard of similar tactics of brainwashing in NWFP/FATA.

[Singha]

in UP too polio drops were resisted saying it was a conspiracy to render muslims sterile.

[Singha]

NDTV

PM blames American NGOs for Kudankulam power plant protests
NDTV Correspondent, Updated: February 24, 2012 16:13 IST


New Delhi: In what has the makings of a new controversy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has blamed American NGOs for fuelling protests at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla during an interview for Science magazine, the Prime Minister said, "What's happening in Kudankulam...the atomic energy programme has got into difficulties because these NGOs, mostly I think based in the United States, don't appreciate the need for our country to increase the energy supply."

Reacting to the statement, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy said that private NGOs working in US and Scandinavian countries have been giving money to NGOs in India.

"Licenses of three NGOs have been cancelled by the home ministry. They are also thinking of taking further action. In fact the people who are agitating near the plant have been continuing their agitation for the past three months. People are being brought there in trucks from various villages," said Mr Narayanasamy.

The Prime Minister's statement has sparked off a row with the Opposition asking him to clarify and make public all facts regarding this issue.

"I think it's a very important statement that the PM has made, and since he has made such a statement - I have seen reports in sections of the media - I think the government must make facts regard to this public, so that the veracity of all this is known to the people of India who are then in the correct position to decide what is the correct position," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.

Reacting to the Prime Minister's statement, the CPI's D Raja said that the PM needs to address the concerns of the people.

"If American based NGOs are playing a role in Kudankulam, then they should be isolated and action should be taken against them. But the other factor is that people are suffering there, the Prime Minister and others need to address the concerns of the people," he said.

"I don't think the Prime Minister is targeting the American government. If the Prime Minister has any evidence against the NGOs, he should go and tell the people of Kudankulam instead of giving interviews to magazines," Mr Raja added.

The Prime Minister has also blamed these NGOs for opposing genetically modified foods and the use of biotechnology to increase food production in the country. "Biotechnology has enormous potential and in due course of time we must make use of genetic engineering technologies to increase the productivity of our agriculture. But there are controversies. There are NGOs, often funded from the United States and the Scandinavian countries, which are not fully appreciative of the development challenges that our country faces," Dr Singh said.

The Rs. 13,000-crore Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) is located in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Being built with Russian collaboration, the plant is expected to provide respite from the power shortage problem in the state. But the Indo-Russian joint venture has run into trouble with activists and locals staging massive protests citing safety concerns in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan early last year. As a result of these frequent protests, the commissioning of two 1000 megawatt nuclear reactors at the plant has been stalled.

Several rounds of talks between the Central government-appointed expert panel and representatives of villagers opposing the plant have failed to end the stand-off. The villagers say they fear for their lives and safety in case of a nuclear accident and the long-term impact it would have on the population in the area.

Worried over the scale of protests against the plant, the PM had urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to support the project and had assured her that no safety features would be compromised at the plant.

While international experts have signed off on the facilities of the plant, deeming them strong enough to withstand an earthquake or a tsunami, the country's nuclear watchdog - the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board - has suggested that more security checks were needed at the plant.

This interview appears today, February 24, 2012, in the print edition of the Science magazine as part of a special package titled 'India Rising'.

[Sanku]

^^^ I am not sure if the above statement was to help KKNP or Monsanto. Things are not what they seem.

[Pranav]

^^^ I am not sure if the above statement was to help KKNP or Monsanto. Things are not what they seem.

True, GMOs are a separate issue which should be dealt with on its own merits.

[SSridhar]

"I think it's a very important statement that the PM has made, and since he has made such a statement - I have seen reports in sections of the media - I think the government must make facts regard to this public, so that the veracity of all this is known to the people of India who are then in the correct position to decide what is the correct position," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.

Reacting to the Prime Minister's statement, the CPI's D Raja said that the PM needs to address the concerns of the people.

"If American based NGOs are playing a role in Kudankulam, then they should be isolated and action should be taken against them. But the other factor is that people are suffering there, the Prime Minister and others need to address the concerns of the people," he said.

"I don't think the Prime Minister is targeting the American government. If the Prime Minister has any evidence against the NGOs, he should go and tell the people of Kudankulam instead of giving interviews to magazines," Mr Raja added.

Jaitley & Raja are trying to make a political capital out of the PM's statement. The MoS in PMO, Narayanaswamy, has spoken quite a few times about the foreign funds issue at Kudankulam itself and also at Tirunelveli & Chennai. IIRC, the names of the NGOs which were raided and the funding received were also announced. And, if I further recall, the NGOs concerned promptly denied the accusation. So, the PM's statement is nothing new except that it comes from the highest administrator of the country and adds considerable weight therefore.

[JwalaMukhi]

In isolation, the call by PM about the US NGOs might look like warning to the NGOs to back off, but it could very well be a plea of desperation that the political expenditure and voting buying that happened to frutify the "new clear deal" to yield results to US - it has to stop hurting itself in the foot by its NGOs.

It is too early to call, if PM has turned a new leaf and taking on assorted do-gooders who intervene blatantly in the internal affairs of India. PM would have done commendable job if:
1) He had/has increased funding for indigenous nuclear development. who knows he might have done off the books.
2) Keeps all the manevourability that is needed to prime nuclear defense and its development.
3) Haven't seen any new nuclear engineering programs at university levels promoted in the country so the next generation of scientists/engineers are prepared to take over the mantle. If one imports technology maybe there is no need to work on the hard part of acquiring the know-how and fund domestic expertise. only screw driver experts are sufficient.

Only time will tell, if India becomes self-sufficient in nuclear technology. Will we see India exporting nuclear reactors to others in a decade from now?

[VinayB]

Jaitley & Raja are trying to make a political capital out of the PM's statement. The MoS in PMO, Narayanaswamy, has spoken quite a few times about the foreign funds issue at Kudankulam itself and also at Tirunelveli & Chennai. IIRC, the names of the NGOs which were raided and the funding received were also announced. And, if I further recall, the NGOs concerned promptly denied the accusation. So, the PM's statement is nothing new except that it comes from the highest administrator of the country and adds considerable weight therefore.

The recipients of this aid who were raided, were church affiliated, including Tuticorin bishop. The PM's statement could have included that detail.

This protests hit just weeks after TN assembly elections. An issue where so many people could be mobilized, and evidently communalized, why was this not an election issue?

INC had a disastrous run in that elections, but 3 of the 5 seats it won were from this coastal belt, and atleast 2 were christians.

Now both the ADMK and DMK are silent on the issue. Only INC is holding meetings against the protest. From reports in local media its clear it has a communal angle, with Hindu Munnani reported to be protesting against the protest (asking for commissioning the plant). Not clear what the game is.

[Theo_Fidel]

So, it is now official and the protestors stand exposed. When the PM of India says so, what does one call a person who acts against the interests of the country at the instigation of his/her foreign masters ? I am sure he has not said so lightly or without evidence.

People are falling for MMS's Nautanki. Atleast we now know he was the one who instigated the so called raid which found nothing that will stand up in a court of law. So much for rule of law and how our countries investigative system is run. Man is clever, why he survives so long and even manages to get fools to follow him...

[Philip]

"Out of the mouths of babes..." Finally our beloved PM in his most charming and softest manner has delivered the verdict of the truth behind the KKM agits.The Congress' beloved "foreign hand",but now clearly identified to US and Scandinavian NGOs.Let's look at the issue retrospectively.

Who benefited from the agits? Certainly not India.Right from the start the manner in which the agits were "switched on",the "fuel rods" inserted in their crores by the NGOs to "energise" the dumb locals led by our quislings and rent-boys (biryani and banknotes aplenty),Udayakumar and his cassocked cronies,indicated that the last concern was a genuine fear of the plant ,which was in the building for years without a single incident of protest! Secondly,the timing of the agits was predetermined.It was meant to sabotage Indo-Russian nuclear cooperation at the crucial time,where maximum damage could be done to the reactors by preventing the technical teams from their maintenance and monitoring prior to the plant going critical.This timing was also significant because of the GOI's refusal to kowtow to unacceptable US terms on the N-Liability bill which was passed by parliament. The nation reserved the right to safeguard itself from another Bhopal where the US MNC has got off virtually scot free for the world's worst chemical plant disaster.There was no way that India would risk another nuclear catastrophe without sufficient compensation guaranteed in any agreement.This meant that if the US refused,we would buy precious little from the US in the way of N-material and tech. and the field would be left open to the Russians and French,with the US left sucking its thumb!

Refusing to adhere to India's wishes and wanting to sell its ancient junk to India,the US played hard-ball .It decided to hold India to ransom by sabotaging KKM and preventing its completion through its quislings and rent-boys.It roped in its professional specialist team member from "Scandinavia",a key intel ally ever since WW2,which it uses from time to time in the world's hotspots to avoid events being traced back to the US,and well known for supporting terrorist groups and destabilising elected govts. worldwide,through the activities of its NGOs and the lickspittles in the church.These local entities were fattened for years with generous doses of Vitamin "M".Thus far,GOIs merely watched the steady stream of money that flowed in from the west into the pockets of dubious "Christian" entities that sprouted up by the roadsides like parthenium weed. If we did not sign on the dotted line and water down our liability clause,it would destroy our plans for nuclear power not just at KKM but elsewhere around the country.The statements from the Russian experts and diplomats also indicated that even they felt that outside entities wished to sabotage the project and the entire Indo-Russian plan for further reactors.

Unfortunately for the blackmailer and his cronies,they have been caught out,with the trail of money clearly being traced back to the US and elsewhere in Europe.The length of the agits,the enormous sums of money spent etc.,have been closely monitored this time,and the end result is that the GOI first satisfied the TN govt. about the plan's safety through the experts and have now isolated the quislings and rent-boys.Secondly,within TN,barring the protesters,virtually the entire power-deficient state's affected people with their industries and businesses crippled with the massive power shortages,realised the game being played at KKM.This saw a huge backlash against the protest movement which tried every trick in the book to disrupt expert N-scientists from reassuring the public through open debate and discussions throughout the state,including a review of the plant by former Pres.Dr.Kalam a Tamilian himself.
For MMS to now openly say that the US and a "Scandinavian" country where behind the agits is something of a sensation for such a mild mannered man,who has bitterly realised the machiavellian gameplan of the US and has ultimately had to call a spade a spade.

The Q now is where will the agit go from now? Do not imagine that they will stop.The intention of the plotters is most clear,to sabotage India's N-programme both for power and for military purposes.The GOI must beef up security at all out N-installations as the likelihood of a terrorist strike using either the US's most favoured rent-boy of the region,or the remnants of the LTTE's network in the region cannot be ruled out.The chickens have come home to roost for our quislings .The full machinery of the intel agencies and the law must now exercised to crush and destroy these traitors and their entities and be seen to exterminate them as a warning to their sponsors and puppet masters abroad to "F-off" from India!

[ramana]

So which are teh three NGOs already delicensed?
So far the press is not naming them as honor among fellow proxies.

[Philip]

Ramanna,rhymes with another word in the dic.,"thieves"!

Yes,the media too,some of them who are also beneficiaries of Uncle Sam will now have their undies in a twist ,squirming most uncomfortably at the events.

[Prem]

What gets my Goat is that magnitude of the threat must have been so great that Prime Minister of India have to make the statement especially PM like MMS who is not known for making such public accusations. Less said is better in how to teach good lesson to these traitors who clealry knew that they were working on behalf of foreign powers to undermine the national security , strength and progress . Its very clear now from this event as well NE problem caused by Church that they are clear threat to India and if given the oppertunity , they will hurt the nation on behalf of their Bosses.

[nawabs]

So which are teh three NGOs already delicensed?
So far the press is not naming them as honor among fellow proxies.

http://m.firstpost.com/india/kudankulam ... 24821.html

Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy on Friday confirmed the action against the three NGOs, but did not disclose their names. But earlier this month, Narayanasamy had alleged that NGOs administered by Tuticorin church leader, Bishop Yvon Ambroise, had received foreign funds to the tune of Rs 54 crore. Ambroise has been active in mobilising popular support for the anti-nuclear protests.

Narayanasamy also alleged then that a third NGO run by Udayakumar, who heads the People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy,had received Rs 1.5 crore in foreign funds. He had said then that if the NGOs were not shown to have maintained proper accounts for the expenditure on these amounts, the Home Ministry would initiate stringent action against them for violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

The NGOs associated with Ambroise are the Tuticorin Diocese Association (TDA) and the Tuticorin Multipurpose Social Service Society (TMSSS). Indian Express reports that both these NGOs had FCRA clearance until last year, but their names have now been removed from the home ministry website listing over 42,000 NGOs having FCRA clearance.

The Home Ministry notes on its website that TMSSS received Rs 42 crore from abroad in the last five years (details here)for rural development work, and that TDA received Rs 23 crore.

Many other Christian organistions, including People's Education for Action and Liberation (PEAL) and Good Vision, are also under the Home Ministry scanner for alleged funding of the anti-nuclear protest movement.

[ShauryaT]

Smugglers funding Jaitapur N-protest?

The Kudankulam nuclear complex is stuck at the pre-commissioning stage because of the protest around those parts organized by NGOs whom Manmohan Singh has identified as being funded by cash-rich American NGOs with the agenda of torpedoing the PM’s ambitious nuclear electricity generation plan. Unused to the people derailing a govt program, Moscow is upset that GOI has so far chosen to do nothing other than prevaricate. But at a workshop today, a senior DAE official on the sidelines, offered the view that Uday Kumar, the agitation leaders, has a dubious background, but that the plant opening will not be delayed beyond a couple of more months. With the squeezing of the Indian NGOs by linking them, correctly, with Western NGOs the protestors will apparently soon be cleared out. The critrical factor will be CM Jayalaltha’s reaction. Tamil Nadu has peak demand power deficit that KK-1 and KK-2 can meet. But equally, her political interests are better served by further needling the coalition setup at th centre.

Investigation of the N-protestors has other than in Kudankulum, also revealed, this official informed me, that in Jaitapur, Maharashtra, the protest ostensibly led by local fisherfolk, is being funded by smugglers from the Konkan area who use the proximal coast as landing ground for their contraband they bring in from Dubai and elsewhere because they fear they will be compelled to move out of the area altogether. The complicating factor for the Congress party in Delhi is that this protest is piggybacking on the political fight between the Maharashtra Nav Nirmnan Sena of Raj Thackeray and the local Congress party maharashtra minister, Rane. The trouble with all this is the manifest weakness of the central govt and the desire of the PM to make the proverbial omelette w/o breaking eggs. Well, good luck!

[SSridhar]

“These NGOs were receiving funds from foreign countries for social service… such as helping the physically handicapped and eradication of leprosy, but these [the money] were used for the anti-nuclear [plant] protests,” he [PMO MoS Narayanaswamy] said.

link

There are also local fellows involved who are into smuggling mineral-rich sand from the beaches of these areas.

[sooraj]

Ramanna,rhymes with another word in the dic.,"thieves"!

Yes,the media too,some of them who are also beneficiaries of Uncle Sam will now have their undies in a twist ,squirming most uncomfortably at the events.

Is the protests against nuclear plants connected to put pressure on India's oil purchase from iran, What if India increases oil purchase from iran on top of MMS accusation against US ngos???

[Neela]

So, it is now official and the protestors stand exposed. When the PM of India says so, what does one call a person who acts against the interests of the country at the instigation of his/her foreign masters ? I am sure he has not said so lightly or without evidence.

People are falling for MMS's Nautanki. Atleast we now know he was the one who instigated the so called raid which found nothing that will stand up in a court of law. So much for rule of law and how our countries investigative system is run. Man is clever, why he survives so long and even manages to get fools to follow him...

Theo Fidel
That post of yours is a typical of a loser! On this very forum, you had needled the rest of the regulars here to show evidence that the the church has been receiving foreign funds and are being instigated for foreign NGOs. Now the PM has stated it. The PMO has names the organizations and probably even know the people associated with it in foreign lands.
Now, what do you have to say for it. Are you going to admit that you are wrong ?
Of course you aren#t. Mocking the "investigative system" is the best shot for your escape hatch? Did not the GoI announce that 3-4 months ago that it will start an inquiry. Cant you see the follow up of all of it here.
Like I said earlier , grow a spine and show some integrity. What moral values do you have to throw spurs on the Indian investigative agencies.?

---
SS-ji , let me explain.
Church == anti-India - this is a easy line of thought but the more I think of it , the more simplistic it sounds. PLease remember, the folks who instigated these need the massive crowds to show protest. Like a parasite needing a host, they found the church convenient. Sunday mass where the message can passed, a proper organized structure, few scraps for the leaders was all it took. Come on, who does not like the smell of shiny blingy money and the church leaders fell for it. Naive yes, willful treachery - probabaly not. Looks more like ignorance. It looks like the NGOs have staged a proper drama hoping things would spiral our of control.. See, all you need to do is take care of the top leaders/bishops. Convince them that nuclear is bad. These folks are not technically sound ( In fact the entire leftist lot are like that - they have a belief and they will fit their existential world around their belief) . So bring them leaders into your belief system ( ) and take "care" of them - you then have a bakra which used the church machinery to instigate this. And what followed was taht leaders passing the message during sunday masses , slow poisoning of minds culminating in the protests.

These are a poor lot. It is quite easy to mould their minds with pictures and videos.I agree that more should have been done to inform the local populace about the safety features. We need to bring them on board instead of accusing the church of treason. Of course, the provocateurs must be handled first. I just hope instead of manhandling the leaders, we must re-educate them. A lot of Tamils in BARC and in Kalpakkam . Must not be very difficult.

[VinayB]

Church == anti-India - this is a easy line of thought but the more I think of it , the more simplistic it sounds. PLease remember, the folks who instigated these need the massive crowds to show protest. Like a parasite needing a host, they found the church convenient. Sunday mass where the message can passed, a proper organized structure, few scraps for the leaders was all it took. Come on, who does not like the smell of shiny blingy money and the church leaders fell for it. Naive yes, willful treachery - probabaly not. Looks more like ignorance. It looks like the NGOs have staged a proper drama hoping things would spiral our of control.. See, all you need to do is take care of the top leaders/bishops. Convince them that nuclear is bad. These folks are not technically sound ( In fact the entire leftist lot are like that - they have a belief and they will fit their existential world around their belief) . So bring them leaders into your belief system ( ) and take "care" of them - you then have a bakra which used the church machinery to instigate this. And what followed was taht leaders passing the message during sunday masses , slow poisoning of minds culminating in the protests.

For this line of thought to have an element of basis in reality, we should have seen that the church leaders stood down the moment they realized INC was against this game and INC was for commissioning that plant. Note the 2011 summer assembly elections from this region - when rest of TN totally dumped congress (as a % much more than they punished DMK), this region gave INC 3 of their 5 MLAs. The demographics of this region has that effect - significant christian population and votes transferred in the control of the church.

That standing down has not happened. Local media showed visuals of brisk marches, mass tonsuring of head etc even after MoS and HM were warning against foreign funds. So are there other possibilities?

Why did this protest flare up right after government change in TN? from a segment of population that is friendly to INC and not friendly to ADMK (previous ban on conversions etc)?

[sum]

Atleast we now know he was the one who instigated the so called raid which found nothing that will stand up in a court of law. So much for rule of law and how our countries investigative system is run.

Eerily similar sounding to the comments by many from a "certain community" when asked about the Batla house encounter. Sad that religion seems to triumph national interest in multiple issues.

[Virupaksha]

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main51.asp ... otests.asp

Udaykumar's People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy reply in tehelka above, basically saying he would sue PM and consulting his lawyer.

He says the total expenditure for the whole agitation for 1-2 months was 2 lakhs. and compares himself with Gandhi asking who funded him.

Perhaps if he had read history instead of the thousand thapar-stories of night, he would have known how Birla and co and other business interests funded him through every step. The politicians MP elections costs submitted to the election commission has more truth.

[SSridhar]

Russian Ambassador Backs Manmohan Singh's Remarks

"We have been suspecting it all along, and, I was openly saying this, because it was very strange. Six months after the Fukushima tragedy, all those protesters raise their voices. They were sleeping for six months, and then, all of sudden, they raise their voices against the most secure, the best and the safest (nuclear power) station in the world," said Kadakin in an interview.

"We were perplexed, but now we stand vindicated," Kadkin added.

Without directly naming the United States, Kadakin said some strategic friends of India who were not doing anything for its energy sector, don't like the idea of India becoming strong, and therefore, are stalling the Kudankulam project through proxies.

Kadakin further claimed that some strategic powers wanted to hamper Indo-Russian cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy, and emphasized that Russia wants India to be strong and the people of Tamil Nadu to get electricity.

Russia has expressed hope that it would like India to go ahead with its nuclear energy roadmap.

"The Prime Minister's statement and the home ministry's findings would unlock the situation at Kudankulam," Kadakin said.

That optimism of a quick 'unlock' of the situation, I do not share. Ms. JJ has to allow the plant to function. Of course, TN government has also constituted the committee and its report will probably pave the way for re-opening the plant. But, one doesn't know how Ms. JJ will go ahead even as there are 10-hour power cuts all over the state and the situation is only likely to worsen more in the coming months.

[shyamd]

^^ Question is - politically will it pay off to get KK up and running and getting electricity to all the homes or will the opposition try and shift the opinion against her and create some sort of incident?

[SSridhar]

Shyamd, there is a huge swell of public opinion for operationalizing KKNPP and it cuts across party lines, notwithstanding the swipes that people like D. Raja (CPI) or Vijayakanth (DMDK) may take opportunistically against the Centre or the State. Ms. JJ should know only too well that one of the major reasons for DMK losing power in the last elections was the electricity-cuts. The then Electricity Minister was universally known as Irulappan (One who reigns over darkness). In the current AIADMK regime, the cuts are only getting worse because, to their misfortune, there are so many power plants that have shut down for maintenance or due to repairs. The DMK had delayed shutting down these plants for maintenance because they did not want to exacerbate the situation. Besides, TANGEDCO (the Generation Co) is in deep red and is unable to purchase power from other sources at high cost. AIADMK promised to rectify the electricity situation largely, during the election. The additional units at the Mettur Thermal Power Station which should have come online already are delayed. Wind power generated electricity is falling (seasonal) and there have been also problems in evacuating that power to the TN grid. The additional power that TN has been expecting before end of this year from ongoing projects, is likely to be delayed or only partially met. The power situation is bleak and on top of that TANGEDCO is proposing a steep hike in tariff. The consumer meetings (mandatory before tariff hike) are seeing very angry consumers demanding scrapping of free power to the farmers (the TN government is not even reimbursing TANGEDCO for the cost incurred) before hiking the tariff. This has led to quarrels between the farming community and the general public at these meetings. The small & medium scale industries are some of the worst sufferers. Many have closed down and there is retrenchment of labour across the state. Many medium scale industries have started thinking of moving to other states. There is a 10 hour per day power cut all over the state (except in Chennai) and power-holiday for industries is to be shortly implemented. The situation is horrible indeed, as it was in Karachi & Lahore last year. Today, the TN Electricity Board is one of the worst performing SEBs in the country.

Therefore, Ms. JJ's inexplicable approach to KKNPP can only be explained as a manifestation of her anger against the centre (which rightfully is due to gross negligence of funds for TN). But, she must realize that her vengeful attitude at the cost of the public will haunt her. A tough stance by her against the KKNPP protestors immediately will earn her praise from the public (except those around Idinthakarai, Koodankulam and surrounding villages). She might also be in a dilemma because the INC might try to get political mileage out of the 1000 MWe that TN might get when both reactors are up and running. She might have calculated that it would be best for her to allow this stalemate to prolong as much as possible and INC's inability to resolve the issue becomes well known before she would step in and solve the problem quickly. The Centre can do nothing without Ms. JJ's support in KKNPPL.

[VinayB]

^^^ how do you know that vote bank politics or something else is not a consideration for Madam J? Recall that in the scuffle between Hindu Munnani and church groups at collectorate, her police promptly arrested Hindu Munnani, no action on the other side.

Police under her can be pretty innovative. For instance, in the previous term when S.Gurumurthi wrote an article, police formed 'thani padai' (transl. independent armies) to 'hunt' him down when he had merely gone to Mumbai.. The man had to declare himself not an absconder in the next day's paper.

Her actions after losing 2004 LS at 40-0 - that should be the baseline in any question about her.

[Theo_Fidel]

TN power shortage is 4000 MW. Mostly because about 2,000MW of old and problematic plants shut down or out of fuel. South TN as such is not terribly short. Even surplus right now as wind has picked up a bit. Instead of all this drama-bazi GOI would have been better off getting the Nuclear bill and independent safety regulator expedited.

Nuclear power operations with no questions asked is not going to be possible anymore. This is going to get bloody now. MMS is setting the stage for an assault, egged on by all the self proclaimed patriots. Today us, tomorrow you.

[shyamd]

Thanks for the detailed response SS ji. Didn't she ask the electricity to industries to be cut and transferred to residential areas? At least this is what has been happening in our area. And yes, industries are really suffering - cost of power is so high, Tirupur is becoming a ghost town slowly. Industries even get penalised forusing too much power!

Lots of people (particularly the textile community) are pissed off at her. Will see what people say about her game plan in KK. I hope she releases the power!

[Sanku]

I know the sympathy that exists for operationalizing KKNP on BRF; I am personally of the view that the current controversy has a right resolution, and a wrong resolution.

The right resolution is to address the meaningful issues raised by a whole host of luminaries, including from the people like Pres Kalam and other doyens of Indian nuclear establishment.

The wrong way is to try to and deal with the topic with bhashan-baazi and name calling

as it stands, it seems either MMS is speaking from his Musharaff on Bt Brinjal at least or Jairam Ramesh is lying

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/jairam-contr ... 657-3.html

Speaking to CNN-IBN, Jairam said the wide-spread opposition to GM crops from several states and the lack of public-sector backed GM seeds guided his decision.
"On BT Brinjal since I was directly involved I can confidently say no foreign NGOs influenced my view. The moratorium on BT Brinjal was imposed on March 9, 2010. Almost two years have passed. I went though a seven month process of public consultation with scientists, NGOs, civil society organisations, farmer organisations in which 8000 people participated. I wrote to chief ministers. I wrote to 50 scientists across India and the world," said.
"Green Peace a foreign funded NGO accused me of propagating the line of Monsanto during a public hearing in Bangalore. So on BT Brinjal, since I was directly involved, I can confidently say no NGOs influenced my views," Ramesh, said.

What is not on the link (thanks to CNN IBN edits, but can be seen on the full interview) is Jairam Ramesh looking quite confused and shocked at linking of the two issues of Monsanto and KKNP etc.

======================================

Friends, operationalizing KKNP may be a good thing, but remember, Man mohan is Man Mohan, setting heart on a progress or how things are based on a statement from him, is setting oneself up for heartbreak.

If he had known or wanted to do something on KKNP and protesters, he would have DONE it, not ranted on TV. Thats not what is expected from a PM.

Anyway, good luck, lets see how it pans out.

[Tanaji]

[
Theo Fidel
That post of yours is a typical of a loser! On this very forum, you had needled the rest of the regulars here to show evidence that the the church has been receiving foreign funds and are being instigated for foreign NGOs. Now the PM has stated it. The PMO has names the organizations and probably even know the people associated with it in foreign lands.
Now, what do you have to say for it. Are you going to admit that you are wrong ?
Of course you aren#t. Mocking the "investigative system" is the best shot for your escape hatch? Did not the GoI announce that 3-4 months ago that it will start an inquiry. Cant you see the follow up of all of it here.
Like I said earlier , grow a spine and show some integrity. What moral values do you have to throw spurs on the Indian investigative agencies.?

Neela saab, it goes much earlier. Theo was quite adamant much earlier stating that there is absolutely no involvement of the church. When that was laid out quite clearly for all to see, I think he has stopped saying that. Now the fact that the church is accepting funds is also being proven.... I wonder what down hill skiing we will get to see now.

Why are Udaykumar's supporters quite silent about his statement that entire Kundankulam's power generation capacity can be achieved by solar or wind alone, that too in TN itself. Basic math should all that be needed to tear holes in that theory. Yet, we still see support for that charlatan.

[Sanku]

^^^

The fact that the church has been involved has been quite clear from the very beginning, yet all the issues around KKNP (such as requests by the Nuclear establishment to have a independent watchdog and those of JJ vs Congress issues) are not going to be solved by merely trying to curb the foreign funding for the church (which should have been done anyway for reasons of its own, not only KKNP)

[negi]

I think there is nothing that stops the Church or any religious org. from receiving foreign funds; the problem is with using those funds to create nuisance in the state. Issue of nuclear power and it's associated risks are imho outside of Church's area of expertise unless the reactor in question was in any way encroaching upon it's territory church has no business to get involved. I am pretty sure that there are clauses under the IPC under which the church can be held accountable for it's actions. The problem is it won't take much time for the state itself to politicize this issue , give it a religious tinge and then sweep the whole thing under the carpet of peace and harmony using the secular broom.

[Tanaji]

^^^

The fact that the church has been involved has been quite clear from the very beginning, yet all the issues around KKNP (such as requests by the Nuclear establishment to have a independent watchdog and those of JJ vs Congress issues) are not going to be solved by merely trying to curb the foreign funding for the church (which should have been done anyway for reasons of its own, not only KKNP)

I think in India, anything "nuclear" is tied up by DAE and its sister organisations. Where does an "independent" entity come from?

[r_subramanian]

Good news about Kudankulam

Kudankulam nuclear power plant set to roll in six weeks
The controversy-hit Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu is set to be operationalized, with its first 1,000mw unit to be opened soon as the project's safety audits have been completed and local resistance now reduced to a few hundred protesters.
While the report of the expert group set up by the Tamil Nadu government is awaited, the state government is more supportive of the project being commissioned and the Centre's action against NGOs alleged to have diverted foreign funds to fuel the stir is seen a precursor to the plant being activated.
"I am hopeful of moving forward. The expert committees have done their job. Safety issues have been addressed. The plant's first unit can be in working order once we are able to move in the required staff," Srikumar Banerjee, secretary at the department of atomic energy, told ToI.
...

TOI link

[Philip]

Here are excerpts from a privately circulated newsletter which shows how allegedly corrupt the church (CSI) is.A close look at the funds from each diocese will show how much money is being collected esp. from the southern dts. of TN.120cr. from Kanyakumari alone!
The intransigence of the CSO to have its funds properly audited by the IT dept. is also visible.Incidentally,for the ignorant,the CSI is supposedly the 7th largest landowner in the entire country,and allegations of illegal sales of valuable land in the metros and key cities are rampant.

Help! CSI Treasurer Bennet Abraham has no Clue about its Finances

If proof was ever needed of the horrendous mess CSI finances are in, then look no further than the latest CSI Treasurer’s Report. In his introduction to the report -- which was given as a booklet to all 350 or so delegates at the Synod Session in Kanyakumari last month -- Treasurer Dr. J. Bennet Abraham states: “I thank Almighty God for his abundant blessings on the Church of South India and for giving me the privilege and joy of serving him as a Financial Steward for the biennium 2010-12….” It was certainly no “privilege and joy” for the CSI to have such a hopelessly incompetent treasurer going by the ridiculously inaccurate data presented in his report. Consider the following gems taken from it

1) The Income & Expenditure for both Kanyakumari & Karimnagar Dioceses between 2002 to 2011 are reported to be exactly the same every year , down to the last rupee, during this period (see Annexure 1)

2) The Offertory collection in Madurai-Ramnad and Medak Dioceses between 2002 to 2011 are also reported to be exactly the same every year, down to the last rupee, during this period (Annexure 2)

3) Many dioceses, we are told, recorded stupendous increases in offertory collection in the last two years. In Kanyakumari the offertory collection, Dr Abraham will have us believe, zoomed from Rs 3.5 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 26 crore in 2010-11 (Annexure 3) – a figure that is over three times the offertory collected in the diocese in the previous eight years combined! In Nanydal (one of the poorest dioceses in the CSI) offertory collection shot up from 4.9 lakhs in 2009-10 to Rs 2.5 crore the very next year and in Trichy-Tanjore from a minuscule Rs 1.1 lakh in 2008-09 to Rs 8.2 crore in 2010-11 (Annexure 4) .

4) While all dioceses are shown reporting massive increases in offertory collection, Tirunelveli diocese is shown going in the opposite direction. Its offertory collection, we are told to believe, fell from a humongous Rs 45 crore in 2002-03 (an amount greater than the offertory collected by all other CSI dioceses put together that year!) to Rs 7.5 crore in 2010-11 (Annexure 4) Even the carving out of the Thoothukudi Nazareth diocese from Tirunelveli (which took effect financially in 2005) would not explain this relentless decline.

Apart from sheer carelessness in showing Kanyakumari and Karimnagar dioceses as having the same Income & Expenditure and Madurai-Ramnad and Medak dioceses as having the same offertory collection, the more important issue is that the numbers contained in the report would have appeared utterly unreliable even to a semi literate person. Yet Dr Abraham, a highly qualified medical doctor with an MBA in hospital administration to boot, found nothing amiss and when ahead with publishing them. The least he could have done is provide some explanation for the stupendous increases in offertory recorded in most dioceses over the last two years (it is quite possible the figures for the earlier years represent gross under-reporting and greater income tax department scrutiny has made some dioceses move closer to the true figures).

That Dr Abraham does not exercise the basic care expected of a treasurer while presenting financial data is also borne out by the unaudited statement of income and expenditure of the CSI Synod “as of 31st December 2011” circulated by him as a separate document at Kanyakumari. In it, the Assessment Income of the Synod (the money it gets from the dioceses) is shown as Rs 2,50,58,986 as of 31st December 2011. This is a clear cut and paste job as it is exactly the same figure (Rs 2,50,58,986) which is shown as the Assessment Income (see underlined data in Annexure 5) for the year ended 31st March 2011. And this figure of Rs 2.5 crore for 2010-11 is again at variance with the amount of Rs 1.89 crore that is shown as the Assessment Income for 2010-11 on page 3 of the booklet circulated at Kanyakumari (see circled figure in Annexure 6).

Why Corrupt Bishops Love Abraham

Despite being an obvious misfit for the job of Treasurer, the many corrupt bishops of the CSI would rather have Dr Abraham in the position of Treasurer of the CSI than any more competent person. And they made this clear by asking their Synod representatives at the Kanyakumari conclave to re-elect Dr Abraham (seen in post election picture below at far right) as Treasurer for the biennium 2012-2014 which they duly did. There is a very good reason why the Bishops love Abraham. A few months after he took over as CSI Synod Treasurer in 2010 he stood mutely by as the bishops (acting through the Synod Executive Committee) reduced the assessment payable to the Synod from 3.5% to 2.5% of annual diocesan income . They further strangled the growth of Synod finances by fixing the maximum a diocese need pay to the Synod at Rs 20 lakhs a year and the minimum at Rs 3 lakhs.

The reduction in assessment payable to the Synod is tantamount to virtually killing the institution because it comes at a time when for years the Synod has been drawing down from its General Fund to finance a growing revenue deficit. As Dr Abraham writes in his report (pg 13): “I repeat a statement of the immediate former Treasurer in his report 2010, the General Fund Investment withdrawn by the CSI Synod from 2003-2008 was 1,67,50,000 as a result our receivable interest dropped from Rs 25,04,693 to Rs 5,85,584. We should remember that this money was withdrawn to pay the salary of the staff, pension to the bishops and clergy and for the day to day expenditure. It is quite possible for anyone to wonder where we will reach if the situation continues.”

Yet despite his apparent concern, Dr Abraham did not even register a protest (as any conscientious Treasurer should) when the Synod assessment was cut from 3.5% to 2.5% and a cap put on the maximum contribution dioceses need pay. Instead he seems to applaud wasteful expenditure as seen in this example from his Treasurer's Report (Pg 10). "I would like to appreciate the initiative of the Moderator to take the Bishops and their spouses along with the Synod Officers to the Holy Land was a dream come true (sic)." This wasteful trip, which also included Dr Abraham and his wife, cost the CSI nearly Rs 1 crore. (See CCC No 32). All this when even routine Synod expenditures have been going through the roof. The expenditure on Bishop Pensions for instance has risen from Rs 20.6 lakhs in 2005-06 to Rs 47.9 lakhs in 2010-11 (Annexure 7). Bishop pension payments currently represent about 20% of total Synod expenditure.

Thanks to the rank stupidity and mismanagement by Dr Abraham in handling Synod finances a sum of Rs 2.67 crore had to be withdrawn from the General Fund during 2010-11 (see circled figure in Annexure to bridge the deficit. This after “Other Funds” were depleted of Rs 71 lakhs and the amount transferred into the General Fund to shore it up. Even so, the General Fund -- interest earned from which has traditionally been an important contributor to Synod revenues –stands reduced from Rs 5.88 crore as of 31st March 2010 to Rs 3.92 crore on 31st March 2011.

This amount of Rs 3.92 crore is itself at serious risk of vanishing entirely which is probably what Dr Abraham means by his statement “It is quite possible for anyone to wonder where we will reach if the situation continues.” During the first nine months of 2011-12 a huge amount of Rs 44.6 lakhs has been spent towards Special Audit Fees (Annexure 5 asterisked figure). Sources say the final expenditure for this Special Audit ordered by the Income Tax (IT) department to ascertain the real income of the dioceses, could reach Rs 1 crore. Some of this money is likely to be bribes paid to prevent punitive action being taken and/or money swallowed by intermediaries (including senior church officials and auditors) on the pretext it has been used to pay such bribes. Dr Abraham’s report notes (Pg 7): “Special Audit was directed by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax having regard to the nature and complexity of the accounts of the CSITA and its units and in the interest of the revenue. The Special Audit u/s 142 (2A) was directed by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax because thousands of petitions and allegations were made against the CSITA and its sub-units for the financial year 2002-03 & 2007-08).”

Huge Under-Reporting of Income

Sources with good knowledge of CSI finances say there has been massive and systematic under reporting of income by some dioceses over the years. Only some of this under-reporting has do with wanting to pay less assessment to the Synod. Most of it has to do with corrupt bishops and their cronies pocketing church funds to the tune of crores of rupees every year without accounting for them. This they have been able to do by acting hand in glove with unscrupulous auditors who in return for huge bribes blindly put their seal of approval on the bogus numbers To put an end to this daylight robbery which is resulting in loss of revenue, the IT Department is insisting that all dioceses adopt a common computerized financial accounting package which will work like the core banking software currently used in most banks that provide real time information on any account at anytime and accessible from anywhere. But the corrupt bishops of the CSI are resisting this move to bring about greater transparency through having a common financial accounting software for all dioceses as it will make it more difficult for them to steal from the church.

According to data presented by Dr Abraham in his report, the collective income of all dioceses (from all sources including rental, offertory, bank interest, etc) was over Rs 1000 crore in 2010-11. Here is the breakup compiled by the CCC from the income bar charts of the various dioceses shown in the report

Diocese Income (in crore) in 2010-11

Coimbatore 48.6 (2009-10)

Dornakal 11.1

East Kerala 9.2

Kanyakumari 120.2

Karimnagar NA (same figure of Kanyakumari repeated)

Karnataka Central 139.8

Karnataka Northern 29.6

Karnataka Southern 30.3

Krishna Godavari 7.5

Madhya Kerala 29.3

Madras 162.3

Madurai Ramnad 41.5

Medak 41.2

Nandyal 5.1

North Kerala 17.2

Rayalseema 13.3 (2009-10)

South Kerala 100.1

Trichy Tanjore 75.5

Tirunelveli 102.2

Thoothukudi Nazarent 40.0

Vellore 19.2
---------
Total 1043.2

Five CSI dioceses have an annual income of over Rs 100 crore each. Five others have incomes ranging from 40-75 crore each. It will be interesting to find out if the total income of Rs 1043 crore shown in the Treasurer’s Report (that is marked "For Private Circulation Only”) is what is indeed being reported to the IT. The CCC believes the actual reporting is a lot less than this. That is because if Synod Assessment is calculated, as it currently is, at 2.5% of gross diocesan receipts, the actual Synod Assessment revenues should be near around Rs 25 crore in 2010-11. Instead what is reflected in the latest audited Synod accounts is only Rs 2.5 crore (Annexure 5). Even this measly contribution is not being paid in time. In an interim Treasurer's report presented to the Synod Executive Committee in October 2010 (a copy of which is with the CCC), Dr Abraham lamented that "The Assessment dues are still in arrears amount to 1.2 crores (sic)."

[Manny]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... .cms#write

[Neela]

TN power shortage is 4000 MW. Mostly because about 2,000MW of old and problematic plants shut down or out of fuel. South TN as such is not terribly short. Even surplus right now as wind has picked up a bit. Instead of all this drama-bazi GOI would have been better off getting the Nuclear bill and independent safety regulator expedited.

Nuclear power operations with no questions asked is not going to be possible anymore. This is going to get bloody now. MMS is setting the stage for an assault, egged on by all the self proclaimed patriots. Today us, tomorrow you.

Stop making a fool out of yourself with words like "self prolaimed patriots" .
Stop making a fool out of yourself with out-of-the-arse power surplus numbers!

On the one hand ,we have people who believe in miracles, you and on the other, we have scientists, administrators and planners.
Blind belief, rabble rousing vs hard work and intelligence.

Guess which lot will resort to "stage for an assault" . And once again brings into question the very questionable moral compasses.

[Sanku]

^^^

The fact that the church has been involved has been quite clear from the very beginning, yet all the issues around KKNP (such as requests by the Nuclear establishment to have a independent watchdog and those of JJ vs Congress issues) are not going to be solved by merely trying to curb the foreign funding for the church (which should have been done anyway for reasons of its own, not only KKNP)

I think in India, anything "nuclear" is tied up by DAE and its sister organisations. Where does an "independent" entity come from?

A parallel mini-DAE can be set up under PMO, but also reporting to PM like DAE does, to begin with, its members can be staffed by TIFR and IIT/IISc professors and scientists, DRDO officials and some members from DAE. It can have a partial permanent cadre and some which rotate.

In any case a lot of issues around Nuclear power plants are not strictly about "nuclear physics" but plain engineering (say moving hot fluids in pipes) which do not need information of nuclear physics per se. So there should be no dearth of trained manpower for most of the tasks.

[pgbhat]

Major power cuts announced across Tamil Nadu