And in Jaipur, where the fest is lit
Talk was about an Indian who is a Brit
He wrote a book, much unseen and unread
Resulted in a price on his head.
And in India where this book is banned
It raised the hackles of the 'Deoband'
They posed a question which was a shocker
If the book is banned why aint the author?
So this guy in Jaipur did not appear
Instead, few brave hearts read excerpts without a fear
When the inviting rooms of Indian prisons were promised as their due
They claimed ignorance of laws and fled without an adieu.
The chap who made mediocrity a household ambition
Spouted his views with élan and gumption
Those who hurt sentiments, shouldn’t be heroes made
As this is the manner they will get repaid.
‘Who is a liberal?’ is the question being written and spread
For certain, it is the green and saffron who tell us what should be seen and read
Unsure of the past and insecure of the future we seem to be
A different view be damned, all hail to conformity.
And mediocrity.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, November 28, 2011
Turn the other cheek?
When there is no money to buy another pair of shoes
Is it any wonder that the hand was used?
But what caused the hand to meet the cheek?
Is the current scenario indeed so bleak?
We have Mukesh Ambani not entering Antilla
But says that faster reforms should be high on the agenda.
We have a government unable to help agriculture
But thinks FDI in retail will help this sector.
There is a parliament that frequently convenes
Where members raise salaries, voices and let out steam.
And while those who can feast fast for a cause
There are hapless millions going hungry without pause
Though some say a slap and violence we must eschew
Could it be communicating the common-man’s point of view?
Is it any wonder that the hand was used?
But what caused the hand to meet the cheek?
Is the current scenario indeed so bleak?
We have Mukesh Ambani not entering Antilla
But says that faster reforms should be high on the agenda.
We have a government unable to help agriculture
But thinks FDI in retail will help this sector.
There is a parliament that frequently convenes
Where members raise salaries, voices and let out steam.
And while those who can feast fast for a cause
There are hapless millions going hungry without pause
Though some say a slap and violence we must eschew
Could it be communicating the common-man’s point of view?
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Rewriting legal redressal and history
Jayanti Natrajan , from the Congress fold
Is now hot property but then was cold.
What she did as our new environment minister
Would have been smart, if it had come from a school teacher.
The story goes like this the papers say
HCC built an eco-city and so hills were done away
It was easy to see that environmental norms were flouted
What about the tribal? others shouted.
Lavasa's construction came to a grinding halt
Twas no doubt that the HCC was at fault.
So, then began the company's cry of wasted investment
All forgot about the area’s natural and beautiful raiment
Then Jayanti Natrajan; like a knight in shining armour
Gave a way out to these nature harmers.
'All they had to do' after much thought said she
'Was repair the destruction and give a no more flouting written guarantee'.
This is what they made me do in school
Write a hundred times I wont play the fool.
Would it be the turn of Raja, Kanomozhi and who ever
To be freed after they've promised to fill the national coffer?
But now to another matter we shall digress
After environment and law it is history we will address
Who can forget the attempt to rewrite India’s destiny
That began with Ghazni and ended with Advani.
After the demolition, and destruction of live’s
Advani today is older and wise
His rath yatra that made communalism regular
He tells the world that it was nothing but secular.
Is now hot property but then was cold.
What she did as our new environment minister
Would have been smart, if it had come from a school teacher.
The story goes like this the papers say
HCC built an eco-city and so hills were done away
It was easy to see that environmental norms were flouted
What about the tribal? others shouted.
Lavasa's construction came to a grinding halt
Twas no doubt that the HCC was at fault.
So, then began the company's cry of wasted investment
All forgot about the area’s natural and beautiful raiment
Then Jayanti Natrajan; like a knight in shining armour
Gave a way out to these nature harmers.
'All they had to do' after much thought said she
'Was repair the destruction and give a no more flouting written guarantee'.
This is what they made me do in school
Write a hundred times I wont play the fool.
Would it be the turn of Raja, Kanomozhi and who ever
To be freed after they've promised to fill the national coffer?
But now to another matter we shall digress
After environment and law it is history we will address
Who can forget the attempt to rewrite India’s destiny
That began with Ghazni and ended with Advani.
After the demolition, and destruction of live’s
Advani today is older and wise
His rath yatra that made communalism regular
He tells the world that it was nothing but secular.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Track to Social Equity Does not lie in Buddh International Circuit
India is getting over the heady hangover of the Formula 1 spectacle. The spectacle was not only about what was happening inside the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) but also what was happening outside it. The amount of hype created for this event was quite beyond anything seen before. The newspapers went overboard; almost every other day there was some positive news about Formula 1. Much was made about the challenges that were being faced by the promoters of this event - the refusal of the Indian government to exempt a tax of Rs 600 crore levied on F1 race equipment.
Promoting an elite sport
What is interesting to note is that unlike other sport’s promotions, the promotion of the F1 event revolved around the who’s-who of the corporate world. Top managers of companies were asked why they liked Formula1 and whether they planned to watch this sport. While giving their reasons they also said that they would be at BIC on the day of the event.
This was unlike any other sports promotion, say the IPL for instance, the IPL had the aam aadmi singing the anthem of their team, or it had the captains issuing challenges to each other. 20-20 though elitist in the manner it splurged money on the players and advertisements was targeting the common man.
Formula 1 known for its high engineering, high investment cost and high vanity ensured that it maintained this standard in India. There were a number of articles pointing to the cost of the tickets that ranged from Rs 2,500 for the natural stands to Rs 35,000 for the grand stand, there were separate corporate stands for which tickets were a few lakhs. The price of a ticket for after race parties ranged from € 15,000 per table to € 650 per person per night.
So what this race did in effect was it created three classes of people, the first being those who could afford the ticket, the second were those forced to watch the spectacle of cars going round in circles on TV and the remaining population who were not interested in the event at all.
Formula 1 and the Human Development Index
The latter category consisted of those who were genuinely uninterested in the sport and those that the 2011 Human Development Index report talk about- the poor. The report titled Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All – indicates that there are 612 million who have been designated as multi-dimensionally poor. What this indicates is these people do not have access to health services, clean water, cooking fuels, basic household goods etc. Last year India’s position was 119 in the HDI but this year it slid to 134 out of 187 countries; a rank that is below war ridden Iraq and above a country like Ghana.
So the question is why does the 4th largest economy of the world rank 134 in the HDI? Why haven’t these costly expenditures resulted in a more socially-equitable India? The GDP ranged from 10% in 2006 to 7.7% in 2011. But why aren’t these economic strides being reflected in improved access to basic amenities for more than half of the Indian population?
Accepting inequity and poverty as a way to sustain economic growth
One answer could be in the thinking behind BIC and other such similar projects. Vijay Mallya co-owner of Force 1 told reporters "In every country, there are the privileged and the under-privileged. We have under-privileged people in our country, but that does not mean the country must be bogged down or weighed down". This is an interesting insight because on the one hand there is recognition of the problem but on the other there is a form of acceptance of this glaring disparity and the need to move on. Mallya goes on to add "India is a progressive country, we have a strongly growing economy, a large economy. The government is doing all it can to address the need of the poor or the under-privileged people, but India must move on.” Should it be understood from these that poverty alleviation is the sole responsibility of the government and that the very idea and ideal of an inclusive India is but a dream because a small but powerful and rich minority are in a hurry to grow more rich and powerful?
Jayprakash Gaur, founder chairman of JayPrakas h Group, has been quoted saying that the world’s perception of India will undergo a change after the Grand Prix and that people will forget the happenings of the Commonwealth Games. What exactly is the world’s perception of India? Is it that of a nation riddled with corruption, a nation with a skewed child sex ratio, a nation where it’s leaders believe that Rs 28/- is enough for a person to survive? Will a $ 450 million race track wipe all that ails India? More importantly should such expenditure be allowed to whitewash the dark spots of socio-economic inequity?
Both these corporate honchos seem to want to wish away the causes that have ranked India 134th in the Human Development Index. According to the 2011 HDI “deprivations in sanitation among multidimensionally poor people range from 3.5 percent in Kerala to more than 70 percent in Bihar.” The report goes on to state that indoor smoke caused by the burning of solid fuels causes 25% of deaths in India.
Inclusive growth not needed for global recognition of India’s economic power
What we are witnessing as a nation is a polarization of people. A polarization caused by an impatient acceptance that an inclusive India is not a prerequisite for a certain section of India to become rich, powerful and enjoy itself. The fact that India’s HDI rankings fell though the number of dollar millionaires in India grew to 2,10,000 and will increase to 4,03,000 by 2015 is indicative of this thinking.
Even as the engines of the Indian economy shift from rural India to urban India; the number of people living in slums in urban India has increased. The Planning Commission states that the urban sector contributes about 62%–63% of the GDP which is expected to increase to 75% by 2021. Thus there will be more people heading to urban areas. A 2010 report of the McKinsey Global Institute states that 75% of urban citizens earn an average of Rs.80/- a day; with so much money they would get the best houses in slums. A 2010 report by the Expert Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation states that India's slum population is projected to rise to 93.06 million by 2011. Residents of these areas lack access to education, water and sanitation facilities; so is there any surprise that even with such disparities India is the 4th largest economy?
There is a growing realization that India can afford to have a large population of poor because the few rich will propel the country to greater heights as defined by them. This has been made abundantly clear with the first Formula 1 race in India which was then preceded by the Human Development Index. That the success of Formula 1 had much to do with the UP government giving land to the Gaurs for a purpose different from what was told to the farmers when it was initially purchased from them is glossed over. This seems to indicate that there is need for sacrifices from those who can least afford it. Could these sacrifices result in lower HDI ranking but creation of global spectacles like BIC?
In India sports has always been a route to channelize national pride and to provide a source of employment. Many public sector units and even the private sector have sports foundations that train deprived youngsters in competitive sports. Such sport academies have proved to be godsent for youth who not only hone their skills and bring national pride but also find employment which takes them and their families out of the poverty trap.
Thus the promotion of sports can be a way to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. India should concentrate on sports that require low investment but create large groups of talented players. However, elitist expensive sports like Formula 1 are not going to help achieve the country’s MDG or raise India’s ranking in the HDI.
Promoting an elite sport
What is interesting to note is that unlike other sport’s promotions, the promotion of the F1 event revolved around the who’s-who of the corporate world. Top managers of companies were asked why they liked Formula1 and whether they planned to watch this sport. While giving their reasons they also said that they would be at BIC on the day of the event.
This was unlike any other sports promotion, say the IPL for instance, the IPL had the aam aadmi singing the anthem of their team, or it had the captains issuing challenges to each other. 20-20 though elitist in the manner it splurged money on the players and advertisements was targeting the common man.
Formula 1 known for its high engineering, high investment cost and high vanity ensured that it maintained this standard in India. There were a number of articles pointing to the cost of the tickets that ranged from Rs 2,500 for the natural stands to Rs 35,000 for the grand stand, there were separate corporate stands for which tickets were a few lakhs. The price of a ticket for after race parties ranged from € 15,000 per table to € 650 per person per night.
So what this race did in effect was it created three classes of people, the first being those who could afford the ticket, the second were those forced to watch the spectacle of cars going round in circles on TV and the remaining population who were not interested in the event at all.
Formula 1 and the Human Development Index
The latter category consisted of those who were genuinely uninterested in the sport and those that the 2011 Human Development Index report talk about- the poor. The report titled Sustainability and Equity: A Better Future for All – indicates that there are 612 million who have been designated as multi-dimensionally poor. What this indicates is these people do not have access to health services, clean water, cooking fuels, basic household goods etc. Last year India’s position was 119 in the HDI but this year it slid to 134 out of 187 countries; a rank that is below war ridden Iraq and above a country like Ghana.
So the question is why does the 4th largest economy of the world rank 134 in the HDI? Why haven’t these costly expenditures resulted in a more socially-equitable India? The GDP ranged from 10% in 2006 to 7.7% in 2011. But why aren’t these economic strides being reflected in improved access to basic amenities for more than half of the Indian population?
Accepting inequity and poverty as a way to sustain economic growth
One answer could be in the thinking behind BIC and other such similar projects. Vijay Mallya co-owner of Force 1 told reporters "In every country, there are the privileged and the under-privileged. We have under-privileged people in our country, but that does not mean the country must be bogged down or weighed down". This is an interesting insight because on the one hand there is recognition of the problem but on the other there is a form of acceptance of this glaring disparity and the need to move on. Mallya goes on to add "India is a progressive country, we have a strongly growing economy, a large economy. The government is doing all it can to address the need of the poor or the under-privileged people, but India must move on.” Should it be understood from these that poverty alleviation is the sole responsibility of the government and that the very idea and ideal of an inclusive India is but a dream because a small but powerful and rich minority are in a hurry to grow more rich and powerful?
Jayprakash Gaur, founder chairman of JayPrakas h Group, has been quoted saying that the world’s perception of India will undergo a change after the Grand Prix and that people will forget the happenings of the Commonwealth Games. What exactly is the world’s perception of India? Is it that of a nation riddled with corruption, a nation with a skewed child sex ratio, a nation where it’s leaders believe that Rs 28/- is enough for a person to survive? Will a $ 450 million race track wipe all that ails India? More importantly should such expenditure be allowed to whitewash the dark spots of socio-economic inequity?
Both these corporate honchos seem to want to wish away the causes that have ranked India 134th in the Human Development Index. According to the 2011 HDI “deprivations in sanitation among multidimensionally poor people range from 3.5 percent in Kerala to more than 70 percent in Bihar.” The report goes on to state that indoor smoke caused by the burning of solid fuels causes 25% of deaths in India.
Inclusive growth not needed for global recognition of India’s economic power
What we are witnessing as a nation is a polarization of people. A polarization caused by an impatient acceptance that an inclusive India is not a prerequisite for a certain section of India to become rich, powerful and enjoy itself. The fact that India’s HDI rankings fell though the number of dollar millionaires in India grew to 2,10,000 and will increase to 4,03,000 by 2015 is indicative of this thinking.
Even as the engines of the Indian economy shift from rural India to urban India; the number of people living in slums in urban India has increased. The Planning Commission states that the urban sector contributes about 62%–63% of the GDP which is expected to increase to 75% by 2021. Thus there will be more people heading to urban areas. A 2010 report of the McKinsey Global Institute states that 75% of urban citizens earn an average of Rs.80/- a day; with so much money they would get the best houses in slums. A 2010 report by the Expert Committee of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation states that India's slum population is projected to rise to 93.06 million by 2011. Residents of these areas lack access to education, water and sanitation facilities; so is there any surprise that even with such disparities India is the 4th largest economy?
There is a growing realization that India can afford to have a large population of poor because the few rich will propel the country to greater heights as defined by them. This has been made abundantly clear with the first Formula 1 race in India which was then preceded by the Human Development Index. That the success of Formula 1 had much to do with the UP government giving land to the Gaurs for a purpose different from what was told to the farmers when it was initially purchased from them is glossed over. This seems to indicate that there is need for sacrifices from those who can least afford it. Could these sacrifices result in lower HDI ranking but creation of global spectacles like BIC?
In India sports has always been a route to channelize national pride and to provide a source of employment. Many public sector units and even the private sector have sports foundations that train deprived youngsters in competitive sports. Such sport academies have proved to be godsent for youth who not only hone their skills and bring national pride but also find employment which takes them and their families out of the poverty trap.
Thus the promotion of sports can be a way to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. India should concentrate on sports that require low investment but create large groups of talented players. However, elitist expensive sports like Formula 1 are not going to help achieve the country’s MDG or raise India’s ranking in the HDI.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
An Interview With Mukesh.
Being new in the field of journalism I have to compete with established stalwarts and so I attempt the difficult. There have been a lot of reports on Mukesh Ambani’s new house, realising that the building was not an answer to Tolstoys ‘How much land does a man need?’ I sought to get clarifications from Mukesh as to why he spent a billion dollars on 6 people, to build a 27 storey edifice that will house more cars than humans and whose interiors are the dreams of a new breed of Maharajas who have money but no taste.
Getting this interview was no easy task and I will not elaborate how I got in. Initially Mukesh wanted to scream for help but after explaining to him that I was not interested in his blanky or teddy bear we got down to a chat.
Me – Congratulations on your new house. I hear the house warming is on the 28th of October?
Mukesh – Thank you! Yes the housewarming is on the 28th I just cant wait to see everyone’s face when they see what money can buy. It hasn’t been easy building the house you know. Searching for the most expensive stuff is not easy; everyone claims to have the most exclusive goodies but I have seen it in everyone’s house. I have seen Sachin’s and Shahrukh Khan’s house and their interiors and the houses in Bollywood movies; I knew I had to up the ante in kitschiness.
Me – Its heartening to note that you have been inspired by two other 'industry' stalwarts. What is the reason for 160 cars?
Mukesh – I am glad you have asked this. As you know I have three helipads and so will not be using these cars. However, initially the idea was to use each car twice a year and some other cars a little more often. This was my way of showing empathy with the rest of the Mumbaikars who suffer traffic jams etc, however as time is money the idea was canned. However, I plan to start a Taxi service for the rich. We already know about Salman Khan, Nanda and now John Abraham and their accidents, my cars will be as exclusive and expensive as theirs but my drivers wont run-over anyone enroute home. This is also my way of keeping those sleeping on the streets safe from bad drivers.
You may not know but my building is showcasing an answer to the parking problems. The ‘way up’ is the only answer to solve the problems down below. I must let you into a little secret – if ever I face financial crisis I will turn my house into a large parking-lot with added services like amphitheatre, gym etc.
Me – You do think far into the future and that is what has made you so ---
Mukesh – (Interrupting) You are correct when you say I think far into the future. Thinking is not enough; looking into the future is where the money is. We rich have the power to look into the future that is why I built the three helipads even though the Indian Navy is opposed to it. What do you think is the secret of success of the Jindals and the Adani’s (21 July 2010 Mubai Edn Economic Times) of the world? We are able to look into the future and see everything going our way.
Me – What is the story behind naming your house Antilia is it-----
Mukesh (once again interrupting) – It’s my way of showing concern for the future and respect for the past.
Antilia is a mythical island. You are aware that Climate Change is going to submerge many such pieces of land. I would like to ensure that they are not forgotten once they disappear under the sea and therefore have named it after an island - even if mythical.
I don’t know why I am sharing this with you but if you remove the ‘n’ and the ‘I’ from ‘Antilia’ it becomes ‘Atila’. Atilla has deeply affected me – positively at that. Was it greed and lust for power that fueled his conquests? I dont know! But what ever fueled his conquests is awe-inspiring not many can emulate him. I think I have an Attila in me.
Me – Tell me something about your building.
Mukesh (Gleefully) – I bet you are not interested in knowing who the designers are and all that BS?
This building is an ode to India’s and therefore our practices which engine our economic progress.
If you look closely at the building (he hands me a drawing of the building) you will see a series of inbuilt question marks. There have been articles that questioned how I purchased the land for the building and how my industries have grown; others have questioned the social and environmental cost of India’s growth. All these have inspired this building (see below).
I am also deeply concerned with unemployment in India and I have started an initiative through my house that will employ 600, yes 600 people. I would like other rich to follow me in employing people in this manner.
Me – Mukesh is there any advice you would like to give?
Mukesh (with great emotion) – My life is my message; I can’t leave behind anything for future generations because I plan to leave everything for my children.
Its already 4 am and Mukesh wants to get back to sleep, I thank him for his magnanimity in speaking to lil-ol-me, his kindness for not screaming, his generosity in spending a few hours in an interview.
My meeting Mukesh is wishful thinking.
Getting this interview was no easy task and I will not elaborate how I got in. Initially Mukesh wanted to scream for help but after explaining to him that I was not interested in his blanky or teddy bear we got down to a chat.
Me – Congratulations on your new house. I hear the house warming is on the 28th of October?
Mukesh – Thank you! Yes the housewarming is on the 28th I just cant wait to see everyone’s face when they see what money can buy. It hasn’t been easy building the house you know. Searching for the most expensive stuff is not easy; everyone claims to have the most exclusive goodies but I have seen it in everyone’s house. I have seen Sachin’s and Shahrukh Khan’s house and their interiors and the houses in Bollywood movies; I knew I had to up the ante in kitschiness.
Me – Its heartening to note that you have been inspired by two other 'industry' stalwarts. What is the reason for 160 cars?
Mukesh – I am glad you have asked this. As you know I have three helipads and so will not be using these cars. However, initially the idea was to use each car twice a year and some other cars a little more often. This was my way of showing empathy with the rest of the Mumbaikars who suffer traffic jams etc, however as time is money the idea was canned. However, I plan to start a Taxi service for the rich. We already know about Salman Khan, Nanda and now John Abraham and their accidents, my cars will be as exclusive and expensive as theirs but my drivers wont run-over anyone enroute home. This is also my way of keeping those sleeping on the streets safe from bad drivers.
You may not know but my building is showcasing an answer to the parking problems. The ‘way up’ is the only answer to solve the problems down below. I must let you into a little secret – if ever I face financial crisis I will turn my house into a large parking-lot with added services like amphitheatre, gym etc.
Me – You do think far into the future and that is what has made you so ---
Mukesh – (Interrupting) You are correct when you say I think far into the future. Thinking is not enough; looking into the future is where the money is. We rich have the power to look into the future that is why I built the three helipads even though the Indian Navy is opposed to it. What do you think is the secret of success of the Jindals and the Adani’s (21 July 2010 Mubai Edn Economic Times) of the world? We are able to look into the future and see everything going our way.
Me – What is the story behind naming your house Antilia is it-----
Mukesh (once again interrupting) – It’s my way of showing concern for the future and respect for the past.
Antilia is a mythical island. You are aware that Climate Change is going to submerge many such pieces of land. I would like to ensure that they are not forgotten once they disappear under the sea and therefore have named it after an island - even if mythical.
I don’t know why I am sharing this with you but if you remove the ‘n’ and the ‘I’ from ‘Antilia’ it becomes ‘Atila’. Atilla has deeply affected me – positively at that. Was it greed and lust for power that fueled his conquests? I dont know! But what ever fueled his conquests is awe-inspiring not many can emulate him. I think I have an Attila in me.
Me – Tell me something about your building.
Mukesh (Gleefully) – I bet you are not interested in knowing who the designers are and all that BS?
This building is an ode to India’s and therefore our practices which engine our economic progress.
If you look closely at the building (he hands me a drawing of the building) you will see a series of inbuilt question marks. There have been articles that questioned how I purchased the land for the building and how my industries have grown; others have questioned the social and environmental cost of India’s growth. All these have inspired this building (see below).
I am also deeply concerned with unemployment in India and I have started an initiative through my house that will employ 600, yes 600 people. I would like other rich to follow me in employing people in this manner.
Me – Mukesh is there any advice you would like to give?
Mukesh (with great emotion) – My life is my message; I can’t leave behind anything for future generations because I plan to leave everything for my children.
Its already 4 am and Mukesh wants to get back to sleep, I thank him for his magnanimity in speaking to lil-ol-me, his kindness for not screaming, his generosity in spending a few hours in an interview.
My meeting Mukesh is wishful thinking.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Breaking News: Carbon Sequestering to Add Fizz to Aerated Drinks
In the hullabaloo on the War on Terror Wikileaks the media missed out on a startling piece of news: two international soft drink giants are competing against each other to corner the Carbon Sequestering market.
Carbon Sequestering, an idea that carbon can be stored under ground at high pressure, is similar to sweeping dirt under the carpet. Till now humans had no use for such ‘dirt’, it was also seen as a health and environmental problem. As there is so much unwanted CO2 floating around the idea of sequestering came up.
The higher echelons of these aerated drink companies have realised they may have hit the jackpot if they combine carbon sequestering and manufacturing aerated soft drinks. CO2 floating around or confined in small spaces would still be a waste therefore seeing it as a resource has them gassing about it.
Using modern deep sea drilling techniques, made famous recently in the Gulf of Mexico, on dry land the soft drink manufacturers are planning to sequester carbon under aquifers and then release the carbon into the aquifer at the required quantities. This would convert the water in the aquifer into soda. There would be a ‘soda-fountain’ like dispenser on the ground directly connected to the aquifer. The carbonated water from the aquifer would mix with colouring and taste agents inside the ‘soda fountain’ which would then dispense the liquid to the consumer.
This reporter was able to get a passing glimpse of the plan during an interview with one of the CEO's.
The companies are racing to not only patent this technology but also make it into a CDM project. Representatives contacted from both companies are of the opinion that such a technology will reduce the amount of sequestered carbon and therefore make room for the increasing carbon spewed out into the atmosphere. According to them, it would also reduce their operating costs as the carbonating process will be hived off the aerated drinks production process and will therefore further decrease the carbon footprint of these companies.
Both companies agreed that there would be need to increase the consumption of aerated drinks to make such a project 'viable'. Therefore they are planning to change their advertising strategy. To know more about their advertising strategy this reporter contacted their advertising companies independently; strangely their ideas revolve around similar concepts. The creative’s hinted that there would be a paradigm shift from the current advertising which teach new ways to hold cans or link happiness and thrill to coloured liquids. They would now be milking consumer consciousness and peoples concern for the environment and link increase in consumption to better environmental protection. The advertisers are thinking of catchy lines like ‘whats in you.’ Hoping that there would be a growing consumer base that will proudly say ‘sequestered carbon’.
In a developing story a major vehicle manufacturer known for its polluting vehicles plans to enter the aerated drinks business. But instead of retailing their drinks they intend to capture the niche Door/Home-Delivery and Do-It Yourself (DIY) market. They have filed a patent for an aerated drink manufacturing technique which will also be an end of pipe solution for vehicular pollution. The exhaust pipe will be fitted with a pressurised chamber containing sweetened water. The exhaust would mix with this water in the high pressure chamber to make a drink similar to the famous drink that the world loves with Rum.
Carbon Sequestering, an idea that carbon can be stored under ground at high pressure, is similar to sweeping dirt under the carpet. Till now humans had no use for such ‘dirt’, it was also seen as a health and environmental problem. As there is so much unwanted CO2 floating around the idea of sequestering came up.
The higher echelons of these aerated drink companies have realised they may have hit the jackpot if they combine carbon sequestering and manufacturing aerated soft drinks. CO2 floating around or confined in small spaces would still be a waste therefore seeing it as a resource has them gassing about it.
Using modern deep sea drilling techniques, made famous recently in the Gulf of Mexico, on dry land the soft drink manufacturers are planning to sequester carbon under aquifers and then release the carbon into the aquifer at the required quantities. This would convert the water in the aquifer into soda. There would be a ‘soda-fountain’ like dispenser on the ground directly connected to the aquifer. The carbonated water from the aquifer would mix with colouring and taste agents inside the ‘soda fountain’ which would then dispense the liquid to the consumer.
This reporter was able to get a passing glimpse of the plan during an interview with one of the CEO's.
The companies are racing to not only patent this technology but also make it into a CDM project. Representatives contacted from both companies are of the opinion that such a technology will reduce the amount of sequestered carbon and therefore make room for the increasing carbon spewed out into the atmosphere. According to them, it would also reduce their operating costs as the carbonating process will be hived off the aerated drinks production process and will therefore further decrease the carbon footprint of these companies.
Both companies agreed that there would be need to increase the consumption of aerated drinks to make such a project 'viable'. Therefore they are planning to change their advertising strategy. To know more about their advertising strategy this reporter contacted their advertising companies independently; strangely their ideas revolve around similar concepts. The creative’s hinted that there would be a paradigm shift from the current advertising which teach new ways to hold cans or link happiness and thrill to coloured liquids. They would now be milking consumer consciousness and peoples concern for the environment and link increase in consumption to better environmental protection. The advertisers are thinking of catchy lines like ‘whats in you.’ Hoping that there would be a growing consumer base that will proudly say ‘sequestered carbon’.
In a developing story a major vehicle manufacturer known for its polluting vehicles plans to enter the aerated drinks business. But instead of retailing their drinks they intend to capture the niche Door/Home-Delivery and Do-It Yourself (DIY) market. They have filed a patent for an aerated drink manufacturing technique which will also be an end of pipe solution for vehicular pollution. The exhaust pipe will be fitted with a pressurised chamber containing sweetened water. The exhaust would mix with this water in the high pressure chamber to make a drink similar to the famous drink that the world loves with Rum.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Family Ties! Similarities between the IPL and India's Nuclear Establishment
Though patricide, fratricide and familial coups were a common occurrence amongst the various dynasties the world over, it has done nothing to deter business and politicians from using family to maintain power. Dynasties be it business or political have played important roles across continents, the Rothschild’s financed the Napoleonic wars, the Kennedy’s ruled America, the Tata’s, one of India’s first business houses, have ventures across the world and the Gandhi’s are touted to be the first-family of Indian politics.
There is good reason why kin are sought as business and political partners – it keeps the money and power in the clan. There is another reason for getting family into business and politics it allows newer members to milk the goodwill of the brand while also perpetuating it.
It is for this reason that the Indian National Congress christens most development projects after their past leaders – Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. This is a leitmotif reminding people of the antecedents of the party. This constant reminder of lineage gives budding leaders like Rahul Gandhi a platform from which to speak from.
Besides encashing on the brand, building on it and ensuring stability, family in politics helps in pushing agendas without much party disapproval. Family in politics also provides stability within the party as it reduces the possibility of infighting for top-jobs. In other words it maintains status –quo, keeping other hands out of the honey pot.
Even outside the party the family plays an important part in a politician’s life. Politicians use their wife, children and other family members as fronts to horde money. So it comes as no surprise to see a non earning wife with a bank balance as large as that of the husband when the politician makes his accounts public before elections.
Much like politics, business too makes use of family, for three major reasons one is to ensure that money remains within the family, the other is to keep power in the family and the third is to reward family. However unlike politics, business uses another set of people – close friends. Doing business with friends allows leeway that may not be there with others, it reduces the cost of risk, and it is a form of investment - collecting brownie points that can be exchanged at a later date. Friends are a special breed of venture capitalists who instead of only looking at future monetary gain look at such investments as future leverage or a form of ‘repayment’ for past favours or even as a cross that needs to be borne for being friends.
Thus, it is no surprise that Lalit Modi filled the Indian Premier League (IPL) and its ancillaries with friends and family. For one, being a new venture, people willing to take a financial risk and put money into his idea were needed, family and friends met the requirements. Also by getting family into the IPL, money did not change ownership nor was making deals difficult. Finally, filling the IPL with family and friends gave Lalit a free hand over the functioning of the IPL.
It was not only Lalit who used family and friends, it is alleged that a member of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), under whose wings the IPL grew, used his authority to change the rules of the BCCI to allow him to purchase an IPL team.
This kind of leverage that the use of family bestows in business and politics is mirrored in government bodies - the Indian nuclear establishment for example.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was setup on August 3 1954 under the direct charge of the Prime Minister. In 1958 the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was established in the DAE. The resolution creating the AEC acknowledges giant strides made in the peaceful use of the atom since the creation of the DAE in 1954 and thus finds need for the creation of an organisation ‘with full authority to plan and implement the various measures on sound technical and economic principles and free from all non-essential restrictions or needlessly in-elastic rules. - - -’ The Secretary to the Government of India in the DAE is ex-officio Chairman of the Commission. Other Members of the AEC are appointed for each calendar year on the recommendation of the Chairman of the AEC and after approval by the Prime Minster. The functions of the AEC include formulating the policy of the DAE, preparing the budget of the DAE, implementing policies of government on Atomic energy
There are a number of organisations under the AEC; the Nuclear Power Corporation, Heavy Water Board for example; R & D institutions like Babha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) also come under AEC. The Atomic and Energy Regulatory Authority (AERB) is another institution under the AEC. It was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India through the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act to carry out regulatory and safety functions under the Act.
As per the AERB Constitution Order DECEMBER 31,1983/PAUSA 10,1905[PART II-SEC.3(II) AERB ‘[AERB]shall have powers to lay down safety standard and frame rules and regulations in regard to the regulatory and safety requirements envisaged under the Atomic Energy Act,1962’ The Order lists out the functions of the Board which include developing safety codes, guidelines for site selection, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the different types of plants; ensuring compliance of regulations by DAE and Non-DAE bodies, reviewing from safety angle requests for authorising/commissioning/operation of DAE projects. These standards ensure the health and safety of the workers and the public.
So what we have here is a body that is supposed to ensure that all organisations working on different aspects of nuclear science and energy meet certain standards. To do so there is need for the AERB to be independent and immune to pressures. Instead the AERB, like the organisations that it is supposed to regulate, falls under the AEC, the patriarch. Thus we have a case where the AERB tattles on its siblings to the father which is the AEC.
This is made clear in Subsection (xvi) of Section 2 of the Order. It states that the AERB will ‘Send reports periodically to Chairman, AEC on safety status including observance of safety regulations and standards and implementation of the recommendations in all DAE and non-DAE units. It will also submit an Annual Report of its activities to Chairman, AEC.’
It is not enough that the regulator and regulated fall under the AEC; the last paragraph of Section 2 of the Order makes the relationship even stronger. The DAE Science Research Council (DAE SRC) along with the Directorate of Radiation Protection at BARC will assist the AERB to enforce the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 for radiation safety in the country and under the Factories Act, 1948 for industrial safety in the units under the control of DAE. They will review health and safety aspects of modifications in design/ operation involving changes in the technical specification adopted in any of the DAE units, review from the safety angle requests for authorising/ commissioning/ operation of DAE Projects/plants and ensure compliance by DAE and non-DAE installations of safety codes and standards during construction commissioning stages.
DAE working with the AERB to check on safety and other aspects of its own units is incongruous. How different is this from the lie of self-regulation? Or is this a more refined version of setting a thief to catch a thief? Or has the nuclear establishment created a self serving mechanism that allows it to perpetuate unhindered. This is quite similar to the ‘Governing Body’ setup by the BCCI whose members were from BCCI and were also part of the IPL working either as commentators or brand ambassadors. The fact that the wheelings and dealings of the IPL was carried out under the nose of the BCCI created Governing Council indicates the kind and level of latitude given within the family.
The ‘self serving mechanism’ of the nuclear industry in India is built on a close knit family. Like in business and politics, the consanguineous of the nuclear establishment ensures that operations continue unrestricted no matter what. The AEC through the family it has created is fulfilling its mandate to free the nuclear establishment from ‘all non-essential restrictions or needlessly in-elastic rules - - -‘ an objective of any other business and political party using similar means.
The charges against BCCI, IPL and Lalit Modi are no different from the charges made against the nuclear establishment. The lack of oversight, transparency and accountability, financial opaqueness are hallmarks of any establishment that uses family.
The human tendency to overlook misdeeds because of family considerations has been morphed into a business, political and a regulatory tool. But the BCCI IPL saga shows that the weight of family is insufficient to keep the lid on a can of worms, a lesson that the AEC should take to heart.
There is good reason why kin are sought as business and political partners – it keeps the money and power in the clan. There is another reason for getting family into business and politics it allows newer members to milk the goodwill of the brand while also perpetuating it.
It is for this reason that the Indian National Congress christens most development projects after their past leaders – Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. This is a leitmotif reminding people of the antecedents of the party. This constant reminder of lineage gives budding leaders like Rahul Gandhi a platform from which to speak from.
Besides encashing on the brand, building on it and ensuring stability, family in politics helps in pushing agendas without much party disapproval. Family in politics also provides stability within the party as it reduces the possibility of infighting for top-jobs. In other words it maintains status –quo, keeping other hands out of the honey pot.
Even outside the party the family plays an important part in a politician’s life. Politicians use their wife, children and other family members as fronts to horde money. So it comes as no surprise to see a non earning wife with a bank balance as large as that of the husband when the politician makes his accounts public before elections.
Much like politics, business too makes use of family, for three major reasons one is to ensure that money remains within the family, the other is to keep power in the family and the third is to reward family. However unlike politics, business uses another set of people – close friends. Doing business with friends allows leeway that may not be there with others, it reduces the cost of risk, and it is a form of investment - collecting brownie points that can be exchanged at a later date. Friends are a special breed of venture capitalists who instead of only looking at future monetary gain look at such investments as future leverage or a form of ‘repayment’ for past favours or even as a cross that needs to be borne for being friends.
Thus, it is no surprise that Lalit Modi filled the Indian Premier League (IPL) and its ancillaries with friends and family. For one, being a new venture, people willing to take a financial risk and put money into his idea were needed, family and friends met the requirements. Also by getting family into the IPL, money did not change ownership nor was making deals difficult. Finally, filling the IPL with family and friends gave Lalit a free hand over the functioning of the IPL.
It was not only Lalit who used family and friends, it is alleged that a member of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI), under whose wings the IPL grew, used his authority to change the rules of the BCCI to allow him to purchase an IPL team.
This kind of leverage that the use of family bestows in business and politics is mirrored in government bodies - the Indian nuclear establishment for example.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was setup on August 3 1954 under the direct charge of the Prime Minister. In 1958 the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was established in the DAE. The resolution creating the AEC acknowledges giant strides made in the peaceful use of the atom since the creation of the DAE in 1954 and thus finds need for the creation of an organisation ‘with full authority to plan and implement the various measures on sound technical and economic principles and free from all non-essential restrictions or needlessly in-elastic rules. - - -’ The Secretary to the Government of India in the DAE is ex-officio Chairman of the Commission. Other Members of the AEC are appointed for each calendar year on the recommendation of the Chairman of the AEC and after approval by the Prime Minster. The functions of the AEC include formulating the policy of the DAE, preparing the budget of the DAE, implementing policies of government on Atomic energy
There are a number of organisations under the AEC; the Nuclear Power Corporation, Heavy Water Board for example; R & D institutions like Babha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) also come under AEC. The Atomic and Energy Regulatory Authority (AERB) is another institution under the AEC. It was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India through the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act to carry out regulatory and safety functions under the Act.
As per the AERB Constitution Order DECEMBER 31,1983/PAUSA 10,1905[PART II-SEC.3(II) AERB ‘[AERB]shall have powers to lay down safety standard and frame rules and regulations in regard to the regulatory and safety requirements envisaged under the Atomic Energy Act,1962’ The Order lists out the functions of the Board which include developing safety codes, guidelines for site selection, design, construction, commissioning, operation and decommissioning of the different types of plants; ensuring compliance of regulations by DAE and Non-DAE bodies, reviewing from safety angle requests for authorising/commissioning/operation of DAE projects. These standards ensure the health and safety of the workers and the public.
So what we have here is a body that is supposed to ensure that all organisations working on different aspects of nuclear science and energy meet certain standards. To do so there is need for the AERB to be independent and immune to pressures. Instead the AERB, like the organisations that it is supposed to regulate, falls under the AEC, the patriarch. Thus we have a case where the AERB tattles on its siblings to the father which is the AEC.
This is made clear in Subsection (xvi) of Section 2 of the Order. It states that the AERB will ‘Send reports periodically to Chairman, AEC on safety status including observance of safety regulations and standards and implementation of the recommendations in all DAE and non-DAE units. It will also submit an Annual Report of its activities to Chairman, AEC.’
It is not enough that the regulator and regulated fall under the AEC; the last paragraph of Section 2 of the Order makes the relationship even stronger. The DAE Science Research Council (DAE SRC) along with the Directorate of Radiation Protection at BARC will assist the AERB to enforce the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 for radiation safety in the country and under the Factories Act, 1948 for industrial safety in the units under the control of DAE. They will review health and safety aspects of modifications in design/ operation involving changes in the technical specification adopted in any of the DAE units, review from the safety angle requests for authorising/ commissioning/ operation of DAE Projects/plants and ensure compliance by DAE and non-DAE installations of safety codes and standards during construction commissioning stages.
DAE working with the AERB to check on safety and other aspects of its own units is incongruous. How different is this from the lie of self-regulation? Or is this a more refined version of setting a thief to catch a thief? Or has the nuclear establishment created a self serving mechanism that allows it to perpetuate unhindered. This is quite similar to the ‘Governing Body’ setup by the BCCI whose members were from BCCI and were also part of the IPL working either as commentators or brand ambassadors. The fact that the wheelings and dealings of the IPL was carried out under the nose of the BCCI created Governing Council indicates the kind and level of latitude given within the family.
The ‘self serving mechanism’ of the nuclear industry in India is built on a close knit family. Like in business and politics, the consanguineous of the nuclear establishment ensures that operations continue unrestricted no matter what. The AEC through the family it has created is fulfilling its mandate to free the nuclear establishment from ‘all non-essential restrictions or needlessly in-elastic rules - - -‘ an objective of any other business and political party using similar means.
The charges against BCCI, IPL and Lalit Modi are no different from the charges made against the nuclear establishment. The lack of oversight, transparency and accountability, financial opaqueness are hallmarks of any establishment that uses family.
The human tendency to overlook misdeeds because of family considerations has been morphed into a business, political and a regulatory tool. But the BCCI IPL saga shows that the weight of family is insufficient to keep the lid on a can of worms, a lesson that the AEC should take to heart.
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