Dedication Ceremony of the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery

PM’s Speech: I am happy that our long standing commitment  has finally been fulfilled 
Following is the speech of the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh at the dedication ceremony of the Guru Gobind Singh refinery in Bathinda today:

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh addressing after dedicating the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery to the Nation, in Bathinda, Punjab on April 28, 2012. (PIB) 28-April-2012

“It gives me immense pleasure to be present here on the occasion of dedication of the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery to the nation. This refinery will fulfill a long cherished dream of the people of Punjab and will make a big contribution towards economic development of the State. Ever since the project was initiated in the year 2004, out government has been monitoring its progress regularly and I am happy that our long standing commitment to the people of Punjab has finally been fulfilled. 

A total amount of Rs.20,000 Crore has been invested in this project. It has a refining capacity of 9 million tonnes per annum. I believe this refinery is an example of what the public and the private sectors can achieve in partnership with each other. 

I compliment Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd., a public sector nav ratna company and Mittal Energy Investment Ltd., led by global captain of industry Shri Lakshmi Mittal for coming together for this very important venture.

I understand that this project has been completed in a record time of 42 months. This is a commendable achievement. I congratulate the promoters and the operating team who have worked tirelessly to complete this project on schedule. I hope the benchmark this project has set will serve as an example for such projects in future.

I am also told that this refinery is equipped with the latest technology. Its capability to produce Bharat Stage III and IV fuels reiterates our commitment to safeguarding our environment while pushing ahead with growth. The products from this refinery will especially help in bridging the gap between demand and supply in the northern region of the country.

The refinery sector in the country has shown phenomenal growth and India has emerged as a refining hub. From 62 million metric tonnes per annum in 1998, the country’s refining capacity has grown about three and a half times to 213 MMTPA today. We have sufficient refining capacity to enable us to export petroleum products. 

The challenges we face on the energy front are formidable. We need adequate supplies of energy at affordable prices. Domestic sources of crude oil and gas are inadequate to meet the growing demands of our rapidly expanding economy. With imports accounting for about 80% of our crude supplies, the spiraling prices of crude in the international market have put a severe strain on our import bill. In order to insulate the common man from the impact of rising oil prices, the Government shoulders a sizeable portion of the burden by pricing diesel, Kerosene and domestic LPG below their market prices. 

We need to take steps to conserve our scarce energy resources. There is no room for inefficient and wasteful usage of fuel, be it petrol, diesel, kerosene or gas. We need to adopt better technology and consumers should be made aware of the benefits of fuel conservation. We also need to rationalize prices and at the same time ensure that the poor and needy are shielded from the effects of such a rationalization. 

Refineries act as catalysts for industrial growth and development in the areas in which they operate. I am sure that this refinery will provide the impetus for the setting up of a number of major industries and ancillary units and will lead to sustained growth and development in and around Bathinda. 

Punjab has been the torch bearer of the Green Revolution. This State has contributed greatly to our country's food security. The hard working farmers of Punjab feed the nation. The State has also had a glorious history of industrial growth, especially in the small and medium sectors. Almost every Punjab town and city has been renowned for specific industrial products - Ludhiana for bicycles and hosiery, Batala and Ludhiana for machine tools, Jalandhar for sports goods and so on. Over the last two decades, however, Punjab has lost its leadership role in many areas of industry. The State today needs a new wave of industrialization. Apart from contributing to economic growth of the state, such industrialization would also create new employment opportunities for the youth of Punjab.

We need more skilled people in Punjab so that they can drive the growth of industries. For this we will have to lay far greater emphasis on initiatives for skill development and vocational education in the State. Punjab has not lived up to its potential in areas such as Information Technology and we need to correct this situation. We also need improved infrastructure in Punjab- better roads and transport facilities, reliable power supply and so on. Ever since our government assumed power at the Centre we have kept the interests of Punjab in mind and this refinery is an example of the importance that we give to the progress of this beautiful state. I assure you today that we will continue doing everything possible to ensure that Punjab touches new heights of development. 

Projects such as the one being dedicated to the nation today will help the process of industrialization in Punjab. The Dedicated Freight Corridor project will provide Punjab with rapid connectivity to the Eastern and Western ports. With these and other such projects, Punjab can once again become a hub of industry and can reclaim the traditional role it has played for centuries. 

The average Punjabi is known for his robust health and high productivity. However, of late the incidence of cancer in Punjab has increased. I am aware that a large number of people in this part of Punjab suffer from this disease. Baba Farid University of Health and Sciences, Faridkot had requested permission to set up an advanced cancer diagnostic and research centre at Bhatinda. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board has since granted permission for setting up two of the three facilities that were proposed. The third is being processed. We have also included Bathinda, in addition to Hoshiarpur and Mansa, as one of the districts under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetics, Cardio-Vascular Diseases & Strokes and Cancer. 

I once again congratulate the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, HPCL, Shri Lakshmi Mittal and his company and the Chairman and Managing Director of HMEL and their team on the successful completion of this project. I would also like to thank the State Government and the people of Punjab and Bathinda for having helped at every stage of this project.

With these words, I dedicate the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery to the nation.”
(PIB)      28-April-2012 11:59 IST

PM Dedicates Bhatinda Refinery to Nation

PM'S Speach

A Daring Lung Surgery at CMC Ludhiana

Latest device used for the first time

Photo: A happy Mr Birbal Singh with Dr Harinder Singh Bedi

Punjab is now among the very few cities in India where the latest technology is being used to cure lung disease patients surgically without complications.  This was in the form of a new generation bronchial stapler used by Dr Harinder Singh Bedi – Head of Cardio Vascular Endovascular & Thoracic Surgery in the prestigious Christian Medical College & Hospital in Ludhiana.  Dr Bedi explained that in lung surgery for cancer and TB – the air channel (bronchus) to the diseased part of the lung is cut and then repaired. There is a major risk of the sutures giving sway as the suture area is always wet from lung secretions. This complication - called a broncho-pleural fistula - is a dreaded and sometimes fatal complication all over the world. To reduce this risk a new device called a bronchial stapler has been developed by the Ethicon Company of USA in conjunction with Cardio Thoracic surgeons. This has a double row of titanium clips which on deploying securely close the bronchus with an extremely low risk that a leak will occur.
This was used recently by Dr Bedi in Mr Birbal Singh r/o Basti Jodhewal , Ludhiana    . He suffered from a life threatening bleeding from the left upper lobe of the lung. He was referred to Dr Bedi by Dr Mary John – the Head of Medicine at CMC & H.  Mr Birbal was in a critical state and Dr Bedi realized that he would be at high risk of a fistula by conventional surgery. So the new device was used for the first time in Punjab. Dr Bedi has trained in Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery with Dr Mark X Shanahan – the former Chairman of Cardio Thoracic Surgery at St Vincents hospital in Sydney. There he had done many complicated cases. In fact Dr Bedi has been invited to give lectures on lung surgery by the Association of Cardio Thoracic Surgeons. But according to Dr Bedi – Mr Birbal presented a special challenge as he had lost blood and was very weak. The stapler was successfully used and Mr Birbal made a remarkable recovery.
The other members of the Heart – Lung Team are Dr A Joseph, Dr S Garg, Dr Paul, Dr Melchi, Dr D Benia, Dr William, Dr Savan, Dr Pearl., Mr William and Mr Jairus and Yoga Acharya Mr Nirmal Singh. Dr Bedi explained that in lung surgery major cardio-vascular repair can be required at any time – so it is important that the team be a fully trained Cardio- Vascular & Thoracic one.  Dr Bedi is a board certified surgeon qualified and authorized to perform cardiac vascular endovascular and thoracic surgery.
Dr Abraham G Thomas – Director of CMC & H – said that the CMC was committed to bringing the latest technology to the people of Punjab. He complimented Dr Bedi and his team for this pioneering surgery. Dr Thomas told that under the leadership of Dr Bedi CMC & H is regularly performing minimally invasive lung surgeries and is one of the  few centres in India doing this routinely . Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria

Press Conference by IDPD on Nuclear Famine

A Billion People at Risk: IDPD warned 
Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) has since long being campaigning for complete elimination of nuclear weapons as these could annihilate not only the man kind but whole the flora and fauna on earth. Even a limited use of these weapons could put crores of peoples at risk. The International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) has carried out a study in this regard which is being released internationally now said Dr.L.S.Chawla while addressing the press conference today at IMA House Ludhiana. He said that latest study by the IPPNW has warned that even a limited nuclear exchange could endanger the lives of 100 crorers people in the world.
Dr Arun Mitra – General Secretary IDPD said that Dr. Ira Helfand, the author of Nuclear Famine: A Billion People at Risk—Global Impacts of Limited Nuclear War on Agriculture, Food Supplies, and Human Nutrition, said the new evidence that even the relatively small nuclear arsenals of countries such as India and Pakistan could cause long lasting, global damage to the Earth’s ecosystems “requires a fundamental change in our thinking about nuclear weapons.”
Working with data produced by scientists who have studied the climate effects of a hypothetical nuclear war between India and Pakistan, Dr. Helfand and a team of experts in agriculture and nutrition determined that plunging temperatures and reduced precipitation in critical farming regions, caused by soot and smoke lofted into the atmosphere by multiple nuclear explosions, would interfere with crop production and affect food availability and prices worldwide.
Dr Bharti Uppal- Finance Secretary IDPD gave a presentation.
Among the specific findings:Corn production in the US would decline by an average of 10% for an entire decade, with themost severe decline (20%) in year 5. Soybean production would decline by about7%, with the most severe loss, more than 20%, in year 5.

There would be a significant decline in middle season rice production in China. During the first 4 years, rice production would decline by an average of 21%; over the next 6 years the decline would average 10%.

Increases in food prices would make food inaccessible to hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest. Even if agricultural markets continued to function normally, 215 million people would be added to the rolls of the malnourished over the course of a decade.

Significant agricultural short falls over an extended period would almost certainly lead to panic and hoarding on an international scale, further reducing accessible food.

The 925 million people in the world who are already chronically malnourished (with a baseline consumption of 1,750 calories or less per day), would be put at risk by a 10% decline in their food consumption.

While the IPPNW report calls for further research into the effects on additional crops in additional agricultural regions, Dr. Helfand said this preliminary study “raises a giant red flag” about the danger of nuclear weapons and the urgency of their elimination.

“The death of one billion people over a decade would be a disaster unprecedented in human history,” he said. “It would not cause the extinction of the human race, but it would bring an end to modern civilization as we know it.

“The danger identified in this report requires a fundamental change in our thinking about nuclear weapons. We must now recognize that it is not just the arsenals of the nuclear super powers that threaten all humanity.  Even the smaller arsenals of emerging nuclear powers like India and Pakistan pose a global threat.”

Noting, however, that even one US Trident submarine has the ability to destroy 100 cities and create a global famine, Dr. Helfand said “Even the most ambitious current proposals for nuclear arms reductions would leave the US and Russia with many times the nuclear fire power needed to create a global disaster on the scale described in this study.”

Dr D P Singh Arora – President IMA Ludhiana while paying homage to victims of Chernobyl Nuclear disaster in Ukraine on 26th April 1986 where 93000 people lost their lives demanded that this accident followed by the Fukhushima Nuclear disaster should be eye opener. Learning lesson from these Government of India should put moratorium  on the nuclear power plants. The electricity produce by these plants is neither safe nor economical. There is no foolproof method to manage the nuclear waste. Moreover the nuclear power plants pose a potential threat for the production of nuclear weapons.

Dr N S Bawa – Vice President IDPD said that the doctors have to realize their duty to save the world from catastrophe. Dr Deepak Prashar was also present on the occasion.  

Dr Arun Mitra
General Secretary – IDPD
Phone: 94170 00360

Cases of unsympathetic to young students

High Court pulls up Delhi Govt.

A Delhi High Court Bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice Shri A.K.Sikri has today pulled up Government of Delhi for being unsympathetic to 700 students of Classes KG to 12 of Government-run  Pandit Vaid Khushi Ram SKV at Nangal Thakran, North-West Delhi who sitting in tented/open classrooms for the last three years. When Advocate Ashok Agarwal, a member of High Court Committee pointed out that despite orders of the Court in February 2012 for construction of porta-cabins as a temporary arrangement pending construction of permanent school building, the Government has done nothing till date and the students continue to sit in tented classrooms, the Court questioned the Government Counsel "what were you doing all these days?" and directed them to submit status report in the matter within two weeks. 
Advocate Ashok Agarwal had visited on 18.02.2012 Delhi Govt School at AT NANGAL THAKRAN and found that all the 700 students of classes KG to 12 were sitting in tented classrooms or in open. The school building which was constructed only about 25 years back has been declared dangerous about 3 years ago and since then the school is run in tents and in open. These facts supported by the photographs were brought to the notice of the Court on 15.02.2012. The Government on 29 Feb 2012 had admitted that the school was run in 21 tented classrooms and informed that the construction of 21 SPS classrooms had been sanctioned and has also assured the Court that the construction would take place soon. 
The High Court in its earlier order dated 25.01.2012 had observed, "In the interregnum from the photographs we find that there is a tent and certain tin shed on site which are insufficient for 390 students and not equipped for the purpose of conducting classes. The tin sheds are open from three sides; it is torturous for students as well as teachers to sit therein in this extreme winter. Since construction of building is going to consume substantial time, the Government would be well advised to erect Porta Cabins so that appropriate classroom to facilitate the proper teaching of the students are available and which is now their fundamental right under Article 21-A of the Constitution".
Next date of hearing is fixed for 25 July 2012.

Failure to admit 1400 students in class VI

HC seeks reply from Delhi Govt.

A Delhi High Court Bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice Shri  A.K.Sikri has today issued notice to Delhi Government seeking reply by 01 May 2012 on a petition by the Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group through Advocate Ashok Agarwal  that highlighted the fact that Delhi Government have again not started the process of admission of as many as 1400 students in Class VI in its 17 Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas (RPVVs) in the current academic year 2012-13, though the academic year has already started from 1st April, 2012.
Petition says that the Government appears to be adamant to not to start the process of admission in Class VI in the academic year 2012-13. The Government are not justified in withholding the process of admission in Class VI in RPVVs. This inaction on the part of the Government  is no less a criminal negligence as much as the same would result in non-utilisation of both physical and academic infrastructure available for the quality education of such students in these  Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalayas (RPVVs).  On the other hand, the ordinary Government Schools are not only over crowded but also sans quality physical and academic infrastructure.

“This inaction on the part of the Government is in violation of the fundamental rights of the school aged students as guaranteed to them under Articles 14 (right to equality), 21(right to life with dignity), 21-A right to quality education) and 38 (right to social justice) of the Constitution of India read with the provisions of Right of Children to Free & Compulsory Education Act, 2009”, submitted Ashok Agarwal.

Next date of hearing is 01 May 2012.

Reservation within Reservation

Court's query  25% DG and EVS quota 
Union HRD Ministery seeks more time to answer 
New Delhi, 24 April 2012:Union Human Resource Development Ministry today sought more time to file its response to the query raised by the High Court as to whether Kendriya Vidyalayas can continue to give reservation to the extent of 22.5% for SC/ST category students thereby leaving only 2.5% seats for other disadvantaged groups as well as economically weaker sections in the matter of admissions under 25% seats reserved for the children belonging to disadvantaged group (which includes SC/ST category children ) as well as children belonging to economically weaker sections under RTE Act, 2009. The Counsels appearing for Government of India, Ministry of HRD told the Court that the reply received by them from the Ministry did not answer the query raised by the Court and therefore, they need two weeks more time to file appropriate reply.

On the last date of hearing 27.02.2012, a Division Bench of the High Court headed by the Acting Chief Justice A.K.Sikri directed the HRD Ministry to look into and examine the matter and submit their views on this aspect. The Court has passed these directions while hearing a PIL filed by the Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group through Advocate Ashok Agarwal challenging the Validity and legality of the Guidelines of Kendriya Vidyalayas for admission to Kendriya Vidyalayas in Class-I in the academic year 2011-12 whereby the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan has introduced reservation within reservation in 25% reserved seats for the children belonging to disadvantaged group and economically weaker section under Section 12(1)( c ) of the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. “Such a reservation within reservation is impermissible in law,” argued Ashok Agarwal.

The Court while granting HRD Ministry two weeks more time to file their reply adjourned the hearing to 04 July 2012. 

Abolish Capital Punishment

Retired Supreme Court Justice Kuldip Singh
Chandigarh, Apr 22 (Bureau Report) Eminent jurists, academicians, farmer leaders and social activists gathered at a conference here urged the Punjab government to launch a countrywide campaign against the capital punishment and pressurize the centre for abolishing the hanging from the statute book beginning with adoption of a resolution in the state assembly to that effect.
   Speaking at the seminar on “Hanging- a Punishment or Legal murder” organized by BKU (Sidhupur) ,The Punjab Manch and Internationalist Democratic Party (IDP) at Kisan Bhawan Supreme Court retired Justice Kuldip Singh said the capital punishment had not proved a deterrent against the crime as in USA and China which have been sending the culprits to gallows. Rather these countries had witnessed enhancement in the crimes. Besides, it has been found out later on that innocents were often sentenced to death. He said an inquiry into the cases of hanging in the Britain brought out a crude truth that as many as 123 innocents were hanged to death through the legal process. Justice Singh said if the judicial process could be faulty in the USA and Britain then chances of innocents sending to gallows in India are very much there keeping in view the manner of the police preparing the cases and fitting in the witnesses for that. All police process is never been beyond the areas of suspect. Justice Singh said a movement against the capital punishment has cropped up world over and it would not stay on the statute book now.    
   Justice Ajit Singh Bains, a retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge said no human being is criminal by birth but the situations, invariably, force him/ her to commit violence. Minorities and the deprived people in the country are not getting social, political and economic justice, rather they   were being targeted to satiate the repressed mindset of the ruling elite.       

Khalra Mission leader Dalbir Singh observed that Chief Minister P.S Badal efforts to stall the execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana had left the issue of capital punishment half-way and unresolved since he was more interested in reaping the political dividends by projecting himself as a champion of the Sikh cause.
 IDP president I D Khajuria said the hanging of the culprit is not a judicial but a political decision since the convict sentenced to death by the court, cannot be executed unless until the Home Ministry or state home department gives green signal to go ahead. Hence, all political parties, social and political activists should come forwards and mobilize public opinion for getting the capital punishment abolished. Senior journalist Hamir Singh said since the Tamil Nadu assembly had already taken the lead by adopting resolution for clemency to Nalini and two others , convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, the Punjab assembly should not refrain from adopting such a resolution against the capital punishment.
    Movement Against State Repression (MASR) leader and former MLA Inderjit Singh Jeji said by refusing to appeal for remission of capital punishment and confessing his involvement in the assassination, Rajoana has raised an issue of ‘political morality’ which had never been above board and denying social and economic justice to the minorities and the unprivileged people. Unprecedented protests demonstrated by the people in Punjab and outside against  Rajoana hanging had questioned the veracity of the  very act of legal execution.      
   Former Vice Chairman of National Commission for Minorities, Prof Bawa Singh said Rajoana clearly manifests a minority community’s perturbed psyche against the real or perceived excesses by a majority controlled State where the history is witness to the facts that political parties hardly refrained from playing communal card for political ends. The Rajoana case also exemplifies that the minorities in the country strongly feel that they are being denied political, economic, social and legal justice and its redressing is must for a healthy democratic set-up.
  Punab Manch leader Malvinver Singh Malli and other speakers, unanimously urged the central government that India should become signatory to the UNO resolution to be adopted at the coming December meet to end the capital punishment world over and till then there should a moratorium on all pending executions. Already 402 convicts have been sentenced to death by various courts in the country and 26 such cases including that of Afzal Guru, Devinderpal Singh Bhullar pending for the Presidential clemency.     
 Farmers leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said it had been proved world over that death sentence no way could lessen the crime in any society which invariably is the product of denial of social, political and economic justice perpetrated by the undemocratic practices of a ruling political establishments. BKU (Sidhupur) president Pishora Singh said as many as   97 countries have abolished capital punishment completely, 34 countries refrained from executing the convicts for past ten years. India is one of 57 countries yet to abolish the hanging.
 Noted lawyer Amar Singh Chahal, senior journalist Jaspal Singh Sidhu, Punjab state CPI(ML- Liberation) leader Kamaljit Singh. Prof Lal Singh  and BKU leader Mehar Singh Their and advocate Krishan Kumar Kakkar also spoke.   

Marx was quoted on Lenin's birthday by Comrade Anil

Birth of man is not creation of any divine power

A society based on  equity and justice is the only way for sustainable development to the benefit of whole mankind. The present day imperial powers led by the USA are imposing neoliberal economic policies on the developing countries in connivance with the elite in these countries. This has led to unprecedented inequality in the society, job freeze, cut on the rights of working people and essential services like health & education have become out of reach of common people. This has to be changed through mass movements. This was said by Shri Anil Rajimwale,  a  philosopher and Marxist thinker  while addressing a seminar organized by the Communist Party of India on “INDIA’S PATH OF DEVELOPMENT BASED ON JUSTICE AND EQUALITY”  on 22^nd April, the birthday of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin the founder of socialism in Soviet Union. Incidentally 22^nd April is observed as World Earth Day.  Life on earth has evolved through evolution in contradiction to the earlier concepts about creation of world. He said that Darwin, through his research proved that life has evolved through certain laws of nature. Birth of man is not creation of any divine power but evolution after millions of years of existence of life on earth. Mr Rajimwale told that taking clue from his work Karl Marx applied the theses on human society and searched about the problems in our society. Marx reached conclusion that vast majority of problems lay in inequalities created as a result of exploitation of man by man. These anomalies can be removed by man’s own efforts. He explained the industrial revolution and its impact on society, based on the studies of various new subjects from natural sciences and social sciences. He was the first to discover the laws of change in nature as well society. He explained the central role of labour in the creation and development of various stages of society. Mr Rajimwale emphasized that Marxist theory is revolutionary because according to it nothing in the world and society is stationary and everything changes. Therefore Marx drew logical conclusion that the capitalist society also must one day leave the stage of world history to be replaced by socialism and communism. Lenin applied this theory in Soviet Union and was successful in achieving a society based on justice to a large extent. The Soviet state supported all the progressive movements worldwide and helped the movements for liberation from the colonial powers. Many freedom fighters in our country drew inspiration from the Soviet revolution. The scientific theory of society’s development serves as a guiding force for these movements. 

Dr Arun Mitra

Assistant Secretary, CPI District Ludhiana

Mobile: 94170 00360