Maharashtra secretariat in blaze

Anil Joshi, under secretary  in Secretariat general administration department  works on the 7th floor, was informed of the fire on his cell phone. He reports that  more than 95 per cent of the employees have been evacuated, but saw a  number of people stranded on the 4th, 5th and 6th floor of the building.

Joshi said he and other employees of his department ran down the stairs to safety, but faced breathing problems as they ran down the staircase because of the thick smoke.

Mantralaya engulfed with fire at 1.50 PM that spreads to CM's cabin media reports confirms that the fire broke out at NCP minister Babanrao Pachpute's office. Eight  fire tender  have rushed to the spot and battling the blaze  so far, there are no reports of any casualties. Maharashtra Chief Secretary has ordered immediate evacuation of the entire building. Pachpute said the fire has spread to the Chief Minister's office on the sixth floor.

The state secretariat is called Mantralaya, which is in south Mumbai near Marine Drive. Minister of Forests Patangrao Kadam speaking to e channel said the CM Prithviraj Chavan was not in the building.

The fire started from the fourth floor houses the urban development department. The chief minister's office is in the sixth floor of the same building. No reports of anyone injured as yet. Fire breaks out in the ministry of forests at Mantralaya:The fourth floor  in which the fire broke out has an office of  Babanrao Panchphute, who is the minister of forests.

Smoke bellowing out of the fourth floor. The fire broke out and is yet to be contained. Mantralaya fire alarm system obsolete Major fire at 4th floor of Maharashtra secretariat:A major fire has broken out on the fourth floor of the Maharashtra secretariat, Mantralaya. Three ambulances and eight fire tenders have been rushed to the spot. The building has been evacuated.

‘Amity University’ – Patents and R&D Claims – Exclusive

‘Amity University’ –  Patents and R&D Claims – Exclusive

This is to alert students taking admissions in Private University that even the Biggest and Highest rated Universities like Amity University do BOGUS research.

I have found all Amity University patents are Bogus and income from all patents is not even Rs.0.62 lakh or 0.5% of its annual income Rs.336 crores as per UGC report that too seems to be funded by DST.

[After this, the Committee visited the Amity Innovation Incubator set up on the campus with the support of DST (Govt. of India).]

[6. The Amity University, Uttar Pradesh has a good focus on research. It has a number of well equipped modern laboratories and is recognized by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India as a Scientific & Industrial Research Organization (SIRO). And, the University is now having a number of research projects funded by the various Government of India agencies like DST, DBT, CSIR, DRDO.  The University has some well qualified/experienced scientists as faculty members, who have already filed a number of patents based on their R&D work at the University.. Two of these patents have been published by the Patents Office recently.]

When a Large University doesn’t have a single ‘Private Sector Client’ it indicates ‘Dullards’ are in charge of S&T programs.

Do thorough research before taking admissions?

Competition Commission May Take Strict Action for Misleading Advs.

Ravinder Singh

Progressindia008@yahoo.com

June21, 2012

http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/privateuniversities/amityunii.pdf

http://www.amity.edu/aib/pdfs/Patent_Amity.pdf

Source of Finance and quantum of funds available:	Provisional figures for the year 2008-09 (Rs. in Crores)
From Fees:	327.43
From Security Deposit	8.05
From Research & Development	0.62
From other source(interest on FD)	NIL
Total	336.10

Yes, Hostels for boys and girls with all modern amenities are available. Students are provided good hostel rooms, including A/C, if required. But, the annual rent for each student seems to be on the higher side: Rs. 56,000/- for non-A/C and Rs 1 Lakh for A/C.

B. DEFICIENCIES

1. University Academic & Administrative structure not fully as per the University Act.:

• No Faculties established;

• No Deans of Faculties appointed;

• Departmental structure missing;

• Posts of Director General not provided in the Act;

• Too many Amity Schools/Institutes set up mostly with narrow focus;

• Method of designation of Schools/Institutes/Centres not rationalized.

2. Designations such as Director General is familiar in the University set up.

3. Pre-retirement positions held rather than academic achievements given weightage;

4. No upper age limit specified for personnel appointed in the University;

5. No. of students admitted to some courses too large, e.g., international business, biotechnology etc;

6. Cadre ratio as required by Statutory bodies for Professor, Assistant Professor,

Lecturer not followed;.

7. Qualifications & experience requirements for faculty, not strictly followed as per University Regulations on recruitment,

8. Nomenclature of some degrees not in consonance with the UGC recognized degree nomenclature.(.e.g. Bachelor of Financial Investment and Analysis);

9. Many degrees awarded in Management discipline, all being too highly specialized;

10. Not a single Unit of basic sciences set-up to cater to common subjects in various Scools/Institutes. (e.g., Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Mathematics);

11. No residential accommodation on campus, to either faculty or staff members or even the Vice-Chancellor;

12. No recreation facilities on Campus for faculty or non-teaching staff;

13. Off-Campus Centre set-up by University in the State and outside the State, does not seem to empower them;

14. Frequency of meetings of University Authorities too low (2 in a year), for a new University; besides Minutes of the meetings are not detailed;

15. Reservation Policy not followed in recruitment of faculty/non-teaching staff members and also in students’ admissions;

16. Immovable property not in the name of the University; but only in the name of the Sponsoring Society;

17. Many teachers in the advanced age group appointed and given administrative responsibilities;

18. Some Statutes framed beyond the provisions made in the University Act, e.g., Statute No. 3(1) in the first Statutes based on Section 1 of the Act;

19. No notified Policy or fee structure and student intake.

20. Academic flexibility absent in the Degree programmes;

21. Distance Education Programmes conducted in professional subjects without the approval of UGC-AICTE-DEC Joint Committee;

22. Social security and related benefits including GPF/CPF not facilitated for faculty and non-teaching staff;

23. Much importance given for moderation of examination results, that may lead to doubts on the fairness of the system;

 "Ravinder Singh"

Dear Naresh,

Ask Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa to grant Julian Assange's request for asylum.

Take Action

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has requested political asylum from Ecuador. [1]

British courts recently rejected Assange’s appeal against extradition to Sweden. Assange has good reason to fear extradition to Sweden: many believe it likely that Sweden would extradite Assange to the United States to face charges under the Espionage Act of 1917 for his role in publishing leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, charges that could carry the death penalty. The treatment of Bradley Manning, the U.S. soldier accused of providing U.S. diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks, suggests the treatment that Assange might expect in U.S. government custody. Manning has been subjected to repeated and prolonged solitary confinement, harassment by guards, and humiliation such as being forced to strip naked and stand at attention outside his cell.

If the U.S. government succeeds in prosecuting Assange under the Espionage Act, it will likely intimidate future potential whistleblowers, making it harder to reveal important secrets about U.S. foreign policy in the future—and making it harder to reform U.S. foreign policy.

Will you join us in urging President Correa to grant Julian Assange's request for political asylum?

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/assange-asylum

Glenn Greenwald writes today in the Guardian [2]:

If one asks current or former WikiLeaks associates what their greatest fear is, almost none cites prosecution by their own country. Most trust their own nation's justice system to recognize that they have committed no crime. The primary fear is being turned over to the US. That is the crucial context for understanding Julian Assange's 16-month fight to avoid extradition to Sweden, a fight that led him to seek asylum, Tuesday, in the London Embassy of Ecuador.

The evidence that the US seeks to prosecute and extradite Assange is substantial. There is no question that the Obama justice department has convened an active grand jury to investigate whether WikiLeaks violated the draconian Espionage Act of 1917. Key senators from President Obama's party, including Senate intelligence committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, have publicly called for his prosecution under that statute. A leaked email from the security firm Stratfor – hardly a dispositive source, but still probative – indicated that a sealed indictment has already been obtained against him. Prominent American figures in both parties have demanded Assange's lifelong imprisonment, called him a terrorist, and even advocated his assassination.

As Greenwald notes:

Assange's fear of ending up in the clutches of the US is plainly rational and well-grounded. One need only look at the treatment over the last decade of foreign nationals accused of harming American national security to know that's true; such individuals are still routinely imprisoned for lengthy periods without any charges or due process. Or consider the treatment of Bradley Manning, accused of leaking to WikiLeaks: a formal UN investigation found that his pre-trial conditions of severe solitary confinement were 'cruel, inhuman and degrading', and he now faces capital charges of aiding al-Qaida.

WikiLeaks has made a tremendous contribution to exposing U.S. foreign policy to public scrutiny. The importance of transparency and public information to reforming U.S. foreign policy cannot be overstated. Recently, Just Foreign Policy worked with the offices of Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. John Conyers to support a letter [3] signed by 26 Members of Congress [4] to President Obama pressing the Administration to disclose more information about its drone strike policy, particularly concerning civilian casualties and so-called "signature strikes" that target unknown people based on (often faulty) intelligence of suspicious activity. Polls have suggested that the drone strike policy is popular in the U.S., but the popularity in the U.S. stems from ignorance: the American people don't know what they are supporting, because the reality of the policy has been hidden from public scrutiny. That's why it's so important that information about U.S. foreign policy be made public.
Therefore—in addition to our concern for Assange's individual human rights—people who are working to reform U.S. foreign policy have a big stake in what happens in the Julian Assange/WikiLeaks case. If the U.S. government succeeds in intimidating whistleblowers, it will be harder to reveal information about U.S. foreign policy in the future, and therefore it will be harder to reform U.S. foreign policy. That's why it's so important for President Correa—who has legitimate reason to be concerned about possible retaliation [5] from the United States—to hear from Americans urging that he grant Julian Assange's request for political asylum.

Please add your voice by signing our petition to President Correa here:

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/assange-asylum

Thank you for all you do to help bring about a more just foreign policy,

Robert Naiman, Chelsea Mozen, Sarah Burns and Megan Iorio
Just Foreign Policy

Please support our work. Donate for a Just Foreign Policy.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate

References:

1. "Assange asks Ecuador for asylum," Glenn Greenwald, Salon, June 19, 2012, http://www.salon.com/2012/06/19/assange_asks_ecuador_for_asylum/singleton/
2. "Julian Assange's right to asylum," Glenn Greenwald, June 20, 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jun/20/julian-assange-right-asylum
3. "Obama’s ‘kill list’ is unchecked presidential power," Katrina vanden Heuvel, Washington Post, June 12, http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/obamas-kill-list-is-unchecked-presidential-power/2012/06/11/gJQAHw05WV_story.html
4. "26 Members of Congress Demand Answers About Combat Drone Program," Office of Rep. Dennis Kucinich, June 13, 2012, http://kucinich.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=299392
5. "Ecuador, Chevron face off over trade deal renewal," Julian Pecquet, The Hill, June 1, 2012, http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/trade/230391-ecuador-and-chevron-face-off-over-trade-deal-renewal

To:

Nksagar_1@yahoo.com

Help 12 year old Shaan get his fundamental right to water. Sign Shaan's Petition Naresh - 27 days without water! Shaan and his family in Sangham Vihar didn’t get water for almost a month, his father who works as a construction labour borrowed water from his friends and paid bribes to the water mafia in-order to help the family survive. The family has no water to take a shower. Recently, Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit made big statements on water wastage. But it seems like the Delhi Jal Board has been wasting large amounts of water while distributing it. [1] Shaan, a 12 year old started a petition on Change.org telling Delhi CM Sheila Dixit, CEO of Delhi Jal Board Debashree Mukherjee & Minister of Water Resources, Pawan Bansal to ensure equal water supply for all in Delhi. Click here to add your name. News reports confirm that the official tanker mafia has been profiteering on the precious water that the Jal Board is supposed to supply.[2] The World Health Organisation advised the Delhi Govt. to ensure a daily supply of 120 litres of water per individual in Delhi, but there are many like Shaan’s family who hardly get 20 litres everyday. Media says that Delhi is going through an acute water crisis. Shaan questions “If there was water shortage in New Delhi then why is there sufficient supply of water in Water Theme Parks, Five star Hotels, expensive residential areas and Restaurants?” Shaan believes that water is a fundamental right for every human being and the Delhi Govt. should ensure equal distribution of water. Join Shaan and sign his petition telling Delhi CM Sheila Dixit, CEO of Delhi Jal Board Debashree Mukherjee & Minister of Water Resources, Pawan Bansal to ensure equal water supply for all in Delhi. Thanks for helping Shaan fight for water equality -- he believes that this can help Delhi fight the water crisis. Tamseel and the Change.org team News Sources: [1] NDTV: Sheila Dikshit orders cut in supply to her residence http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/delhi-water-crisis-sheila-dikshit-orders-cut-in-supply-to-her-residence-233100 [2] India Today: Delhi thirsts as official Tanker mafia seat DJB Water http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhi-thirsts-official-tanker-mafia-steal-djb-water/1/201112.html [3] CNN IBN: Delhi pins hopes on Haryana http://ibnlive.in.com/news/water-crisis-delhi-pins-hopes-on-haryana/266960-3.html [4] Rediff News: Dangers of India's water policy http://www.rediff.com/news/column/the-dangers-of-indias-water-policy/20120618.htm

Clinton to meet Lavrov to discuss Syria crisis

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov next week in an effort to gain Russia's cooperation in ending the Syrian crisis.State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement on Wednesday that Clinton will meet Lavrov in St. Petersburg, Russia, next Thursday.

The announcement came after US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to narrow their differences on Syria in their meeting on Monday in Mexico. They met on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Summit.

The United States is seeking an early resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Russia insists on non-interference in Syria's domestic affairs. Escalating violence in Syria has forced UN observers in the nation to suspend their activities.Clinton is expected to ask once again for Russian cooperation for the removal of Assad.

Twenty-eight soldiers and a Shiite Muslim cleric were among 39 people killed in violence across Syria today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. At least 20 troops were killed in fierce clashes with rebel fighters in the northwestern province of Latakia, the Britain-based watchdog said. Five rebels were also killed in the clashes that began late yesterday and continued through dawn today in a region known as the Kurdish Mountain near the border with Turkey. "The majority died in direct fighting with the rebels, while other soldiers were killed in a rebel attack on two buildings, which the army was using to launch mortar attacks against the Kurdish Mountain," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told the news agency. Dozens of soldiers were also wounded, Abdel Rahman said. "A number of soldiers, including an officer, were captured by the rebels, who also took their weapons," he added. In Idlib, another northwestern province that borders Turkey, five government troops were killed when a car bomb exploded at their checkpoint overnight.Explosions and shooting were also heard in the town of Maaret al-Numan, the Observatory said. In the central province of Hama, clashes in the town of Kernaz left three soldiers dead. Shelling by government troops also killed a man and his wife. "Unidentified gunmen assassinated a Shiite cleric in Sayyida Zeinab," the Observatory said, referring to an area of south Damascus that houses a revered Shiite shrine of the same name and is home to many Iraqi refugees

Super Bugs, Super Pesticides, Super Bills – Delhi Jal Board

Super Bugs, Super Pesticides, Super Bills – Delhi Jal Board

 Date 20 June 2012

Honorable Prime Minister,

Dr. Manmohan Singh, and Copy to

Honorable Chief Minister of Delhi,

Smt. Sheila Dikshit,

New Delhi 110011

Respected Sir,

When there is a Complaint of Urgent Public Concern – Governor of a State or Mayor of a County in USA put up the matter before ‘Public Utility Commission’ and Chair the Public Hearing Proceedings Like A Court and announce the Order on the same day that is applicable to the state or city.

In the national capital one may write Hundreds of Complaints over Tens of Year there is even not a Proper Acknowledgment.

Most shocking at Important Delhi Government Public Meetings – bunch of Dullards are invited but none of the Experts – thus there is no Progress.

Super Bugs

Delhi Water Allocation 31 Liter Per Head Per Day

Delhi gets Sewage and Drainage of Haryana essentially because of ‘Defective Yamuna Water Sharing Agreement’ concluded by Madan Lal Khurana in 1994. Out of 31 Liter Per Day Per Head allocated – even this supply is not making through Haryana and 50% of Water Treated By DJB is Lost In Pipes.

Delhi Annual Share 724 MCM But 19 MCM in Summer Months

http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/sereport/ser/wjc/wjc_ch1.pdf

Here in the Water Sharing Agreement in the end out of 724 MCM water allocated to Delhi, the national capital just 76 MCM is available for March-June four months, just over 10% for four Summer Months when atleast 40% of the allocation was required. Thus 0.63MCM Riparian water is available for 20 million people per day– 31 liters per capita. Some Ganga and Satlej non riparian water is also available but is too inadequate.

Almost 40% to 50% of treated water is lost to leakages. 40% to 100% population get Contaminated ground water, direct or diluted.

Thus Delhi Get Many Thousand Times More Harmful Pathogens in Water Supply Source That is Contaminated Again After Treatment Mixing With Sewage As Both Water Mains and Sewage Lines Run Next to Each Other.

Super Pesticides

CSE Reported 600 Times More Pesticides Consumed By Delhi Residents Since 2002 Than in Blood of Cotton Farmers of Bhatinda

http://www.cseindia.org/userfiles/Delhi_uploadfinal_sn.pdf

Since 2002 Winter since the CSE report pointing to very high level of Pesticides in Ground Water that is Source of Water for Bottled Water Companies Delhi residents had consumed more than 600 Times More Pesticides than in Blood of Bhatinda Farmers accumulated over decade. (Page 20 Attached)

Ø      Pesticides in Delhi Ground Water 0.0757mg/Liter, Max 0.1735 mg/Liter

3500 Days at 2 Liters/day; 7000 Liters = 530mg to 1245mg

Ø      Pesticides Accumulated in life in Blood of Bhatinda Cotton Farmers

0.1224mg/Liter to 0.7627mg/Liter at 5 Liters = 0.6120mg to 3.6115mg

40% to 50% Delhi Population Directly Depends on Contaminated Ground Water in Summer, Rest Get Untreated Tube-well Water Mixed With Yamuna Water Supply.

Thus 30% to 100% Water Supply To Delhi Is Sourced From Contaminated Ground Water.

Super Water Bills

DJB Hired Recovery Agents To Extort Consumers

Rs.100/month Approved Tariff – DJB Charge Rs.1000/- to Rs.10,000/-PM

Sir just a Look at the 2012 Tariff Applicable as in attached PDF also a Household Should be Charged Rs.100/- per month.

Monthly Consumption KL	Service Charges in Rs	Volumetric in Charge Per Kl in  Rs.
0-10	60.50	2.42
10-20	121.00	3.63
20-30	181.50	18.15
> 30	242.00	30.25

It is admitted fact that in spite of short supply DJB charges on average 15 kiloliter per month.

Out of that 40% to 50% is sourced from ground water.

In my farm in Punjab it cost just 3 units of electricity to draw 90 kiloliters of water so allowing for Rs.15 as electricity charges and Rs.15 for O&M of pumps it cost just 0.30 per kiloliter to pump Contaminated Ground Water.

So Break Up is 9 Kiloliter of Treated and then Sewage Mixed Water Supply and 6 kiloliter of Ground Contaminated Water Supply.

Cost of 9 Kiloliter of treated water PM is Rs.60.50 + 2.42x9x1.6 = 60.50 + 34.85

= Rs.95.35.

Cost of 6 kiloliters of Ground Water Per Month at Rs.0.30 = Rs.1.80.

Monthly Household Bill = Rs. 95.35 + Rs. 1.80 = Rs. 97.35 Lets say Rs.100 per month.

WHEN A FAMILY OF FIVE SHOULD BE CHARGED Rs. 100/ PER MONTH – PER CAPITA MONTHLY BILLS EXCEED Rs. 1000/- to Rs.3000/-. DJB has hired ‘RECOVERY AGENTS’ To Recover Illegal Bills.

Responses to My Petition Were –

1. Delhi Government had failed to get Renuka, Lakhwar and Vyasi Dams built to ensure Full Clean Water Supply from Yamuna.

2. Railways Refused to provide Shatabdi Terminal at Safdarjung Station – some time in recent Past Safdarjung Station was used as Main Terminal all trains when some maintenance work was on at New Delhi station.

3. Delhi Transport refused to admit there is inadequate Bus Service and introduce Time Table that indicates Bus Services Operated By DTC.

4. Work on Undesirable Delhi Metro Extensions was Speeded UP even as reports pointed to Interstate Lines Taking 75% Passenger Traffic And For Interstate Traffic Surface Rail Lines Like Mumbai Locals Are 2x Faster and Cost a third.

5. There was no response to ‘Play Grounds’ for Delhi populations.

6. There was no response to ‘Disneyland in Delhi’ for entertainment of Children of 500 million North Indians.

7. There was no program to lay Under Ground Sewage Lines replacing Open Sewage Drains.

8. There is no Progress to Ensure Uninterrupted Power Supply and Regulate Power Supply to Large 10KW+ Consumers.

9. There is no Farmers Markets where farmers can sell their produce ‘Directly’ without middlemen in spite of Skyrocketing Food Prices.

REMEDY: -

A. PMO and Delhi Government to Introduce ‘Public Utility Commissions’

B. PMO and Delhi Government to Engage Professional Experts.

Thank you,

Faithfully,

Ravinder Singh*

Inventor & Consultant

Y-77, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016

Progressindia008@yahoo.com 

Fitch lowers rating outlook of SBI, ICICI, PNB

Global agency Fitch on Wednesday cut credit rating outlook to negative from stable of 11 financial entities including SBI, ICICI Bank, PNB and Axis Bank. The action follows the revision earlier this week of India's outlook to negative."The outlook revision of the financial institutions reflects their close linkages with the sovereign by virtue of their high exposure to domestic counter parties and holdings of domestic sovereign debt," Fitch said in a statement. The list of downgraded entities include six government banks (including an international banking subsidiary of a government bank), two private banks. These include Bank of Baroda, Bank of Baroda (New Zealand) Ltd (BOBNZ), Canara Bank, and IDBI Bank. Besides two wholly owned government institutions -- Export-Import Bank of India and Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd have also been similarly downgraded. Besides, the outlook of IDFC Ltd and Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd outlook has also become negative. However, Fitch said the banks continue to have reasonable customer deposit base, domestic franchises and adequate capital. The non-banking financial entities, meanwhile, lack the funding advantage, which puts them more at risk during times of increased market volatility, it said.