Brahminical Drama of Resistance Clears the Way for Chemical Hub
UK Finds escape route as Bush Rushes to Bagdad, Wargame Begins in Indian Ocean
Palash Biswas
Contact: Palash C Biswas, C/O Mrs Arati Roy, Gosto Kanan, Sodepur, Kolkata- 700110, India. Phone: 91-033-25659551
Email: alashbiswaskl@gmail.com">palashbiswaskl@gmail.com
Nayachar island is tipped as the likely location for chemical hub in W.Bengal. The West Bengal government todayinformed an all-party meeting that Nayachar island, close to
Haldia, was the likely choice for the much-debated chemicalhub, amid boycott by the main opposition Trinamool Congressand SUCI. This was the general view of the meeting convened by Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and attended by all Left Front constituents, though the Congress said it would come back with its response after discussion in the party.
My dear friend film maker joshy joseph is filming Mahashweta devi ativism in Nandigram insurrection. Mahashweta Devi writes daily column in bangla stesman updating the feedback.She is leading from the front. But Kolkata intellegentsia, media and political parties seem to have lost the focus as the Indian communists are master of subvertion. They supports sacchar committee recomendations. they are always most vocal regarding OBC quota. Despite killing the dalit refugees in Marichjhanpi, despite the continuous persecution of refugees in Bengal, despite being quite detached from the plights of refugees within- the Marxist do try to mobilise the dalit Bengali partition victim refugees settled out of Bengal , deprived of citizenship, reservation and mother tongue, human and civil rights. The Marxists invited the refugees of Dandkaranya to rehabiliate themselves in Marichjhanpi and the classic betrayal is history. Now the Left opposes the Indo US nuclear deal and Asian Nato with US led strategic regrouping in Indian Ocean! But the Left ruled West Bengal and Kerala units of the party led by nonagerian patriarch and the mastermind behind Marichjhanpi massacre, Jyoti Basu defy the Polit Bureau and central committee stance and makes an active allaince with World bank slave Dr manmohan Singh.Kirnahar Kuleen Brahmin Pranab Mukherjee and Priya ranjan dasmunshi, in return, pushes the West Bengal congress Party to support Buddha and aliegnate Ms Mamata Bannerjee. Most interesting thig is that Mahasheta Devi with Bengali Intellegentsia and media, the Left and the Right political parties including Ms Mamata Bannerjee try their best to save the brahminical hegemony. No one is interesed to change the system and everyone is much more interested in political, commercial and personal milage.
Thus, Nuclear Power Plant in Haripur may not be stopped.
Thus, despite Nandigram Singur Insurrection Marxist comrador CM Buddhadev Bhattacharjee is way ahead on the highway of capitalist development with indiscriminate land acquision for corporates in the name of public interest. what is public interest, my dear? they stopped heavy vehicles on Howrah Bridge only to help Larsen and turbo to make up the Toll Tax deficit on The second Vivekanand Setu on Hugli. Relaince is all set to launch retail network in Bengal to save the interests of the peasantry which is eventually evicted and displaced by the Ruling Class for population reconstructio to maintain Brahminical Hegemony!
They still favours vietnam only to justify US Mncs and FDI! Theydo not feel ever ashamed of inviting the butcher of Indonesia salim or Union Carbide owner NAPAM Bomber DOWS to run Chemical Hub.
The Farce of anti Imperialism ressistance and the drama to satll the chemical hub wait now the logical result, an unopposed accomplishment!
Meanwhile,U.S. President George W. Bush held a "council of war" with his security team at a desert air base in western Iraq on Monday, a week before testimony to Congress that could influence policy on the war.US President George W Bush paid a surprise visit to Iraq on Monday, just days before a crucial report to Congress on Washington's strategy in the war-torn nation.The trip coincided with the withdrawal of British troops from their last base in the southern Iraqi city of Basra amid tensions between Washington and its top ally Britain over their policy in Iraq.On the other hand,Twelve Russian strategic bombers will take part in an Arctic exercise on Monday and Tuesday including tactical launches of cruise missiles, an air force spokesman said. Bush, heading for a showdown with congressional war critics pressing him to begin withdrawing troops, flew secretly to the al Asad Air Base in Anbar province, where he was also due to meet Iraq's Shi'ite prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki.
The president was accompanied by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and national security adviser Steven Hadley. Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived separately.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Bush, Rice and Gates would meet their top commanders, Iraqi leaders including Maliki, and tribal leaders in Anbar, once a flashpoint province but now a success story for the U.S. military.
Talking to reporters at her residence,Ms mamata Bannerjee Banerjee said she was not in a mental condition to have tea with Bhattacharjee at the meeting called to discuss "a killing hub and not a chemical hub". She said Bhattacharjee had written to her on the hub and the requirement of an additional 54,000 hectares of land. "Now they are trying to grab land," she said, adding she would not allow the creation of "a foreign territory" within the country.
The hub, in East Midnapore district, is to be set up by the Indonesia-based Salim group.
She contended that without the participation of Trinamool Congress, the main opposition party in the state, such a meeting could not be held.
Banerjee, who had earlier declared that her party would not attend the meeting, said Trinamool Congress would continue to oppose the setting up the hub "and will not help in its implementation".
Referring to the March 14 police firing and violence at Nandigram in the district which left 14 people dead and where the hub was to have been located before the proposal was officially shelved, she asked, "Why should we participate at a meeting called by a chief minister who does not keep his word?"
The Trinamool Congress, which has said that justice has not been done to the Nandigram victims, has been opposing the chemical hub on the ground of environment pollution and the need for acquisition of land.
Centre alerts states on possible terror strike.The Centre has alerted all states, including Tamil Nadu, on a possible strike in crowded areas of major cities, following the terrorist attacks at Hyderabad. Government has issued an advisory to the Chennai DGP about a possible terror attacks. Chennai was put on high alert on Monday after a tipoff from the Centre about possible terror attacks. According to sources, Central intelligence agencies have found out that three to four Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami activists are holed up in Chennai waiting for orders to carry out a strike in the busy and crowded areas of the city.
The largest-ever war game hosted by the Indian Navy, codenamed MALABAR CY 07-2, kicks off in the Bay of Bengal from September 4 to 9, 2007. However, this has stirred a hornet’s nest in the country. Opinions remain divided for and against New Delhi’s military engagement with the Washington.Twenty four warships from five countries would take part in the Malabar series of naval exercises at 100 nautical miles west of Andamans and 500 miles east of the Indian shores in the Bay of Bengal.American Nuclear Carrier USS Nimitz and Nuclear-powered Submarine Chicago would be the highlight of the exercise erasing the memories of USS Enterprise in the Bay of Bengal during the Indo-Pak 1971 conflict.However, in the run up to the exercise things are not as smooth as seems to be. The Left parties in India are gearing up for a major protest against this multinational naval exercise. It’s critical that any strategic pact with the United States would be fraught with dangerous implications.The left is of the view that such exercise would give the U.S. an opportunity to achieve its long-cherished hegemony in the Indian waters and serve its agenda to make India a military base for its operations in Southeast Asia.The left also thinks that the multilateral naval exercise is an attempt to co-opt India into the Israel-U.S. axis. It further suspects the experience US gain from such an exercise could be passed on to Pakistan.
The left parties’ therefore have decided to organize rallies across West Bengal to highlight the "dangerous implications" of the multilateral naval exercise. It wants to awaken people that India is on way to become another pawn in the hands of the imperialist America.
UPA, Left kiss and make up; ready with panel on N-deal
After two weeks of talks and hectic negotiations, the panel to look into UPA-Left joint mechanism on nuclear deal is ready. The committee will be headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. Ironically, the setting up of this committee comes just a day ahead of the Left parties nationwide agitation against the deal.
CNN-IBN has learnt that the group will comprise of six members from the Left and eight from the UPA.
From the Left, the members will be Prakash Karat, AB Bardhan, Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Abani Roy, and Debabrata Biswas.
From the UPA, Kapil Sibal, AK Antony, Ahmed Patel, Pranab Mukherjee, Lalu Yadav and a nominee each from allies the NCP and the DMK will lead from the front.
Meanwhile,The Left has openly attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the pamphlets they have brought out against the joint Indo-US naval exercise slated to begin in Vishakapatnam on Tuesday. Apart from US, naval ships from countries like Australia and Japan are also to participate in the exercise.In the pamphlets published to explain their stand on nuclear deal to the "common man", Left has described Singh as US President George Bush's best friend.
The move comes close on the heels of Sonia Gandhi coming out in full support of Manmohan Singh in the Congress monthly, Sandesh. The messages show clearly that the decline in Left-UPA relationship continues.
Sporadic gun fire creates tension in Nandigram
Nandigram : Tension prevailed in Nandigram after the reports of sporadic gun fire and bombing in east Midnapore district of West Bengal. At least 10-12 rounds were fired and six-seven powerful bombs went off intermittently, in Satengabari, Ranichak and Pahargunj areas, from 9:30 p.m, local people said. Superintendent of Police of East Midnapore, G A Srinivas said, he had heard about the incident and looking into it. "There was no report of any casualty or injury in the incident," the SP said.
The anti-displacement Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) alleged that CPI(M)-backed anti-socials fired gun shots and threw bombs from the adjoining Khejuri side, a known stronghold of the Marxists.
BUPC leader, S K Sufiyan, said they had informed the local police about the incident.
However, CPI(M) denied the charges and said the BUPC was against return of normalcy in the area.
The BUPC had been spearheading the anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram since January and the movement took a bloody turn on March 14 with the death of 14 persons. With intermittent firing and bombing regularly taking place in several parts of Nandigram, there is little sign of return of normalcy.
Briefing reporters, Commerce and Industry Minister
Nirupam Sen said in Kolkata, 10,000 acre would be required for the hub to
be set up in joint venture by the West Bengal Industrial
Development Corporation and New Kolkata International
Development Private Limited.
He said the chemical hub, which was shifted from
Nandigram in East Midnapore following violence and resistance,
was likely to come up at Nayachar island in the same district
where the land was owned by the government -- mainly by the
Haldia Development Authority and the state Fisheries
department.
Sen said the state government was of the view that the
location of the chemical hub would be finalised without
causing any harm to farmers and the common people
Sen said Nayachar island, which was uninhabited, would be
connected to Haldia with a bridge. He said after getting response from the Congress, the
state government would send the formal proposal to the Centre
on the chemical hub.
The developer, he said, would conduct the feasibility
study and the Geological Survey of India would be entrusted
with the task of soil consolidation survey.
Asked what the government would do if Nayachar was found
unsuitable for the project, Sen said in that case, another
all-party meeting would be held on the issue.
With several parties, including Front partners CPI, RSP,
Forward Bloc, besides opposition Congress raising the issue of
environmental hazards from a chemical hub, Sen said a
state-level advisory committee has been formed to ascertain
the impact on environment.
Kalam supports Manmohan on nuke deal
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has found support for the Indo-US nuclear deal from former President A P J Abdul Kalam who has described it as "unique".
"It's unique, what he has done," Kalam said on NDTV's 'Walk the Talk' programme when asked whether the Prime Minister can be complimented for having clinched the deal.
Kalam's endorsement comes at a time when the Left parties have again upped their ante against the deal and warned the government of facing a "crisis" if it went ahead with its operationalisation. Asked whether he thought scientists opposing the deal were going too far, Kalam, who demitted office in July, evaded a direct response. "Fortunately, in our democratic set-up, scientists can always approach at the highest level".
The former President also did not feel that the scientists were being ignored. "I didn't feel like that at all.
"Whatever has happened is (for) good," Kalam responded when his view was sought on the deal on which the Prime Minister had consulted him.
Kalam said he had met the Prime Minister before "finishing my assignment (as President)" and highlighted the importance of thorium reactors. "I told the Prime Minister that thorium reactors are very important," he said. The Prime Minister too agreed that progress must be made on that front, the former President said.
Nuke deal could set free technological embargoes: Kakodkar
Mumbai: The Indo-US nuclear deal could lead to a possible "unshackling" of technological embargoes, further aiding the domestic nuclear programme of the country, the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission has said.
"The possible unshackling of the technology embargo regime that has operated around us for decades without success is a welcome opportunity that we should be able to exploit without any adverse impact on our autonomous domestic research and development and implementation of our three stage nuclear programme," Anil Kakodkar said at a recent function.
Kakodkar said the nation would continue to pursue its three stage development programme for nuclear power.
The government, he said, was aware of the pressing energy needs, and was prepared to bring in additionalities through international civil nuclear co-operation.
The senior scientist, who was among those consulted during the negotiations for the 123 Agreement for the civil nuclear deal, had said on Friday that he could discuss the India-specific safeguards in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference to be held in mid-September in Vienna.
The agreement with IAEA would allow India to deal with countries in the Nuclear Suppliers Group in order to obtain uranium to fuel its nuclear power programme.
Speaking at the function where Tarapur Power Units 3 and 4 were dedicated to the nation, Kakodkar said the fast breeder nuclear plants would be the second stage of the nation's nuclear programme which would allow production of fuel as well as power generation.
We would produce more fuel, propelling growth without dependence on mining or import of uranium," Kakodkar said.
"Fast reactors would thus enable large scale deployment of thorium based power generation systems which undoubtedly will remain the key element in our search for energy independence based on energy resources available within the country," he said.
India's nuclear power programme is presently dependent on uranium based reactors, but the second stage will involve the development of fast breeder reactors while the third will involve thorium-fuelled reactors.
A committee consisting of members from the UPA and Left are expected to discuss the clauses of the civil nuclear deal while a parliamentary debate is also to take place in the matter.
Speaking at a function in BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) recently, Kakodkar also cautioned that the country needed to be self reliant in its research and development.
"We must preserve and enhance this capability undistracted by the lure of readily external inputs which may bring constraints along with them. Safeguarding our domestic capability programmes has to be the touchstone in dealing with nuclear co-operation in the nuclear area," he said.
CPI-M not to tolerate sacrifice of national interest for deal
Agartala: The CPI-M would not tolerate
sacrifice of national interest to enter into a nuclear deal
with the US and preferred good relation with all countries
instead of being close only to that country, party's
politburo member Brinda Karat said.
"The sovereignty of the country is under threat because
of this nuclear deal and we will not allow our country to be a
constituent of any alliance with America. We will not tolerate
any big brotherly attitude of that country," Karat said
addressing a public function at Bishalgarh in West Tripura
district yesterday.
She said earlier India maintained good relation with all
countries and the CPI-M would expect the government to keep to
this tradition instead of becoming close ally of only America
as well as its strategic partners.
Subhasini Ali, a CPI-M Central Committee member, who also
spoke in the meeting, criticised the UPA government for not
tabling the Women's Reservation Bill in Parliament.
No service tax for builders, says Chidambaram
New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has exempted builders and developers of residential projects from the service tax net. Builders will not have to pay service tax if they employ direct labour. On the other hand, if the builder ropes in a contractor to get the project done, the contractor will have to pay the service tax. The service tax had been imposed in last year's budget. Builders had contested this levy on the grounds that it amounted to double taxation.
The Union finance ministry issued the much-awaited clarification exempting builders/developers, undertaking residential constructions, from the service tax net.
Two Pune-based builders’ organisations — the Promoters and Builders Association of Poona (PBAP) and the Marathi Bandhkam Vyavasayik Sanghatana (MBVS) — had made a representation to the ministry over the issue, besides filing a case in the Bombay high court.
NUCLEAR-CHIDAMBARAM
India's importance in global nuclear renaissance up:
Chidambaram
Mumbai: The importance of India in global
nuclear renaissance is increasing as the country will be
needed by the international community in the long run,
Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India Dr R
Chidambaram said here today.
Although India wants the world in the short-term in
nuclear energy the world is going to need India in the long
term, he said while inaugurating a day-long seminar on
`Recycling for Electronic and automotive Industry at the Homi
Bhabha Centre for Science Education.
Use genuine mobile accessories: ICA
In the wake of recent reports of Nokia batteries exploding and causing injury, Indian Cellular Association (ICA) today urged consumers to use only genuine, company-approved mobile accessories and enhancements.
Bhuvneshwar:Left parties here today announced plans for a mass campaign against the joint naval exercise, involving India, the US, Japan, Australia and Singapore, scheduled to begin in the Bay of Bengal from tomorrow. Addressing a joint press conference here, CPI, CPI-M and Forward Bloc leaders hit out at the centre for joining the joint exercise and said a 'Jatha' from Kolkata would pass through Orissa from tomorrow to reach Vishakhapattanam on September eight.
The Jatha, to be flagged off by CPI-M veteran Jyoti Basu in Kolkata, would enter Orissa tomorrow at Jaleshwar, where a public meeting is slated to be held, CPI state secretary Dibakar Nayak said.
Over a dozen public meetings are expected to be held during the Jatha at different places including Baleswar, Soro, Bhadrak, Chandikhol, Tangi, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Balunga, Rambha, Ganjam, Chhatrapur and Berhampur, Nayak, CPI-M state secretary Janardan Pati and Forward bloc state secretary Santosh Mitra said.
Around 50 leaders and workers from Orissa would join the Jatha as part of the campaign against the joint exercise, being held as part of an "imperialistic design", they said.
On the cholera situation in Orissa, they said Left parties have already given a call for a state-wide bandh on September ten though they are not asking Naveen Patnaik government to step down, as done by Congress.
'China power growing as Bush ignores Asia'
Sydney:US President George W Bush is so
preoccupied with Iraq he is neglecting Asia and allowing China
to take a greater leadership role, a former senior US official
said in remarks published today.
"In every measure, China is making real hay right
throughout Asia," Richard Armitage, Bush's former deputy
secretary of state told The Australian newspaper in an
interview.
"Right now, we're just so preoccupied with Iraq that
we're ignoring Asia totally."
Bush is cutting short his attendance at a major
Asia-Pacific summit in Sydney this weekend to return to
Washington in time for reports to Congress on progress in Iraq
by top US general David Petraeus.
Armitage also criticised Secretary of State Condoleeza
Rice for skipping two out of three annual meetings which bring
the US together with the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN).
The Bush administration had radically underestimated
the importance of Asia, he said.
"In almost every measure, military budgets,
population growths, the need for raw materials, our
interests will force us back to Asia."
Armitage said there was a danger of Chinese leadership
in Asia surpassing that of the US.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, a strong
supporter of Bush's Iraq policy, was reportedly bitterly
disappointed that the US president will miss the second day of
the two-day summit.
In an attempt to make amends, Bush has extended his
state visit ahead of the APEC summit.
Even as the Left prepares for a major protest against the 'Operation Malabar' the Indian government has made it clear that it’s going ahead with the September 4 naval exercise.
The government views the event as relating to country's defense and strategic importance. It clarifies that political positions have not been factored into the decision relating to the services since armed forces in the country is apolitical.
The government takes naval perspective that views the Bay of Bengal as its backyard and is all for playing a crucial role in protecting the sea-lanes of communications via the Malacca Straits. It is also seems conscious of the Chinese efforts to reach out to the Indian Ocean via Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
India's naval chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta has come out with a statement that in the past Indian navy had conducted similar exercises with the navies of Britain, France, Russia, Sri Lanka and China and such naval exercises been extremely successful.
Mehta adds; “We have worked with Chinese Navy in March this year. We did some work basically in search and rescue aspects, the common thing we do to start with such exercises. And from there onwards, we graduate to major exercises."
"Indian Navy stands to benefit a lot from exercises that we do with various navies, including the US navy. It is quite an experience for our sailors and officers as they get a chance to acquaint with the top of the shelf technology and weapons systems".
Mehta says; “It is a quite experience if you have 40 different types of aircrafts operating in an air battle environment ... ships to go...get battle ready. I don't think we can have such an environment with just one country."
The Naval Chief made it clear that it was in the interest of national security that the Indian navy engages navies of different countries across the world so that our sailors and officers get a chance to operate in a battle environment.
There is little doubt that twenty four warships from India, the US, Singapore, Australia and Japan that are going taking part in the four day naval exercise would have unique experience at Malabar CY 07-2.
Indian Navy goes into the war games with its surface combatants including INS Viraat, country's sole aircraft carrier. It will be assisted by two Rajput class, one Delhi class, two Godavari class, one Brahmaputra class and four missile corvettes. Others HDW 209 and Russian Kilo class submarines have also been detailed for the exercise. Indian navy will also operate its shore-based TU 142 long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and Jaguars fighters.
The US will have major presence in the exercise with participation of its 13 warships including nuclear powered submarine USS Chicago, USS Nimitz and USS Kitty Hawk. While Nimitz (CVN 68) is nuclear-powered, Kitty Hawk (CV 63) is gas turbine-charged. The two aircraft carriers carry a total of 170 aircrafts, which is one-third of the Indian Air Force operational strength.
Report from Sydny: Climate change activists staged a break-in at an Australian power station Monday as a pattern of guerrilla-style raids emerged ahead of a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Sydney.The protest came as already draconian security measures were boosted a day ahead of the arrival in Sydney of US President George W. Bush, who was expected to be greeted with a flurry of angry protests.Four environmental activists chained themselves to a coal-carrying conveyor belt at the Loy Yang power station in the southeastern state of Victoria, just a day after a coal ship was targeted in a port near Sydney.
The power station, which provides nearly a third of Victoria's electricity, reduced output for five hours before three men and a woman were cut free by police and arrested, a spokesman said.A spokeswoman for the activists, Michaela Stubbs, said several more protests were planned against the fossil fuel industry to highlight the need to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.The demonstrations were designed to send a message to the 21 leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meeting in Sydney this week, she told national radio.
The combined business revenue of China's top 500 companies accounted for 83.5 percent of the gross domestic product in 2006, almost six percentage points higher than the previous year.
The China Top 500 Enterprises 2007 List released here on Saturday said that the top 500 gained 17.49 trillion yuan (2.3 trillion U.S. dollars) of business revenue last year, up 23.7 percent over 2005.
Sinopec maintained its No.1 position with a business revenue of 1.06 trillion yuan, up 29 percent year-on-year, according to the report issued by the China Enterprise Confederation (CEC) and China Enterprise Directors Association (CEDA) on Saturday.
Second to fifth rankings went respectively to China National Petroleum Corporation, State Grid, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and China Mobile.
A total of 349 enterprises, or nearly 70 percent of the total in the list, were state-owned or state-controlled. Their combined assets reached 14.9 trillion yuan at the end of 2006, accounting for 85 percent of the total.
The number of private-owned enterprises in the list rose to 89, with 1.4 trillion yuan of business revenue.
The CEC said the list included 22 enterprises in 11 different industries which made their way into the World Top 500 while there were 11 in 2002.
Source: Xinhua
"Parliament has to function"
Expressing his anguish over the repeated turmoil in the Parliament, Kalam said, "Parliament has to function. There may be lot of differences, but Parliament has to function.
"When the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha are in session, people watch, particularly young people. Those in Parliament have to be role models for them," he said.
Kalam was candid on being asked whether he thought his decision to return the Office of Profit Bill to the Parliament had cost him a second term in office.
"Well, I don't care about it. That's not the issue. What I am concerned about are the people. The people were after me (for a second term). So I had to consider that," he said.
The former President, who has now taken up the teaching profession, made it clear that he had no regrets when the words were doing the rounds that he would contest the presidential election if there was a consensus. "Consensus. I stick to that", he said.
Kalam had good words for both Manmohan Singh and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who led the NDA regime.
"Each of them has a unique core competence," he noted.
China amends property management regulation to protect rights of owners, service firms
+ - 10:38, September 02, 2007
UK`s retail chains order probe into exploitation of Indians
London, Sept 03: UK's major high street clothing retailers Primark and Mothercare have launched a probe following media reports of alleged exploitation of Indian workers who make clothes for them.
Earlier, a British newspaper reported that the Indian workers employed in both the retail chains were getting as little as 13 pence (26 cents) per hour for a 48-hour week, wages so low the workers claim they sometimes have to rely on government food parcels.
Primark, the UK's second biggest clothing retailer, and the Mothercare, the mother and baby shop, launched a probe last night following an investigation by 'Guardian' newspaper into the condition of workers in Bangalore who supply several high-profile UK and US fashion brands.
India's largest ready-made clothing exporter, Gokaldas Export, which supplies brands including Marks & Spencer, Mothercare and H&M, confirmed that wages paid to garment workers were as low as 1.13 pounds for a nine-hour day, the report said.
This fails to meet the basic needs of the workers and so falls below the minimum international labour standards promised by the ethical trading initiative (ETI), a code of conduct which sets out basic rights for employees across the supply chain, it said.
The ETI code states that workers shall not regularly be required to work more than 48 hours per week, that overtime should be voluntary and that it should not exceed 12 hours per week.
China's State Council, or the cabinet, Saturday announced that it has amended a property management regulation to protect the legal rights of owners and service companies.
The amendment came amid efforts to ensure the smooth implementation of the Property Law, which will also come into effect on October 1.
The 70-article regulation aims to "standardize property management and protect the legal rights of the owners and property service companies".
The regulation stipulates that "owners are entitled to appeal to the People's court to repeal any decision by owners committee that violates their legitimate rights."
The newly amended regulation underscores that owners' meeting have to represent more than half of the total owners possessing more than half of the total building area.
Under the new regulation, raising or using special funds for maintenance and reconstruction and affiliate facilities should be approved by over two thirds of the owners possessing more than two thirds of the total building area, which conforms with the 76th Article of the Property Law.
Source: Xinhua
Punjab's Bathinda refinery to become Asia's major petro-chemical hub
Punjab Newsline Network
Saturday, 01 September 2007
CHANDIGARH: Guru Gobind Singh Refinery Ltd. (GGSRL) at Bathinda would be developed as one of the major Petro Chemical Hubs in Asia, realizing massive economic and vocational synergies for the region.
A consensus along this line was emerged in the meeting between the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Badal and a high ranking t
