Smoking issues: Is it political gains vs. health?

The recent ruling of the Delhi government to withdraw tax on hookah tobacco has raised many eyebrows. Experts from the medical fraternity argue that the recent decision has been made for mere political gains.

THE RECENT STARTLING decision of the Delhi government to withdraw tax on hookah tobacco has compelled many aware citizens of the country to question the motive behind such an act. It is an established fact that smoking tobacco in any form is harmful for human beings. It may be mentioned that the decision to withdraw the 12.5 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) was taken after a group of people from Delhi villages, led by two Congress MLAs, Surinder Kumar and Balram Tanwar, recently met Finance Minister A.K. Walia and argued that smoking hookahs was part of the traditional culture of villages. Dr. A B Dey, Senior Consultant, All India Institute of Medical Sciences argues the very possibility of its traditional use saying, “tobacco was brought to India by the Portuguese. These are all political decisions. After all the tobacco industry survives for political gains. Politicians are only doing lip service where anti-tobacco campaign is concerned.” Dr. Dey lashed out at the government, saying the recent ruling of the government shows how serious it is about the health of its people. He said that the ill effects of tobacco and tobacco products are facts proven the world over. Meanwhile flourishing owners of the Hookah Bar Restaurants in the capital and its outskirts feel that the decision seems to be encouraging smokers and might act as a boon for their business. “You see all the smokers know that smoking is injurious to health. But with the present ruling many smokers might shift to the usage of hookahs. We know that hookah tobacco is filtered and has only four per cent of nicotine. So it will be beneficial in one-way or the other. Another aspect is that hookah smokers cannot use hookah in public places because it is cumbersome to carry such a huge thing. So this will discourage passive smoking,” said Mr Daman Sodhi, Owner, Oz, a Hookah Bar Restaurant in Gurgaon. Regular smokers however feel that the ruling will not affect them in any way. “See those who smoke or are addicted to smoking, imposing or waving off tax will not make any difference”, said Amit, a university student and a chain smoker. Health hazards of tobacco use According to a study by the federal health ministry, the health hazards in the tobacco industry are relatively high –34 per 100 population, especially suffer from tuberculosis and cancer. In India more than 40 percent of cancer cases are due to tobacco use. Tobacco Industry The tobacco industry is fragmented across the country, with around 200 manufacturers in every state. But Madhya Pradesh is the major producer of tobacco products because of easy availability of raw material in the state. Tobacco is an important commercial crop in India. It is raised on an area of about 4 lakh hectares with an annual production ranging from 500 to 550 M.Kgs. History The Portuguese merchants first brought tobacco to India 400 years ago. But it was the Goan legislature, which passed the toughest anti-tobacco law in the world in 1997. The Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act prohibits smoking and spitting chewed tobacco in public places including bus stands, beaches, and public transport. It bans all tobacco advertising in the state and the sale of tobacco products within 100 meters of school or any place of worship. After a long-term public education campaign involving the state's school children, the law has now been well received.

Tech tête-à-tête with President, Turbolinux

In an exclusive interview to Pritha Roy Choudhury, Merinews, Mr Deepak Wassan, President, Turbolinux India (Pvt) Ltd spoke about the unique capabilities of Wizpy, the palm sized USB device that is being launched in India.

What are the features of the Wizpy?

Wizpy has the following features:
a. Portability
Wizpy gives users the unique feature of allowing them to carry along their own operating system including their desktop environment, applications and data with them. The OS portability allows users to unbind/ separate the OS from the hardware.
b. Privacy
When the users plug in wizpy on a host computer, the entire web input history data, email information and files remain on wizpy itself and can be carried along. As such, no trace of history data or files is left on the personal computer.
Likewise, the wizpy user does not have access to the data on the host computer. This protects the host computer’s data as well.

c. Player
Wizpy has rich multimedia features like audio and video files playback (in varied formats), FM radio, image viewer and ebook reader. wizpy also boasts of a 256,000 colours OLED display. So, when used in a standalone mode, all this makes wizpy a feature-rich multimedia player.

d. PC
A user can just connect wizpy to a personal computer and start one’s own operating system. It allows the user to have the familiar desktop environment and applications irrespective of whichever PC wizpy is plugged into.

How advanced is it compared to its competitive products?

To be honest, we do not have any competition to wizpy. There have been some USB bootable Linux devices in the past, but because of very limited boot options and almost no storage space, they never made the cut. Wizpy allows you four different options to boot your PC and we can very confidently say that almost 95 percent of the world’s PCs can be booted using wizpy. And the integrated high-end multimedia player with an advanced OLED screen completes the USP of this product.

What is the new technology and what issue does it address?

Wizpy symbolises an innovative use of the existing technologies to create a conceptually new product. The idea behind wizpy is very simple but radical. Today all the PCs come loaded with some variant of Windows which is only helping make Bill Gates richer. With wizpy, we have separated the OS from the hardware and now you can take your OS and your environment which includes your desktop, your icons, your bookmarks to any number of PCs and boot and operate it. Thus our tag line which says "Make any computer in the world yours" And wizpy also gives you 4 GB of storage space.

How, in the company’s view, does the new application ease one’s life?

In various ways. As explained, you can carry your own OS to any host machine and work in your own environment. This effectively eliminates the need to lug heavy laptops around. Also, as wizpy allows you to boot any system without installing any software on the host machine, This means that a would be Linux user, who was till now apprehensive about removing his Windows to try out Linux to "touch and feel", can now actually do so without installing a single piece of software on his existing hard drive. So you do not get entangled in complicated and time consuming installations. Also, once the system has booted using wizpy, the safety of the existing data is absolutely guaranteed, as neither the wizpy user can read the data on the hard drive nor he can write on it or leave any traces behind. And as said earlier, wizpy give you enough storage space to carry your programs, data and emails with you.

What is your view on the booming gadget / technology market in India?

These are exciting times. The booming gadget/technology market in India is a pointer to the maturing of the economy. People are acquiring and adopting gadgets and technology to increase efficiency, enhance productivity and to improve the overall quality of life. Today technology has impacted every walk of our lives, from education to healthcare and from work to entertainment. It has brought in a paradigm shift from being "nice to have" to “must have".

Where do you see gadget use / application use in India in about 10 years?

I believe we will not be using words "gadgets" and "gizmos" in ten years from now. These will become all pervasive and an integrated parts of our lives. And they will do so unobtrusively, with seamless connectivity amongst themselves and the user. The applications will become more integrated and "intelligent" and will be able to command and control entire processes. The silos that exist in our work environment will cease to exist.

What are the must-have gadgets you absolutely cannot do without?

My PDA, my Laptop and now my wizpy

What is one innovation in the field of technology that you wish to see in the future?

More than just the innovation, we should be more concerned in making the available technology more affordable and widely available so that it can benefit a larger section of the society. Projects like OLPC (One laptop per child) are a right step in this direction. In a country like India, we should be endeavouring for technologies that provide breakthrough in healthcare and education and rural upliftment. Technologies that help us fight AIDS and cancer, help us provide education to all our children and help us provide cheaper and better dwellings to the economically weaker stratum.

Anxiety woes: Misery without a cause

Anxiety is a curable psychological disorder that is establishing a strong grip in our daily life. It is imposing a threat to individuals who are under constant pressure and are victimized by stress. We need to identify the problem before it is too late.

ANXIETY HAS COME to rule our lives in the contemporary world. The metamorphosis of our life is centered at the core of a highly stressful environment that has given way to various psychological problems.

Neeti Mehta, 32, is a businesswoman in Delhi. She is crammed between her workplace and two kids, shuffling between daily chores, meetings and client visits. Off late she started to worry about small things. On being asked what was going on, she was clueless. She’d complain of heart palpitation, was always scared, developed a sense of insecurity and was never at peace with herself.

“I kept worrying endlessly about nothing. I started to feel as if something real bad was about to happen. Yet, I could not figure it out. I started to have bouts of anxiety accompanied by extensive crying. I could no longer focus on my work or give proper attention to my children. That was when my sister asked me to consult a psychologist.”

Neeti was suffering from an anxiety disorder. The stressful lifestyle she was leading paved the way for the disorder to sink in. Today, millions of people are prone to anxiety related disorders due to various reasons.

According to Dr. Vikas Mohan Sharma, consultant Psychiatrist, VIMHANS Hospital, “Anxiety is a by product of stress. Those people are highly prone to it that have fewer resources available and too much work.”

“Anxiety is often misunderstood as worry. Worry has a reason whereas anxiety does not have one. Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress but when it begins to affect our social, personal and professional lives adversely, it becomes a disorder,” opines Dr Sharma.

He further says that there are different types of anxieties ranging from acute to mild.

Panic Disorder:

The person gets repeated attacks or episodes of flooding anxiety characterized by intense fear leading to the patient becoming traumatized. It overwhelms the patient who tends to become scared. In severe cases the patient might even become homebound out of fear.

During a panic attack the patient feels increased heart palpitation, sweaty, nauseatic, faint or dizzy. At times it can also be accompanied by chest pain.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder:

This form of anxiety disorder is more generalised, as it is a continuous form of anxiety. It is likely to affect the performance criteria of the person on the social, political and professional level in a generalised way.

Social Phobia:

If a person is an introvert by birth and is characteristically shy then it is not a social phobia. A social phobia can be identified if the person was normal but has suddenly developed a phobia of mingling with people. This could be an outcome of various circumstances.

Kavita Elias, 34, is a teacher in Lucknow. She recently underwent a divorce. She stopped socializing with people out of fear about what they might think of her unsuccessful relationship.

“She was under constant pressure and we failed to see that she was developing traits of a psychological disorder. It was not until she collapsed in school one day and was rushed to the hospital that the problem was identified,” says her mother Kusum.

Kavita says, “I was petrified to go out of the house or even meet parents at school. I felt everybody was giving disdainful looks wherever I went. I was desperate to escape the stares and glances. Even if I’d go to the market and see two people talking, I’d felt they were speaking about me. This made me anxious.”

She added, “I knew this could not be for real but it was out of my control. I’d often feel my pulse racing, get sweaty and worry about absolutely nothing. I eventually broke down.

Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD):

Obsession is an anxiety disorder that needs to be taken seriously. All thoughts and images start becoming intrusive, repetitive and they do not go way from the patient’s mind. The disorder is characterized by repetitive behaviours such as washing hands, cleaning, counting, checking etc. Performing these rituals relieves the person temporarily but they get the urge to repeat the act sooner or later.

Soft Anxiety:

This is completely related to stress. When people come under a lot of pressure they are likely to suffer from this disorder.

Most people have their own way of coping with stress but when they are unable to handle it, the problem takes a form of a psychological disorder.

Dr Sharma also says that the physical symptoms of anxiety disorder can be easily identified as follows:

Palpitations

Shortness of Breath

Urge to pass urine

Tremors

Mental:

Sense of impending doom

Fearfulness

Restlessness

Negative thoughts

Dr. Sharma suggested various preventive methods. He says that we need to identify the stress level in order to cope with it. A healthy lifestyle needs to be maintained. One mustn’t ignore the benefits of healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

Regular exercise helps do away with stress by providing a means for the body to release pent up tension. Yoga and Ti Chi are also excellent means by which one can remain healthy.

“Early diagnosis helps one to identify the problem and it can be cured with counseling but at a later stage one requires medication along with therapy,” suggests Dr Sharma.

He furthers adds that almost all anxiety disorders are curable. It is not a disease. One must be very particular while identifying ‘Obsessive Compulsive Disorders’ as they have the capacity of becoming chronic.

Anxiety can afflict any strata of society. It is most likely to affect adolescents and people in their twenties.

We need to watch out for stress in a big way and keep it at bay. The moment it invites anxiety to enter your life, it can create havoc. People are constantly under stress nowadays. They need to drift towards a healthier and happier lifestyle in order to enjoy life to its fullest.

KAS selections give rise to controversy

Is it a political ploy or the grudge of certain disgruntled elements that the declaration of the KAS (Kashmir Administrative Service) aspirants has once again displeased the residents of Kashmir and Jammu?

FOR THE UNINITIATED the declaration of KAS results by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission, which is still subject to a Supreme Court order has come under criticism in the Kashmir valley over the dominance of Jammu based candidates in this examination. It seems that certain disgruntled political elements and intelligentsia with Kashmir based mindset want to see the Kashmir Administrative Services to be the domain of Kashmiris and that too the ones residing in Srinagar city. Voices are being raised that the overwhelming success of the Jammuites will one day lead to the erosion and complete absence of Kashmiri Muslims in the state bureaucracy. Instead of introspection as to why year after year the valley based students are failing to make it to the Kashmir administrative services and even the Union Public services exams, there is growing tendency to look at the issue with myopic glasses. Some Kashmir based analysts and intellectuals argue that since 70 per cent population of Jammu and Kashmir is Muslim then the ratio of successful candidates should also represent this communal ratio of 70:30. These arguments have been put forth in Kashmir valley after every KAS result which has been declared by the PSC, as invariably the Jammuites have dominated the civil services in the state and the center. What they have failed to read in these results time and again is the fact that people of Jammu are more serious towards entering the civil services as compared to the others. They are putting in more efforts and resources to get into the KAS and other elite services and Jammu has better coaching centers. One of the candidates for KAS, Ajay Sharma, said that Jammu has better coaching facilities and even the Kashmiri students come here for coaching. Interpretation of the result in terms of entry of Hindus, Muslims and Kashmiris and non-Kashmiris invariably leads to the conclusion that Kashmiri intelligentsia wants to dominate the civil services, polity and economy of the state. Instead of working hard and earning the jobs through the sweat of the brow, like the Jammu based candidates have done irrespective of the fact, whether they were Hindus or Muslims, the Kashmiris have again started complaining about the results. An analysis of the result reveals that 62 Muslims out of 132 candidates have made the KAS grade and it amounts to almost half of the selection list. A noted educationist of Jammu said that while Jammu based candidates dominate in KAS, NDA, CDSE and similar exams, the Kashmiris top the list in Medical and engineering courses. Here it must also be mentioned that Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission is headed by an eminent Kashmiri bureaucrat and the Controller of Examination is also a bureaucrat with strong connections with Kashmir. Mohd Shahid, an aspirant to the KAS, who could not qualify in the prelims examinations in 2005, said that JKPSC did everything in its hand to help the candidates from Kashmir and a number of irregularities were committed as a result of which the matter is still subjudice in Supreme Court.

India at 60: Democracy coming of age?

As independent India approaches 60, the signs of ‘coming of age’ of Indian democracy are on the horizon. The media, the citizen, the judiciary and youth have all woken up and are giving the government nightmares and the government is unable to cope.

IN A COUPLE of months, India would be approaching 60 years of age, marking time from the days when India’s tryst with destiny began. 60 years is not long in the life of a nation’s organized political system, but perhaps there are symptoms of approaching middle age. Elsewhere, in the nation’s demography, the country’s population is swelling at two fronts – at one end , the nation’s population of senior citizens is growing; at another end , the country is bursting at the seams because of the increasing number of those who are the young. And like the family patriarch who feels helplessly disturbed when his young grandchildren stand up and ask to be counted, the country’s government, manned by gerontocrats is doing just that – throwing up signs of anger, frustration and worry and yet knowing that the sulking grandchild has to be some how brought along, for that is the direction of the future.

The ongoing tussle over the admissions to the Indian institutes of management is a part of the collective demonstration of pubescent sulk. 60 years ago, when Jawaharlal Nehru and his colleagues in the Congress set up the manner in which we are now governed, it was never anticipated that dissent would be any thing more than a timed whine which could be nudged and cajoled into conformity by some grand fatherly sops. But that is not quite happening. What we see is government policies--- largely guided by men in their seventies or early eighties being increasingly challenged by other organs of the state and country which once had only milk teeth band little bark or bite, but now with the vigour of youth, appearing to have a little bit of both.

In the fifties and sixties, when Nehru ran the government and those in power today were amongst its junior most arms, a serious challenge to any Nehruvian policy, be it right or wrong was unthinkable. The first prime minister’s towering public stature and the early days of most of India’s institutions – be it the judiciary, the media or even the apolitical but concerned citizen ensured that there was little dissent of note though even Nehru’s enemies will admit that he was in essence, a democrat to his bones.

That dissent is today begging to happen. Be it in the economic sphere or the educational sphere, or in the social sphere, dissent and vigorously robust and sustained dissent is beginning to happen. And the country’s minders, brought up in Nehru’s era when opposition was largely a genteel cipher is found wanting in the art of negotiation and accommodation.

In the patriarchal democracy that was India till recently in its entirety and still is to a large measure, daddy always knew best. If you didn’t like what daddy decided, you were allowed the odd whimper and if you timed it well and daddy was indulgent enough, occasionally you might get your way. Nothing more was demanded or expected to be given.

But as India turns 60, the media, the citizen, the judiciary, the students and youth have all woken up and are giving the government nightmares. From the time that Medha Patkar gave form and shape to organized and sustained protest by refusing to accept the sops offered to a “misguided daughter” by the government, the country’s ability to articulate dissent has come a long way – be it in Kashmir, or in Nagaland, or in Nandigram or in the portals of the courts and the institutes of learning.

But our government, is showing increasing signs of paralysis on all fronts – in being increasingly unable to put up an effective case for the policies it makes on any front or in being able to contest the positions being taken by an increasingly well informed and eloquent section of its citizens, possibly because it has always lived in a culture where prolonged and unrelenting disapproval of the state and its policies was frowned upon.

And as ministers and functionaries lurch and dodder from one policy position to another, the moral fiber of the political class already tainted by one scam after another, there are clear signs that as independent India approaches 60, the signs of a ‘coming of age’ of Indian democracy are on the horizon, even as the oiled and greased arms of governance spin and turn- albeit differently from when Nehru had laid its foundations.

Clint has an imaginary friend!

In the early years a child's imagination becomes very active and it is not surprising if he has an imaginary friend. This could be because the child might be lonely and is looking for companionship. Here’s my experience with little Clint.

HAVING IMAGINARY FRIENDS is his way of getting over the loneliness a child experiences. Another reason for having an imaginary friend is that he knows this friend will accept his thoughts and ideas.

There is this little boy named Clint who has enrolled to learn swimming at the club I coach in. He is 6 years old, full of life and very scared of water! Coaching him is a terrible pain, but I love to do so, as I have noticed that he keeps talking to someone, and its not me! I feel he has an imaginary friend!

People do talk about them existing for real, and some say that each child has one, but forgets about it as they grow older. As for me, I can’t recollect my tryst with an imaginary friend, one who is mine and mine alone, one who never leaves my side, is there for me through thick and thin, invisible to one and all!

Clint, however, I am sure has one. While in the pool, he keeps talking to someone, splashing water and laughing hysterically! He would rather be left alone, as he does not enjoy my company, I reckon. He is happiest when he is alone, or, as his mom says, with a girl called Jasmine. They keep talking amongst themselves, and with other people, chiding them, ridiculing them, and often trying to hit them. There is just one slight problem. There is no one around but the two!

The concerned mother recalls her visit to a doc, where she wanted to voice her concerns. The doc had this to say, “All of us, till a certain age, have imaginary friends! We forget about them, as we grow older and our thoughts get muddled due to the complexities of life. It is absolutely normal, and would vanish one day.”

Coming back to Clint, one day, while trying to teach him to hold his breath; he felt the need to answer nature’s call. I had to accompany him to the toilet, as once, when he went to the toilet unsupervised; he had tried to escape from the club! While holding his hand and observing his actions, which I admit were fun to do, he suddenly tripped! There wasn’t an object in sight, neither did he lose his balance, nor did anyone push him! Well, at least not someone I could see! He got up, brushed himself and took off behind ‘someone’ with his slippers!

That got me thinking, why is it that children trip, laugh, cry or do silly little things for no apparent reason? Ever wondered what goes through their developing mind? Do imaginary people really exist?

But I would also add that, children have a hard time expressing themselves because they do not know how people will react to them, but their imaginary friends will always react in a positive manner. However, if your child prefers to play with his imaginary friend when he has the option to play with other real friends, you should definitely look into the matter.

Wizpy: Make any computer in the world yours!

WIZPY, THE PALM SIZED USB device to be introduced in India by Turbolinux will be sold in 4 GB version and comes preloaded with Firefox, Thunderbird, Skype, OpenOffice 2.1 and the Fuji OS. Wizpy can also double up as a portable media device, and can be used as a video player, music player, FM radio, voice recorder, picture viewer and e-book viewer.

Product Outline

Product name: Wizpy

Body dimensions: 84mm×42mm×12.2mm

Weight: 60g

Display Colour: OLED

Memory: 4G

Body colour: Solid white/ black

Snapshots

When used as an OS

• Personalized computing environment
• A built in high performance Web Browser that supports Web 2.0
• A Mail client that supports unsolicited e-mail blocking function, integrated RSS reader, and quick search function
• An open standard office suite that has adopted Open Document format (ODF), standard file format (international standard ISO 26300)
• IP telephone software using P2P technology
• A media player that supports music file play, wide variety of video formats, album management, jacket picture registration, ID3Tag edit, etc
• A high-performance image viewer

When used as a multimedia player

• 1.7-in. organic LED color screen
• A music player that can play OGG, MP3, WMA and AAC files
• A movie player that can support XviD and MPEG4 video files
• It has a still image display for jpeg files
• An audio recorder that records voices as MP3 files using the built-in microphone
• An FM radio and
• A Text display for text viewer function that can support utf format

Wizpy is a compact palm sized all-in-one next-generation portable device which allows users the power and flexibility to boot any computer in the world using Turbolinux operating system and make it theirs. Wizpy provides users their own mobile personal computer environment, and has the latest IT and multimedia features.

Wizpy as an OS

Wizpy allows you to plug into any USB 2.0 enabled PC, and run the Linux Operating System. It disguises itself as a USB CD-ROM drive which enables the Linux OS to boot without the user installing any actual components on the PC. This means now you don’t have to lug around your laptop, just access a PC and you’re off on your own, comfortable desktop environment. And best of all, no one can see what you’ve done or where you’ve been because it leaves no trace of history data.

The ability to save your accounts, bookmarks, data etc. makes this solution by Turbolinux very special. Imagine, you just sit on another computer, plug-in your Wizpy and there’s your operating system, data and the familiar look.

Files can be stored either in the documents folder, only accessible from within the Linux OS, or they can be kept in the media folder, accessible when the device is connected to the host PC. However, any files stored on the PC’s hard drive are inaccessible while the Wizpy is connected. This is intended to reassure people who lend their PCs to Wizpy owners: they will be able to do so knowing that the Wizpy user cannot ferret around in their files.

If the PC is connected to a network, users can surf the Internet or make phones calls using the included VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) software. The device can also connect to supported peripherals.

Wizpy comes preloaded with Turbolinux Fuji OS, the Firefox Web browser, the Thunderbird e-mail client, Skype (VoIP) phone service and OpenOffice 2.1.

Wizpy as a Multimedia Player

If you’re on the move, you can take advantage of the entertainment features that are offered by this all-in-one portable device. As a media player Wizpy has a 1.7 inch 256,000-colour OLED (organic light emitting diode) screen for viewing e-books, pictures, movies and video files. It handles OGG/mp3/WMA/AAC audio, XviD and MPEG4 video files and JPEG images. It also has a FM radio and a voice recorder to record sound to MP3 files.

Wizpy comes in at a pretty compact 84x42x12mm and a featherlight 60g, with battery life claimed at 10 hours.

Suggested Improvements

Connected to a Windows XP machine the Wizpy is recognized and drivers are loaded but the same thing doesn’t happen on most of Apple Mac computers. Turbolinux is working on compatibility with Macs for future versions of the product.

There are a few things that can be improved. For example the up and down buttons on the front of the Wizpy operate the volume, but the on-screen volume bar is horizontal. Not perfect but also not a huge problem -- until you turn the Wizpy on its side to watch a video. Then you’re pressing the left-hand button to increase the volume but the volume bar is moving to the right.

The sensitivity of the FM radio needs improvement so that most of the FM stations be heard without static.

Conclusion

All in all, the Wizpy delivers its promise of a portable OS that can be used as a multimedia player.

Power on the blink in many states

As per the annual economic survey of 2007, besides not meeting the target of additional power generation in last two successive five-year plans, state power institutions as well as electricity boards incurred record losses in 2006-07.

OVER THE years it has been noticed that the central government could do little to ensure that the state electricity boards fall in line with the provisions of Electricity Act and start implementing reforms in the power sector.

The center also took an initiative by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with certain erring states so that power reforms can be implemented there. As per the MoU, center agreed to share the cost to be invested in power reforms. Also, in recent budget, Finance Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram increased the allocation under the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Project with an aim to reduce the total technical and commercial losses.

As far as power sector is concerned Maharashtra and West Bengal seem to be in deep trouble. However, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are trying their best to buy additional power so that they can meet the projected peak demand in the summers.

In fact some of state electricity boards are thinking on the lines of purchasing power at a three times higher rate. So, because of expensive power purchase and transmission and distribution losses their losses have gone up to Rs. 26,000 crore by 2006-07

The recent report submitted by Ministry of Finance on the development of Mumbai to make it an international finance center, suggested that in Mumbai there is need to raise the standard of governance. So, it is high time that Maharashtra government woke up to this reality.

The scenario in Kolkata is also not so different. Basic infrastructure as per international acceptable standards is not in place. In this regard recently Asian Development Bank offered loans. I suggest central government should also pitch in with additional finances so that power scenario can be improved in the city.

As per the economic survey, several reasons including insufficient supply of coal and other raw material are hampering the power generation in various states. Because of fuel scarcity, most of the gas-based power plants, especially in a state like Andhra Pradesh, are not generating electricity this year.

Survey mentioned that India’s installed capacity for power is 1,28,432MW, out of which nearly 55 per cent comes from the states (over 71,000 MW), over 33 per cent comes from the central sector undertakings and just 10.9 per cent comes from the private sector.

OVER THE years it has been noticed that the central government could do little to ensure that the state electricity boards fall in line with the provisions of Electricity Act and start implementing reforms in the power sector. The center also took an initiative by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with certain erring states so that power reforms can be implemented there. As per the MoU, center agreed to share the cost to be invested in power reforms. Also, in recent budget, Finance Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram increased the allocation under the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Project with an aim to reduce the total technical and commercial losses. As far as power sector is concerned Maharashtra and West Bengal seem to be in deep trouble. However, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are trying their best to buy additional power so that they can meet the projected peak demand in the summers. In fact some of state electricity boards are thinking on the lines of purchasing power at a three times higher rate. So, because of expensive power purchase and transmission and distribution losses their losses have gone up to Rs. 26,000 crore by 2006-07 The recent report submitted by Ministry of Finance on the development of Mumbai to make it an international finance center, suggested that in Mumbai there is need to raise the standard of governance. So, it is high time that Maharashtra government woke up to this reality. The scenario in Kolkata is also not so different. Basic infrastructure as per international acceptable standards is not in place. In this regard recently Asian Development Bank offered loans. I suggest central government should also pitch in with additional finances so that power scenario can be improved in the city. As per the economic survey, several reasons including insufficient supply of coal and other raw material are hampering the power generation in various states. Because of fuel scarcity, most of the gas-based power plants, especially in a state like Andhra Pradesh, are not generating electricity this year. Survey mentioned that India’s installed capacity for power is 1,28,432MW, out of which nearly 55 per cent comes from the states (over 71,000 MW), over 33 per cent comes from the central sector undertakings and just 10.9 per cent comes from the private sector. The central government had an ambitious plan of adding 40,000 MW capacity in the Ninth Plan and another 41,000MW in the Tenth Plan. However in the previous plan capacity addition was just 50 per cent and a net addition of about 23000MW during the Tenth Plan period means a shortfall of 43 per cent. With more states looking at the center and central sector undertakings for power supply, the center and its power corporations have launched several schemes recently. The latest is ultra mega power projects, two of which have been awarded already and two more are yet to be tied up. If the government wants to meet the power needs of the growing economy and its people, they will have to substantially increase the power generation capacity, cut down the transmission and distribution losses drastically and will have to unbundle the power utilities.

World Cup Final: Star-War on Saturday

While Sri Lankans stormed into the finals of World Cup 2007 by thrashing the Kiwis, South Africa could not break the semi-final jinx and paved the way for Aussies to the finals.

THE TWO STAR TEAMS of Australia and Sri Lanka teams will clash in the finals of World Cup 2007. What remains to be seen is that would Sri Lanka make history again or would Australia reclaim its title of ‘World Champions’?

Who will kiss the World Cup 2007? The bets are on Aussies after Sri Lanka reached the finals by defeating South Africa in semi-finals. Cricket experts have already started analyzing the strengths and limitations of both the teams. Having a combination of extremely talented players, both the teams are optimistic about their victory. Cricket fans have also started making their calculations.

Would Hayden and Gilchrist once again be able to give a stormy start to their innings? Would Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya be able to build a huge score against Australia? Can Shaun Tait create problems for Sri Lankans? Can impeccable bowling of Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan, show Aussies the way to the pavilion? Numerous such questions are making rounds in the minds of cricket fans these days.

No other match can have better the star cast than the Australia vs Sri Lanka match. Australia’s two batsmen Matt Hayden and Rickey Ponting are in the top 5 batsman of the World Cup. Sri Lanka’s batsmen M Jayawardene has also secured his place in top 5 by making 529 runs in the World Cup. Three bowlers of Australia Glenn McGrath, Brad Hogg, Shaun Tait are at second, third and fourth place in top 5 ranking, Sri Lanka’s bowler Muttiah Muralitharan tops the ranking (for bowling). In the top bowlers list Lasith Malinga is at the fifth place.

So, would the match be a repeat of 1996 World Cup final, when Sri Lanka registered the victory against Australia? Or Aussies would make a record by winning the world cup fourth time consecutively? One thing is for sure that during this weekend cricket lovers would be able to watch one of the finest matches of cricket.