The Tribune – UK award for Bhangra king Channi

Prabhjot Singh, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 17. Bhangra and Punjabi folk music pioneer in England, Harcharanjit Singh Rupal, alias Channi Singh, has joined a select band of Punjabi settlers in the UK to be honoured with the highest civilian award, Order of British Empire (OBE). He was invited to Prime Minister David Cameron’s 10 Downing Street residence for Baisakhi celebrations.

He has become the first bhangra artist to be honoured with OBE. The Queen’s Birthday Honors List was released on Saturday midnight.

Channi, founder and the Alaap band, has been the ‘Godfather of bhangra’ for over 30 years now. He is responsible for getting the Punjabi folk music recognition all over the world.

Channi is actively involved in charity and community work, helping raise funds for cancer research, children from Third World countries, eye camps in India and care for the elderly.

Talking to the Tribune, Channi Singh said: “To be honoured by the Queen is a great honour. The fact that it is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year makes it even more special. I am from a small village near Malerkotla. When I arrived in England in 1976, I did not expect to become a household name. As the Punjabi youth was in danger of getting alienated from the Punjabi culture, I decided to form Alaap. I have worked extremely hard and am humbly proud of my achievements.”

Channi may be visiting India next month to launch his video album.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120618/punjab.htm#10

The Tribune – Water War: Hooda, Dikshit meet today; Haryana claims it is already giving Delhi double its agreed share

Geetanjali Gayatri, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 17. If Delhi wants to muddy the waters this sweltering summer and pass the buck despite getting more than double its share of agreed water supply from Haryana, the state is unwilling to be the national capital’s punching bag.

At least that seems the intention of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who will be meeting Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to resolve the water issues which, sources maintain, happen to be Delhi’s own doing, created due to its own “mismanagement, inefficiency and overdrawal”.

Tomorrow’s meeting comes after Hooda has already shot off a “point-for-point” exhaustive reply to a letter from Dikshit, stating that her water-facts were incorrect.

In his letter, Hooda has referred to completion of the Carrier Link Channel (CLC), set in motion only after he took over in 2005 and constructed as per a MoU between Delhi and Haryana in 1993, which Delhi has so far avoided commissioning.

While stating that this channel, if commissioned, would provide uninterrupted and regular supply to Delhi, Hooda has also mentioned that despite all provocation, Haryana would continue to give Delhi more than its legitimate supply like it has done in the past. Referring to Delhi increasing its pumping capacity at Wazirabad, the letter, sources said, also mentions non-payment by Delhi for construction of the channel and other pending issues.

Chief Secretary-level talks between Haryana and Delhi were held last week to “clear the air” on the water crisis in Delhi despite which the state continues to flog Haryana for a shortfall in supply, officials of the Haryana Irrigation Department said.

As against 610 cusecs of water supply to Delhi, Haryana is supplying nearly 1,200-1,300 cusecs every day, which means that Delhi is getting an additional 600 to 700 cusecs.

“Delhi gets 330 cusecs from Yamuna and 371 cusecs from Bhakra. Of a total of 700 cusecs, after deduction of 13 per cent losses, they are supposed to get 610 cusecs while we supply nearly 1,300 cusecs,” Haryana Superintending Engineer Rajiv Verma explained.

Bound by a court order to keep the Wazirabad pond filled, Haryana is sore about the fact that Delhi conveniently replaced its eight 21 MGD capacity pumps there with those having a variable capacity of 31 to 45 MGD, thereby doubling the lifting of water.

“This is a crucial issue. The court had in 1996 directed us to keep the pond filled. At that time, they had 21 MGD capacity pumps. We realised something was amiss only when the water started falling by one foot overnight for days together.

Investigations revealed that they had replaced the pumps while keeping us and the Central authorities in the dark,” Verma said.

Haryana Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Irrigation, K K Jalan said that the state was keen on commissioning of the Carrier Link Channel, Delhi was shying away from granting permission.

“Delhi has made an unauthorised cut and doesn’t want the channel commissioned. Besides, they have not contributed a single penny towards its construction. If we go by the MoU, Delhi was to bear the entire cost of Rs 650 crore for construction of the channel. However, the Chief Minister, in his magnanimity, agreed to pay Rs 150 crore while Delhi has still not paid up the remaining Rs 500 crore. Still, they are getting double the supply. Then, where is the issue and how are we to blame?” said Jalan.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120618/main4.htm

The Hindu – Chenab rail bridge to be blast proof

K. Balchand

Reasi, Jammu, 18 June 2012. The steel rail bridge coming up over the river Chenab, said to be the world’s tallest and longest, will also be the safest in the country from the security point of view.

It is part of the Jammu-Baramulla rail line now under execution that would link Kashmir with the rest of the country. The critical project has opened up the pristine mountains to even the locals, spurring development and rehabilitation of those seeking to return to the mainstream in the Valley and the State in general.

The job of constructing the most challenging 70-km stretch between Katra and Dharam has been vested with the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, while the Northern Railway is executing the portion connecting Udhampur and Katra. IRCON has the responsibility of laying the track from Dharam to Baramulla via Srinagar.

The focal feature of the 328-km all-weather route from Katra to Baramulla is the 1,315-metre-long rail bridge across the Chenab — an engineering marvel.

The rail link to Kashmir was launched in 2003 but work was suspended in 2008 for reviewing the alignments, when attention was focused on securing the bridge from possible attack. Despite the delay, the cost of constructing the bridge has been retained at Rs. 512 crore.

A Finnish consultant is now revising the design to make the bridge — which will be supported by a 467-metre steel arch structure — blast proof, KRCL executive director Rajesh Agarwal told a team of visiting journalists. Even if somebody throws an RDX bomb from a running train, the bridge being constructed with 25,000 tonnes of special steel of 63 mm thickness, will withstand the blast.

The concrete pillars too have been subjected to special treatment to bear the brunt of explosives. Given the bridge’s crucial location, a ring of air safety network has been cast against any aerial attack. The bridge, with a lifespan of 120 years, will be the first in the country to get such a sophisticated ring of security.

Mobilisation of resources has been completed with about 8,000 tonnes of steel already stacked up at the work site and the erection of concrete piers. Real work will start once the Finnish company prepares the final design, which is expected in about three months. The project is expected to be completed by December 2017.

The pylon of cable cars is in place and, tragically, during the initial work, two personnel lost their lives due to a malfunction at the worksite.

The tall rail bridge — 359 metres from the river bed — has been designed to withstand wind speed of up to 260 km an hour, though the in-built system will automatically stop movement of trains as and when the wind velocity reaches 90 to 100 km an hour. Generally the wind blows at about 40 km per hour at these higher reaches.

To construct this 70-km stretch, which has 18 tunnels and 26 bridges, the KRCL has had to construct 166 km of new roads on these steep mountain slopes, much to the delight of the local people living in remote villages. “We had to otherwise trek our way to and fro,” said a gleeful Mushtaq Ahmed.

Now buses trundle along these roads, most of which are yet to be black-topped. It has also opened up new opportunities, with commercial activities too picking up along the routes, spurring economic development.

It has given more than 4,000 jobs to the locals, including those who had gone wayward. “The families of surrendered militants come to us pleading that their wards be given jobs,” said project director Rajesh Tripathi.

As a matter of fact, the project has been specifically aligned to touch the lives of the people. The government had struck down the initial blueprint that suggested a couple of tunnels of 35-50 km length and just about a couple of bridges. But that would have bypassed the local residents, who can now use the train service.

Both Mr. Tripathi and Mr. Agarwal expressed confidence of completing the bridge in 42 months, the latest by 2016.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3540272.ece

Gingelom 14 May 2012

On 14 May I took some pictures on the way to Gingelom and of my Gingelom student and her family

The road to Kerkom, my bicycle and the field with yellow flowers

Two Gingelom sisters

Two Gingelom sisters

And their mother

To see more Belgium (mostly Limburg) pictures :

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/

More Belgium pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Artillery Batallion moved to LoC as Pakistan shells Poonch posts again; Fourth truce violation in 5 days; soldier wounded

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria & Darshan Bharti, Tribune News Service

Jammu/Poonch, June 17. Pakistani troops today violated ceasefire for the fourth time in the last five days and pounded Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) with mortar shells in Poonch district, promoting the Army to move an artillery battalion to forward posts in Krishna Ghati (KG) sector.

Reliable sources told The Tribune that an artillery battalion has been moved from Mendhar to effectively check possible infiltration attempts by militants from across the border besides dealing with frequent “misadventures of a hostile neighbour.”

The fresh violation, 16th this year, resulted in injuries to Sepoy Kundan Singh of 3 Grenadiers.

“Last night, around 10.15 pm, Pakistani troops opened heavy fire on our posts in KG sector using mortars and automatic weapons. Initially, the intensity was low but from 11.15 onwards, they started firing mortars, forcing us to give them an effective response,” said an Army spokesperson. The exchange of fire continued till 12.30 am.

At least 12 Indian posts were targeted by 653 Mujahid Regiment of the Pakistan Rangers, who used rocket launchers, heavy machine gun and UBGL grenades, said official sources. “Pakistan Rangers opened fire from Daku, Battal, Roza and Pimple posts opposite KG sector,” they added. The Pakistani troops have so far violated the truce four times since June 13 resulting in killing of two soldiers Lance Naik Harvinder Singh and BSF jawan P K Mishra. Three soldiers have been injured.

“In the last five days, Pakistani troops have been continuously targeted our forward posts. Therefore, the Army, which exercised maximum restraint to de-escalate the situation, has now moved an artillery battalion from Mendhar to forward posts in KG sector,” revealed sources.

Yesterday, the Pak Rangers had refused to attend a crucial flag meeting at Chakan-da-Bagh trade point.

According to sources, the Pakistan Army and the ISI have moved militants very close to the LoC with an aim to help them cross over to the Indian side. However, they have not succeeded and were targeting forward Indian posts in sheer frustration.

Heavy firing from across the border created panic among the residents of Sagra, Balnoi, Gani and Dabraj villages close to the LoC in KG sector. These villages have a population of over 10,000.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120618/main3.htm

BBC News – Manmohan Singh and the politics of decency

Tuesday, 12 June 2012. Not so long ago, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was lauded for his calm demeanour and for practising a politics of decency and reconciliation.

His supporters would say that these qualities stood India in good stead: they cite the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks when Mr Singh refused to indulge in war mongering against Pakistan and ratchet up the tension.

Even his critics would concede that during his government’s fruitful first term in office, the diarchy – the technocrat, politics-averse Mr Singh running the government and the dynast Sonia Gandhi running the party – looked like a smart arrangement.

Politics is a fickle business, and three years into the Congress-led government’s second dismal term in office, Mr Singh’s strengths – and the Delhi diarchy – appear to have become liabilities.

They are being blamed for what critics call a paralysis gripping Mr Singh’s government, bogged down by charges of graft and inaction and saddled with an economy which seems to have stalled. “Mr Singh has plainly run out of steam,” the Economist magazine says.

The latest salvo has come from ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, which cut its outlook on India in April.

In an unexceptional report warning that India could be the first Bric nation to lose its investment grade status, the agency’s economists say Mr Singh “often appears to have limited ability to influence his cabinet colleagues and proceed with the liberalisation policy he favours”. It doesn’t forget to remind that Mr Singh is an “unelected” prime minister who “lacks a political base of his own,” and that political power is held by Mrs Gandhi who holds no cabinet position.

Last week, Mr Singh’s former media advisor and journalist Harish Khare launched an unusual broadside against his former boss, hinting that the prime minister’s innate decency may be a handicap. “Manmohan Singh is not corrupt, but he is definitely guilty,” Mr Khare wrote in The Hindu newspaper. “He can be easily charged – along with his political partner Mrs Sonia Gandhi – of pursing a politics of decency and of elevating reconciliation to a matter of state policy.”

‘Cost of confrontation’

Mr Khare blames Mr Singh for not having the pluck to take on cunning civil society activists and rogue corporate interests who are trying to discredit his government; he also criticises him for not using his considerable intellectual heft to challenge government auditors who the government believes have exaggerated the revenue losses due to sale of telecom licences.

“Manmohan Singh is guilty of pursuing the noble quest for reconciliation at the expense of another maxim of statecraft: those who spurn the public authority’s hand of reconciliation must be made to learn the cost of confrontation,” concludes Mr Khare.

Over the weekend, senior journalist Barkha Dutt bemoaned Mr Singh’s “loss of personality”, alluding to how the prime minister took on his government’s key Communist allies during his first term while pushing ahead with the civilian nuclear deal with the US. “The PM’s strongest trait – an indisputable personal decency – has now come to be conflated with his biggest weakness – a timidity of style that prevents robust decision-making. While even today his sharpest critics do not question the PM’s personal integrity, decency is no longer acceptable as a substitute for inaction,” she wrote.

The taciturn and inscrutable Mr Singh – an “antidote to the comedic stereotype of the brash and irate Sikh”, as historian Patrick French once described him – hardly gives interviews. So we really don’t know how he feels about being called a timid and overly decent man who avoids confrontation at the cost of credibility. We also don’t know whether India’s Deng Xiaoping has lost his appetite for economic reforms in the ongoing political battle between reformists and populists, which the latter are clearly winning.

But a rare interview by Mr Singh from 1996 may offer some clues to the problems facing the prime minister today. Reflecting on his years as the finance minister in PV Narasimha Rao’s minority government, Mr Singh told journalist Vir Sanghvi that the liberalisation process he initiated in 1991 ground to a halt after “politics took over on December 6, 1992″, the day Hindu fanatics demolished the Babri mosque. “After that it was just politics that was on everybody’s mind. And an important matter like cutting the fiscal deficit did not receive much importance as it should have been.”

India’s politics is possibly looking as divisive and broken today. The most practical kind of politics is the politics of decency, Theodore Roosevelt once said. If the critics are to be believed, it isn’t working in India these days. India needs temperate leaders, and most people believe Mr Singh is one. But temperate leaders needn’t be weak.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-18340413