Shinde leads Indian Power Delegation to USA
Union Power Minister, Shri SushilKumar Shinde who is leading a delegation of Indian power sector to the United States, met his American Counterpart Samuel Bodman. They discussed various issues of Indo-US cooperation in the India-US Energy Dialogue. They also discussed issues relating to clean coal technology, energy efficiency and conservation, participation of US companies in Indian power sector and energy security. India and US recently signed an agreement for Indian participation in the FutureGen project to develop zero emission coal based power plants.
The delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of Power, Chairman and Managing Director of the Power Finance Corporation of India, which is the largest financial institution in the power sector, representatives of private power producers of India, is conducting a road show to inform potential investors in the US regarding the opportunities that the Indian power sector presents to them.
Shri SushilKumar Shinde also held a meeting with US industry at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC on April 25. A large number of US power sector companies, including GE, ABB, Caterpillar, AES etc. participated in the meeting. Indian Ambassador to the US, Mr. Ronen Sen and Chairman, Overseas Private Investment Corporation of the US, Mr. Robert Mosbacher Jr also participated in the meeting. The US companies evinced a lot of interest in participation in the Ultra Mega Power Projects which the Ministry of Power is in the process of setting up in India. Two of these projects will be coal pithead based plants and three would be coastal plants based on imported coal. Power Finance Corporation is establishing shell companies to set up these projects and obtain all necessary regulatory clearances and fuel linkages. Ministry of Power is inviting private investment including from the US in these shell companies. The whole process of selection of private investors in these companies is to be completed by January 2007.
Power Finance Corporation, International Finance Corporation and National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association of the US signed an MOU on April 25 in the presence of Shri SushilKumar Shinde. These organizations will cooperate in implementation of rural electrification projects with the ultimate goal of electrifying every village by the year 2009 and every household by 2012 as envisaged under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidhyutikaran Yojana.
Human Rights Bodies concerned about Impact of Raising the Narmada Dam Height
April 2006 The following statement was issued today by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders, Hina Jilani; the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, Miloon Kothari, and the SpecialRapporteur on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, Rodolfo Stavenhagen.
We are concerned about the recent decision of the the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) to further raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River from the present 110.64 metres to 121.92 metres and reports indicating that this will result in the submergence of villages and displacement of over 35,000 families According to a Supreme Court judgement in 2000 any further increase with respect to the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam should be preceded by the implementation of resettlement and rehabilitation measures. However,according to reports received, adequate rehabilitation has not yet been provided for those affected at the current dam-height, many of them indigenous peoples and farmers. Official estimates say that an additional 24,421 families in 177 villages of Madhya Pradesh are to be displaced at the dam height of 121.92 metres. We are concerned about information indicating that in Madhya Pradesh rehabilitation sites are still not ready and none of the sites have sufficient house plots for affected families and that this may leave people homeless when affected villages are submerged. Furthermore, alternative agricultural land is reportedly not being provided, and where land has been allotted as in Maharashtra and Gujarat, it is uncultivable and inadequate.We are aware of the indefinite sit-in (dharna) by the over 300 dam-affected and activists of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA - Save Narmada Movement) in New Delhi since 17 March, demanding a halt to construction at the Sardar Sarovar dam. We are also aware of the three NBA activists who have been on an indefinite fast since 29 March, recently joined by other human rights defenders. We are seriously concerned about recent information according to which on the night of 5 April, a large police force allegedly used indiscriminate force against the protestors, arrested and hospitalised Ms Medha Patkar and Mr Jamsing Nargave on the eighth day of their fast and detained another 25 NBA activists. Testimonies suggest that the use of force was excessive and disproportionate.
In view of the above, we urge the Government of India to release the report of the findings of the three Union Ministers who visited the Narmada Valley on 7 April to assess the status of resettlement and rehabilitation, as reportedly announced by the Minister of Water Resources in a statement dated 4 April. We also urge the Government of India and appropriate authorities to take immediate steps to ensure that any further raising of the dam height will not result in the violation of the human rights of those affected, including to ensure that just and proper resettlement and rehabilitation of all the affected is provided in accordance with international human rights instruments, including the right to food and adequate housing as enshrined, for example, in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Such measures could include the undertaking of a comprehensive assessment of the entire resettlement and rehabilitation experience in the areas affected by the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, possibly through the setting up of an independent inquiry. Until the human rights of those affected can be guaranteed we recommend that the construction of the dam is halted.
We are also deeply concerned regarding the situation of those carrying out peaceful protest to demonstrate their opposition to the raising of the dam-level. We remind the Government that the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders protects the right to peacefully react or oppose any action detrimental to human rights or fundamental freedoms. We, therefore, recommend that the allegations of indiscriminate and excessive use of force by the police against activists engaged in the protest is properly investigated and that action is taken against the responsible officers, as appropriate. In this context it is also recommended that proper and swift investigation is undertaken with respect to allegations of false charges, if any, against Ms Medha Patkar and other NBA activists.
Manmohan Examines Pakistan Indian Railway Lines
A meeting was held in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today to expedite action relating to improvement of the infrastructure at Attari Railway Station and Wagah international border in Punjab.The Trade and Economic Relations Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has approved several initiatives for improving trade within Pakistan. Upgradation of the infrastructure at Attari and Wagah is an essential part of this effort as the present infrastructure is inadequate even to meet the existing requirements and will fall woefully short in view of the exponential increase that is anticipated in the future. The Prime Minister had therefore, announced various initiatives during his visit to Amritsar on March 24, 2006 in connection with the launch of the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib Bus Service.
During the meeting, attended among others by Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Chief Secretary Punjab, it was decided that Cabinet approval would be obtained for four-laning of the road from Attari to Wagah. RITES and IL&FS have been appointed Consultants for preparing a comprehensive plan for the upgradation of the Attari Railway Station and Wagah international border. The reports of the Consultants will be taken up for implementation within a period of two months. The necessary funds would be provided by Ministry of Railways, MHA, Finance Ministry and other concerned Ministries.
It was noted that security fencing and construction of road along the Railway track and from Attari to the international border are already under implementation. The arrival and departure timings of trains at Attari have been revised in order to bring down waiting time. It was decided that attempts would be made to further reduce the waiting time. CS, Punjab assured that the land acquisition required for widening of the road and development of off-port facilities in the hinterland would be taken up on war footing by the Government of Punjab. In particular, widening of the road leading to Attari Railway Station will be completed by June 30, 2006.
Demand for Security Technology on the Increase in the Middle East
Muscat, To keep pace with the increased spending on enterprise security products in the region, Online Distribution, the leading value added networking distributor, and its partners presented the latest solutions to improve internet security at Comex 2006, Oman’s largest IT exhibition.According to analyst firm Datamonitor, increased interest in security solutions among enterprises around the world has ensured that security product revenues have exceeded those of many other IT solutions. Global spending on enterprise security products will rise to $13.5 billion in 2006, spurred on by the need for security administrators to manage an increasing number of new threats, and Online Distribution aims to increase the depth of security offered to medium and large enterprises while raising awareness of the threats posed to organisations. The company is strengthening its presence in Oman and representing three vendors, CipherTrust, Proxim and Juniper at Comex this year. (PhotoSushma Kajaria, security business unit manager, Online Distribution)
“Companies are spending the most money on intrusion protection, vulnerability assessment solutions and security management tools, due largely to a number of high-profile virus outbreaks. This encourages companies to embed more technologies at each layer of the enterprise: at the perimeter, within the network, on servers and on client devices such as PCs and PDAs,” said Sushma Kajaria, security business unit manager, Online Distribution.
Solutions highlighted at the show included the IronMail appliance from CipherTrust, the leader in messaging security, designed to protect enterprise e-mail users worldwide from viruses, spam and outside intrusion; and a broad range of Juniper Network’s award-winning networking and security solutions. By combining the skills and expertise of its partnership companies, OnLine Distribution is able to offer one of the most comprehensive and sophisticated IT security systems on the market.
“The acquisition and collaboration of our partnership corporations is a direct response to a demand for higher levels of IT security in medium and large enterprises. We know that building the right technology security infrastructure is a focus for the government and corporates in Oman. We are committed to serving this market and events such as these help us connect better with our customers,” added Kajaria.
Fraud Groups Target Expatriate Traders
April 22, 2006 Many organised criminal gangs manage fake trading companies in different parts of UAE. These firms target new trading companies who can be easily taken for a ride after developing trustworthy business in the beginning. Al Lasker Eid Trading which operated from Nakheel Center, vanished a week (Thursday April 12, 2006) ago after duping many Indian traders and suppliers in dark. Reports suggested that it purchased many items paying post dated chques worth millions of Dirhams. Paradoxically enough, the high profile company which operated from Nakheel Center, Diera is a partnership firm of a police official! with a Malayali carpenter. While Malayalis, Punjabis, Bengladeshis and Pakistanis worked for the dubious firm, most ofthe victims are South Indian traders.
Many traders who have complaints about the Indian managers of Laskari Eid Trading Establishment said tht when they approached a police station with complaints, their complaint was not registered as a fraud, but only as mere cheque bouncing case. Its Chief Executive offer was in fact a carpenter working for a contracting company of Dubai! How can a carpenter become Chief Executive Officer and deal in millions worth of cheques and business? It was only about four months ago that its name was changed and ownership changed from a Sudani partner to a Malayali carpenter.
"The company has defrauded at least 20 trading companies in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman by giving many bounced and fake cheques worth Dhs 25 million or more. They were indiscriminately buying containers of rice, garments, bulbs, toothpaste, brush and other stationary items. A company supplied huge quantity of metal halelet bulbs said the company was cheated by the marketing manger of the company who approached them after seeing newspaper advertisement for a sales executive . A Malayali lady from Sharjah delivered them 6000 tea shirts worth Dhs 40,000. Another computer company official said they are duped to the tune of Dhs 5 lakh because the chque issued for various computer products, printers and stationary items bounced.
"They were buying containers full of stationary items like photocopier papers, pelican. From various garment factories in Ajman and Sharjah, they have purchased goods on credit," added the Indian businesswomen who said she also approached the Naif police station with a complaint. "They were running other shops in Memzar building and other parts of the city. We have caught two of the people who were working for the firm. They managed three warehouses in Ajman, Al Qouz and Qesis, all of which remain empty now. One of the culprits admitted that he has goods worth Dhs 10 lakh in his custody.
Ten Thousand Women, Children Kidnapped in Iraq.
BAGHDAD, 20 April (IRIN) - About 20,000 people, nearly half of them women and children, have been kidnapped throughout the country since the beginning of the year, according to a survey conducted by several local NGOs."The recent increase in violence has led to the formation of hundreds of new criminal gangs with different aims," said Ahmed Barak, a volunteer for the Iraqi Aid Association. "Some of the kidnappings are related to sectarian violence and others are the work of extortionists looking for ransom." The study concluded that, despite numerous instances driven by pecuniary motivations, sectarian violence was the prime cause of the recent increase in kidnapping.
Government officials, however, have suggested that the numbers cited in the report are exaggerated. "It's true that, since the bombing of a major Shi'ite shrine in Samarra in February, sectarian violence has spread countrywide," said Major Hassan Fadhel, a senior police officer in the capital, Baghdad. "But the number of those kidnapped is fewer than that suggested by the survey."
Interior ministry sources agreed with this assessment. "We haven't registered these kinds of numbers," said Faissal Ali Dosseki, chief of the ministry's kidnap investigation department. "But we have to admit that kidnappings have increased dramatically, and urgent action is needed to overcome the phenomenon."
Dosseki noted that most kidnapping gangs were of local origin, and usually after ransom money. He added, however, that foreign elements were often involved in sectarian-related kidnappings. According to Dosseki, these are generally foreign Arabs who have come to Iraq to join the anti-US resistance - although security forces claim that most of these have been apprehended.
The list of the 125 NGOs which reportedly conducted the survey has not been released. But, according to official sources, they include several large humanitarian organisations operating in Iraq, especially in the southern regions.About 70,000 Iraqis have been displaced due to the sectarian violence that has wracked the country since the February Samarra bombing.
Roads and Transport Authority launches its portal, www.rta.ae
April 12, 2006-- The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai today (Wednesday, April 12, 2006), officially announced the launch of its portal www.rta.ae. The bilingual website (English and Arabic) has been launched in line with the newly launched corporate identity and organizational structure of RTA. The banner of the website signifies the comprehensive and integrated transport system that the RTA is committed to achieve, and also complements its vision of providing safe and smooth transport for all.
The user-friendly portal is being developed in phases. The first phase will focus on the relevance of the organization, its role, responsibilities and structure. The content will feature updated news and developments in the organization, in addition to all the major activities and events. Besides this, the progress on various prominent strategic projects undertaken by the RTA will be displayed on the website to keep people updated. Information on the Dubai Metro project, public transport information like the bus routes and other directory services will be available on the portal in the second phase.
Saudi journalist arrested for criticising religious extremism in his country
Reporters Without Borders today condemned the detention of Rabah Al-Quwai, who writes for the Saudi daily newspapers Okaz and Chams and the Arabic-language websites Dar el-Nadwa and Gasad al-Thaqafa. He has been held at a police station in the northern city of Hail since 2 April, apparently for criticising religious extremism in Saudi Arabia. "The arrest of a journalist for expressing his views on the Internet is simply unacceptable," the press freedom organisation said. "We also deplore the lack of transparency in this case. No one knows what he has been charged with. He has not been allowed to receive a visit from a lawyer or his family although he has been held for more than a week."
Reporters Without Borders added: "We appeal to King Abdullah to intervene and have this journalist released. The time has come for him to show that he is sincere in his pledges to carry out reforms in the kingdom."Reached by a family member at the time of his arrest, Al-Quwai said the police were "investigating the beliefs he had expressed in his writing." The Saudi authorities have confirmed his arrest and have said he will be tried. But they have not said what the charges are.Al-Quwai received death threats last November over website articles that were considered too liberal. He wrote that Islam was interpreted in too strict a fashion in Saudi Arabia and that this had contributed to Al-Qaeda's popularity there. Someone smashed the windscreen of his car, leaving a note saying: "Next time it will be you." The police never investigated this incident.
Indian Energy Delegation to DohaShri Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas has left for Doha, Qatar leading a high level Indian delegation to the 10th International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial Conference. The three-day Conference (22nd to 24th April 2006) is being attended by oil Ministers from 56 countries and six International Organizations. These include oil Ministers from all leading consumer countries like USA, China, Japan, Korea India, etc. and the leading producer countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Sudan, Nigeria, Venezuela, etc. Oil Ministers from other leading countries like Denmark, France, Norway, Oman, Germany, Indonesia, UAE, host Qatar, etc. are also attending. The International Energy Forum is the highest-level biennial informal Ministerial Meeting, bringing together both the energy producing and the energy consuming countries to discuss the world’s energy issues.
Shri Deora will have a unique opportunity of delivering a keynote address at such high-level Forum on 23rd April on the subject of “Facing the Challenges of New Era” as part of the theme of the conference - “Fuelling the future Energy Security – A Shared Responsibility”. This will help him in putting across India’s views on international issues and challenges faced by oil and gas industry particularly in the wake of unprecendented /record breaking increase in global oil prices. Other members of Indian delegation include Petroleum Secretary Shri M.S. Srinivasan and Chairman IndianOil, CMD ONGC and MD Petronet LNG.
On the sidelines of the Conference, Shri Deora will be holding bilateral discussions with his counterparts from Qatar, Norway, Japan, Korea, and Netherlands. He is also expected to discuss mutual cooperation in hydrocarbon sector with his ministerial counterparts from Nigeria, Russia, Kuwait, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, etc.
Along with the Ministerial Conference, Indian delegation will also participate in the associated events like International Energy Business Forum (IEBF) where Secretary (P& NG) Shri M.S. Srinivasan will be a panelist in the third session on “Access to Energy” while Chairman, IOC would be speaking on “Partnership – Finding The Balance”. Twenty-nine companies including IndianOil and ONGC are taking part in the IFBF which is also being attended by the CEOs of leading oil companies like ExxonMobile, Chevron, BP, Shell, CNOOC, ENI, Kuwait Petroleum Corpn, PdVSA, Petronas, Saudi Aramco, etc.
India-Syria Agreement to boost Agricultural Cooperation
The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Syrian Arab Republic, Dr. Farukh Taha calls on the Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Kanti Lal Bhuria, in New Delhi on April 21, 2006.
India and Syria have agreed to draw a work plan to identify specific activities for cooperation in agriculture and allied fields, which the two countries could undertake in the next two years. For this a delegation from India will visit Syria in August, this year. This was decided during the discussions between the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Kanti Lal Bhuria and Deputy Foreign Minister of Syria, Mr. M. Farooq Taha, here today. Mr. Taha, who is currently on a visit to India in connection with Foreign Office consultations between India and Syria, had come to Krishi Bhawan to pay a courtesy call to Shri Bhuria.
The two Ministers had wide ranging discussions on ways and means of enhancing agricultural cooperation between India and Syria as agriculture plays a very significant role in the economies of both the countries. Shri Bhuria conveyed the earnest desire of the Government of India to extend suitable assistance for further development of agriculture in Syria. Mr. Taha recognised the impressive strides made by Indian agriculture and the contributions of Indian farmers and scientists in making their country self-sufficient in its foodgrains requirement and expressed his hope that India could contribute to strengthening Syrian Agriculture. Both Shri Bhuria and Mr. Taha expressed confidence that cooperation in agriculture will foster still closer ties between India and Syria and therefore, the two Governments would accord priority to this area.Mr. Taha also extended an invitation of the Syrian Government to Shri Bhuria to visit Syria.
Two Dubai scribes acquitted in Alukkas jewellery case
By Mohsen Rashid (Khaleej Times)
6 April 2006 DUBAI ·The Dubai Court of Appeal recently acquitted the British editor of English daily 7 Days, Moustafa Noaman Abdul Jabbar Al Rawi, and a freelance Indian reporter, V M Satish, of the charge of publishing a false news report regarding Alukkas Jewellery. They had carried a report asserting that the Alukkas Jewellery management had asked its employees to shave off their facial hair, or else face a termination of service.Alukkas said in its complaint that the report carried by the paper said that about 100 employees had, in reaction to this controversial directive, already shaved off their moustaches lest they be sacked from service. Full Report
Al Yousuf Motors wins GM Chairman’s Challenge
Al Yousuf management with the 2005 Chairman’s Challenge Award
Only UAE dealer to achieve this prestigious milestone
Dubai, Al Yousuf Motors, the leading Chevrolet dealer, has won the prestigious General Motors 2005 Chairman’s Challenge award for the fifth time since its inception in the region by exceeding the objectives set by the manufacturer and posting an impressive 89 per cent increase in vehicle sales in 2005, over the previous year.
Bob Lutz, vice chairman, General Motors, presented Suhail Zain El-Deen, chief operating officer, Al Yousuf LLC, with the award earlier this month at a gala dinner in South Africa attended by senior executives of the company.
“We are delighted to have received this award and we wish to thank all our valued customers for their confidence and support,” said Suhail Zain El-Deen. “An unparalleled line-up of vehicles in addition to a great partnership with General Motors will allow us to continue our commitment to deliver an exceptional customer experiences in the future as well.”
The Chairman’s Challenge Award recognises the performance of the company’s regional dealers in the areas of sales, customer enthusiasm and other operational measures against pre-set targets. Dealers are challenged to excel at delighting their customers and surpass their targets.
“Congratulations to the Al Yousuf team who have worked tirelessly. Their contribution has been invaluable and helped General Motors achieve impressive growth in the region,” said Terry Johnsson, managing director of General Motors, Middle East.
A lot of Al Yousuf’s success in 2005 was the result of having dedicated sales teams working on project “Overdrive” which focused on increasing customer satisfaction in the service and parts departments. In line with General Motors’ strategy, Al Yousuf Motors has also set up a dedicated customer satisfaction department to ensure the highest quality of services to its customers.
“A clearly focused customer oriented strategy is helping us notch up extraordinary results. This is a great team effort and I would like to thank the team for their support and dedication,” said Bill Ryan, managing director, Al Yousuf Motors.
