2 Millenium TodayNew Delhi, Sunday 12 November, 2017

(English Daily)

Editorials

he boiler explosion at NTPC’s Unchahar power plant in Rae

Bareli underscores the importance of inspections and Tprotocols for hazardous industrial operations. It has cost at

least 32 lives and caused severe injuries to scores of personnel. High

pressure boilers are hazardous pieces of equipment, which are strictly

regulated with special laws. In fact, the basic objective of the Indian

Boilers Act, 1923 is to ensure the safety of life and protection of

property by mandating uniform standards in the quality and upkeep of

these units. That the Uttar Pradesh government failed miserably in

meeting this objective is evident from the accident at the public sector

facility. Quite clearly, the accident was entirely preventable because

boilers are designed to provide warnings as soon as dangerous pressure

builds up and trigger automatic safety devices at a critical point. They

should undergo periodic inspections to ensure that all these features are

working and intact. At the Unchahar plant, the blocking of an outlet for

waste gases by ash, unusual in a fairly new boiler, calls for an inquiry

into the quality of the equipment and the fuel used. Ideally, these aspects

should be investigated by an external agency and not the NTPC.

Industrial regulation has, unfortunately, come to be viewed as a barrier

to ease of doing business in India. This is a result of inefficiency and

corruption and the typical response of governments has been to relax

crucial safety checks. Self-certification and third-party certification of

facilities has received support from policymakers even in the case of

boilers. Soon after assuming office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi

likened maintenance of boilers to that of a privately owned car, where

owners should be trusted to do their best because they understand the

need for safety in its operation. But the two are not comparable. The

Unchahar accident shows it is in everyone’s interest to have a

transparent regulatory mechanism for hazardous industrial activity. The

safety and welfare of workers and the public at large cannot be

compromised. A rigorous approach to accident reporting must become

part of the process if the weak spots in regulation are to be addressed.

National Crime Records Bureau data provide insights into casualties

caused by industrial boiler and gas cylinder explosions — there were 61

deaths in 2015 — and the rise in the number of accidents over the

previous year points to the need for strict enforcement of safety

protocols. The loss suffered by families of workers due to an accident

that could have been averted cannot be compensated just financially. It

must be the Centre’s endeavour to see that measures taken to make it

easy to do business do not translate into lack of regulation, and putting

lives at risk. Administrative reform can eliminate the corruption of

inspector raj and achieve transparent regulation, while keeping the

workplace safe.

Printed, Published and Ownerd By Braj

Bhushan Rai From S-557, 1st Floor, Main

Road, School Block, Shakarpur, Delhi-

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Editor: Braj Bhushan Rai

RNI No. : DELENG/2015/65362

early three months after violence escalated against the

Rohingya in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, leading to the Nexodus of more than half a million to neighbouring

Bangladesh, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi finally visited the

region. By all accounts, Ms. Suu Kyi had little more than platitudes to

offer and her words showed no recognition that what transpired is a

“textbook example of ethnic cleansing”, as the UN Human Rights chief

put it. This is extremely disappointing. Ms. Suu Kyi endured years of

house arrest and unremitting hostility from the military junta before

emerging victorious in a free and fair election two years ago. But despite

taking over a top post after the election, her civilian government’s

powers have been clipped as the military still holds sway over defence,

home affairs and border issues. Ms. Suu Kyi, a recipient of the Nobel

Peace Prize, has found it pragmatic not to challenge the official rhetoric

in Myanmar, which suggests the military’s actions were aimed at

tackling “terror” in Rakhine. This could be for two reasons. First, she

does not want to upset the fragile balance of power in the fledgling

democracy after years of rule by the junta. Second, there is a clear lack of

empathy for the Rohingya in a country that has seen the rise of Buddhist

and Bamar majoritarianism that has corresponded with an official

“othering” of the Rohingya, who are Muslims, as non-citizens. Despite

the widespread international condemnation of her government’s

actions, Ms. Suu Kyi has sought to pander to the domestic gallery by

defending the military’s actions in Rakhine. Her conduct during her visit

to the region this week suggests that she has no intention of effecting any

real or meaningful change in her government’s position on the

Rohingya.

The Rohingya, meanwhile, have been left to deal with themselves,

unwanted and stateless in their homeland and forced to migrate, mostly

to Bangladesh, in hazardous conditions. Dhaka has been trying to drum

up support and relief for the constant and unremitting stream of refugees

making their way to Bangladeshi soil. Against this background, it is

unfortunate that New Delhi has turned its back on the Rohingya

refugees, leading to perceptions that it has failed to rise to its status as a

regional power and take the lead in dealing with the humanitarian crisis.

The Myanmar government has said that it will repatriate returning

Rohingya if they prove they were residents of Rakhine, but it is not clear

how the refugees would be able to do so having been denied citizenship

and having fled their villages under duress with barely anything in hand.

Myanmar’s evasiveness makes it all the more imperative that the

international community, including India, quickly provide succour for

the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who are living on the edge.

The Unchahar tragedy points to an unforgivably lax safety protocol

The global community cannot afford to ignoreMyanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya

LG says oddeven is OK if green court clears it, govtpulls up socks

Millenium Today Millenium Today Millenium Today Millenium Today Millenium Today Millenium Today

N E W D E L H I : D e l h i chaired back-to-back p a s s e n g e r s a f e t y . Lieutenant Governor (L- meetings. “Sufficient number of G) Anil Baijal on Friday FREE BUS RIDES traffic supervisory staff gave his nod for the The minister announced and timekeepers will be government’s odd-even that the government will deputed to help the car rationing scheme but allow free travel for commuters. DTC helpline with a rider. commuters in all Delhi N o . 4 1 4 0 0 4 0 0 & On Thursday, soon after Transport Corporation 1800118181 wi l l be

chief minister Arvind and cluster buses from functional round-the-Kejriwal decided to bring November 13-17. Also, clock during the odd-even b a c k t h e o d d e v e n 50% of the seats in all scheme for any kind of scheme, the file was sent DTC buses wi l l be h e l p , ” s a i d D T C to Baijal for his approval. reserved for women spokesperson Aradhna.He returned the file the during the drive. CAB AGGREGATORSn e x t d a y s a y i n g , “The free bus ride will cost Cab aggregators Ola and “Approved, subject to the the government around Uber met Gahlot on NGT order, i f any,” ₹15 crore for five days. Friday and said they sources said. wou ld suspend the DTC and DIMTS won’t B u t d e s p i t e t h e dynamic pricing during have to bear the loss as uncertainty and the the five days of odd-even.the amount wi l l be National Green Tribunal’s While Uber had already reimbursed to them,” an rap, the government held announced the move on official said.a series of meetings to Thursday and offered The corporation has e n s u r e p r o p e r cheaper cab rides to and arranged 500 private arrangements for the from metro stations, Ola b u s e s , u n d e r drive. Transport minister jumped into the fray on ‘Paryavaran Bus Seva’, Kailash Gahlot, who is at Friday.and each of them will the helm of the drive, h a v e m a r s h a l s f o r

Mob damages Shahdara rly stationNEW DELHI: A mob, passenger train from forcing them to hide.fur ious wi th t ra in Delhi to Shamli led to The station master delays, allegedly went the ruckus . Scheduled informed the control on the rampage at the to arrive at 6pm, the room and the police. A Shahdara ra i lway train did not reach the team from the RPF station on Thursday station by 8pm, which reached the spot and night– pelting stones led to the mob staging pacified the crowd.and damaging the protest and damaging An RPF officer said that premises. rail property. two men seen carrying A mob of around 50 A Railway Protection the bench on the tracks persons damages the Force (RPF) officer were caught and fined p o w e r c a b i n a n d said that there were under the Railways Act. d e l a y e d t r a i n announcements to The RPF is analysing movements on the inform the passengers the CCTV footage to tracks by throwing one about the delay and the i d e n t i f y o t h e r s of the benches from the revised arrival time. involved.station onto the tracks. Eyewitnesses to ld DCP metro Pankaj No one was injured in police that the mob first Singh said no case has the ruckus, said the stoned the power cabin been registered and police. inside the station and that the matter is being According to police, a later pelted stones at probed by the RPF.twoh our delay of a the staff members

A R M E R : T h e On November 9, HT Laxman Solanki, after education department r e p o r t e d o n h o w which he issued the on Friday suspended Choudhary did not suspens ion order. the principal who was a l low a group o f Choudhary had been accused of caste- students to sit for their put on compulsory wait based discrimination in midday meals with after the issue came to a school in Barmer. upper caste children or light.D is t r i c t educat ion drink water from the On Tuesday, around 24 o f f i cer Shankar la l same tank. Twenty- of the 144 students Khorwal said that the four students also told lodged a complaint with allegations were found police that their plates local police under the to be true after which were kept separate Scheduled Caste and principal Raichandram from those of upper Tribes (Prevention of Choudhary, of the caste children. Atrocit ies) Act for government upper Khorwal said that on alleged caste-based pr imary school in Thursday he got the discrimination. Puniyon Ki Dhani, probe report from the 100km off Barmer, was Dhor imanna b lock suspended. educa t ion o f f i ce r,

ollutants from west Asia aided haze, says MetNEWDELHI: Pollution burning regions of Punjab night and Thursday levels in Delhi-NCR, that and Haryana, pushed up morning, dropped to 540 had breached emergency the pollution levels in ug/m3 by Friday night. levels on Tuesday and Delhi,” said Gufran Beig, PM10 values above 500 continued to deteriorate p r o j e c t d i r e c t o r o f d e n o t e e m e r g e n c y over the next two days, SAFAR. levels.improved significantly on The Air Quality Index Similarly PM2.5 levels, Friday. (AQI) of Delhi dropped which had crossed 600 W i t h w i n d s p e e d marginally from 486 on ug/m3 on Wednesday expected to pick up from Thursday to 468 on night, came down to 389 Saturday, the air quality Friday. ug/m3 by Friday night. may return to being ‘very “The actual improvement PM2.5 values above 300 poor’ by Sunday night. was, however, better d e n o t e e m e r g e n c y Experts from SAFAR, reflected in the level of levels.which is maintained by particulate matter that “The s i t ua t i on has the Union ministry of dropped drastically with improved significantly earth sciences, said that every passing hour in the compared to what it was a major portion of the National Capital Region. o n T u e s d a y a n d pollutants that triggered Visibility range, which Wednesday. We are the haze had come from had dropped below 50 e x p e c t i n g f u r t h e r west Asian countries like metres on Wednesday, i m p r o v e m e n t s o n Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi also improved to 400 Saturday and Sunday,” Arabia. m e t r e s o n F r i d a y said an official of regional “These pollutants were morning,” said D Saha, weather forecast ing transported to Delhi and head of the air quality centre .other parts of northwest laboratory of Central Met officials said that India by strong-velocity Pollution Control Board. surface level winds, h i gh -a l t i t ude w inds CPCB data says that the which would help to flush coming from west Asia. PM10 level, which was out the pollutants, are still T h i s , a l o n g w i t h hovering above 880 calm and is likely to pick pollutants from stubble ug/m3 on Wednesday up speed by Saturday.

The Aravallis are vital for Delhi’s airNEW DELHI : Many – causing the air quality to destroyed, and there is no reasons have been cited deteriorate. “Every step sign of the damage for the poor air quality in we take in the name of abating. The government Delhi, but a significant development today is is yet to demarcate its part of the blame goes to wrong. We are only boundaries and stop the destruction wrought throwing petrol into the encroachment,” Ravi upon the Aravallis for fire. Today’s discussion Agarwal, director of

T o x i c s Link and a f o r m e r member of the Ridge Management Board, told HT.T h e l e c t u r e w a s moderated b y B e l i n d a W r i g h t , executive director of t h e

short-sighted gains. m a y b e a b o u t t h e W i l d l i f e P r o t e c t i o n A discussion on ecology Aravallis, but the real Society of India, and at the ongoing Aravalli problem we are facing is featured Pranay Lal, an U t s a v i n D e l h i o n the four horsemen of the artist-biochemist in the Thursday dwelled on how apocalypse: ignorance, field of public health and t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f arrogance, avarice and environment and Vidya sensitive ecosystems a p a t h y , ” h e s a i d . Athreya, a Maharashtra-such as the mountain Vehicles, industries and based ecologist.range signifies a near- power plants are a major The Utsav is an initiative suicidal apathy towards source of pollution in of NGO iamgurgaon, in the environment. northern India. The collaboration with the Bittu Sahgal, editor of Aravallis ridge in the India Photo Archive Sanctuary Asia and an Capital helps convert Foundation, supported by avid environmentalist, carbon dioxide to oxygen, the Union ministry of said a misguided idea of playing an important role environment, forests and development has laid in trapping pollutants and climate change and the waste to the Aravallis – regulating temperature. Hindustan Times.sometimes called the “Today, more than 40% of green lungs of the Capital the ridge has been

I keep going... exercise (in foul air)can’t be bad’Bhure Lal begins his Mughal Sarai and was a need more day on a yoga mat in a Lahore,” Lal said, amid proactive action on the corner of Lodhi Garden a confirmatory roll of part of the authorities. come rain or smog. On murmur from his fellow We, as part of the t h e c h i l l y, f o g g y walkers at the park in EPCA, passed the Thursday morning, central Delhi. directions regarding there was little to show Does it make sense to tougher measures the that Lal, who heads the e x e r c i s e w h e n day the air quality got Environment Pollution pollution levels are the worse. The agencies (Prevention & Control) highest early in the dragged their feet. We Authority (EPCA), the day? Lal doesn’t care. can’t go to them with a S u p r e m e C o u r t - “I keep coming, every gun in the hand. We will a p p o i n t e d p a n e l morning and almost report to the Supreme e n t r u s t e d w i t h e v e r y e v e n i n g . Court. Let it decide. I

don’t know w h y t h e y w e r e resisting … Maybe (it is) p o l i t i c a l pressure,” Lal, known f o r introducing the cleaner CNG fuel in Delhi, said.Hectic work schedule is b o u n d t o take a toll but this 75-

i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e Exercise and walking year-old is relentless. “I Graded Response can’t be bad for one’s have been travelling all Action Plan against health. This is a space over Delhi-NCR to visit pollution, is the man of to re-energise myself. I pollution hot spots and the moment as Delhi interact with people meet officials. For more faces toxic air yet again about things other than than a month, I have as winter approaches. what I do as part of been going to the “It (air quality) seems to EPCA.” borders of Delhi at b e b e t t e r t h a n In this green corner, night to survey trucks. I yesterday. Hopefully, 100-odd metres away speak to people there the smoggy conditions from Muhammad Shah to understand their w i l l c lea r ou t by Sayyid’s tomb, many problems. I go as a tomorrow. What we regulars haven’t been layman and observe,” witnessed in the past turning up in the past he said.two days is an unusual couple of days. Lal is And how will it all end? phenomenon for this flooded with phone “The agencies will give time of the year. The calls both at home and me technical solutions dirty hazy air we see is work f rom people that will take care of all not only confined to ask ing what they these hot spots,” said Delhi-NCR but I’ve should do. an upbeat Lal, before been to ld s im i la r “Things were very bad resuming his yoga c o n d i t i o n s a r e o n Tu e s d a y a n d asanas.prevailing in places like Wednesday. There

Principal accused of caste bias sacked