|
CUTS IN MEDIA |
|||||||
|
Special squads to check accidents in city limits Saturday,
10th August 2002
Saturday,
10th August 2002
Thursday,,8th
August 2002
Thursday,
8th August 2002
More reforms needed to push economy Monday,
29th April 2002 Jaipur, 29
July 2002: India needs faster second generation reforms to give a further push
to the economy, says Arvind Pangariya, co-director of the Centre for
International Economics at the University of Maryland, USA. Delivering a
lecture here on Economic Reforms in India:
The way forward, he hailed the reforms being undertaken by the government,
but said that a lot more has to be done. “What is
needed is to step up the pace of reforms if India to compete globally,” he
said. In his opinion
the reforms programme, which started in 1991, has taken the country forward.
Government monopoly has gone in major sectors, tariffs have come down and
domestic tax system tax system has improved. He said that
poverty ratio has come down from 36 per cent in 1993-94 to 26 per cent in
1999-2000, foreign investment has gone up and GDP ratio has also moved up
post-1991. “There is now a
general consensus on the reforms and all is needed is to go for faster second
generation reforms,” he said. The government
should go in for flexible labour laws like exit policy and new bankruptcy laws.
Besides this, the professor said the government should also put an end to
reservation policy for small scale industries as was recommended by Abid Hussain
Committee in 1996. “Until big
players are allowed into manufacturing activities, hitherto reserved for SSIs,
India cannot compete with China,” he said. He urged the
government to follow Malaysian approach on direct foreign investment, which
according to him is best suited for a country like India. Calling for bringing
down trade barriers, Pangariya said that tariffs should be brought down to
around 10 percent by 2006. Urging the
government to move out of manufacturing sector, the professor said that it
should take more interest in playing the role of a facilitator.
Regarding agriculture, the local lad who made it big in the USA, said
that the government should adopt a more liberal approach than what is being
pursued currently. He said that
this was one sector, which holds lots of promise for exports. At a later stage,
the government should also think of inviting foreign investment in the retail
sector, he said. Regarding
power reforms, Panagariya said that despite reforms being undertaken no special
success has been achieved so far. He said that a plan should be drawn to increase power generation and supply so that reforms do not suffer and a backlash is avoided. In Search of Foreign Investment Commerce Gazette, June-July 2002
Faster 2nd generation reforms a must Saturday
July 27th, 2002 WHAT INDIA now needs are faster
second generation reforms and elimination of subsidies to emerge as a stronger
economic entity. Advocating further
opening up and stepping up the pace of reforms, including flexible labour laws,
ending reservation for small scale sector and bringing down trade barriers
further was Arvind panagariya, a local lad who made it big in academics in the
united States of America. Prof Panagariya, who heads the
Centre for International Economics at the University of Maryland, USA was in
Jaipur at the invitation of CUTS centre for International Trade, Economics and
Environment. In a lecture on
‘Economic Reforms in India: The Way Forward’ here on Friday, the economics
professor was all praise for the bold economic decisions taken by the Narasimha
Rao government and said that over the years political consensus on the reform
process had become stronger. Although successive governments
were committed to the reform process and are taking decisions in the right
direction, what is needed is to step up the pace if India is to compete with
China. The government must get out of
manufacturing activity and take more interest in playing the role of a
facilitator, he said. He added that there could be no competition to China until big players were allowed entry into all manufacturing activities, hitherto reserved for the small scale sector in India. Transport Officer failed to reappear in case hearing Monday
July 01, 2002 Monday
June 24, 2002 The
US Farm Bill, which grants huge subsidies to US Cotton farmers is hurting
Australia and India, trade members said.
Despite low world prices, US farmers are expected to continue producing
large amounts of cotton with the help of higher subsidies, preventing a recovery
in prices, they said. Australia’s
cotton export market in India is already gnawed by the increasingly competitive
US exporters. And
if world textile prices fall as a result of lower cotton prices, India’s
export competitiveness in textiles too may take a beating, they added. In
the August-January period of the current marketing year, India’s imports of
cotton from the US shot up to 128.065 tonnes, while purchases from Australia
stood at 27,280 tonnes.
India’s imports from the US were large “due to highly competitive US
prices vis-à-vis other regions”, the USDA report stated.
A further fall in US cotton prices due to the subsidy is likely and is
expected to boost imports of US cotton into India, industry members said, US
cotton already accounts for more than half of India’s total cotton imports of
2.2. million bales, the USDA report said.
One bale is equal to 170 kgs. Trade members say total cotton imports into
India are set to rise if local cotton prices exceed global price levels. “Indian
mills are fond of cotton that’s the cheapest,”said a Bombay-based cotton
trader. “If
local prices go up, the threat of import is there. That hurts the interests of
the farmers here. “ India has a subsidy programme for cotton farmers as well,
but its dole-outs to farmers are small compared to the US, trade members said.
India gives indirect subsidies to farmers with reduced prices for fertilizers
and pesticides, India also annually sets a minimum support price (MSP) and buys
cotton from farmers if market prices fall below the MSP. Lower
world prices are driving up subsidy costs to the Indian government, a senior
official at India’s textile ministry said. In the cotton year ending September
2002, the government is estimated to spend Rs.80-90 crore on cotton purchases
from farmers, he said.
In comparison, costs to the government last year were negligible. “Next
(cotton) year, if subsidies in the US are given, prices would fall further,”
he said, adding the government will have to spend more on buying larger amounts
of cotton from farmers. Industry
analysts say the new US legislation violates the spirit of the World Trade
Organisation talks held at Doha last year where a removal of farm subsidies was
agreed upon by participants.
“It’s a slap in the face of the WTO, “said Pradeep Mehta, Secretary
General at CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment.
CUTS stands for Consumer Unity & Trust Society. “Subsidies to farmers
amounts to three-and-a-half times the cotton price there (the US).” Falling
global prices have already altered India’s trade balance in cotton.
Until three years ago, India --- the world’s third largest cotton
producer – was a net exporter. Now, it’s the world’s third largest
importer of cotton. Earlier
this year, India raised the import duty on raw cotton to 10 percent from 5 per
cent, ostensibly to curb imports.
Under the WTO rules, India can increase the import duty to between 40 per
cent to 80 per cent depending on the cotton variety. Industry members say a fall
in global cotton prices could drive global textile prices down and hurt
India’s export competitiveness. “When international cotton prices decline,
international textile prices will also decline and we are not able to match
that,” said D.K. Nair, secretary general of the Indian Cotton Mills’
Federation. “The textile industry will have to use cotton produced in India at
a disadvantage and then compete in the international market where people are
paying less for cotton,” Nair added. India has a 25 percent share of the
world’s cotton yarn market and is a large exporter of cotton textiles as well.
LPG dealers yet to get balances for weight check Kolkata: The only way for you, as
yet, to ensure you are getting 14.2 kg of LPG per cylinder is to weigh it
yourself. And ideally, the total weight plus the cylinder’s 16 kg should be
more than 30.2 kg. Reforms, Trade Policy Under WTO X-Ray From Tomorrow. Monday June 17,2002 India will undergo a three-day
collective examination of its full range of trade policies and practices at the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva beginning Wednesday. “Two documents
will be discussed on our laws & regulations, our institutional framework,
business regulations and other preferential agreements. One has been prepared by
us and the other by WTO secretariat, both addressing the wider economic context
and external environment,” a commerce ministry offical said. Commerce
Secretary S N Menon, alongside Indian envoy to WTO K M Chanderashekhar will
represent India, and WTO director-general Mike Moore will chair. India’s trade policy review was
last done in 1998. “The review is extremely important, for they (member
nations such as the US) might go after you with hammer and tongs, some of the
nuanced in the context of what they want from you,” feels trade policy expert
Pradeep Mehta at CUTS, Jaipur. “They‘ll put a X-ray through your internal
liberalisation process, FDI, TRIMS, tariffs, anti-dumping, and many areas where
you have been lacking. This (the process) can be excruciating,” Mr. Mehta
argues. Ministry officials don’t share
this sentiment, and say this is a “routine evaluation, like, say, the one
Pakistan underwent in January”. They mention thought that “any issue
whatsoever” including our past commitments amy be brought up by member nations
and MR. Moore’s closing observations will be considerably important. CII senior advisor T K Bhaumik feels that “India will indeed, be put on the radar screen of the general council” and “difficult questions will be asked”. These, he says, will “impact on our forthcoming negotiations strength” at the trade negotiations committee under Mr. Moore. “I, however, don’t expect cynical observations, and hope our negotiating position won’t be weakened”, Mr. Bhaumik said. Friday June 7,2002 Western protectionism has become like the manifestation of Narayana in the Bhag-wad Gita: it comes in a thousand forms and the forms change continually. Possibly the most spectacular of these manifestations is the linking of trade with the environment. The Doha Declaration has further deepened the relationship. It says that the multilateral trading system and efforts towards environmental protection and sustainable development “can and must” be mutually supportive. The declaration also proposes the launch of negotiations on the relationship between WTO rules and trade obligations set out in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The developing countries are upset at the enlargement of the environmental window in the WTO. The overall result of all this is a highly complex debate. Experience over the last decade shows that an important htmlect of this debate is the problem of the enforcement of agreements and, therefore, the problem of what to do if compliance by the developing countries is absent or weak. One school of thought believes in the sock-it-to-the-sods method, while another thinks that a softer approach has a better chance of succeeding. In a recent research report on multilateral environmental agreements and the issues and policy options concerning compliance and enforcement, Eric Neumayer* of the London School of Economics argues that the latter method is probably a better one: “Problems with compliance and enforcement in developing countries are likely to stem from insufficient capacity rather than wilful violations of MEA rules. As a consequence, the carrots approach is much more appropriate to deal with compliance and enforcement problems than the sticks approach.” Since it is in the interests of the developed countries to teach the developing countries how to get the environment thing right, they must “step up the assistance for administrative, financial and technical capacity building in developing countries for achieving the goals of the MEA under negotiation and that the developing countries should insist on provisions similar to the ones contained in the Montreal Protocol in negotiating new agreements.” However, he recognises that for political reasons this approach may not work. But, he adds, “there will often be no other way if one is serious about tackling non-compliance and non-enforcement”. Indeed, he goes so far as to say that non-compliance with MEA rules in developing countries is a consequence of the non-compliance of developed countries with their commitment to provide adequate assistance to developing countries. The paper contains a number of policy recommendations, some of which are summarised below. 1. The sticks approach employing
trade measures is not suitable for tackling non-compliance and non-enforcement
in MEAs. It 2. Increased use of trade
measures could also clash with WTO rules, so WTO members should take into
account the unsuitability 3. Generous assistance provisions
(the carrots approach) address the root cause of non-compliance and
non-enforcement, which is 4. The Montreal Protocol is the most successful MEA so far precisely because of its generous assistance provisions. 5. If policy makers and treaty
negotiators want to seriously tackle non-compliance and non-enforcement, then
they have to give 6. Compliance and enforcement of
MEA obligations by developing countries is possible only if developed countries
comply with 7. Compliance and enforcement do
not come cheap, but without generous assistance the call for greater compliance
and 8. Developing country negotiators
should insist on amendments to existing MEAs or in negotiations for new MEAs so
that In the final analysis, it seems hard to understand how the developing countries can be made to adhere to environmental standards without the injection of generous doses of technology at reasonable terms. There are two ways of doing this. One is to hugely increase the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI), which usually brings in newer and cleaner technology. The other is to not insist on the same standards for goods produced in the developing countries as in the developed ones, provided the minimum norms are met. On balance, the FDI route is a better one because it would also simultaneously lead to higher growth in the developing countries. But that solution takes the debate into another arcane area of the WTO: of investment policy and trade-related investment. In short, it is a very beastly can of worms which only trade fundamentalists will try to open or clean. Ozone ban threatens closure of AC units Thursday
June 6, 2002 Kolkata: Thousands employed in manufacturing and repairing of refrigerators, air-conditioners and related industries in the state are staring at unemployment from January 1, 2003, when unregistered users of ozone-depleting substances are barred from doing business. With just over a month to go before the sign-up deadline expires, only 78 of the 900-odd ODS users have registered with the Small Industries Service Institute, the nodal centre for registration of ODS producers, users, exporters, stockists and sellers. Refrigerators, ACs, fire extinguishers, polyurethane, foam, solvents and aerosol manufacturers and service firms use ODS that is to be phased out completely by 2010 in accordance with the Montreal Protocol that was ratified by India in 1992. At a symposium organised by Consumer Unity & Trust Society, SISI and industry associations hurled accusations for the failure to sensitise users about the Ozone depleting Substances (Regulation & Control) Rules, 2000. The ODS rules fixes phase out time frames and requires compulsory registration of every unit dealing with ODS. “Most local units are unaware of the requirement to register themselves by July 19, 2002, ” said Eastern India Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Association president D V Lamba. World Environment Day observed Thursday
June 6, 2002 KOLKATA, June 5.- Kolkatans were their usual self - full of beans – celebrating World Environment day today. Never mind if they really do much to maintain a clean environment. The environmental science department of Jadavpur University, in association with Science Association of Bengal, held a theme lecture on “Man society and environment: action plan at school level”. About 100 school students removed used plastic bags and planted saplings inside the Indian Botanical Garden. The Botanical Survey of India and PUBLIC, an NGO, had organised a green-and-clean drive. Dr. G S Giri, joint director, IBG said: “The drive was initiated to generate awareness about the effects of non-biodegradable products like plastic packets and cups.” Mrs Banani Kakkar of PUBLIC, said a proposal was put to IBG authorities to make the garden a plastic-free zone. She said use of plastic bags should be banned in the state as has been done in Tamil Nadu. The KMC today launched a tree plantation programme, to be carried on for two months, with the help of ward councillors. Swami Vivekananda Cultural Foundation organised a preview of a documentary film on environment, Haadsa, at Nandan-III to mark the day. Several other organisations like Kolkata 36, Maitree of Salt Lake, Centre for Sustainable Production and Consumption (CUTS), Society for Direct Initiative for Social and Health Action (DISHA), Paschimbanga Bigyan Mancha (Kolkata branch) Sahara India (Kolkata branch) also celebrated the day. – SNS May
2002
Courier takes client for a ride Tuesday May 28,2002 Kolkata: Consumer have
always pinned greater faith in private courier companies rather than the Indian
postal service.But how reliable are the private firms when it comes to
delivering the goods_ Domestic
investors Monday April 29, 2002 But this still remains a very serious dream and for very obvious reasons.I am also sure that there are a lot of skilled and professional people around who are htmliring to set up this and that but are not able to do so perhaps because of not reaping the benefits of the investment we have seen over the last ten years. Zambia has always had domestic investors and there are still a good number today who are contributing significantly to the development of this country. The trouble is they are not positively acknowledged in preference to foreign investors. Well, most foreign investors we have had over the last few years only targeted takeovers of privatised state companies.Very few came over to set up new enterprises. In fact some were awarded favourable investment incentives. But incentives should have room to allow regulation as foreign investment is not an end in itself.One researcher simply puts it that the incentives awarded have been too open ended and open to abuse because they have no closure rules. He is of the opinion that fiscal incentives should have penalties for closure so that exit conditions are sufficiently stringent to discourage what he calls footloose investors who surface only during the tax holiday but take off once that ends. Right now for reasons that are very clear foreign investments in the mines is questionable. Without hesitation, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) is in deep trouble especially that no one is being honest with what is going on. We all know that what KCM is going through is about the same thing that happened to the Roan Antelope Mining Corporation of Zambia except maybe all sorts of assurances even from the highest office that the mine will be kept afloat. What we have today is a sad story of a non operational mine which is being stripped bare. Workers are dejected, families are striving and Luanshya town is practically doomed. Social vulnerability is high, what with our weak labour laws and the workers rights far from being guaranteed. Much as foreign investors are welcome to Zambia, some are outrageous in their dealings. They subject workers to all sorts of things body searches, long working hours, foul language and worst of all near-slave wages. As far as I know both the public and private media have adequately highlighted these issues regarding some foreign investors. It has clearly been reported that some investors in such areas as tourism, manufacturing, trading and agriculture have no regard for the Zambian workers and indeed the labour laws of the country. But I am hopeful that government through other government agencies will keep an eagle's eye on such investors and perhaps through the Zambia Investment Centre seriously scrutinise new foreign investors before they are given licences or certificates. In spite of such setbacks, various stakeholders would like to see how best to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve the overall investment climate which some say is unsatisfactory. One such organisation is the Consumer Unity and Trust Society Africa Resource Centre (CUTS-ARC). This is a Non Governmental Organisation undertaking the Zambian component of a two year collaborative research project on "Investment For Development" (IFD). The project involves fact finding and advocacy work on investment regimes in seven developing countries and these are Bangladesh, India, South Africa, Hungary, Tanzania, Brazil and Zambia. The main objective is to make assist ploicy making bodies of the concerned countries in designing and implementing effective investment policies that will contribute to equitable growth and development. A major component of the project is to constitute the National Reference Group (NRG) and to conduct periodic consultative meetings. The NRG is expected to comprise of leading personalities from the civil society, the private sector, the media and the government agencies. It is also expected to steer the project through discussions, assessments and consultations. Some of the objectives of the NRG consultations are: to identify core policy and non policy issues concerning domestic investment and FDI, to review and appraise the current investment regime in Zambia and to create a network for advocacy on the effective FDI regime in Zambia so as to raise awareness and to stimulate National debate on investment issues. At the first NRG meeting on IFD held at Lusaka's Chrisma Hotel on 25th April 2002, Oliver Saasa professor of International Economic Relations at the Institute of Economic and Social Research of the University of Zambia, presented a paper on Economic Liberalisation and the Role of FDI: Lessons for Zambia. Professor Saasa indicated that the success of the privatisation policy should not be measured in terms of its speed or how many companies have been privatised. He also made reference to the British privatisation which suggests that rather than who owns the company, it is the competitive environment within which a firm operates that weighs more as the most crucial factor in its performance. A draft research paper entitled Zambia Investment Policy Report has in fact been prepared by Gideon Choolwe Mudenda. The paper describes the investment regime in Zambia under four general headings Macro-economic context, Policy trends, Investment Policy audit a attended with participants coming from such organisations as the Export Board of Zambia, OXFAM, KEPA Zambia, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Zambia Wildlife Authority and the Investment Centre to mention a few. It was generally observed that much as foreign investors are welcome to Zambia, it should not be at the expense of the local ones. Currently
foreign investors are offered certain incentives and it was suggested that local
investors should also enjoy the same. There are two more NRG meetings which
should critically address and recommend ways of improving the overall investment
climate taking into account infrastructure provision, strengthening labour laws
and guaranteeing workers' rights as well as seeing to it that government
steps its investment in human capital. The investment climate will also be
something to talk about if measures are put in place to encourage investment in
the manufacturing of such basic items as needles, spoons and knives which are
today being imported. The NRG should also help find answers and recommend ways
on how Zambia can really attract FDI in the wake of such countries as Mozambique
and Angola; emerging from civil wars, Congo DR; practically still at war and
South Africa; just settling down after apartheid are said to be doing much
better in this regard. Success of privatisation doesn't lie in speed, says Prof. Saasa Sunday, April 28, 2002 India not yet ready for IPR Thursday,
25th April 2002 India
is not ready to take advantage of the Intellectual Protection Rights (IPR)
regime, said Prabuddha Ganguli, a leading IPR consultant in the country. Addressing
a lecture on 'IPR an imperative engine for growth', organised by consumer Unity
& Trust Society (CUTS), Ganguli Said, 'Neither has India been able to take
stock of resources nor could create an appropriate legal framework to address
IPR issues, In the era dominated by WTO, India should look into its potential
and try to protect its IPR by enacting proper legislative measures.' Chairing
the discussion, Ashish Ghosh of Centre for Environment & Development said,
the Indian government should take steps to utilise its human resources and
strengthen the country's system so that keeping obligation to
TRIPS or any other agreements to WTO is less painful. He
also mentioned that although 'neem', 'haldi' and basmati are much talked about,
there were only 65 items on which patents have been taken. According
to Ganguli, the necessity of IPR becomes a reality if one thinks in terms of
zero tariffs. 'In the ear of globalisation, while the whole world is coming
under unified market concept, if all tariffs are brought down to zero then
knowledge becomes only trade differentiator' he said. Experts’ caution on Kyoto pactTuesday,
23rd April 2002 With India seriously considering ratification of the Kyoto protocol on reduction of greenhouse gases, experts feel the only options before the country lie in reducing fossil fuel consumption. The 1997 Kyoto protocol will become legally binding only after it is ratified by at least 55 countries. “The question is whether India can cut down on the rate of growth of fossil fuel consumption,” Director of the School of Energy Studies of Jadavpur University, Prof Sujoy Basu, said here today. Delivering the first Earth Day Lecture instituted by NGO Consumer Unity & Trust Society, Basu said the major hindrances to the protocol were its short-term commitments as emission standards were set only for a period between 2008 and 2012. The United Nations had no teeth to enforce the legal and judicial htmlects of the convention in member nations, he said. India must turn to renewable sources of energy, he said. India
set to sign Kyoto Protocol
|
I
|
|
|
Man seeks compensation for wife’s death due to medical negligence THURSDAY,31 January 2002 The Consumer Unity & Trust
Society (CUTS) has brought to light a case of medical negligence in
which a woman admitted for delivery to a private hospital in Kota died
allegedly because of carelessness of the doctors. Ramesh Chandra,
husband of the victim, approached the Consumer
Information Centre of CUTS, seeking guidance on how to get
compensation for his wife’s death due to the negligence of doctors. In this particular case, Hemlata,
a 20-year-old woman, was admitted to Kota Stone Mariyam Hospital on
July 9, 2000 for her delivery. She was having labour pains. Treating
doctors verbally informed the husband that a Caesarean was needed.
Hemlata gave birth to a baby boy by Caesarean section. But soon after,
she started having convulsions which got out of control. Hemlata was
referred to MBS hospital, Kota where she died. Ramesh Chandra alleged that the
doctors had just informed him verbally and not taken his written
consent before going for a Caesarian. He said that adequate facilities
were not available at the hospital. Blood was not arranged on time and
there were no qualified anaesthetists at the hospital. CUTS forwarded this case to the
State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in November 2001. SHRC ordered
Chief Medical Health Officer, Ramputa, Kota to form a committee for
investigating the case. A three- member committee
including CMHO, Community Health Centre, Ramganj and another two
specialists, Dr Ranjana Gupta and Dr KG Singhal investigated the case
and submitted the report to the SHRC. The committee stated in their
report that no qualified anaesthetists were available at the hospital.
No written consent was taken before the operation and blood was not
arranged in time in the hospital. According to the report, patient was
not treated carefully in absence of anesthetists and shortage of blood
in the hospital. Patient was referred to the higher centre when her condition became serious and she died because of non-availability of proper treatment on time.
|
Thursday, February 7, 2002 The Hindustan Times |
STATE
HUMAN Rights Commission has proposed that the Transport department should
incorporate representatives of non-government organisations, including a
member of Consumer Unity Trust Society (CUTS) in the committee constituted
for periodical checks on overloading jeeps on national highway and
Agra-Jaipur highway. To discuss the proposal, the Human Rights Commission
has invited commissioner transport and assistant inspector general traffic
on March 6 to the commission.
This proposal was moved in the second hearing of the petition filed by CUTS
demanding the ban of jeeps as public transport vehicle as many accidents
were occurring due to overloading of jeeps.
The
data presented by CUTS before the commission said that in Jaipur city, 25
accidents involving jeeps occurred last year claiming 266 victims.Out of
these, 177 deaths and 149 grievous injuries occurred due to overload of
jeeps.
A
representative of Consumer Unity Trust Society, said that rules of the Motor
Vehicle Act should be strictly implemented and stringent action taken
against people violating them, the commission also said that people need to
be told about the dangers of overloading jeeps.
The
representatives from Consumer Unity Trust Society, said that permits should
not be given to jeeps as a private vehicles as according to the new Motor
Vehicle Act, permits should be given only to buses of state transport and
Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) for their day to day
operations. Consumer Unity
Trust Society, also wanted an increase in the number of flying squads for
checking overloading on the jeeps.
| Thursday, January17, 2002 The Times of India |
INDIA | POWERED BY INDIATIMES |
| Indiatimes > The Times of India>India >Article |
Chemical
additive in LPG harmful: NGO
The finding comes in the wake of complaints over the last one month by Indane LPG users in some parts of Kolkata that the pungent smell emitting from their gas cylinders was causing breathing trouble while cooking.
IOC corporate communications chief Dipak Bose had earlier admitted that due to a technical fault a sulphur-based chemical additive, Mercaptan, used to detect LPG leakage had been added in excess in its Haldia plant causing the problem.
"Ethyl Mercaptan has been enlisted as a hazardous and toxic chemical under the Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning Preparedness and Response) Rules of 1996 and according to the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre, even short term exposure to it may cause effects on the central nervous system," Dipankar Dey, director of the Consumer Unity an Trust Society said.
An independent survey had put the number of such cylinders already distributed among consumers at 3.5 lakh, he said adding the LPG emergency cell set up by IOC was receiving complaints of pungent smelling cylinders till date.
Is FDI flow a bane or boon for developing nations_
14
December 2001, Hindustan Times,
IS
FOREIGN Direct Investment (FDI) good or bad for the recipient nation_ This was
the question that participants at a two day seminar on 'Investment for
Development,' That began in the Pink City on Thursday grappled with, in the
process kicking of a lively debate on the whole issues.
While
none of the participants, including experts, economists, Government officials,
industrialists and trade unionists, opposed FDI in principle, some trade union
leaders expressed the fear that foreign investors force changes in domestic
regulations that adversely affect the workers. Subscribing to this view were the
trade union leaders of left of the centre and right wing political affiliations.
If
D K Chhangani of All India Trade
Union Congress (AITUC) accused the foreign investors of forcing `hire and fire'
kind of labour policy changes, G S. Gill of Bharatiya Mozdoor Sangh (BMS)
alleged that acquisition of domestic companies by the investors always ended up
in job losses. Both of them felt that these changes undermine the aim of
equitable development.
Secretary,
Industries, Arvind Mayaram said that policy changes should focus on job creation
rather than job protection, as if to address the apprehensions expressed by the
trade union leaders. International experts present at the seminar, organised by
CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics and Environment (CUTS-CITEE),
drove home the point that FDI was vital for poverty reduction through economic
growth. However, governments have to make sure that right policies are in place
if they are to attract and benefit from world FDI flows.
Almost
all the FDI flow to developing countries go to a handful of nations, while 90
per cent of countries are effectively forgotten by the investors, said Khalil
Hamdani of UNCTAD, corroborating on CUTS CITEE's project.
FDI is recognised as a major potential contributor growth and development that brings capital to the host country and technology, management know how and access to new markets, he said. In comparison with other forms of capital flows, FDI is more stable, which is why several countries are pursuing investment friendly policies and actively seek FDIs, the UNCTAD official said.
CUTS
cut up over being left out of official team
8th
November 2001, The Financial Express, New Delhi
Consumer Unity & Trust
Society (CUTS), a global non-government organisation (NGO) working on trade
policy, has criticised the government for ignoring its request for inclusion in
the official delegation to Doha while accommodating
other non-officials like business representatives from chambers of commerce.
The
agency will be represented by its secretary general Pradeep S. Mehta at the Doha
ministerial. He will also participate in the several NGO events to be organised
on the sidelines of the main event.
In
an official release, the NGO came down heavily on the government for keeping it
out of the official team. It said that the government was of the opinion that
only its bureaucrats had enough knowledge to participate in the talks. It added
that the government saw to it that only those business representatives were
included in the team who were willing to toe the official line so that they
could continue with their protectionist agenda.
India for review of Uruguay Round
Our Bureau
NEW DELHI, Aug. 27, 2001
INDIA will press for review and conclusion of Uruguay Round mandated agenda and oppose inclusion of new issues and overloading of WTO at the crucial 4th Ministerial Conference in November at Doha.
This was stated by Mr Digvijay Singh, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, while addressing the seminar jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) on ``Reflections on Doha Ministerial of WTO: Issues and Options'' in the capital on Monday.
|
Mr Singh said that India will press for giving policy direction to the mandated review and to resolve implementation issues in terms of General Council decision of May 2000 and address major current issues like TRIPS and public health. Any move to inject further issues runs the risk of making the agenda unsustainable.
The Minister further said that no prima facie case has been established on the necessity or relevance of the proposed new issues into WTO framework; nor it is cogently shown that the developing countries are going to definitely benefit from negotiations in new areas.
On the contrary, it is rather clear that taking up new issues would result in additional obligations for them. The main category of new issues being pushed into the WTO agenda include international investment rules, competition policy, transparency in government procurement, global coherence, trade facilitation, industrial tariffs and environment, he said. |
Mr Singh said that previous commitments of Uruguay Round have not been fulfilled by developed nations. Due to the backloaded nature of the integration of restrained textile items and also due to the perpetuation of trade-distorting domestic and export subsidies coupled with high tariffs and tariff escalation in agriculture by the developed countries, the expected market access has never been realised, he said.
There are several asymmetries and inequities in most of Agreements including those relating to anti-dumping, subsidies, intellectual property, TRIMs and the non-realisation of expected benefits which have been a matter of serious concern. On the one hand, India has eliminated all kinds of quantative restrictions and is progressively reducing tariff levels, on the other, trade barriers imposed by the developed countries are becoming more and more impregnable.
Tuesday
Aug 28 2001
'New agenda at Doha to be opposed'
Our Bureau
NEW DELHI
CLEARLY
stating India’s stance for the Doha ministerial conference in November,
minister of state for commerce and industry Digvijay Singh said that India
will press for review and conclusion of the Uruguay Round-mandated agenda
and oppose injection of new issues.
"The Doha conference should give policy direction to the mandated
agenda, review which implementation issues have been resolved in terms of
the General Council decision of May 2000 and address major current issues
like Trips and public health. Any move to inject further issues runs the
risk of overloading the agenda, thereby making it unsustainable," said
Singh at a seminar organised by Ficci and Consumer Unity and Trust Society.
The main category of new issues being pushed into the WTO agenda includes
international investment rules, competition policy, transparency in
government procurement, global coherence, trade facilitation, industrial
tariffs and environment.
"No prime facie case has been established on the necessity or relevance
of the proposed new issues into WTO framework, nor it is cogently shown that
the developing countries are going to definitely benefit from the
negotiations in the new areas," Singh said.
Singh added that ever since the conclusion of the Uruguay Round, developing
countries continue to experience great difficulties in capitalising fully on
the benefits they expected to derive from their participation in the
multilateral trading system.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, however, criticised the government for
opposing a new round of negotiations at the WTO.
Consumer Unity & Trust Society
D–217, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park,
Jaipur 302 016, India,
Ph:
+91(0)141-207 482
Fx: 91(0)141-207 486/203 998
Email: