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Mar 19, 2007

Sinosteel plans 5-mt steel plant in Jharkhand

New Delhi, Mar 19 Sinosteel India Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinosteel Corporation, is likely to set up a 5-million tonnes steel plant in Jharkand. The company expects to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Jharkhand by May-end.

"We have already discussed our plans with Jharkhand chief minister and the state chief secretary. We are likely to sign an MoU within the next two months," Hongsen Wang, MD, Sinosteel India told FE.

The production capacity of the plant will be 1.5 million tones initially, which will be increased to 3 million tonnes within 3 years and to 5 million tones within 5 years, once the plant starts functioning, he added.

The plant is likely to come up around Jamshedpur. However, the company is likely to set up the plant any where in Jharkhand depending upon the allocation of land by the Jharkhand government. The company will initially invest $500 million.

Sinosteel India is also in talks with the West Bengal government to set up a metallurgical and engineering equipment plant in Haldia, West Bengal. "We want to set up a metallurgical and engineering equipment plant in India and are in advance stages of talks with the West Bengal government," Wang said.

For the Haldia project, the company will invest $30 million. Asked about its iron-ore business, Wang said, "In 2006, we bought 8 million tonnes and plan to purchase 10 million tonnes in 2007. However, with the recent levy on iron-ore export, the actual volume may go down." Wang also questioned the government's decision to impose a levy as India has sufficient amount of iron-ore reserves. However, he said that imposition of levy on Chrome-ore export is understandable as it is scarce in India.

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=158344

Two villagers shot dead by Maoists in Gumla

GUMLA (JHARKHAND): Two villagers have been shot dead by suspected Maoists here in Jharkhand, police said on Monday.

A group of around 15 Maoists arrived in Porha village on Sunday night and forcibly took away four persons identified as Jitendra Oraon, Ashok Singh, Gourishankar Bhagat and Pradde Poraon, police said.

After taking them a distance away, the ultras shot dead Jitendra Oraon and Ashok Singh for allegedly being police informers, indulging in criminal activities and rape, sources said.

However, they set free the other two.

Police also recovered Naxal literatures from the spot.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Two_villagers_shot_dead_by_Maoists
_in_Gumla/articleshow/1778391.cms

Opium cultivation under "protection" of naxalites

NEW DELHI: With naxalites taking "control" over new territories in Jharkhand, anti-narcotic agencies have come across evidence indicating that opium cultivation is being taken up in a big way in such areas for supply of raw material to indigenous heroin manufacturers, including those based in Uttar Pradesh.

In the recent past, the agencies have found that new areas are being tilled for opium poppy cultivation at places like Chatra, Pakur, Hazaribagh, Palamu and Latehar in Jharkhand. Not long ago enforcement agencies came across large illicit opium poppy fields in Pakur and Chatra, which were subsequently destroyed. These findings have led the agencies to believe that under the "protection" of naxalites, opium is being cultivated in huge quantities in areas under their influence.

"As the murky business fetches easy and huge sums of money, naxalites too have no problems with it," said an official, adding that there are satellite images available with the enforcement agencies proving that opium poppy fields do exist in the naxal-affected areas. Investigations have revealed that instead of supplying raw opium to heroin manufacturers the growers convert it into morphine, the base material for heroin. "Transporting opium in huge quantities would be a cumbersome process. So, they first convert it into morphine and then smuggle it out," said the official.

There are strong indications that several heroin manufacturers from Uttar Pradesh -- who earlier depended on the opium grown in the State -- have begun procuring morphine originating from these areas. One of the reasons behind such a shift is that the authorities concerned have enforced 40 per cent cut down on the total licit opium production in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Also, enforcement agencies have mounted pressure on farmers possessing licence to grow opium to abstain from illicit cultivation.

These factors have led to a significant decline in the pilferage of opium for heroin manufacturers. In a way, officials feel, this would give a boost to opium production in areas under the influence of naxalites. As a result, heroin manufacturers in Uttar Pradesh who earlier set up labs close to areas producing opium are now exploring "virgin" locations for the purpose as they are procuring the raw material from somewhere else. "Delhi is both the destination and the transit point for the heroin originating from Uttar Pradesh," the official added.

Adding to the problem, anti-narcotic agencies have found that in areas where poppy seeds used to be grown traditionally along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border -- Purulia, Bankura, Mednapur and Murshidabad -- farmers are now being introduced to opium cultivation for heroin production. Earlier the cultivation used to be of "benign" nature. Now that several parts of Chhattisgarh have come under the influence of the naxalites, anti-narcotic agencies suspect that it has provided yet another opportunity to illicit opium cultivators.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/19/stories/2007031920450500.htm

Security tightened for naxal-called bandh in Bihar

Patna, March 19. (PTI): Security was today stepped up in Bihar's naxal-hit districts following a 24-hour bandh called by CPI (Maoists) in Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal from midnight tonight to protest police firing at Nandigram in which 14 persons were killed.

Official sources told PTI that all the police stations in naxal-affected districts of Gaya, Aurangabad, Jehanabad Sitamarhi, Sheohar, East Champaran, West Champaran, Nawada and Rohtas were put on a maximum alert.

Patrolling was intensified to guard railway tracks considered soft targets of naxalites. Besides, special security attention was being paid to protect vital installations, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the East Central Railway cancelled several Express trains, including 3348 Palamu Express, 3347 Palamu Express, 3348a Link Express between Garhwa and Singrauli, 3347 Link Express, 4370a Triveni Express and 4369 Link Express, besides several passengers trains as a precautionary measure.

Routes of some trains passing through the State were also changed, railway sources said.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200703192010.htm

NGOs funding naxals

Ever wondered where the banned militant outfits like the MCC get funds to buy arms and ammunition? In a shocking expose, TIMES NOW has found that in the heartland of Bihar's Bodhgaya, naxals are being funded by none other than NGOs running on the pretext of doing charity.

Over the last fortnight, they have made headlines for some of the most deadly attacks - 55 securitymen killed in Chattisgarh, a sitting MP Sunil Mahato shot dead at point blank range in Jharkhand. The men behind these attacks are the naxals who the police across states are trying to hunt down.

But here is a shocking twist. In the heart of Bihar in Bodhgaya, documents with government officials show that NGOs ostensibly doing charity work in a pilgrimage centre are actually fronts siphoning off money to fund the naxal movement.

"Some months ago, a few naxal women leaders were caught in Bodhgaya. During the interrogation, we could gather that they are attached with the naxals. They get money in the name of imparting education in rural areas. But they are a part of the naxals. I am not aware about other NGOs, but we will try to find out," said Umesh Kumar Singh, DIG, Magadh Range.

Its not just monetary support, the government alleges that some NGOs like the Vajra Bodhi Society even provide shelter to the naxals.

On the surface, the society runs a school for two hundred children in Mocharim, 5 kilometres from Bodhgaya. But when TIMES NOW visited the school, there was not a single student. But the man in charge had a justification for this and it was clear that he was a naxal supporter.

"Naxals' children come here. Naxals are human beings; there is some good ideology in the naxals," said Rahul Bhante, President, Vajra Bodhi Society.

Its shocking but true; in these remote areas, it is difficult for government authorities to actually audit accounts of the NGOs and these organisations get a lot of money in funding.

"These naxals are getting support from NGOs, they are being patronised by the naxals. Otherwise how are these NGOs running in these distant areas which are naxal infested? That means the naxal are getting money from them," says CR Azad, Block Social Welfare Officer, Bodhgaya.

At the last count, there were around 600 NGOs in and around Bodhgaya. The authorities suspect that many of them could be involved in naxal funding but little is being done on the ground.

"They can escape from the audit report receipt payment activities. It is very easy for the auditor to channelise to anti-national activities. The government is shaken but not taking any steps," said Arup Brahmachari, a Buddhist monk.

Its a shocking case that raises many questions, for instance, are NGOs in other Naxal-affected areas also being supported like this and what is the government which promises so much every time the naxals strike doing to stop these people?With

http://www.timesnow.tv/Sections/Sports/NGOs_funding_naxals/articleshow/1775720.cms

24K quota posts. Not many takers

PATNA: Here is a bit of news for all those in favour of reservation. The Bihar government is twiddling its thumb over 24,000 vacancies of government teachers.

Despite receiving applications in lakhs, these vacancies have not been filled up yet. The reason: These are all in the reserved category and there aren't enough applicants.

And there is no way these seats can be given to willing candidates from the general category. So the government is waiting and watching for reserved candidates to appear and claim jobs.

State HRD commissioner M M Jha said, "We have already appointed over one lakh teachers. But many vacancies remain as we do not have enough candidates from the reserved categories."

He said almost all ST, SC and EBC (Extremely Backward Caste) candidates had already been given jobs. Yet, a large number of vacancies exist.

In another attempt to draw applications, the department has issued circulars asking appointment centres to issue fresh advertisement from SC, ST and EBC candidates.

Jha said he was hopeful that the new advertisements would prompt more candidates to apply. But he also agreed that it was likely that candidates with minimum qualifications and a desire to become a teacher may have all applied the first time itself.

"There is no choice at the moment. Reserved jobs have to go to candidates from reserved categories. If after the fresh round of advertisements, vacancies still remain we will advertise again and again," he said.

Jha also ruled out any further relaxation of minimum qualification for such categories. "Already we have relaxed the minimum educational qualification from class 12 to matriculation for the reserved candidates. They need not be trained either," he said.

He said the department would have to try its level best to fill these posts appropriately. "If vacancies remain even after trying two to three times, we will approach the state government to take a decision on whether to convert these posts into general category," Jha said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/Cities/Patna/24K_quota_posts_Not_many_
takers/articleshow/1774067.cms

Villagers of Senari commemorated today the eighth anniversary of a Maoist attack

Senari (Bihar), Mar 19: The villagers of Senari commemorated today the eighth anniversary of a Maoist attack, in
which 34 people were massacred in Bihar.

On March 18, 1999, Maoists had struck the village in the Jehanabad district.

The main accused of the attack Nathun Kahar, a top Maoist leader, was recently killed in police custody. The villagers observed the anniversary to celebrate his death and to remember their slain kin.

"I was not well on that day. We were having tea when armed Naxalites entered our house and took away my son forcibly. That was the last time, I saw him. Thankfully, my husband was not at home at that time otherwise I would have lost him also," said Shanti Devi, who lost her only son to the Naxalites.

There are others who survived the attack and are having its nightmare even today.

"I was at home when extremists struck our village. There was a lot of commotion outside. I went out to take a look and was captured by them. They tied me up and took me away to some place where they started attacking me with knife," said Rakesh Kumar, a survivor.

A left wing extremist group Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack they claimed was in retaliation to the mass killings of lower-castes, by the Ranvir Sena, a militia of upper-caste landlords in Bihar.

The MCC came into existence in 1975 as an independent entity after several Maoists groups merged to form the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/126730.php/Bihar-villagers-commemorates-anniversary
-of-Maoists-attack

Burgeoning lawlessness in India's Wild East

When the six bandits emerged from the jungle their heads were wrapped in brightly coloured cloths that revealed only pairs of rapidly shifting eyes. One carried a small axe, another a sickle as several of the group fanned out among the trees to stand guard.

After an exchange of signals - an ululating sound, like a howling jackal - the gang's leader came forward and agreed to talk. He looked nervous and said we would have to be quick since he had already taken a risk in agreeing to this meeting.

The man behind the scarf was 21-year-old Rajiv Gope, a small-time Indian criminal who, despite his tender years, is reportedly already wanted on 20 counts of kidnapping, extortion and attempted murder.

His "patch" is the town of Mokama, a dusty agricultural settlement on the banks of the river Ganges, 60 miles east of Patna, the capital of Bihar which is widely known as India's most lawless state.

The town's problems are typical of India's "Wild East", where the nexus between politicians, police and criminal gangs has succeeded in virtually eradicating the rule of law.

"Nothing happens here without the say-so of the gangs," said one local man who asked not to be identified. "More than 15 businessmen have left this town in the last few years because of the extortion rackets. Every building project, every business requires protection from the gangs."
Gope, whose slender frame belies his reputation for violence, is introduced as the former childhood friend and now right hand man of a more senior local gangster, Naga Singh, who currently has a 200,000 rupee (�2,500) bounty on his head for attempting to kill a policeman.

"We work only for money," said Gope, as he dispatched one of his men to check out a suspicious sound in the forest. "There are no job opportunities in Bihar and kidnapping and extortion are the only ways to make money."

Mokama's law and order problem is far from unique in Bihar, a state where it is estimated that 32,600 kidnappings took place between 1992 and 2004, many of them organised by gangs from Bihar's own jails.

The modus operandi of the gangs is simple, Gope said. "We identify a man - a businessman, a doctor, an engineer - and then abduct them at gunpoint and take them into the jungle. We make their families pay a ransom for their return."

According to local reports, the Naga Singh gang were responsible for the kidnap a few months ago of a Nepali businessman who was freed only after the payment of a ransom of 10 million rupees (�125,000).

Gope says he is constantly on the move - sleeping in hideouts on the banks of the Ganges and skipping from place to place in crude, country-made boats - and has been disowned by his family who were prominent local farmers.

Despite the fear and danger he faces, with four local criminals gunned down by police in the last year - Gope said his trade was worth it since it holds out the opportunity to enter India's political class.

"We take our inspiration from our seniors," he added. "One of our former leaders has even become an MP and I also wish to follow that path and reach the same pinnacle as him."

The link between politics and criminal gangs has been causing mounting concern in India where, in parts of some rural states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the criminal classes have completely overtaken the political system.

"When the gangs control business, the police and all local government contracts, they can also control the ballot boxes and the voters," explained a local man. "It is the criminals who get themselves elected. No-one can stand in their way."

The infection of India's democracy runs deep, with more than 1,000 political killings in Bihar since 1990 as rival gangs slug it out for the right to control lucrative fiefdoms.

After the Supreme Court ordered that all politicians should declare their "criminal antecedents" in 2003, it emerged that at least 100 of India's 545 members of parliament had "criminal backgrounds".

The result is that poor eastern states like Bihar continue to lag far behind India's southern provinces where cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Pune are reaping the rewards of the country's economic boom.

Bihar remains resolutely poverty-stricken, with illiteracy running at more than 50 per cent and per capita incomes of half that of India's national average.

In Mokama, unemployment is estimated at more than 50 per cent. With so few legitimate opportunities, Gope is unapologetic about turning to crime. "With this life [of crime] we can live lavishly - we can become MPs, go outside Patna and stay in five-star hotels and be like kings," he said.

And with that the interview was terminated. Gope had gone, dodging back into the jungle with his men.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/19/wganges19.xml

Nod for SEZs coming up on barren land in West Bengal

New Delhi, Mar 19 The CPI(M) on Monday declared that the West Bengal government decided to go ahead with those SEZ projects which do not require any displacement.

Making it clear that the party was fully behind Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said projects like those from Videocon and Jindal Steel would be given the go ahead by the West Bengal government. These proposals, including others from the IT and steel sectors would not require any displacement or use of agricultural lands as they would come up on barren or waste land. Sources said a total of 40 steel projects worth $620 million were in different stages of implementation in West Bengal.

Videocon is expected to spend Rs 100 crore on setting up an LCD monitor manufacturing unit in Taratolla, while a 10 million tonne capacity integrated steel plant would be set up by Jindal Steel Works at Salbaoni in West Bengal. Bhushan steel is expected to go ahead with its project in Durgapur-Asanol area.

Karat said industrialisation and land policy was adopted by the West Bengal government, following the Centre's decision on the SEZ. "However, we made it categorically clear that a fresh look has to be taken in this regard," Karat said.

The CPI(M) general secretary then made it clear that at this juncture, the state government would put on hold all projects that would require displacement. With regard to Nandigram, Karat claimed that there had never been any notification by the state with regard to land acquisition. "It was only a notice put up by the Haldia Development Authority merely stating that the government intended to acquire land for the project to set up a chemical hub."

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=158374

Economic growth through highways

BHUBANESWAR, March 18: About 50,000 KM of National Highway in the country are being improved with an investment of Rs 2,20,000 crore to boost economic growth, Union minister of state for road transport Mr KH Muniyappa said today.

"Our vision and plan is to complete the improvement and widening of the highways by 2012," Mr Muniyappa, currently on a visit to the state, told reporters here.

"This will boost economic growth by one to two per cent even as the smooth highways will enable vehicles to move at a speed of 120 KM/H." The government's ambitious 5,846 KM Golden Quadrilateral project is almost 95 per cent complete, and about 5,600 KM of the project are being developed into six-lane highways. The 7,300 KM corridors linking Silchar and Porbandar and Srinagar and Kanyakumari will be completed by 2008-09, he said.

The National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) is being implemented in seven different phases, and about 11,000 KM are being taken up under Phases 3A and 3B. Work had already begun on a total stretch of 4,000 KM.

The detailed project report is being finalised for the remaining 7,000 KM and this work will be completed by 2009-10, he said.

The NHDP also includes development of 1,000 KM of expressway in the country, Mr Muniyappa said. The new projects being undertaken, he said, included about 550 KM of new highways in Orissa for which the state government must act fast to acquire land and remove other hurdles.

This relates to six different roads that are included in NHDP 3A and 3B.

He said the roads are Panikoili-Keonjhar-Rimuli (163 KM), Rimuli-Roxy extended up to Rajamunda (106 KM), Duburi-Chandikhol (39 KM), Chandikhol-Talcher (98 KM), Puri-Bhubaneswar (59 KM) and Sambalpur-Bargarh extended up to the Chhattisgarh border (88 KM).

The total cost of these projects would be around Rs 2,500 crore and tenders for them were being invited. The Central government has also sanctioned National Highway status for four state highways in Orissa in view of their economic importance. They are the Khurda-Balangir (299 KM), Puri-Satpada (49 KM), Puri-Konark (35 KM) and Champua- Rimuli (14 KM) roads.

"The chief minister (Naveen Patnaik) should take steps to expedite these projects and we expect full cooperation from the state government," he said.

Mr Muniyappa, who attended the bhumi puja for the improvement of a 12 KM stretch of NH-217 in Berhampur yesterday, said 434 KM of the Golden Quadrilateral is in Orissa, and the widening of these highways to four lanes should have been completed by December 2006.

While the widening of 326 KM of NH-5 to four lanes had been completed in Orissa, work on the balance portion of the highway is expected to be completed by December 2008, he said.
The delay in work is mainly due to opposition from people who have refused to part with land and the matter has gone to court in several cases, he said.

"People must understand the purpose behind this highway development as it will strengthen the economy and their own future," he said, adding that they are obstructing these works because they have not understood the purpose behind them.
The improvement and widening of highways will reduce the requirement of fuel by 30 to 35 per cent, lessen travel time considerably and improve the durability of vehicles, he said.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=150135

Reliance to invest $9 bn in KG basin

Reliance Industries the country's largest private entity, will invest more than $9 billion in developing a gas field off the east coast of India and building pipelines to sell the fuel to consumers.
The company will spend $5.2 billion in bringing to production Dhirubhai-1 and Dhirubhai-3 fields in block KG-D6 in Krishna Godavari basin by June 2008. It will invest another $4 billion in laying a 1,386-km pipeline from this city in Andhra Pradesh to Bharuch in Gujarat to transport the fuel.

It will begin producing about 40 million standard cubic meters per day in June 2008 and raise it to peak output of 80 mmscmd in next five months, RIL CEO (Oil and Gas) P M S Prasad said.

KG-D6, world's second largest deepwater find of the last decade, is being brought to production in less than six years of discovery at a cost of $2.8 per barrel of oil equivalent (boe), he said.

World over, energy majors like Shell and Norsk Hydro took 10 years to begin production from gas fields. British Gas started production from its Egypt field in 6.5 years but the output was only 15 mmscmd and the field lay in water depths of 250-850 meters as against KG-D6 in 850-1,100 meters.

"Our finding and development cost is the lowest in the world," he said. Norway's Norsk Hydro's cost for Ormen Lange field is $4.3 dollars per boe (a barrel of oil equivalent) while Total of France has billed Angolan field cost at over $5.
US major Exxon and BP saw $5.5 per boe field development cost each for their Greater Plutonio and Kizomba-B fields in Angola respectively.

Prasad said RIL has seen its field development cost rise from $2.47 billion budgeted in 2004 to $5.2 billion as seismic acquisition costs increased more than 200 per cent and drilling and services charges escalated by 100-200 per cent.

He said almost all of the country's natural gas deficit will be wiped out when KG-D6 field comes into production. The current availability of 91 mmscmd gas meets only half the demand in the country.

"If oil equivalent to the gas production from KG-D6 is imported, it will cost the country $120 billion (current oil import bill is over $40 billion).

"Considering a well-head gas price of $4.5 per million British thermal unit (mBtu), the value of KG-D6 gas if expressed in oil terms comes to $54 billion. This is a net saving of $66 billion," he said.

He said the doubling of field development cost since 2004 was also on account of increased production planned. In 2004, Reliance had planned facilities for producing only 40 mmscmd.

In-place reserves in Dhirubhai-1 and 3 have gone up from 5.7 trillion cubic feet to 11.3 tcf, he said. RIL will drill 22 development wells to produce gas from the two fields and then pipe it to a gas processing facility here. From this city, a pipeline to Gujarat would be built by April 2008.

Another line to Chennai and Bangalore in the south will be build by 2009-end. It also plans to pay a pipeline from Kakinada to Haldia in West Bengal to transport the fuel. The costs of pipeline to the south and east have not been included in the $9 billion investment planned currently.

Besides selling gas to industries like power and fertiliser plants, Reliance also plans to set up city gas distribution projects to sell natural gas to house holds and CNG to automobiles.

"Natural gas to households will cost Rs 200-210 as compared to the current cost of Rs 300 for every LPG cylinder," Prasad said.

Reliance has so far drilled 22 exploratory wells in block KG-D6 (KG-DWN-98/3), off which 17 have resulted in discoveries, he said, adding oil has been found in two wells in the block.

"Crude oil production will begin in first quarter of 2008 calendar year, earlier than gas output. Oil production will range between 30,000 to 50,000 barrels per day," he said.

Prasad said besides KG-D6, Reliance has found 2.3 tcf of gas reserves in block NEC-25 off Orissa coast. Oil has also been found in shallow water block KG-III-6 in Krishna Godavari basin.

http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/mar/19ril1.htm

Lax security led to Rani Bodli incident: Police

RAIPUR: Police and security experts on Sunday admitted that lax security and mistakes by the Chhattisgarh police were responsible for the killing of 55 security personnel in Rani Bodli police station of Bijapur district in Bastar region.

"I have no hesitation in admitting the Naxalites had not only drafted an excellent strategy to raid the Rani Bodli outpost last Thursday but also executed it like a professional army," a senior police officer said.

The Naxalites were about 500 to 700 in number and they carried out the strike from 2 am to 5 am and in the daylight they went missing in the jungle before the police could start an operation at around 7 am against them, he said.

Since the number of well-trained policemen were only 24 and put before about 700 armed Naxals, it was nothing but a "kind of butchering" as many policemen were axed to death and their "heads separated from their bodies", he said.

Several police officers and the injured jawans said before any one realised their presence, the Naxals appeared and started killing people, lobbing petrol bombs and hand grenades and opening indiscriminate fire.

They said the Naxals had come with a generator set to light up the area and after climbing the high wall with bamboo climbers, went upto the halls where the policemen were asleep.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Lax_security_led_to_Rani_Bodli_incident
_Police/articleshow/1775877.cms

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