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Thursday, June 13, 2019

Slovenia amended the constitution to protect 21st-century liquid Gold, Water is the fundamental right of the citizens!

Slovenia, the small country in the European Union has incorporated water into the Constitution as the basic right of all. Two years ago, the Parliament of the country amended the Constitution, saying ‘the country's abundant availability of 'water is a public goods under a country's system and not a product of market' country's abundant clean supply are 'a public good managed by the state' and 'not a market commodity’. Slovenia has the basic right to all citizens of drinking water in the Constitution and to stop its commercialization. This resolution was accepted by a number of 64 against the number of 0. The then prime minister, Miro Cerar, had urged lawmakers to pass the bill saying the country of two million people should “protect water – the 21st century’s liquid gold – at the highest legal level”

Image Courtesy www.slovenia.info

A couple who come s to me for some guidance on their work. Wife is Indian and the husband is Slovenian. According to them one reputation in Slovenia is of immense importance. This couple has travelled almost across the world. After that, they decided to do something good in India and came. According to the girl, she received a lot of honour in her husband's country.

“Article 70a

(Right to Drinking Water)

Everyone has the right to drinking water.

Water resources shall be a public good managed by the state.

As a priority and in a sustainable manner, water resources shall be used to supply the population with drinking water and water for household use and in this respect shall not be a market commodity.

The supply of the population with drinking water and water for household use shall be ensured by the state directly through self-governing local communities and on a not-for-profit basis.”

Laws regulating the matters referred to in the new Article 70a of the Constitution must be brought into conformity with this Constitutional Act within eighteen months of it entering into force.

This Constitutional Act shall enter into force upon its promulgation in the National Assembly.

Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia No. 75/16 of 30 November 2016

Same the behaviour she was expecting from the people of India for her husband. But unfortunately, when they landed in India very first experience with a builder was a nightmare for them. She also had to face a lot of harassment for herself as well as for her husband. But when the builder realized that the couple is not going to succumb to any pressure, he was ready to take back the house and refund the money. But That is not enough for the couple they are expecting an unconditional apology from him. Nothing has happened yet. Now both are experiencing the Indian system in different offices

Read This also: Potable water, a richness of Slovenia

After complaining to the Chief Minister and Food and Drug Administration about packaged purified water two days ago they both came to me when I was talking to the Reporters. They were surprised to hear the matter of privatization of packaged water and privatization of dams in the state. They told me that in their country even if the water reservoir is private it cannot be closed and access to water cannot be restricted, anybody.

The quality of water in Slovenia is very good and, in the future, it will gradually become more valuable good. Due to its increasing value, in the future, foreign countries and international corporations may target it and increase the pressure on Slovenia. To protect water from such pressure Slovenian parliament has made it the fundamental right of citizens. Apart from Slovenia, more than 15 countries have taken such a decision. Slovenia is the first European Union country to include water rights in the Constitution.

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Monday, July 27, 2015

Scripting the corruption on hand made paper , Maharashtra Chikki Scam Part 5

The women child development minister awarded around 12.31 crore printing contract to Handmade paper Institute (HMPI) pune without tender and any competitive bids. Every body in this deal knew that HMPI was leased out way back and not entitled for any rate fixation.

Photo courtsy www.erewise.com

Draft of the Indian Constitution was written down by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on papers manufactured in Handmade Paper institute (HMPI) in pune. Indeed a moment of pride for it. However latter on babus of Khadi Gramodyog Village industries wrote a script of corruption on the same paper. Some officials of HMPI deliberately help decrease revenue and production of HMPI and eventually this unit was leased out to a private contractor in 2010. Not even that, they helped private contractor whom HMPI was leased out to bag government orders without any competition or tender.

Photo Courtsy thehindubusinessline.com

To understand magnitude of corruption let us see a calculation. Suppose HMPI as per its present full capacity produces 1,11,000 kg ( One lakh eleven thousand paper per year ) normally cost of hand made paper in market is 140/kg. but assuming that it is 200 /kg it comes to 2,22,000,00/- (two crore twenty two laks). The HMPI has bagged contract from Women and child welfare (WCD) to the tune of 12.50 crores. In addition to this HMPI caters to other government authorities .But can they produce so much handmade paper ? definitely not.

Handmade paper is produced from cotton rag waste from the cotton garment/ undergarment industry. More importantly, no toxic chemicals are used in the handmade paper making process. Handmade paper has the advantage of being 100% wood free which makes it the most eco-friendly form of paper and hence has high demand from government organizations. And as per GR dated 2 January 1992 some Items were reserved to be purchased from this institute only being run by government.

Photo courtsy wwwdsource.in

Later on Handmade paper Institute ( HMPI) of Khadi Gramodyog Village Industry ( KVIC) was leased to private contractor in 2010 (Anne - 27) .This unit has capacity of making only hand made paper up to maximum 20 – 25 tone /year. It has no printing unit. Some printing is done by screen printing method. Before leased out HMPI,s production capacity was reduced to 70 kg per day with 84 workers.( actual capacity was 240 kg/day). After leased out a private contractor a electric machine was introduced and production was increased by another 200 to 300 kg / day i.e. total capacity to 270 to 370 kg/day.( Two shifts)

Photo courtsy mumbaimag.com

Actually as this unit was leased to private contractor hence, and as per HC order and Government decision on Rate fixation, was not entitled to any type of rate fixation with government. Despite it some item (Anne – 28) reserved for institute and rates were fixed as if unit was run by government itself. And also extension was given to it repeatedly and also ceiling on purchase was vacated( Anne -29 ) (Remember high court order and government decision on rate fixation )

Then some officials of KVIC posed before WCD as if unit was run by government Also assured of all the process of manufacturing is done in institute itself. And requested to allot work to handmade paper Institute (Anne -30)

Accordingly work was allotted to private party without tender. None of party related to this case was innocent. Everybody new what was going wrong. But was a silent party to money siphoning business.

A) Kalpak Rachana sanch, etc 4 items - 4,89, 38,385/- ( Anne -31 )

B) Probodhan per Mahitee Pustika - - 2, 92, 54,351/- (Anne -32)

C) Handmade paper calendar - 99,99,425/- (Anne -33 )

D)Registers etc - 50,43,990 ( Anne -34 )

E) Handmade paper Drukk sandesh Pustika – 2,99, 52,955/- (Anne -35 )

Total work of 12,31,89,106 - was allotted. All the orders issued on same day i.e. 13 February 2015. Without even knowing capacity of Institute.

Workers in this institute have written to CM that none of the above product was manufactured in HMPI. That Means contractor has manufactured all these products somewhere else while manufacturing the same in HMPI was the basic condition. It is also impossible to manufacture so much amount of hand made paper in HMPI or any such unit . Hence products if provided at all must be of mill made paper . ( Anne – 36 & 37) and that amounts to cheating.