Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband, is unwell; He is on leave

Hi,
I am not well. Hence I have taken leave. I will resume duties as soon as I get totally alright. In my absence, Prakash Koshy, Sub-Editor of Newsband, will look after my work. The nature of my illness is not very serious and hence I hope to recover within a couple of weeks. I've been on leave since 28 October 2011. I am looking forward to joining my colleagues in Newsband office once again very soon. I know I'll miss my readers for few days. But what to do? That's what God wishes. One has to bow down before God's wishes. So see you soon! Bye!

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Kamothe urgently needs CIDCO's attention) that was published in Newsband

Kamothe urgently needs CIDCO's attentionA visit to Kamothe will make you aware of the plight of the residents over here. Kamothe is full of neglected open spots. At one particular spot in Kamothe you will find a large open plot of land surrounded by posh buildings on all sides. This space was once an undeveloped part which later became a dumping ground and now it is a stinking lake with large volume of garbage floating. This lake is now used to throw debris and household waste.
The existence of such a place not only endangers the health of the residents living around it but also it affects the business of the developers who find Kamothe a place where many outsiders want to come and reside or settle down because the residences over there are sold at affordable prices. Many have already come and resided over there. There are residents who have taken big loans and purchased flats over here. These people have no choice but to quietly face the dangers posed by such dirty open spaces.
Kamothe is considered as paradise for builders who are developing multi-crore projects over here. These builders even approached CIDCO's authorities and pleaded to them to do something drastic about these severe problems existing in Kamothe. These builders even pay infrastructure development funds to CIDCO at the time of sanction of any project. What are CIDCO's authorities doing with all these funds? Why don't they utilize these funds to provide all the necessary facilities and amenities to Kamothe region? They are not even bothered about the fact that many parts of Kamothe have become a hell that gives birth to infectious diseases.
As far as Kamothe is concerned, it is high time CIDCO made use of its waste management and health department to get rid of garbage menace and gave relief to the residents over there. At some places in Kamothe the stink is unbearable. The residents keep their windows closed and don't allow their children to play outside lest they fall sick owing to unhygienic surroundings. During monsoon, the situation over here is horrible since the level of accumulated water rises to an extent where it becomes dangerous for residents residing on the ground floors of their buildings. Kamothe also needs proper transport facilities and also medical centers since at present the chances of residents catching malaria or dengue are very high owing to the existence of many open filthy spots over there.
So the residents of Kamothe can do nothing but hope that very soon CIDCO's authorities will feel pity for them and come to their rescue like Gods.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Provide market to Nerul residents) that was published in Newsband

Provide market to Nerul residents
Any residential area today needs three basic places. First is the market. Next is the hospital. And the last is educational institution. No residential area is complete without these three. A man can survive without educational institutions. He can manage without a hospital. But he just cannot survive without a market. Market in the vicinity is the first and foremost need of man. When man became a civilized being he first built a market, next the hospital and lastly the educational institution.
Market is undoubtedly the number one need of any residential complex. A market that provides grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meat etc is absolutely essential. There is no doubt about that. Yet during the general body meeting held at (NMMC) Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's headquarter a proposal of constructing market on an open plot at Nerul did not get the approval. Strange!
The NMMC administration proposed to construct a market on an open plot no. 16 at sector 20 of Nerul. A decision was made that a market would be constructed on the open plot admeasuring 540 sq meters. An eminent architect was also appointed to prepare the master plan. The architect even submitted the plan of the first and ground floor of the proposed market which needed to come up owing to the growing demand for daily markets in the area. The civic body even appropriated Rs 1.10 cr. for developing the market. But when a resolution in this context was moved in the general assembly for approval, majority opposed. This was not expected.
It is true that some residents would use this plot reserved for market to conduct community events and celebrations. These people, some social organizations and the villagers are protesting development of the markets. But these people are not the representatives of the majority who want the market to come up there. The market is badly needed there since there is no market in the area and residents are forced to travel a long way for purchasing groceries and foodstuffs. Also that particular plot has been earmarked for constructing of market. Then why should that plot be allowed to be used for any other purpose? So the protest is negligible and does not carry any weight. In the general body meet, this proposal to construct the market should have been supported unanimousl y. It is strange that the proposal was opposed by majority. Let us hope that in the next general body meeting, sense will prevail and the majority or everybody will support the proposal. After all these residents are demanding a market, not a garden!

Dinesh Kamath's colunn on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Drastic step by RTO needed) that was published in Newsband

Drastic step by RTO needed
As far as auto rickshaw fare in Navi Mumbai is concerned, Deputy RTO, Vashi, has issued a deadline of October 31 to switch to CNG rates. If CNG rates are implemented from November 1, minimum fare will again drop to Rs 11. Now, that's good news for Navi Mumbai residents. But the question is will the auto rickshaw drivers cooperate? RTO claims that 90% rickshaws in the city are running on CNG and only ten percent autos are yet to switch to CNG. These are the figures given by the RTO. But union leader Kasam Mulani doesn't agree with these figures. According to him there are 40 percent autos which continue to run on petrol. And the drivers of these autos, according to him, will find it extremely tough, in fact impossible, to meet the October 31 deadline to switch to CNG since they have not yet been able to garner funds to buy CNG kits which cost up to Rs 32000. He rightly questions as to how poor drivers can manage such a large amount, unless the government intervenes and decides to give them loan? Also, CNG kits are not available in the market. So the question that arises is whether CNG rates can be implemented this year?
Now in the mean time the auto fare rate has been hiked to Rs 15 for a brief period of 15 days. This is supposed to be a pre-Diwali gift for autos. But what if all the autos which run on petrol don't switch to CNG? Not only the auto fare rate might not come down to Rs 11 but there is a danger of auto fare rate remaining Rs 15 even after October 31. It is the passengers who will have to face the brunt of this hike.
How will RTO ensure that all the autos which run on petrol will switch to CNG by October 31? Have they made any kind of master plan to ensure this? Can they take a drastic step like banning those autos which run on petrol and make installation of CNG kits absolutely compulsory for all rickshaw drivers? If they allow only CNG-run autos to ply within the jurisdiction of NMMC they can go ahead with their plan to bring down the auto fare rate to Rs 11 with effect from November 1.
The last question is will all the auto rickshaw drivers' unions cooperate with RTO in the matter of taking such a drastic step? If these unions cooperate only then can you expect the rickshaw passengers to get relief.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (CIDCO is being unethical) that was published in Newsband

CIDCO is being unethicalWhy is CIDCO giving a step motherly treatment to project affected persons (PAPs) of Navi Mumbai. PAPs are only asking CIDCO to let them have their dues which is their legal right. Why is CIDCO denying them their rights? What exactly is CIDCO's problem?
Doing full justice to PAPs is the first thing that CIDCO should have done once they had constructed the city of Navi Mumbai. Since PAPs had willingly given their lands to CIDCO for giving birth to a developed city like Navi Mumbai, for CIDCO the most ethical thing to do was to first give PAPs their dues since without these people CIDCO could never even have dreamt of coming up with an advanced city like Navi Mumbai. It was due to PAPs' cooperation and generosity that enabled CIDCO to build a city which has impressed not only Indians but also the foreigners. Is CIDCO not feeling guilty about the fact that they have not kept the promise they made to PAPs? Is it that insensitive?
Is it lack of funds that has been preventing CIDCO from compensating and rehabilitating PAPs? If that is the case then how is CIDCO in a position to work on the most expensive project which is constructing of international airport in the city? CIDCO has funds to construct an airport, but it is not in a position to do justice to PAPs. Strange!
What are PAPs asking for? They're just demanding adequate compensation under the 12.5% scheme which CIDCO has promised prior to taking their lands. Why is CIDCO not keeping its words? If CIDCO finds the compensation that PAPs are demanding too much then why did it make the promise in the first place?
How many morchas and agitations did the PAPs stage so far? And yet CIDCO does not budge. It neither does justice to PAPs nor does it refuse to do justice to them. Every time the PAPs stage an agitation, CIDCO comes up with the same promise that of keeping their words which it had given PAPs prior to taking their lands. This gives birth to the question as to what exactly is on the minds of CIDCO authorities. Do they really have the intention of giving PAPs their legal dues or are they just playing a game which doesn't harm them personally but which creates untold miseries for PAPs.
One thing is clear and that is CIDCO has thrown all ethics to the winds by already causing so much delay in doing justice to PAPs.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Why Standing Committee Meeting?) that was published in Newsband

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Why Standing Committee Meeting?
On 12 October 2011, NMMC Standing Committee meeting ended in just two minutes. Strange! The reason for the meeting having ended so early was absence of many corporators. These corporators had gone on leave. Some were absent owing to Diwali festival that is round the corner while others stayed absent for personal reasons. Corporators represent the people of their ward. If these corporators start behaving irresponsibly, what can you expect from the people whom they represent?
In a school we come across cases where students stay absent and then the school authorities have to take action against them. But NMMC is not a school and corporators cannot afford to behave like school children. Who will take action against erring corporators? Corporators are a part of ruling body and they ought to display certain kind of discipline and thus set an example to the people whom they represent. Staying absent en masse is an example of throwing one's responsibility to the winds. It's true that this is a festive season but that doesn't mean that an important event like Standing Committee meeting should be treated as if it is not at all important.
Talking of NMMC Standing Committee, one gets the feeling today that the power of this committee is diminishing. This is clear after the state government has decided to amend laws and grant more financial powers to municipal commissioner and mayor. The municipal commissioner particularly will soon be granted power to approve contracts of Rs 25 lakhs and that too without a sanction from Standing Committee. This gives rise to the question as to why there should be a Standing Committee at all? Maybe this state government's attitude of denying Standing Committee members the kind of power that they used to enjoy in the past that is frustrating the SC members and making them resort to absenting themselves en masse or displaying irresponsible behaviour. The state government should not take steps that will reduce the importance of a corporator. The government should equip corporator with enough powers so that he or she is able to do full justice to the people of his or her ward. The government should consider this point very seriously.

Moods of Dinesh Kamath captured by Ashok Dhamija when the lights had gone off at Newsband office

In the first picture from top Dinesh Kamath is worried about deadline time.

In the second picture Dinesh Kamath adopts an optimistic attitude.

In the third picture Dinesh Kamath adopts a relaxed attitude.

For your information, these three photographs depicting three moods of Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband, were clicked by Ashok Dhamija, Photo Journalist of Newsband. These photographs were clicked when the lights had gone off at Newsband Office at Vashi and newspaper work had come to a stop. The lights went off due to some problems at Electricity center. This problem lasted for around two hours. As long as there was no power the entire newspaper staff of Newsband had to sit under the candle light. Thus this is one kind of risk that newspaper people have to face.

Dinesh Kamath's columns on 'Movie and TV World' that were published in Newsband

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Doctored history creates communal hatred) that was published in Newsband

Doctored history creates communal hatred
Amongst factors creating communal hatred is doctored history. There are both good and bad Muslims just as there are both good and bad Hindus. There were some great people among Muslims who were reformers and who opposed communalism openly.
When you witness the communal riots you will wonder as to why communities who lived cheek-by-jowl want to kill each other. It is purely politics, not religion, which causes communal carnage. Amongst many factors that help in creating communal hatred is the doctored history lessons that are taught in schools.
Aurangzeb is projected as a villain in Indian history book. But the same book doesn't care to make a mention of his brother Dara Shikoh who had championed Hindu-Muslim unity by translating Hindu scriptures into Persian. He also penned a classic called Majma-ul-Bahrain (co-mingling of the rivers). Our children need to be taught correct history.
Today's youth doesn't carry the baggage of Partition or communal riots. That's a good sign. A section of children who attend elite schools are certainly free from much of the prejudice against people of other faiths. However, a vast majority who attend government-run schools or schools run by communal organizations are imparted skewed knowledge and understandings of social and historical values.
When it comes to tackling communal riots, the state can do a lot - unfortunately, it has continuously failed in its duty to protect vulnerable sections during riots and punish the guilty post-communal riot. No communal riots can last beyond 24 hours if the state government sincerely tackles it. We have the examples of Lalu Prasad as chief minister of Bihar in the 1990s and the Left Front governments in West Bengal. They successfully prevented communal riots when most of India was singed by these. On the contrary, Narendra Modi looked the other way when Gujarat burnt in 2002.
Today, Modi appears to have softened his attitude towards Muslims, adopting a more secular stance. Will the community forgive him? Slogans of Allah-o-Akbar at his Sadbhavna fast was meant to gain Muslim support. But why did he refuse a skullcap offered by an imam there? The question is will secularists and Muslims forgive him for that?

Dinesh Kamath, Editor of Newsband, attends Alka Yagnik's program organized by New Bombay Bengali Associalion at Vashi on the occasion of Durgotsav

I had attended Alka Yagnik's program held at Vashi and organized by New Bombay Bengali Association on the occasion of Durgotsav. I enjoyed listening to two songs particularly that Alka rendered. Those songs were 'Panchhi, nadiyaan, pawan ke jhonke, koi sarhad na inhein roke' and 'Tum aaye to aaya mujhe yaad, gali mein aaj chand nikla'. Alka is a singer who not only sings sweetly but also looks beautiful. Hats off to her! (The above photographs were clicked by Ashok Dhamija, photo journalist of Newsband.)

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial (Modi is not fit to be a national leader) that was published in Newsband

Modi is not fit to be a national leader
By arresting police officer Sanjiv Bhatt, Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi has weakened his claim to a larger role in national politics. Bhatt had implicated the chief minister for his alleged role in the 2002 riots. He was suspended and chargesheeted and then arrested on the charge that he had given a false court affidavit linking senior functionaries in the Modi government to BJP leader Haren Pandya's murder. Now let's wait for the verdict of the court of law.
The question is whether this is a case of political vendetta. Bhatt is not the first victim of Modi. Another police official had questioned Modi's role in the riots and he was charged with violating the Official Secrets Act. Still another police official had to face the music for pointing fingers at the government in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case. These are cases which indicate that administrative intolerance is prevailing in Gujarat. Even celebrated danseuse and social activist Mallika Sarabhai had become the victim of such type of intolerance.
Modi cannot hope to gain by conducting vendetta politics. He indeed has an impressive development record going for him. But if he wishes to become a national leader he should not display such vindictiveness. Indians have not yet forgotten the 2002 riots, whose victims still await justice. Modi will have to be more tolerant if he wants to rise to the stature of a national leader. To overcome this drawback he needs to stop such vendettas against his enemies, and gain wider acceptance.
But one should appreciate the guts of Sanjiv Bhatt. He has made it clear that he will not compromise with the Modi government in any way. Bhatt told the court, "...there can be no compromise with the Modi govt. This is a battle of principles. I am ready to remain in jail for however long it takes."
Congress has taken full advantage of this situation and they have used this opportunity to strongly accuse Modi of political vendetta. Bhatt should rely on Congress to prevent himself from getting embroiled in more false cases that might have no basis but which might be simply meant to harass and intimidate him. Even Anna Hazare has condemned Modi for taking Bhatt to task. Anna has rightly said that this act on part of Modi is just not good for democracy in the country.

Dinseh Kamath's Editorial (India, China and space-race) that was published in Newsband

India, China and space-race
China launched an unmanned space laboratory. That's an impressive feat. That's also a thing of concern for India which is China's closest competitor. China hopes to have a fully functional space station by the end of the decade. If China achieves this feat then it will share the space with the US and Russia. The question is will India too join these three nations in the space race? Will China be at the forefront of space exploration in the future? These things are left to be seen.
Not that India is lagging behind in the matter of space programme. In fact, The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has succeeded in launching several satellites in space successfully. But if ISRO doesn't come up very soon with a space programme that will bring India on par with China, India might find itself far behind China in the near future.
India will need to invest heavily in space programme. India must focus on strengthening its economy to be able to invest in space missions.
China is seeing dreams of putting its man on the moon. India should not allow the widening of technological gap between it and China. Would it be wise on the part of Indian government to ignore those people who question the logic of beefing up the space programme by diverting funds away from social projects? But India government realizes that India should compulsorily be able to match China technologically and strategically and also in space-race. Investing on space programme will lead to technological and scientific breakthroughs in fields like electronics, computers, engineering, materials science and others.
In 1964, India had to speed up its nuclear research after the Chinese nuclear test. Now India will have to do something drastic to remain on par with China in space matter.
India should not allow China to outpace in both technology and space matters. It is very essential for India to acquire greater space exploration capabilities. India should succeed in putting an astronaut on moon before China does it and thus assert its stature among the nations in the East.

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in 'Newsband'

Dinesh Kamath's column on 'Movie and TV World' that was published in 'In New Bombay'