NK'S POST

,Khandwa NK SINGH Bhopal:  Excavation work at Atoodh Khasa in Khandwa district of MP is expected to throw light on the missing links of various cultures in the country. Atoodh Khasa, 45 km from Khandwa, is situated on the right bank of the Kaveri, a tributary of Narmada. A regular survey done some years ago has shown that the village is one of the important chalcolithic sites south of Narmada. There is an ancient mound, occupying an area of about three sq. km. It is nearly 20 metres high and the top position is encircled by the remains of a fort wall. The mound is situated at the confluence of Kaveri and Amok. Earlier, a surface exploration of the mound and the river bank site yielded microlithic blades and other activities of the chalcolithic period. Black-and-red wares, both painted and non-painted, were also collected from the cuttings and exposed sections. The core of the mound contains proto-historic and historic pot shreds and antiquities. Stone sculptures have also been foun...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to set up a directorate of claims to process and monitor the compensation claims of the victims of the Bhopal gas disaster. The main function of the Directorate will be to assess the individual losses and losses suffered by shops, commercial establishments and industries. The directorate will assess the requirements of proper rehabilitation, prepare proper documents in support of individual or institutional claims for compensation, and process and present compensation claims before the commissioner for the Bhopal gas victims who may be appointed under the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster (processing of claims) Act, 1985. According to official sources, the State Government, by constituting this directorate, seeks to tackle the issue of preparation of claims of individuals and institutions who have suffered considerable losses in the trail of devastation left behind by the leak of poisonous gas from the Union Carbide factory. The Governm...

NK SINGH Bhopal: A local lawyer has moved the court seeking cancellation of the absolute bail granted to Mr. Warren Ander son, chairman of the Union Carbide Corporation, whose Bhopal pesticide plant killed over 2,000 persons last December. Mr. Anderson, who was arrested here in a dramatic manner on December 7 on several charges including the non-bailable Section 304 IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), was released in an even more dramatic manner and later secretly whisked away to Delhi in a state aircraft. The local lawyer, Mr. Quamerud-din Quamer, has contended in his petition to the district and sessions judge of Bhopal, Mr. V. S. Yadav, that the police had neither authority nor jurisdiction to release an accused involved in a heinous crime of mass slaughter. If Mr. Quamer's petition succeeds, it may lead to several complications, including diplomatic problems. The United States Government had not taken kindly to the arrest of the head of one of its most powerful mul...

NK SINGH Bhopal:  The Madhya Pradesh Government has imposed a ban on all sorts of purchases in all departments in view of the alarming financial crisis existing in the state. The ban, it is reliably learnt. will remain in force till May 15. The ban, however, would not cover labour wages, salary, hospitals, hostels and essential services. According to official sources, circulars to this effect have been issued in view of the financial crisis Last week, the state Government was on the brink of bankruptcy as the cheques and bills issued by it were dishonoured by banks following the refusal of the Reserve Bank the overdraft to increase limit. April 25, 1985 Indian Express

NK SINGH BHOPAL: A delegation of the Union Carbide Employees Union, led by Mr Madanlal Ranji, waited on the Chief Minister, Mr Motilal Vora, here on Saturday and presented a memorandum demanding alternative jobs for the Carbide employees. The union suggested that the Union Carbide factory should be nationalised so that jobs were guaranteed to the employees. The memorandum, according to a union press note, also suggested that instead of closing down the factory it should be converted into a non- hazardous products manufacturing concern. April 21, 1985 Indian Express

NK SINGH Bhopal: The shadow of famine and death looms large over vast areas of Madhya Pradesh. Though there are no reports of  starvation deaths yet, a massive exodus of hungry farm workers and impoverished peasants has started from Chhattisgarh and the tribal districts of Dhar and Jhabua in West Madhya Pradesh. Reports, official as well as unofficial, reaching the state capital from districts paint a grim picture of desolution and destitution in the countryside. An erratic monsoon last year and almost total failure of winter rain have caused an unprecedented water scarcity in all the 45 districts of the state. Even more alarming is the apprehension in some circles that the drinking water scarcity may lead to an outbreak of epidemics. Every seventh village in the state suffers from an acute water crisis. Over 10,000 villages have been officially declared 'problem villages'. Residents of these villages have to walk to 10 km to get a pitcher of drinking water. The seriousness of ...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The MP Government has prepared a plan to provide mid-day meals to 14.86. lakh tribal students in the age group of six to 14 years during the Seventh Plan The mid-day meals program was started in 1966 for students of the tribal welfare department schools in the age group of six to 14 years in 16 districts of the state. Three lakh students benefited from the program then. The number of beneficiaries has reached over eight now. The program has been implemented in all the 45 districts of the state now. There are 14,168 feeding centres April 18, 1985 Indian Express

NK SINGH The Madhya Pradesh Government appears to have forgotten that way back in December it had announced, with much fanfare, a judicial inquiry into the Bhopal gas leak disaster that had claimed over 2.000 lives. The terms of reference of the inquiry were announced on December 6, three days after the tragedy, and the single member commission, headed by Justice N. K. Singh of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, was asked to submit its report by March 15. The commission's report is no where in sight. In fact, it is yet to start its work in right earnest and its term has been extended till the end of June.  Justice N. K. Singh has accused the state government officials of non-cooperation. Earlier, when the press had criticized the delay in commencement of the inquiry, he had issued a statement pointing out that it was the delay on the part of the Government in providing the necessary working facilities which had hampered the functioning of the commission. On Wednesday, as the commission...

NK SINGH Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Government was hauled over the coals on Tuesday in the state assembly over its failure to protect the lives and property of citizens. The Vidhan Sabha was debating the admissibility of an adjournment motion to discuss the recent leak of chlorine and acid fumes from the Union Carbide factory here. The Government was grilled more sharply as opposition members found that The Industries Minister, Mr. Bharat Singh, in his statement had tried to parrot the Union Carbide's version of the leak, brushing away reports of panic in the locality. The minister quoted the Union Carbide version in his statement. The Government denied that any dangerous chemicals were left in the plant. It furnished a list of chemicals in the plant, which are being gradually disposed of.  The list included mono methyl amine and chlorine. chloro sulphonic acid and ACB but failed to mention other chemicals like chloroform and carbon tatra chloride. The minister was reading the repl...

NK SINGH Bhopal: Poisonous gas and acid fumes leaked again from the "killer Carbide" pesticide plant here on Thursday and Monday. causing widespread panic in the city of the dead. Hundreds of panic-stricken residents of shanty towns surrounding the pesticide plant. which leaked toxic methyl iso-cyanate gas last December killing about 2500 persons. Ailed for safety on Thursday night and again on Monday morning following the leak of chlorine and chlorosulphuric acid fumes. A spokesman of the multi-national Union Carbide said the "minor leak" of chlorine. which occurred around 9 p.m. on Thursday, was immediately controlled with the help of water jets, which were swiftly turned on to neutralise the leaking gas. Three workers of the plant. including a supervisor who was admitted for first aid in the carbide dispensary on the plant premises. The leak also affected the functioning of the neighbouring railway cabin whose staff fled in panic, Fortunately, no train passed thr...