[Assam] Crybaby

Tue Mar 31 05:21:31 PDT 2009

Mahanta Da,
I cannot obviously claim to possess the richness of your personal experience in things technical. But I presume one may take part in a discussion that concerns human affairs in general though he is not an expert. From that angle, I would like to add to what you have stated in your mail.
Let us take this particular example of 1681 crore loan from Japan. Will it bring succour to Guwahati? If we go by history, failure is written all over it. 
Why? Because, it does not serve the immediate interest of the powers that be.
Here, Japan has not given this loan for its love towards the parched Guwahatians. With the recession hitting hard at the foundation of its economy which is merely a part of the global capitalist system, its interest is only ensuring a return on its disposable funds. What can be a more assuring than a loan undertaken to be repaid by a country's government that with great aplomb declares itself as one of the sunrise economies. 
It is also evident that Government of India has not asked for this loan of its own accord. The initial proposal must have gone from the State Government. Do the ruling party politicians at a particular time ever think of the interest of the people when they moot a plan? Certainly not. The demand of the people for potable water is the excuse that moves them to act for their own vested interests. People's interest is the least of their concern:-
1. Politicians will be calculating as to how much they will make from awarding contracts, and taking commissions even from the  funding agencies.
2. The boss tecnocrats will prepare the designs and estimates keeping in view as to how much they can retain after paying off the political bigwigs. Also they will prepare the designs and estimates keeping in view and taking help from the interested big player implementing/ contracting firms, be it national, be it state level, be it international.
3. The politicians, bureaucrats and technocrats of the State would push for Central Funding with the promise of a cut to their big bosses in Delhi; the big bosses themselves would try to further their income by bidding among idle -cash flush international funding agengies. 
4. When the funding becomes available, both the state level and union government have something to show that they have acted in the interest of the people.... this time around it is the parched Guwahatians. The concerned department shall also blow its trumpet of achievements.
5. At implementation stage, the contractors blessed by bureaucrats, technocrats and politicians would make money by not implementing the project in the way it was supposed to be done: supplying sub-standard materials, non-performance etc.
6. When the project is completed, there would be lots of inevitable problems due to improper implementation and for maintenance. There too the evil nexus would make money.
7. Ultimately, the people will have to be content with whatever faulty 'product' is dished out to them at such price as would be demanded at the discretion of the concerned authority/ body/ private agencies whether people can afford it or not. There may be a few court cases, but ultimately those come to naught. Cries of the few public bodies also fizzle out as the basically middle-class components thereof cannot sustain a protracted fight due to their own quotidian problems.

Mahanta Da, you raise the question of 'free potable water'. Is that possible? Have we not chosen Global Capitalism as the panacea to all our problems? In that system, everything is a commodity with a price-tag attached. The example of Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board is a case in point. It raised the price 3 folds all of a sudden, the quality of the beige water notwithstanding; there was an initial murmur that fizzled out in no time. Moreover, you have to grant that State Government too has an obligation of repaying a loan and interest to Japan!It has to collect it from the citizens. Is not it an incontrovertible argument?

Now why would they go for local expertise that may be quite adequate yet cheap? Where will they get a cut of the pie? To hell with people's interest. It is the legitimate demand of the people that gives them an excuse to make money; the hapless are required only to that extent.
Thereafter, it is the Silence of the Lambs all the way.

There is nothing new in this story. It is the story of any neo-colonial economic structure in the neo-liberal global order.
If ancient knowledge is to be believed 'Maach Muror Pora Gele'. It is another question, if ever, people will orgainse and act against this set up. That depends on the elasticity of the structure. The nature of response, whether evolutionary or revolutionary, too would depend on numerous unforeseeable factors, as its outcome too would be.

In trying to be concise, I have probably oversimplified quite a few things. Please read sympathetically:-)

Uttam Kumar Borthakur

________________________________
From: mc mahant <mikemahant at hotmail.com>
To: assam assamnet <assam at assamnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, 31 March, 2009 1:43:27 PM
Subject: [Assam] Crybaby

Crybaby
Guahati PWD engineers and the accomplices do not? wish to perform their duties. Why is that so?? Is it because? the Assamese are genetically handicapped?
> Or is it because the Guahatians are so? Or could there be more intelligent? inferences to be drawn? > I ask the questions to help you think it thru. Now don't go silent and tell us why you think things are the way they are.
> Finally, the designs of the roads, sidewalks, manholes, drainage inlets and other accessories that HAVE BEEN built? could not possibly have been designed by anybody with any engineering training.
> Do you disagree?

Let's get things straight;
Money is  LENT by Delhi under JNNURM -Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission-- hence must be Engineered to National NORMS .
That everything is Bogus-Unnecessay-Waste is besides the Point.
The vital  Point is Himanta (Urban Development Minister) needs moneys for Elections/Tv Channel/Toppling Meghalaya Govt  dictates necessity.
Pucca drain is "Sweeping Under The Carpet"( for 1 Minute downpour) .Everybody Saw/Seeing/Will See  what happens after 1 smart shower.

In the last 2 days all such drain's  8" thick RCC  covers are seen being opened with heavy earthmovers and fleets of Lorries/men carring the muck away. The ideas are:

Sonia+Son visiting on  5th  Apr.

Faint attempt to avoid a shame(and a few less votes) on 16th AFTER the Pre-Bihu  GOU-GAA-DHUWUWAA -PANEE  showers surely coming  before 14th.    One samart ZAGOL  has come has come in last 2 days.

TheAssam PWD  " Engineers" never learnt Engineering. EVER.Their work is done in some Delhi -Contracted Consultant "With Proven Track RECORD  -and with minimum Work-order values exeeding 1Crore in previous 3 years"

Is it all Clear?

Wonder Who is this Dutta. A CRYBABY?

UB wrote:  Crybaby
< > I am bit unwilling to join in the discussions right now. But I want to inform you and others of this forum that Guwahati is getting Rs.1681 crores from Japan. 90% will be repaid by Union Government. 10% is state government liability @ 1% for 30 years. It is for northern and central south portion of Guwahati to ensure 100% water supply coverage. Incidentally, an Assamse Sri Sanjay Krishna, an IAS officer, has signed the agreement for GOI.
> 
> What would be the projection based on earlier experiences?

<getting Rs.1681 crores from Japan>  Q's:

JAPAN TO ASSAM  free gift?

90% Repayed By UNION=--For love of Assam? Or eternally mortgaging assam?

10% is state government liability @ 1% for 30 years.  Did the Assamese agree in a referendum for spending the 2 above into Guahati . Why Guahati-not Dhokuakhwona?

ensure 100% water supply coverage: Himanta said on TV "24 HOURS A DAY -AT FULL PRESSURE"  He did not say Free. What if nobody buys but get billed all the same?

Assamse Sri Sanjay Krishna, an IAS-- Is this an attempt to please the Assamese or to Pass the Bum-Deal  as "Your Very Own penned it-- so do not blame us"?

Yours Truly was called to the 1st meeting organized by an NGO to hear the Japanese +Himanta's Commissioner.
Yours Truly said -"Guahati has ample Groundwater. I can supply a Lakh cheap Electrocoagulators to disinfect/sweeten/deiron/defluoridize their drinking water source--(2Litres./day) . And who told these people to come to Guahati without ensuring water Supply. Guahati has a huge Public Health Engineering Framework--what do they do for a living? You don't need Japs to teach Assamese how to drink-Surely?  Clarify -who is the big LOSER?

Everybody Clapped. 
End of Story!!!

Just YOU Wait  CRYBABY.

mm

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