Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI

The Battle of Staligrad remembered – A report

02 Saturday Feb 2013

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VOLGOGRAD, Russia (Reuters) – The city of Volgograd readopted its old name of Stalingrad for a few hours on Saturday, as Russia commemorated the 70th anniversary of the battle that turned the tide of World War Two.
The victory in the six-month Battle of Stalingrad, which killed about 2 million people, is a symbol of national pride which has produced an outburst of patriotic fervor and, for some, nostalgia for the Soviet era and dictator Josef Stalin.
President Vladimir Putin flew to Volgograd, known as Stalingrad from 1925 until 1961, to lay a wreath and meet veterans after a military parade led by soldiers in World War Two uniforms and featuring a wartime T-34 tank.
“I saw cities in Europe that were practically untouched by the war, countries that capitulated to the more powerful enemies even before war was declared,” First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in a speech at the parade.
“But we are not like that. Our grandfathers, our fathers, our older generation, our great leaders, fought here for each building, for each street.”
Hundreds of war veterans turned up for the parade on Volgograd’s central Square of the Fallen Fighters, their coats weighed down by medals, the youngest of them now 89.
After Stalingrad, Soviet troops fought their way westward to Berlin, taking the German capital 27 months later.
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“It’s very important to remember this battle,” said Valentina Olekhina, who was celebrating her 70th birthday.
She was born in Stalingrad on February 2, 1942, the day Nazi German Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus told his forces to cease fire after he was captured in a cellar by Soviet troops.
“I think my mother went into labor out of relief or excitement. I was born outside but I don’t know exactly where,” she told Reuters.
SURGE OF PATRIOTISM
Putin did not attend the parade but flew to the city 900 km (600 miles) south of Moscow after holding a reception for veterans in the Kremlin on Friday.
“At the heart of all Russia’s victories and achievements are patriotism, faith and strength of spirit,” Putin said on Friday. “In World War Two, these true values inspired our people and our army.”
Under a decision by the city council intended to please the veterans, Volgograd was referred to as Stalingrad at the official events. Admirers of Stalin posted his portrait in minibuses, in a move not approved by the authorities.
For 200 days, Germans and Russians fought hand to hand, street by street and from room to room, battling the winter cold and sometimes starvation too.
Russian historians say 40,000 people were killed on the day of fiercest bombing and at the height of combat the average survival time of Soviet soldiers sent into battle was 24 hours.
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Pride in the bravery of Soviet troops and the endurance of civilians trapped during the battle unites almost all Russians ..
Russian television has repeatedly shown footage from wartime Stalingrad and broadcast films and documentaries about the battle.
Even the crew of the orbiting International Space Station congratulated the war veterans.
“We will always be grateful for your heroic act. The memory of it will live on down the ages,” cosmonaut Roman Romanenko said in video footage shown on Russian television.

Private telcos can not object to govt. support to BSNL – Union

02 Saturday Feb 2013

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A report with the above title published in the ‘Business Line’ today, 2nd Feb. is reproduced below:

New Delhi, Feb 1:
The employees’ union of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has said that private telecom players have no reason to object to a Government proposal to give the PSU financial support. The workers’ union said the private players now argue for a level-playing field even though they have been continuously getting all benefits and undue favours from the Government.

“In the auctions for spectrum, while the private players could bid for their choice circle, BSNL and MTNL were denied the right to bid, but were compelled to pay the charges for the highest bid in all circle, resulting in almost double the amount that the private telcos paid,” said V. A.N. Namboodiri, Convenor of the joint forum of BSNL workers’ union.

Private mobile operators have raised objections to a proposal to give financial support to State-run telecom companies. The Cellular Operators Association of India and the Association of Unified Service Providers of India have written to the Government saying that it will disturb the level-playing field if financial support is given.

The Department of Telecom has sought the Cabinet’s approval for a Rs 20,000-crore bailout package for BSNL and MTNL. The Department proposes to waive the one-time spectrum charge and refund money for broadband spectrum that has been surrendered.

The Battle of Stalingrad completes 70 years

02 Saturday Feb 2013

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Seventy years is not a long period in the history of the nations. Still many incidents of great importance are forgotten by the people. The Socialist Revolution of 1917 in Russia, that changed not only the future of Russia but also of the world is gradually being forgotten. The great role played by the USSR in the defeat of Hitler in the II World War, the heroic fight of the soviets in stopping the march of the Nazis and saving the world from dictactorship are well documented, but the present Russian government is not enthusiastic. Year after year, the gains of the Soviet Rule are conciously being kept in the dark.
But the latest information seems to be of a small change in the attitude.

The Battle of Stalingrad, where the Nazis were stopped and more than 20 lakhs were killed or wounded from both sides and more than 1 lakh Nazi army was taken prisoners by the Red Army defending the Soviet Union in 1943 is one of the greatest war that has been fought. But the name of Stalingrad was changed to Volgograd by Nikita Krushchev in 1961 as part of the attack on the memory of Joseph Stalin. But now, after many years, the Russian Government, probably due to public pressure, has declared that the name of Stalingrad can be used for certain days in the year connected with the dates linked with the patriotic war for the country.
This is declared just before the 70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Stalingrad on 2nd February 1943, is important.
The day of the victory of Stalingrad will always be remembered as the day from which the Hitler had to taste defeat after defeat and his final collapse.

India Going Down in Human Index

02 Saturday Feb 2013

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It is now official. India is going down on Human Rights Index. As per the report of the Human Rights Watch, an international organisation, India has been going down below in maintaining human rights.
This is well known to the Indians. The attacks on women, gang rapes, police atrocities etc. are increasing despite many pious declarations. Child labour is rampant. No action is taken to stop it.
This is the time to review and improve the situation.

Diesel – Now it is monthly increase in prices

02 Saturday Feb 2013

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The government has now decided that there will be monthly increases in the price of diesel. This was stated by Veerappa Moily, central Minister. Every month the price will be hiked by 40-50 paise, till all the subsidies are taken away.
The government is in an aggressive mode to wipe out the subsidies to the poor and the common man. But in the case of subsidies to the rich and corporates there is no wiping out. Whether it is for relaxing conditions for FDI, acquiring land for MNCs, the government is too willing to subsidise every thing. The government has become the government of the rich and not the comman man.

GAIL now a Mini Ratna Company

02 Saturday Feb 2013

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Considering all aspects, public sector GAIL has been granted the status of Mini Ratna. My congrtulations to the workers and management of GAIL.
At the same time, it is unfortunate that the government is considering to take away the Mini Ratna granted to BSNL taking in to consideration that the company is in loss for 3 consecutive years and other parameters.
It is high time that the management and the workers together have to revive the company to its former glory.

Only 19 days for the two days strike – Prepare for the same

01 Friday Feb 2013

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Only 19 days are left for the 2 days strike on 20-21 February 2013 called for by the 11 Central trade unions on the most important demands of the workers and common people. In addition to the 11 Central Trade Unions, a large number of All India Federations and Unions have decided to participate in the strike. The Confederation of Central Government Employees have also issued notice. In BSNL most of the unions have decided to join the strike. It is expected that others will also join.
I eanestly request all the unions/associations in BSNL to join the strike and make it a complete success.
Towards the Strike! Make it completely successful!

Malala, icon of girls’ education nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

01 Friday Feb 2013

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Oslo, Feb 1 : Malala Yousafzai, the shot Pakistani schoolgirl-turned-icon of Taliban resistance, and ex-Eastern bloc activists are among those known to be nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, as the deadline expired today.
This year’s award will be announced in early October, but speculation was already underway as the deadline for nominations ran out on February 1.
Fifteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot by a Taliban gunman at point blank range as she travelled on a bus to school on October 9, targeted for promoting girls’ education.
She has since become an internationally recognised symbolof opposition to the Taliban’s drive to deny women education, and against religious extremism in a country where women’s rights are often flouted.
“A prize to Malala would not only be timely and fitting with a line of awards to champions of human rights and democracy, but also … would set both children and education on the peace and conflict agenda,” said the head of the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, Kristian Berg Harpviken.
Others known to have been nominated are human rights activists whose names have been mentioned in previous years, including Belarussian human rights activist Ales Belyatski — currently behind bars — and Russia’s Lyudmila Alexeyeva.
Trying to predict who will win the Nobel Peace Prize is a difficult task, complicated by the fact that the list of nominees each year is kept secret for 50 years.
But thousands of people are eligible to nominate candidates — including former laureates, members of parliament and government around the world, some university professors, and members of certain international organisations — and they are allowed to reveal the names they have put forward.
As a result, it is known that French, Canadian and Norwegian MPs have all separately nominated Malala. Beliatsky’s and Alexeyeva’s names have meanwhile been put forward by two Norwegian lawmakers.
“They have both defied authoritarian state structures and the illegal and illegitimate abuse of power,” one of the two MPs, Jan Tore Sanner, said.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is quick to point out that a nomination should not be interpreted as any kind of recognition on its behalf. In the past, Adolf Hitler, JosephStalin, Benito Mussolini, and even Michael Jackson have all been nominated.

Joint Forum exposes statement by private telecom companies

31 Thursday Jan 2013

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In many news papers of yesterday, statements of both the CDMA as well as GSM private companies were published demanding the government not to grant any bail-out support to BSNL and MTNL, the telecom PSUs, stating that ‘it would be in contravention of all tenets of policy, fair competition and level playing field’. This is the pressure tactics of the private lobby and corporates to stop the proposed assistance of Rs. 20,000 crore being recommended by the DOT towards refund of the spectrum surrendered by BSNL and MTNL and towards adjusting the one time charges for the excess spectrum etc.
The Joint Forum has immediately reacted and issued the following Press Release exposing the hypocrisy of the private companies and the real position and also demanding the government to give immediate financial assistance to BSNL and MTNL.

JOINT FORUM OF BSNL and MTNL UNIONS / ASSOCIATIONS

D-7, Telegraph Place, Gole Market, New Delhi – 110 001.

Press Release 31st January, 2013

BSNL and MTNL should be given Assistance
– Private Telcos’ opposition unjustified

The private telecom companies’ organisations, both of CDMA and GSM operators have opposed any financial assistance by the government to the telecom PSUs, BSNL and MTNL, which have posted loss for the last three years, stating that ‘ such proposal was not permissible as it would be in contravention of all tenets of policy, fair competition and level playing field.’

It is interesting that the private players have now come with the argument of level-playing field. In fact, these private companies have been continuously getting all benefits and undue favours from the government most of which are denied to the telecom PSUs. While, the mobile licences were issued in the 1990s, only the private companies were given the licences and DOT (BSNL was not formed) and MTNL were denied the same for about 6 years, in a move to help the private companies. In the auctions for spectrum, while the private players could bid for their choice circle, BSNL and MTNL were denied the right to bid, but were compelled to pay the charges for the highest bid in all circle, resulting in almost double the amount that the private telcos paid. In the allotment of high quality spectrum, again the private players were favoured. While the private telcos could purchase equipment without any restrictions, the purchase by BSNL was restricted by government and also by continued legal cases by the private manufacturers. BSNL was restrained from purchasing equipment from Chinese companies, which are comparatively of low cost, in the name of security risk, while private companies purchased from the same companies without any objection. These are only a few examples, how the private companies have managed to continuously get maximum favours through continued pressure on the government. Being a government company, BSNL and MTNL could not put such pressures and have been side-lined causing much loss and disadvantage.

Further, as government companies, implementation of the social commitment of the universal service of the government is incumbent on BSNL and MTNL and they are fulfilling the same providing connections and service in the lakhs of villages and remote areas, which are loss-making, causing huge losses to the PSUs. The assistance being given from the USO Fund is nominal and completely insufficient. The private telecom companies are also liable to provide connections in the remote and rural areas, but they have managed to evade the responsibility.

BSNL was assured by the government at the time its formation that it will be assisted through payment of Access Deficit Charges (which will come to about Rs.3,000 to Rs. 4,000 crore), Reimbursement of Licence Fee paid by it to the government and also liberal assistance from the USO Fund. These are all arbitrarily withdrawn by the government within a few years. Instead only Rs.1,500 crore for the current year and Rs.1,250 crore for next year is proposed to be provided to BSNL as assistance.

Out of the Rs. 40,000 crore surplus cash with the company at the time of the formation, almost all of it has been taken by the government in the name of spectrum charges, repayment of notional loan of Rs.7,500 crore (no loan was given to BSNL and there was no necessity at that time) with unusually high interest etc. In addition, these PSUs have a large and senior work force inherited from the government (DOT) and their salaries come to around 40% of the expenditure.

All the above factors have resulted in these PSUs posting loss for the last three years. While many of the private companies have been charged for violation of the licence conditions and rules in providing connections, no such violations have been charged against the PSUs. While the private companies are profit-motivated, the PSUs have the social commitment of the government to implement.

In such a situation, it is of utmost necessity to ensure the financial viability of BSNL and MTNL to ensure universal service in the country, checking the telecom price level etc. It may be remembered that till BSNL and MTNL entered the mobile services, the private companies have been charging exorbitantly and it was only after their entry that the mobile charges came down. If the PSUs are not there, the telecom companies will once again raise the charges very high.

The Forum of BSNL/MTNL Unions/Associations therefore, demands the Central government to provide maximum assistance to BSNL and MTNL to tide over the present financial crisis and expand and improve their services.

Sd/-
V.A.N.Namboodiri
Convener, Joint Forum
Mob: 9868231431

Change of Designations – Agreement on RM, TM Designations

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

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As per the decisions of the National Council Meeting held yesterday, 30th January, a meeting of the Committee for Change of Designation of Non-executives was held today.
The Committee unanimously agreed on the new designations for the two cadres viz. RM and TM. The new designations agreed to by the official and staff side representatives are Telecom Assistant for Regular Mazdoor and Telecom Technician for Telecom Mechanic.
For the cadres of Sr.TOA and TTA, the designations demanded by the union representatives were not agreed to by the official side. Hence the discussion for change of designations for Sr.TOA, TTA and other cadres will continue.
It is after strenuous discussion for about three years, that the present agreement could be made. It was hard bargaining and at last the management had to agree for the change and new designations.
Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU, P.Abhimanyu, General Secretry, BSNLEU, P.Asokababu, Vice-President, BSNLEU and V.Subburaman, GS TEPU participated from the staff side.
Let this achievement be advanced for the designation change for Sr.TOA, TTA and all other cadres.