Items filtered by date: August 2014

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Wednesday, 20 August 2014 15:02

Illegitimate drawal of natural gas

Illegitimate drawal of natural gas
Tapan Sen MP writes to Petroleum Minister regarding complain of ONGC about illegitimate drawal of natural gas worth thousands of crores of rupees from the ONGC's block in KG basin by Reliance Industries Ltd
20th August 2014
 
Dear Shri Dharmendra Pradhan ji,
 
I like to draw your pointed attention to the shocking news-item published in Hindustan Times (Delhi edition) dated 19th August 2014 that the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt of India (MoP&NG) has, in an affidavit filed in Delhi High Court, pleaded for rejecting the petition filed by its own Maharatna Company, ONGC complaining illegitimate drawal of natural gas worth thousands of crores of rupees from the ONGC's block in KG basin by Reliance Industries Ltd(RIL) through its well located adjoining to block of ONGC, terming the complaint of ONGC as "frivolous."
 
ONGC is one of the pioneer institutions in the country in exploration of gas and oil and their complaints must be based on their techno-geophysical findings. My simple query is that on what basis the MoP&NG did conclusively arrive at the conclusion that ONGC's complaint is "frivolous allegation"? Does such conclusion have requisite support of similar techno-geophysical examination? if so by which agency?
 
Ministry's observations that ONGC "woke up from slumber only in July 2013" or ONGC "was never vigilant and mindful of its rights' are not wholly correct. In fact, geological and geophysical data of all the relevant blocks KG-DWN-98/3, and G-4 Godavari and KG-DWN-98/2 blocks are being regularly supplied and appraised to the Ministry and the DGH since long, Even if we assume for arguments' sake, ONGC delayed in making such complaints or it remained negligent or was not alert enough on its rights etc, but such delay or negligence, if there be any, cannot justify such illegitimate, unauthorized and stealthy drawl of natural gas from ONGC's field by the private operator operating in the adjoining area, I had already brought the entire matter to your attention vide my letter dated 12th June 2014 urging upon you to take appropriate measures to defend the interests of Govt exchequer and the commercial right of ONGC" in the instant case, Unfortunately, the Govt have taken a stride in opposite direction in favour of the private contractor/operator.
The complaints of ONGC pertains to theft of natural gas under the domain of the Govt owned company and it should be dealt in public interest only through proper scientific examination/scrutiny of the complaint by an independent competent expert agency and before any such examination of the veracity of the complaint, any pleading for rejection of the complaint-petition itself tantamount to unduely guarding the probable offender or indulgence to the offence at the cost of national interests, I believe, you will appreciate the revealing impropriety in the stance of Govt of India, or in that matter of MoP&NG in the instant case reflecting undue bias in favour of the "charged" without verifying the veracity of the charges by a competent agency, I request you to please review the stand taken by the Ministry in this regard as reflected in its affidavit before Delhi High Court in the instant case, Rather, along with judicial examination of the complaints of ONGC, the Ministry should also get the complaints examined by an independent expert agency to ascertain the truth instead of pleading for rejection of ONGC's petition, I urge upon you to please intervene appropriately in that direction in the interests of all concerned.

Awaiting early response,

With regards,

Yours sincerely,
(TAPAN SEN)
Published in Press Releases
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Wednesday, 13 August 2014 11:21

Central trade unions to hold national protest convention in delhi against labour law amendments

8th August

PRESS RELEASE

A meeting of the leaders of all Central Trade Unions was held at the INTUC Headquarters, New Delhi on 7th August, 2014. Among those participated in the deliberations included Tapan Sen, M.P., General Secretary, CITU, Gurudas Dasgupta, General Secretary, AITUC, Brijesh Upadhyaya, General Secretary, BMS Harbajan Singh Sidhu, General Secretary, HMS. The meeting was presided over by G.Sanjiva Reddy, President, INTUC.

At the end of the meeting, a statement has been issued. The substance of the statement is that all the Central Trade Unions have strongly opposed in one voice the onslaught on the working class by the Narendra Modi Govt. through its move of massive amendment of various fundamental Labour Laws and that too unilaterally totally ignoring the Central Trade Unions.

Therefore, all the Central Trade Unions are vehemently opposed to both the unilateral path and dangerously anti-labour contents of the amendments (already legislated by Rajasthan Government and moved in Parliament by Modi Government). While the role of the Rajasthan Govt. was condemned for their first initiation in the matter, it is understood that things are happening with the approval from the Narendra Modi Govt. at the Centre. CTUs also denounced the move of the Modi Govt to hike FDI in Defence, insurance and Railways and disinvestment in CPSUs.

The meeting has decided a National Protest Convention of Workers in Delhi in the first week of September 2014 where from programme of actions shall be declared. In the meantime, more Rajasthan-centric initiative for powerful united movement of the working class shall be initiated.

TAPAN SEN, M.P.,

GENERAL SECRETARY

Published in Press Releases
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Friday, 01 August 2014 12:10

Tapan Sen MP and CITU General Secretary writes to CM Maharashtra regarding national disaster of Malin village in Ambegaon, Pune

 1st August 2014
 
Shri Prithviraj Chavan
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Mantralaya
Mumbai – 400 032
 
Dear Shri Prithviraj Chavan ji,
 
I am writing this letter with much shock and anguish on the national disaster and tragedy causing death of more than 200 Adivasi men, women and children and wiping out of the entire Malin village in Ambegaon in Pune district of your State due to landslide triggered by heavy rains.
 
It is reported that your government had had adequate warning months before when repeated smaller landslips had occurred. Yet, no preventive measures were taken by the government.
 
The flow of the backwaters of the nearby Dimbha dam may be one of the causes. Yet, recently, JCP heavy machines were being used on the hillside under MNREGA under Padkai scheme in gross violation of the Act. Despite strong opposition by the local Adivasis the government did not prohibit their use.
 
My organization, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) urges you to institute an impartial enquiry to the causes leading to the disaster pin pointing failures and complicity.
 
CITU also demands that compensation be paid to the families of the deceased and injured; and proper rehabilitation of the surviving people be made without delay.
 
With kind regards,
 
Yours Sincerely
(Tapan Sen)
General Secretary
Published in Press Releases
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