Month: October 2012

Whither Genetically Modified (GM) Foods ?

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GENETIC ROULETTE – This  path breaking movie is available for free viewing till 31st October. During the first free showing week in September, there were over 1.25 million views of this astounding documentary that shows the link between Genetically Modified(GM) Crops and human and animal disorders such as allergies, infertility, autism, cancer, birth defects and neurological problems.

The entire film is 90 minutes and can be viewed at –

http://geneticroulettemovie.com

The institute of responsible technology has also released a 10-minute re-mix for those who do not have the time to watch the entire film.

Don’t miss this 10 minute version :

Only 6 countries, including India, account for 95% of Genetically Modified Crops. Other countries have banned or severely restricted and penalized GM.  Seed companies are lobbying hard to introduce GM crops in India. It is up to all citizens to understand the risks and halt the introduction of GM food in India.

Please circulate this to all your colleagues and write to the Health Minister at azadg@sansad.nic.in / hfm@alpha.nic.in to support the unanimous call given by India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture to immediately halt all field trials of Genetically Modified Crops. 

The Leaf initiative

Editorial team on GM 

http://www.leaf-initiative.org/

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MCGM – BMC Important Telephone nos.

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Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai – Bombay Municipal Corporation

Important Connections / Telephone Directory – Click Here for the full Directory

Includes

  • 1 Control Rooms
    • 1.1 Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
    • 1.2 Government of Maharashtra
    • 1.3 Government of India
    • 1.4 Mumbai Police
    • 1.5 Railways
    • 1.6 BEST
    • 1.7 Reliance Energy
    • 1.8 Gas Services
    • 1.9 India Meteorological Department
    • 1.10 Others
  • 2 Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai
    • 2.1 Deliberative Wing
    • 2.2 MC, Addl MCs, Jt MC & DMC
    • 2.3 Head of the Departments
    • 2.4 Fire Brigade
    • 2.5 Life Guards at Beaches
    • 2.6 Security Department
    • 2.7 Education Department
    • 2.8 School Infrastructure Cell
  • 3 Government of Maharashtra
    • 3.1 Governor, Chief Minister & Dy Ch Minister
    • 3.2 Chief Secretary, Addl Ch Secretary & Others
    • 3.3 Commissioners
    • 3.4 Collectors
    • 3.5 MHADA
    • 3.6 MMRDA
  • 4 Government of India
    • 4.1 President of India, Secretariat
    • 4.2 Prime Minister of India
    • 4.3 National Disaster Management Authority
    • 4.4 Army Headquarters
    • 4.5 Indian Navy
    • 4.6 Mumbai Port Trust
  • 5 Mumbai Police
    • 5.1 DG, CP, & Others
    • 5.2 Regional Traffic Officers
    • 5.3 Police Stations (ACPs)
  • 6 Railways
    • 6.1 Central Railway
    • 6.2 Western Railway
    • 6.3 Konkan Railway
    • 6.4 Railway Police
    • 6.5 Central Railway (Main Line)
    • 6.6 Diva, Kalyan, Bhivandi, Vasai & (North line)
    • 6.7 Khopoli (South East Line)
    • 6.8 Harbour Line
    • 6.9 Western Line
  • 7 BEST
    • 7.1 BEST Officials
    • 7.2 BEST Depot Manager
  • 8 Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited
  • 9 Oil Companies
    • 9.1 Indian Oil
    • 9.2 HPCL
    • 9.3 BPCL
  • 10 India Meteorological Department
    • 10.1 Colaba
  • 11 Civil Defence & Home Guards
    • 11.1 Civil Defence
    • 11.2 Home Guards
  • 12 Tata Power

Click Here for the full Directory

CERS exposes shockingly low nutrition levels in leading instant noodles brands

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“In-house laboratory tests of 15 brands at CERS revealed most health claims to be deceptive~

Ahmedabad, 16th October 2012

The rapid permeation of instant noodles into Indian dietary habits, over the two decades, has been exponential and legendary. Today, instant noodles has become a staple in just about every child’s diet that discerning parents vainly try to get rid of, and also occasionally indulge in themselves. In view of the raging ‘instant noodles’ phenomenon, Consumer Education & Research Society (CERS), the nation’s leading consumer organization dedicated to protecting the interests of the Indian consumer, recently tested and brought out shocking facts about the nutrition levels of 15 popular instant noodles brands across the country. In a series of tests conducted at CERS’ in-house laboratory that investigated 15 instant noodle brands for some important nutrition parameters.

The fifteen brands tested  included brands like Maggi, Top Ramen, Knorr, Ching’s Secret, Sunfeast Yippee!, Foodles, Tasty Treat and Wai Wai X-press. The results were shocking. None of the brands were able to substantiate their tall claims of being healthy snacking option when interpreted against Food Standards Agency (FSA) of UK standards for fats and sodium. Some of the common findings for most of the samples tested included high level of sodium salts, significantly low fibre content, high amount of fats and several other shocking factors. The brands that claimed ‘Healthy’, ‘wholesome’, ‘enriched with proteins and iron’ and ‘full of fibre’, were refuted by the test findings as going way above the safe limit of several harmful elements. (Please see annexure for Key Findings)Read More »

HC orders not implemented in Mumbai – Cell Towers

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2 HC orders not yet implemented in Mumbai Why ? People of Mumbai r taken for ride even after one and half months being passing since 2 important HC Judgement that should have been implemented even in Mumbai. 1. Rajasthan HC ask for removal of mobile towers from areas near schools, hospitals and densely populated localities. Any HC order is mandatory on entire country. Why in last 1 and half month, Term Cell has failed in implementing this order in Mumbai.

Term Cell the implementing agency should have taken action to remove towers that r violating norm still a tower on School (Photo attached ) could be seen. It is indeed surprising that just one incident at Kanjurmarg on 12 Sept. is reported when 7 operators were found violating the norms. How in last more than a month thereafter not a single new case has been found violating the norms when i have produced the attached a picture of a school which is still having a tower intact on it terrace subjecting small kids to radiation. Will Mr. Deora answer this and if he is clean taken immediately take immediate action against top officials who seem to be hand in gloves with operators or is he himself hand in gloves with operators. 22.8.2012 (UNI)

The Rajasthan High Court today asked the state government to remove by next 10 days, mobile towers from areas near schools, hospitals and densely populated localities. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Mishra and NK Jain issued the directives today while hearing PILs in this regard. Earlier on last hearing on August 16, the court had sought the state government’s plans for implementation of the PK Goyal committee report that had reportedly recommended removal of the towers from above mentioned areas. Much hue and cry has been raised over the issue in different quarters after the media reports over possible health hazards due to radiations from the towers. This led to constitution of Committee led by Mr Goyal to study the matter and make due recommendations. UNI Even here appeal was set aside by SC and upheld HC order. Once an order is upheld by SC it becomes law of the land applicable even for Mumbai.

2. New norms for mobile towers to save wildlife from radiation 11.8.2012 (UNI) Expressing concern over the harmful effect of the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on the wildlife, especially birds and bees, the Environment and Forest Ministry has asked the Telecommunications Department not to allow installation of new mobile towers within a one-km radius of the existing ones. In an advisory issued on the basis of the recommendation of an expert committee on the issue, the Ministry has directed that the new towers should be constructed with utmost care and precautions ‘so as not to obstruct flight path of birds, and also not to increase the combined radiation from all towers in the area’. The service providers should be provided information on standards for safe limit of EMR and these norms should be notified, the advisory said. It also calls for regular monitoring and auditing of EMR around educational institutions, hospitals, residential and recreational areas. The advisory added that there should be ecological impact assessment of the places where mobile towers were to be installed. Moreover, the locations and frequencies of cellphone towers and other towers emitting EMR be made available in public domain, it said. UNI (There is no such information on net available as of today even after one and half months being passed since this order. ) http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-JPR-hc-pulls-up-govt-over-mobile-radiation-issue-3659364-NOR.html 24.7.2012 (UNI)

Delhi High Court issued notices to the Central and Delhi governments on a petition seeking ban on high frequency mobile phone towers in residential areas as its radiation causes health hazards. Justice Rajiv Shakdhar directed the Department of Telecommunications, the Chief Secretary of Delhi Government and a leading mobile service provider to file its response on the petition by January 14, 2013. The court’s directions came while hearing the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Ramnath Garg who sought imposition of a ban on installation of high frequency mobile phone towers within 50 meters of schools, hospitals and residential areas. http://www.indlaw.com/guest/DisplayNews.aspx?16C19177-8BCE-4219-A192-45B88E6F2A12.

Ensuring compliance of the Rajasthan High Court order of August 22 the telecom operators shut down their towers situated on school premises in the entire state from 9 pm on Monday, the deadline set by the court. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-11/jaipur/33762313_1_mobile-phone-towers-cell-towers-coai

Apex court declines to interfere with Rajasthan HC order on mobile tower removalNEW DELHI, SEPT 7: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with a Rajasthan High Court order to the state government to remove mobile phone towers, suspected to be potential health hazards due to radiation from them, from near the schools, hospitals and densely populated localities. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/info-tech/article3870698.ece
Regards,

Jitendra Gupta
9819235160

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

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What is Aadhaar?

Aadhaar is a 12 digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India on behalf of the Government of India.

This number will serve as a proof of identity and address, anywhere in India.

Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident in India and satisfies the verification process laid down by the UIDAI can enrol for Aadhaar.

Each individual needs to enroll only once which is free of cost.

Each Aadhaar number will be unique to an individual and will remain valid for life. Aadhaar number will help you provide access to services like banking, mobile phone connections and other Govt and Non-Govt services in due course.
Some other information about Aadhaar:
Aadhaar will be:

Easily verifiable in an online, cost-effective way
Unique and robust enough to eliminate the large number of duplicate and fake identities in government and private databases
A random number generated, devoid of any classification based on caste, creed, religion and geography
Click Here for the official website
Click Here for How to Enrol
Click Here for Where to Enrol
Click Here for the Enrolment Form

Updates on Voter Registration

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On demand, putting known/less-known/obvious/non-obvious Rules/Facts of Voters Registration for Elections at one place
1.      Forms Types/Usage
For Name Inclusion (new voters)
For Transfer of Registration from one Assembly Constituency to another one.

[Must mention old reg details in Declaration section of Form-6]
For Correction in Name/Photo/Address in existing entry/card
Name registered but Voter card not received
Change of address within same Assembly(Vidhansabha) Constituency Form-8A
For Objecting Inclusion or Seeking Deletion, by virtue of demise/relocation
2.      Supporting documents should get attested by Gazetted officer/SDM/Corporator.
3.      Photo ID proof : Passport/PANcard/License/Ration card
4.      Residence Proof : Bank/Kisan/PostOffice Pass book Or Ration Card/Passport/IT-Tax Assessment Order Or Latest Water/Telephone/Electricity/Gas Connection Bill for the address either in the name of the applicant or that of his immediate relation (parents/children/spouse) Or Postal Department’s posts received in the applicant’s name at given address
5.      Date of Birth Proof : Passport/PANCard/License/Birth Certificate/5th or 8th or 10th Marksheet if it has DOB
6.      Whosoever becoming 18 by 1/1/2013 is also eligible for registration
7.      Society chairman/secretary is allowed to submit forms in bulk to BLA/BLO/ERO, with a list of details like name, age, flat no, gender, mobile/phone no.
8.      BLAs are supposed to be available at Polling Booths to distribute and collect forms between 10 am to 5 pm on all days (including Weekends). BLOs visit Booths on Weekends. If no one found at the booth, complain.

9.  Link for Online Registration :  http://eci-citizenservices.nic.in/ which has Officer Contact List, Online Application and New User Registration

Activists say NO COAL to the PM

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As Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was addressing the world about biodiversity and the need to protect it at the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity on October 16, Greenpeace India’s online activists were sending him a very special tweet.

Hundreds of people tweeted a very simple message to @PMOINDIA- “NO COAL”. They were asking him to save the forests of Central India. Facebook wasn’t left out either. Thousands of people shared an image of the PM with “No Coal” written all over it. These were among the 2,50,000 people who signed the petition to show their support for the forests in Central India, threatened by the government’s plan to mine coal in them. One of their main demands was that the PM should meet Brikesh Singh who wanted to deliver the 2,50, 000 petitions to him in person.

Click Here for more