:DB70=<8CA0

=8:78;A0H<>=3?DA8
L
ast year, the Government in
West Bengal declared it
would give imams in the
State a monthlystipendof C2,500
and C1,000 to muezzins who
recite the call to prayer.
According toavailable estimates,
approximately 30,000 imams
and 15,000 muezzins subse-
quently receivedthese promised
grants. But the States mosque-
oriented welfare scheme suf-
fered a blow last week when
Calcutta High Court struck
down these unconstitutional
transactions. The failure of the
Government toabide by the law
is manifest in every aspect of its
welfare project: In the source of
funds, inits target, andinits pur-
ported (and real) purpose. Lets
visit these issues one by one.
The first issue concerns the
source of the allocated funds. In
its memorandum, the State
Government says that it has
offered to give honorarium of
C2,500 per month to imams
through [the] Wakf Board.
Insteadof askingthe Wakf Board
to supply the required funds,
however, the Government relied
on the public exchequer to
finance its welfare scheme. The
Wakf Board was simply
employed as a go-between. By
carefully wording its memoran-
dumto present the Wakf Board
as the key enabler of its scheme,
the State Government sought to
achieve two objectives.
First, it tried to give the
impression that its policy was
lawful and consistent with a
1993 Supreme Court ruling that
it is the duty of the Wakf Board
to harness resources to pay
those persons who performthe
most important duty namely of
leading community prayer in a
mosque. And second, the State
Government falselyportrayedthe
Wakf Boards role so as to entice
the intended recipients West
Bengals imams and muezzins.
Most individuals associatedwith
mosques andmadarssas inWest
Bengal are reluctant to accept
money from State. Their reluc-
tance is driven by a fear that
Government support might
compromise their abilitytooper-
ate autonomously, and concern
for what others within the com-
munity might think of their
actions. Theyconsider it perfect-
ly acceptable, however, toaccept
money fromthe Wakf Board.
The second problem with
the welfare scheme concerns its
target. The Governments mem-
orandum claims it is assisting
imams as many of themare liv-
ing in a very pitiable condition
without proper income andedu-
cational opportunities for their
children. There is nodoubt that
most imams are engaged rather
selflesslyina professionthat pays
very little (their salaries range
from C1,500 to C3,000 per
month). Yet, theGovernment has
made no effort to separate the
truly needy amongst West
Bengals imams and muezzins
fromthose whoenjoyalternative
sources of income. Moreover, as
the court observed, the
Government has no empirical
basis to reserve pity exclusively
for some citizens. Surely, poor
clerics of other religious group-
ings and destitute Muslims out-
side of the clergy shouldanguish
the Government just as much.
The third problemwith the
schemeconcerns its motive. Inits
memorandum, the State
Government tried to make the
case that its payment to imams
and muezzins was in the public
interest as these individuals play
a leadingrole inthe mobilisation
of the community for goodpur-
poses including health, hygiene,
andeducationandfor promotion
of various Government schemes.
Dismissingthis broadjobprofile,
thecourt opinedthat leadingthe
prayer for a particular religious
community is not a State func-
tion and as such cannot be
termedas a public purpose. The
court further concluded that
the State Government is making
payment of the honorariumout
of religious considerations in
violationof articles 14 and15(1)
of the Constitution. But the
Calcutta High Court may have
been too polite.
The West Bengal
Government was acting out of
electoral considerations. It tried
topull off a similar stunt in2011
when it announced it would
recognise10,000madarssas. That
planfailedfor tworeasons. First,
the number of madarssas in the
State was grossly overestimated.
Second, the proposedassistance
had few takers since it was
extended on the condition that
madarssas introduce secular sub-
jects in their curricula.
This time the Government
refinedits strategy. It changedthe
target from madarssas which
wieldinfluenceover (non-voting)
students to imams who lead
hundreds of (voting) adults in
prayer. Andit offeredsomething
fewwould refuse: Salaries with-
out any preconditions.
Though the project has
been frustrated by the courts
decision, the State managed to
disburse stipends to muezzins
and imams for 12 and 17
months, respectively. But if
Maulana Shahidul Qadri, the
imam of Kolkatas Dhankheti
Masjid, is to be believed, the
Government shouldnt expect
toomany returns for its altruism:
Yes, I lead 200 to 250 people in
prayer five times a day. But we
pray. We dont talk about poli-
tics and we most certainly dont
discuss my salary.
(The author is a DPhil can-
didate at the Universityof Oxford)
The Calculla high Courl has righlly slruck down wesl Bengal's unconslilulional allowances lo Muslim clerics. hol
only did lhe 0overnmenl break lhe law, il meliculously deceived lhe ublic in every asecl o lhis 'welare rojecl'
4Y`\Z_XTZeZVdXRdaW`cScVReY
Srdeye 09
NEW DELH TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2013
The Muzaffarnagar riots have exposed the
ineffective and careless Government of Uttar
Pradesh led by Akhilesh Yadav.
~Rashtriya Lok Dal chief
AJT SNGH
The Samajwadi Party Government will not
allow anyone to play politics over dead
bodies in the Muzaffarnagar violence.
~Samajwadi Party leader
RAJENDRA CHAUDHRY
The human urge
for a better life
will make people
move to cities.
The S1 per cent in
2011 might
become S5 per
cent or even 40
per cent by 2021.
Our planners,
bureaucrats and
politicians have to
start planning for
this change. f we
do not, the five per
cent growth the
ndian economy is
scheduled to
register might just
become a way
of life
@?9>DCOUNTER@?9>D
T
he 2011 census had an inter-
esting statistic, the percent-
age of Indias population
which live in cities crossed
the 30 per cent mark for the
first time. While at 31.16 per cent, the
proportion of Indias urban population
is still far behind the rural population
and India is still predominantly a rural
country, something that is evident in
our policymaking, as Indias economy
grows, which despite recent hiccups
one expects will continue.
The population of Delhi alone,
without considering the fast-growing
suburban areas of Ghaziabad, Gurgaon
and Noida, grew at 21.2 per cent
between 2001 and 2011 to 16.79 mil-
lion. There is no doubt that Delhi will
become Indias largest city soon
enough and the population in the city
and surrounding suburban areas will
exceed 50 million by 2020. To put that
number in perspective, that is five
times the population of Norway.
The challenges facing urban plan-
ners in India are tremendous but not
necessarily unique as mega-cities
across Asia have also had to deal with
population explosions over the past
few decades. For example, last year
China for long as agrarian a soci-
ety as India saw its urban popula-
tion overtake its rural population.
Even if you consider that China
started its economic reforms 15 years
before India, the fact is that in just over
30 years the country has transformed.
And it is not just mega-cities such as
Shanghai that have exploded, cities like
Shenzen that until 1980 was a small
fishing village today houses a popula-
tion in excess of 10 million.
Across the cities of China, planners
have struggled with housing and trans-
portation requirements. However, the
development of a high-speed rail sys-
tem, albeit one with huge allegations of
corruption surrounding it, contributed
to moving people between Chinas
densely populated eastern seaboard and
its interiors quickly. This lessens the
pressure on cities like Shanghai.
China picked up some of the
lessons from the massive and rapid
urbanisation of Japan following World
War II. India would do well to learn
from both examples, but also not delay
planning this build-up of urban infra-
structure until it is too late. And
lessons should not be taken just from
the East, one of the most important
lessons which should be applied to the
large Indian cities right away is one
from the West.
Every large city in India ought to
have a unified transportation planning
company. It is true that there is a trans-
port department in Delhi, but there are
also competing modes of transport
with little or no co-ordination between
them. The Del hi Transport
Corporation and the Delhi Metro
Rail Corporation are independent of
each other, which might have made
sense at the start, but like several
mega-cities such as London, New
York and Paris have done a unified
urban transport company will lead to
better coordination and planning
going forward.
Something as simple as having a
single ticket or pass between different
modes of transport would improve
collections and lead to less hassles for
consumers as well.
Then there is the controversial
issue of congestion charges for person-
al vehicles. This system, which was
notably introduced in London over a
decade ago, has had a level of success
despite initially being opposed by
most owners of personal transport.
Other cities have not copied
Londons daily charge for commuters
to the middle of the city, but several
Chinese cities, notably Beijing, in an
effort to cut back on both pollution
and congestion, prevent cars and
other personal transport vehicles with
particular numbers from entering
cities on particular days. For example,
cars with number-plates ending in zero
and five are prevented from entering
central Beijing on Mondays. Those
with plates ending in one and six are
prevented on Tuesday and so on and
so forth, thus preventing at least 20 per
cent of the vehicular population from
entering the city centre on every
given weekday.
In India, unfortunately, there has
been no attempt to control vehicular
population growth. One reason for
that is the abysmal state of public
transport in most cities.
Even in Delhi where the Metro has
made a marked change in areas where
it has reached, it will take until the
completion of the third phase in 2015
to have most of the main parts of the
entire city connected. And the pace of
construction of the Delhi Metro has
been exemplary. In Mumbai the Metro
Rail project while almost complete is
horribly behind schedule and in
Hyderabad, construction of the pro-
ject was hit by the fallout of the
Satyam-Maytas scandal.
That said, late as they are, attempts
are being made for infrastructure
development in some major urban cen-
tres. But, as India grows, several small-
er cities, with populations of under five
million today, will also spread rapid-
ly. It is of vital importance that these
cities not be overlooked by planners.
Cities such as Bhopal, Lucknow,
Kanpur, Vadodara, Nagpur, Raipur and
so on will be major population growth
centres. Many of these cities are already
clogged as there has been almost no
effort to improve urban planning as
well as transportation. In some cities
local mafia runs public buses, for
example, with little regards for routes
or passengers.
Middle-class urban voters are
ignored by most politicians, and while
a city like Delhi has some inherent
advantages of being a city State, other
major cities are not afforded this
necessity due to political and region-
al jingoism. However, these people,
more than most understand that the
urban migration that is taking place in
India is irreversible no matter how
many populist schemes come up aimed
at keeping people poor and in villages.
The human urge for a better life
will make people move to cities. The
31 per cent in 2011 might become 35
or even 40 per cent by 2021. Our plan-
ners, bureaucrats and politicians have
to start planning for this change.
Because if we do not, the five per cent
growth the Indian economy is sched-
uled to register in 2012-2013 might
become a way of life, and slow growth
is the last thing a young India
can afford.
Vote-lanl olitics gone wrong, again tlinl
now
T
he man who makes a
success of an important
venture never waits for the
crowd. He strikes out for himself.
t takes nerve, it takes a great lot
of grit; but the man that
succeeds has both. Anyone can
fail. The public admires the man
who has enough confidence in
himself to take a chance. These
chances are the main things
after all. Success is the
accomplishment of that which
most people think can't be done.
~CV White
American poet and writer
H`ccZd`^VdZUV`W
_fT]VRcV_VcXj

l is said lhal lhe besl sighl is hindsighl. This is lrue wilh every acel
o lie and il is dangerously lrue or lhe nuclear ower induslry.
Because wilh nuclear accidenls, one doesn'l gel a second chance
lo escae. Radialion ermeales lhe body, irradiales and ermanenl
ly damages lhe cells and organs wilhin il silenlly, wilhoul louch, smell
or visibilily. l could lake days, weeks or monlhs beore lhe sym
loms show, by when lhe damage has been done and lhere is no way
lo undo radialioninduced damage. worse, il causes severe genelic
deormilies which are roagaled romgeneralion lo generalion resull
ing in a myriad roblems or all ulure generalions.
The besl ossible saely measures may nol be o any use, in
nuclear ower lanls, eilher because o human error, equimenl ail
ure or nalural disasler. n acl, all lhree have already haened: n
lhe uS, lhe Three Mile sland melldown occurred due lo equimenl
ailure; lhe Chernobyl disasler in Russia haened due lo human error;
and lhe Fukushima disasler in Jaan was a culminalion o aully design,
disregard or saely and nalural disasler (an earlhquake and a lsuna
mi simullaneously). hence, il is welleslablished lhal we cannol re
dicl when or howa nuclear accidenl will occur. Also, asl erormance
is nol a guaranlee or ulure saely. Saely cannol under any circum
slances be comromised esecially when lhe exlenl o damage cause
is unlimiled and lasls lhousands o years.
Yel, counlries like ndia are alling inlo lhe lra o embracing
lhis exlremely dangerous lechnology lo harness energy al an enor
mous human and economic cosl. This in ilsel is a long and end
less debale, so lel's slick lo one major issue: whal ndia needs lo
learn rom lhe uS, 0ermany and Jaan.
The TM accidenl in lhe uS in 1O7O did nol cause any loss o lie
direclly; lhere were injuries, bul nobody al lhe lanl or oulside died due
lo lhe radialion alloul (robably lhe eecls o radialion were maniesl
ed laler among lhe oulace). Slill, il look 14 years and one
billion uSdollars lo clean lhe conlaminalion. mmedialely
aler lhe accidenl, lhe uS0overnmenl ul in lace addi
lional saeguards and made lhe licensing, arovals
and slandards exlremely slringenl. l underslood lhe
gravily o lhe silualion and broughl in major legal and
olicy changes. Feole loodidnol wanl nuclear reac
lors sel u near lheir homes due lo lhe conslanl radi
alion and accidenl ears. The nel resull: For over 8O
years aler lhe 1O7O accidenl nol a single newnuclear
ower lanl was buill in lhe uS.
The Fukushima accidenl in Jaan on March 11,
2O11, is an ongoing slruggle lo conlrol a silualion lhal is
raidly going oul o conlrol. The massive earlhquake and sub
sequenl lsunami lel our nuclear reaclors in a erilous condilion due
lo loss o cooling, resullanl excessive healing and lhe consequenl hydro
gen blasls. There is no cerlainly on lhe lolal number o human casu
allies or injuries, as lhe oeralor o lhe lanl says lhal lhe dealhs should
be allribuled lo lhe lsunami and nol lo lhe reaclor melldown and radi
alion exosure -lo escae liabilily and also lo cover u lhe aulls.
Based on radialion levels in dierenl Freeclures and Fukushima,
lhe consumlion o vegelables, oullry as well as seaood was banned.
The level o Caesium187 released ar exceeds lhe amounl lhal was
released during lhe Chernobyl accidenl. Twoanda halyears since
lhe incidenl, lhe walers o lhe Faciic 0cean near lhe Fukushima lanl
have recorded dangerously high radiological subslances and some
reorls suggesl lhal il has reached lhe uS wesl coasl. A number o
counlries have banned imorl o ood and ish rom Jaan.
n 0ermany, lhe 0overnmenl had already laken a conscious deci
sion lo move away rom nuclear and ossiluels even beore lhe
Fukushima disasler haened. Berlin, however, sei/ed lhe oorlu
nily and lhe ublic oulrage lo decide on early closure o ils nuclear
lanls and concenlrale on renewable energy. 0ermany has already
become a global leader in renewables. huclear lanls are being hased
oul and some o lhe 0erman nuclear gianls have eilher closed shos
or moved lo olher counlries.
Bul, whal has ndia learnl rom all lhis? Sadly, nolhing!
Even as lhe horrors o Fukushima unold, lhe sole nuclear oer
alor in ndia - lhe huclear Fower Cororalion o ndia - is going
ahead wilh guslo lo build nuclear lanls in Kudankulam, Kovadda,
Jailaur, 0orakhur, Milhivirdi, Chulka and hariur and idenliying addi
lional siles in Rajaslhan and Bihar. l is also adding addilional reaclors
al exisling siles and building a dangerous Frololye Fasl Breeder Reaclor
al Kalakkam. l's lime ndia learnl ils lesson rom counlries aecled
by nuclear disaslers, and bring in eeclive saely regulalions.
while asl disaslers have convinced some weslern counlries lo
move away rom lhis dangerous lechnology, ndia wanls lo
embrace il al an enormous human and economic cosl
ndia is urbanising slowly bul surely, bul our cilies are on lhe verge o collase due lo oor urban lanning,
arlicularly in lhe lransorlalion seclor. The solulions require olilical will as well as innovalive lhinking 0E8: A>H
FRST
COLUMN