‘Those who turned to see what happened were washed away’
PM Narendra Modi’s speech, marked by bipartisanship, spelt out a great vision for India and Indian agriculture
JOSHIMATH: The first signs of trouble at NTPC’S hydropower project in Tapovan on Sunday morning was a power failure, causing all machines to come to a halt.
Exactly five minutes later, 27-year-old Manish Kumar, a workman at the site, heard people shout “baadh, baadh (flood, flood)”. Kumar was standing right outside the entrance of a tunnel that would later emerge to be a trap for many of his friends and colleagues.
Without another thought, Kumar sprinted up the unpaved and slushy path that led uphill. “Those who turned around to see the situation were washed away. People behind me were shouting for help, but they couldn’t have been helped.” Downstream up the Tapovan site is Raini village where at least six residents are believed to have died. One of them was 76-yearold Amrita Devi, who was tending to her apple trees near a bridge when tragedy struck.
“There was a very loud and scary noise. I turned around to see water and debris gushing towards us. It was as if the mountains were crumbling,” Devi’s daughter-in-law said.
JOSHIMATH: The first sign of trouble at NTPC Limited’s hydropower project in Tapovan on Sunday morning was a power failure that forced all machines to come to a halt.
Exactly five minutes later, 27-year-old Manish Kumar, a workman at the site, heard people shout “baadh, baadh (flood, flood)”. Even as he was thinking about the improbability of a flood striking in winters, he noticed something that resembled dense smoke.
Kumar was standing outside the entrance of a tunnel that would later emerge to be a trap for many of his colleagues. Kumar sprinted up the unpaved and slushy path that led uphill. He didn’t turn around until he was at a safe spot up the hill.
“Those who turned around to see the situation were washed away. People behind me were shouting for help, but they couldn’t have been helped,” said Kumar on Monday as he waited for his roommate, Mahendra, to be rescued from the tunnel.
Sunday was supposed to be a holiday for most workers. But there were quite a few who were called in to put in an extra day of work. Kumar and Mahendra were among such workers.
While workers at the plants along the stretch of the Dhauliganga river, anticipate trouble during the monsoons, they let their guard down in the winter months. So, when the tragedy struck, none was prepared.
“There was a group of workers sitting on an excavator and a truck right next to the dam. When the water and debris came gushing down, most were immediately swept away, but two of them managed to escape,” said Harinder Singh, a welder who watched the tragedy unfold from a safe distance on his day off.
“Both of them managed to hold thick cables dangling near them. As the water rose up, they climbed higher and swung themselves onto the hill nearby. They both survived,” said Singh.
Then there were a few workers who tried to save themselves by holding each other to form chains. “There were seven-eight of them holding on to each other. In about 30 seconds, each of them was swept away,” said Manish Pant, who too survived, thanks to his weekly off.
The Tapovan hydropower plant was totally destroyed. Many workers have left for their homes, while others have stayed on hoping to see their friends rescued or help recover bodies.
Downstream up the Tapovan site is Raini village where at least six residents are believed to have died. One of them was 76-yearold Amrita Devi, who was tending to her apple trees along with her grandson and daughter-inlaw, Godambari Devi, near a 90-metre-long bridge when the tragedy struck. “There was a very loud and scary noise. I turned around to see water and debris gushing towards us. It was as if the mountains were crumbling,” Godambari said.
As her son sprinted to safety, Godambari turned towards her mother-in-law. “I had just stretched out my hand towards her when the wind accompanying the flood threw me away. The next moment, I saw my mother-in-law covered by debris from all sides,” she said.
Residents of the village, which played an important role during the Chipko Movement in 1973, blamed “ched-chaad” (meddling) with environment. “When you dig and use gunpowder to shake the mountains, this is what happens. No one here was infected by Coronavirus, but a man-made tragedy has left six dead,” said Rajni Bhandari, the Chamoli Zilla Parishad president.
NEW DELHI: The ongoing farmers protest dominated the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s speech, which resumed in the Lok Sabha on Monday after four consecutive days of disruption.
The debate started after protracted backchannel negotiations involving defence minister Rajnath Singh and Opposition leaders. Singh appealed to the Opposition not to break the longstanding tradition of the House to debate the President’s speech before anything else.
Locket Chatterjee, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member from Bengal, initiated the debate and focused entirely on attacking the eastern state’s ruling Trinamool
Congress, with an eye on the upcoming assembly polls.
Speaking in Hindi, Bengali and English, Chatterjee said Trinamool stole ration provided by the Centre during the pandemic, tents during the Amphan cyclone and even Covid-19 vaccines. She said the BJP will not allow anyone to make Bengal into “East Pakistan”.
“Mamata (Banerjee) government insults Ram and Sita. They (Bengal government) practise appeasement politics. They practice politics of 30%. We will not allow making Bengal into East Pakistan,” she said. Bengal is scheduled to go to the polls in April-may.
Congress floor leader Adhir Chowdhury demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the Republic Day vandalism in Delhi’s Red Fort and alleged it was the government that sent “vandals” to defame the farmers agitation. He demanded another parliamentary investigation into the alleged TRP (target rating point) scam.
“How can some people reach the Red Fort, that too on January 26 when the highest level of security was in place in Delhi?” he asked.
“Why isn’t there a proper investigation into it,” he alleged.
Chowdhury alleged the government “trapped” farmers and criticised the government for what he saw as a bid to “create a rift between Punjab and other states,” referring to the government’s stand that only one state had a problem with the new farm laws.
He also wondered why the government is making “Greta a persona non grata”, referring to climate activist Greta Thunberg’s support for the farm stir and the consequent backlash.
The second speaker, BJP’S Virendra Kumar, maintained that the Narendra Modi government was committed to the welfare of farmers and was trying to double the their income through various measures.
Trinamool’s Mahua Moitra lashed out at the BJP and alleged that the ruling dispensation was making “hate and bigotry” a part of its narrative.
The government’s decision to impose a nationwide lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19 inflicted “untold misery” on people with “lakhs of people” forced to walk to their homes, she alleged.
Words carry the power to shape the future. Not many statesmen can speak in a manner as powerful as Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi. His response to the debate on motion of thanks on the President’s address pressed all the right buttons with people at this critical hour.
Replete with hard facts, and with a sprinkle of humour and wit, his speech addressed apprehensions related to crucial issues such as the farm laws. His message to the nation was clear — this is India’s moment under the sun and we must seize every opportunity for growth that lies ahead of us. It is time to re-energise our inherent capabilities and rebuild our nation. It would be a colossal mistake to lose sight of the big vision for India, and so, our differences should not come in the way of this vision.
The most important aspect of the PM’S speech was the elaborate explanation of the government’s aim to empower small and marginal farmers through the three farm laws. In all discussions with regard to agriculture in India, this section is often forgotten. It is a well-known fact that, after all these years, the Green Revolution’s gains have not trickled down to this section. India’s small farmer has neither the ability to organise, nor the time to devote himself to political pursuits. Thankfully, India’s small farmer has got a powerful spokesperson in the form of the PM.
That India’s agriculture is riddled with many challenges is not hidden from anyone. Land holdings are shrinking, agri-technology is becoming obsolete, and farmers face exploitation at the hands of middlemen. To free the small farmer from these shackles, the government has combined an innovative approach with zero tolerance towards malpractices. PM Modi referred to modernising the long-standing mandis, while also complimenting efforts by various states towards improving agriculture systems. The unequivocal message — minimum support price
(MSP) was there, is there and will remain — should answer all those who have spread canards about MSP. After all, it is this government that has increased MSP to 1.5 times the cost of cultivation. Other initiatives, be it neem-coated urea or the modified crop insurance scheme, have touched the lives of small farmers the most.
At the bedrock of good governance is listening and accommodating divergent views. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has always shown utmost empathy and sensitivity towards the issues of the poor and the marginalised. This is why it initiated an unprecedented 11 rounds of talks with the farmers. At a time when egos and oneupmanship are rampant, it takes a big heart to offer to put the laws on hold for 18 months until all the issues are addressed. PM Modi is a leader who understands the pain of the farmers, and every step taken under his leadership will, undoubtedly, be in line with their best interests.
To elaborate, as the PM underlined, there is a need to widen the ambit of what we see as “improvements” in agriculture. At the base of it, if infrastructure, including roads, rail and air connectivity improves, farmers will be able to gain access to distant and diverse markets. The government’s focus on allied sectors such as dairy and fisheries is aimed at generating additional revenue for the farmers, and giving them opportunities to showcase their innovations. Similarly, the PM’S vision for water in every household too has its gains for the farmers.
Today, millions of small farmers need our attention. They are talented and hardworking. They do not need doles to keep them poor. They need support to enable them to rise and contribute to the welfare of India. No less a leader than the PM speaking about them is noteworthy. He addressed every critical issue with farsightedness. At no point were those protesting called names. He highlighted the monumental contribution of the Sikh community to national development. He appreciated (right
fully) the pioneering contribution of HD Deve Gowda towards the cause of farmers. He referred to Sharad Pawar and appreciated Ghulam Nabi Azad.
These are things to learn — we may all be on different sides of the political spectrum and will certainly fight electoral battles with our full might but on the floor of the House, decency rules the roost. Our friends in the Opposition who boycotted the President’s speech and indulged in sloganeering could learn from PM Modi.
PM Modi quoted two former prime ministers, the farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh and Dr Manmohan Singh. From their words, we understand that there has always been a desire for agricultural reform. It was the inability to navigate the roadblocks that delayed them. PM Modi has tried to navigate the roadblocks. It should, as a nation, make us happy that a PM is fulfilling some of the ideas of his predecessors despite having different political affiliations. Such continuity and bipartisanship augurs well for our future.
Parliament was also the right forum to isolate those who are perpetual mischief-sniffers (Andolanjeevi as the PM called them), who lack the ability to ignite a positive change but are quick to latch on to others, and subsequently, mislead them. The PM was right to caution us about such elements. After all, when a nation’s economic revival is right on track; when the world is all praise for India’s humanitarian ethos of supplying vaccines; when India’s young are scaling new heights, who gains by causing mindless roadblocks?
PM Modi’s Rajya Sabha speech has set the benchmark — it was a speech which said the right things, exposed many mistruths but most importantly one where India’s small farmer was brought into the mainstream of national discourse.
The US said on Monday it would return as an observer to the UN Human Rights Council, which it quit under the Trump administration, while seeking reforms of the “flawed body”.
“The UN Human Rights Council is flawed and needs reform, but walking away won’t fix it. The best way to improve the Council, so it can achieve its potential, is through robust and principled US leadership,” secretary of state Tony Blinken tweeted.
President Joe Biden has instructed the state deparment “to re-engage immediately and
robustly with the UN Human Rights Council”, he said in a statement issued as the council held a meeting in Geneva.
China on Biden’s remarks
Beijing on Monday chose to ignore President Biden’s comment that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping “lacked a democratic bone in his body”, saying the two countries should focus on cooperation. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “President Xi Jinping has had many contacts with President Biden. Maintaining communication between China and the US at all levels is conducive to mutual understanding and to the development of bilateral relations.”
Trump lawyers blast trial
In a brief filed on the eve of the Senate impeachment trial, Trump’s lawyers attacked the case on multiple grounds. In a hint at what course they would take, the lawyers called the trial “political theatre” by Democrats, whom they accused of exploiting for their own party’s gain the chaos and trauma of the riot at the US Capitol on January 6.
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday announced that it will purchase government securities worth ₹20,000 crore through open market operations (OMOS) in a bid to cap yields of treasury bonds and support an expanded government borrowing programme.
“The Reserve Bank stands committed to ensuring the availability of ample liquidity in the system in order to foster congenial financial conditions,” an RBI notification said on Monday. “On a review of current liquidity and financial conditions, therefore, the Reserve Bank has decided to conduct purchase of government securities under open market operations (OMO) for an aggregate amount of ₹20,000 crore on February 10, 2021.”
The central bank will purchase long-term security maturing in 2024, 2028, 2030 and 2034, the notification said.
The bond market had been waiting for the OMO announcement ever since the government announced in the budget its intent to raise ₹12 lakh crore for the next financial year and an additional ₹80,000 crore for this year. RBI in its monetary policy on Friday, however, did not give any explicit guidance on the same, which disappointed the market. The yield on the 10-year bond on Friday had jumped to 6.17%, the highest in more than five months. However, it cooled off after the OMO announcement with the benchmark 10-year yield closing 3bps lower at 6.04%.
Also on Monday, Bloomberg reported that RBI is expected to buy more than ₹3 lakh crore ($41 billion) of sovereign bonds in the next fiscal year to support the government’s borrowing plans, citing a person with knowledge of the matter. This will exceed the ₹3 lakh crore the RBI is expected to spend for the current year ending March, the Bloomberg report added.
“The announcement of the OMO by the RBI should be interpreted more as a measure to assuage market sentiment and keep yields stable, given the higher borrowing on the part of the government. The market has been shaky post budget as evidenced by the devolvement in the Friday auctions even though there is surplus liquidity in the system,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist, CARE Ratings Ltd. That said, the central bank made several announcements in the policy, aimed at maintaining ample liquidity to support the borrowing programme. This included a gradual rollback of a previous 100bps cut in cash reserve ratio—the amount of deposits lenders must set aside as reserves—that was announced amid the pandemic.
NEW DELHI: Jos Buttler had just been stumped by Rishabh Pant, beaten as he danced down the track to left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem after tea on the fourth day of the first Test at Chennai on Monday. The TV camera panned to England captain Joe Root who was outside the team dressing room. It was a routine for the next half an hour.
The visitors’ lead had swelled past 400, and anticipation was whether the visitors would declare the innings. Root though was in his training shorts, seemingly happy to wait. He or the England support staff looked absolutely in no hurry. In the end, the declaration never came.
England’s last wicket in the second innings fell at 178, and having taken a first innings lead of 241, India faced a huge fourth innings target of 420 to win the first Test, or bat out a possible 107 overs to avoid defeat.
India achieved a heroic chase of 328 in their last Test, at Brisbane. Having reached 39/1 at stumps, the hosts will need 381 more on a wearing pitch on Tuesday. If they pull it off, it will be the highest successful chase in Test cricket, bettering the 418 West Indies achieved against Australia in 2003.
Was it a safety first approach, did England get defensive and deny a few more valuable overs for their bowlers to try and bowl out India? Two things could have played on their minds. Washington Sundar had taken on the England bowling in the morning, hitting 12 fours and two sixes to score his second fifty in three innings, top-scoring with 85*. And Pant had counterattacked with 92 in the first innings.
India had also famously chased down 387 to beat England at Chennai in 2008, a game that featured fast bowler James Anderson, with whom Root was in deep conversation before he went out to bat at No. 11.
The aura of India, after the comeback series win in Australia, could have been the biggest factor, even if that would require overcoming a fifth day track of variable bounce. Puffs of dust were already rising as batsmen played every ball. Root maybe wanted to first minimise the chances of an Indian win in a
match the visitors have dominated till now. With India 39/1 at stumps, after Rohit Sharma was beaten by the drift and turn Jack Leach found to be bowled, Root may not be too unhappy with his decision.
Local boys rule
Before that final session took shape, two local players—sundar and Ashwin—stamped their class at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Starting the day 321 runs behind England’s first innings 578 with four wickets in hand, India needed something special. Sundar provided it with his 135ball effort and an 80-run stand for the seventh wicket with Ashwin (31).
Sundar’s left-handed batting skills make him an exciting prospect to develop into a class all-rounder. It came to the fore in the first innings at the Gabba, and again in Chennai.
It was a venue where Sundar’s only first-class century had come, as an opener for Tamil Nadu against Tripura in 2017. The way he went for his drives again pace and spin, and his compact defence, another century was in the offing.
Even when Sundar was beaten by the movement of Anderson, he responded with a straight six. Root’s off-spin was sent for perfectly-timed fours by Sundar, who also took on offspinner Dom Bess, who picked four wickets on Day 3 but erred in length on Monday. Sundar ran out of partners when India were 337 all out.
Ashwin’s feat
That huge deficit meant India had to skittle out England in the second innings. Who better to
deliver on a dry pitch with wear and tear than Ashwin. He struck off the first delivery of the innings, sharp turn forcing Rory Burns playing forward defensively to nick to Ajinkya Rahane at slip.
England’s intention to score quickly was evident in the second session as they scored almost four runs per over at one point. It also meant an increased risk of losing wickets. Ashwin took his second wicket with the new ball, surprising opener Dom Sibley with bounce and turn to get him to edge to Cheteshwar Pujara at leg-slip.
Root again swept strongly to push’s England lead. Ishant Sharma trapped No. 3 Dan Lawrence leg before to become India’s sixth bowler, and third pacer, to complete 300 wickets in his 98th Test.
Ashwin kept providing breakthroughs and left-arm Shahbaz Nadeem scalped Jos Buttler and Ollie Pope as reward for his toil. It slowed down England, though they were eating into the overs they would get to try and bowl India out.
Ashwin completed his 28th five-wicket haul when he bowled Jofra Archer, but Anderson too
came in. He fell second ball to Ashwin, who ended with 6/61.
“It’s the first game of the series. We want a strong start. You don’t really want to give India a chance to win. They have some fine players. And you need have big runs to keep an attacking field for the spinners all day tomorrow. With that many runs on board, we are ahead in the game. We are confident we can create enough chances to win the game tomorrow,” Jon Lewis, England bowling coach, said after the day’s play.
“The pitch is good but tricky. So, acceleration against experienced Indians in India isn’t always straightforward. It’s not a pitch where one can be reckless to score runs. We were very confident about the amount of overs we wanted to bowl tonight. That gives a bit of time, if we need the second new ball tomorrow, 20 overs or so.”