World Disaster Report 2010

According to the World Disaster Report 2010 published by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), during the period 2000 to 2009, as many as 85 percent of the people affected by disasters belonged to the Asia Pacific region. The Global Assessment Report 2011 published by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN ISDR) estimates that more than 90 percent of the global population exposed to floods live in South Asian, East Asian and the Pacific countries. Among the disaster-prone countries in South Asia, India and Bangladesh are highly vulnerable due to the large population exposed to disasters in India and the geographical, riverine and topographical features of coastal areas of Bangladesh vulnerable to floods and cyclones. In India as many as 200 million people are exposed to recurring floods every year. The high disaster risk and exposure of millions of people in India living in vulnerable areas prone to geological disasters, hydro-meteorological disasters and man-made and technological disasters makes it imperative that a national campaign on mission mode is launched to strengthen disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation efforts in India.

India ranks 2nd in natural disasters in Asia

India occupies the second position in Asia where the most number of natural disasters occur, according to a senior UN expert. Sixty percent of India’s landmass is susceptible to earthquakes, 14 million hectares are prone to floods and 8000 km of the country’s coastline is prone to cyclones.

The direct losses from natural disasters in India total up to two percent of the national GDP or 12 percent of the central government’s revenues, according to a World Bank report.

Twentyseven states of the country are prone to natural disasters and the World Bank report shows that the country losses a significant chunk of its earnings in disasters. Hence we must work a proactive strategy in dealing with the disasters rather than merely concentrating on disaster response.
According to UN estimates, there were 373 natural disasters across the world in 2010 which killed 296 thousand people and rendered another 20 million homeless. The natural disasters in 2010 cost the world 110 billion US dollars; 77percent of these disasters were geophysical like earthquakes or Tsunami and 19 percent were climatological including cyclones and floods. According to the UN experts, the intensity and frequency of natural disasters in the Indian subcontinent has seen a significant rise in the recent years. “The year 2010 has been recorded as the deadliest year in the last two decades owing to the number of disasters the year has witnessed.

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1. Human Development Index- 134th
2. World Hunger Index- 67th
3. World Corruption Index-95th
4. World Competitiveness Index- 56th
5. Annual Global Innovation Barometer- 6th

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Cyclones

A tropical cyclone is  an intense  low pressure area or a whirl in the atmosphere over tropical or sub-tropical waters, with organised convection (i.e. thunderstorm activity) and winds at low levels, circulating either anti-clockwise (in the northern hemisphere) or clockwise (in the southern hemisphere).  From the centre of a cyclonic storm, pressure increases outwards.  The amount of the pressure drop in the centre and the rate at which it increases outwards gives the intensity of the cyclones and the strength of winds. As per the criteria adopted by the World Meteorological Organisation (W.M.O.), India Meteorological Department classifies the low pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal and in the Arabian Sea   into 7 classes. Low pressure areas with maximum sustained surface winds of speed between 31 & 61 km.p.h. (17 to 33 knots) are called tropical depressions.

Once the winds around the low pressure area reach at least 62 km.p.h, it is called a tropical cyclone and is assigned a name.  When wind speed is between 89 & 118 km.p.h (48 & 63 kt) it will be a Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS), between 119 & 221 km.p.h (64 & 119 kt) it is Very SCS and when exceeds 221 km.p.h (119 knots), the cyclone is called a Super Cyclonic Storm. Kerala coast have been affected by low pressure systems upto the category of severe cyclonic storm (max. wind speed 118 km.p.h)

How do  cyclones form?

Tropical cyclones require certain conditions for their formation.  These are

• A source of warm, moist air derived from tropical oceans with sea surface temperature normally near to or in excess of 27 °C
• Winds near the ocean surface blowing from different directions converging and causing air to rise and storm clouds to form
• Winds which do not vary greatly with height - known as low wind shear. This allows the storm clouds to rise vertically to high levels; 
• Coriolis force / spin induced by the rotation of the Earth. The formation mechanisms vary across the world, but once a cluster of storm clouds starts to rotate, it becomes a tropical depression. If it continues to develop it becomes a tropical storm, and later a cyclone/ super cyclone.

Naming of Cyclones

Tropical cyclones are named to provide ease of communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts and warnings. Since the storms can often last a week or even longer and more than one cyclone can be occurring in the same region at the same time, names can reduce the confusion about what storm is being described.

Names were first used in World War II and were subsequently adopted by all regions. In most regions pre-determined alphabetic lists of alternating male and female names are used. However, in the north-west Pacific the majority of names used are not personal names. While there are a few male and female names, majority are names of flowers, animals, birds, trees, foods or descriptive adjectives. By the mid-1960s names were used for all tropical storms except those in the North Indian Ocean . The names currently in use and those to be used in future years are listed.  Various meteorological organisations have responsibility of naming them.

The names of cyclones in Indian Seas are not allocated in alphabetical order, but are arranged by the name of the country which contributed the name. It is usual practice for a storm to be named when it reaches tropical storm strength (winds of 34 knots).The list of names to be used for the North Indian Seas is given below:

The names selected  for North Indian Ocean cyclones from 2004 onwards

	I	II	III	IV
Contributed by	Name	Name	Name	Name
Bangladesh	Onil	Ogni (2006)	Nisha(2008)	Giri
India	Agni (2004)	Akash	Bijli	Jal(2010)
Maldives	Hibaru	Gonu	Aila	Keila
Myanmar	Pyarr	Yemyin	Phyan	Thane(2011)
Oman	Baaz	Sidr (2007)	Ward (2009)	Mujan
Pakistan	Fanoos (2005)	Nargis	Laila	Nilam
Sri Lanka	Mala	Rashmi	Bandu	Mahasen
Thailand	Mukda	Khai-Muk	Phet	Phailin
	V	VI	VII	VIII
Contributed by	Name	Name	Name	Name
Bangladesh	Helen	Chapala	Ockhi	Fani
India	Lehar	Megh	Sagar	Vayu
Maldives	Madi	Roanu	Mekunu	Hikaa
Myanmar	Na-nauk	Kyant	Daye	Kyarr
Oman	Hudhud	Nada	Luban	Maha
Pakistan	Nilofar	Vardah	Titli	Bulbul
Sri Lanka	Priya	Asiri	Gigum	Soba
Thailand	Komen	Mora	Phethai	Amphan

The names in the list are being used sequentially. The first name in any given year is the one immediately following the last name from the previous year. The year is included in parentheses after the last name used in that year.

CYCLONES : TYPES, CAUSES, DO’S AND DON’TS

Cyclones are caused by atmospheric disturbances around a low-pressure area distinguished by swift and often destructive air circulation. They are usually accompanied by violent storms and bad weather. The air circulates inward in an anticlockwise direction in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. Cyclones are classified as: (i) extra tropical cyclones (also called  temperate cyclones); and (ii) tropical cyclones.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO, 1976) uses the term ‘tropical cyclone’ to cover weather systems in which winds exceed ‘gale force’ (minimum of 34 knots or 63 Kph). Tropical cyclones are the progeny of ocean and atmosphere, powered by the heat from the sea, driven by the easterly trades and temperate westerlies, the high planetary winds and their own fierce energy.
In India, cyclones are classified due to the:

Strength of the associated winds,

Storm surge and

Exceptional rainfall occurrences.

Extra tropical cyclones occur in temperate zones and high latitude regions, though they are known to originate in the polar regions. Cyclones that developin the regions between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer are called tropical cyclones. Tropical cyclones are large-scale weather systems developing over tropical or subtropical waters, where they get organized into surface wind circulation. Cyclones are given many names in different regions of the world – they are known  as typhoons in the China Sea and Pacific Ocean; hurricanes in the West Indian islands in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean; tornados in the Guinea lands of West Africa and the southern USA.; willy-willies in north-western Australia and tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean. The word cyclone  is derived from the Greek word `Cyclos’ meaning the coils of a snake. It was coined by Henry Peddington because the tropical storms in the Bay of Bengal and in the Arabian Sea appeared like the coiled serpents of the sea.

The criteria below has been formulated by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), which classifies the low pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea on the basis of the capacity to damage, which is adopted by the WMO.

Type of Disturbances	Wind Speed in Km/h	Wind Speed in Knots
Low Pressure	Lees than 31	Less than 17
Depression	31-49	17-27
Deep Depression	49-61	27-33
Cyclonic Storm	61-88	33-47
Severe Cyclonic Storm	88-117	47-63
Very Sever Cyclonic Storm	117-220	63-119
Super Cyclone	More than 221	More than 120

1 knot – 1.85 km per hour
Cyclones are classified into five different levels on the basis of wind speed. They are further divided into the following categories according to their damage capacity.

Cyclone Category	Wind Speed in Km/h	Damage Capacity
01	120-150	Minimal
02	150-180	Moderate
03	180-210	Extensive
04	210-250	Extreme
05	250 and above	Catastrophic

Storm surges (tidal waves) are defined as the rise in sea level above the normally predicted astronomical tide. The major factors include:

A fall in the atmospheric pressure over the sea surface

The effect of the wind

The influence of the sea bed

A funnelling effect

The angle and speed at which the storm approaches the coast

The tides

The very high specific humidity condenses into exceptionally large raindrops and giant cumulus clouds, resulting in high precipitation rates. When a cyclone makes landfall, the rain rapidly saturates the catchment areas and the rapid runoff may extensively flood the usual water sources or create new ones.

How Cyclones are formed

The development cycle of tropical cyclones may be divided into three stages:

i) Formation and Initial Development Stage
The formation/ initial development of a cyclonic storm depends upon various conditions. These are:

A warm sea (temperature in excess of 26 degrees Celsius to a depth of 60 m) with abundant and turbulent transfer of water vapour to the overlying atmosphere by evaporation.

Atmospheric instability encourages formation of massive vertical cumulus clouds due to convection with condensation of rising air above ocean surface.

ii) Mature Tropical Cyclones
When the tropical storm intensifies, the air rises in vigorous thunderstorms and tends to spread out horizontally at the tropopause level. Once air spreads out, a positive perturbation pressure at high levels is produced, which accelerates the downward motion of air due to convection. With the inducement of subsidence, air warms up by compression and a warm ‘eye’ is generated. Generally, the ‘eye’ of the storms has three basic shapes: (a) circular; (b) concentric; and (c) elliptical. The main physical feature of a mature tropical cyclone in the Indian Ocean is a concentric pattern of highly turbulent giant cumulus thundercloud bands.

iii) Modification and Decay
A tropical cyclone begins to weaken in terms of its central low pressure, internal warmth and extremely high speeds, as soon as its source of warm moist air begins to ebb, or is abruptly cut off. This happens after the landfall or when it passes  over cold waters. The weakening of a cyclone does not mean the danger to life and property is over.

Indian Context

The Indian subcontinent is one of the worst affected regions in the world. The subcontinent with a long coastline of 8041 kilometre is exposed to nearly 10 per cent of the world’s tropical cyclones. Of these, the majority have their initial genesis over the Bay of Bengal and strike the east coast of India. On an average, five to six tropical cyclones form every year, of which two  or three could be severe. More cyclones occur in the Bay of Bengal than the Arabian Sea and the ratio is approximately 4:1. Cyclones occur frequently on both the coasts (The west coast – Arabian Sea; and the east coast – Bay of Bengal). An analysis of the frequency of cyclones on the east and west coasts of India  between 1891 and 1990 shows that nearly 262 cyclones occurred (92 severe) in a 50 km wide strip on the east coast. Less severe cyclonic activity has been noticed on the west coast, with 33 cyclones occurringin the same period, out of which 19  of these were severe.

Tropical cyclones occur in the months of May-June and October-November. The cyclones of severe intensity and frequency in the north Indian Ocean are bi-modal in character, with their primary peak in November and secondary peak in May.  The disaster potential is particularly high at the time of landfall in the north Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea) due to the accompanying destructive wind, storm surges and torrential rainfall.  Of these, storm surges are the greatest killers of a cyclone, by which sea water inundates low lying areas of coastal regions and causes heavy floods, erodes beaches and embankments, destroys vegetation and reduces soil fertility.

Cyclones vary in diameter from 50 to 320 km but their effects dominate thousands of square kilometers of ocean surface and the lower atmosphere. The perimeter may measure 1,000 km but the powerhouse is located within the 100-km radius. Nearer the eye, winds may hit 320 kmph. Thus tropical cyclones, characterized by destructive winds, torrential rainfall and storm surges disrupt normal life with accompanying the phenomena of floods due to the exceptional level of rainfall and storm surge inundation into inland areas. Cyclones are characterized by their devastating potential to damage structures, viz. houses; lifeline infrastructure-power and communication towers; hospitals; food storage facilities; roads, bridges and culverts; crops etc. The most fatalities come from storm surges and the torrential rain  flooding  the lowland areas of the coastal territories.

CYCLONES – Do’s & Dont’s

The actions that need to be taken in the event of a cyclone threat can broadly be divided into four classes, viz., (i) immediately before the cyclone season; (ii) when cyclone alerts and warnings are on;(iii) when evacuations are advised; and (iv) when the cyclone has crossed the coast. (i) Before the Cyclone season:  Check the house; secure loose tiles, carry out repair works for doors and windows Remove dead woods or dying trees close to the house; anchor removable objects like lumber piles, loose tin sheds, loose bricks, garbage cans, sign-boards etc. which can fly in strong winds Keep some wooden boards ready so that glass windows can be boarded if needed Keep a hurricane lantern filled with kerosene, battery operated torches and enough dry cells Demolish condemned buildings Keep some extra batteries for transistors Keep some dry non-perishable food always ready for emergency use (ii) When the Cyclone starts Listen to the radio (All India Radio stations give weather warnings). Keep monitoring the warnings. This will help you to prepare for a cyclone emergency. Pass on the information to others. Ignore rumours and do not spread them; this will help to avoid panic situations. Believe in the official information When a cyclone alert is on for your area continue normal working but stay alert to the radio warnings. Remember that a cyclone alert means that the danger is within 24 hours. Stay alert. When your area is under cyclone warning get away from low-lying beaches or other low-lying areas close to the coast Leave early before your way to high ground or shelter gets flooded Do not delay and run the risk of being marooned If your house is securely built on high ground take shelter in the safer part of the house. However, if asked to evacuate do not hesitate to leave the place. Board up glass windows or put storm shutters in place. Provide strong suitable support for outside doors. If you do not have wooden boards handy, paste paper strips on glasses to prevent splinters. However, this may not avoid breaking windows. Get extra food, which can be eaten without cooking. Store extra drinking water in suitably covered vessels. If you are to evacuate the house move your valuable articles to upper floors to minimize flood damage. Have hurricane lantern, torches or other emergency lights in working conditions and keep them handy. Small and loose things, which can fly in strong winds, should be stored safely in a room. Be sure that a window and door can be opened only on the side opposite to the one facing the wind. Make provision for children and adults requiring special diets. If the centre of the cyclone is passing directly over your house there will be a lull in the wind and rain lasting for half and hour or so. During this time do not go out; because immediately after that very strong winds will blow from the opposite direction. Switch off electrical mains in your house. Remain calm. (iii) When Evacuation is instructed Pack essentials for yourself and your family to last you a few days, including medicines, special foods for babies and children or elders. Head for the proper shelter or evacuation points indicated for your area. Do not worry about your property At the shelter follow instructions of the person in charge. Remain in the shelter until you have been informed to leave (iv) Post-cyclone measures You should remain in the shelter until informed that you can return to your home. You must get inoculated against diseases immediately. Strictly avoid any loose and dangling wires from the lamp posts. If you are to drive, drive carefully. Clear debris from your premises immediately. Report the correct loss to appropriate authorities. Source : NDMA

Bangladesh Cyclones

(chronological order)
Cyclone 1960 Cyclone and tidal wave hit the Gulf of Bengal and killed about 6,000 people, 10 October 1960.
Cyclone 1963 Killed about 22,000 people along coast of the Bay of Bengal, 20-23 May 1963.
Cyclone 1965 I Killed some 12,000 people, 11-12 May 1965.
Cyclone 1965 II Second cyclone in less than a month killed 35,000 people along the Ganges River, 1-2 June 1965.
Bhola Cyclone 240 KPH cyclone made landfall on the East Pakistan coastline during the evening of 12 November 1970, around the same time as a local high tide, killing an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 people. Though the exact death toll is not known, it is considered the deadliest tropical cyclone on record. The highest loss of life and destruction occurred on the low lying islands of the Ganges Delta south of Dhaka. In particular the island and district of Bhola, where casualties may have exceeded 100,000 alone, with the towns of Charfasson and Tazumuddin being devastated. The city of Chittagong was also badly affected. The official death toll was put at 150,000, with 100,000 people missing. However many estimates put the true figure as high as 500,000, 12-13 November 1970.

1. Bhola cyclone impact Week after the landfall, President Khan conceded that his government had made "slips" and "mistakes" in its handling of the relief efforts for a lack of understanding of the magnitude of the disaster.
2. East Pakistan reaction Statement released by eleven political leaders in East Pakistan ten days after the cyclone hit, charged the government with "gross neglect, callous indifference and utter indifference". They also accused the president of playing down the magnitude of the problem in news coverage. On 19 November 1970, students held a march in Dhaka protesting the slowness of the government response. Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani addressed a rally of 50,000 people on 24 November 1970, where he accused the president of inefficiency and demanded his resignation.

Cyclone 1974 Cyclone and floods ravaged Bangladesh and some 4,000 were killed, 15 August 1974.
Cyclone 1985 Cyclone ravaged the Meghna River delta of Bangladesh. Some 10,000 people and 500,000 head of cattle died; hundreds of thousands were left homeless, 25 May 1985.
Cyclone 1988 At least 1300 were killed after a cyclone hit Bangladesh. Half a million were left homeless, 1 December 1988.
Hurricane 1989 Hurricane in Bangladesh killed 500, 27 April 1989.
Cyclone 1991 Cyclonic tidal wave kills up to 138,000, 9 million were left homeless. Thousands of survivors died from hunger and water borne disease. 30-31 April 1991.
Severe storm 1996 Severe storm in north Bangladesh killed at least 447 and injured more than 50,000 in the district of Tangail. Winds had surged to 125 mph, 13 May 1996.
Cyclone 1997 Cyclone pounded the country and 50,000 people were evacuated from the flat coastal region. As many as 350 people were reported killed, 18-19 May 1997.
Cyclone 2000 At least 60 people were killed in Bangladesh by a cyclone that hit the Bay of Bengal, November 2000.
Cyclone Sidr Raced up the Bay of Bengal with winds of 150mph, triggering a five meter (15ft) high tidal wave that washed away three coastal towns, demolished houses, crops, trees and shrimp farms. The number of homes destroyed was estimated to be more than 750,000. Many ships were missing. It is estimated that at least half the coastal crop was destroyed in a matter of hours. Deaths spiralled above 3,000, with fears that thousands more bodies have yet to be found. 15 November 2007.

Celebrating 60 years of Indian Parliament

India has long history and there are many historic events to remember.   13^th May 2012, is another day, a day on which the  Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,  are holding special sittings celebrating the 60^th anniversary of the first session of Indian Parliament.   After becoming a Republic, the first general elections were held in 1951-52 ; Lok Sabha was constituted on April 17, 1952 and the Lok Sabha held its first session, a month later, on May 13^th  statistically, the first Lok Sabha’s tenure was 17^th April 1952 to 4^th April 1957. Can you recall the names of the first Speak and Deputy Sepaker of the Lok Sabha. 

Commemorating 60 years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will initiate the debate in the Rajya Sabha while Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will do it in the Lok Sabha. Besides prominent members from all sides, independents are also being accomodated in the over five-hour discussion. A few living members of the first Lok Sabha, including Reishang Keishing and Resham Lal Jangde, will be honoured on the occasion.  91-year-old Reishang Keishing, now a member of the Rajya Sabha, was member of the first and third Lok Sabhas. Jangde was member of first, second and ninth Lok Sabhas. Both the Houses of Parliament will meet at 11.00 am and will conclude the discussions at 4.30 pm.   In the evening, President Pratibha Patil will address a joint sitting of both Houses in the Central Hall. Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari, the Prime Minister and Kumar will also address the joint sitting. 

Coins of Rs 5 and Rs 10 denomination to mark the occasion along with a special stamp are being released as also  three books published by the Lok Sabha Secretariat — Members’ Introduction: First Lok Sabha; Speakers of Lok Sabha and ’60 years of the Lok Sabha.  There is also to be a cultural programme featuring Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, Sitarist Debu Chaudhuri, Carnatic vocalist Maharajapuram Ramachandran, versatile singer Shubha Mudgal and Iqbal Khan.

The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. Just as the House of Lords and House of commons in UK, Indian parliament  is bicameral with its two Houses, Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States).   The two Houses meet in separate chambers in the Sansad Bhavan (located on the Sansad Marg), in New Delhi. The Members of either house are commonly referred to as Members of Parliament or MP. The MPs of Lok Sabha are elected by direct election and the MPs of Rajya Sabha are elected by the members of the State Legislative Assemblies and Union territories of Delhi and Pondicherry only in accordance with proportional voting. The Parliament is composed of 790 MPs, who serve the largest democratic electorate in the world. 

Every Indian can have a justifiable sense of pride on the completion of six significant decades of Parliamentary democracy.  Our PM Manmohan Singh called Rajya Sabha as the house of elders  - an  institution whose deliberations over the years have enriched our parliamentary democracy, nurtured the strength of our federal polity and served as a bulwark against the transient impulses of the moment.

Parliament is not only a legtistlative but a deliberative body. The bodies have been repository  of wisdom and have passed landmark legislations from land reforms to nationalisation of banks.  The resilience of our pluralistic democracy is the proudest achievement of the Indian state and Indian people. The people of India have repeatedly and regularly reposed their faith in the institutions of parliamentary democracy.    When India gained independence, some were critical of its success questioning its size, variety and vastness – the Institutions have  weathered many storms and have successfully stood up winning the test of time, which augurs well the for the Nation

History has it that the Parliament house had various plans from triangular to a Roman colosseum like structure but eventually settled to be its present circular designed colonnaded verandah, with 144 pillars and 560 feet diameter. The foundation stone of the council House was laid on February 12, 1921 by the Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, third son of Queen Victoria.  The building spread over nearly six acres was inaugurated on January 18, 1927 by then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. It is now commonly known as Sansad Bhavan.

The First Speaker of the First Lok Sabha was Shri G.V. Mavalankar  (15.5.1952 - 27.2.1956), succeeded by Shri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar  (8.3.1956 - 10.5.1957 and 11.5.1957 - 16.4.1962).  Sardar Hukam Singh succeeded the first Deputy Speaker Shri M Ananthasayanam Iyengar in 1956.  The First secretary was Mr MN Kaul.    Read that the first thing that the Parliament did was an act to give  land to the landless through Land reforms Act.   It was a place of high moral rectitude -  Lal Bahadur Shashtri quit as Railways Minister from Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet after an accident.

60 years of Parliament: People highlight need for professionalism

Has the functioning of the Indian Parliament been able to foster democratic values and strengthen participatory institutions down the line or has it been a failed experiment?

These are the questions being asked as our Westminster-modelled parliamentary democratic system celebrates its 60th anniversary.

"From panchayats and nagar nigams to the assemblies and the two houses of Parliament you only have rabble rousers, playing to the galleries. One does no longer hear enlightened debates interspersed with wit and sarcasm, as was the case till the 1977 Janata Party experiment," political commentator Paras Nath Choudhary told IANS.

Former socialist leader from Lucknow Ram Kishore, says: "The likes of Raj Narain, Madhu Limaye or even Piloo Mody, made Parliament a vibrant democratic institution. The 'firing range' comprising HV Kamath, Subramanian Swamy, SN Mishra, Shibban Lal Saxena and Kunwar Lal Gupta was ever alert during the 1970s to government lapses. Their questions and points of orders were dreaded and ministers never made a mistake of coming to Parliament without doing adequate home work."

During the 1960s and 1970s, the performance of parliamentarians was generally of a high order and the media relished the quotable quotes. As long as Ram Manohar Lohia was in the house, one was assured of sparkling fire-works. Madhu Limaye, Nath Pai, NG Gorey, Ashok Mehta and others carried the tradition forward.

"In 1977 there were so many heavy weights, each an institution in himself. Today's Parliament is no match. One finds pathetic lack of ideological commitment today, especially among the younger parliamentarians. They hardly go to the library and prepare notes. There is a shocking qualitative degeneration in democratic institutions at all levels," Ramji Lal Suman, former deputy minister in Chandra Shekhar government.

Young politicians if groomed properly and infused with a degree of ideological professionalism could still change the depressing scenario, Suman added.

In sharp contrast to the composition of the two houses in the 1960s or the 1970s, the present house is dominated by amateurs who are better fighters than debaters. Many make public speeches rather than try debating a point.

"If we have a Parliament we must also have able parliamentarians who not only expose the scams but also contribute to the policy making and enliven the proceedings through literary quotes and witticisms. Giving speeches like one was addressing a street corner gathering is easy, but to hit the headlines in the next day's newspapers or making valuable contribution to debates requires a lot of mid-night oil-burning and a professional approach," says social activist Shravan Kumar Singh who worked with many leaders in Bihar.

Indian Parliament is an important democratic institution, for it combines both the legislative and executive functions. By and large it has responded to changing public moods and mass aspirations, say ruling Congress party leaders.

Former Congress MLA Satish Chandra Gupta says, "I have nothing to feel cheerful or happy about the general working of the institutions. The intellectual level of politicians has generally gone down."

During the 1975-77 emergency when most of the opposition leaders were detained, Parliament was reduced to a "walking corpse" - surviving more in form than in vitality.

The Janata Party experiment could not last long enough as there were too many heavy weights pulling the cart in different directions.

"The Congress Young Turks, the egoistic three seniors Morarji Desai, Choudhary Charan Singh, and Babu Jagjivan Ram, in addition to a whole line up of Socialists including Madhu limaye, kept pulling one another down and Raj Narain playing the joker added intriguing dimensions to the survival of a government that was bedevilled by the dual membership controversy that irked the BJP and the RSS," recalls senior ex-Janata party leader Vinay Paliwal.

Clearly, the functioning of Parliament in the past decade particularly has been affected by the quality of people that have been elected. Many are believed to have criminal background, if reports released by various pressure groups are to be relied upon. Those who thought introduction of TV cameras to cover the proceedings would usher in desirable changes in performance feel cheated.

Veterans in Parliament have a duty to groom the freshers. Old-timers say the MPs should spend more time in the house and the library than in their individual constituencies. "The discretionary funds for development available to MPs has been a huge distraction," says senior media person Rajiv Saxena.

GROUP-I SERVICES RECRUITMENT (39/2008 & 10/2009) - MARKS LIST OF THE CANDIDATES (MAIN EXAMINATION)

	GROUP-I SERVICES RECRUITMENT (39/2008 & 10/2009) - MARKS LIST OF THE CANDIDATES (MAIN EXAMINATION)

National Workshop India’s National Communication to UNFCCC – Future Challenges

At National Workshop is held at New Delhi on India’s National communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), organized by the Minister of Environment and Forests on May 9, 2012; India’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC was released. India’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC has been prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India towards fulfillment of the reporting obligation under the Convention.

Unveiling the Natcom II the Minster of state (I/C) for Environment & Forests Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said that India is fully committed to its responsibilities towards global community. She said that India has voluntarily reduced carbon emission.She congratulated the scientists for commendable work.

The secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forest Shri T. Chatterjee said that National Communication II reiterates India’s commitment to global concerns on climate change. He said local and regional data has been very curial is preparing the document.

It is recalled that India is a Party to the UNFCCC. The Convention, in accordance with is Article 4.1 and 12.1 , enjoins all Parties, both developed and developing country Parties, to furnish information , in the form of a National Communication (a national report), regarding implementation of the convention. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the Executing and Implementing Agency for the project for preparation of the national communication. A National Steering Committee (NSC) under the Chairmanship of Secretary (E&F) oversaw the implementation of the work programme devised for preparation by the Government of India. A National Project Director co-ordinates the activities and is assisted by National Technical Experts, housed under the Project Management Cell (PMC).

Towards fulfillment of the obligation of furnishing information on implementation of the Convention, the Government of India submitted its Second National Communication in May, 2012. The First (Initial) National Communication was submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat on June 22, 2004.

A broad based participatory approach was followed involving multi-disciplinary teams and other stakeholders comprising of more than 220 scientists belonging to over 120 institutions. These teams were drawn from premier Research Institutions, Universities, Government Ministries and Departments and Non-Governmental Organizations of national repute across the country. Besides, the stakeholder consultations, training, thematic and awareness generation events covering more than 1000 participants were organized through 30 conferences/seminars/workshops/consultations across the country towards preparation of the report.

The salient features of report include:

The report provides the context and the National Circumstances inter alia India’s geography, imperative inter alia India’s geography, imperative of development needs, climate and economy; based on which India would be addressing and responding to the challenges of climate change.

The report includes results of wide ranging of studies, specifically conducted at the National level capturing diversity of India.

The Greenhouse Gas Inventory of gases of anthropogenic origin for the year 2000 has been reported, as per the stipulated guidelines using prescribed methodologies by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

It is to be noted that, for year 2000, the net Carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions for India were estimated to be 1301.21 million tones, indicating a growth of 4.2% in Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from the levels in 1994.

The report also provides the GHG profile for the year 2007 - a unique feature of this report, which is estimated to be of the order of 1771.66 million tones CO2 equivalent.

The report provides details of climate change scenarios for one scenario, namely; A1B (for three time slices), which assumes a significant energy technological advancement, with a healthy mix of renewable energy technologies. A overall warming scenario is projected.

Climate change impacts in A1B scenario for key sectors of the economy such as water, agriculture, forestry, natural ecosystems, coastal regions, human health, energy, industry and human settlements were assessed using improved models.

It is expected that the information in this report shall be useful to the various stakeholders in policy making at different levels. It is also expected that the information will enhance the understanding of the issues related to climate change and its impacts and create general awareness relating to Government of India’s proactive efforts towards addressing the challenges due to climate change.

Group-II Services recruitment (39/2011) Exam Schedule

The candidates who are applying on-line for the posts of Group-II  Services recruitment vide Notification No.39/2011 are hereby informed that  the written examination for the posts will be held in all the District Centers on  the dates mentioned under: 


Paper  - I  14/07/2012 AN . 
Paper - II 15/07/2012   FN. 
Paper -III 15/07/2012  AN. 

Capitals, Governors and Chief Ministers of States

States	Capitals	Governors	Chief Ministers
(1) Andhra Pradesh	Hyderabad	Mr. E.S.L.Narasimhan	Mr. N.Kiran Kumar Reddy
(2) Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar	Gen. (Retd.) J. J. Singh	Mr. Nabam Tuki
(3) Assam	Dispur	Mr. J. B. Patnaik	Mr. Tarun Gogoi
(4) Bihar	Patna	Mr. Devanand Konwar	Mr. Nitish Kumar
(5) Chhattisgarh	Raipur	Mr. Shekhar Dutt	Dr. Raman Singh
(6) Goa	Panaji	Mr. B.V. Wanchoo	Mr. Manohar Parrikar
(7) Gujarat	Gandhinagar	Dr. Kamla	Mr. Narendra Modi
(8) Haryana	Chandigarh	Mr. Jagannath Pahadia	Mr. Bhupinder S. Hooda
(9) Himachal Pradesh	Shimla	Ms. Urmila Singh	Mr. Prem Kumar Dhumal
(10) Jammu and Kashmir	Srinagar (Summer) Jammu (Winter)	Mr. N. N. Vohra	Mr. Omar Abdullah
(11) Jharkhand	Ranchi	Dr. Syed Ahmed	Mr. Arjun Munda
(12) Karnataka	Bengaluru	Mr. Hans Raj Bhardwaj	Mr. DV Sadananda Gowda
(13) Kerala	Thiruvananthapuram	Mr. M. O. H. Farook	Mr. V. S. Achuthanandan
(14) Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal	Mr. Ram Naresh Yadav	Mr. Shivraj Singh Chauhan
(15) Maharashtra	Mumbai	Mr. K. Sankaranarayan	Mr. Prithviraj Chavan
(16) Manipur	Imphal	Mr. Gurbachan Jagat	Mr.Okram Ibobi Singh
(17) Meghalaya	Shillong	Mr. R. S. Mooshahary	Mr. Mukul A. Sangma
(18) Mizoram	Aizawl	Mr. Vakkom Purushothaman	Mr.Lalthanhawla
(19) Nagaland	Kohima	Mr. Nikhil Kumar	Mr. Neiphiu Rio
(20) Odisha	Bhubaneswar	Mr. M. C. Bhandare	Mr. Naveen Patnaik
(21) Punjab	Chandigarh	Mr. Shivraj V. Patil	Mr. Parkash Singh Badal
(22) Rajasthan	Jaipur	Ms. Margaret Alva	Mr. Ashok Gehlot
(23) Sikkim	Gangtok	Mr. Balmiki Prasad Singh	Mr. Pawan Chamling
(24) Tamil Nadu	Chennai	Mr. K Rosaiah	Ms. Jayalalithaa
(25) Tripura	Agartala	Mr. D. Y. Patil	Mr. Manik Sarkar
(26) Uttarakhand	Dehradun	Dr. Aziz Qureshi	Mr. Vijay Bahuguna
(27) Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow	Mr. B. L. Joshi	Mr. Akhilesh Yadav
(28) West Bengal	Kolkata	Mr. M. K. Narayanan	Ms. Mamata Banerjee

Median household size drops below 4 in cities

"Hum do, hamare do" seems to finally be coming true. An analysis of recently released census data reveals that the median household size in urban India is now less than four for the first time in history.
Data on houses and households released by the Census office shows that 56% of households in urban India now have four or less members. This is a marked change from 10 years ago, when the median household size in urban India was between four and five members.
With 49.7% of all Indian households having four or less members, the median Indian household has just a fraction over four members. In rural India, the median household size is between four and five members, but closer to four than it has ever been. As many as 47.1% of rural households now have four or less members, compared to less than 40% of rural households ten years ago.
The new batch of Census 2011 data showed that India now has 24.7 crore households. The data also lists households by size, and tells us what proportion of Indian households has one, two or three members and so on.
The census office has not released the average household size because the provisional population total and the number of households were counted at different points in time, registrar general C Chandramouli said. What we can do is determine the median household size, meaning the household size of 50% of the population.
Nine states and union territories have a median household size of four or less members, including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. UP is the only Indian state with a median household size above five.
While 'household size' is the number of people living together in one house and so is not the same as 'family size', demographers say that in India the declining household size is being driven by falling family size.
This trend is not surprising, says demographer and fertility expert P Arokiasamy, professor in the department of development studies at the Mumbai-based International Institute for Population Sciences. "As the demographic transition progresses and fertility declines, household sizes will decline," Arokiasamy said. Census data released last year showed that the four southern states had already achieved a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman, recognised as the "replacement rate".
"In addition, we are seeing a rise in the number of nuclear families compared with multi-generational families," Arokiasamy said. Nuclear families are the overwhelming norm in India, with 70% of households having just one married couple.
Large families however remain a significant but not dominant component of Indian life. Close to 20% of households have five members, and another 25% have six to eight members, while 6.6% have nine or more members. In Uttar Pradesh, more than half the households have six or more members.

CURRENT AFFAIRS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. Name the yesteryear actress who featured in the popular song ‘Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen’ from the film ‘Waqt’who passed away recently.
Achala Sachdev passed away at a Pune hospital on April 30, 2012. Achala was 91 year old.     
2. Where in India, largest solar power plant with an installed capacity of 40 MW started producing electricity?
Pokhran in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan
3. Which department in India plans to set up 1000 ATM’s across 6 states?
Postal department
4. Who created history by becoming the first Indian female wrestler to have qualified for the London Olympics 2012?
Geeta
5. Who has been appointed next Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission?
Ratan Kumar Sinha        
6. In which part of India, Indo Tibetan Border Police headquarters is to be opened?
Bihar
7. Which state’s High Court has insisted that banks cannot freeze accounts nor stop services of issuing cheque book or ATM facility where the account holder has not supplied KYC (Know Your Customers) documents?
Gujarat
8. Name the former Haryana chief secretary who took oath as state information commissioner ?
Urvashi Gulati
9. Which State becames the 3rd state in India to launch State Portal (SP) and State Service Delivery Gateway (SSDG) project?
Nagaland
10. Who won the World Series Hockey 2012 title?
Sher-E-Punjab
11. In which state Urdu medium Government schools would be setup as announced by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav?
Uttar Pradesh
12. Where is the World’s first Virtual shopping store opened?
Korea
13. Who is named as HSBC’s India CEO?
Stuart Milne
14. Which Indian state bans guthka from 1st of April 2012 to curb the increasing number of mouth cancer cases?
Madhya Pradesh
15. Which Indian state chief minister has urged union Finance Minister to bail it out of its huge burden?
West Bengal
16. Name the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice who was sworn in as Supreme court judge ?
F.M.Ibrahim Kalifulla
17. Name the Gujarati techie whose name has emerged for India’s President as the nation has to elect 16th President in July 2012 ?
Sam Pitroda
18. At what value Air India’s restructuring plan was approved by a group of 19 banks led by SBI?
18,000 crore
19. Which services Airtel is planning to launch in Kolkata in April 2012?
4G services
20. Name the nuclear submarine which joined Indian Navy.
INS Chakra
21. Which education company bagged Rs.209 crore order from Assam Government?
Educomp
22. Which 2 north Indian states will have pipeline connected oil terminals for supply of diesel, petrol and kerosene?
Jammu and Himachal Pradesh
23. Which Asian country has issued tender to buy minimum of 30,000 tonnes of basmati rice from India and Pakistan?
Iraq
24. NSE founder who passes away Recently?
RH Patil
25. Who donated 1 million Singapore Dollars to Indian Heritage Centre?
Founder of Singapore-based IT company Si2i Mobility B.K.Modi
26. Name the world’s highest and longest bridge that was officially opened to motorists in China.
Anzhaite Long-span Suspension Bridge in Jishou
27. Which bank has opened 16 Ultra Small branches in 16 locations in villages to cater to financial needs of the rural populace?
IDBI Bank
28. Who has been conferred with Sir Jehangir Ghandy Medal?
Narayana Murthy
29. In which city in Kerala will Infosys setup its 2nd campus?
Thiruvananthapuram
30. Which bank will set up 1-person micro branches to serve remote areas of the northeastern region financially?
Indian Overseas Bank
31. Which act does not allow to prosecute (no wife can claim compensation or maintenance) husband’s girlfriend?
Protection of Women from Domestic Vilonce Act, 2005
32. Name the 3 Indian hockey players after whom tube stations in London has been renamed.
Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Leslie Claudius
33. Who has been signed up as brand ambassador of Toyota Kirloskar Motors?
Virat Kohli
34. When was 63rd Rajasthan Day celebrated?
5th April 2012
35. Where in Rajasthan Spices Board’s first Spices Park is setup?
Jodhpur
36. Which Asian country recently became member of Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)?
India
37. Who won her 6th world sprint title at the world track cycling championships 2012?
Victoria Pendleton
38. Name the Malawi President who died after heart attack.
Bingu wa Mutharika
39. Who was sworn in as Malawi’s President following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika?
Joyce Banda                   
40. Which Asian country made Hindu marriage registration a must by bringing the law in lines with India?
Bangladesh
41. Israel has decided to setup its consulate office in which part of India?
Bangalore
42. Which Indian city is likely to get water taxis and air-conditioned trams?
Kolkata
43. Name the young doctor who is set to become the first foreign national of Indian origin to walk across Antarctica carrying the Indian Flag.
Dr.Alexander Kumar
44. Name the youngest Indian boxer who qualified for London Olympics 2012.
Shiva Thapa               
45. What percentage hike was allocated for Karnataka by Planning Commission for current fiscal 2012-13 in the 12th Plan?
10%
46. Who will be the sports ambassador for the state of Haryana?
Leander Paes
47. Which category of women will be allowed to participate in the Miss Universe beauty pageant from next year?
Transgender women
48. Which rank does Bangalore hold as preferred entrepreneurial locations worldwide?
9th rank
49. Which TV has become the first Indian television channel to enter the Chinese market?
Zee TV
50. Which act was amended to include compulsory registration of marriages in India?
Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969
51. Where in Himachal Pradesh Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) would be opened?
Una district
52. What denominations of currency note will RBI introduce bearing rupee symbol?
Rs.20 and Rs.50 currency notes
53. Name the index on which NSE is set to launch derivative trade.
FTSE 100 index
54. What percentage and value of US based Max New York Life Insurance was sold to Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (MSI)?
26% and Rs.2,731 crore
55. Which country replaced China as Iran’s top oil client?
India
56. India has recently decided to allow Foreign Direct Investment from which Asian country?
Pakistan
57. What value of equity infusion did Air India get spread over a period of 9 years?
Rs. 30,000 crore
58. Where in India Integrated Check Post was inaugurated on the occasion of Baisakhi to enhance trade between India-Pakistan?
Attari
59. Which education council in India would have its own job portal for the students of technical and professional institutions?
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
60. Which 2 countries have agreed to resume dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation after a gap of 9 years?
India and China
61. Which repayment transaction is now allowed by RBI electronically i.e. NEFT?
Repayment of Loan EMI’s
62. How many co-sponsors are against the Bill of outsourcing call centers in USA?
106 co-sponsors
63. How much basis point did RBI cut key rates after 3 years?
50 basis points
64. Name the Master Card’s President and CEO who has been elected next chairman of the US-India Business Council?
Ajay Banga
65. Which Indian FMCG company crossed $1 billion mark in 2011-12?
Dabur India
66. Which 14 year old ICC cricket tournament would end after 2013?
ICC Champions Trophy
67. Which state has included services of the petroleum industry, including that provided by tanker operations as essential services under the state’s Essential Services Maintenance Act 1971, (Act 20 of 1971)?
Andhra Pradesh
68. Which Indian state’s 100th anniversary was celebrated recently?
Bihar
69. Who replaces Simon Leung chief executive of the greater China region of Microsoft?
Ralph Haupter
70. Bill to include children with disabilities under which Act was recently passed by Rajya Sabha recently?
Right to Education Act
71. Name the spy satellite launched by ISRO recently.
RISAT-1
72. Which cricket player and lady actor were recommended for Rajya Sabha membership in India?
Sachin Tendulkar and Rekha
73. Name the Indian origin entrepreneur and educator who is named as the Goodwill Ambassador for Education Partnerships for UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Sunny-Varkey
74. Who has been appointed as Governor of Goa, Rajasthan and Uttarkhand?
B.V.Wanchoo, Margaret Alva and Aziz Qureshi
75. Who were given fresh terms as Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra?
E.S.L.Narasimhan and K.Sankaranarayanan
76. Which Indian state will be showcased at the Cannes Film Festival?
Gujarat
77. Which 2 Asian countries will hold 1st ever economic dialogue on 30th April 2012?
India and Japan
78. Name the first of the four Dreamliner aircraft that Air India got from Nikki Haley’s state.
Boeing 787
79. Who won the Asian Snooker Championship 2012?
Aditya Mehta
80. Who retained the crown as Britain’s richest man?
Lakshmi Mittal
81. Where was the India Investrade 2012 organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce, Kolkata held?
Colombo, Sri Lanka
82. Name the mango variety named after the youngest Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
‘Akhilesh aam’, named after Akhilesh Yadav
83. Which Indian state is planning to make 100 the common number to dial in any emergency?
Tamil Nadu
84. Who became the 1st player to cross 2000 runs in cricket tournament IPL?
Suresh Raina
85. Which country is keen to boost trade ties with Kerala?
Singapore
86. Who became the 1st player to win Barcelona title for 7 times?
Rafael Nadal
87. Name the former BCCI president who passed away recently after whom the challenger trophy was named.
N.K.P.Salve