Thursday, February 24, 2011

'Needed - a commission for judicial accountability' - Interview with Adv. R.Vaigai

'A deal that did not make commercial sense' - Prabir Purkayastha on the Antrix-Devas

Spectrum for a song

A lopsided deal that awarded S-band spectrum for a song shows the government in poor light.

The sweetheart deal between Antrix Corporation, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and Devas Multimedia in 2005 has turned out to be yet another embarrassment for the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (upa) government. (As we go to press, the government, invoking “sovereign” interests, has annulled the contract.) The agreement involved the design, building and launch of two commercial satellites, GSat-6 and GSat-6A, by ISRO and the delivery to Devas Multimedia of a leased capacity on the primary satellite and access to transponders. This would have allowed the ­delivery of spectrum for use by Devas Multimedia with which it intended to introduce commercial broadband multimedia services.

For more of the EPW Editorial, please read here.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

The Aseemanand Confessions on Hindutva Terror - Interview with Sukumar Muralidharan

Interview with Prashant Jha on political developments in Nepal

Fishing Conflict in Indo-Sri Lankan Waters

Fishermen die in conflicts but communities show encouraging signs of equitable and joint management.

The deaths of Indian fishermen in late January, believed to be caused by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in waters close to the maritime boundary between the two countries, have led to a measure of bilateral discord and, more important, evoked strong feelings in Tamil Nadu. Two fishermen died in late January, one was strangled and another had been shot dead. While the number of violent incidents involving fishers has come down considerably since a 2008 agreement between the two countries that called on the governments to handle situations involving a breach of the international maritime boundary in non-lethal ways, the occurrence of such incidents makes it a live political issue in Tamil Nadu.

For more, read here