Petroleum gas is normally odourless. Mercaptan is deliberately added to LPG to give it a distinctive stink so that leaks are unmistakably detected; this is a global industry practice.
In India, bullshit is being liberally dosed into issues of natural gas from KG basin, with the same effect: leaks are easily detected. The bonus is easy detection of usual dishonesty and occasional stupidity.
Petroleum Ministry woke up in 2009 that contracts and agreements signed five years' back violate "sovereign rights". The minister and his cohorts talk of sovereign rights in voices choked with patriotic emotion - all that is missing is a new version of "... jara ankhonme bhar lo pani...". The Government as a whole, through its deafening silence, sanctifies this hypocrisy. Yes, hypocrisy: just consider applying the principles of "sovereign rights" as propounded by the Minister to coal, bauxite, manganese, zinc, dolomite, uranium and all other minerals, including oil.
What exactly are these "sovereign rights"? The minister has not cared to define this. His actions imply that the "sovereign right" exercised by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas is a single-point agenda: to unilaterally change the substance or the interpretation of signed and sealed contracts.
Is it a "sovereign right" to turn somersault on formal submissions to the Supreme Court?
FunTime: Heard on Business TV: Kavery-Ganga basin!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
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