---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: CHROkeralam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: 15 Mar 2005 16:56:41 -0000
The Hindu, March 15, 2005, Tuesday Clarification on nanotechnology city THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MARCH 14. The State Government today clarified that the initiative to set up a nanotechnology city in the State capital was open to any scientist who could prove his credentials in the field. An official press note quoting the NORKA (Non-Residential Keralite Affairs) Secretary, Jiji Thomson, said the Government had mooted the project with the aim of harnessing the immense potential of nanotechnology in the medical field. Mr. Thomson said the research findings of the two doctors who had first mooted the proposal were recommended for follow-up in 1995 by C.R.R. Rao, the Head of the Nanotechnology Initiative under the Union Government. "The State Government feels that the young doctors deserve to be promoted. However, we will offer conditional support for any other scientist who can come up with a feasible project on the subject," he said. "The proposal is only in its initial phase. When the doctor duo approached the Government with a request, we promised to extend support, but only after studying the technical and financial feasibility. They have been asked to submit a detailed project report and conduct seminars on the subject across the State and outside. There is no budgetary allocation for the project," the press note said. Quoting experts, the press note said India and China were expected to emerge as key players in nanotechnology research. http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/15/stories/2005031508820400.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ CHRO NEWS, March 15, 2005, Tuesday Two Keralite scientists in USA, Dr. P. J. Pradeepkumar and Dr. Dr. Joshy Joseph, sent the following rejoinder on the Kerala Govt's clarification: Nanotech Centre: Changing Scenario' The NORKA officials yesterday released a 'Press Note' saying that the government had not taken a final decision on sponsoring the Nanotech Centre at Thiruvananthapuram mooted by doctor duo Arunkumar and Ajithkumar. The note published in various news papers sounds to defend the ongoing media demands for a 'scientific level re-evaluation' of the entire proposal. Furthermore, it raises more questions than answers. Where was NORKA when nano brothers boasted about this project? In all the reported interviews with media nano brothers said that it is a Govt sponsored project, they have been appointed as promotors and would get land and grants from the Government. If those claims were not true why the NORKA did not relase a press note clarifying their role? Instead, now after falling mud on their face they are trying to confuse the public again with very vague statements and encouraging the emergence of similar hoax. When Ramar Petrol was found to be bogus Tamil Nadu Govt was playing the same game. Why Government defends the 'nano' doctor brothers? It is really a shame for any Government to confess that they have started paper-works for such an important investment programme without even checking the scientific credibility of this doctor brothers (estimated cost for this NRK funded programme on government platform is 300 crores in various stages). Eventhough the media has exposed the scientific hollowness of their proposal, NORKA still thinks (or relectent to accept the fact ?) that these doctor brothers need to be supported for this trivial project. What are the credits of these doctor brothers? They don't have any 'scientific publications' or approved patentsâ Then what do they have? * Applied for few patents in India, that too for patenting some ideas (which originally conceived from internet) !!! Note that till the media came with 'scientific evidence' against their claims, they were claiming of having 100's of patents on their important inventions such as 'nanogene seq'. They even claimed in some interviews about commercializing these products in 2-3 months time after fine tuning. Now they confess that all these are mere ideas !!! * Encouraging letters from lot of people like U. S. President George Bush, Microsoft chairman Bill Gate etcâIn fact these brothers used to send their trivial ideas to various important personalities to get a response. Whatever response they get, are used for making such false claims of having encouragement from this big people !!! NORKA press note also say about such an encouragement letter that these doctor brothers received from Professor C. N. R. Rao , President, JNCASR Bangalore, interestingly the press note fail to write even his correct name. Note say as C.R. R. Rao!) in 1995. In 1995, these brothers are 20/21 years of old and at this time 'nanoworld' itself was in it's infancy in terms of 'nanotechnology'. How can NORKA officials justify or support a proposal submitted 10 years after, without any scientific support, based on this argument? This is a naive argument which sounds like it came from the mouth of nano brothers (see our letter corresopondence below where they are unnecessarily draging George Bush, Bill Gates and Dr. Abdul Kalam!) >From their biodata posted 3-4 years back in Fundingpost.com, it is obvious that they don't have any experience in the 'nano' field till 2001. At that time their interest was in starting a firm to combine biotechnology and IT, whereas now their focus has been slightly shifted to 'nanotechnology'. What is the simplest solution to this issue? The Government can appoint a 'Scientific Committee' to check their biodata, scientific claims and patent applications and decide on their authenticity to propose such a project. Then the whole proposal has to be re-evaluated with the help of this committee before wasting a single rupee from the state treasury. Without even listening to the demands for a 'Scientific' level evaluation, what is NORKA doing now? They are just defending this doctor brothers and conducting meetings to honour these extra talented 'Scientists' of Kerala !!! Is it necessary to parade this doctor duo in every NORKA press meeting to prove their talents ?!!! Norka has to explain who will be funding those seminars and travels. It is high time for a re-thinking !!! If the Government can announce, whether the arguments of this doctor brothers are genuine or not, after a 'scientific' level enquiry, that is good enough to close all ongoing controversial discussions !!! P.I. Pradeepkumar, Ph.D Roger Adams Laboratory Department of Chemistry, Box 27-5 600 S. Mathews Avenue University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL 61801, USA Tel:+1-217-3445589 (H) Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dr. Joshy Joseph Chemistry and Biochemistry Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30309, USAE-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For further details on Nanofraud: http://keralananofrauds.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------ New Indian Express, March 15, 2005, Tuesday No decision yet on sponsoring Nanotech Centre: NORKA KOCHI: NORKA secretary Jiji Thomson on Monday said the government had not taken a final decision on sponsoring the Nanotech Centre in Thiruvananthapuram mooted by doctor duo Arunkumar and Ajithkumar. Responding to news reports, Jiji said the government would extend support only if the promoters prove their nano theories scientifically. NORKA is planning to play only the role of a facilitator, he said. However, the government is still mum on the offer to provide land for the centre and why a decision to parade the doctor brothers with doubtable credentials before the capital's media early this month was taken. In fact, NORKA chairman M.M.Hassan and Jiji Thomson themselves were present at the media briefing where the concept was first introduced. ``It's the policy of the state government to encourage young brains. We extended support to doctor brothers only to help them prove themselves. But no final decision has been taken,'' Jiji clarified. Interestingly, the Cusat's scientific community, who first expressed doubts about the nano fraud, had to face some grilling following media reports on the doctor duo. ``The Vice-Chancellor called us up and said he had received calls from Thiruvananthapuram. He wanted to know why we were taking such a stand,'' said V.P.Nampoothiri, one of the first brains to come on record against the science hoax. The VC, however, denied this. ``I have no comments to make,'' he told this website's newspaper. In another interesting development, it has come to light that the nano-concepts tom-tomed by doctor brothers could've been pieced together from a presentation made by the holography experts at CDit. ``CDit's scientists had made a presentation on DNA holography and electron holography before a team of the Ministry of Information Technology. Very interestingly, the press conference of doctor brothers took place within a few days. This may be a coincidence. But we would appreciate if someone looks into the whole thing,'' sources said. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IER20050314121154&Page=R&Title=Kerala&Topic=0&; ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (CHRO) 3, Rams' Cottage Ambalathumukku Pettah Thiruvananthapuram-695024 Kerala South India Ph.: 0471-2476262 www.humanrightsindia.com www.humanrightskerala.com
