Bell Jar essays

Piper Alpha Case Studies Essay Example

Flute player Alpha Case Studies Paper Theoretical This examination report is about the Piper Alpha Disaster that occurred in 1988. Being one of the significant oil creation oil-rig in the UK, the mishap that occurred over 20 years back grabbed the eye of many, particularly those in the field. The event was to a great extent because of the lack of concern of the directors just as the wellbeing proportions of the administration. Utilizing the web, scholarly diaries and course readings accessible, the exploration was directed by alluding to different wellsprings of data with respect to the occurrence. After the blast there are numerous new counteraction steps taken in this field of industry just as new overseeing arrangement of the seaward administrative control. 1. Presentation 1. 1 Background The Piper Alpha was a North Sea oil creation stage worked by Occidental Petroleum (Caledonia) Ltd. It represented around 10% of the oil and gas creation from North Sea at that point. Situated around 120 miles north-east of Aberdeen, The stage started creation in 1976 first as an oil stage and afterward changed over to gas creation (Drysdale Slyvester-Evans, 1998). For security reasons, the modules were sorted out with the end goal that the most risky activities were far off from work force territories, for example, the settlement deck, yet at the same time this still one of the most exceedingly terrible seaward oil calamity to date. 1. 2 The Happening The debacle started with a normal upkeep technique. On the morning of the sixth of July 1988, a specific reinforcement propane condensate siphon in the handling zone expected to have its weight security valve checked (Drysdale Slyvester-Evans, 1998). We will compose a custom article test on Piper Alpha Case Studies explicitly for you for just $16.38 $13.9/page Request now We will compose a custom exposition test on Piper Alpha Case Studies explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer We will compose a custom exposition test on Piper Alpha Case Studies explicitly for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Recruit Writer The work couldn't be finished by 1800 and the laborers requested and got authorization to leave the remainder of the work until the following day. Later at night during the following work move, the essential condensate siphon fizzled. None of those present knew that an indispensable piece of the machine had been evacuated and chosen to begin the reinforcement siphon. Gas items got away from the gap left by the valve. Gas perceptibly spilled out at high weight, touched off and detonated, blowing through the firewalls. The fire spread through the harmed firewalls, devastated some oil lines and soon huge amounts of put away oil were wearing out of control. Around twenty minutes after the underlying blast, at 2220, the fire had spread and gotten hot enough to debilitate and afterward burst the gas risers from different stages. Many leap out of windows into the ocean wanting to be gotten by safe pontoons yet just 67 were spared in this design. 167 out of 229 individuals on board were executed, for the most part kicked the bucket choked on carbon monoxide and vapor in the convenience region. The age and utilities module, which incorporated the insulated convenience square, slipped into the ocean. The biggest piece of the stage tailed it. The entire mishap occurred shortly. 1. 3 Purpose of the Report The reason for this exploration is to inspect the destinations and structure of the administration of the Piper Alpha stage in the North Sea, UK. The activity and mechanical procedures of the stage will be painstakingly assessed and to recognize the hazard or any regions ignored that added to the mishap. To distinguish the results of the mishap (e. g. amage and costs) and the upgrades in the administration frameworks to keep such calamity from happening once more. 2. The executives and Operation 2. 1 Piper Field Oil Platform The Piper Alpha oil creation stage was a North Sea oil creation stage in the United Kingdom worked by Occidental Petroleum Ltd. It started creation in 1976 until 1988 where the calamity sinked the entire stage into the ocean. First the Piper Alpha stage w orks as an oil stage and afterward changed over into gas creation. 2. 1. 1 Management Four organizations that later changed into the OPCAL joint dare to acquire n oil investigation permit in 1972 that lead them to find the Piper oil field found north of England, close to Scotland. At the hour of the fiasco the Piper Oil field was represented around 10% of the North Sea oil and gas creation. The seaward oil and gas was an exceptionally new industry acquainted with the United Kingdom quickly 30 years prior. The credulous government was enticed by the exceptionally encouraging award of the business, realizing that it’ll be high hazard. The administration ignored adherence to certain security rules. There were guidelines, however requirement was not there. The country and corporate pride rendered everything in catastrophe. 2. 1. 2 Structure and Function A huge fixed stage, Piper Alpha was arranged on the Piper oilfield, roughly 120 miles (193 km) upper east of Aberdeen in 474 feet (144 m) of water, and contained four modules isolated by firewalls. The stage was built by McDermott Engineering at Ardersier and UIE at Cherbourg, with the areas joined at Ardersier before tow out during 1975, with creation initiating in late 1976 (Drysdale Slyvester-Evans, 1998). The west and east height of the topsides of the Piper Alpha stage are as appeared in figures 2 and 3. Module A, the wellhead module was viewed as the most unsafe were organized so to furnish a greatest partition with module D, which contain different utilities and furthermore the convenience deck above. Module contains 36 wellhead which is utilized to control the progression of hydrocarbons and water from the well. Module B is where partition of oil and different liquids occurred. From that point, the oil will likewise be siphoned into the principle oil-line for transmission to Flotta. It contained the manifolds, test and principle creation seperators and the primary oil line trade siphon. Module C contains the gas pressure hardware whereby gas from the creation seperators will be compacted for send out aground through the principle oil line. In the mid 1980’s, a gas protection module had been introduced at the 107’ level however at the hour of the calamity this module was under support and along these lines gas was compacted and prepared uniquely in module C. 2. 2 Objectives of the Management Consider the circumstance winning in the North Sea ten minutes preceding the occurrence, the standard working atmosphere in the United Kingdom seaward oil and gas industry could be portrayed as a blend of eagerness, obliviousness, carelessness and the absence of worry for the peril that the individual confronted. In spite of the fact that this has been for some time perceived, however the helpfully disregarded actuality was given endorsement by the administration. It rejected the seaward business from the arrangement of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and permitted the administration security examiners under the Department of Energy of watch over it. 3. Mechanical Processes . 1 Operation Functions The Piper Alpha creation level and deck bolster level are appeared in figures 4 and 5 separately. The oil stage began creation in 1976 with around 250,000 barrels (40,000 m3) of oil every day expanding to 300,000 barrels (48,000 m3). A gas recuperation module was introduced by 1980. Crea tion declined to 125,000 barrels (19,900 m3) by 1988. The OPCAL additionally assembled the Flotta oil terminal on Orkney Island, utilizing the sub-ocean pipeline to convey the prepared oil to the terminal. The terminal likewise goes about as a terminal for some other oil stage like the Tartan and Claymore field. One thirty inch (0. 762 m) breadth primary oil pipeline ran 128 miles (206 kilometers) from Piper Alpha to Flotta, with a short oil pipeline from the Claymore stage going along with it somewhere in the range of twenty miles (32 km) toward the west. The Tartan field additionally took care of oil to Claymore and afterward onto the primary line to Flotta. Separate 46 cm distance across gas pipelines run from Piper to the Tartan stage and from Piper to the gas compacting stage exactly 30 miles (48 km) toward the northwest. As referenced in 2. 1. 2 structure and capacities, module A, B and C are the primary preparing and creation area. Module D situated at the north face/end of the stage comprise of the control room, workshops, electrical force age, the crisis diesel generator and some shift gear. The convenience deck is likewise straightforwardly above module D. Module A-D were totally isolated by firewalls which were not appraised for blast over weight (Drysdale Slyvester-Evans, 1998). The firewall between modules C and D was indicated for a 6 hours fire rating while those between modules An and B and modules B and C were determined as a fire boundary of 4. 5 hours (see figure 4). At the hour of the debacle, the hydrocarbon stock inside the creation modules was around 80 tons, this essentially being situated in module B and, specifically, inside the two creation separators. What's more, there was a further 160 tons of diesel situated in tanks above module C. The area of the risers on the stage is appeared in figure 5. Every pipeline had a crisis shutdown valve situated in closeness to its particular pig trap. Every valve was intended to be shut from the control room and give a positive detachment of the pipeline from the stage. 4. Reasons for the Incident 4. 1 Human Factors various human mistakes were distinguished to add to the seriousness of the episode including insufficient investigation of risk, lacks in license to work framework, deficient preparing in this field of industry and crisis reaction system. There was a breakdown of the levels of leadership and absence of any correspondence to the stages group (Pate-Cornell, 1992). The Cullen report on Piper Alpha was profoundly reproachful of the administration framework in the organization. Supervisors had negligible capabilities, w

Stroke Example

Stroke Example Stroke â€" Essay Example > Critical Review of Traditional Herbal Medicine as Pharmacological Stroke Treatment to Address Evidence-based Medical PracticeTreating stroke is an age-old clinical and pharmacological predicament in the health care and medical profession, coupled with the dearth of ground-breaking and evident-based medicine treatment and approach that resulted in people’s continued search for answers. However, embracing which one to choose as a more viable pharmacological solution in treating stroke has varying degree of contradictory views, particularly in using either both conventional or alternative or complementary medicine. Interest in traditional medicine surged in recent years, backed by an even more accelerating number of observational and anecdotal experience being accumulated over the last 1,000 years. Traditional medicine is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercise … to treat diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being. ” Traditional forms of medicine make use of herbs and acupuncture (holistic treatment approach) when it gets clues of an internal imbalance to achieve body harmony, which is unlike the Western medicine, which focuses only on the disease. In researches chosen for this report, one of the studies evidenced how herbal or traditional medicines helped improve microcirculation in the brain of a patient; it also helps protect against ischemic reperfusion injury, possess neuroprotective properties and inhibit apoptosis, thus justifying their use in stroke patients. Similar yet at times contradictory findings would be revealed in the studies explored, but might be the information needed to resolve and address issues that demand attention. Prospect for Evidence-based medicine treatment, where derive. To understand the concept of evidence-based medicine, it is said it is be st to postpone any attempt to define it until we inspect and look into the theories in making clinical judgment and decision-making. In an article published by the Journal of Emergency Primary Health Care (JEPHC) about its survey of theories related to judgment and decision-making, its author Ramon Shaban tried to construct a well-thought out definition of the terms judgment and decision-making in the context of medical practice, but to no avail, citing a universally-accepted definition of judgment or decision-making in this context has not been arrived at. One of the criticisms often hurled against clinical judgment and decision-making is the propensity of some practitioners to rely not on scientifically or statistically-based information but on trial and error and unpredictability; and medicine which should harbor on exactness were kept on bay as medical practitioners rely on their intuition. Until two decades ago, a new movement, now known as evidence-based emerged, more in res ponse to the floundering of our society’s overburdened medical health and care system, according to “A Study a Day keeps the Doctor Away, ” an article written by Leyla Kokmen in the politically-charged Utne Reader magazine (Sept-Oct 2007). As evidence-based movement work aim for a just and responsible practice of the medical profession, specially of pharmacological treatment of disease like stroke, we attempted to look into the issues used in the various theories to make a sound and logical clinical judgment and decision-making. With evidence-based medical movement, regard to patients who are asked more and more to get more responsibility in paying for their solicited health services are put in premium. As should be the case, patients must be informed if they are presented with health care choices that were employed with little or no scientific evidence, so they can opt for more invasive and expensive treatments because more often than not, these remedy do more harm than goo d.

Analysis Of Uptons Sinclairs The Jungle - 1084 Words

Primary Source Paper Uptons Sinclairs The Jungle from 1906 is a fictional book from the progressive era. Even though The Jungle is a fictional novel, it described conditions that were real during the progressive era, such as working class poverty and harsh working conditions. The novel was written as a way to exploit the real lives of working citizens at home and at work. In chapter nine of The Jungle, Upton Sinclair talks about the lives that the working-class experiences at work. They are horrible. For example, butchers and floor men are known for not lasting in that specific job because that job is extremely dangerous. The job is so dangerous, that it would not be surprising if you lost fingers. Once you lose a thumb you are worthless. Since during the progressive era is the only way to survive and feed yourself and your family, people did these jobs. Workers were so focused on working and making money, they were not careful. This results in losing fingers, but the work continues because work is priority number one. Not only were the working conditions dangerous, they are not sanitary. Men who worked with meat were more likely to catch tuberculosis because meat was never handled properly. This was a time where people were not aware of germs and how that can affect your health. During this time, people cared more about making money and getting their work done no matter what. Since this working class is mostly in poverty, they have to support their family even if the jobShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Jungle By Upton Sinclair1853 Words   |  8 Pagesand many began pointing fingers at the Capitalist system. Pieces like Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, added to the voices criticizing the hellish society into which Capitalism had begun to morph America into. Sinclair depicts the struggles, strife, and trauma of the working class, through various shifting voices, including the those of the many workers who sought relief in alcohol. Fleshing out the problem be yond face value, Sinclair uses precise choices in language and style as a gateway to covertlyRead MoreEssay on An Analysis of the Jungle by Upton Sinclair1396 Words   |  6 PagesIn the early 1900s life for Americas new Chicago immigrant workers in the meat packing industry was explored by Upton Sinclairs novel The Jungle. Originally published in 1904 as a serial piece in the socialist newspaper Appeal to Reason, Sinclairs novel was initially found too graphic and shocking by publishing firms and therefore was not published in its complete form until 1906. In this paper, I will focus on the challenges faced by a newly immigrated worker and on what I feel SinclairsRead MoreAnalysis Of Upton Sinclair s The Jungle 811 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the most famous muckrakers was Upton Sinclair. He was best known for publishing The Jungle which uncovered the atrocities of the meat packing industry. He was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Throughout his upbringing, he was able to experience the way both the poor and rich lived because of his parents and grandparents, respectively. He later went on to study law at the university level but stopped in order to work on his writing. Upton Sinclair disguised himself and went undercoverRead MoreEssay An Analysis Of The Jungle By Upton Sinclair1416 Words   |  6 PagesIn the early 1900s life for Americas new Chicago immigrant workers in the meat packing industry was explored by Upton Sinclairs novel The Jungle. Originally published in 1904 as a serial piece in the socialist newspaper Appeal to Reason, Sinclairs novel was initially found too graphic and shocking by publishing firms and therefore was not published in its complete form until 1906. In this paper, I will focus on the challenges faced by a newly immigrated worker and on what I feel SinclairsRead MoreAnalysis Of The BookThe Jungle, By Upton Sinclair1636 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The Jungle† is a novel by a renowned author by the name of Upton Sinclair. He is an American author who had an interest in addressing the improper conduct of the political and business class. He was born on September 20, 1878, in Baltimore, Maryland. As an author, he was able to publish several novels addressing important issues in the society. His novels include â€Å"The Springtime and Harvest,† which was his first novel in 1901 and â€Å"The Jungle† among many others. Through his work and dedication, heRead MoreAnalysis Of Upton Sinclair s The Jungle 2028 Words   |  9 Pagesâ€Å"I aimed for the public’s hearts, and by accident I hit it in the stomach.† This quote was in response to the reaction of Upton Sinclair’s ground breaking exposà ©, â€Å"The Jungle†. On February 26, 1906 Sinclair shocked the Nation by exposing the horrors of slaughter houses and meat packing plants. Thousands of people have died from food-borne illnesses. E-coli, along with other diseases resulting from filthy food processing was revealed as the murderer. As shocking as it might have been back thenRead MoreAnalysis Of The Jungle And Good Enough By Upton Sinclair1567 Words   |  7 Pagesleading to the inevitable ev olution of the challenges immigrants face after arriving to a new country. The analyzation of immigration literature gives readers valuable insight into the lives of immigrants and the hardships they face. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair follows the lives of a Lithuanian immigrant family in the early 20th century as they strive to attain success by working in the meatpacking industry of Packingtown, Chicago, while Good Enough by Paula Yoo is set in the 21st century as first-generationRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of the Jungle Essay example872 Words   |  4 PagesRhetorical Analysis of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle The Jungle, being a persuasive novel in nature, is filled with different rhetorical devices or tools used by Sinclair to effectively convey his message. Sinclair’s goal of encouraging change in America’s economic structure is not an easy feat and Sinclair uses a number of different rhetorical devices to aid him. Through his intense tone, use of periodic sentencing, descriptive diction and other tools of rhetoric, Upton Sinclair constructs a movingRead MoreEssay about Rhetoric Analysis of the Jungle809 Words   |  4 PagesRhetoric Analysis of an excerpt from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Rhetorical devices are used to strengthen writing and add dimension. When used properly, they add layers of complexity to any prose as well as further evidence for an argument. No one understood this better than Upton Sinclair. Four strong rhetoric devices are periodicity, the Rule of Three, metaphor and rhetorical questions. Sinclair masterfully demonstrates these in a speech featured in his novel, The Jungle. Read MoreUpton Sinclair s The Jungle1989 Words   |  8 Pagesthe Haitians. Upton Sinclair seemed to have a similar view of the Lithuanian immigrants of the 1800s. Upton Sinclair is the author of The Jungle, a book that follows a family of Lithuanian immigrants as they travel to and try to make their way in America. Sinclair used the book to speak out about the issues of America through the eyes of immigrants, including the economic system and the corruption within the government. The question this paper is required to answer is if Upton Sinclair adequately portrayed

School Uuniforms Free Essays

The years that we are in primary school is the time that we as teenagers start discovering ourselves and realize our uniqueness. With this natural fact, it is not surprising that practically every teenager nowadays attempts to stand out in the crowd as much as possible. Our appearance, clothes and style is one of best and easiest ways to express ourselves, and it definitely helps people reach an understanding of who we really are, and why. We will write a custom essay sample on School Uuniforms or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, there has been an ongoing debate on whether school uniforms should be completely abolished in all schools, both private and public, or, on the contrary, uniforms should become a compulsory addition to all middle-level educational institutions. Despite the friction between the pros and cons, I personally stick to the idea that school uniforms should be introduced in all public and private schools, as wearing school uniforms does not make unfair comparisons between student’s incomes in terms of clothing and that it aids students in developing their inner qualities instead of focusing on the outer aspects of themselves in the crucial earlier years of their lives. Firstly High schools are stressful enough as it is with school work and studying, but add being bullied because of your appearance and it could become overbearing. Uniforms help students in school academically and socially. It can be beneficial to parents as well; they do not have to spend as much money on school apparel. On the other hand, many people disagree with having school uniforms, saying that it doesn’t give the student the right to express their individuality. However, I think uniforms build a sense of discipline and unity and are the appropriate attire to be worn in school. That is why I strongly believe uniforms should be enforced in every school whether public or private. It can be difficult for students to â€Å"fit in† with their peers. Because of their appearance, social situation or financial background, students can be discriminated and even bullied up to the point where they do not want to attend school anymore. Uniforms establish the unity of the whole school, making everyone equal. â€Å"It feels great wearing a uniform. It makes me feel like I am part of something,† says Malika a 15 year-old attending Thomas Brown York High School. Deciding on what clothes to wear to school can be stressful in the mornings. Uniforms get rid of that hassle, of waking up earlier to pick your outfit for the day. You’re ready to go as soon as you put your uniform on. Also, students carry themselves differently when they are wearing uniforms. They take school more seriously by dressing more professionally. Uniforms are also less inexpensive. As a result, Parents gain immensely by buying uniforms than individual clothing for each school year. Statistics show schools that have established the school uniform had a 52% increase in student attendance and a whopping 78% jump in passing grades. Teachers say their students are more focused and productive in class. This shows how uniforms can help students achieve their potential in the classroom by helping them concentrate more on their school work than their clothes. It prevents bullying and violence. It helps create a more educative and welcoming environment to students by showing equality and unity to the whole student body. The over-all idea is that uniforms are easy and efficient. Secondly School uniforms have been around just as long as schools themselves, and they play a much bigger role in education than most people think. Uniforms have been proven to promote learning and help kids stay focused in school. Many people believe putting on a uniform resembles a parent putting on a suit, and getting ready for work. This makes the students take a more serious interest in the work they are doing at school. Also, it has been proven that wearing uniforms provides less of a distraction than fashionable clothes create. With uniforms, there is absolutely no controversy over who has the newest, coolest clothes in school. Many students of public schools believe that school uniforms should not be introduced because it is restraining people’s freedom of expression and does not create diversity. One example how uniforms restrict learners are that â€Å"without the outlet of expression in their clothes, students may turn to inappropriate hair styles, jewelry, or makeup† . So by restricting students of their clothing choice, they will still find a way to show their personality in their hair, jewelry, and hairstyles. Soon schools will start regulating those as well and boom! The school controls everything that is offered to a child. A second supporting example as to why uniforms are an awful proposal are because uniforms may not be comfortable for all students nd they can not wear their uniforms outside of school, and thus, there is the double cost of both uniforms and casual wardrobe (Public School Uniforms). In school, if a child is trying to learn, but is not comfortable with the uniforms’ fabric, it would cause a great burden and distraction to one’s learning. Also many families are struggling in today’s economy and are trying to save as much mon ey as they can. Having to pay for regular clothes and uniforms start to add up to the family’s expenses. A third example would be that uniforms create a false sense of security. According to Rashida Khilawala, â€Å"if the student gets used to being respected for their mind and not looks, the â€Å"outside world† could come as quite a surprise to them†(Khilawala). Face the truth; the â€Å"real† world can be an ugly place to live. Even if uniforms decrease violence and everyone is treated equal, the outside world does not run as orderly and smoothly as it would in a school. Of course all parents want to protect their child from any harm, but by fooling them into a safe environment, they are put at more risk then ever. Theses are some facts as to why; many children and teens are against uniforms in public schools. How to cite School Uuniforms, Essay examples

Taoism Versus Buddhism Essays - Taoism, , Term Papers

Taoism Versus Buddhism Eddie Bohn 103A History Thursday 7, 2000 Taoism versus Buddhism There are hundreds of religions in the world that are practiced. But only a few really stand out in the world and are widely known. I will focus on two particular religions and compare and contrast them. Taoism and Buddhism have said to be similar religions, but I have found that they really are pretty different. First I will discuss each of the religions main beliefs and how they are practiced. Then I will discuss how the two religions are similar to each other, and lastly I will show how they differ from each other. First I will begin with Taoism. Taoism, as the word indicates, is the Religion of the Tao, a term meaning Path or Way, but denoting in this peculiar case the way, course or movement of the Universe, her processes and methods. In other words, Taoism is the Religion of Heaven and Earth, of the Cosmos, of the World or Nature in the broadest sense of these words. Hence we may call it Naturism (Davis 32). The meaning of Tao is The Road or The Way. It can also be described as the path that you should take to become what you should be. To practice Taoism is to have correct behavior, follow the proper rules of life, religion, and have good principles. To sum up the way of Taoism is that if you follow the path and not get distracted then you will achieve happiness. Buddhism is the oldest of the three world religions. Buddhism has helped to shape the social culture of India and other Asian countries. Buddhism was started by a man by the name of Siddhartha Gautama, later to be known as Buddha. Siddhartha lead a very sheltered life because his father did not want him to know what suffering was like. He soon realized that suffering was inevitable (Davis 2). He wanted to know what suffering was all about and how you can overcome it. Once he became enlightened he decided to try and help others find salvation. The entire basis of Buddhism is to avoid these two extremes: attachment to the pleasures of the senses, which is low and vulgar, and attachment to self- mortification, which is painful: both are unprofitable. The Buddha encouraged those who wished to escape from suffering to follow his example and renounce the world. Buddhism is in a sense a world religion because it has been able to adapt itself to a variety of social systems. Buddhism is a uni versalistic religion residing in men's hearts. (Davis 12). Taoism and Buddhism were born in the same century. One of the similarities between the two religions is that they both do not follow any type of God. They teach a way of life. Another similarity is that they both are mainly focused and derived from India and other Asian countries. Both Taoism and Buddhism believe that you can have a better life if you follow their way of life. Also the two religions both have very deep and complicated meanings. They both are uncomprehendable untill one has attained it. Buddhism and Taoism are both connected with the earth and nature. Another vital concept of Taoism is that of the wu-wei which is to achieve action through minimal action or inaction. Action is friction and inaction is pure effectiveness in Taoism. This concept compares with Buddhist meditation in which one remains perfectly still and uses only one's mind. In this state, one may reach enlightenment. At one time the two religions were thought to be part of three religions that were all connected. There are just a few differences between Taoism and Buddhism. One of the differences is that Buddhism was founded by just one person, and Taoism was founded by a group of people. Another difference is the actual core beliefs which separates most religions. In conclusion the basic belief between the two religions is that you can have a good life if you follow a certain way. Philosophy

The Real Swaraj will not come by the acquisition Essays

The Real Swaraj will not come by the acquisition Essays "The Real Swaraj will not come by the acquisition of authority by a few but by the acquisition capacity by all to resist authority when abused." -Mahatma Gandhi Introduction India is a democratic country. The head of the country is elected by the people of the country. The Government of the country possesses the authority to work for the welfare of the country on behalf of the people. The final decision making power regarding the welfare of the country is in the hands of Government. The people of the country want to know how the government is functioning. People have many questions regarding the functioning of the government. So, to answer all the questions of the people, the Parliament passed a new Bill known as "The Right to Information Act, 2005". The Bill was presented in Parliament on 22nd December, 2004. After intense debate till 15th June, 2005, it was finally passed on 15th June 2005 and came into force on 12th October, 2005. The Right to Information Act aimed at ensuring transparency in the functioning of Central State Governments. The Act provides for setting out the practical regime of right to information for the people to secure access to information under the control of public authorities to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority, the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions have been constituted for this purpose. Before passing of this Act, Disclosure of Government Information in India was governed by a law enacted during the British rule named as Official Secrets Act of 1889 which was amended in 1923. After 1923, it has taken India 82 years to transition from an opaque system of governance, legitimized by the colonial Official Secrets Act, to one where citizens can demand the right to information. The Right to Information is derived from our fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution of India. It says, " All the citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression. " The main idea is that if the people do not have any information regarding the functioning of the Government and public institutions, then people cannot expr ess any informed opinion on it. For such a democracy to function, Freedom of Press is necessary to be understood first. The main reason for a free press is to ensure that the citizen s are informed. Thus, it clearly flows from this that the citizens' right to know is paramount. The date of 12th October, 2005 shall be remembered as a new era of empowerment for the common man i n India. It is applicable every where except JK. MEANING OF INFORMATION- Information means any material in any form including records, documents, memos, e-mails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, logbooks, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, data material held in any electronic form and information relating to any private body which can be accessed by a public authority under any other law for the time being in force. The formal recognition of a legal Right to Information in India occurred more than two decades before legislation was finally enacted, when the Supreme Court of India ruled in State of U.P. v Raj Narain that the Right to Information is implicit in the right to freedom of speech and expression explicitly guaranteed in Article 19 of the Indian Constitution. Subsequently, the Court has affirmed this decision in numerous cases, and has even linked the Right to Information with the right to life enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. The RTI Act, which if used sensibly and efficiently can take the country in the direction of new democracy and good governance. "If liberty and equality, as is thought by some are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost". RTI is perceived as a key to strengthen participatory democracy and ushering in people-centered governance. With access to information on their side, people can function better as an informed and responsible citizenry - investigating and scrutinizing government actions and reviewing the performance of their elected representatives with a view to seriously holding