Scientists will be heard, says govt
Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy made it clear on Sunday that the government was committed to hear the four banned Isro scientists but ruled out revoking the ban on them.
“We are only committed to hear their representation if they have any, there is no question of revoking the ban now,” the minister said.
The High Powered Review Committee led by B K Chaturvedi and Roddam Narasimha has noted that the Antrix Board, in 2004 accorded an “in-principle” approval to the then proposed joint venture with Devas even as committee working on the recommendations was yet to finalise the same.
According to the report: “...To consider a joint venture proposal with Devas, a committee was appointed in May 2004 under K N Shankara, Director Isro Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, but even as the issue was under examination by the committee and its recommendations were awaited, the Antrix Board unanimously accorded an ‘in principle’ approval on June 11, 2004, in its 54th Board Meeting.”
The report also said: “The committee assessed this view and felt that from the national security perspective allocation of a large portion of the spectrum and running of service by a private player like Devas was an unjustified risk. This issue seems to have been completely overlooked.”
Commenting on the commercial and financial aspects of the deal, the committee has noted: “...Clearly, this was financially weak.”
