Vol.12 Issue 15
Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore
EXCLUSIVE
Corruption takes root at Big Banyan Tree
January 10, 2013
People angry with problem elephants, says ecologist
By Krishnaprasad S By Rohan D Premkumar
Officials spent Rs 15,000 on a new signboard for a famous park, then billed the government for almost Rs 50,000. Staff at the Big Banyan Tree, one of Bangalore‘s main tourist attractions, paid art designers the cash for a new signboard at the entrance to the park. The park, which is visited every year by nearly 13 lakh tourists, claimed Rs 49,818 from the government for the same signboard. Documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act proves a series of claims made in the past three years. They have also claimed a bill for Rs 2 lakhs towards maintenance of toilets at the Big Banyan Tree park on the outskirts of Bangalore. Heaps of plastic are everywhere and the toilets lie abandoned in the park. The officials in the Horticulture Department have been doing excess of billing though they are aware of the dilapidated condition, but the government has taken no action against this. “Whatever was approved by the government has been spent. We are trying to improve the park and the authorities there are doing well”, said an official from the Horticulture Department.
e sign board at the Big Banyan Tree was supposed to have cost the government almost Rs 50,000. e person responsible for making the sign claims it only costs Rs 15,000 to make.
When asked about the dilapidated conditions of the toilets, the official refused to comment. The horticulture department has been spending lakhs of rupees for the past three years and there seems to be no improvement in the conditions of the park. In another instance, a board detailing the name of the park has been billed for Rs 49,818, when in reality it should only cost Rs 15,000.
The officials have also billed an amount of Rs 80,000 as charges towards pipeline installation, while there are no signs of pipeline work being carried out. “There is no maintenance for this park and we have rarely seen the officials concerned coming here. And when they are seen they stay here for an hour and leave”, said Ravi, a street vendor for the last 15 years near the park’s entrance.
“There is no toilet facility, pipeline facility and no proper electricity inside the park”, he added. “Corruption has now become the daily food for these officials. By looking at the conditions here, I can certainly say that this place has been abandoned. “They show the work on papers, but in reality this is the case,”said Badrinath, a tourist from Andra Pradesh.
RAMAN Sukumar, Chairman of the Karnataka Elephant Task Force, says that problem elephants are at risk of being destroyed. Sukumar, speaking exclusively to The Observer, said that as the frequency of such conflicts between man and pachyderm keep increasing, methods to deal with problem elephants, such as culling, could not be ruled out. “Things have come to such an extent already that villagers themselves might start destroying these animals,” he said. According to him, people in these conflict zones have become so desperate to get rid of problem elephants, that calls for culling are becoming more widespread in these communities. Sukumar, who is a professor at the Center for Ecological Studies at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, said that the problem of man – elephant conflict has always existed in the past and only a holistic approach to conservation could ensure the conservation of elephant populations across India. >> Interview with Raman Sukumar on Page 3
The Weekly Observer
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Bangalore Fort yet to lose old-world charm despite commercialization
January 10, 2013
Confusion and tempers rise over ID proofs By: Krishnaprasad S.
An historic fort is attracting hundreds of visitors every week, despite a proposed government demolition of the structure. The Bangalore Fort is located in one of the busiest sections in the city and is adjacent to the Victoria Hospital. The fort is now a heritage site but before the British took over it was the gateway leading into the city of Bangalore. There is no entry fee or any other kind of fee imposed on the visitors. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is a government undertaking and does not require additional revenue by charging extra on personal belongings.
Bangalore Fort in KR Market attracts numerous visitors weekly.
The Victoria Hospital was once the house of the soldiers who used to patrol the gates of the fort and the city. Although the fort is over four centuries old, it is not in a state of disrepair. This is
Credits: Aheli Raychaudhuri
By: Aheli Raychaudhuri
mostly because the officers keep a tab on the state of the fort via the caretakers. Mr. Bhangiri a caretaker says, “The officials from ASI ask us to keep them updated with the repairs that are re-
quired.” “Earlier there were pigeons that made their homes in the holes of the fort walls. Now, those holes have been sealed tight.” The fort occupied a major portion of K.R. Market but now has lost its grandeur due to numerous constructions around it such as government hospitals and roadside vendors. Mr. Bhangiri added, “The fort has been demolished to make way for hospitals and supermarkets by private sectors.” Despite repeated attempts, Mr. N.C. Prakash, Assistant Superintending Archaeologist (ASA), remained unavailable for comments.
Broken railway gates turn into death trap for residents BROKEN gates at a death trap rail crossing have yet to be repaired. Railway Police in Kadugodi claims that more than five railway crossings in Whitefield are under public surveillance so as to ensure safety. Guards at the railway gates deny the claims made by railway police. According to Nagaraju, a guard, at a railway crossing near the Whitefield Railway Station, two-wheelers show extreme irresponsibility by sneaking through the railway gate when it is closed for train crossings, in the absence of Railway Police. The damaged railway gates encourage two-wheelers and pedestrians to cross at the gates while they are closed for crossings. One local resident, Hari, said, “Railway guards do nothing when people cross at the gate while it’s closed and heavy traffic at peak hours forces people to cross the gates.” Railway Police said that they would not be responsi
Credits: Deepu Abby Varghese
By: Deepu Aby Varghese
People are forced to use the crossing to reach their destination
ble for any accident that oc curs due to the blatant flouting of railway rules. When asked about this
disregard, the Sub-inspector of railway police Mr.R Sadhasiva, said, “Railway will not take the responsibility for
such open disregard of rules and they are bound to obey railway rules.” Kadugodi residents near Whitefield have beenpromised new over-bridges above these railway crossings by the railway authorities. Abdul Kareem, 27, a sports analyst residing near one of these railway crossings, said, “Over-bridges are unavoidable in these places since motor traffic is very heavy during the peak hours like school and office timings.” According to Railway Police, the construction of new foot-bridges will start in six months at selected rail crosses in Whitefield which experience heavy traffic during the peak hours. Less than a week ago, a civil engineer Gautham Kumar and a lady doctor had died in Whitefield within 24 hours of each other while trying to cross the railway tracks. These crossings had also witnessed 17 deaths during the past year.Residents are awaiting an initiative from the authorities.
CONFUSION regarding ID proofs required for an Aadhar card has led to fights between the public and officials who issue them. The confusion first arose when people lined up at an Aadhar processing centre at a post office in Mahalakshmi Layout ward but were refused Aadhar cards due to wrong identity proofs. People who want a card have to produce either their passports, PAN cards, ration cards, Voter IDs, driving licenses or government photo ID cards. They must also produce birth certificate issued by the government, SSLC certificate, passport issued by Group A Gazetted officer on a letterhead of his as a proof of birth. The commuters also said the officials did not specify that two separate proofs were required to obtain the Aadhar card. “They are not telling us which ID proof is valid and which is not. There is a lot of confusion. We have been issued tokens and when our chance arrived we have been refused and told to leave for the reason of wrong ID proof,” said Yashodha Alnavar, an employee at a private firm. However, the Aadhar officials claim that it is the responsiblity of the public to approach them before the token is issued. “Everything is printed on the backside of the Aadhar enrolment form. People do not have time or they do not want to go through it; that could be the reason for the chaos”, said an official from Aadhar Enrolment Centre. A group of aggrieved citydwellers said they would soon approach and urge the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to make the process easier for people. They also said UIDAI must take steps to prevent such confusions.
The Weekly Observer
January 10, 2013
A holistic approach to conservation
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Joseph Stiglitz denounces inequality and austerity policies By Rohan D. Premkumar
Professor Raman Sukumar is the Chairman of the Karnataka Elephant Task Force. The task force estimates that as of 2010, there were 5, 790 elephants roaming the forests of Karnataka.
By Rohan D. Premkumar
THE Karnataka Elephant Task Force, instituted by the High Court to review clearances granted to various infrastructure projects, has come out with a list of recommendations to prevent man-elephant conflicts. Here, the Chairman of the Task Force, Professor Raman Sukumar, discusses the various conservation schemes, some controversial, to bring down the frequency of such conflicts. Professor Sukumar, how much is human encroachment on habitat a contributing factor to the problem of man – elephant conflicts? Encroachment is a very loose term, which the media especially, and rather unfortunately, has used with increasing frequency. Encroachment is essentially when a person illegally occupies land. But in most cases, villagers move into new land legally, and elephants then raid crops and become a nuisance to them. Historically, there have always been conflicts between
man and elephants. The report of the task force says that translocation of problem elephants to other habitats could be one of the solutions to deal with the issue. Translocation could work in numerous ways. If an elephant steps outside its habitat, it is only logical that we should either hold it in captivity, or release it into new habitats which have fencing or trenches to prevent them from entering cities. And what about fertility control and the moral arguments against it? The moral issues concern both sides – elephants as well as people. Conflict always has two sides to the coin. With our linear model of development, cities will have to expand, and people will grow more crops. As I said earlier, pressures on elephant habitat is historical, and we must be pragmatic in our approach. Moreover, fertility control may not even be possible in the field. In Kruger National Park, South Africa, they tried this and found it to be quite difficult. Firstly, we would have to dart the animal and
carry out the procedure. Then we would also have to figure out a way to identify the animals that have had the procedure done. Kruger National Park has culled elephants in the past. Are we reaching a point where people would consider dealing with problem elephants by destroying them? Absolutely. Things have come to such an extent already that villagers themselves might start destroying these animals unless we find some way of dealing with conflicts. I will give you an example. Around 30 elephants from the Hosur-Tumkur region have crossed into Kolar, and are causing huge problems. And this is a region which has traditionally not had any elephants. But aren’t the pressures of development the root of the problem? Karnataka has a very good elephant population. The crux of the task force’s report is that 90-95% of the elephants are living in wooded areas with access to food. But when these areas are in close proximity to farm-
lands, the temptations for elephants to raid farms is more. But elephant corridors are seeing more and more development. When talking about corridors, we should understand what they are first. A corridor is a relatively narrow passage connecting two habitats. Just because an elephant frequents an area, does not mean that the area becomes a corridor. We must work to conserve proper corridors, where elephants can move from one fragmented habitat to another. So you’re saying conservation of pre-existing forest areas and corridors is the pressing issue with elephant conservation. Yes, absolutely. It is a self-defeating exercise for us to concentrate only on the conflict zones and pump resources into only those areas. We need to conserve the existing forests and corridors to prevent conflicts from having to occur. Raman Sukumar is also a professor at the Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
NOBEL laureate Joseph Stiglitz said that austerity measures have historically “never worked” in resuscitating troubled economies. Stiglitz claimed that the wave of austerity measures, recently implemented across much of Europe, including countries like Spain, Greece and Portugal has never worked in the past. Stiglitz said that increased spending during times of recession was the only way forward. “Whenever austerity measures are imposed, the economy goes into recession, and then invariably into a depression,” he said. Stiglitz went on to say that inequality, as outlined in his latest book, “The Price of Inequality,” said that income disparities also hamper the growth of economies, as the spending power of populations decrease. “We had these economists who claimed that you either had growth, or you have inequality. And we are seeing that that logic just doesn’t add up,” he said. He said that in the years following World War 2, the United States had the highest rate of growth when the entire population’s median income grew concurrently. Stiglitz said, “In the last two decades, when inequality has peaked, there has been a complete stagnation of the economy.” The economist also compared the inequality levels in the growing economies of Asia and Latin America. He said that in the last decade, levels of inequality between the rich and the poor were showing a downward trend in countries in Latin America, while they were on the rise in Asia.
The Weekly Observer
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January 10, 2013
No drunk driver cases booked on New Year’s Eve for the last 50 years
Credits: Kakoli Mukherjee
Dr. M.A. Saleem was appointed as Additional Commisssioner of Police, Traffic and Security in 2010.
booked throughout 2012, city revelers were spared on New Year's eve so that their celebrations are not marred. When asked if Bangaloreans would drink more on New Year's Eve taking advantage of the fact that no cases would be booked against them,Saleem said: “We usually do not let the public know about this fact." Citing a decrease in the number of accidents, He said: “There were 25 deaths due to drunken driving in the last week of December in 2011. In 2012, the number of was reduced to only three". As a part of traffic awareness campaigns , he requested organisations to create awareness about drinking and driving amongst its employees.
We did not book cases because it would create more trouble M.A. Saleem (MS) , Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic and Security, in conversation with the Observer
How many cases of drunken driving werebooked in 2012? 60,544. There was this report that only 10 cases for drunken driving were booked in the entire east zone on year year’s eve. How has the number of cases come so low? We are concentrating more on regulation at night, not on drunken driving. So you are not booking cases like before, is it? No. on 31st night, we generally don’t book cases. There was a comment in the report that you could not check each and every vehicle due to manpower crunch, and that was the reason for booking fewer cases. Is that true? It is not a low number. 60, 544 cases were booked. It is the highest in India. No other city has booked more than 20,000 cases, not even onethird. Last year Delhi booked only 18,000 cases.
So it’s not true that only 10 cases were booked on that particular night? On that particular night? It is doubtful if we booked even 10 cases, because we had given strict instructions not to book any cases. Why so? On that night, everybody is in a celebration mood. People go out in herds in 2030 vehicles. Stopping them creates more trouble, more problems. But suppose they were drunk and were driving, then how do you… No accident was reported on that night. But Sir, if there were any accidents, what would have been done? 15 days before 31st day, we have booked not less than 12,000 cases. Everyday, stringent checking was going on, we had created that aura, a fear among everybody. And then on 31st night, generally we don’t book cases. But Sir, people drink
more on 31st night, right? No, people were not drunk on 31st night. So, you were comfortable letting go people even if they were drunk, a few of them must have… No, we did not check because we knew that Bangaloreans are alert, they will not indulge in drunken driving…. But again, you have booked so many cases all through the year… Yes, because we have to create that fear among people. We had carried out many campaign and we also took stringent action. But you said that you did not book cases… We do not book cases on 31st night, even if you were in our place, you would not book cases. It’s a bit difficult to believe that people actually paid heed to these campaigns and were transformed, though it does reflect a good trend… That’s just a premise.
That is why no accidents took place on that night. In fact, accidents have reduced like anything in the last week. Only 3 deaths took place in the entire week. Last year, 25 deaths took place in the last week of December. Bangaloreans are so good that nobody indulged in drunken driving. That is why no accident took place.
There are no cases filed on last year 31st night. No cases are booked on 31st night. ok? So, it’s a rule… Yes. Suppose people take benefit of 31st night and drink more, will this be booked? We do not reveal that to the public.
Credits: Shreya Gupta
“
A police officer in charge of traffic for Bangalore directed his officers not to book any drunk drivers on New Year’s Eve. Dr. M.A. Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic and Security, said: "No cases for drunken driving have been booked on New Year's Eve in the last half century in Bangalore. We had created widespread awareness among people regarding the dangerous effects of drunken driving which created a fear among Bangaloreans. Also, the fact that there were no accidents on that night proves that our strategy worked." Though there were 60, 544 cases of drunken driving
“
By Kakoli Mukherjee
Bangalore , with 60,544 cases, had the highest number of drunken cases in India in 2012.
The Weekly Observer
January 10, 2013
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Is Bangalore safe for women?
“I feel strict action should be taken against the rapist so that no one dares to do the same. I don’t think Bangalore is safe, almost every week you hear one rape story. I think police should take strict actions and should tighten security, especially in the evening. I’m not a fan of dress code however, girls should be careful of what they wear and do.”
“The incident that happened in Delhi was horrifying. What was worse was the government’s response to this, there was almost no retaliation from the politicians. Apart from much talk, it looked like our politicians were not open to taking any bold steps in the matter. Is it because some of them have rape charges agains them?”
- Sahana Murti, 19, B.Com student.
- Adrika Swaminathan, 22, Employed at Sports360. “The Delhi gang rape was an unfortunate incident. There must be gender equality in our society, and we must ensure that women enjoy the same rights as men do.The perpetrators of the crime deserve to be publicly executed.” - Chetan Rajeshwar, 28, Assistant Professor, Vivekananda Institute of Technology.
“Personal safety is a matter of serious concern for women .Unlike other cities in India, Bangalore is a pleasant environment for women. Reaching a conclusion is very difficult with the recent unpleasant incidents but perception can play a role here. ” -Ramesh A.N., 37, BGS International School Supervisor
Business
By Sneha Banerjee URBAN migration has been the main reason for the decline in employment in the plantation sector. Reports published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation shows that between 2009 and 2011, the plantation sector has seen a decline of nearly 75% of its
workers. Based on these statistics, Mr. Thimmaraju G the Deputy Director of Planning and Co-ordination of the Coffee Board of India said that urban migration and other lucrative job offers hasvebrought about the gradual decline. “Most of them prefer working as contract labourers on a seasonal basis and reside in sub-
urban areas”, he added. Something that gets affected in the entire process is the lack of availability of skilled labourers in the market. Thimmaraju added; “Not all contractors possess the skills and experience to work as direct or indirect labourers in the plantation sectors.” Regular plantation workers are paid on a daily basis and are also given health and housing facilities. Contractors, on the other hand, are paid higher wages apart from transport facilities from their homes that are located in the towns. On the contrary, contractors are paid around Rs.250-Rs.275 per day for their seasonal tenure. Thimmaraju said that the production is not affected and the absence of regular employees is compensated by contrac
Credit: Ankit Pandey
75% drop in state plantation workers over last two years
Laborers have begun moving to cities in order to look for jobs. tors.When it comes to coffee, Arabica is a variety that is no longer grown in Karnataka. According to the Quality Control Department of the Coffee Board of India, changing environmental factors cause fungal diseases and as an outcome of this only Robusta is mainly grown in most regions in the south. Private companies also face similar circumstances. Mr. Ananth Raman, Manager at Allana Sons Limited, said that private firms also face shortages of regular workers.
Labourers are not willing to work on a regular basis and are reluctant to settle near the estates in spite of being provided with additional benefits. Kodagu, Chickmangalur and Hassan are regions that predominantly grow plantation crops in Karnataka. These regions have labourers migrating to towns for better conditions. The best season for the recruitment of contractors varies on the basis of crops. June -October is the best season for the growth of coffee.
The Weekly Observer
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January 10, 2013
By Nikita Malusare
WINNERS of the T20 Indian Cricket World Cup for the blind are yet to receive jobs they were promised. The State government of the respective players of the Indian blind team promised players cash of Rs. 5 lakhs and a government job at the time of selection, in September, for participating in the T20 cricket world cup. Partially blind team captain Shekar Naik ,27, said that the government promised them a job back in September during the selections. He added: “It is going to be over a month since winning the T20 World Cup title, but still there is no sign of the job. “Out of Rs. 5 Lakhs, as promised, we only received Rs.3 Lakhs each from Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar during the award ceremony held at his residence,” he said. G.K. Mahantesh, General Secretary of the Cricket Association for the Blind India (CABI) and Vice President of World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC), said that when he asked the sports minister about the jobs promised to the players, the minister responded by saying that jobs that being processed and that they were searching for vacancies.
Along with Shekar, Ravi and Prakash are other two players of the Indian team from Karnataka, who also received the prize and are yet to receive a job. In his 16-year-long cricketing career, Shekar has earned only Rs.35,000. His entire team received an award of Rs. 3,65,000 for winning the T20 world Cup including the other awards like man of the series and man of the match prizes. This amount was distributed between the 20 teammates. He said, “None of the players in the team have a good income job. “Since we bring in the entire cash prize and distribute it amongst us. This will help our team to grow.” Mahantesh believes small support from government will keep the players motivated to play more. “None of these players have a family or relative who can take care of them. In today’s world you need a job to survive. “Many requests were made in the past to Karnataka government to aid their life. But we received a very marginal support. However after winning this match Karnataka government and also BCCI are interested to support the game,”he added.
Under World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) Mahantesh founded CABI in 2010. It neither receives funds from the government nor WBCC nor BCCI. It solely functions with the support of public sector organisations and some corporate houses. Disappointed by the government’s attitude Shekar turned towards Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) with several queries. “When BCCI can support International Cricket Council and also the Indian women’s team then, why not CABI? “I have two mouths to feed, my wife and daughter. Presently I work for Samarthanam where I get paid only Rs. 10,000 a month,” he said. Shekar said that he would prefer any job in the sports and youth service department. “I don’t want a job where I am asked to only sit and do nothing, like many handicapped people do. “That money won’t have a value,” he said. When contacted Mrs. Geeta, Director of Youth Services,Karnataka, refused to comment over the delay in providing the promised government jobs. “There is a lack of motivation in the country,” Shekar said.
Credit: Nikita Malusare
Jobs promised to World Cup heroes delayed by State government
Shekar Naik at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled
“No one should say, hey look, a blind person is coming. No one should be able to make fun of you.” That is the mantra Shekar Naik has lived by. If you meet him in person, you will not realise he is partially blind. He had a cataract in both eyes which made him completely blind till he was eight. “A hereditary deformity,” he says nonchalantly. It got rectified, pointing at the scar above his right eye. He was sent to Sharda Devi Blind School, a residential school at Shimoga District. All his attention was concerntrated on cricket. His physical trainer, Suresh, was the first coach to give Shekar the opportunity to play the games he loves so dearly. However, Naik says his teachers would discourage him and ask him to continue with his studies. His first biggest achievement was when he scored 134 runs at the Ramnagar district level match. His achievements kept adding
up and helped him represent Karnataka. In 2002, he got his first opportunity to represent India for the Blind Cricket World Cup in which he won two man-of-the-match awards against Australia and Sri Lanka. “The 2006 World Cup is worth remembering,” he said, where he won the man-of-the-series award, three man-of-the-match awards and one best batsman award in the nine matches he played. He attributed the success of the T20 team to his coach, Patrik Raj Kumar, an ex-army officer who trained them for 29 days of the coaching camp, which helped them beat Pakistan by 29 runs in the T20 World Cup final held in Chennai. Shekar believes that there is a lack of awareness of cricket for the blind in the country. “In the 18 years of cricket I’ve played, I hardly earned Rs. 35,000, There is a lack of motivation in the country,” he said.
Credit: Kishore
THE OBSERVER TEAM
The T20 Blind Cricket World Cup Champions.
Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media Bangalore 560060 email: editor@iijnm.org Editor:Satyajith GD Sub-Editor:Sneha Banerjee Photo Editor:Krishnaprasad S
Page Editors: Hansa V, Aheli Raychaudhari, Rohan Premkumar,Nikita Malusare, Deepu Aby Verghese, Shreya Mukherjee Proof Readers: Kakoli Mukherjee Priyanka Roy