Friday gurgaon 19 25 june, 2015 by Friday Gurgaon

19-25 June 2015

RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319, Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2014-2017

Vol. 4 No. 44  Pages 16  ` 10

FG had recommended a 100-day Gurgaon Action Plan for the new State govt. in end-November 2014. While certain positive actions have been taken at the State level, not much progress has been made in the City, especially on civic issues - even after 200 days. The exception has been some good initiatives taken by the Gurgaon Traffic Police.

Gurgaon Action Plan { Atul Sobti / FG }

ith the new State govt. now settling down, FG hopes that it will be ‘different’ and that ‘achhe din ab aayenge’. Having seen Gurgaon up very close, in multiple spheres, and interacted with a wide cross-section of people for over 3 years, we believe that the following actions would be most beneficial for the citizens of Gurgaon.

Water u Start

operating a water supply schedule, colony wise u Inspect and repair all water pipelines u Repair the Gurgaon Water Supply canal u Provide power back up to the Basai Water Treatment Plant

Power u Start

operating a power supply schedule, colony wise u Inspect and repair all sub-stations u Ensure all private builders put up sub-stations wherever deficient (otherwise encash their bank guarantees and have the sub-stations set up by a govt. authority)

Sanitation u Start

proper (swachh) segregation of garbage at source (PPP) u Appoint authorised e waste collection and disposal organisations (PPP)

u Set

up paid public toilets across the City (PPP) all schools have functional & separate girls’ toilets (PPP)

u Ensure

all autos are metered

EWS Housing u Allot

Security u Focus

u Ensure

on safety of women & children all streetlights are made functional across the

u Ensure

City u Innovatively

tackle the menace of ‘snatchings’ u Involve RWAs, ex-armed forces personnel & senior citizens in colony policing u Appoint and involve many more Road Safety Officers in traffic management u Involve school and college children, including those in villages, in road safety campaigns u Ensure visible Police presence on the roads, especially after dark u Keep a special look out around liquor vends and ‘ahatas’/bars u Continue all other citizen friendly and criminal deterrent initiatives that have been undertaken by the Police over the past year

(on rental or sale basis) the many ready but vacant EWS apartments in various private and govt. colonies

Unauthorised Colonies u Urgently

provide basic civic services to the residents of these colonies, especially those that have already been (recently) regularised

e Civic Services u Set

up an ‘e resolution’ framework for the availability and delivery of all basic citizen services

Skill Development u Designate

that the local ITI will now be run on a PPP basis, with multiple industry stakeholders (PPP)

Village Development

u Set

up the redevelopment (and ‘integration’) of a village within the current Gurgaon City. This initiative should then be included in the 2031 Master Plan, so that it applies to all villages in the new (58 to 115) sectors. u Develop this initiative into a benchmark ‘Rurban’ initiative

Public Transport

Disaster Management

u Increase

u Develop

RWA Support

up a special RWA Cell under the DC or the MCG Commissioner, which will resolve all ongoing RWABuilder issues and ensure that builders are made fully accountable for their omissions and wrongful actions

the frequency of the City Bus service substantially u Set up bus shelters at all designated bus stops

u Take

and test the plans for coping with an earthquake, a big fire, excessive pollution or a terrorist attack.

* Areas where Public Private Partnership could be very beneficial, and should be resorted to, have been marked (PPP). Gurgaon should soon become a Benchmark City for: e Waste, e Civic Services, Swachh Garbage Segregation, Public Toilets, Girls Toilets in Schools, Traffic Management through Road Safety Officers and ITI PPP. Separately, plans for the following longer term Benchmark projects should be drawn up: Solar Energy, Non-Motorised Transport and Wifi services.

Further: u The

maintenance of the entire City needs to be transferred to MCG – including all private colonies, HUDA and Housing Board areas. Requisite manpower and funds from other departments need to be transferred to MCG. u People should not be allowed to take up residence in the new sectors (58 to 115) of Gurgaon until a formal water and power connection is sanctioned to the project/RWA/society. u Master Plan 2031 should be revisited, especially in light of the deficiencies

in the current City areas. In fact a White Paper on Gurgaon needs to first be prepared, pointing out the current issues, challenges and discrepancies. u Most importantly, the local administrators need to stop deflecting the problems to each other, citing jurisdiction. If boundaries for tackling crime are being abolished, surely any civil matter can be helpfully resolved by any administrator. u Let’s all help make Gurgaon the ‘New India Model City’.

19-25 June 2015

RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319 Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2014-2017 Vol. 4 No. 44  19-25 June 2015

Editor:

Atul Sobti

Correspondent:

Barnali Dutta

Sr. Photographer:

Prakhar Pandey

Sr. Designer:

Amit Singh

Marketing Executive: Kumar Thakur Dy. Manager A/cs & Admin: Shiv Shankar Jha

C ontents

Bon Vivant...

South America Dance-Diversity South America has a rich dance tradition - an amalgamation of its indigenous cultures and European influences. There is a Portuguese, Spanish and African aspect to the dances of this beautiful, geographically diverse continent. Each region in almost all the countries of South America can boast of a rich folk and traditional culture, though there is also a striking similarity between some dances.

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...P 14-15

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editor@fridaygurgaon.com letters@fridaygurgaon.com adsales@fridaygurgaon.com Friday Gurgaon (Weekly) edited, published and printed by Atul Sobti on behalf of Arap Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd. from 108, Aap Ka Bazar, Gurudwara Road,  Gurgaon-122001, Haryana Printed at AGS Publication, D-67, Sector 6, Gautam Budh Nagar, NOIDA – 201301, Uttar Pradesh

The views expressed in the opinion pieces and/or the columns are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Friday Gurgaon or Arap Media Ventures Pvt. Ltd.

Spritual... Devotion & Surrender The best yogis are those who are always devout, have supreme faith, fix their thoughts on Him and contemplate Him. Those who worship Him, regard Him as supreme and meditate on Him with exclusive devotion, are ‘delivered’ by Him – they are rid of all mortal illusions. To accomplish this we should do our duty and then surrender the results of our actions as a devotional sacrifice at the altar of the Almighty. This does not mean shutting ourselves up in a cave or an ashram. On the contrary, we must live and act in a worldly way…but we should be unmoved by the results of our actions. This is the ultimate path to Truth.

...P 12

G-Scape....

Hai Ye Gurgaon Meri Jaan

Wellness... Coming Home

We live in what is called the ‘Information Age’ or ‘The Age of the Knowledge Worker’. This implies greater empowerment and mobility across professions, rural-urban landscapes and countries. While this has helped fuel exponential growth of human civilizations and high global economic growth (measured by GDP), it has often been accompanied by declining ‘Per Capita Health & Happiness’. The ‘contradiction’ is because of our (‘knowledgeable’) Lifestyle choices, which have begun to significantly impact our health. As we have ‘developed’ economically and become more urban, even our illnesses have changed. Rather than suffering from the ‘lifestyle by destiny’ diseases of nutritional inadequacy and poor sanitation (or ‘Acute’ diseases), we are catching the ‘lifestyle by choice’ diseases of affluence and nutritional extravagance (or ‘Chronic’ life debilitating diseases).

...P 13

Plus Other Stories.... Civic/Social Events...................................................P 5

Friday Gurgaon Empanelled with DAVP

Civic/Social

Empanelled with DIPR, Haryana

The Forgotten Half....................................................P 6 Comment

Gurgaon: Vision & Manifesto..............................P 10

IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING FG COPIES REGULARLY

‘Welcome to Newgeeland’.....................................P 11 Spritual

Happiness is my Birthright....................................P 12 Wellness

SMS NR to 08447355801

Need to nurture Blood Donation culture...........P 13

...P 16

19-25 June 2015

Epicentre Good News 24x7 Hours

Stand Up Comedy Date: June 20 Time: 7:30pm Traveling Pants 2.0 (Eng/90mins) Comedian: Sorabh Pant Tickets at Rs.500 available at the Venue Suitable for 18 years & above Theatre Date: June 21 Time: 4:00pm & 7:00pm Koi Baat Chale (Hindi/90mins) Director: Ram ji Bali Cast: Yashpal Sharma, Ritu Sharma & Ram ji Bali Producer: Theatre Wala Tickets at Rs.750/- & 500/- available at the Venue Suitable for 15 years & above Theatre Date: June 22 Time: 7:00pm

Culmination of Theatre Workshop conducted by Barry John Acting Studio Free Entry Stand Up Comedy Date: June 22 Time: 7:30pm LOL @ Epicentre Happily Never After (Hinglish/75mins) Comedians: Amit Tandon & Neeti Palta Tickets at Rs. 500 available at the Venue Suitable for 18 years & above Dance Date: June 23 Time: 7:00pm Experimenta, a Dance Choreography Workshop by The Danceworx The Workshop is in 2 parts: dance training and choreography. Free Entry

Keep Your City Clean use recycled water Avoid Polythene bags

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19-25 June 2015

 National Green Tribunal (NGT) asks Haryana to follow Supreme Court order on water sharing.  Govt. plans to introduce 1,000 new buses in the State, as part of the new Transport Policy that is expected to be announced soon.

THE WEEK THAT WAS 



  A 22-year-old girl student commits suicide in front of Govt. Girls College, Sector 14, allegedly due to harassment by a boy and his family.  A man is killed after his car is hit by a truck on the e-way; a woman labourer is killed when a pillar outside the Sec 37 fire station is hit by a fire vehicle and falls on her.  A neighbour rapes a 3-year-old, in Sector 22.  A woman is gangraped at gunpoint, in Palam Vihar.  A forest ranger is arrested for raping and blackmailing a Sector 56 resident.  A woman residing in Palam Vihar alleges rape and blackmail by her tenant, for over 2 years.  A molestation case is registered against a food safety officer by a woman who runs an NGO in Sector 10.  A policeman is suspended for delaying the registration of an FIR in a molestation case.  A 6-month-old girl is found abandoned on the stairs of a temple in Badshahpur; her parents, who have not been

Nepal Helplines: 0124 2316100, 2303333 (for aid to Nepal)



traced yet, have been booked. A woman gymnastics coach alleges harassment by her seniors. A businessman suffers bullet wounds when 2 rival groups clash in Nathupur village. Drivers of 2 speeding cars try to run over 2 policemen who asked them to stop for checking, at a barricade in Sector 38; it is alleged that the cars were ferrying illicit goods. A doctor operating from a clinic on Khandsa Road is caught indulging in sex determination tests; he had been caught many years ago also and that case is still ongoing in the High Court.

 The kingpin of the MBBS admission racket is arrested.  State Vigilance team arrests a sub-inspector in a bribery case.  HDFC Bank, Golf Course Road, reports that fake currency worth over Rs 1 crore has been deposited in the bank over recent months.  Police nab a serial fraudster who was wanted for decades in



 

Red Cross toll free number: 81000-880-88 1800-180-4646 Helpline for children with special needs

multiple States, in Mumbai – he was being tracked by Cyber Cell, Gurgaon. 2 members of a gang that stole hundreds of 2-wheelers are arrested. A 22-year-old man wanted in many theft cases is arrested. A gang of 4, including a woman, holds up 2 executives and takes away their car and cash, on Golf Course Road. Bikers snatch the chain and I Card of a commando. A woman is defrauded of Rs 53 lakhs by a property dealer.

 State Food and Drug Administration opens a Generic Medical Store – where medicines will be available at far cheaper rates - in Sector 52.  Work on the 3 identified e-way underpasses will be started soon and will be funded 75% by NHAI; Gurgaon-Rewari Road (via Pataudi) will be declared a National Highway (NH); and a 2.5km stretch of road along Badshahpur will be elevated – says Haryana Minister and Badshahpur MLA Rao Narbir

You can inform the Administration about any suspected female foeticide malpractice on mobile number 8010088088 and earn a reward (if the information is found to be correct).



 

Please donate blood

Gurgaon District needs 16,000 units of blood (donation) every year, but gets less than half of this. The State needs 2 lakh units of blood per year, but gets 50,000 units only. The country needs 80 lakh units per year.

Singh, after meeting with Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.  Defacing public property now means a Rs 10,000 fine, and can even lead to your spending time in jail. Sand, boulder and gravel mining will shortly resume in the State. Orchid Island residents protest lack of civic services and a hike in the DG power rate. Nazneen Bhasin comes back as DCP, HQ. The sheer volume of traffic triggers a 2-hour (6-8pm) jam on MG Road, from Sikanderpur to IFFCO Chowk, on Monday; an accident triggers a massive jam on the road to Faridabad on the same day.

12-18 June 2015

Watch and listen to

'Hai Ye Gurgaon Meri Jaan'

Vol. 4 No. 43  Pages 16  ` 10

RNI No. HARENG/2011/39319, Postal Regn. No. GRG/35/2014-2017

Counting down to our 200th. issue (June 19), we are featuring a special Cover Story from the past. This is from Vol 3, No. 19, Dec 27, 2013 to Jan 2, 2014.

The Great Divide

a ballad on Gurgaon, based on the

The Highway, which cuts the City virtually in two, is testament to the existence of an India and a Bharat not just within the same country, but even the same city. 'Old’ Gurgaon is also a ‘Walled City’, like ‘Old’ Delhi; it is just that the wall (that we have ‘constructed) above the Highway (NH8) is not visible to us. Ironically, Maruti, the fountainhead of ‘New’ Gurgaon, is considered ‘old’, as it is situated ‘across’ the Highway. Even ‘new’ private colonies ‘that side’ have unfortunately been labelled ‘old’ – and therefore been deprived.

legendary song... { FG }

'Ye hai Bombay Meri Jaan'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHKm54U913g

write to us at letters@fridaygurgaon

he fixation to build a ‘New‘ Delhi post Independence made the Capital and its new residents quickly forget the traditional culture and roots of Dehli – though fortunately they are surviving within the walls of Shahjahanabad. The failure of the government to ‘develop’ ‘Old’ Delhi, post Independence (and even post ‘New’ Delhi), led to the alienation and almost the death of an agesold culture that represents the very idea of Bharat. Unfortunately, history is repeating itself in Gurgaon (erstwhile Gurugram), as a swish set of politicians and bureaucrats, aided by builders and corporates, has allowed the traditional ‘Old’ Gurgaon to be eclipsed by a glass and chrome city - which has more

{ Barnali Dutta/FG }

write to us at letters@fridaygurgaon

OR View it at the FG Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fridaygurgaon

ndia’s concern over illegal immigration from Bangladesh may be real and the government may be displaying a stronger determination to push them back to their country, but that is easier said than done. The problem today is not only confined to West Bengal, Assam or Tripura, the immediate neighbours of Bangladesh, which have seen a rise in (Muslim) population in border areas. The immigration ranks have clearly spilled over to the northern parts of

gated complexes and malls per square km - or even in the absolute - than any other city in the country. The biggest irony, and tragedy, the ‘old’ residents allege, is that while the government has its seat in the ‘Old’ City, all the plans are made for ‘New’ Gurgaon a virtually ‘private’ area. The feeling of discrimination, of being given lop-sided treatment, has become more acute after the inauguration of the Rapid Metro in DLF City, and the expansion of roads in ‘New’ Gurgaon - while the ‘Old’ City is still crying for basic infrastructure and amenities. The ‘Old’ City residents allege that HUDA, MCG and the District Administration have failed to assimilate this part of the City into the Mas-

ASHA PANDEY

ter Plan, and it therefore has to virtually fend for itself. Bhawani Shankar Tripathy, an activist, agrees, and says that the infrastructure that is being developed in the ‘Old’ City is quite poor - in quality as well as quantity. “All the initiatives, whether these are related to traffic management, expansion of roads, street lighting or security of women, are targetted towards ‘New’ Gurgaon. The Traffic Police has started one-way systems around the Galleria Market, but the same zeal is missing when looking for so-

lutions for the ‘Old’ City,” laments Tripathy. It could have been tried around the Sadar Bazaar. The appalling lack of equity in development, with too much focus on ‘New’ Gurgaon, is also due to the fact that powerful builders with strong ‘connections’ have managed to skew the development agenda to master-plan their future. All major projects - such as the Rapid Metro, its expansion till Sector 56, the Metro expansion to Sohna Road, the new ‘Golf Course Highway’ - are going to benefit the residents of ‘New’ Gurgaon only. The Entertainment hubs - Malls, Kingdom of Dreams, the upcoming Appu Ghar, and even new hospitals, are anyway only in the ‘New’ City. The collaboration and contribution of HUDA, a government agency, in

They're already here the country, especially Gurgaon. The difficulty faced by the Indian authorities is that it is not easy to able to trace the illegal Bangladeshis, as a large number of Bengalilooking and speaking people from West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand regularly migrate to Delhi and the neighbouring areas in search of economic stability. They are mostly employed in household work or as labour in the construction industry; lately they have

swelled the ranks of rickshaw pullers, auto rickshaw drivers and even taxi drivers. Sabina stays near Chakarpur village. She migrated about a decade ago from Bengal, looking for greener pastures in Gurgaon, where there was new economic activity and the population was growing. "I came from Nadia district in West Bengal and am staying here for the last ten years. I work as a maid in a kothi. Sabina, who belongs to the Muslim community, is quite sympathetic to-

wards those whom she believes are Bangladeshis. She feels that they are in Gurgaon for the same reasons as her. “Of course I do hear that the government is trying to push them back to their own country because they are staying here illegally. However, many of the Bangladeshis who are here have left their country more than twenty years ago and are now settled here. How will the government identify them?” she asks. She in fact defends them. “The government cannot just

the building of the Golf Course (DLF) Highway, is another example of how the priorities – and the spends - of the government have changed over time, allege ‘Old’ Gurgaon residents. Sharad Goyal, a prominent businessman, says that the discrimination is quite visible. ‘Old’ Gurgaon is asked to make do with a vintage bus stand that stinks, and will not even be upgraded (despite announcements), while the ‘new’ City Bus Stand has been proposed in “New’ Sector 29. On the health front, the Civil Hospital, the main ‘Old’ City lifeline, has been left in a shambles, and the new facility in Sector 10 is still awaiting ‘inauguration’ - for 5 years now. Contd. on p 11

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throw them out now. It would be unfair. They may not have anything to go back to. On humanitarian grounds they should be allowed to stay,” she says. But what about issues relating to fake identities, spurious documentations, etc.? “But who is responsible for this?” retorts Sabina. ”They have surely procured illegal documents with the help of the same government authorities that are now trying to throw them out after so many years,” she says. The Millennium City has not only given job opportunities to the educated, but also attracts a huge Contd. on p 6

FG Last Week Issue Cover Page



19-25 June 2015

Civic/Social Events

rehearsal of Yoga asanas, as part of the preparations for International Yoga Day on 21st June 2015, was organised at Tau Devi Lal Stadium. The program was hosted jointly by Gurgaon District Administration and Patanjali Yoga Samiti. DC T L Satyaprakash and Addl. DC VP Singh took part in the special ‘Yoga Shivir’. DC said that Yoga in the morning is good if done with the right posture, in correct form and for the correct duration. More than 2,100 people are expected to participate at the International Yoga Day function on 21st June, at the same venue – Tau Devi Lal Stadium. DC added that it is a matter of pride for all Indians that Yoga, which is rooted in our tradition, has been accepted the world over and the entire world would be observing International Yoga Day every year on 21st June - starting from this year.

cross-country race was flagged off by Additional Chief Secretary, Sports Dr. K K Khandelwal and Gurgaon MLA Umesh Aggarwal from Sector 5 HUDA grounds. Even the rain could not deter the sportsman spirit of the runners; in fact a large number turned up early. Senior Citizens from Sector 5 and adjoining areas also participated. The Vice Chancellor of CRS University, Jind, Lt General (Retd.) Ranjeet Singh and Psychiatrist at General Hospital, Gurgaon, Dr Brahmdeep Sandhu also ran the full distance. This time there was also a separate race, of

about one kilometer within the HUDA ground, for children aged 9-12 years. The Top 3 winners were: Men (7km) - Jagmal, Subhash Chander, Shimni; Women (5km) - Arpita, Kajal Sharma, Osho Bhargava; Girls (Under 12 years) - Kunika, Anchal, Kajal; Boys (Under 12 years) - Shashi Alipur, Pintu Tigra, Nitin. The winners were given cash prizes. Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner T L Satyaprakash, Secretary of Haryana Football Association Sunil Bhardwaj, District Sports Officer Roshni Devi and Athletics Coach Raj Kumari were also present. Dr Khandelwal, who has been instrumental in preparing the new Sports Policy, said that the State government has announced a ‘Haryana Sports & Physical Fitness Policy-2015’, which will prove a boon for outstanding and committed sportspersons. He said that the Sports Policy is ambitious in its effort to improve the full spectrum of sports in Haryana. It is a comprehensive Sports Policy based on the themes: ‘Sports for All’, ‘Excellence in Sports’ and ‘Physical Fitness for All’. Everybody should play as per their convenience, whatever their age, for keeping their bodies healthy, Dr Khandelwal added. MLA Gurgaon Umesh Aggarwal said that Gurgaon is going to host a Half Marathon in February next year. Till then every month a cross-country race will be organised in Gurgaon.

team of Gurgaon District Administration succeeded in nabbing an owner of Bhatia Diagnostic

Center, Gurdwara Road while he was conducting a sex determination test on the foetus of a pregnant woman whom the team had ‘motivated’. A sum of Rs 10,000, with the notes bearing ‘signatures’, was recovered from the doctor. The Center was sealed and the accused Radiologist, Dr Rajiv Bhatia, was arrested on the spot. An FIR has been lodged under PC & PNDT Act at the City Police Station. Earlier in the week another doctor had been caught. Deputy Commissioner T L Satyaprakash has constituted a team - consisting Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Saryu Sharma, Secretary of District Red Cross Society Shyam Sunder Sharma, Drug Control Officer Amandeep Chauhan and Social Worker Nisha Yadav - for conducting raids and inspecting records of all the Ultrasound Centers in the District. According to G L Singhal, Project Co-ordinator with the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ project in the CM Cell, Chandigarh, the offence is punishable under Section 23 of PC&PNDT Act. He informed that the accused Radiologist had been convicted earlier also by the lower court of Gurgaon in 2001, against which an appeal was pending in the Punjab & Haryana High Court. The accused can now be sentenced for a period of 5 years as per provisions of the Act. DC T L Satyaprakash had earlier imposed Section 144 of Cr PC, making the installation of CCTV cameras mandatory at all Ultrasound Centers in the district. He has also planned to make it mandatory for Radiologists to fill up an electronic F-Form before conducting ultrasonography on a patient.

Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner T L Satyaprakash has said that, with a view to helping students take up technical education and higher studies within the country and abroad, an ‘Education Loan Fair’ will be organised in Gurgaon district. Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC), Railway Road Branch, P K Arora, said that OBC is offering education loan unto Rs 25 lakhs to students seeking admissions to A-Class institutions like IIMs and IITs, without taking any collateral security. The rate of interest is 10 percent per annum. Similarly, for B-Class institutions, an education loan upto Rs 10 lakhs can be sanctioned and the rate of interest is 10.5 percent. Students pursuing technical education (like B Tech, BE, MBA, MCA, MBBS, MS, MD or higher education in any university abroad) can avail an education loan of Rs 7.5 lakhs to Rs 20 lakhs from any bank. For taking a loan, the student has to show that he or she has qualified in the entrance exam held for the course.

NAYI SUBAH Empower Your Domestic Workers! Help them get their Voter IDs in Gurgaon

Nayi Subah team works along with home owners to empower domestic workers If you need help, please contact us. Email: nayi.subah.ggn@gmail.com Phone: +91 9650959335 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nayi.subah.gurgaon

06 { Col TS Dalal } ‘The Great Divide’, FG Cover Story (12-18 Jun 2015), is as relevant today as it was in Dec 2013 when it was first published. Though the interval has seen a change of government, ‘old’ Gurgaon remains the same – if not worse, with its ever-increasing problems. The Highway, which has brought much prosperity to the Millennium City, has also become the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ - the dividing line - between the haves and have-nots. Be it the Rapid Metro, Delhi Metro, the malls, amusement parks, modern hospitals, city transport or civic amenities, all are meant mainly for the ‘new, modern’ Gurgaon. The State Government seems to beleive that developing the ‘old’ part would be a waste of money. No politician likes to visit this area. Even the extension of the Airport Metro, from Dwarka Sector 21 to IFFCO Chowk (via ‘old’ Gurgaon),

19-25 June 2015

The Forgotten Half has been indefinitely shelved. The local city bus service is non-existent in this area, shared autos do not ply from ‘old’ Gurgaon to the Huda City Centre Metro station, autos continue to run without meters and on their own terms, and the main artery - the ‘old’ DelhiGurgaon Road - is perpetually dug up. Will ‘old’ Gurgaon be left to ‘develop’ into a slum or an eyesore? Is this part of the City being taken for granted because it is not the 'show-window', or because the ‘elite’ of the City does not reside here? Gurgaon will never be able to lay claim to being a ‘smart city’ if there is lack of development in its ‘old’ area. If Gurgaon has to truly develop as a ‘smart, new world city', then certain immediate measures have to be taken. The foremost is to manage the traffic. Maruti Udyog should be asked

Tap on each of these for sub-categories

to load all its vehicles from its Manesar Plant and no vehicle container should be allowed inside Gurgaon. These massive containers not only hinder the movement of other vehicles but also cause huge damage to the roads and occupy parking space everywhere. All autos should be registered and fitted with meters - the 'decision' was taken 2 years ago. If the Administration cannot even implement such simple decisions, would the same people be competent to 'develop' this into a ‘smart city’? The timings of schools and offices should be staggered, to help decongest roads. The parking of vehicles on roads should be banned (at least during office hours) and bus stops should be in bays, so that buses do not stop in the middle of the road. At least 25% of the streetlights on the roads should be solar energised; this would ensure some light

Kid Corner Check out what Gurgaon kids are up to

even when there is a power breakdown. ‘Isolated’ areas can also be covered with standalone solar lights. It should be made mandatory for all corporate, government and public buildings to have solar lighting. All road repair contracts should be for a specific period, say 3 years. The name, address and contact number of the agency should be prominently displayed on the road. Any damage to the road, reported by anyone, must be repaired by the contractor within 48 hours. All low-lying areas should be provided with water harvesting pits, to help avoid waterlogging. Every sector and locality must have an underground water tank, to store rainwater and use that for watering plants and cleaning roads. All government buildings, corporate offices, markets and prominent crossings should have CCTV cameras installed in and around their establishments. RWAs should be provided CCTV equipment at subsidised rates.

Every corporate office, market, petrol pump, private school/ institute and mall should be asked to provide and maintain public toilets (for both men & women) on the roads in front of their locations. Last, every locality must have a designated garbage dump. Today all roadsides are littered with polypacks full of garbage, and the ever-increasing population of pigs is ‘helping’ spread this garbage to even the cleaner areas. It would be in the interest of the City of Gurgaon and its residents that both sides of the Expressway are developed simultaneously, so that the City could truly become a new millennium destination. We have to guard against the incompetent and/or callous attitude of a few. All the advantages that this City (’old’ and ‘new’) has over any other, including Delhi, should be utilised and boosted. Let there be ‘One Global Gurgaon’.u

prakhar PANDEY

Global Exclusive Global news and features, from 'dpa'

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S pecial

19-25 June 2015

FG has run a Gurgaon Report Card for 3 years now. Many residents still await the delivery of basic civic amentiies and services – both from the Administration and private ‘developers’. MCG remains a non-starter. The Gurgaon II (new sectors) story promises to be bleaker.

Gurgaon Report Card - last 12 months (Issue 52, Volume 3: August 15-21, 2014) Where We Fared Poorly (almost all items have featured in the same column in the last 2 years) n n n

n n

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Erratic & inadequate Water supply; bursting of major pipelines; there is no power back up at the Water Treatment Plant. Erratic & inadequate Power supply; sub-stations have still not been set up in most private builder areas (despite collection of EDC decades ago). A disconnected Sewage network, no separate storm water drains, poor garbage collection, waste lying untreated and seeping into the ground at the Bandhwari Waste Treatment Plant (which has now been shut for about nine months), and no separate space for dumping and/or treatment of malba & e-waste Ineffective Water Harvesting. Illegal bore wells feeding new construction sites. Only one City Bus Shelter constructed (5 constructed to date) Renovation of the Bus Stand & Railway Station not carried out (Railway Station now started) One too many accidental deaths and suicides taking place on the railway tracks. Many autos, specially share autos, still running without a fare rate/meter. Road repairs remain ‘surface deep’ – the first rains (thankfully there have hardly been any) pothole the roads. Toll Plaza chaos at Kherki Daula now; a new operator is appointed. MG Road renovation on-going for over a year; Northern and Southern Peripheral Roads (NPR, SPR) remain incomplete dogged by court cases and inaction by the State on rehabilitation decisions. Hero Honda Chowk issues not resolved – even the traffic light plan is shelved. Multiple FOBs/underpasses are planned and announcements made – there is little progress. Completion of the Jaipur Highway (NH8) extra-ordinarily delayed; it’s been almost a decade now. An unauthorised Parking mess spans the City; multi-level parking sites still being debated.

No growth in jobs in the IT/BPO, Auto & Export sectors. Udyog Vihars sorely lack infrastructure; Manesar now a sham of a Model Industrial Township. n No closure in the Maruti violence case, even after 2 years – 150+ workers still languish in jail. n Demand for Real Estate, especially Commercial, is at an all-time low. The SC ruling in the Silver Oaks case allegedly goes against the rights of residents. n Many private builder areas continue to have poor facilities and maintenance, leading to multiple protests on the road; 100 buyers land up at a Unitech construction site, offering themselves as ‘labour’, to make up for the repeated delays. n Gurgaon II (new sectors) residents have started occupying apartments without authorised water and power supply, or

Haryana Lokayukta finds Chief Parliamentary Secretary Fauji guilty of corruption; the State govt. gets the High Court to stay further action. n The ‘bogus votes’ case against State Minister Sukhbir Kataria and others, completes a 5-year term – 8 FIRs have been filed. n The ex-Chief Judicial Magistrate’s wife’s ‘murder’ case still remains unresolved. n ‘Carjackings’/snatchings are a daily phenomenon. n The Bangladeshi influx continues unabated.

Where We Did Well n n n

n n n n n n

n n

sewage connections.

n n n n

n n n

No cases of major organised crime. A new Cyber Crime cell has been set up. Extensive police drives undertaken on drunk driving, over-speeding, underage driving and school bus operations. Snatching made a non-bailable offence and jail term also enhanced (in Haryana). Traffic has improved in many areas, with the presence of more policemen on the road, and regular checks. = Prepaid auto booths started under the vigilance of the Traffic Police. City Bus service is fairly regular, and covers the City well. Sirhaul Toll Plaza is removed. A few RTI activists keep the State govt. on its toes. COMPAT confirms its order and penalty against DLF. The Supreme Court sends a team to inspect the status of mining and quarrying in the Aravallis. There are cases of positive RWA activism against errant builders. DC chairs a Grievance Committee Meeting and pulls up private builders on the plaints of RWA Heads (discontinued) Lokayukta steps in for residents in Mayfield Gardens and Ambience cases. Chandubudhera Water Treatment Plant starts operations; water supply starts from the NCR Canal. Dhanwapur Sewage Treatment Plant starts operations. Medical Tourism flourishes. Cyber Hub becomes the new ‘happening’ venue. Gurgaon residents are found to be the most prosperous in India, in a survey. A platform roof of the Railway Station goes ‘solar’. The Biodiversity Park (thankfully) remains fairly untouched. The Raahgiri initiative is a success and is here to stay.

Unauthorised Colonies languish and residents are denied basic civic services, despite a ‘decision’ taken by the State to regularise a majority of them. n Residents of the restricted area near the IAF Depot also await provision of basic civic services, promised by the High Court; however, clandestine new construction continues in this area. n Despite the denotification of Reliance and other SEZs, the land has not been returned to the farmers. n EWS Housing remains on paper only; hundreds of apartments and plots lie idle. n n n n n n n n

n n n

n n

A ‘Tree Act’ for Gurgaon/Haryana has not been instituted. The Aravallis continue to be exploited (may change now) RTE implementation deadline has been extended; no action taken against defaulters. The ‘new’ Sector 10 Civil Hospital is ‘still born’. Piped Gas remains a pipe dream for most. CNG supply is erratic and inadequate queues remain long throughout the day. Cow smuggling is fairly rampant. The ad hoc & quick transfers of the Senior Administration of the City continue; we now have another MCG Commissioner and HUDA Administrator (this time a two-inone). The Mayor(s) and Councillors remain ineffective. MCG role still limited to the Village Abadies only. MCG House Meetings hardly take place; when they do, there are hardly any decisions taken; the MCG Portal is mostly down. MCG finds that hundreds of acres of its land have been encroached. The levy of House Tax, a major revenue earner for MCG, is under ‘debate’ and has been legally challenged; collections are therefore sub-optimal. DC frankly admits that he cannot sometimes distinguish between his jurisdiction and that of HUDA and MCG (or even private builders). Even AAP has deserted Gurgaon (Haryana) during the upcoming State elections.

Best of

12 Inside Out

Pataudi Road

Palam Vihar

NH 8- Kherki Dhaula

Old Delhi Road-Kapashera

G-S cape

5-11 July 2013

P hoto F eature

25-31 July 2014

Biodiversity Park

Outside In

Our Global Village

PRAKHAR PANDEY

All Roads Lead To Gurgaon

NH 8-Sirhaul

Faridabad Road

MG Road

25-31 October 2013

G -scape

Police Commissioner Ko Dengue Kyon Hua? Prakhar Pandey

7-13 June 2013

G -scape

Millennium Crime

The Drink-Drive City

3-9 May 2013

G -scape

17-23 January 2014

G -Scape AshA PANDEY

Old School, New Curriculum

Modern Temples of Gurgaon

Old Lords In New

Bottles

ASHA PANDEY

Sohna Road

ASHA PANDEY

S pecial F eature

19-25 June 2015

S pecial

23 PRAKHAR PANDEY

C omment

19-25 June 2015

Gurgaon: Vision & Manifesto The Opportunity for Gurgaon

EDITORIAL Atul Sobti

To become the ‘New India’ City Model, as it offers/can offer: n Modern Lifestyle n Cosmopolitan Culture n Modern Education n An ‘Integrated’ City (‘Rurban’) n ‘Green’ City (Aravallis, Water Bodies) The above can be ‘practised’ on a new landscape: Gurgaon II (Sectors 58 to 115), and also overall on Master Plan 2031 To become a national/global role model for: A Non Motorised Transport (NMT)networked City A Solar-powered City A Wifi City (with 4G connectivity) A global benchmark on e-Waste Management A global benchmark on PPP Governance A global IT-Consultancy-Finance Hub (what Mumbai has missed) Public Private Partnerships for: EWS Housing Healthcare at the door Sanitation – garbage segregation, public toilets, school toilets Water/Power availability – pipelines, substations, rainwater harvesting Skilling – ITI PPP, new specialised ITIs (Auto, IT, BPO) Road Safety Traffic Management Parking Development of e-services

Gurgaon Manifesto: 10-point Program

Governance: City to be comprehensively run by MCG; alternatively, a Gurgaon Development Authority (GDA) to be set up

Water & Power to be provided to every resident

A comprehensive Sanitation program (sewage, all kinds of waste management, garbage segregation, public toilets) to be implemented

Security to be ensured 24x7, especially for women and children

RWA-Builder issues to be tackled and resolved

A City-wide Public Transport system (including Non Motorised) to be implemented

Current EWS Housing to be allocatted and more houses developed for the migrant workforce

Basic civic services and facilities to be provided to residents of Unauthorised Colonies

For GII (the new sectors, 58 to 115), development planning to be more comprehensive, integrated and proactive

Action Plan for Disaster Management (earthquakes, fires, pollution) to be prepared and tested

Thank you for being a regular FG reader. We do hope you felt some ‘difference’. We pause now as we contemplate our future. Au Revoir.

19-25 June 2015

‘Welcome to Newgeeland’

n the year 2025, if Gurgaon is still alive, we may find: It is now called New G Land – ‘The Land’ for short; and ‘New Global Land’ for long. It has transformed many times - starting as the Delhi suburb, then The Pride of Haryana, Delhi II, followed by Bombay II…before uniquely becoming India’s first global city, New G Land. However, it is still part of Haryana – and now the winter Capital (only of Haryana)... though that process is still in progress. It has been difficult to define this New Land – parts New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Dharavi…. It is a land of 5 million - and ‘overall’ there are 10 million, within Greater G Land (GG Land). Within these, there are a million dollar millionaires (yes, the dollar survived). There is also the old G’City (called new once), and the yet older G’gaon. All of India is here – this is our El Dorado. There are a thousand high-rises, from the Delhi border to Manesar. Offices and establishments in the 500 acres ‘G Scape’, the Central Entertainment cum Business District (CEBD), are valued at Rs. 100,000 a square foot; land is just not available. The entry sign reads: ‘Welcome to G Scape, no strings attached’. G Scape is home to all the Global Fortune 100 and India 500 (10 common between them) companies. The entertainment hub is the ‘G Spot’ – where dreams are fulfilled. This mini-Kingdom has a 10-Star Hotel, offering 100 suites – priced at 10,000 dollars a night. On weekends only cycles are allowed in G Scape. Greater G Land now boasts of India’s first, and the world’s largest, Disneyland. It has global themes, and a special Indian section. GG Land also

boasts a Film Centre called Gollywood (chosen over Gullywood, the residents’ first choice). It has screened its first venture – Ali in Wonder Land (a global English-Hindi-HaryanviArabic venture). The world’s largest mall, the G Chowk, has opened in GG Land, and has eclipsed the Mall of India. There is NCR Metro connectivity from Sonipat to Sohna, and Meerut to Manesar – of course both via New G Land. A new international cargo airport has come up in GG Land, off NH8. It was approved after quite a political ruckus. A CEO, under PPP (Public Private

still roam on the roads…and monkeys in houses. Power is totally privatised – to the oil companies (which also have been privatised). The Land runs on diesel – 24x7, delivered by mega tankers. Water is also delivered by mega tankers (fortunately different ones) daily. Water levels are now such that comparisons with Las Vegas abound for this also. Sewage is collected by the third type of mega tankers. The haze overhead is now being compared to Beijing circa 2010. The moon is seen once in a blue while. All unauthorised colonies have again been

It’s all been a very efficient operation – except for the week in 2020. No one wants to look back on that, even on hindsight - though most had left The Land by the third day. And of course none wish to remember the earthquake of 2016 – before the City became The Land. It was a very dramatic way to discover the quality of construction. Some of those buildings still ‘stand’ in the City – cracked and abandoned. Partnership) runs the New G Land Municipality, with the help of RWAs. The Mayor title has been upgraded to Senior Mayor. HUDA has moved on to Faridabad (one last time), and Jhajjar. There are hourly snatchings – of mobile wallets, and one-hour kidnappings for the same. This is despite the new areas of New G Land having state-of-the-art security and every millionaire having a security guard (as well as one for each family member). However, ‘serious’ crime is low, as The Land has been given VIZ (Very Important Zone) status – the first in the country. That is also why the Maha Sena has not been able to establish itself in The Land. Traffic is managed by volunteers. Cows

regularised, and encroachments demolished. Meanwhile 16 more have erupted, and/or come to light. The Land is now all flat and brown. People reminisce of a time when the Aravalli Hills were outside one’s window; now it’s the neighbour – of the building across. A thousand nursery schools bloom. A single university offers just Commerce – up to doctorate level. New G Land is the mecca for Medical Tourism – the top facilities accept only dollars, even from Indians. A separate ambulance path, called Medical Vedanta, has been created from T3A Terminal to The Land. IT and BPO companies have moved south – to Rewari, and Rajasthan. The Ammunition Depot had

to be moved; a new adventure entertainment mini-city called ‘G Force’ has come up there, complete with its own 18hole ‘G Course’. New G Land has been priced out for the common man. He now stays in the old G’City area (thankfully not the G’gaon area – that is ancient !). However, the ‘rich poor’ still remain in the Land – as workers. Bangladesh has moved its Embassy from New Delhi to The Land. Parking facilities have been started at all office complexes on weekends. However, many residents believe that the parking fee of Rs. 30 (equal to a dollar) is too much, and still prefer the roads. This is despite the Prime Minister having introduced 2 compulsory subjects - Civic Sense and Road Sense – in all schools, from 2020. Haryana added ‘G Sense’. No one talks in New G Land – blah blah is now blog blog. Kids start on this very early – at age 2. Unfortunately parents still wish to talk. Thankfully the walls are still listening. Offices now have blog conferences. Expatriates number a million. They come on special salaries, designed by the U.N. for this unique Land – which is now costlier than New York, and even Shanghai. A normal 1,000 sq. ft. ‘skypad’ (any accommodation above ground floor) in a New G Land condominium costs over a million dollars. When global businessmen and tourists enter New G Land they exclaim ‘Awe G!’ - followed by a sigh. They remain wide-eyed and tonguetied…though noses-held (they cannot ignore the stench). It has been difficult to clean the old G’City area. New G Land is also the favourite destination for all NRIs; they love visiting ‘Newgeeland in India’. You’ve come a long way, Gurugram!u

Devotion & Surrender

{ Dr. Rajesh Bhola }

he best yogis are those who are always devout, have supreme faith, fix their thoughts on Him and contemplate Him. Those who worship Him, regard Him as supreme and meditate on Him with exclusive devotion, are ‘delivered’ by Him – they are rid of all mortal illusions. To accomplish this we should do our duty and then surrender the results of our actions as a devotional sacrifice at the altar of the Almighty. This does not mean shutting ourselves up in a cave or an ashram. On the contrary, we must live and act in a worldly way…but we should be unmoved by the results of our actions. This is the ultimate path to Truth. Devotion and surrender are two facets of the same principle. Devotion is the intensity of love, while surrender is its fulfillment. We devotedly love because we are hungry to realise Him, feel Him in our innermost, and be consciously one with Him – the universal truth, universal light, peace and bliss. We wish to be completely fulfilled. Devotion means the constant offering of our self. Love and devotion lead us to the final destination of self-realisation. Devotion is not about praying before a deity for sometime everyday or deliberating about spirituality now and then. It is a constant search, a yearning, for realising Him amidst all worldly preoccupations. Surrender is the ultimate path….of protection, illumination, perfection. When we commence our lives we surrender our existence to our parents, who in turn protect us. We listen to them and surrender to their advice and will. We feel boundless joy as children because we surrender our personal will, our inner thinking, to our parents. A tiny drop will be afraid of the ocean if it maintains its individuality. It will say, ‘I will be totally lost. It is such a vast ocean’. But if the tiny drop has a little intelligence it will say, “If I enter into the mighty ocean, then I will become the ocean.” For, as soon as it enters into the ocean, it will get utmost satisfaction. When we love someone, we gladly surrender to him/her. Similarly, in spiritual life also, if we really love God, who is all light and infinite wisdom, then we have to devote ourselves to Him, our inner life. As we walk along the path of spirituality, we should continue to listen to our inner being, for then the greater will be our joy, the higher our fulfillment. At the end of our life, when our term here is over and we prepare to enter another world, if we have consciously surrendered to God’s will, ours will be the supreme joy, the supreme glory. There comes a time in our spiritual life when we realise that we are not satisfied with what we have - whether it is material wealth or inner wealth - or

S piritual

19-25 June 2015

To serve and never be tired is to love; to learn and never be filled is devotion; to offer endlessly is surrender. Love is man’s reality; devotion is man’s divinity; surrender is man’s immortality

with what we are. It is at that time that we are most ready for surrender. When we feel this need for surrender, the means will automatically come. If we feel the soul’s inner urge, if our entire being wants to surrender to God’s Will, then automatically we will be given more than the necessary capacity, assurance, compassion and light from above and within. Self-surrender does not mean retirement into the forests, or the giving up of all activities. What is wanted is internal surrender. Ego and desire must be annihilated. The egoist mind obstinately stands in the way of complete self-surrender. Our ‘lower’ nature, our ‘base’ desires, repeatedly rise to assert themselves. We should have full trust in Him. We need to start believing in divine possibilities, completely dedicating ourselves to the Lord. When we surrender, we empty all our impurity into God and He replaces it with His purity and His divinity. Lord Krishna, Christ and Lord Buddha – they all spoke about love, devotion and

There are three stages of surrender: the first affirms ‘i am yours’; the second asserts ‘you are mine’; and the third declares ‘you and I are one, the same’. In the first stage the Lord is free and the devotee is fully bound’ it is like the cat and the kitten - the cat shifts the kitten about as it wills, while the kitten just mews and accepts whatever happens. This attitude is very gentle and easily accessible to all. In the second, the devotee binds the Lord. The third stage is one of inseparable devotion. The devotee offers all to the Lord, for he feels that he cannot withhold himself. That completes his surrender.

Happiness is my Birthright { Shobha Lidder } I don’t have to fight or snatch Someone’s happiness I don’t need to steal someone’s happiness Happiness is the flavour of my soul How do I get in touch with my happiness? Practice a little contentment Don’t hold on to grievances Or cling on to regrets Recalling old incidents Of hurt & disdain Is like eating stale food Then why feed on stale thoughts And fetid bygones? Bury the hatchet Let your life move on to fresh terrain Of sunshine in rain Count your blessings Name them one by one Think of all that God has done Then do a good turn to someone Feel content Discontentment is a disease Accept your present challenge As result of your past karma Tackle it with dharma Forgive, forget, reset your mind Distribute happiness, contribute happiness Dole out and donate happiness Serve happily Bless those that give you unhappiness With happiness Happiness is the alchemist of the soul Neither bought nor sold. Shobha Lidder Writer, Journalist, Teacher, Trainer, Social Activist, Reiki Master, Pranic Healer

surrender, the three rungs in the spiritual ladder (the ladder of our evolving consciousness). When Lord Krishna became one with God, he said to Arjuna, his dearest disciple, ‘Surrender everything to me’. Christ also said, ‘Surrender everything. Let the Will of the Almighty Father be fulfilled’. In Buddha we behold his compassion and what he did for humanity. He was ready to sacrifice his life for just a little bird. He was all compassion and love. As spiritual seekers we must stay attuned to God without getting distracted by our worldly engagements. We should surrender to God with total faith, affirming that whatever happens in our life is the work of the Divine will. When we thus surrender we are acknowledging that what we ‘own’ actually belongs to Him; He is the giver of all things (however, we must responsibly care for what God has given us). By surrendering to God we admit that He is ultimately in control of everything, including our present circumstances. The Sikh ardas (prayer) demands a complete surrender to the Divine will. The Lord will never fail him who throws himself at His mercy. The reading of the Guru Granth Sahib is itself a kind of prayer. Listening to the rendering of the gurbani at any gurudwara is an extremely sublime experience. It seeks the Guru’s command. He gives us wise counsel, but it is for us to obey. Merely worshipping any scripture without carrying its teaching into our daily life serves no purpose. Lord Krishna wants us to perform our dharma, and to surrender ourselves to Him without reservation. In this ‘hard’ world it may not always be easy to accept God’s will. His Will may have us facing challenges that we would rather avoid. Trust God when hard times

come your way; rely upon Him when fear tries to steal your peace and joy. Face your fears with confidence, knowing that God will see you through. Slowly, a great transformation will come upon you. Your will as an individual will be merged in the cosmic will. It is not unusual to cry a lot when you begin to remember the God that resides within you. There is much pain and isolation. Only the purest, unconditional, unrelenting, focused devotion to God can lead the seeker to the ecstatic state of Divine union and liberation from the transmigration of the soul.u Dr. Rajesh Bhola is President of Spastic Society of Gurgaon and is working for the cause of children with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities for more than 30 years. He can be contacted at rabhola@yahoo.com

W ellness

19-25 June 2015 Health & Vitality... Naturally!

Coming Home (‘Ghar Wapsi’ of a different kind)

{ Jaspal Bajwa }

e live in what is called the ‘Information Age’ or ‘The Age of the Knowledge Worker’. This implies greater empowerment and mobility across professions, rural-urban landscapes and countries. While this has helped fuel exponential growth of human civilizations and high global economic growth (measured by GDP), it has often been accompanied by declining ‘Per Capita Health & Happiness’. The ‘contradiction’ is because of our (‘knowledgeable’) Lifestyle choices, which have begun to significantly impact our health. As we have ‘developed’ economically and become more urban, even our illnesses have changed. Rather than suffering from the ‘lifestyle by destiny’ diseases of nutritional inadequacy and poor sanitation (or ‘Acute’ diseases), we are catching the ‘lifestyle by choice’ diseases of affluence and nutritional extravagance (or ‘Chronic’ life debilitating diseases). an example, South Asian migrants, who happen to be particular-

ly predisposed to developing insulin resistance and diabetes, are showing nearly four times the prevalence rates of Type2 Diabetes than rural populations. there are markedly levels of overweight and obese people across countries. are now dominated by higher intakes of animal and hydrogenated fats, empty calories, acidic foods (often of animal origin) and low fibre content. Simultaneously, activity patterns - at work, travel, leisure and even at home - are shifting rapidly towards sedentary (low energy expenditure) activities. Interestingly, whenever an industrial or ‘refined’ food diet was introduced to different tribal cultures across the world, it led to a general degradation of health usually within a generation; and chronic diseases increased to levels that correlated with those in industrialised societies. Thankfully, sociological experiments have established that this is a ‘reversible’ phenomenon!The incidence of chronic diseases reduced when the same populations were put

back to their ‘home’ environments. Of course, apart from nutrition, physical activity, gene-environment interaction, stress and other factors such as ethnic susceptibility also play a role. Dr. Weston Price, dentist from Ottawa (Canada), is widely regarded as the grandfather of the ‘natural food’ movement; he was one of the earliest and most outspoken of the ‘healthy’ voices. He made remarkable discoveries while travelling all over the world to study ethnic native tribes and traditional diets. He found that while the traditional diets of native peoples were as varied as the environments in which they lived, there were a few common points too: there was no reliance on refined or ‘devitalised’ foods or oils, the food tended to be low on calories, and it contained only a small measure of ‘animal food’ (insects, fish or milk).Jack Robbins, in ‘Healthy at 100’, added how interesting it was that the features found among the diets of all the healthy native peoples were also found in the diets of the elder Okinawans, Abkhasians, Vilcabambans and Hunzans. Michael Pollan said

that the data Dr. Price painstakingly gathered was not only able to trace the lines of connection between diet and health but also between the way different peoples produce and cook food. Dr. Price concluded that modern civilisation had sacrificed much of the quality of its food in the interest of quantity and shelf life. He identified no single ‘ideal’ diet … diversity was the name of his game. However, he concluded that the healthy way was to eat a traditional diet consisting of fresh foods from the animals and plants grown on soils that were themselves rich in nutrients.

Tip of the Week

The almost total absence of cancer in traditional societies was observed by the French surgeon, Stanislas Tanchou, MD. He went on to formulate a doctrine, which stated that the incidence of cancer increases in direct proportion to the ‘civilisation’ of a people. This view was subsequently

embraced by John Le Conte MD, an influential physicist, who became the first President of the University of California. According to a 1997 report from the American Institute for Cancer Research, which included a study by a panel of 15 of the world’s leading researchers in diet and cancer, 78% of over 200 case-controlled studies found that consumption of fruits & vegetables had a protective effect over one or more kinds of cancer

Nature’s Wonder Food(s) of the Week: Foods uniquely suited to each individual

To aid man’s quest for a longer, healthier and happier life, several studies have emphasised the adoption of ‘Traditional Diets and Lifestyles’: Eat less: mostly local, and plant based Work hard (and play hard…but within moderation!) Live well: enjoy food and ‘company’, songs, dances Ensure community well being: low inequality in terms of wealth tends to build a ‘sense of community’; also, respect elders & their life experiences Respect the environment: give back what you take from Nature, with a deep sense of awe and gratitude Some of the key differences in calorie sources between the ‘traditional’ diets of people who have lived to be centenarians and the ‘Standard American Diet’ (SAD – how app!) are: 65-74% from ‘complex’ carbs and whole foods in traditional diets, versus as much as 30% from refined white flour and sugar and another 25% from soda pop and soft drinks, in SAD; 15-20% from healthy fats in traditional, versus as high as 40-50% from hydrogenated or trans-fats in SAD; 10-15% from proteins in traditional (almost all of it from plant sources), versus nearly 30% from ‘animal sources’ in SAD; very low or nil salt and sugar in traditional, versus literally mountains of it being consumed in SAD. Source: ‘Healthy at 100’ – John Robbins, and ‘In Defense of Food’ – Michael Pollan. The outcomes are clear. Almost no incidence of obesity has been noticed in traditional societies that were ‘at home’ with their lifestyle choices. Compare this with the epidemic proportion obesity, high BP & inflammation-induced chronic diseases that have swept the developed world. We need to change… fast. However, there are no ‘silver bullets’. individual is unique,and it is only through direct experimentation that we can discover the foods and lifestyle choices that are best for us. A simple test is whether the there is a spring in our step, a smile in our heart and a willingness to be adventurous…the morning after!u

For Education purposes only; always consult a Healthcare Practitioner for medical conditions

Need to nurture Blood Donation culture

Gurgaon District needs 16,000 units of blood donation every year.

An act of donating blood can help save a life. However, there still remains a gross lack of awareness, as well as intent, among Indians, for this noble cause. Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon organised a special Blood Donation camp, aimed at encouraging more people to help save lives by donating blood. The Hospital also felicitated regular donors. Dr. Neeraj Bishnoi, GM Operations, Dr. Sunita Deshmukh, HOD, Lab & Blood Bank, Dr. Sonia Bindal, Blood Bank Incharge and Dr. Alok Gupta – Consultant General, Surgery were among the Paras Hospital officials who joined the cause. The help of blood donors is needed by patients in multiple cases. Apart from the more obvious accident victims, patients fighting cancer and undergoing chemotherapy need blood donors over prolonged periods to be able to replenish their plummeting haemoglobin and platelets. Unfortunately, India is yet to cultivate a culture of regular and voluntary blood donation. Most of the donors that turn up in emergency situations are family members, friends and relatives. The theme of this year’s campaign was ‘Thank you for saving my life’. It focused on thanking blood donors and strongly encouraged more people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly, with the slogan “Give freely, give often. Blood donation matters.” “In many countries there is a culture of active and voluntary blood donations, whereby healthy people keep donating blood regularly to blood banks to help them meet the emergency requirements of patients. In India, however, a number of misconceptions and a general lack of awareness prevent people from joining this movement. If they realise how much difference their small act can make to a life, I am sure more people will voluntarily donate blood. We need to increase regular blood donation by healthy people in India. A donor is accepted only is he/she is perfectly healthy and fit. The body is able to replenish the extracted blood in a short span of time, ” said Dr. Neeraj Bishnoi, GM Operations, Paras Hospitals. u

Now Made In India

{

Chander Mohan }

It is quite interesting to know that many of the vegetables grown in India are not region and season specific to us. As an example, tamatar (tomato), the most widely grown vegetable crop in India, is said to be native to tropical America. It spread to other parts of the world in the 16th. century and became popular in India only in the last six decades. Now a new blue tomato, having a unique taste and look, has entered the Australian market. Its blue skin is because of the antioxidant known as anthocyanin, which is found in dark pigmented fruits and vegetables. Chilli and green pepper are believed to have been introduced in India in the 17th. century by the Portuguese. North and South America introduced us to their native kaddus (pumpkins), the kheera (cucumber) has come from Rome and karela (bitter gourd) is supposed to have originated in the tropical regions of the ‘old world’. Among leafy crops, palak (Spinach Beet) was known in China as early as 647 AD. Methi (fenugreek) is native to Eastern Europe and Ethiopia; patta gobi (cabbage) is probably native to Western Europe and the northern shore of the Mediterranean region; gobi (cauliflower) was introduced to India in 1822 by Dr Jemson, in Saharanpur (UP); bhindi (lady`s finger) is said to be native to South Africa; Garden Beet is a probably native to Europe; and Onion has come from Palestine. Matar (pea), said to be native to Europe and West Asia, is a very common crop in the plains of India in winter. Lobiya (cowpea) is probably native to Central Africa. The common root crops, mooli (radish) and gaajar (carrot), are probably native to Europe and China, and have been grown in our country for several decades. Most vegetables are easy to grow and harvest. Vegetables have probably formed part of the human diet from prehistoric times because of their flavour, texture and nutritional value. u

19-25 June 2015

B on V ivant

South America

Dance-Diversity { Meenu Thakur Sankalp }

outh America has a rich dance tradition - an amalgamation of its indigenous cultures and European influences. There is a Portuguese, Spanish and African aspect to the dances of this beautiful, geographically diverse continent. Each region in almost all the countries of South America can boast of a rich folk and traditional culture, though there is also a striking similarity between some dances. Samba (Brazil) – The Samba is a rhythmic dance of Brazil, with influences of a colonial Portuguese style. It is performed to local Samba music. This is actually not a single, but a thread of dances. Samba dancers’ actions appear to be gentle on the knees and ankles. The effortless movements of the dancers, while turning their heads and extending their arms, are demonstrated by a quick-quick-slow technique. Women dance one after the other, encircling each other, moving their legs, feet and hips, and clap as they exit. The instruments used in Samba are the tamborim, chocalho, reco-reco and cabaca.

Tango (Argentina) – The Tango is a social dance that originated in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. It is a ‘close’ dance, where the chest of a dancer touches that of the facing partner. The major highlight of this dance is its speed. There is no set pattern of dancing the Tango; immense improvisation is a distinguishing feature of this dance. An important aspect is the display of emotions. Cueca (Chile) - This National Dance of Chile is distinguished by the black-base costumes that are worn by the male dancers and the flowery dresses of the accompanying women performers. As the men and women face each other, they wave a handkerchief, and the dancing commences when the music begins to play. Facial expressions, artistic movements and emotions are the characteristics of this dance. Performed to the tune of the guitar and the accordion, the Chilean Cueca is different from the Argentinian and Bolivian versions.

Joropo (Venezuela) - The influence of the European invaders, especially from Spain and Portugal, combined with the African slave culture, is evident in this dance. Joropo means performance. The style resembles the European Waltz. The tone is set by the harp (played by the singer), the strumming of the guitar and the ‘Maracas’. The male and female performers, holding each other tightly, glide on the floor in a sweeping motion. The male dancers, on cue, stomp their feet hard on the ground/stage.

Candombe (Uruguay) Candombe was brought into Uruguay by African slaves. As the Comparsa (white dancers with blackened faces) join the Candombera (black dancers), the Chico, Repique and Piano drums are sounded aggressively – though the movements are graceful. Juggling, balancing and acrobatic manoeuvers are a few of the characteristics of this traditional Uruguay country dance.

19-25 June 2015

B on V ivant

El Tamborito (Panama) - El Tamborito, or ‘Little Drum’, is the traditional dance form of Panama. It is performed by couples to the beats of a band, mainly during festivals,. The dancers form a circle and use a shuffling technique. As the speed increases the audience shouts ‘Vivas’! Women wear a gown called the La Pollera and the men wear a costume known as El Montuno.

Diablada (Bolivia) - Translated as the ‘Dance of the Devils’, Diablada is a traditional Bolivian dance. When the Spanish settlers crossed the Andes mountains they embraced local dance traditions, and the rituals involving demons in the caves of Bolivia found their way into dance. The dancers replicate the movements of angels and demons, in an enactment featuring the vanquishing of demons by Saint Michael. The costumes worn by the dancers are ornate and heavy. The choreography is difficult and complex. Pasillo (Colombia) - Dating back to the nineteenth century, Pasillo is very popular in Columbia. The elements of this dance are classical in nature. Each village of Colombia has a different way of performing Pasillo. The instruments that are played during a Pasillo performance are the guitar and the mandolin.

Marinera (Peru) - Handkerchiefs are used as props in this beautiful couple dance that is performed to the tune of the clarinet, guitar and bugles. The dance is elegant and slow paced (the Marinera Nortena, a variation of this dance, is quick in pace, and stylish). The Marinera has been accorded National status in Peru. The uniqueness in this dance is that while the man wears shiny shoes, the woman dancer moves barefoot on the floor.

The Dance of the Chapetones (El Salvador) - El Salvador is a quaint, ‘sleepy’ country to the north of South America. However, come The Dance of the Chapetones the folks are wide-awake. The Spanish roots of this dance are evident. The movements are slow and laid back. A woman representing the queen stands in the middle, surrounded by slow dancing men wearing tuxedo coats and shiny boots.

The writer is a renowned Kuchipudi danseuse and choreographer

19-25 June 2015

G -Scape

Hai Ye Gurgaon Meri Jaan Ae dil hai mushkil jeena yahaan, Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Kaheen condo, kaheen Metro, kaheen mallein, karein chill Milta hai yahaan sab kuchh ek milta naheen dil Mehlon mein hain sab band yahaan Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Kaheen local, kaheen desi pardesi yahaan sab Kaheen snatching, kaheen jacking, kaheen teasing, kaheen khap Buree bazrein hain anek yahaan Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Ghar-waalonko bure sapne yahaan dete builders Manmaani karein sabse, kahein isko business ‘Sapnon ka sheher’ bhi hai naam yahaan Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Ae dil hai mushkil jeena yahaan, Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan

Paani-bijli kuchh hi ghanton yahaan aayen siraf Bas building par building…hai property har taraf Middle-class ka naheen hai makaan yahaan Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Paise kee keemat yahaan bhoolen hain log Time kam hai to pyaar bhi kharidtay hain log Dilli se ab mehenga hai ye jahaan Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Kabhi Gurugram kabhi Gurgaon kabhi G’City kabhi Des Hain pairon pe naheen, par udney ki hai race Kaam naheen bas naam hai yahaan Zara hat ke, zara bachh ke, hai ye Gurgaon meri jaan Registaani hogi dharti aur diesel aasmaan Saans lena hoga mehenga, agli peedhi ko daan Kya yahee hai hamaare nayi yug ka jahaan? Hai ye sachh ke, ye hai hat ke, magar bachh ke meri jaan….

Yes, We Can Ae dil hai aasaan jeena yahaan, sun-re-chhora, o-ri-chhori Yo seh Gurgaon mhaari shaan

With inspiration from, and sincere respect to, Majrooh Sultanpuri & OP Nayyar.