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PAGES: 68 VOL.6 | ISSUE: 11, DECEMBER, 2018
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VOL:6 I SSUE:11 I DECEMBER, 2018 `30 Editor A Rammohan Rao
Special Correspondent D. Bal Reddy Correspondents Mallesh Babu Mandha Ravi Kumar G.P. Nagaraju
Reporters M.Praveen Kumar, P Vishnuvardhan Reddy Photographers M Vijay S Sridhar, Shair Ali Baig Cover & Layout T. Srinivasa Rao
General Manager Mohd Nizamuddin
Chief Executive (Marketing) Venkata K Ganjam (GK) Chief - Business & LifeStyle K. Bharath Reddy Marketing Associate M. Akhil Raj Shaker
The News You Like Phone: 9701141377, 9848133363 E-mail: thenewscoordinator@gmail.com Website: thenews.co.in
Address for correspondance: #3-5-890, Flat No. 203, Paras Chambers, Beside Telangana Tourism Bldg, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad-500029. Phone: 98481 33363, 97011 41377. email: 24thenews@gmail.com thenewscoordinator@gmail.com Printed, Published And Owned By Ramya Sree , Printed At S.M.S. Press, H.No.11-38, Pragathi Nagar, P&T Colony, Saroor Nagar, Dist Ranga Reddy – 60, Published At The News Publications, H.No.334, B, Prajay Sai Gardens, Keesara Mandal, Dist - Ranga Reddy, Telangana Editor : Sudhakar
EDITORIAL Editorial
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ne of the major contribution of Telangana movement is Ability of common people to question. Yes, questioning anything and anybody if public interest is compromised. Candidates from almost all parties, especially those belonging to ruling TRS facing this during their present poll campaign. TRS party came to power in Telangana by promising employment to educated youth in Telangana. It was this promise inspired and made youth to work for the victory of TRS. Very little was done to create jobs either in government or private sector. Leave alone striving for that Chief Minister KCR has refused of making such promise. With this educated unemployed turned against the ruling party. Consequences of this may show up in results of Assembly polls to be held on 7th of this month. More serious fallout of this will be increasing unrest among unemployed youth may take shape which will not be in the interest of Telangana state development. Science and technology drive economic and social development. The future of our nation and individuals depends on the right utilization of science and technology. While many self-serving bureaucrats and politicians have become a liability, scientists are silently working to make us all proud. ISRO had successfully launched and tested the GSLV MkIIID2 mission carrying communication satellite GSAT-29. Its significance is, the same rocket will be used for upcoming ‘iconic’ Chandrayaan-2 launch, scheduled for January, and even the human spacecraft mission planned by 2021 end. A story in this issue brings details of this achievement. We join you in congratulating the ISRO and all involved in this historic project and its success. Saying ‘Corruption is cancer to our society,’ may sound like a cliché. But it is also an undeniable reality. A common man in our country is a helpless witness to this every day. Corrupt practices in the registration department will impact citizen’s lives immediately. During the beginning of the second half of this year, The News brought out stories of rampant corruption at Sub Registrar office. These stories published in July and September issues started giving results. We carry a follow-up story in this issue. This month there is also a positive development, we as Indians, can celebrate. Our ‘Magnificent Mary’ Kom created history by winning her sixth gold medal. With this mighty mother of three from Manipur state has emerged as ‘Most successful boxer’ in the world. There is a story depicting her achievement. Mary Kom is the first I woman to achieve that glory. With Sonia who secured a silver medal at the Women's World Championships 2018 fallowing, her, Bharat may emerge Mahan in World women boxing.
Note: Focus/Infocus features are marketing initiatives, any legal disputes comes under the jurisdiction of courts in Hyderabad
(A Rammohan Rao) THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
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Content
Assembly polls can be a game changer
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The blanket ban on the use of term 'Dalit' by media not advisable: PCI
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‘Delhi’s Eiffel Tower’ Bridge opens to the public
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Climate change caused demise of Indus 30 Valley civilization?
Engineless ‘Train 18’soon will be in the service of passengers
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THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
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'Bahubali' puts comsat GSAT-29 42 in orbit
Content
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The boxer with 58 golden punches M.C Mary Kom became the most successful boxer in the history of Women's World Championships.
Simple Principles For Making Better Life Decisions One day, when I’m a billionaire, I’m going to buy a huge plot of land on outskirts of Hyderabad and build a vast complex of corporate temples. Beautifully designed structures.
E-cars to replace govt. hired 8 vehicles in AP
Sensitive, Secure & Stringent
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THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
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STATES
‘Chowk’ for Dharnas open again F
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inally, Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad will be available for protesters again. A division bench of the High Court directed the State to accord permissions to hold the protest in the square. Holding peaceful protests is part of democracy, the court observed. The bench made it clear that any party or persons who intend to hold protests lawfully have to obtain prior permission from the authorities concerned and that the latter may impose reasonable restrictions in accordance with law and directed TS to permit assembly at Dharna Chowk. But the order would not be applicable to unlaw-
fully meets. Imposing unreasonable restrictions on such protests was against the Constitution the court has felt. It was the state’s obligation to ensure that proper precautions are taken to avert any untoward incident and the police could impose reasonable restrictions to maintain law and order, the bench added and made it clear that its order would be in force for the next six weeks. Activists across the board have welcomed the court directive, calling it a victory. “…filed a PIL three months ago and today we finally have the Dharna Chowk which has been the venue where people voiced their issues for the last 30 years opened,” said Con-
venor of the Dharna Chowk Protection Committee. For Dharana Chowk Protection Group, comprising over 150 organizations, the journey has not been an easy one. The group even took their protest for ‘the right to protest’ to the nation’s capital, staging an agitation at Jantar Mantar. Special counsel of Telangana has opposed the petitioners’ contentions urged the court not to lift the ban as there was an increase in the population near Dharna Chowk and claimed local residents would face a lot of inconveniences if the place, where several educational institutions, private hospitals and so on were located, was allowed to be used as a protest site.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
STATES
“I am the king maker Every CM has to say salam !”
C
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ontinues appeasing MIM for short gains by chief ministers in the state for last four decades is bearing its bitter fruits. Former MLA from Chandrayangutta constituency in Hyderabad, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Akbaruddin Owaisi says that whoever became the Chief Minister in the past has had to “bow” before his party while indicating that the same would continue in the future. He made sensational comments in last week of November
while campaigning in Yakutpura. Akbaruddin, who was also AIMIM’s floor leader in the Assembly declares that “It’s true that we can’t become kings. But its also true that nobody can become kings without our permission. whoever became the CM in the past has had to bow down before AIMIM. Whether it is Babu (Nara Chandrababu Naidu), Reddy, (YSR, Kiran Kumar) or KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao), they have to agree to our demands.” A few months ago, Akbaruddin Owaisi questioned what's wrong if
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he aspires for the CM Post if HD Kumaraswamy can become Karnataka CM though JD (S) managed to win less number of seats than BJP and Congress. Then, His Elder Brother & MIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi downplayed the statement saying KCR will continue as Telangana CM after elections. How would he react on the latest remarks of his Chota Bhai? While Asaduddin Owaisi campaigns for TRS in the constituencies where Muslim Population is more, Akbaruddin Owaisi waits for an opportunity to get hold of power if TRS falls short of the magic figure. TRS leadership keeping mum of this aggressive posture of minority-based party leader. TRS showed its loyalty to the AIMIM by announcing a friendly contest in AIMIM’s seven constituencies. In addition to the seven seats– Charminar, Yakutpura, Chandrayangutta, Karwan, Nampally, Bahadurpura and Malakpet, the AIMIM Chief announced his party was in contention for the Rajendranagar constituency. With a view to avoiding splitting of votes between TRS and the AIMIM, the latter fielded candidates only in the eight constituencies. Other opposition parties led by Congress, which in fact left old city of Hyderabad completely to MIM is naturally silent. One of the left parties which had miss adventure in the past by promoting an Andhra leader now keeps it’s hands off.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
8 STATES
E-cars to replace govt. hired vehicles in AP A
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ndhra Pradesh is going to set a new example in energy saving and pollution control. In coming few months Conventional fuel cars hired by government departments in the State will be replaced by electric vehicles in a phased manner. By the end of this year, 300 vehicles will be replaced in Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Vijayawada, Guntur, and Tirupati. By February, next year, 4,000 vehicles are expected to be replaced. The State government has already signed a MoU with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) for the supply of 10,000 e-vehicles, which will be sedans manufactured by Mahindra and other companies. The new-breed of the pollutionfree vehicles will be seen on the roads in the State in coming days according. According to sources AP government is keen and very
much interested to see the State emerge as a model one not only in energy conservation but also in the reduction of vehicular pollution. To encourage e-vehicles, the State government has brought in Electric Mobility Policy 2018-23, under which various sops are offered to evehicles including exemptions of road tax and registration. The procedures for exemption of registration and road tax for e-vehicles is completed AP Sets new EV policy, offers incentives: Andhra Pradesh is one of the first states in India to set a target of 10 lakh electric vehicles on roads by 2023. Toyota has already signed a MoU with Andhra Pradesh Government and is working towards the introduction of Prius PHEV and Small EV Commuter. Betting big on Electric Vehicles (EVs), during the middle of this year the Government of Andhra
Pradesh has rolled out a new action plan or a new policy that will promote the use of EVs in the state in a big way. The government has set a target investment of Rs 30,000 crore for the next five years and says this will include financial incentives to electric cars makers, battery manufacturers, companies setting up charging stations and the end user. Andhra Pradesh is also the first state to set a target of 10 lakh electric vehicles on roads by 2023. Further, the states EV policy will reimburse road and registration tax for EVs for the next five years. Electric vehicle manufacturers will get a 10% capital subsidy for the first two companies setting up manufacturing units in Andhra Pradesh. More sops including discounts on water and electricity bills will be the additional benefits to set up manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
THE NATION
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Passport Seva Kendras in all Lok Sabha constituencies soon T
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he radials traveling long distances for a passport will end soo. There will be Passport Seva Kendra offices in each Lok Sabha constituency in the country. Yes. If all goes as per the plan, it will be a reality soon as the Ministry of External Affairs is working hard to bring the passport office closer to the public. Dnyaneshwar M Mulay, secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV division), has announced the government’s plan in last week of November. There are many states in the country where people had to travel more than 1,000 km to reach the nearest passport office. For example, In Indore(Madhya Pradesh) nearly 200-300 people are visiting Bhopal for getting a passport on each working day. As per the rough estimate, annually these people spend nearly `20-30 crore for transportation and food. “It is just because of these aspects the government planned to bring PSK in each Lok Sabha constituency,” secretary, Consular, Passport, and Visa (CPV division) said. There were only 77 passport offices in the country in the year 2014. But by 2018, During the last four years, 226 passport offices were established in various parts of the country. This is a huge change. Now Ministry of External Affairs is working to establish more Passport Seva Kendras in other constituencies. Ministry announced that a passport is not like It is a document
for mobility. As part of the pilot project, they have already started the same at Mumbai and Delhi airports. This is designed in a manner to help the passenger whenever they need help. Six months back in June the Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, launched a new scheme that would make passport application a significantly smoother process for people in the further corners of the country. The government announced that an individual can apply for a passport from anywhere in India irrespective of the person's residential address. To make the process easier, the minister also launched a mobile application, mPassport Seva App, available in Android and iOS platforms that would enable citizens to not only apply but pay and schedule appointments as well. Essentially, the application can
be submitted irrespective of whether the applicant's residential address is under the jurisdiction of the selected Regional Passport Office. An applicant can now choose the Regional Passport Office and the Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra to submit the application. The police verification would be done at the address specified on the application form. Once the process is complete, the passport would be dispatched by the Regional Passport Office to the mentioned address. This citizen-centric initiative of the ministry is expected to benefit the applicants who are unable to apply near their ordinary place of residence. Moreover, with 'mPassport Seva App', a person would not require access to a computer and printer to apply for a passport.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
10 THE NATION
Engineless ‘Train 18’ soon will be in the service of passengers I
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ndia’s first locomotive-less train, 'Train 18' is will soon be available to the Passengers to travel in December. After finishing the trials in Chennai, 'Train 18' left for Delhi on November 11 and reached the capital on November 13 to final trial run along Bareilly-Moradabad section in Uttar Pradesh four days later. "After the testrun, the Train 18 was hauled by a locomotive to take it to Delhi. It can run on its own only after the Commission of Railway Safety certifies it," the official said. The fully air-conditioned train,
driven by a self-propulsion module, can run at a speed of up to 160 kmph. The train which costs Rs 100 crore was built by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai in 18 months. The swanky 16-coach train is regarded as a successor to the prestigious Shatabdi Express. The self-propelled Train 18 is fitted with CCTV cameras and has two executive compartments in the middle with 52 seats each. Trailer coaches will have 78 coaches each. It is also fitted with diffused lighting, automatic doors, and GPSbased Passenger Information System. There are automatic foot-
steps as well that emerge as the train stops at a railway station enabling passengers to board the train safely. The potential speed of the train is 160 kmph as compared to Shatabdi's 130 kmph. Once the tracks are fit to suit Train 18's speed, it would reduce travel time by 15 percent as compared to Shatabdi. The Shatabdi Express was introduced in 1988 and is presently running on over 20 routes connecting metros with other important cities. The railways downplayed reports that 'Train 18' had developed glitches, saying they were minor and such issues were a routine occurrence during the trial phase of any train. A senior official in the railways said such glitches were routine during trial-runs and the train had no major issues. "Some fuses went off while conducting the low-speed run in the city. They were fixed immediately. There was nothing to worry about," the official said.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
12 COVER STORY
TS aSSEMbly poll CaMpaIgn
SwordS ClaSh… wordS baSh! THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
COVER STORY 13
trying to take credit for Telangana's formation by pointing out that the bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh occurred under the United Progressive Alliance government, the TRS maintains that its protracted agitation for statehood had forced the center's hand.
arCh rIvalS In arMS now:
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D. BAL REDDY
ow the card of Telangana sentiment has changed the hands. The magical wand which has lifted Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) to the tower of power is now in present Assembly poll campaign is propelling Congress party lead Prajafront. While Congress has playing sentiment card TRS is mainly presenting development report. Top leaders of both main rivals parties made allegations, accused each other of cor-
ruption & anti-people policies. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, AICC president Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took on the caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in their public meetings. All of them accused him of-of ‘family rule’, failing Telangana people in all areas. TRS supremo was hitting each of them with typical sarcasm and counter-allegations. On the whole latest poll campaign was a war of words not only filled with usual allegations of corruptions but abuses. While the Congress is
For the first time, AICC president Rahul Gandhi and TDP supremo N. Chandrababu Naidu, have jointly campaigned for candidates of ‘Praja front’ which originally begun as Mahakutami. The two leaders have been bitter enemies in the past. They have joined hands for the Telangana Assembly polls, putting aside their 36-year rivalry, to take on a common foe in TRS chief KCR. Their joint campaign was kicked off with a public meeting at Kosgi in Mahabubnagar district on 28th November. Incidentally, Kosgi is a part of the Kodangal constituency, which was represented by TPCC working president A. Revanth Reddy. Latter on the same day they have addressed meeting Government degree college in Khammam and participated in road shows at Sanathnagar and Nampally in Hyderabad.TDP leaders are of the opinion that though there was some apprehension, in the beginning, the bond between Congress and TDP has been welcomed by people at a latter stage. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi attacked Telangana Chief Minister saying KCR is the only one man ran Telangana for the last five years and did whatever came to his mind for his family. "I am asking what did the TRS government do for Dalits, tribals, backward classes...what promises were ful-
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
14 COVER STORY
filled?" he questioned and predicted that the TRS rule was all set to end. The AICC president said it was to provide jobs to the unemployed youth and to address the problems of farmers that the Congress had formed an alliance with the TDP, CPI, and the TJS. "The alliance government will work for the people and not for one person. This alliance will fulfill the dreams for which you fought (for the creation of Telangana)," he said.
Congress leader and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her maiden rally in Telangana on 23rd November alleged that TRS government has done nothing for farmers or youth over the last four years. During last week of November, she has visited the sate for the first time after the formation of the Telangana state in June 2014, to kickstart congress lead Prajafront election campaign. Sonia Gandhi has recalled the problems the Con-
gress party faced due to its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. At a public meeting held at Medchal 35 KM away from Hyderabad the Congress launched a full-frontal attack on TRS chief and caretaker Chief Minister KCR one side accusing him of running a "family rule" in Telangana and projecting Sonia Gandhi as ‘Amma who delivered Telangana’. The meeting was a show of strength by the opposition alliance. The Congress intended to use its role in the creation of Telangana as a major election plank to blunt KCR's claim that a protracted agitation led by him forced the Centre's hand. The decision to field Sonia Gandhi, who has hardly addressed an election meeting in a long time, apparently stemmed from the Congress's desire to appeal to the pro-Telangana sentiments of the voters. "It (carving out Telangana) was not an easy task. It was no small decision. But former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party decided to form Telangana state," she told the rally. Comparing Telangana to a newborn baby, the Sonia said every mother wishes her children to grow up well. "But I feel sad when I see the people of Telangana (suffer) and the state of affairs here," she said, seeking to strike an emotional chord with the people of the state. While saying that The TRS government failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the state, Sonia demanded chief minister to tell what promises he made to them and what was kept. Through the meeting, Sonia appeal to people of Telangana to vote for the Congress and allied parties and ensure their victory. Extend your support for the
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
development of Telangana. On the same dais, she reaffirmed the Congress party's commitment to Special Category Status(SCS) for Andhra Pradesh.
ModI lInkS kCr wITh CongrESS
BJP is up against the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the combined forces of the Congress and Chandrababu Naidu's TDP The campaign has been high pitch -after a recent whirlwind tour by party chief Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in the state on 27th November and addressed two major public meetings first at Nizamabad and latter in the day at Mahbubnagar. He was in Telangana to campaign for the December 7 elections. Addressing huge gathering at these public
meetings the Prime Minister took on Chief Minister KCR, saying he was as much a follower of a dynastic rule as the Congress. And much like the Congress, he has failed to bring any development in the state, the Prime Minister said, accusing the two parties of playing a "friendly match" in the election. He said Telangana that it was providential that they were having early elections - that way, they would get free of their problems earlier Pointing out that KCR had been a minister in the UPA government, PM Modi said the TRS chief did his "apprenticeship" under the Congress. The TRS, he said, was a "Xerox copy" of the Congress and there is no internal democracy in both parties. Both practice minority appeasement politics. "The chief minister of Telan-
COVER STORY 15
gana and his family think they can get away with doing no work like the Congress. They have adopted the style of the Congress which ruled for 50-52 years without doing anything. But that cannot happen now," Modi told the crowd at a rally in Nizamabad, that's represented in Lok Sabha by KCR ’s daughter K Kavitha.
ThE ThundEr of TrS MEETIngS
When opposition parties in Telangana were still struggling to finalize their candidates, the ruling TRS was ahead of other parties in the election campaign. TRS supremo KCR has begun addressing major public meetings and the party candidates have toured their respective segments twice. KCR has kept the tempo in his campaign which has raised politi-
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
16 COVER STORY
cal heat in the state by launching a hectic, high-voltage election campaign. Though KCR took a short break in the electioneering during the second week of November, as the Grand Alliance did not announce its candidates he has resumed his election meetings from Nov 19. However, With the polling date nearing and Grand Alliance announcing its candidates has addressed voters in 30 Assembly segments in just six days between Nov 19 to 25. After that, according to TRS sources, KCR is likely to cover around 80 Assembly seg-
ments before concluding the poll campaign on 5th December. KCR had hit back at Modi and Sonia Gandhi with strongest words who Sonia had expressed her sadness over the alleged lack of development. He wondered what saddened her. Two days after Sonia spoke in Medchal, TRS chief strongest objection at a public meeting at Shadnagar in Mahaboognagar district. KCR know for unparallel sarcasm, questioned Sonia Gandhi: “Unlike during Congress rule, there are no farmer and weaver suicides now. Is that what saddens you? There are no power
cuts today unlike during Congress rule. Is that what saddens you? Are you sad to know that around 50,000 people are taking Rs 5 meals in Hyderabad? Are you sad that we (TRS) have provided potable water to people under Mission Bhagiratha?” He asked Sonia whether the implementation of Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bhima schemes disappointed her. Continuing his sarcastic queries, the TRS chief launched an even more mocking attack, saying: “Are you sad about not getting monthly ‘mamools’ as you did in undivided AP? Perhaps it saddened
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
that you are not getting bags full of money like in the past?”KCR alleged that It is the nature of the Congress to hoodwink people. They promised to waive crop loans in Punjab, but after coming to power, the Chief Minister (Amarinder Singh) said the State has no funds and waived only Rs 1,400 crore, so far. He said that TRS will not cheat the public as Congress do. Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks that Nizamabad was grappling with the shortage of water, electricity and proper roads, caretaker chief min-
ister of Telangana, KCR asked on sameday when PM was in the state. He has advised not to lie for the sake of votes."How can you say such a lie...You should not lie, being at the responsible post of Prime Minister, for the sake of votes," KCR said addressing an election rally in Mahabubnagar district." Mr Narendra Modi, there is no power problem in Telangana... don't lie. I am very sorry to say this. You cannot level false allegations against a chief minister. I am not afraid of anyone. I am not (Andhra
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Pradesh CM) Chandrababu Naidu," KCR said, re-iterating that there was a need for a "federal front government" at the centre. KCR seems to have also got upset with Sonia for assuring special category status to AP if Grand Alliance comes to power, and that too during an election meeting in Telangana.“Who wrote the script for you? Some useless fellows wrote the script and Sonia read out the same,” he said. The TRS chief threw a challenge at AICC president Rahul Gandhi. “Next time, you visit Telangana to address an election meeting clarify before seeking votes,” he said.“Congress may accord special status category (SCS) to AP. Or you may drown in Ganga. We care a dime. But, Rahul makes it clear whether the benefits given to AP will be extended to Telangana too or not. Prove your sincerity by spelling out your stand on Telangana. Seek Telangana votes only after clarifying this,” The TRS chief demanded. KCR did not spare the Telangana Congress and TDP leaders Like in all most all public meetings. “When the Telangana was merged with AP when Sonia delayed the formation of Telangana for 14 years and now when Sonia talked about SCS to AP in “Telangana, the State Congress leaders did not utter a single word. The Telangana Congress leaders are spineless and they are cowards,” he commented. He termed TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu as ‘mental’. “Naidu says he constructed Hyderabad. Quli Qutb Shah will commit suicide if he heard Naidu’s words. If Naidu developed Hyderabad, why he failed to construct Amaravati in the last five years,” he asked.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Thumps up to Telangana
assembly polls can be a game changer Change is imminent. Assembly polls of December 7th in Telangana are going have potential to bring major changes in the state. Whether Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) comes back to power or Parajafront lead by congress wins to form the government the politico-social scene in the state of Telangana will not be the same again. There are more than one that are going to induce this change. They are emanating from the development within TRS, Congress, TDP on onside and the socio-economic churning that has begun around three years back, which has picked up speed after announcement early elections to Assembly. THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
COVER STORY 19
W
D.BAL REDDY & A. RAMMOHAN RAO
hen TRS won the majority of assembly seats and came to power in 2014 there was hope, great feeling of achievement among general people, Government employees, businessmen, political party workers including those belonging to some opposition parties. Almost every one of those sections believed that the aspirations of Telangana people will be fulfilled by providing neelu – nidhulu-niyamakalu (water (to fields) – funds (for development) – employment (to lakhs of unemployed, mostly students). During the initial months, everybody waited with hope. But soon harsh realities started coming to open. Working towards developing employment opportunities is almost totally ignored. some software, IT-enabled service companies may have come up. Their establishment was projected by the government as a major boost jobs creation. In fact, IT companies mostly have few jobs, that too for candidates with college education. Only the manufacturing industry, especially small & medium scale industries can provide large-scale employment for candidates with all levels of education. There is hardly any major industry has come up in the state in the last four years. There is little or no serious effort on the part of the government to encourage small & medium scale industries and entrepreneurship among Telangana youth. The state could not attract any major manufacturing company. On the other hand, Chief Ministers took u-turn
on the promise he has made during the agitation and 2014 elections time, by saying “how can any government provide jobs to all?” This has lead to widespread dissatisfaction among youth and students. Slowly it has snowballed into strong resentment among them and the majority of educated youth turned against the government – ruling party. It has reached to such a level that CM could not speak at the historic function celebrating Centenary of Osmania University in OU campus, which was the
nerve center for Telangana agitations from 1969 to the latest one. Instead of developing infrastructure, investing in improving education both at school and university levels, improving Government hospitals the first Telangana government has totally shifted its priorities to Welfare programmes. It has reached to such a level that hardly any funds spent on longterm view to making poor and underprivileged to become self-reliant. At the same time, corruption in the government depart-
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
20 COVER STORY
ments has reached an unprecedented level. When they got the historical pay hike of 40 percent soon after the new government has formed the employee's unions which have announced that “we will work extra hours and strive to fulfill the aspirations of Telangana people.� But the reality is exactly otherwise. Registrations to RTA, Police to Panchyathraj nowhere in government offices People find it possible to get their work done at without giving mamul (bribe). Telangana has earned the place in the list of most corrupted states in THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
the country. Single most allegation on TRS leadership from literally all sections of the society in ‘Unparelal arrogance. Revival Doras gamand’. As a national leader from one of the left parties has aptly put “People may tolerate corruption to some extent. But not arrogance”. Unheard in the history of post-independence Telugu states, the Chief Minister is not available not only to common people but to most of the public representatives, political leaders. Secretariat is not the place leader of the state cabinet sits. Anybody who question this is
branded as anti-Telangana or Telangana Drohi. They will be chased by TRS loyalists, supporters with the active encouragement of ruling party leadership, With all these poll prospects of TRS has changed drastically. When KCR has announced the dissolution of assembly with a view to going for early elections these polls seemed a cakewalk for KCR and TRS to return to power with thumping majority. When it’s only hardly week days to for elections now ‘neck to neck’ race. Quite a few surveys sponsored by various media houses predict KCR may scrape through. The leader's ship of the ruling party may be in its heart is also praying for ‘at least this’. But when TRS makes and forms the government it’s leaders can never behave the same way it has done for the last four years. First of all, they will not have the monopoly in legislatures as they had enjoyed last time. Political observers of the opinion that, TRS cannot manage to get leaders elected from other parties into its fold as it has done as a ruling party last time. It has to manage with what it has won and work accordingly. TRS if comes to power also have to mend its ways to include and fulfill aspirations of the sections like educated unemployed – youth, the fast-growing middle class, small business people which it has neglected so far. In another scenario is Prajafront consisting of Congress, Telugu Desam(TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi(TJS) and Communist Party(CPI) winning. If go by poll predictions appeared in media it is likely that can have enough numbers to form the government. If at all the Mahakutami wins, Chandrababu Naidu considered the
COVER STORY 21
enemy of the Reddys in AP, may play a major role in deciding who will be the Chief Minister of Telangana. The party which will lead the government, Congress not only have to satisfy various groups within the party but balance coelution partners. TDP will naturally be guided by its supremo and will work accordingly. With this Government formed by Prajakutami will have a tightrope walk. Has to take the utmost care not to antagonize any section but work to fulfill their aspirations at least to some extent. As Loksabha elections due next years Both TRS and constituents of Prajakutami – Congress, TDP cannot afford not to respond needs and demands of various sections in the state. In other words, any party that forms the government in Telangana after December elections has to be different and responsive. Had learned a lesson or two from glaring mistakes of previous government.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
22 POLITICS
nCb - Stalin call parties to unite against ‘anti-people bJp’ J
THE NEWS BUREAU
oining hands against the BJP is crucial to save the nation and democracy, said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and DMK president MK Stalin. They had met at Stalin’s residence during the 2nd week of November. “If there is no democracy, there can be no political parties,” Naidu said while stressing that the defeat of BJP is important to save
democracy and various independent institutions of the country like RBI, judiciary and CBI. Naidu has been touring the country recently and meeting leaders of various regional and national parties to form a rainbow alliance against the BJP as only a few months are left for the Lok Sabha polls. After the meeting, Stalin also criticized the BJP-led union government. “The anti-people, anti-democratic BJP-led union
government should be unseated. I extend my whole-hearted support (for Naidu’s efforts in forging an anti-BJP alliance) on behalf of DMK,” he said. Stalin said it has been decided to have a meeting of all the like-minded parties from across the country and it may be held either in New Delhi or some other city. “I have already made a request to all (non-BJP) Chief Ministers and leaders in the country to work together to unseat
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
POLITICS 23
the BJP, which is keen on snatching away the autonomy of the State governments,� Stalin said. Naidu also expressed concern over the autonomy of the State governments. When queried about who would lead the alliance, Naidu said there were many capable leaders and pointed out that many of the regional parties are strong in their regions. DMK leaders Durai Murugan, TR Baalu, A Raja and M Kanimozhi were present. Asked by reporters if he was the face of the alliance, Naidu said "No, I am not the face of this alliance. You have to understand that. I am very clear I am not an aspirant, I am only a facilitator... I will bring everybody together. we will decide and take things forward."
He said the question of who would lead the alliance would be taken up later. Naidu, after visiting DMK president MK Stalin as part of his efforts to cobble up a front against the saffron party, lauded the Dravidian party leader as being better than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While Rahul Gandhi led Congress has a pan Indian presence, Naidu described regional leaders, including himself, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Stalin, and Deve Gowda as strong leaders in their respective states, who are coming together against the BJP. After a 50-minute meeting with the DMK chief, Naidu said he had come to request Stalin to join him to "save this nation since
democracy and the nation are in danger and all of us have to work together against the BJP".Stalin said he pledged DMK'S full support to Naidu's effort to rally all parties to dislodge the BJP government at the Centre, which has been "intimidating" even autonomous institutions like the RBI. Stalin said he assured Naidu that he would participate in a proposed consultative meeting of leaders at Delhi or any other suitable place to take forward the initiative. "Things like the Common Minimum Programme will be devised for sure," the DMK top leader said to a question. Stalin said he has all along been batting for the unity of state leaders and Opposition parties to halt the 'snatching away' of the rights of states by the Centre. Downplaying the possibility of differences among parties repeatedly Days ago, when Naidu visited Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Stalin had welcomed it saying it was the need of the hour for all non-BJP parties to come together on a common platform. He also had pledged DMK's support to the initiative of Rahul Gandhi and Naidu to defeat the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Before meeting Stalin, Naidu had met former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, AICC president Rahul Gandhi and had formed a mega alliance. The DMK chief also had months ago endorsed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's efforts to bring various parties together to oppose and defeat the BJP. Earlier in April, when Telangana CM KC Chandrashekar Rao was said to be seeking a meeting with Stalin, in his efforts to stitch a non-BJP & non-Congress alliance, he did not get much support from DMK.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
24 POLITICS
O
Are Kamal & Rajni serious about the political pitch?
THE NEWS BUREAU:
ne of the answers the coming bypolls to 20 Assembly constituencies may provide is whether actors Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth are serious about their political plunge and the number of votes they command. While Rajinikanth is yet to even launch a party and had said he would contest "the next Assembly polls" it is not clear if the actor would have a change of mind since the bypolls for the 20 seats would
be considered as a "mini-assembly poll". On the other hand, Kamal Haasan recently said his party would contest the bypolls. For these two players, the bypolls may be a chance to really test whether their popular image really transforms into votes and also their ability to carry forward an electoral campaign. Political analysts say that Kamal Haasan’s confidence would be from the fact that it would take at least six months for the Election Commission to conduct the bypolls
and it may be held only with the Lok Sabha polls. They are of the opinion that, whether Kamal wins or not, he will be a crowd puller during the campaign. Perhaps, he wants to know the original strength by contesting the bypoll. Meanwhile, DMDK, which was founded by actor Vijayakanth, has also made it clear the party will contest the bypolls and a functionary of the party said their motive was to prove that they are still the third largest party in the State.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
POLITICS 25
why vishweshwar reddy left TrS? I
D.BAL REDDY & A.RAMMOHAN RAO
s Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, the MP from Chevella constituency resignation part of a bigger game plan of Congress? Is there more to it than what he has said while announcing resignation? Timing and his swift action after officially leaving the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) rise these questions. And political observers also see his moves indicate in that direction. Though there is no official from TRS leadership others in the ruling party agree that Konda’s exit has given a big jolt to TRS. From third week of October itself, there has been a talk in political circles that Konda would leave the party and he is engaged in consultations with aids of Congress party's top leaders. Despite of this TRS leader, KT Rama Rao recently held discussions with him after which the Konda has issued a statement saying that he would not leave the party. But that could not last long. Finally, on 20th November, he has announced resignation from the TRS primary membership. In a three-page letter to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, Konda has announced that he was also quitting his Lok Sabha membership. Though Reddy cited five reasons for leaving the party, the actual reason, according to sources, was that one side the TRS leadership told him that he must make way for a winnable candidate as his popularity was on the wane in Chevella Lok Sabha segment. Not
only informing Konda about TRS started alternate arrangements by planning to field the ZP chairperson of Rangareddi and wife of Transport Minister P Mahender Reddy’s wife Sunitha from Chevella Lok Sabha seat next time. On the other side, Reddy com-
K.V. Ranga Reddy
munity in Telangana which in undivided Andhra Pradesh was always enjoyed power directly or through their trustworthy leaders in power is feeling alienated after formation of Telangana. The strong lobby of the community is seriously working behind the screen in almost all political parties, organizations working in public in the state to reemerge as the power to reckon with. Among other, it’s Congress, the only party where they feel secure and situation under their control. Recent migration of leaders from other parties into Congress clearly indicates the trust of the Reddy community. In this background according to sources in TPCC, after KTR’s meeting with Konda that lobby has immediately jumped into action to wean him into their fold. It also suited entre-
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
26 POLITICS
preneur turned politician, Konda. An engineer-turned-entrepreneur, Konda is one of the richest politicians in the state and as per his affidavit filed in 2014, he owned movable assets worth Rs 171,72,69,324 and his immovable assets worth Rs 37,66,97,400. However, the total figure in his affidavit including his spouse and three dependents that he had declared, were Rs 478,90,70,310 and Rs 49,15,34,900 bringing his total net assets Rs 528,06,05,210. Konda Vishweshwar Reddy hales from well-known congress family. He is a grandson of late Konda Venkata(KV) Ranga Reddy, veteran congress leader of post-independence. He was a Minister of Revenue in 1959 in Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy's government. He became Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1961. He participated in the Telangana Movement and is known for his forthright speech at Siddiambar Bazar which ended with his words “Ghulam Ki Zindagi Se, Mauth Acchi”. The district of Ranga Reddy, formerly known as Hyderabad Rural was renamed after this stalwart Congressman of Telangana. Though family is known for historic loyalty to the Congress,
like his grandfather Konda is also a staunch supporter of separate Telangana state and actively participated in latest agitation for Telangana statehood. “A separate Telangana was the aspiration of the people and a noble cause, as the people felt that the injustice meted out to them in the combined state of Andhra Pradesh would end...You(KCR) had asked me to join the TRS party in 2013. Acknowledging your leadership role in the history of the struggle, I did join the party. KT Rama Rao visited me many times and showed me the vision of a people-centric, ideology-based party...and hence, I joined with hope and enthusiasm,” Konda said in his open letter to TRS supremo. But "The party has inducted people who were against Telangana. They were taken into the cabinet and given them more power and prominence. I feel people who were fighting for Telangana and share a common ideology, including me, are no longer needed in the party." Konda was particularly unhappy over the importance being given to Mahender Reddy’s family by the TRS leadership. Mahender Reddy is contesting from Tandur and his brother Narender Reddy
from Kodangal on TRS tickets. But for the record, He has stated in the resignation letter that “I am powerless within the party and because of the tenets of good behavior for a party member, I could not speak out or take action. Furthermore, my multiple attempts to resolve the issues or at least come to terms with them failed.’’. Konda was justifying his decision of leaving the party four years after getting elected, said that he had been fighting to stay within the party, but in all likelihood, TRS was on the way to becoming more undemocratic. The very next day after coming out of TRS, Konda met Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi. After his meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Konda announced that he would be joining the Congress officially on November 23 during Sonia and Rahul Gandhi's visit to the state. And promply joined in Congress. The speculation is that Konda Vishweshwar Reddy will be the Congress candidate in upcoming Lok Sabha election. Naturally Congress is very happy of his coming out of TRS and it is evident in the party’s leaders at national level. Addressing the media, RC Kuntia, Telangana Congress affairs in-charge said that Rahul Gandhi was happy to welcome Konda into the Congress given his track record as an MP. The party was also proud of Konda family's historic loyalty to the Congress. At same time. Kuntia dropped hints that more sitting MPs and MLAs are likely to leave the TRS and join Congress party ahead of the elections. He said, "Konda coming back into the fold is just the beginning, not the end. More legislators and MPs will join the Congress."
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
THE NATION 27
kids in conflict with law should get tuition: nCpCr T
THE NEWS BUREAU:
utorials should be arranged for children living in observation homes so that they can return to mainstream education, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR), under the Union Women and Child Development Ministry, has recommended. Observing that education has not been a “priority” at these homes, the apex child rights body has suggested that teachers be deputed to these homes to help the children with their education. It has also recommended that observation homes start intervention on education soon after the child, who is in conflict with the law, is referred to a home. In a report on 'Availability of Quality Education and Vocational Training
in Observation Homes in India', the NCPCR recommended that tutorials be provided to rehabilitated children to regular schooling. The study was carried out based on an analysis of 50 observation homes, where around 2,691 children are lodged. “It is imperative to ensure that these children do not drop out from the school for the reason that they came to an observation home. It is highly recommended to depute teachers at observation homes under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan,” the report said. “A whopping majority of 42 homes did not have a separate budget or funds earmarked for education of children living in these homes. The majority of homes are being run by the government,
except four homes managed by NGOs,” the report said. "It seems there is no dedicated budget provision in government homes, which infers that education has not been a priority in the scheme of activities with the children in conflict with the law,” it said. The Juvenile Justice Act mandates that children found in conflict with the law be sent to a special home that provides reformative services like education, skill development, counseling, behavior modification therapy, and psychiatric support during their stay. The initiative has been undertaken to see in detail if education and vocational training are being provided to children living in these homes, an NCPCR member said. Justice for juveniles
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
28 THE NATION
The blanket ban on the use of term 'Dalit' by media not advisable: PCI T
THE NEWS BUREAU:
he Press Council of India has decided against issuing a directive to the media prohibiting the use of the word "Dalit", saying a blanket ban was neither advisable nor feasible. In August, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had issued an advisory to all private satellite TV channels, urging them to refrain from using the nomenclature 'Dalit' for people belonging to Scheduled Castes in compliance with a Bombay High Court directive. The Press Council of India (PCI), in its decision, that was made earlier but ratified during a meeting in 3rd of November, said it had an
in-depth deliberation on the order of the Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench. The Council) opined that it is advisable not to issue direction/orders prohibiting the use of the word 'Dalit' in all circumstances. PCI chairperson C K Prasad, while replying to a question on the issue of the use of the term 'Dalit' during a media interaction, noted that the Bombay High Court directed the I&B ministry to consider issuing such a directive. "The order of the Bombay High Court was forwarded to us. The Council discussed that and has taken a decision that to prohibit the use of the word 'Dalit' in all circumstances will not be advisable. Maybe in a
given case, the use of the term 'Dalit' may be necessary felt PCI. Therefore it has said absolute prohibition is not feasible, it is not advisable. The court directive in June had come on a petition filed before the Nagpur bench of the high court. � We cannot have general guidelines that in no circumstances, the expression 'Dalit' can be used," PCI president added. In its advisory, the I&B advisory also cited a Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment circular of March 15, advising the central and state governments to use the term 'Scheduled Caste'. The use of the term 'Dalit' has to be judged on a case by case basis, Prasad said.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
THE NATION 29
Mobile phone malware:
Indians are at high risk THE NEWS BUREAU:
A quarter of the total worldwide mobile threats being reported between July and September 2018. A recent survey found India among the top ten countries to be most affected by it. The survey, which is a part of a series of reports done by Kaspersky on the digital threat in the third quarter of the year, ranked India 6th when it came to be the most affected by mobile malware. Bangladesh took the top rank with 35.91 percent of the total mobile attacks followed by Nigeria and Iran. Fifty-five percent of the total malware detected was Dangerous Object. Multi.Generic. This top-level computer virus is distributed via hacked websites embedded with dangerous codes, links on
porn websites, fake e-mail attachments, free download sources and so on. India’s high ranking can be explained by the availability of cheap mobile Internet coupled with a lack of awareness about digital safety. Another reason why the country is one of the victims is that a lot of intellectual property rights are generated here and criminals may try to steal them. The report also tabulated Telnet attacks separately where it ranked the country at the seventh to be most affected by it. Telnet is a text-based network protocol that is used for accessing computers over the Internet. An attack on it may allow the attacker to gain access to computers. Kaspersky, which blocked 950M attacks in three months, also found that India was among the top
Top six congeries by share of users attacked by mobile malware
Country Bangladesh Nigeria Iran Tanzania China India
Percentage 35.91% 28.54% 28.07% 28.03% 25.61%
affected by cryptors. Cryptors are a type of software that makes it harder to be detected by security programs. In September, we observed a huge rise in infections, correlating with people returning from vacations revealed the report adding that Asian countries took most of the top ranks.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
30 THE NATION
Climate change caused demise of Indus Valley civilization? A
THE NEWS BUREAU:
shift in temperatures and weather patterns over the Indus valley starting about 2500 BC may have driven the Harappans to resettle far
away from the floodplains of the Indus, a study has found. More than 4,000 years ago, the Harappa culture thrived in the Indus River Valley of what is now modern Pakistan and northwestern
India, said researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in the US. The Harappans built sophisticated cities, invented sewage systems that predated ancient
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Rome's, and engaged in long-distance trade with settlements in Mesopotamia, they said.Yet by 1800 BC, this advanced culture had abandoned their cities, moving instead to smaller villages in the Himalayan foothills. Beginning in roughly 2500 BC, a shift in temperatures and weather patterns over the Indus valley caused summer monsoon rains to gradually dry up, making agriculture difficult or impossible near Harappan cities, said Liviu Giosan, a geologist at WHOI."Although fickle summer monsoons made agriculture difficult along the Indus, up in the foothills, moisture
THE NATION 31
and rain would come more regularly," said Giosan, lead author of the study published in the journal Climate of the Past. "As winter storms from the Mediterranean hit the Himalayas, they created rain on the Pakistan side, and fed little streams there," said Glosan."Compared to the floods from monsoons that the Harappans were used to seeing in the Indus, it would have been relatively little water, but at least it would have been reliable," he said. Evidence for this shift in seasonal rainfall -- and the Harapans' switch from relying on Indus floods to rains near the Himalaya in order to water crops is difficult to find in soil samples.Giosan and his team focused on sediments from the ocean floor off Pakistan's coast.After taking core samples at several sites in the Arabian Sea, he and his group examined the shells of single-celled plankton called foraminifera (or "forams") that they found in the sediments, helping them understand which ones thrived in the summer, and which in winter. Once he and the team identified the season based on the forams'
fossil remains, they were able to then focus on deeper clues to the region's climate: paleo-DNA, fragments of ancient genetic material preserved in the sediments. Based on evidence from the DNA, the researchers found that winter monsoons seemed to become stronger -- and summer monsoons weaker -- towards the later years of the Harappan civilisation, corresponding with the move from cities to villages. "We don't know whether Harappan caravans moved toward the foothills in a matter of months or this massive migration took place over centuries. What we do know is that when it concluded, their urban way of life ended," Giosan said. The rains in the foothills seem to have been enough to hold the rural Harappans over for the next millennium, but even those would eventually dry up, likely contributing to their ultimate demise."We can't say that they disappeared entirely due to climate. At the same time, the Indo-Aryan culture was arriving in the region with Iron Age tools and horses and carts. But it's very likely that the winter monsoon played a role," Giosan said.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
32 THE NATION
‘delhi’s Eiffe
bridge opens to
D
THE NEWS BUREAU:
elhi’s iconic Signature Bridge is now open for public use. After a delay of eight years, Delhi’s much-awaited Bridge was finally was inaugurated during the first week of November. The 675-meter Signature Bridge, which will be opened to the public, is an eightlane carriageway that will reduce the travel time between north and northeast Delhi and share the
burden of the Wazirabad Bridge. It will also connect the Outer Ring Road on the western bank of the Yamuna river with Wazirabad Road on the eastern side. The bridge boasts of 127 strands of back-stay cables, spherical bearings of 17,300-tonne vertical capacity, pendulum bearing to resist uplift of 6,300 tonnes, and transportation and handling of 460tonne pylon base segment and is being projected as India’s first
asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge, with the gesture ‘namaste’. A Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) project, the bridge was constructed by the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) at an expenditure of 1,518.37 crore. The new landmark is double the height of Qutub Minar. Announced in 2004, this was built over the river Yamuna. From the top of the bridge, people will be able to enjoy a panoramic
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
THE NATION 33
el Tower’
o the public
view of the city, like people from the Eiffel Tower (in Paris). Visitors will be taken to the top of the bridge in four elevators with a total capacity of 50 people, The bridge is being projected as India’s first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge, with the gesture ‘namaste’. In the second phase of its development, the bridge will be developed into a tourist spot. Graphics on the bridge symbolize a modern and progressive India.
The bridge will have a 154-meterhigh glass viewing box, which is double the height of Qutub Minar. The 575-meter bridge will also have selfie spots. Four elevators will take a total of 50 people to the top of the bridge. It will have designated spots for selfie-lovers. The elevators are likely to be operational in two months. With a 250 mm thick steel plate fabrication, the bridge is one of the most contemporary landmarks in
the country. The Signature Bridge is an eight-lane carriageway connecting Outer Ring Road and Wazirabad Road which reduces travel time for those going towards Ghaziabad side by more than 30 minutes. The iconic bridge will provide a huge boost to the economy of the area as it will draw tourists from across NCR, India and even abroad. It would definitely have an impact on the sociocultural fabric of the area.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
34 Education
Expired dated chocolates distributed
Children’s health safety compromised at dpS(nacharam) H
THE NEWS BUREAU:
igh names. Stylish staff. Skyrocketing fee structure. A lot of buildups. Networking with influential people. Thes are identifications of Corporate schools in Hyderabad and some of the major towns in the state. Their ‘Sophestication’ ends at showcasing themselves. But concern for students, their safety is the last thing most of these ‘Public’ schools bothered abaout. The irresponsible management of Delhi Public School(DPS) Nacharam has proven the nature of this recently. So negligent and sloppy were DPS(Nacharam) man-
agement that they threw the hundreds innocent children health in danger zone by distributing chocolates manufactured in 2014 and with an expiry date of 2016. The staff and management so deeply in slumber that they could not even realize how incautious until some of the alert parents have complained. Even then they just made the complaint to police washed hands conveniently covering up their carelessness. This chilling incident happened on Children’s day celebrations at DPS(Nacharam) on 14th November. All this has begun on the night before children's day celebrations. The Principal of DPS(Nacharam),
S.Sunitha Rao has ordered ten thousand packets of Chocolates from Singhania Foods International. This company owned by Ankit Agrawal is located in Jalpally village in Saroornagar Mandal. The company has supplied the same as per order on same day night with bill dated 13th Nov.2018( bearing invoice No: SFI/TS/02411). But those packets have manufacturing and expiry dates clearly mentioned on them, depicting as 12/2014 as manufacturing date and 11/2016 as expiry date. No one at DPS(Nacharam) bothered to do the customary check of the basic details chocolates meant for distributing unsuspected
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Education 35 innocent children. They have simply given those expired date chocolates to students on children’s day. “After school hours on children’s day we started received a lot of complaints about chocolates distributed were four years old and they have expired two years back.” said the principal of DPS (Nacharam) in the formal complaint made at the FIR at Nacharam police station in Rachakonda police commissionerate. “We have registered the case and investigating it.” Says Sub-inspector of police(PS Nacharam) The management has begun firefighting measures the same day. Without expressing regrets for they have simply started sending SMS saying: “It’s the matter of grave concern…. The matter is seriously investigated.”. They also tried to hush up that all the packets are old and expired by telling parents “…Some of the chocolate packets distributed.. had backdated.” They tried to pacify the parents by informing that the chocolate samples were sent to analysis and no risky contents found. But it is for decoration that date of expiry is not marked for decoration and fun. Chocolates are filled with high calory contents which are a highly attractive medium for bacteria and other harmful microbes. Some of the parents and nutritionist express doubt about this argument. Because expired date chocolates may not show harmful effects immediately and take time for multiple in delicate bodies of children. They are also questioning “Will the management and staff of DPS(Nacharam) give their children chocolates or another foodstuff same way without checkup and neglect their safety ?”
after school hours on children’s day we started received a lot of complaints about chocolates distributed were four years old and they have expired two years back
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
36 SHETEAMs
P
Sensitive, Secure & Stringent
BY: B.NIRUPAMA
olicing can be friendly and sensitive to the security needs of people. Unfortunately, the majority in police force from top to bottom is still with colonial mindset. Common people wary of them and have little faith in them. But there will be exceptions for anything. Surprises are always in store in life. SHE TEAMs and BHAROSA those pleasant, innovate, assuring initiatives Telangana police have THE POWER and ARMOUR of women, a blessing in disguise, they both work for women empowerment by SHE TEAM with a guiding principle: For you with you always! BHAROSA a supporting center for women and children.
This proactive step of the Hyderabad city police will provide rescue and referral services to the women affected by violence in private and public spaces, with the family community and at the workplace. In phrase SHE TEAMs - SHE stands for Safety Health and Environment. The division was started four years back on October 24th, 2014. This was conceptualized by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who was inspired by a similar initiative in Singapore. SHE TEAM was inaugurated by Hon'ble DGP Mahender Reddy, Swathi Lakra the than Additional Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad. She is heading the division since inception. SHE teams are a division of Telangana Police for Enhancing safety and se-
curity of women. The team works in small groups to spot and arrest eve teasers, stalkers, and harassers. The team operates mainly in busy public areas. It comprises an Assistant Sub-inspector, who acts as a lead with four or five male or female constables in civil dress. In each zone, they all work under a women police officer of Assistant DCP rank. Same is with regards to the cases related to harassment of women in all the districts of Telangana and zones of Hyderabad. In Hyderabad, there are 100 teams in operation. The division is working in Adilabad and Nizamabad and will expand to other districts of Telangana State. The Millennium Development Goals
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
(MDGs) of the United Nations in 2000 committed to helping achieve the eight MDGs also highlights to promote gender equality and Empower women. The effectiveness of SHE TEAM is evident and encouraging. The cases related to the harassment of women under Rachakonda Commissionerate had come down by 85%. She shuttlers Margadarshak connecting sessions are providing to be effective in curbing the crime rate. The Team deals with offenders booked under petty cases like sec 290 IPC and sec 70(c) of the Hyderabad city Police Act, repeated offenders are likely to booked under 509IPC (modesty of women, 354 IPC outraging modesty, 376 IPC rape. BHAROSA– support center for women and children an initiative of Hyderabad city headed by Additional Commissioner of police SIT (Crimes, Law & Order) - Hyderabad City. BHAROSA an initiation supported by Department of
women and child welfare, NGO s, registered Nonprofit society under Societies Registration Act and corporate houses for shelter and Rehabilitation with various other activities are working since its inception. The common goal of them is to work towards a balanced society where equality between men and women established. by resolving conflicts in families and society at large. This can help to create a safe city for women and work on holistic convergence approach where a victim distress get all the help and support at one place 24/7 helpline run by police department direct to Bharosa center. Each case will be received and directed to the concern service expert, interact with victim empathetically at the support center. Different stakeholders, assist the victim to regain a secure of well being and ensure coordination of services with the Govt and others associated with BHAROSA. The aim of SHE TEAM and
SHETEAMs 37
BHAROSA to curb eve-teasing and harassment of women also genderbased inequality and violence. These words seem like a cliche. But it demands uncompromising, consistent efforts to achieve them. The these dedicated police officers and staff of Telangana by making substantial progress are showing that: It is not impossible. If we have will to work. Thereby these police officers and other personel are directly attacking the very hurdles women are facing by giving support and easy accessiblity to law protectors. With this a woman can handle problems of harassment, discrimination with the cooperation of police and can make herself confident. Many women, especially working and students are expressing their gratitude to SHE Team in enriching the dignity of women for rendering unique, remarkable services.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
(Author is Research Scholar Osmania University (AIHC&A)
38 Fact File
an innovative approach to the investigation
D
rachakonda police traced a teen hiding away from family
P. VISHNUVARDHAN REDDY
edicated and proactive action by a police team in Rachakonda commissionerate has correctly traced a teenager missing for seven years and reunited him now a grownup man with his family. This heart touching story was scripted by the strenuous work and innovative approach of Malkajigiri police and Cybercrime division in Rachakonda commissionerate. In handling this case the team has not only followed traditional investigative methods but used social media platforms. That combined apporch has given exceptional results and set an example. According to Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat, on 31st January 2011a missing complaint was filed in Malkajgiri police station. According to that report, a teenager Sujeeth Kumar Jha (15 ) was living with his sister and brotherin-law, Ajith Kumar Jha at their house in Moula-Ali, M.alkajgiri. On the day of the complaint, the boy went out of the house without informing sister or brother-in-law and did not return. This family is natives of Bihar state. Sujeeth Kumar joined his sister and brother-in-law for studies in Hyderabad. He was a student of 9th class at RTC colony in MoulaAli. Sujeeth’s brother-inlaw filed a missing complaint at Malkajigiri police station. Based on the infor-
mation received Malkajigiri SHO registered a missing case and took up the investigation. During the course of the investigation, Malkajigiri police examined all the details and collected the photographs of missing teenager. Prepared and sent out lookout notices to station house officers all police stations in Hyderabad and Cyberabad commissionerates. Apart from deputing a police constable to search enquire at Secunderabad railway station and Jubilee bus station. After putting due efforts, the police were not able to trace him. After seven years Sujeeth’s brother-in-law recently accidentally came across the missing teenager on Facebook. Immediately he has sent a friend request. But, the Sujeeth not only ignored the request but changed his name on the Facebook profile.
Sensing the presence of Suteeth Kumar on Facebook his brother-inlaw intimated it to the Malkajgiri police about it... Based on the information the investigating officer and complainant approached Rachakonda cybercrime police for technical assistance in tracking and tracing the missing teenager. On their request, cybercrime sleuths with their strenuous efforts investigated and successfully traced Sujeeth Kumar.Jha in Mumbai. A team led by D, Jalender Reddy, Inspector of Police along with two constables reached Mumbai and picked up Sujeeth, who turned 23-year-old now. In Mumbai, he was working under a catering contractor. The excitement and happiness of Sujeeth Kumar Jha and his relatives knew no bounds. The young man was handed over to Malkajgiri police for further investigation.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Science & Tech. 39
Gene-edited food is coming‌
Are they safe?
T
THE NEWS BUREAU
he next generation of biotech food is headed for the groceries. By early next year, the first foods from plants or animals that had their DNA "edited" are expected to begin selling. First up maybe salad dressings or granola bars made with soybean oil genetically tweaked to be good for your heart. It's a different technology than today's controversial "genetically modified" foods, more like faster breeding that promises to boost nutrition, spur crop growth, and make farm animals hardier and fruits and vegetables last longer. The U.S. National Academy of
Sciences has declared gene editing one of the breakthroughs needed to improve food production so the world can feed billions of more people amid a changing climate. Yet governments are wrestling with how to regulate this powerful new tool. And after years of confusion, will shoppers accept gene-edited foods or view them as GMOs in disguise? "If the consumer sees the benefit, I think they'll embrace the products and worry less about the technology," said Dan Voytas, a University of Minnesota professor and chief science officer for Calyxt Inc., which edited soybeans to
make the oil heart-healthy. Researchers are pursuing more ambitious changes: Wheat with triple the usual fiber, or that's low in gluten. Mushrooms that don't brown, and better-producing tomatoes. Drought-tolerant corn, and rice that no longer absorbs soil pollution as it grows. Dairy cows that don't need to undergo painful dehorning, and pigs immune to a dangerous virus that can sweep through herds. Scientists even hope gene editing eventually could save species from being wiped out by devastating diseases like citrus greening, a so far unstoppable infection that's destroying Florida's
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
40 Science & Tech.
famed oranges. First, they must find genes that could make a new generation of trees immune. "If we can go in and edit the gene, change the DNA sequence ever so slightly by one or two letters, potentially we'd have a way to defeat this disease," said Fred Gmitter, a geneticist at the University of Florida Citrus Research and Education Center, as he examined diseased trees in a grove near Fort Meade.
whaT’S ThE dIffErEnCE?
Farmers have long genetically manipulated crops and animals by selectively breeding to get offspring with certain traits. It's timeconsuming and can bring trade-offs. Modern tomatoes, for example, are larger than their peasized wild ancestor, but the generations of cross-breeding made them more fragile and altered their nutrients. GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are plants or animals that were mixed with another species' DNA to introduce a specific trait — meaning they're "transgenic." Best knowns are corn and soybeans mixed with bacterial genes for built-in resistance to pests or weed killers. Despite the international scientific consensus that GMOs are safe to eat, some people remain wary and there is a concern they could spur herbicide-resistant weeds. Now gene-editing tools, with names like CRISPR and TALENs, promise to alter foods more precisely, and at less cost, without necessarily adding foreign DNA. Instead, they act as molecular scissors to alter the letters of an organism's own genetic alphabet. The technology can insert new DNA. But according to University
of Missouri professor Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes most, products in development so far switch off a gene. Those new Calyxt soybeans? Voytas' team inactivated two genes so the beans produce oil with no heart-damaging trans fat and that shares the famed health profile of olive oil without its distinct taste. The hornless calves? Most dairy Holsteins grow horns that are removed for the safety of farmers and other cows. Recombinetics Inc. swapped part of the gene that makes dairy cows grow horns with the DNA instructions from naturally hornless Angus beef cattle. "Precision breeding," is how animal geneticist Alison Van Eenennaam of the University of California, Davis, explains it. "This isn't going to replace traditional breeding," but make it easier to add one more trait.
arE ThESE foodS SafE?
The biggest concern is what is called off-target edits, unintended changes to DNA that could affect a crop's nutritional value or an animal's health, said Jennifer
Kuzma of the Genetic Engineering and Society Center at North Carolina State University. Scientists are looking for any signs of problems. Take the hornless calves munching in a UC-Davis field. One is female and once it begins producing milk, Van Eenennaam will test how similar that milk's fat and protein composition is to milk from unaltered cows. "We're kind of being overly cautious," she said, noting that if eating beef from naturally hornless Angus cattle is fine, milk from edited Holsteins should be, too. But to Kuzma, companies will have to be up-front about how these new foods were made and the evidence that they're healthy. She wants regulators to decide case-bycase which changes are no big deal, and which might need more scrutiny."Most gene-edited plants and animals are probably going to be just fine to eat. But you're only going to do yourself a disservice in the long run if you hide behind the terminology," Kuzma said.
Can ThIS SuSTaIn?
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Gene-editing can't do every-
thing, cautioned Calyxt's Voytas. There are limitations to how much foods could be changed. Sure, scientists made wheat containing less gluten, but it's unlikely to ever be totally gluten-free for people who can't digest that protein, for example — or to make, say, allergy-free peanuts. Nor is it clear how easily companies will be able to edit different kinds of food, the key to their profit. Despite her concerns about adequate regulation, Kuzma expects about 20 geneedited crops to hit the U.S. market over five years and she notes that scientists also are exploring changes to crops, like cassava, that are important in the poorest countries."We think it's going to really revolutionize the industry," she said.
rulES yET To bE fraMEd
Food and Drug Administration
in 2017 proposed tighter, drug-like restrictions on gene-edited animals. It promises guidance sometime next year on exactly how it will proceed. But agriculture Department says extra rules aren't needed for "plants that could otherwise have been developed through traditional breeding," clearing the way for the development of about two dozen gene-edited crops so far. Because of trade, international regulations are "the most important factor in whether genome editing technologies are commercialized," USDA's Paul Spencer told a meeting of agriculture economists. Europe's highest court ruled last summer that existing European curbs on the sale of transgenic GMOs should apply to gene-edited foods, too. Uncertainty about regulatory and consumer reaction is creating some strange bedfellows. An in-
Science & Tech. 41
dustry-backed group of food makers and farmers asked university researchers and consumer advocates to help craft guidelines for "responsible use" of gene editing in the food supply. "Clearly this coalition is in existence because of some of the battle scars from the GMO debates, there's no question about that," said Greg Jaffe of the food-safety watchdog Center for Science in the Public Interest, who agreed to join the Center for Food Integrity's guidelines group. "There's clearly going to be questions raised about this technology." But at the World Trade Organization this month, the U.S. joined 12 nations including Australia, Canada, Argentina and Brazil in urging other countries to adopt internationally consistent, sciencebased rules for gene-edited agriculture.
fake ‘IISc prof’ played cancer card to cheat women
A
THE NEWS BUREAU:
23-year old man was arrested by police at Hyderabad for allegedly posing as an Indian Institute of Science (IISc) professor and cheating several women after promising to marry them. N Jeevan Kumar, a native of Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh allegedly cheated the women of a total of Rs 20 lakh which he had collected from them claiming the money was required for the treatment of his mother suffering from cancer, police said. According to police, Kumar created fake profiles in matrimo-
nial sites, by using photos of other persons and introduced himself as a professor with a Ph.D. and sent messages to several working women saying he liked their profiles and asked them to go through his profile. As part of the modus operandi,
Kumar used to provide different mobile numbers to the women who contacted him and give his consent for marriage. Later, he would request the women to furnish their credit card details facilitating him to use it for treatment of his ailing mother, police said. After using their cards, Kumar blocked their profiles and stopped responding to them, police said adding they acted on a complaint by a Secunderabad-based woman, who was allegedly cheated of Rs 2.4 lakh. Police also said Kumar cheated several other women on different matrimonial sites to the tune of Rs 20 lakh.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
42
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Science & Tech. 43
'Bahubali' puts comsat
GSAT-29 I
in orbit
THE NEWS BUREAU:
ndia’s space programme took a giant leap with the successful launch of GSLV MkIII-D2 mission carrying communication satellite GSAT-29. With the success of this flight, the developmental phase of the GSLV MkIII vehicle programme has been completed and the vehicle’s operational phase will begin. Its significance is, the same rocket will be used for upcoming ‘iconic’ Chandrayaan-2 launch, scheduled for January, and even the human spacecraft mission planned by 2021 end. Standing 43.5 meter tall with a lift-off mass of 641 tons, India’s heaviest rocket lifted-off from Second Launch Pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota (in Andhra Pradesh) at 5.08 pm roaring into clear blue skies. About 17 minutes later, the vehicle-injected the satellite into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) as planned. After injection, ISRO’s Master Control Facility at
Hassan assumed control of the satellite. In the coming days, three orbit raising maneuvers will be executed to position the satellite in the Geostationary Orbit at its designated location. Though India Meteorological Department in its afternoon bulletin, just hours before the launch, said squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph was likely to commence along south Andhra Pradesh coast from Wednesday evening, weather remained calm and pleasant making it perfect for the launch of ‘fat boy’ or ‘Bahubali’ as GSLV MkIII is being referred. After the successful launch, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said: “India has achieved the significant milestone with our heaviest launcher lifting off the heaviest satellite from the Indian soil. The launch vehicle has precisely placed the satellite in its intended orbit. I congratulate entire ISRO team for this achievement.” ISRO Chairman complimented the Indian Industry,
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
44 Science & Tech.
which carried out 85-90 percent of the work related to both the launcher and the satellite. He said the role of industry in future missions will also be equally significant. GSLV MkIII is the vehicle for the future and efforts are on to enhance the payload carrying capacity of the launcher further with a semi-cryogenic stage. The guidance of the mentors at ISRO that helped the team to march ahead while facing obstacles. The successful launch of GSAT-29 on Wednesday will propel India’s Internet bandwidth significantly. According to ISRO, by September next year, India will achieve 100 Gbps) speed on par with any developed country. ISRO Chairman K Sivan said GSAT-29 is one of the four high throughput satellites, whose combination will help India achieve 100 Gbps under Digital India programme. Out of the four, GSAT-19 was put in orbit earlier this year, while GSAT-11 is scheduled to be launched on December 4 and GSAT-20 is expected to be launched next year.
In ThE nExT ThrEE yEarS IndIa To puT huMan SpaCE
Three years from now, India will be capable of taking humans into space. Works have already commenced at Sriharikota from where the human spacecraft will take-off. Launchpad works are being carried out parallel at Sriharikota alongside consultations with international space agencies and other governmental departments on the selection of crew members. Two unmanned flights using human-rated vehicle will be carried out before Gaganyaan mission to
assess various parameters. The first unmanned flight will take-off around December 2020. Initially, the plan was the construct a new launch pad for the human spaceflight, but due to the paucity of time one of the two existing launch pads are being modified to meet the requirement. “We are currently at the discussion stage. Meanwhile, suitable modifications have to be carried out to the launcher GSLV MkIII vehicle to make it human-rated,” said K Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), replying to a question at the post-launch press conference during the 3rd week of November. Under Gaganyaan, ISRO will send a three-person crew to space for a period of 5-7 days to carry some of the scientific tests like microgravity experiments. The spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400 km. The crew module along with the service module, together called the orbital module, weighing around seven tonnes will be mounted atop the GSLV MkIII launch vehicle. The crew will reach low earth orbit in
16 minutes once launched. In the return phase at 120 km above the earth, the crew module will separate from the service module and head towards the earth in a controlled manner. The human space programme got a fillip after Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his Independence Day address this year announced that an Indian will go to space by 2022.
Chandrayaan-2 on SChEdulE
P Kunhikrishnan, Director, UR Rao Satellite Centre, said Chandrayaan-2 mission was on schedule for January launch. According to the ISRO, Chandrayaan-2 is a “totally indigenous mission comprising an orbiter, lander, and rover”. The spacecraft, weighing around 3,290 kg would orbit around the moon and perform objectives of remote sensing the moon. Kunhikrishnan said orbiter is on an advanced stage of development, while the design of lander has been standardized, which is much robust and has undergone all stipulated modifications.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
The News Effect 45 SUB REGISTRAR AT SRO MALKJIGIRI ARRESTED
Corruption shark in ACB net
I
THE NEW BUREAU
t is expected. The corruption shark finally caught by ACB(Anti Corruption Bureau) Investigators of the ACB had trapped B Surender Naik, the Sub Registrar of Medchal Malkajgiri District redhandedly for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 60,000 for doing official work. We have predicted nailing down of this ‘notoriously corrupt officer’ two months back in September 2018 issue of The News magazine. For quite some time Sub Registrar Office(SRO) Malkajigiri was regularly in news for corrupt practices. Social workers and Anticorruption activist have alleged that it all has begun after Surendra Naik taking charge of SRO Malkajigiri.
The latest incident which leads to ACB raid was a complaint made by Dr.P.Sreenu Raju, a resident of Sainikpuri. He owns an open plot of 382 Sq.Yards at Yapral in Alwal manual. According to the ACB officials, the Sub Registrar Naik had demanded Rs.60 thousand for registering a gift deed of the plot in the name of Dr. Raju ’s wife. As the owner of the plot has clear title and all the relevant documents needed he has approached the Anti Corruption Bureau and lodged a complaint about the demand of bribe by Sub Registrar. Following which, a case was registered and a trap laid. On ACB investigation officers suggestion, the complainant informed the Sub Registrar that he is ready to pay the amount by 26th November evening to get gift deed
Sub registrar Surendra Naik (R) and his private agent Mutyalu
done. But Surendra Naik said he will not accept the amount directly and advised him to pay the money to his private agent M.Mutyalu. As per Sub Registrar’s instruction, Raju went to Neredmet Kallu compound (toddy shop) and handed over all the amount demanded. The waiting ACB staff and officers who witnessed this secretively followed that private agent to SRO Malkajigiri and caught Sub Registrar Naik while he handed over the collected bribe money. “We have arrested both the corrupt Sub Registrar, his private agent and were produced before Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases on the same day.” Said DSP(ACB City range-1) B.V. Satyanarayana. The case is under investigation. The News magazine first brought corruption at SRO Malkajigiri and Surendra Naik as Sub Registrar in July 2018 issue. The story clearly explained how he colluding with some land sharks and his staff has institutionalized corruption at this SRO. Our investigation has exposed the rampant illegal registrations of plots and clever method Naik was using to illegally register those lands which belong to Wakf with the market value of Crores of Rupees at much lower than the market value depriving even the government the due amount. The News magazine even mentioned the inaction of the concerned department in spite of many complaints against Naik and the group helping him. But that news story had created some ripples in
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
46 The News Effect
the department. Within two months, the concerned authorities have decided to initiate action. The commissioner and Inspector General of Stamps and registration department have ordered a detailed inquiry against SRO Malkajigiri Sub Registrar B.Surendra Naik. Even after that Naik continued registering illegal plots in Malkajigiri SRO. The News had collected documents pertaining to four plots registered during November month against the law. Our investigation revealed that authorities have secured prima facie evidence and were digging for more information to act on. This gave us clear indication that serious action on Naik is in offing. Now it has been proven right. The credit for this success goes to you, the loyal readers of The News who always supported in our dedicated work in the public interest.
Artile published in September, 2018 issue of The News magazine
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The Power Within 47
Simple Principles For Making Better Life Decisions O
BY RAMMOHAN APPARASU
ne day, when I’m a billionaire, I’m going to buy a huge plot of land on outskirts of Hyderabad and build a vast complex of corporate temples. Beautifully designed structures. There will be wide roads that lead there. All utilities for people to ‘enjoy’. And sufficient entry fee to maintain the structure and make a profit. I’ll then call it, ‘Spirtual Enterprise Incorporated. Venture ready to foray into share market.’ It will be perfect. Because not only will the complex a profitable decision, but anyone who ever attempts to visit it will clearly be inspired to make a decision to turn spirituality into profit-making initiative as well. Inside the complex there will a hall, we will have exhibits for all of the spiritual business decisions ever made. There’d be one form a modern Baba despite commanding the great respect of people. And outside he is involved in search for gold treasures in old forts and depleted building in depleted conditions. There will be another guru who charges the fee to teach a meditation technique and let those have learned to teach same to newcomers the same way. But make new teacher do that as ‘Service’ with remuneration. There will be a whole wing for Guru, Babas, Ammas who
have built spiritual empires merchandising spirituality.we will also have wing where we rotate in/out intellectuals, high-placed officials, celebrities who destroyed their personal lives, reputation and lead common people to do something exceedingly dumb. It’ll be great. But… After spending some time there I guess, you will we’ll run out for a life coach and ask to guide on how to not make such awful choices. He will offer some principles on how to make better life decisions. Maybe that would go something like this:
undErSTand valuE & bIaSES
All tough decisions are essen-
tially about weighing values. There’s financial value, emotional value, social value, intellectual value, etc. You have to consider all of them, weighing them appropriately. And not just in the shortterm, but in the long-term as well. This weighting of values is really difficult, largely because we struggle to see things clearly. As a general rule, we are all heavily biased towards the shortterm rewards and towards emotional value. We are biased towards our pre-existing beliefs and protecting our reputation. And we’re also bad at seeing long-term rewards clearly because it’s difficult to look past our immediate fears and anxieties. Our emotions color everything we see.
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48 The Power Within
Our ‘default’ decision-making also makes it incredibly painful emotionally to give up on something we’ve worked a long time on, or to consider that we may have been wrong for years. The fact is, we’ve all been wrong for years. We’re all wrong about our value estimates. And until we can be honest about how wrong we were in the past, we won’t learn to make better value judgments moving into the future. Our ‘default’ decisionmaking also encourages us to avoid short-term failures, even if that means missing out on long-term successes. No, the sweet spot in decisionmaking is to find the short-term failures that enable the huge longterm successes to happen in the first place. Because this is what most people are bad at. And because people are bad at it, this is where most of the opportunity lies!
loSE To wIn (SoMETIMES)
Ever hear those stories of wildly successful entrepreneurs and how they had, like, 23 failed businesses before they made it big? The lesson we’re all supposed to take from this is that persistence and hard work is the key to extraordinary success. Usually, we can’t help but look at them and think about how “lucky” they got. What we don’t consider is that out of those dozens of failed, halfbaked business ideas were all bets with limited downside and extremely high upside. That is, if they lose, they lose a little. But if they win, they win a lot. Let’s say I gave you a pair of dice and I told you that if you roll double ones, I’ll give you Rs.5000. But each roll costs Rs.50. How many times would you roll? If you’re not bad at math, you would
know that you should spend all the money you have rolling those damn dice. Most us look at each decision as a single roll of the dice. We don’t think about the fact that life is a never-ending sequence of dice rolls. And a strategy that loses a lot per roll can actually make you a big winner in the long run. Yes, we will lose the dice game way more than we win. But when we win, our winnings will far outstrip our losses, making it a worthwhile bet. We can apply the same ‘risky’ behavior in your life to achieve more optimal long-term results: * Expose our kids to difficult subjects at an early age, knowing that most likely they won’t take to it. But if they do, it will give them
a huge advantage throughout their life. * Buy a bunch of difficult books expecting that most of them won’t be useful or comprehensible to us, but also that, occasionally, one will completely change our lives. * Say yes to every invitation knowing that most of the events/people will be kind of dull. Yes, we instead we can just go home early. But that occasionally you’ll meet someone really important or interesting who can of great help in achieving our professional or career goals. When we think purely in terms of the immediate result, we cut ourselves off from the biggest potential gains in life. And the reason most of us do this is because of our
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
irritating emotions. Our emotions are short-term biased. They are obsessed with the present moment. And this prevents good decisionmaking.
TrEaT your EMoTIonS lIkE you’d TrEaT a dog
Yes. You read right. I’ve noticed over the years: Bad dogs almost always have bad owners. The dog’s level of discipline is reflected in the owner’s emotional maturity and self-discipline. It’s very rare to see a dog that spoils the house, eating all the tablecloths, newspapers and urinating all over and the owner has his/her home neat & clean. This is because our connections with dogs are purely emotional. And if we suck at dealing with our own emotions, then we’ll suck at dealing with our dogs. It’s that simple. If you don’t know how to limit yourself and tell yourself ‘no’ when necessary, then, well, don’t get a dog. Our emotions are kind of like our dog that’s living inside our head. We have this part of ourselves that just wants to eat, sleep, enjoy. But has no idea of future consequences or risks. That’s the part of ourselves we need to train. Our emotions are important. Emotions are great for giving us that excitement of passion and spirit. But they’re also kind of dumb. They’re not able to think through consequences or consider multiple factors when acting. Our emotions overreact to things by default settings our natural brain software. They evolved to keep us alive when we were hunting during our jungle lives. When we’re scared we want to run away or hide. When we’re angry we want to break objects before us. Thankfully, our brains evolved logic and the ability to consider the past and
The Power Within 49
the future. That’s what makes us humans and not dogs. The problem is, our ‘dog brain’ is actually what controls our behavior. we can intellectually know that eating Mirchi bajji or smosa for breakfast is a bad idea. But if our dog brain wants spicy Mirchi bajji and or Samoa for breakfast, then that’s ultimately where our body is going to go. It’s only by training our dog brain with our human brain, can say ‘No it’s bad Ramesh. Oily food for breakfast is bad. Go eat something else that feels good and is healthy.’ With that, your dog brain gradually learns. If we do that enough and we will have a wellbehaved dog brain. But the dog is limited. It needs context and direction to behave well and function. And that’s our job as the dog owners. Similarly, our dog owner brain must train the dog brain to sit down and shut up when necessary. You must give yourself context and direction. Train ourselves to adopt the correct habits and make better decisions. Reward and punish ourselves. Love your dog brain (i.e., love yourself), accept your dog brain (i.e., accept your emotions), but also discipline them.
opTIMIZE lIfE for fEwEST rEgrETS
Regret helps to optimize decision behavior. Psychologists say It can be defined as a rational emotion. But in my experience, it not really so. Because regret itself makes us more rational - may not be direct. But rather the way we predict regret is often done in a rational-looking way. In making decisions, we’ll often consider the options available to us, imagine our future selves after choosing one of these options.
Then try to feel how much regret we experience in this simulated future state. We then run this simulation again, choosing a different option. Compare that simulated state of regret/non-regret to the other options. This ability is both amazing when we think about it and incredibly useful as long as we use the most accurate and complete information available to us. Most of us are afraid of failing or soiling something up. But we rarely ask, ‘Would I regret that failure?’ If the
answer is “no,” then that is absolutely a risk we should pursue. Similarly, many of us love envisioning massive success. But if we ask, ‘Would I regret never having that success?’ usually, we find that the answer is ‘no.’ Only when it’s ‘yes’ should we probably make the sacrifices to achieve it. Instead of basing our decisions around success/failure, or happiness/pain, it will be helpful to base them around regret avoidance. Our
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
50 The Power Within
regrets are usually the best measurement of what is actually valuable to us in the long-run.
wrITE IT down
The best way to help sort out all of our emotional nonsense from actual decision-making is to write things down. Writing things down is a simple but powerful way to clarify everything that’s churning in your head. It’s because writing it all out was so liberating and revealing. The act of writing forces us to organize and make concrete all the emotional turbulence in our brain. Vague feelings become structured and measured. Our self-contradictions come open. Rereading what
we write reveals our own logic (or lack if). And it often reveals new perspectives we hadn’t considered. And when it comes to mulling over a decision, there are a few specific things we can write about to help us when we have difficulties: * What are the costs and benefits? First, take some time and do a good old-fashioned cost-benefit analysis of your decision. But don’t just do the old-fashioned ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ list. Add a couple more columns. Separate ‘pros’ into both long-term and short-term. Add a column for regrets associated with each decision. And note if there is any long-shot potential for success. * What is your motivation
behind the decision and is that a value you want to cultivate in yourself? All the decisions we make, big or small, are motivated in some way or another by our intentions. Sometimes this is very straightforward. Sometimes it’s not so straightforward though. Problems arise when our intentions a) aren’t very clear to us and conflict with our core values. For example, are you buying that smartphone because you would genuinely benefit from owning it, or because you’re trying to impress the people around you? Are you trying to start a business because you enjoy the challenges and ups and downs of making your own way, or are you jealous of your friends that have successful businesses and feel like you don’t quite measure up to them? If you identify some ulterior motives when weighing a decision, stop and ask yourself if your intentions align with who you want to be. And if you’re asking yourself, ‘Oh, God. I’ve never thought about who I want to be. What should I do?’ Then I think you should take out a fresh piece of paper and start writing that down.
For instance, here’s my ‘Spirtual Enterprise Incorporated. Venture ready to foray into share market.’ Table:
Pros * It’s interesting. * Oh, huge chunks of land! * Get too many people to visit pay the entry fee.
Cons * Expensive * Lot of work * Have to travel long distances.
Long-Term * Illiquid Asset * Seriously, when am I ever going to maintain this thing? * For the rest of my life, I’ll be the ‘Spirtual merchandiser’.
Potential Regrets * DOING: Tons, lost time, money, etc. * NOT DOING: No… none, really.
Value * Do I really want to dedicate a huge portion of my life and legacy to being fake spiritualist?
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Probably not. So there we have it. No ‘Spirtual Enterprise Incorporated. Venture ready to foray into share market.’
The Power Within 51
B
Strengthening those Muscles
YOGI ASHWINI
ent bodies, greying hair, backaches, spondylitis, lack of vitality & stamina, stomach disorders, joint pains, muscle ruptures‌the list is endless. And so is the fact that these are not the ailments of a 70-yr old, but 30-year olds and even younger. Unfortunately, while a fast paced modern lifestyle has its perks, it is but short lived as it brings with it the perils of a body that is rapidly ageing. Looking beautiful, having a great body, is something that plagues everyone today, young and old alike. As a result, long hours spent at the gym, running on the treadmill and various other modern fitness mantras and diet regimes in the hope of staying young and maintaining your youthful glow. All of these work on the principle of increasing body’s metabolism. You sure get in shape, but as an equal and opposite reaction, your cells deteriorate at an exponential rate. Ruptured joints, weak and bent spines, loss of glow and stamina, are natural by-products. It is said that gymming continuously for years can ruin your knees, dry up your vital fluids, and damage your spine. Vedic rishis were masters of the body and gave us asans. Asans are not exercises but tools to increase the strength and vitality of the body by slowing down and optimising the metabolism of body. So perfect is the science of asans that not even one asan puts strain on 5th or 6th vertebra, which can cause serious damage to the body. In this issue, we will look at a
set of asans from Sanatan Kriya that will help strengthen the Muscular and Skeletal system. Asans work on the principle of consciousness and affect etheric layers of the body which in turn control physical body. Our musculature and skeletal framework is governed by the Mooladhar chakra in the etheric body (corresponding to the base of the spine in the physical body), along with the survival instinct. The Mooladhar chakra is said to be the highest chakra in an animal and the lowest in a human being. Any imbalance in this chakra leads to neuro-muscular problems, weak bones, anxiety, stress, fear, disorders of the excreta organs and even affects the heart. To keep such diseases at bay, we will look at a set of asans, to help activate the chakra that controls their vital functioning. Vrikshasana: Stand tall with arms by the side of your body. Bend your right knee, bringing the right foot high upto your left thigh, such that the sole of the foot rests firmly near the root of the thigh. Find yourself a perfect crevice where your foot can firmly hold itself there. Ensure the left leg is straight and not bent. As your body is in balance, gently raise your arms over the head and join your palms in a Namaskar position. Maintain the awareness of Mool chakra. Gently
bring your hands down and your right leg. Repeat this posture with the other leg. Caution: This asan should not be attempted by people with problems of knee or sciatica. Utthanasana: Bring your left leg down while holding the hands above the head. Spread your legs apart with toes pointing outwards. Keeping the back and neck straight and buttocks squeezed in; bend the knees to go down by about ten inches. Maintain ujjai breath. Hold this posture for a count of seven and then go down another ten inches. Once again hold for a count of seven and go further down so as to squat. The heels stay on the floor and the back does not bend. Stay for a count of seven. Caution: The asan must not be practiced in case of uterus prolapse and after three months of pregnancy. Naukasana: Next, lie down on the back. Exhale, raise your legs (joint together) to about twenty-five degrees. Also raise your upper body and your arms (the arms will point forward) to twenty-five degrees. Maintain the posture for as long as you can. Ensure that your back is straight and knees do not bend. Inhale, come back to the starting position. The reader may note here that asans are not exercises. They are the gradual process of evolution in the body effectuated under sanidhya of a Guru. They are to be performed gently, with eyes closed, internal awareness and breathing in Ujjai, or long deep breaths. Ensure you are wearing comfortable clothes and are in a wellventilated place.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
52 HealtH
W
Myth-busted: Women are tough
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omen can be just as resilient as men in undertaking arduous physical activity with appropriate training and preparation, a study has found. Researchers showed that women who underwent extreme physical training and completed a Transantarctic expedition did not show any more negative health effects that would be expected in men. "Our findings contain some potentially myth-busting data on the impact of an extremely physical activity on women. We have shown that with appropriate training and preparation, many of the previously reported negative health effects can be avoided," said Gifford from the University of Edinburgh in the UK It has been reported that the female reproductive system and stress responses are more sensitive to the negative effects of extreme physical activity. There is some evidence that arduous physical activity can suppress normal female reproductive hormone activity, impair bone strength and elevate stress hormone levels to a greater extent than in men. However, the reasons underly-
ing these reported gender differences in response to extreme endurance exercise remain poorly understood. Robert Gifford and colleagues from the University of Edinburgh in the UK examined the effects of extreme exercise on hormone levels and the health of six women participating in the first all-female Transantarctic expedition. The researchers monitored several markers of their health before and after the successful expedition. These included indicators of stress, reproductive and metabolic hormone levels, body weight
and bone strength. The findings indicated not only that markers of reproductive function and bone strength were preserved, but that some markers showed evidence of delayed, exercise-related benefit to their physical fitness two weeks after the expedition. Although the team consisted of just six women and it was not possible to account for confounding factors such as age or ethnicity, these findings do suggest adherence to a comprehensive training schedule may have mitigated any negative health effects, researchers said. The team now plan to further investigate how different types of activities can contribute to negative effects on stress and energy balance caused by physical exertion, which may help in the generation of transferrable strategies that prevent them in future. "These findings could have important relevance for men and women in arduous or stressful employment, where there is concern that they are damaging their health. If an appropriate training and nutritional regime is followed, their health may be protected," said Gifford.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
STATES 53
A new statue of Jayalalithaa unveiled at party AIADMK HQ C
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hief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam have unveiled a new statue of the late general secretary of AIADMK, J Jayalalithaa, at party headquarters at a function held on 14th November. Both leaders unveiled the bronze statue of Jayalalithaa, weighing around 800 kg. It replaced the statue which was unveiled on February 24 after criticism from many quarters that the statue did not resemble Jayalalithaa. Palaniswami, Panneerselvam and party functionaries offered floral tributes to the statue. Later they have also launched the news channel, News J, which will be the mouthpiece of the party, Later, Palaniswami said “Late leader J Jayalalithaa launched Jaya TV to inform the one-and-a-half crore AIADMK cadre about the welfare schemes and other information. But the channel was swallowed by a selfish gang.” He said government and Press should act as both eyes for nurturing democracy. While reporting news, freedom of individuals should be protected. It is better to avoid information contrary to truth, he said. “I reiterate this point because a section of the Press is giving im-
portance to the negative news while according to lesser importance to welfare schemes of the government. Carrying news about welfare schemes does not mean extending support to the existing government. The Press should understand that such news will help poor living in remote places,” said PalaniswamiTracing the origin of the television channel and their impact over a period, Panneerselvam recalled how MG Ramachan-
dran was closely associated with Press and reporters. This time too, there were criticisms since the face of the leader was covered with a white towel ahead of unveiling. However, when asked about it, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar denied any insult to the late leader. He said “The statue was not unveiled today. It was done already. Following certain views from party cadre, the statue has been replaced and the leaders paid homage.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
54 BUSINESS
Gold hallmarking ill be mandatory soon
T
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he government is planning to soon make hallmarking mandatory for gold jewelry sold in the country. The hallmarking of gold, which is voluntary in nature at present, is a purity certification of the precious metal. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Consumer Affairs Ministry, is the administrative authority of hallmarking. BIS has set standards for hallmarking of gold jewelry in three grades of 14 carats, 18 carats, and 22 carats. . BIS event organized to commemorate World Standards Day with a theme on 'Global Standards and the fourth Industrial Revolution. Government is going to make it mandatory soon according to Food and consumer minister, Ram Paswan. However, he did not specify the date of implementation
of the mandatory gold hallmarking but stressed on the need to adopt the standards in the interest of consumers. India has over 220 BIS-recognised assaying and hallmarking centers; and maximum of them are located in Tamil Nadu, followed by Kerala. As fourth industrial revolution would be of smart technologies, the minister said the BIS has the challenge to speed up the work in setting standards to ensure the country is not lagging behind in this area. Paswan launched the revamped website of BIS and the pre-standardisation report on smart manufacturing. Government is emphasizing the need of the hour is to discuss the setting of standards for new smart technologies like artificial intelligence that are being embraced by the industry. At BIS Directorate
committees have been set up already to study standardization of smart technologies to be used in the fourth industrial revolution, when machines will be working like human beings and vice versa. There are numerous standards development organizations which are working in the direction to develop standards that will be conducive for the fourth industrial revolution, which refers to emerging technologies that are blurring the traditional boundaries between the physical, digital and biological worlds. BIS considering it as a big challenge There is a need to improve efficiency, speed, and quality, efforts to align with international standards. BIS is keeping in mind the requirement of industry and consumers while making standards of smart technologies.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
BUSINESS 55
P
Hyundai to bring out an electric car in 2019
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assenger car maker Hyundai is planning to surge ahead of its rivals in introducing an electric car in the Indian market in 2019. The company has taken a major step by investing Rs 7,000 crore in expanding its facility in Chennai. Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Industries Minister M C Sampath with Hyundai Motor India Limited CEO Y K Koo in Chennai in November 2nd week. The company would be increasing the plant’s capacity to 1,00,000 units, including the production of 50,000 Completely Knocked Down (CKD) vehicles. This comes after managing director and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor
India Limited, Y K Koo, with Datta and N Ramesh, assistant vice-president (Finance) of Hyundai, met Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami. While the company’s rivals were planning to introduce the first electric car in the Indian market by 2020, Hyundai was likely to introduce its new electric car model by 2019 itself. Seeking further incentives from the State government, Datta said the Memorandum of Understanding would be signed during the second edition of the Global Investors Meet (GIM) from January 23-24. Meanwhile, the industries department is keeping under wraps the investments being generated by TN, saying they will
be revealed during GIM. “We are seeking power, water, and infrastructure to be provided by the State. We are also seeking improvements in the road and rail network. We have been requesting for Tiruvallur and Singaperumal rail link. This has been only on paper,” he rued. “This will increase the production from 7,00,000 units at present to 8,00,000 units,” said Datta. But it is learned that Hyundai is planning to produce more than 10 models, including electric vehicles, in the plant in the first stage. The focus on manufacturing electric cars comes in the wake of Niti Aayog planning to have zero emission levels by 2030.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
56 CELEBRITIES
Bollywood’s new sensation dEEpIka and ranvEEr ITaly wEddIng
D
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eepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh who have been dating for a while have now tied the knot in November this year. One of the most loved couples of Bollywood had two wedding ceremonies as per the customs of both their communities. Since Deepika is a South Indian Konkani and Ranveer is of Sindhi-Punjabi origin, the two families decided to follow customs practiced by both communities. The couple tied the knot on 14th November in a traditional Konkani ceremony at Villa del Balbianello, an 18th-century mansion overlooks Lake Como, Italy. Their guests arrived in motorboats to the venue and walked all the way to the terrace where a mandap was set up, adorned with white roses. The relatives were all dressed up in shades of white and beige while Deepika could be spotted in a bright red Kanjeevaram saree. After their wedding, the couple walked to the boats, shielded in dark umbrellas. Ranveer, Deepika’s Sindhi wedding ceremony took place on the lower terrace of the Villa del Balbianello at the same place where the couple tied the knot on the day earlier. The lower terrace and the mandap were decorated with red roses, with Ranveer’s favorite Bollywood songs playing. According to local sources, a number of large boats left for the luxury Casta Diva resort to pick up the wedding guests and the couple. The baraatis arrived dancing to Bollywood songs and most male members of the family were seen in red pagris. The female relatives all wore shades of red and pink to the
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
CELEBRITIES 57
wedding. The wedding will be followed by a grand lunch at the villa with several cuisines on display, including the South Indian staples like rice and dosa. A report suggests that special chefs from Switzerland have been flown to Italy to bake the perfect wedding cake along with some amazing desserts. Heavy security is in place at the venue in order to avoid any trespassers and paparazzi. A no-picture policy also bars the guests from sharing any pictures of the event. After making their fans wait for what felt like ages, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer released shared the photos from their twin wedding ceremonies -- according to Konkani and Sindhi traditions Despite being at the top of their
game and, essentially, ruling Bollywood, Deepika and Ranveer's kept things intimate — very few people are invited to the wedding. Thus the couple’s extremely private wedding happened in the presence of their families and close friends. As for the guests, the couple has invited their close friends and family members for their wedding. The wedding followed by two receptions. The first, on November 21 in her hometown Bengaluru, and second, on November 28 for the film fraternity. Did you know what Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh gave their wedding guests as giveaways? The star couple apparently gifted beautiful silver plated photo frames to their guests, along with handwritten notes. The company, which
designed their wedding giveaways, shared the picture on their Instagram timeline and wrote, "Beauty is in minimalism, but that's also what's challenging. It was a pleasure fabricating Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh's wedding giveaways." To post it on Instagram, they used a picture of Deepika and Ranveer from their Sindhi wedding but added a disclaimer that the photo is only used for representational purpose. After their holiday in the Maldives earlier this year, the couple announced the news to their respective parents, Prakash and Ujjala Padukone, and Jagjit Singh and Anju Bhavnani. Ranveer's parents apparently gifted Deepika a sari by Sabyasachi to mark the occasion.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
58 SPORTS
Mary koM
M
ThE boxEr wITh goldEn punChES
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.C Mary Kom became the most successful boxer in the history of Women's World Championships. She won her sixth gold medal with a unanimous 5-0 result
over Ukraine's Hanna Okhota at Women’s World Boxing Championships held at New Delhi during last week of November. Mary might have slowed down just a little with age, but her reflexes remain strong as ever and her ex-
perience clearly showed in this bout. The Manipuri boxer remains a popular figure in the country and was being greeted by cheers even before the bout opened proceedings on the day of finals. Marty’s win against China’s Wu
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Yu in the quarterfinals had assured her of her seventh medal in the history of the tournament but Mary had asserted after that bout that she was gunning for gold. “I can’t take it easy in any way. I’ll have to give my 100% in every bout and I am focused on what lies ahead,” she had told media after entering the semi-finals. New Delhi event was the seventh time the 35-year old competes in the World Boxing Championship. Mary looked confident before the match. She had a plan as she started the first round on the front foot. With some decisive combinations, she took the lead only to see Hanna Okhota come back strong in the second round. It was a close contest until the start of the third round, wherein she dominated the initial part and was happy to sit back. Hanna Okhota, her 22-year old opponent from Ukraine, gave her all but by the time the bout was coming to a close, Mary was almost toying with her. The first round saw her opponent come out all guns blazing, but while she was the more aggressive of the two, it was many who landed more punches. The final round was onesided as Mary, who seemed intent on leaving little room for doubt for the judges, landed a series of punches as the clock ran down. Yet despite doing more than enough to win the bout, her relief at being declared the winner by unanimous decision was palpable. Mary Kom is unable to hide her emotions. So much so, in fact, that she broke down in tears while addressing the media. “Thank you, thank you so much for supporting me,” was all she could manage before sinking her head into her hands. She is standing on the top
SPORTS 59
step of the podium. And it's time for the national anthem for India. What a proud moment for the mother of three.
abouT Tokyo 2020 drEaM:
Having become the most successful boxer in the history of the women’s world championships, Mary now has all eyes on going for glory at the Tokyo Olympics, which is less than two years away. An emotional Mary Kom spoke about her Tokyo Olympic dream after creating world championships history. Here's what she has to say."First of all, I would like to thank all my fans. They came especially for me and the Indian contingent. Today, I was a little bit emotional because, for the last few years, I was not able to fight in 48 kg category. I had to jump to other
categories. The effort was very challenging for me. Because of your love and support, I hope to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I wasn't able to qualify for Rio Games. I am still suffering. I can easily give a gold in the 48 kg category, but 51 kg, it's difficult because other boxers may have a height advantage. "Thank you guys, I don't have anything to give you. Tokyo Olympics are on her mind. She has already won a bronze in 2012. As a boxer, as an athlete, “I want to win a gold medal for my nation. I don’t have anything to give except for a gold in Olympics. I am still dreaming about winning the gold in 2020.” May said.
MagnIfICEnT Mary:
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Mary Kom born on 1st March
60 SPORTS
1983 fondly called by fans as Magnificent Mary. The Olympic boxer hailing from Manipur. She is the only woman to become World Amateur Boxing champion for a record six times and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the seven world championships. Magnificent Mary is the only Indian woman boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer
Olympics, competing in the flyweight (51 kg) category and winning the bronze medal. She has also been ranked as No. 4 AIBA World Women's Ranking Flyweight category. She became the first Indian woman boxer to get a Gold Medal in the Asian Games in 2014 in Incheon, South Korea. and is the first Indian Woman Boxer to win Gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The country has
taken pride in her every victory. On 26 April 2016, Kom was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha. She will be the member of the upper house of the Indian Parliament till 24 April 2022. In March 2017, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, appointed Mary Kom along with Akhil Kumar as national observers for boxing.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
SPORTS 61
S
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onia secured a silver medal at the Women's World Championships 2018 following Mary Kom's historic victory. The 21year-old Bhiwani-born boxer lost the 57 kg featherweight final bout to Ornella Gabriele Wahner of Germany in a split decision of 1-4 Championships held at New Delhi. Sonia, who thrashed North Korea's Jo Son Hwa in a unanimous 5-0 decision in the semifinal, appeared under pressure since the start of the bout. Making her first World Championships final appearance, Sonia managed to seal a silver medal to end India's campaign on a high. Chahal was born in Nimri village of Haryana state's Bhiwani district. She started boxing in 2011 after taking inspiration from Kavita Chahal. And after six months of training at the Bhiwani Boxing Club under the coach Jagdish Singh, she won a silver medal at the school-level national championships in the same year. She continued her training in Bhiwani for the next three years. Having started her boxing career in 2011, Sonia made her first impression at the senior level after winning a gold medal at the Serbia Cup in 2017 and then secured a bronze at the Ahmet Comert tournament in Turkey in 2018. With a gold, a silver, and two bronze medals, the Indian contingent recorded one of its best per-
formances at the Women's World Championships. India had produced such an impressive show back in the 2008 edition in China, where the pugilists won the same number of medals. Following the footsteps of sixtime World Champion M.C. Mary Kom, young Sonia Chahal stormed into the final of the 57 kg class, while Simranjit Kaur had to satisfy herself with the bronze in the 10th World Women's Boxing Championships. Sonia won a unanimous decision, beating North Korea's Jo Son Hwa, but Simranjit will feel hurt, having to satisfy with the bronze medal after a brave semifinal against China's Dou Dan, who had a split decision going in her favor (4:1). There was hardly anything that separated the two Indians. Both took their fights to their opponents and landed thunderous punches. If at all there was any difference, Sonia began slowly while Simranjit exploded right from the first bell. In the Sonia-Hwa bout, the first round proved to be evenly matched
despite Sonia hitting the groove in the final seconds of the round. In the second, the Indian put a lot of pressure on her opponent to seize control but the North Korean adapted to the situation quickly and managed to duck efficiently. Yet, the two had almost an equal exchange of punches. Her excellent rights towards the close must have impressed the judges so much that the verdict had turned out to be 5:0, all in favor of the Indian. "I am really happy. I came up with a good strategy. She was charging at me, particularly in the second round, and I kept a good distance. My plan was to go for broke in the last and I managed to do that," said Sonia, who had beaten Hwa for the second time in her career. India's Simranjit Kaur and Lovlina Borgohain settled for bronze medals after losing their respective semi-final bouts. In the 64kg semi-finals, Simranjit lost to Chinese Dan Dou, while Lovlina lost the women's 69 kg semi-final to Chinese Taipei's Chen NienChin.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
62 EDUCATION
A
Telangana government schools long way go
D.BAL REDDY
district collector admits his children into a local government school. An NRI donates few lakhs of Rupees to a government school in his native village. Some one inspired by this kind of news may admit his/her child to local government school only realize that all is that rosy. Finally takes child out even in the middle of the academic year. This the experience of many middle-class families in the state of Telangana. The several initiatives to improve the quality of education in government schools in the state has not given expected results. various reports -- both government and private -- published recently makes it clear there is little improvement or further deteriora-
tion in some cases. At present 22 lakh students enrolled in different government schools across Telangana. The government had introduced digital classrooms in high schools, brought in subjects like robotics in residential schools, and most recently, made over government schools by turning their walls into canvases. But it looks like the efforts did not lead to any substantial improvement. National Achievement Survey (NAS) by MHRD, Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), and the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) have exposed the poor quality of infrastructure and education in government schools in Telangana. Compared to the data published
in the UDISE for the academic year 2014-15, this year’s report revealed that not much has changed in government schools in the last four years. One glaring example, the report mentioned is that of computer availability in government schools. The percentage of primary and middle Schools with computers has come down from 37.5 during the 2014-15 academic year to 36 percent now. But in the case of secondary schools, it has increased slightly from 29 to 31 percent. Another issue of concern is with regards to science laboratories in secondary schools. During the last four years the percentage of schools with Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer labs have come down to 17.6, 17.5, 16.9. 11.7 percent from 19.3, 19.2, 18.5, 12.7.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
Thin silver lines to this dark could of negligence looming on government schools in the state are Residential Schools. Studies showed that there was a steady improvement in the performance of residential schools run by the social welfare department. Good performance of students in SSC exams, competitive exams, academic and extra-curricular initiatives has often been the talk of the town during for last four years. These schools are not run by the Department of School Education (DSE) and receive ample funds. It is said as a result they deliver better results. But these institutions have about 15 percent (around 3.15 lakh) of Twenty-two lakh students in the state. Rest of the boys and girls are in government schools like the Zilla Parishad schools. The difference could be seen in last(2017-18) year’s SSC results as the pass percentage in residential schools was above 90 percent whereas in Zilla Parishad schools it was about 75 percent. Many including parents, teach-
EDUCATION 63
ers and local leaders allege these DSE run schools are mostly ignored. Data concerning matters of infrastructure in primary schools such as having boundary walls, single-room classrooms, playgrounds, and kitchen sheds indicates stagnancy. The Comptroller and Auditor General(CAG) in its audit report noted unhygienic conditions of kitchens in schools used for cooking midday meals. As for the quality of education being imparted in government schools of Telangana, study reports have raised some pertinent issues. For example, the NAS report released this year pointed out that the performance of school students in Telangana in all the subjects was poorer than that of students from most districts of other southern states. The CAG report released this year has found that 14.26 percent children in primary schools and 21.47 percent children in upper
primary schools scored less than 40 percent in the years 2014-17. According to teacher’s unions, there are many schools where one to two teachers teach 5 classes and cover 18 subjects. Around 20,000 teacher positions are vacant in government schools. The government has not recruited a single teacher in the last four years. It said that during this academic year, school maintenance funds have not been released yet by the State government and the amount is expected to go down with the merger of SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) and RMSA (Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan). These associations point out that these residential schools which home three lakh students get the cream of funds, encouragement by way of providing facilities. They point out that the government is all talk when it comes to these schools and mum when it comes to schools that come under the DSE.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
64 THE WORLD
first India-Singapore hackathon T
Modi presents awards
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he first India-Singapore Hackathon, a platform for the youth of the two countries to harness and showcase their innovations was a huge success. The top six teams, three each from India and Singapore, participated in a 36-hour long Hackathon Grande Finale during the 3rd week of November at Singapore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has felicitated these six winning teams. He has agreed to attend and present awards to Singapore Hackathon winners, during the visit of PM to Singapore in June 2018. During his official visit to Singapore in June, Modi proposed to his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong that India and Singapore should organize a joint Hackathon to harness and showcase the innovation potential of their youth. The proposal was welcomed by Prime Minister Lee. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) conducted the hackathon that included solving eight problem statements. Twenty teams, each from both the countries comprising university and college students selected on a nationwide basis, participated in the event to harness and showcase the innovation potential of the youth. Each of these teams had three students and one mentor. From India, an 83-member del-
egation comprising 60 students, 20 mentors and three officials of the AICTE visited Singapore for the event. The eight 'Problems Statements' presented to the participants were in the areas of mapping, the synchronized output of diverse social media, shared digital identity verification, effective number estimate, space management and allotment, effective learning, and personal security. Prime Minister Modi is in Singapore for the two-day visit to the country. He began his visit by delivering his keynote address at the prestigious Fintech Festival. He also held separate bilateral meetings with the premiers of Singapore, Australia, and Thailand and discussed ways to further strengthen ties, including in areas of trade, defense, and security "Happy to have met innovators who won prizes in the first-ever Singapore-India Hackathon. They talked about their extensive work. I was impressed by their passion and commitment towards solving
problems our world faces," Modi said after presenting the Awards to winners. First prize of SGD 10000, second prize of SGD 6000 and third prize of SGD 4000 was announced for each of the three winners from India and Singapore. The winning teams from India were IIT Kharagpur, NIT, Trichy and MIT College of Engineering, Pune, the Indian High Commission in Singapore said. The winning teams from Singapore comprised Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), it said in a statement. The awards ceremony was also attended by Education Minister of Singapore Ong Ye Kung. "Platforms like the SingaporeIndia Hackathon serve as excellent opportunities for our youngsters to showcase their work. They also serve as forums to learn about pioneering innovations by youngsters from other nations and institutes. A win-win for our students!" Modi said in a tweet.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
THE WORLD 65
Can asia bibi, pakistani Christian woman come out safe?
A
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fter being freed from jail, Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman on death row for eight years for blasphemy remains in the indeterminate state, with negotiations apparently under way to allow her to leave the country despite objections from Islamist hardliners demanding her execution. Since the Supreme Court overturned Bibi's conviction last month, Pakistan has been rattled by violent protests from Islamists calling for her beheading, for mutiny in the armed forces and for the murder of the country's top judges. Blasphemy is a massively inflammatory issue in Muslimmajority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations of insulting Islam and Prophet Mohammed can lead to lynchings and murders. Earlier this month, the government struck a deal with the demonstrators after days of street protests saw large swathes of the country
paralyzed. But questions remain over Bibi's whereabouts, the court's decision, and how hardliners may react to further developments. Rumors are rife in Pakistan that she has already left the country, with fake reports claiming she met with Pope Francis in the Vatican. AFP has debunked the reports of Bibi meeting the pontiff. The Pakistani government has repeatedly stated that Bibi is being held in a secure location in Pakistan after being released from a prison in central Multan last week, though her exact whereabouts are unknown. She is not being allowed to leave the country as her case is subjected to a final review. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reiterated the government's position again in Islamabad on Wednesday, saying: "We have clarified earlier and we clarify it again. She has not gone abroad. She is here. There is no controversy."Pakistani Prime Min-
ister Imran Khan initially spoke forcefully against the protests and vowed to confront any violence. Since then he has stayed largely quiet about Bibi's fate. The ruling from the Supreme Court is in the process of being reviewed following a petition request. The petition essentially checks to see if any procedural or clerical errors were made by the court during its final ruling. If there were not, then the decision will stand. The chances of the apex court's acquittal being overturned are slim, according to Bibi's lawyer. Where will she go next? No one knows. However, it does appear that a deal may be in the works to move Bibi out of the country. Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government was holding talks with Pakistan over potentially offering asylum.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
66 THE WORLD
legislation before uS Congress to protect h-4 holder jobs A
THE NEWS BUREAU:
legislation seeking to prohibit the Trump administration from revoking the work authorization H-4 visa holders (spouses of H1-B visa holders). This legislation has been introduced in the US Congress by two lawmakers who said that eliminating this benefit would force many foreign workers which include Indians, to use their talents to compete against American businesses. H-4 visas are issued to the spouses of H-1B foreign workers. It is the most sought-after visa among Indian IT professionals. H4 visas are issued only to very close or immediate family members of the H-1B visa holders The H-1B
visa is a non-immigrant visa through which many Indians workers are employed in US companies. It allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The move by lawmakers Anna G Eshoo and Zoe Lofgren to introduce the H-4 Employment Protection Act come amidst determination by the Trump administration to revoke an Obama-era rule that extends work authorization to the spouses of H-1B visa holders. Since the rule was implemented, over 100,000 workers, mainly women, that too from India have received employment author-
ization, improving the US' competitiveness and lessening the economic burden on thousands of H-1B workers and their families, the two lawmakers said after introducing the bill in the House. The H-4 Employment Protection Act prohibits the Trump administration from revoking this important rule, which it is expected to do by the end of the year, they said. "Protecting work authorization for these H-4 visa holders is a matter of both economic fairness and family unity," Eshoo and Lofgren said. According to these two lawmakers, eliminating this benefit would create a painful choice for many immigrants to either split up their families or return to their home countries and use their talents to compete against American businesses."These are American citizens-in-waiting, stuck in line for their number to come up," Congressmen said. Prohibiting H-1B dependent spouses from working is of no benefit to our country, and if allowed to move forward, many of these families that can contribute so much to our workforce will simply move to countries with a more sensible approach to immigration, they argued. This much-needed bill will block the Trump administration from needlessly harming our economy and the lives of skilled immigrant families," Lofgren said.
THE NEWS YOU LIKE | DECEMBER 2018
The News You Like December, 2018
RNI No: APENG/2013/48048 P.R. No. RNP/HD/1187/2017-19 (DOP: 1st of Every Month; DOP: 8/9-12-2018)