The Observer Vol 18 Issue 8

The Observer An IIJNM publication

RWH helps in restoring Cubbon Park’s natural flora | P 2

Vol 18, Issue 8

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

The Observer

@theweeklyobserver On the Web: issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs/ the_observer

Bescom accuses local goverment bodies of power thefts | P 3

Observer survey of five arterial roads shows not much has changed despite high court rapping BBMP

Who says Bengaluru is pothole-free?

Horrid roads endanger lives and damage vehicles Sahana S

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f one were to believe statistics provided by BBMP authorities to the Karnataka High Court, the city is free of potholes.

However, the reality is very different. When The Observer inspected five arterial roads in Bengaluru –JC Road, Old Madras Road, Dr Rajkumar Road, Sarjapur Road and MG Road – it found numerous potholes making the life of commuters miserable.

On September 19, the high court had taken note of the city’s bad roads and pulled up the BBMP for not repairing them.

Commuters travelling to MG Road find it difficult to avoid a huge pothole that has come up across the Visvesvaraya museum.

Motorcyclists hear a thud and experience a jerk when they ride over the pothole.

Autorickshaw drivers said they have to apply brakes when they approach such potholes.

“It is a huge problem while crossing this road. Without applying brakes and slowing down, I cannot avoid potholes. An experienced driver, I can manage,” said Ali Jan, an autorickshaw driver.

Nagraju N, another driver, said he worries his autorickshaw might be hit from behind when he slows down. “We cannot do anything as we have to use the same road every day. If we slow down because of potholes, vehicles like BMTC buses might hit us from behind.’’

Dr Rajkumar Road, a fivestretch road in the northwest of the city, has several two-inchdeep potholes on both sides opposite Orion Mall. A traffic constable said he sees minor accidents because of these. The problem gets worse when it rains.

“Apart from a few minor accidents resulting in damage to vehicles because of the potholes, there are no other problems on this stretch,” constable Mahade-

This pothole on Kasturba Road, close to MG Road, is Old Madras road is one of the worst hit roads among the nemesis of motorists the arterial roads. It has numerous potholes

Dr Rajkumar road located at nothwest of the city has Around Agara junction on Sarjapur Road,potholes are a constant nuisance | Credit: Sahana.S several two-inch-deep potholes on both sides vappa said.

Heavy rain brings another problem in its wake: Potholes are submerged and invisible.

Vijayalakshmi Shivakumar, a resident of Sanjaynagar, said: “During monsoon, I am extra careful while travelling on this road because it is very difficult to spot a pothole.” Her uncle suffered a fracture while trying to avoid one.

Around Agara lake junction on Sarjapur Road, potholes are constant nuisance. The path is worn out. Big vehicles like BMTC buses and trucks have to move on the edge of the road, causing chaos.

Mahesh M, a tractor driver, said: “There are many potholes on this

road. Every time we apply brakes, the tyres of our vehicles get worn out. It is difficult to stop because the road is in a bad condition.’’

Another motorist complained of a huge pothole on Sarjapur Road that forces people like him to find alternative roads.

“The BBMP is filling potholes.

But every day new ones are emerging due to various reasons. One such pothole is right across Agara junction,” Dhomikota Harsha, an Uber Eats delivery boy, said.

JC Road, which connects south and central Bengaluru, has potholes at the turn towards Sampangiram Nagar. Vehicle drivers have to be extra careful to avoid pits like this. Because of heavy

traffic on this potholed stretch, college students try to avoid the route.

“As there is pothole right at the turn, I try my best to take an alternative route to my house from my college,” Arav, an undergraduate student of Jain College, said.

Uday Kumar, an HDFC collection manager, said: “It is very difficult to travel at night.”

Old Madras Road seemed to be the worst among the five roads The Observer examined.

Krishnamurthy S, an Ola cab driver, said: “We pay road tax monthly, yet encounter potholes.

This road has made our lives difficult.”

The BBMP engineer-in-chief

and an executive engineer claimed they are trying to cover potholes speedily.

“There has been no delay in filling potholes. We are using Python (an automated filling machine) to cover potholes in order to provide a smooth ride for commuters across the city,” said BBMP engineer-in-chief Venkatesh.

BBMP executive engineer (East) B S Shivakumar said: “I have started to fill the potholes across the city. We are working on Jayamahal Road, and will complete Old Madras Road by next week.”

Shivakumar said: “For the East division, the contractors cover worn-out roads and potholes by pouring litmus concrete and layering it firmly. Companies like Bescom and Airtel dug the road overnight resulting in the unwanted creation of potholes everywhere. For an immediate measure, we rely on Python and try to cover the potholes.’’

By the next court hearing, on October 23, the executive engineer promised, Bengaluru would be free of potholes and commuters can have a smooth journey.

On September 19, the high court ordered the BBMP to fill potholes by the next day. “It should be zero potholes by tomorrow. It is your job and you have an entire night,” The Hindu quoted the court as telling the BBMP. When the court met on September 20, the BBMP informed it that of the 3,071 potholes counted in the city, 899 had been filled by 6am that day. The civic body requested the court to give it three more days to fill the remaining potholes. The court allowed the request.

Unhappy with BBMP’s shoddy job, the high court formed twomember commission consisting of Dinesh Agrawal, Commander Works Engineering Services, and Uma MG, member secretary of the Karnataka Legal Servicing Authority, to independently look into the matter.HC has also directed the BBMP to have a system for citizens to inform them about road maintenances and ensure that complaints are attended within the specific period . sahana.s@iijnm.org

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The Observer Tuesday, October 16, 2018

As awareness increases, child marriages decline in Karnataka More cases are reported now than in the past Shrabona Ghosh

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hild marriages in Karnataka have decreased, according to the latest report of the National Family Health Survey. Awareness among the public has helped to bring cases down.

“Previously child marriages were not reported. But due to protests against the practice and awareness, they are being reported. There are 58,000 child marriage prohibition officers (CMPOs) working in Karnataka,” a top official from the Child Marriage Prevention Cell, government of Karnataka, informed The Observer.

Child marriages among 15- to 19-year-old girls declined from 22.2% in NFHS 3 to 10.3% in NFHS 4. Among 20- to 24-yearold women (those who got married before the age of 18), it declined from 41.8% to 21.4%.

A core committee headed by Justice Shivraj V. Patil, constituted in November 2010, recommended that the Karnataka government set up a Child Marriage Prevention Cell.

“There is a child Protection unit in every district of Karnataka.

Earlier, Bengaluru and Mangaluru had the child helpline number 1098; now it has been extended to all districts. The

Citizen’s Voice Media & #MeToo

Allegations of sexual harassment and molestation have been made against people such as Nana Patekar and M.J. Akbar by women who have suffered for long. Why is it only after the #MeToo movement that media have given these women a voice?

Yajush Gupta, IIJNM student

Abuse of drugs

Drug abuse is a common problem in Bengaluru. Peddlers develop methods to transport drugs from one place to another. Last December, police found two LPG cylinders filled with marijuana. Media should highlight this problem as it not only affects adults, but also shoolchildren as young as 11 or 12 years old.

Sayantan Sarkar, IIJNM student

Kumbalgodu roads

Roads in Kumbalgodu are not maintained. Not only are both sides piled up with garbage but the roads also have lot of potholes, causing inconvenience to travellers. The government and BBMP must look into this immediately.

Yohanjali R, IIJNM student

helpline protects the identity of the caller which encourages more people to report. The integrated Child Protection Scheme works to decrease the vulnerability of children,” said Satish G.C., state coordinator for Karnataka Child Rights Observatory.

Factors like education, economic status of the family and government schemes play a significant role in decreasing child marriages. Completion of secondary education significantly delays the age of marriage. The higher the level of education the lower is the chance of child marriage.

Similarly, child marriages in families with higher economic status are significantly low.

Y. Mariswamy, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, has a different point of view.

“People from Gujarat and Rajasthan come to districts in north Karnataka. They approach poor families through agents, and

marry their minor girls. Despite a huge age difference between the bride and the groom, the minor girls are married by their parents. These marriages are called Gujjar marriages. They are then taken to their husbands’ native place, where they are sexually exploited by all male members of the family,” he said.

Owing to increased awareness, child marriages have decreased in the state. Efforts by NGOs, CMPOs and other officers have prevented many child marriages and Gujjar marriages in the past two years, the chairperson said.

Some CMPOs are unaware of their responsibilities. There is a lack of coordination among them.

According to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, it is a cognizable offence. The Prohibition of Child Marriage, Karnataka Amendment Act, 2016 , says that child marriages will be void abinitio.

Brinda Adige women and child

rights activist, said: “One of the biggest problems is that nobody wants to register a case because most child marriages happen with people who are part of that community. The law regarding this is very ambiguous and doesn’t allow us to report immediately. A grave concern is how the trafficking mafia uses the child marriage area."

Bagalkot , north Karnataka, has the maximum prevalence of child marriage. Migrant labourers get their minor daughters married and get rid of their responsibility, Kumar, an officer from Reach, an NGO, said.

Yedi Mele Shaadi is a tradition in Bagalkot where instant marriages take place.

To prevent child marriages, all printing presses of Bagalkot were recently asked to verify the age of the both boy and the girl before printing wedding invitations.

Early pregnancy, maternal and neo-natal mortality, low employment, exposure to violence and abuse can lead to physical and psychological disorders for girls who are of young age.

NFHS is a large-scale, multiround survey conducted in a representative sample of households throughout India. It is conducted under the ministry of health and family welfare. The survey provides state and national level information and data regarding fertility, infant and child mortality, anaemia, child health, nutrition, utilization and quality of health and the practice of family planning services. shrabona.g@iijnm.org

News Briefs National: Breaking his silence over sexual harassment allegations against him, Union minister MJ Akbar has filed a complaint against journalist Priya Ramani for criminal defamation under Section 500 of the IPC. lThe Sabrimala temple is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday amid tension. Religious and political organizations opposed to the entry of women between the age of 10 and 50 are geared up to protest against the Supreme Court decision to permit women of all ages to enter the temple. lAmid a raging political controversy over the Rafale deal with France, Dassault Aviation has announced that it will deliver the fighter jets to India from 2019. lFairoz Khan, the national president of NSUI- the youth wing of the Congress - has stepped down from his post following charges of sexual harassment.

Local: Bangalore University has become first state-run institution to be equipped with solar panels. lThe BMTC has identified 800 old city buses that are either over 11 years old or have run more than 8.5 lakh km to be scrapped in the current financial year.

International: Saudi Arabia is considering an admission that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died during an interrogation that went wrong, according to US media reports.

Sports: The Singapore conclave of the International Cricket Council will take the first step towards expanding the scale and scope of the World Cup.

RWH rejuvenates Cubbon Park flora Regenerated open wells used to water lung space Sounak Das

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ubbon Park’s flora has got a new lease of life due to rainwater harvesting (RWH). Open wells in the park, revived under a project, now generate over 80,000 litres of water a day. The project was initiated by two non-profit organisations: Biome Environmental Solutions and Friends of Lakes.

“There are six wells that were revived keeping two purposes in mind: first, to help Bengalureans get fresh groundwater, which is becoming scarce; and, second, to restore the exotic plants in the park,’’ Ramprasad, founder of Friends of Lakes, informed The Observer.

“Overpopulation has led to enormous use of water, especially groundwater. Our objective is to collect rainwater in these wells and use it to water the various kinds of plant life found here,”

The open wells in Cubbon Park generate around 1.5 lakh litres of water a day. | Credit: Sounak Das said Sudha Ramachandran, water project manager, Biome.

The park has about 100 species of plants. It has both exotic and indigenous species. Of these, Artocarpus (breadfruit), Cassia fistula (golden rain tree) and Polyalthias longifolia (false Ashoka tree) are abundant.

“We have some very rare species which were imported long ago. We also have tropical plants that require very large quantities of water to survive. The revival of these wells has acted as a boon.

The plants are receiving their due water,” a top official of the horticulture department at Cubbon Park, said.

“The city gets 40% of its water from the Cauvery. Much money and energy are required for this procurement. You can’t waste this costly water for sprinkling.

We plan to create awareness among people and tell them benefits of rainwater harvesting,’’ Ramprasad said.

“The wells generate around 1.5 lakh litres of water a day. 80,000 is the figure we use for official purposes,’’ Ramachandran said.

“The park’s flora is depleting.

Construction of concrete roads has led to a stoppage in percolation of water. The roots are becoming weaker as a result.

Hopefully, water pumped from

these wells will undo the damage already done,’’ said Prince Isaac, an NGT lawyer who has fought many cases for preservation of plant life in the park.

Soumya Rajesh, senior director and head of India Competency Center, lastminute.com, a travel and leisure e-tailer, said: “We want to save this green space.

That is why my team and I have volunteered to help Ramprasad in restoring the wells, which in turn will help the trees.’’

The project has taken the help of well-diggers from the Bovi community. Krishna, a worker from the community, said: “We take two days and three men to dig a 30-foot-deep well. Our efforts are directed towards a better environment with lots of greenery and fresh air.”

Ramprasad concluded: “We are setting up recharge wells which will be interconnected with these open wells. Whatever rainfall the city receives will be pushed underground. The top soil will then be able to retain the moisture which would be used by the plants for photosynthesis.’’ sounak.d@iijnm.org

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Bescom accuses BBMP, slum board of stealing electricity

Citizens behind thefts, says municipal body Yajush Gupta

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n a major showdown, Bescom has held the BBMP responsible for a majority of power thefts in the city. The Bescom vigilance department has also accused other government bodies, such as the Karnataka State Slum Clearance Board (KSDB), of being involved in such thefts.

Narayana M, superintendent of police, Bescom vigilance department, informed told The Observer that there have been numerous cases of holdups agaainst the municipal body.

“The BBMP and the Slum Clearance Board have been booked in many cases of power theft since last year. We have been able to track a number of offenders.

Power thefts have increased in the commercial areas.”

Ninety-seven cases have been registered this year. “There have so far been 84 cases against the BBMP authorities and 13 against the Slum Clearance Board,” Bescom assistant executive engineer, Rajajinagar, M Suresh said.

However, S Ananda, executive engineer at the electrical depart-

This year, Bescom has registered 84 cases of electricity theft against BBMP and 13 against the Slub Clearance Board | Credit: Yajush Gupta ment from BBMP head office, denied the allegation. “Such accusations are pointless as in many areas the Bescom has not installed meters. BBMP officials are not directly part of such thefts. It is the consumers and residents who steal due to poor enforcement,” he said.

Asked about the role of officials in power thefts, Suresh replied that the authorities may or may not be directly involved. “In certain cases, panchayat development officers (PDOs) take connections unlawfully in rural areas and do not follow the meas-

ures to draw power to borewells and parks. Seeking permission and finishing paper work is often time-consuming.”

“Also, occupants of houses allotted by the Slum Clearance Board are involved in power thefts. A majority of the occupants are illegal tenants.”

Kashiram Pawar, AEE at Bescom’s Kengeri division, gave an insight into how electricity thefts take place. “In villages such as Gollahalli and Kumbalgodu, we have recorded higher consumption of electricity from streetlights than usual. BBMP of-

ficials usually give unauthorized connections to shops and residences. Such connections result in excessive usage that leads to voltage fluctuation or even fire in transformers.”

Bescom provides temporary electricity connections at Rs 6 per unit. However, people still resort to illegal tapping of power from existing connections. Theft of electricity is an offence punishable by fines and imprisonment.

“Power theft affects everyone since Bescom is compensated using consumers money for their losses,” said M. Rajashekar, accounts officer at the Bescom vigilance department.

KSDB commissioner Rudraiah R said the accusations made against the board are partially true. “There have been such cases in the past. We continue to cooperate with the authorities concerned in curbing such incidents.

There have been a few cases of theft only in independent accommodations, and not in allotted row housings.”

A number of thefts are a result of houses being allotted before the grant of electricity connections.

This encourages residents to tap power illegally. “We have added additional procedures to make sure that people only move in after following specified protocols,” the commissioner added. yajush.g@iijnm.org

Around the City l WW1 Heritage Hunt, Tue, 16 Oct, 6:00AM - 8:00AM, Opp. Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium •Basvanagudi Dasara Dolls, Tue 16 Oct, 3:15 PM-5:15 PM, Thanay Tours l Blogging and Earning: 3 Hours Crash Couurse Workshop, Sun 21 Oct, 10 AM -1 PM, Digitalshala East Bengaluru l Dasara Robotics, Sat 20 OCT, 10 AM-4 PM, Credence Robotics l Indian leadership Summit 2018, Fri 19 Oct, 9 AM – 5 PM, Saiacs CEO Centre l Art Exhibition - Meghana Raghuraj and Karunya Sankar, Sat 20 Oct, 12 AM-6 PM, Venkatappa Art Gallery l Ethical hacking Workshop, Sat 20 Oct, 10 AM, Earvin Tech l Speaking of The City by Jayant Kaikini, Sun 21 Oct, 6:30 PM, Shoonya- Centre For Art and Somantic Practices, Central Bengaluru l Agile Scrum Master Training and Certification in Bengaluru, Sat 20 Oct, 9:30 AM, AADS Education, South Bengaluru l Knife Painting Workshop with Lakshmi Donthy, Eternity heritage, Sat Oct 20, 2 PM, South Bengaluru l Awareness about alcoholism and alcoholics anonymous,At 11 AM, Sun 21 Oct, Just be Holistic Studio l Artificial Intelligence for Job Seekers, Saturday 20 Oct, 10 AM, First Look Digital Marketing Solutions Pvt. Ltd, North Bengaluru. l Free Seminar on Selenium, Sat 20 Oct, 3 PM, Vepsun Technologies

Traffic violations, lane switching cause accidents on NICE Road

Sindhuja Michael

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iolation of speed limits and traffic rules has resulted in frequent accidents on NICE Road. Another contributor to accidents is lane switching “The toll plazas are always monitored by CCTV cameras. So whenever a motorist argues over toll, the argument is recorded for future inquiry if it gets serious. If someone gets away without paying toll, we record the vehicle number and catch them at the next toll gate, and take necessary action,” M. Raju, a security guard at a NICE toll plaza, informed The Observer.

Raju did not share any information about the enforcing speed limit. There are only a couple of boards on the toll road mentioning the speed limit. The speed limits are: 80kmph for vehicles on the right and 60kmph for those on the left. But most drivers seem to drive at more than 100kmph.

According to research conducted by the International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET), security at toll gates is insufficient. It is beyond traffic police’s control to manage a large number of vehicles entering toll roads.

There are accidents and quar-

As of May 2017, 8 lakh vehicles used NICE Road every day | Credit: Sindhuja Michael rels over toll at the gates, accord- after being hit by a speeding veing to the research.Promoters of hicle when he was trying to help toll roads resist police inspection people involved in an accident on of incidents on the roads, the re- NICE Road.Traffic constable Ravi search paper said.

Shankar was killed near the Link A two-wheeler rider, Johnson, Road entrance to the tollway on told The Observer: “There is a lot March 18 when he was knocked of rash driving at the NICE toll down by an unidentified vehicle. . gates. As it is a cement road, it is “There are three ambulances not comfortable for two-wheeler under the authority of the NICE. riders.”Based on CCTV evidence, Whenever we receive an emer‘drink and drive’ cases are booked gency call about an accident, we against people who drive in a send an ambulance within 20 rash manner. “How can a camera minutes. Whenever we run out of detect who is drunk while driv- ambulances we will provide 108 ing?” Johnson said. ambulances. We also file a police In January 2018, software en- case if it is a major accident,” Ravi gineers Prashanth and Akshay ., an officer from the NICE head Kumar died on the spot after office, informed The being hit by a truck that was try- Observer.The NICE road, is a ing to overtake them near the 111-km higway which connects Mysuru Road toll gate. On July 4, Bengaluru and Mysuru. truck driver Raghavendra died sindhuja.m@iijnm.org

IS THIS THE FUTURE? With the prices of motor fuels hitting the sky, people may go back to using older modes of transport such as this. On October 16, petrol price in Bengaluru was Rs.83.54 a litre, while diesel cost Rs.76.13 a litre | Credit: Sayantan Sarkar

City Weather Mostly cloudy Maximum Temperature: 28 degree celsius Minimum Temperature: 20 degree celsius Humidity: 64% Sunrise: 6:10 AM Sunset: 6:01 PM

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The Observer Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Should stalking law apply to women?

Opinion divided on making it gender-neutral Sounak Das

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omen in Bengaluru are worried that a Bill which seeks to bring women under the anti-stalking law will be misused against them.

“Why should women be included? This is absurd. I don’t think women stalk men. At my first job, I was stalked by my boss. He used to call me unnecessarily at unusual hours.

But I was scared to register a complaint,’’ Kavya M, a resident of Bannerghatta, informed The Observer.

Bharthi Maria, who works with a French catering company, echoed Kavya’s opinion. “A very close friend of mine who was a social activist had to quit her job because her friend stalked her on social media. Today, women are making a mark in every field..

But our patriarchal society cannot accept this. So it is a trick to suppress us,” she said.

Section 354D of the IPC states: “Any man who— 1. follows a woman and contacts, or attempts to contact such woman to foster personal interac-

If the Bill becomes a law, women will come under the radar of stalking, which previously included only men | Credit: Pexels tion repeatedly despite a clear indication of disinterest by such woman; or 2. Monitors the use by a woman of the internet, email or any other form of electronic communication, commits the offence of stalking.”

The Bill, pushed by the Aam Aadmi Party, will make stalking a non-bailable offence. The law, until now, only considered men to be stalkers. The Bill proposes to make stalking gender-neutral.

However, some women are of the opinion that the proposed law

is a healthy sign of a democracy.

“I am in favour of this proposal.

I know men who have been stalked by women. I went to a party where a woman, probably in her 20s, kept touching my male friend inappropriately and followed us to the parking lot. I know a lot of such cases,” said Ria Ramesh, a resident of Bellandur who has been stalked.

Charu Jha, a resident of Koramangala, said: “I think the government is doing a great job by trying to bring this change. It will

bring parity to the law. Otherwise, it is very one-sided.’’

Another victim of stalking, Noopur Sinha, a resident of Electronics City, said: “It is quite possible that women can also stalk men. However, the probability of that is quite low and may not lead to any crimes per se. But every law should be gender-neutral. So it is good that the government is trying to amend it.”

The legal view is not very different from what these women think.

“To my mind, every law should be gender-neutral. We have so many laws... which favour either men or women. This creates problems,”said Raghavendra SR, an advocate who handles both civil and criminal cases.

Sweta Srivastava, a lowercourt judge in Bengal, said: “The law could surely be misused against women. However, the amendment has not yet come into force. Also, the law was introduced recently.. So random misuse cannot be expected in the near future. Actually, it can be misused against both male and female.. A boy whose attentions were refused by a girl, in a bid to harass the girl, could come up with a charge against her.

This could lead to both time and financial losses for the girl and her family.” sounak.d@iijnm.org

Govt healthcare poor, people go to expensive pvt facilities ‘Health can’t be left to vagaries of the market’ Sayantan Sarkar

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oor conditions in government hospitals have forced people to seek expensive healthcare in private hospitals.

Sreedhar A, who is a social worker at NIMHANS, informed The Observer: “Infrastructure and facilities in government hospitals are poor. This is one of the main reasons for people availing of services at expensive private hospitals.”

The 71st National Sample Survey, conducted in 2014, shows that 58% of the people in rural areas go to private hospitals. In cities, 68% visit private facilities for treatment.

Neelanjana Das, Programme Coordinator, said, “Health is being commoditised in the country and it shouldn’t be like that.

It comes under the Fundamental Right of each individual and so privatisation is creating more problems than solving it.”

Ramu K, an autorickshaw driver, said: “As lower-middleclass people, often we don’t have the money to go to private facilities. My family and I go to a clinic for routine checkups or minor problems. The facilities and attention given to the patients are not great.” Ramu shared that once took his child to a private

With poor health care provided by the government ,people opt for private hospitals.| Credits:Subhana Shaikh consultant and paid double of day and the bill went up to more what it would have cost him in a than Rs 30,000.” government hospital. “Facilities Deepika Joshi, a research coorand infrastructure are definitely dinator at the Public Health Rebetter in private hospitals, but search Network, said: “Health the main problem is that they cannot be seen as commerce and charge a lot of money,” he added. be left to the vagaries of the marSuresh D, a communication of- ket. It should be seen as a justificer with Sochara, a community ciable right and be made health centre, said: “Since privati- available to everybody regardless sation of healthcare in India in of their paying capacity.”

1990, the government has failed On government health schemes to regulate infrastructure and fa- and programmes such as the cilities. Privatisation of health- Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya care means commercial hospitals Janaushadhi Pariyojana and healthcare centres look to (PMBJP), she said: “Public money make greater profits. There is which was supposed to be meant also competition among private for strengthening public hospitals hospitals.” will go to private agencies in some Sreedhar of NIMHANS said: form or the other. There is a sys“My sister’s granddaughter had a tematic underfunding of the govsmall cut on her forehead, which ernment public health machinery only needed first aid and a couple which gives rise to privatisation of stitches. We admitted her for a and makes way for private hospi-

tals to dominate the healthcare structure. Private hospitals then become the only resort for people.”

An officer at the insurance department at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Bengaluru, informed The Observer they have not yet received any government notification for implementing the newly launched PMBJP. Abinash Prasad, a senior manager at Western Coalfields Ltd, said: “My healthcare is covered by the company, but I still go to private hospitals because their treatment is better. Privatisation has led to more money being spent at private hospitals. The money should be, instead, spent on public hospitals. The government should monitor and regulate private hospitals.”

Joshi added: “Poor and backward regions do not have private hospitals as it is not profitable for them. There is also poor usage of insurance in rural or tribal areas.”

Suresh from Sochara who has worked extensively in Tamil Nadu’s health and public sectors drew a comparison between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu’s health care structure. “Privatisation is more aggressive in Karnataka than in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, the Nursing Council Act, 1997, has been made the Clinical Establishments Act, 2010. It does not regulate the functions and facilities of private hospitals. It is the same in Karnataka.” sayantan.s@iijnm.org

Pvt operators care little for bus passengers Sindhuja Michael

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rivate bus operators don’t seem to be concerned about the safety of their drivers and passengers.

A bus run by Universal Travels from Bengaluru to Puducherry met with a minor accident recently. There were no spare buses, and the driver was forced to drive to its destination without the windscreen.

Even minor accidents to buses are supposed to be reported and the journey be stopped. Buses that meet with accidents should be sent to the Regional Transport Office. Neither of these norms is followed. A few private operators don’t have the fitness certificate (FC). Others don’t care to extend its validity.

Damotharan D., from an RTO in Tamil Nadu, informed The Observer: “Every new vehicle needs to get an FC which will be valid for two years. Buses without FC are at risk and they will be seized at the time of inspection.”

Sankar K., a police sub-inspector from Chidambaram, said: “It is better to travel in private operators than in government buses, because these government buses as reach the destination late. We passengers are charged high fares when private operators find there is an increase in bookings.”

Customer reviews against private operators are not taken into account.

Bala Subramani, a passenger travelling on a Universal Travels bus, said: “The drivers refuse when passengers ask for an emergency stop as they have to reach the destination on time. There is no proper maintenance of pushback seats.,blankets are not washed for a long time in air-conditioned buses.

Kumar, a driver with Texicity Travels, said: “It is the role of the travel agency to look after the maintenance of the bus and we are only responsible for the safe drive throughout the journey. No leave is granted at our time of sickness. We are forced to drive continuously without a break.”

Sankar S, a passenger on a KPN bus, said: “The travel operators are rude to passengers. They misbehave with lone female passengers. Calls made by passengers to emergency numbers go unanswered.”

On long journeys there should be two drivers, allowing each to rest. But not every company allots two drivers for a long journey. sindhuja.m@iijnm.org Observer Team Editor: Shashank Dipankar Page Layout: Sahana.S, Sayantan Sarkar, Sindhuja M, Yohanjali R, Sounak Das Photo Editor: Yajush Gupta Desk: Shrabona Ghosh, Shashank Dipankar, Sounak Das Reporters: Sahana.S, Sayantan sarkar, Shrabona Ghosh, Sindhuja M, sounak Das, Yajush Gupta.

Supplement: Surbhi Jain,Yusha Rahman, Sounak Das, Oisika Dev, Sindhuja Michael

Arts & Culture

The Observer SUPPLEMENT

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

5

Shelter in a Heartless World A letter from a terrified father to his refugee son tells a universal story about the horrors of displacement, says Surbhi Jain

K

haled Hosseini’s latest novella, Sea Prayer published in September 2018, marks the third anniversary of the death of three-year-old Kurdish refugee Alan Kurdi, whose body washed up on a beach in Turkey. The shocking image of the little boy, dressed in a red shirt, blue shorts and shoes lying face down in the tide, his arms stretched behind him, brought the horror of the Syrian refugee crisis to the world like nothing before.

Said Hosseini, a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), “I hope that Sea Prayer helps keep alive the memory of Alan Kurdi and that it serves as reminder of the unfathomable desperation that forces families to risk all they have in search of hope and safety on another shore, across the waters.”

The book is written in the form of a poignant letter from a scared Syrian father to his son who is about to make the same perilous sea crossing to Europe. A harrowing account of the lives of the refugees in

Hosseini’s poetic use of language has poignantly told the terrible saga of refugees I Credit: The New York Times

Homs in Syria, the story is written as a first-person narrative in Hosseini’s unmatched lyrical style.

Although very short, at just 48 pages, the book tells a story of human suffering and fear so unique and yet so universal that it cannot but touch the hearts of its readers.

The book has been produced in collaboration with the

UNHCR, Google, and The Guardian newspaper. The illustrations by Dan Williams, a London-based artist, brilliantly capture the lives of the protagonists and their dilemma. Fittingly, the proceeds from the sale of the book will go to The Khaled Hosseini Foundation and the UNHCR to help save the lives of refugees everywhere around

the world.

The central theme of the book is a prayer for safe passage in a troubled world torn by war and displacement, a path strewn with thorns and one with no certainty of arrival. Its portrayal of life in the city of Homs before the war and the systematic destruction of every last remnant of it is vivid, immediate, and devastating. It is a tale of the plight of civilians caught up in a situation beyond their understanding or control.

Their choice is a stark one: stay and die or flee, but with no certainty as to where they might find safety or whether they will survive the journey.

Sadly, it is the story of all too many people in the world today.

A

s Hosseini has appealed, “We all have an individual duty to let our friends, our families, our communities, our governments know we support refugees, that we want to see the expansion of safe, legal pathways for those in need of international protection, and when, if they should reach our own doorstep

in search of safety and sanctuary that we welcome them.

We can show solidarity with refugees in so many different ways. Please take action today.”

The well-known author from Afghanistan, whose earlier novels include The Kite Runner, And the Mountains Echoed and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has been widely read and acclaimed as a beacon of hope from a land torn by civil war for almost half a century. Despite the terrible suffering of his people, Hosseini remains a voice of hope, of reason and of faith in our innate humanity and courage in the face of extreme odds. He himself has said that he wanted to tell the stories of people who have lost their lives at sea. The book is a tribute to them.

He has actively sought to organise humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan and remains deeply engaged in the world he so eloquently describes.

That he has sold more than 50 million copies of his books is a testimony to the fact that his optimism is not misplaced.

The Sound and the Fury Nandita Das’ portrayal of Manto is a brave attempt to convey the conflicted life of a great artist, write Yusha Rehman and Sounak Das

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reat writers lead double lives. They simultaneously inhabit worlds of imagination and reality. The Urdu poet, writer, and playwright Saadat Hasan Manto could,through his fervid imagination, give shape to the harsh realities around him.Few had the courage to tell the stories he told. He was a rebel and his stories betray his iconoclasm.

Director Nandita Das has done an admirable job in conveying Manto’s particular genius. He led a troubled life despite his success in Bollywood as a screenwriter in preindependent India. He was tried for obscenity several times and his works were censored. The result of this was personal, professional and psychological turmoil which Das vividly captures.

There are no fictitious characters involved in the narrative, a trick often adopted by directors making biopics to add drama. Rasika Dugal is compelling as Manto’s wife, Safia, who supports him through thick and thin. Tahir

ter of a conflicted and troubled artist. It was not at all an easy task and therefore deserves commendation.

W

The biopic was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2018 to a packed theatre I Credit: The Indian Express

Raj Bhasin has done a wonderful job by living the reel life of Sunder Shyam Chadda, Manto’s friend and confidant.

Rajshri Deshpande as Ismat Chugtai, the feminist writer and Manto’s staunch friend, is laudable.

Credit should also go to Das for a well-written story which makes Manto’s seemingly disjointed life coherent to the casual cinema-goer.Her research is meticulous and broader themes, such as Par-

tition and the prevalent patriarchy of the times, have been woven into the storyline.

Manto’s response to these issues reflects his own writings.

The cinematography and production design by Kartik Vijay and Rita Ghosh respectively bring a period drama to life and the attention to detail is evident in the costumes and set.

The brilliance of Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Manto is on full display, as he essays the intriguing charac-

hile it would be unfair to criticise a film that attempts to depict the life of a giant in 116 minutes, some events and symbols, which are cardinal to the character as well as his life, should have been given screen space.

For instance, the Pak Tea House in Lahore, which was an integral part of Manto’s life, has not been shown. It was after all the birthplace of the Progressive Writers' Movement. There is hardly any mention of Shaukat Hussain Rizvi. the pioneer of the Pakistani film industry or his wife Noor Jehan, the former a detractor and the latter a supporter of Manto. Some criticisms are irrelevant. The film has drawn the ire of some academics because it shows Manto visiting brothels, which they claim he did not.

Das’s portrayal of this uncannily brilliant writer is nuanced and thoughtful. She has

tried to understand and portray the ambiguity of genius.

But in doing so, she fails to keep the audience completely engaged. Manto was a multifaceted personality. But the film only shows some fragments of that. His alcoholism, loneliness, gambling addiction, anxiety, pitiable financial condition, longing for a home, and his eventual existential crisis are some of what the audience gets to see. The focus is on a series of events leading to his doom.

But Manto was much more than all of these. He was a writer who stood against the established norms of his time.

He vented his disgust and displeasure through his words.

He found himself at odds with the then state of things. His inimitable style still, and will probably always, inspire budding writers. The true test of the film will be if it succedes in encouraging viewers to read this great witer. Otherwise, it could be yet another biopic, no matter all the good work done by the actors and the filmmaker.

Social Initiatives

The Observer SUPPLEMENT

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

6

Bang on Target The Tata Archery Academy is a national centre of excellence, writes Oisika Dev

T

he Tata Group is synonymous with corporate social responsibility.

Founder Jamesetji Nusserwanji Tata envisaged not only Asia’s first integrated steel plant but also a modern industrial township to support it, Jamshedpur. But it did not end there. He sought to inculcate a deeper social development, principally through promoting sport.

He advised his son Sir Dorabji Tata, while planning the city, “to earmark areas for archery,hockey,football”.As early as 1919, Sir Dorabji financed 4 athletes and two wrestlers for the Antwerp Olympics. In 1924, Sir Dorabjibecame the first president of the Indian Olympic Association.

The Tata Archery Academy (TAA) was inaugurated by Dr.J J Irani, then managing director of Tata Steel in October 1996. With that single gesture, Tata Steel transformed the lives and hopes of many youngsters from Jharkhand.

TAA spots and nurtures talentand, over the last 16 years, it has trained 127 ‘cadets’,45 of whom have represented the

country at various levels. Students are selected through a national entrance exam with half the seats reserved for candidates from Jharkhand.The academy sponsors their accommodation and food, education and training. After completiing their training, the academy employs them at Tata Steel or helps them join government services.

Purnima Mahato, a native of Birsanagar, is the current coach of the TAA. She trained at the academy and has won the National Archery Championship and a silver medal at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. She was awarded theDronacharya Award in August 2013.

Says Mahato, “We have 24 students in our academy and our main goal is to represent India in the Olympics.The academy provides employment to the students so that they can continue their practice at the academy and keep bringing more medals for India. Every year 100% students qualify for the nationals and 50-60% students even represent India at the international level.’’

Deepika is currently ranked World No. 5 I Credit : India Today

M

ahato coached the 2012 summer Olympian Deepika Kumari, who is currently ranked world number 5 and was a former world number 1.

Deepika’s professional journey began in the year 2006 when she joined TAA. It was here, under Mahato, that she started her training with

proper equipments. She was conferred the Arjuna Award, India’s second highest sporting award in 2012. In 2014, she was honoured with the FICCI Sportsperson of the Year Award. The government of India awarded her the Padma Shree in 2016.

Says Deepika, “Coming from a poor family, in the early days it was very difficult for my parents to financially support my dream and often they had to compromise on a lot of things to buy me equipment. However the academy helped me in every way possible from sponsoring my training,food,shelter to providing me a job. I never had to worry about anything.”

Chekrovolu Swaro from Nagaland, another TAA alumnus, represented India in archery in the 2002 Asian Games and 2006 Asian Games too.She also qualified for the 2012 Olympics in both the women’s individual and team events. She was first woman from Nagaland to represent India at the 2012 summer Olympics. Another meritorious student of this academy is Jayant Talukdar, who had

won the individual gold medal in the 2006 Archery World Cup.In 2006 he had also won an individual gold medal at the South Asian Games and a bronze medal in the team competition.

Ankita Bhagat, an Indian archer currently ranked number 51 by the World Archery Association also completed her training from TAA under the tutelage of coaches Dharmendra Tiwari, Mahato and Ram Awdesh. She competed in the 2017 World Archery Youth Championships held in Argentina and won the gold medal at the recurve junior mixed team event.

Says Amit Kumar, a 12th standard student from Dhanbad, “My father is an autorickshaw driver and could not afford the expenditure of my training. Now Tata sponsors my training, food, and education.Until now I have played 5 nationals and I have won 3 golds and 1 bronze.My training starts from 5 in the morning and goes till 7 at night.The academy has also arranged private tutors to teach me in the evening. My dream is to represent India at Olympics.”

Perils of Plastic We use plastic products indiscriminately, at our own risk, says Sindhuja Michael

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lastics have come to substitute a number of other materials including glass, steel and paper in our daily lives as they are handy, easily molded into any shape, are durable and relatively inexpensive. But with convenience, comes risk.

As a recent BBC report points out, plastic’s durability means it can sit in a landfill or litter a street for thousands of years without decomposing.

No organism has yet evolved that’s capable of digesting these complicated and ‘alien’ materials.

The expiry date printed on a water bottle doesn’t refer to water quality. It’sthe plastic bottle that will expire as it will eventually start leaching chemicals into the water. Exposure to the toxicity of plastic correlates the adverse effects in the human population including reproductive abnormalities.

“Estrogenic chemical compounds mainly involve in affecting hormones and it results in the chemical chain reaction in a human body which causes in the spread of toxins,” says Xavier Dixon,

Plastic Industry Codes l PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) ismost commonly used in consumer products like bottles and packaging.

But it is intended for single use only and repeated usage increases the risk of leaching chemicals and bacterial growth. They leach carcinogens. l HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), used in milk jugs, oil bottles, and some plastic bags. This is considered one of the safest forms of plastic and it is mostly recycled and reused. l PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), the soft and flexible plastic used to make clear plastic food wrapping, children toys, and others. It is also used in sheathing material for computer cable and to make plastic pipes. But PVC is dubbed the ‘poison plastic’ because it contains numerous toxins which it can leach throughout its entire cycle.

These should not be reused for application with food or children’s use.

and relatively safe for use. LDPE plastics are reusable, but not always recyclable. l PP (Polypropylene), it is sturdy and lightweight and extreme excellent heat resistance qualities. This is safe to reuse. l PS (Polystyrene), it is inexpensive, lightweight and easily formed plastic with the wide variety of uses. It is most commonly found in Styrofoam drinking cups. It breaks up quickly and disperses readily throughout the natural environment. These may leach styrene, a possible human carcinogen, into food products (when heated in the microwave). Recycling is not widely done, and it must be avoided as possible.

l LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), found in the plastic grocery bags, squeezable bottles. These are considered less toxic than the other plastic

l BPA, Polycarbonate and LEXAN, reuse and recycling protocols are not standardized within this category.

However, it is potential for chemical leaching into food and drink products packaged in polycarbonate containers made up of BPA (Bisphenol A). It is advisable not to be used.

specialist in oncology, associate lecturer, Sacred Heart Nursing College Madurai.

“The common plastic induced cancer is gastric (stomach) cancer, colon-rectal cancer,

Over one million marine creatures die every year from plastic trash

and skin cancer.”

The health impacts of the chemicals in plastic are being classified as endocrine disruptors. These can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. These are likely to affect children and pregnant women.

“T

he excess uses of plastic products, release toxic substances into your food and water that is likely affect the function of the kidney,” says Shankar S, sanitary health inspector, Chidambaram.“This works as

slow poison. Likewise, the plastic water tanks are also not advisable as there must be enough air flow in the stored water, these could make even the water get toxic. We can’t stop using plastic totally but having detailed information of reuse and recycling of plastic product, with the help of the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) code, will help the individual be aware of the duration of use of the plastic product and to keep the environment away from plastic debris. It is advisable to use plastics that are more than 40 microns.” The thickness of the plastic is measured in microns.

“The well-recognized ‘chasing arrows’ symbol we see on the plastic containers and products does not mean the product is recyclable. The little number inside the triangle tells the real story” says Seaman.The purpose of these numbers is to identify the type of plastic used in the product as not all plastics are reusable and recyclable.

Thus, knowing what the plastic codes mean will help us make safer health choices.