SAT December 2016 40 pgs

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CELEBRATING 14TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

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READ INSIDE

South Asia Times

Vol.14 I No. 5 I DECEMBER 2016 I FREE s o u t hasiatim es.com .au Editor: Neeraj Nanda

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GUEST EDITORIAL

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Actions needed urgently to tackle air pollution – Part 2

By Martin Khor

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ENANG, Nov 14 2016 (IPS) As evidence mounts on the threats posed by air pollution to both human health and the environment, action must be urgently taken to address this problem.

At the global level, the Paris Agreement that came into force on 10 November aims to get countries to significantly reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and to better cope with climate change.

In May 2016, Health Ministers approved a global “roadmap” to address air pollution at the World Health Assembly. And the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, adopted in 2015, contain accompanying targets for reducing air pollution.

But much more needs to be done, especially at the national level, to seriously tackle this crisis.

The adverse health effects of air pollution have been growing worse with a 8% increase from 2008 to 2013 in deaths globally caused by urban air pollution, according to World Health Organisation data. Although the situation has improved in developed countries, it has deteriorated in most developing countries.

Countering air pollution should thus be a top priority. What should be done?

First, more details and data should be collected in all countries, through improvements in monitoring air pollution and its adverse health effects.

Second, a public education campaign is needed to make the public more aware of the dangers of air pollution so they can take actions to prevent the pollution and to avoid being exposed.

Third, and most important, the causes of the pollution must be identified and action plans drawn up to eliminate or reduce the factors these sources.

Outdoor air pollution is caused by transport vehicles that emit pollutants, coal-fired power plants, industrial factories, burning of wastes and fires in forest and agricultural areas. Indoor pollution is mainly caused by the use of fuels that are based on wood and coal.

Besides the direct effects on human health, the pollution is also a major cause of global warming, which in turn also affects health.

It is thus doubly important to tackle these causes. Actions should include the following: Reduce vehicle emissions through better energy-efficiency and airpollution standards for vehicles and control of private transport.

Give priority to public transport and promote clean transport such as railways, bicycles and walkways Phase out of coal powered plants, shift to clean modes of power generation, and promote renewable energy Impose strict air pollution controls in industry and phase in clean lowemissions technologies.

Promote energy efficiency in the design of buildings.

Phase out the use of wood and charcoal as household fuels used in traditional stoves, and replace them

Panoramic view of a neighbourhood in southern Mexico City, with buildings semi-hidden by air pollution. Credit: Emilio Godoy/IPS with safe and efficient stoves.

Reduce waste through recycling and reuse, introduce alternatives to open incineration of solid waste and stop the open burning of household wastes.

Stop the burning of forests, mangroves and in agriculture; this is the most important to prevent the South-east Asian “haze.”

Take measures so as to adhere to the WHO guidelines for outdoor and indoor air pollution. (The WHO guideline for particulate matter (PM) outdoor pollution is 10 micrograms per cubic meter annual mean for particles below the size of 2.5 microns in diameter, and 20 micrograms for particles below 10 microns in size).

Air pollution reduction measures should become part of wider health and environmental strategies and be given priority and resources in the country’s development plans.

The problem must also be given the global attention it deserves. In May 2016, the World Health Assembly for the first time adopted a road map to tackle air pollution and its causes.

(WHA Document A69/18; 6 May 2016).

The four-point road map calls on the health sector to: Expand the knowledge base on air pollution, its health effects and effectiveness of policies; Increase monitoring of air pollution locally and assess the health impacts of its sources; Take on a leadership role in national policies to respond to air pollution and at the global level; Build its own capacity to influence policy and decision making processes to take joint action on air pollution and health.

The UN’s Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by world leaders in September 2015, also has goals and targets relevant to air pollution.

These include goals and associated targets relevant to health (Goal 3); cities (Goal 11) and household energy (Goal 7). The three indicators most relevant to air pollution are: Cutting down on air pollution, which is closely related to emissions of Greenhouse Gases, is one the major actions (if not the very top action) countries are expected to take to fight climate change, and thus most relevant to the implementation of the Paris Agreement of the UN Climate Change Convention adopted in December 2015.

Indeed, drastically reducing air pollution would be tackling the world’s

biggest health and environmental problems, as air pollution is the major source of deaths and diseases, as well as the main cause of climate change.

Action plans on air pollution are thus urgently needed at both national and global levels. “Fast action to tackle air pollution can’t come soon enough,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “Solutions exist with sustainable transport in cities, solid waste management, access to clean household fuels and cook-stoves, as well as renewable energies and industrial emissions reductions.”

We are only at the starting phase of

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Drastically reducing air pollution would be tackling the world’s biggest health and environmental problems, as air pollution is the major source of deaths and diseases, as well as the main cause of climate change. understanding the huge health problem that air pollution causes. We have however been made conscious of the grave crisis that it has caused to the environment.

While the actions needed are quite clear, getting them implemented will be an immense challenge, as the causes of air pollution are presently so embedded in modern lifestyles and economic structures.

(Concluded)

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7-Eleven signs on with Fair Work Ombudsman the standard for franchising in Australia

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elbourne: Australia’s largest petrol and convenience retailer, 7-Eleven, has signed a Proactive Compliance Deed with the Fair Work Ombudsman which will set a new standard for franchising in Australia.

The landmark agreement commits 7-Eleven to a range of measures designed to ensure all its workers receive their lawful entitlements through strong accountability for all operators across its franchise network and supervision by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

The measures include installing and overseeing biometric shift scanning systems and the roll out

of 7-Eleven owned CCTV systems at all outlets in order to allow the head office to monitor employee hours and make sure workers are paid correctly.

The deed also implements measures aimed at overcoming the challenging and unlawful practice of ‘cash backs’ by workers to franchisees which were revealed by the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Inquiry Report into workplace noncompliance in the 7-Eleven network.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said the commitments in the deed would help prevent the unlawful practices identified in the regulator’s April 2016 Inquiry Report, increase

accountability across the entire franchise network and introduce a culture of compliance from head office down.

“The measures in this deed are the most robust and comprehensive that any franchise brand has in place in Australia,” Ms James said.

“The goal is to make sure franchisees pay workers correctly in the first place.

As we noted in our Inquiry report, non-compliance in this network has been long term, extensive and systemic.

Some franchisees have demonstrated they will go to extremelengths to circumvent record keeping systems.

The deed establishes a framework for 7- Eleven to detect, investigate and rectify

underpayments within its network now and into the future. It also maintains commitments to back pay workers underpaid in the past.”

The actions required by the deed will ensure employees and franchisees understand their rights and obligations, including ensuring franchisees understand the wages costs associated with their store.

It will make franchisees and Head Office accountable through new systems and oversight by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The measures include: Improving systems and record keeping Identifying Employees

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and Maintaining Employee Records – Fully implement a biometric time recording system that can ensure periodical verification of workers supported by a 7-Eleven owned and operated CCTV system.

Franchisees will not be permitted to alter any systems owned by 7-Eleven.

Payment and Payroll Records – All franchisees must use a central payroll system which will specify lawful minimum rates of pay for all employees, and which cannot be manually altered by Franchisees. All payments to be made by electronic funds transfer, rather than cash.

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CONT. FROM PG 4

Workplace Laws.

Managing claims of underpayment: The current 7-Eleven Wage Repayment Program – will continue to receive and process all employee Claims submitted prior to 31 January 2017, as well as all claims previously made to and received by the Panel.

7-Eleven will pay the aggregate Claim amounts approved through the 7-Eleven WRP on an uncapped basis and will report to the FWO at least quarterly regarding the outcome of claims to the 7-Eleven WRP. Claimants who disagree with the outcome of a claim can seek review by the WRP and further review by the Fair Work Ombudsman if they choose. Note – to date, 7-Eleven has paid more than $55 million in wages to employees who were underpaid by 7-Eleven franchisees.

Internal Investigations Unit - an Internal Investigations Unit (IIU) will be established to ensure compliance in individual franchises by monitoring and detecting issues when and where they arise. From 1 February 2017 the IIU will receive and investigate claims from 7-Eleven employees and make franchisees accountable for any underpayments that have occurred.

The IIU will report on all activity to 7-Eleven and the FWO on a quarterly basis. Rectification of Underpayments - Where an underpayment claim is substantiated by the IIU, 7-Eleven will require the relevant franchisee to rectify any underpayment to that Employee within 30 days of service.

If the Franchisee fails to rectify the underpayment within 30 days of 7-Eleven having notified the Franchisee of the substantiated underpayment claim, 7-Eleven will rectify the underpayment within a further 15 days.

Uncapped Payments - 7-Eleven will ensure that it has funds available to enact prompt rectification of underpayments on an uncapped basis for all claims lodged with both the WRP and the IIU. 7-Eleven will report to the FWO on all amounts paid for the rectification of underpayments.

Compliance with Commonwealth Workplace Laws – 7-Eleven acknowledges its moral and ethical responsibility to ensure compliance with the law in relation to all employees and meet Australian

Clear expectations for franchises Wage Costs of Franchises - Prior to the sale of any new or existing Franchise, 7-Eleven will provide information to each prospective franchisee outlining the applicable minimum wages, loadings, penalty rates and overtime rates of pay for full-time, part-time and casual employees of each classification under the relevant Fair Work Instrument.

It will also provide detailed wage modelling, outlining the range of expected minimum wage costs required to operate the type of 7-Eleven store, details of the range of expected minimum working hours required to operate and details of the specific store’s income and expenditure data for a period of the previous two years. 7-Eleven will refer franchises to the IIU if wage costs fall below modelled figures.

Franchisee obligations to comply with workplace laws – the Deed calls on 7-Eleven to take reasonable steps to ensure that each franchisee signs a compliance commitment document certifying that its directors, officers and managers understand their obligations to comply with Commonwealth Workplace Laws; agrees to report to 7-Eleven on the details of the terms and conditions upon which each Employee is engaged; that directors and managers will not require or accept payments from Employees in respect of wages paid and acknowledge that such conduct is unlawful. They will also be required to register with the FWO’s My Account Portal so as to ensure they have access to current and accurate information about wage rates and entitlements.

7-Eleven has acknowledged the culture of underpayment and false records that had become normalised in its network and recognised it must do more to detect and fix the issue.

It has also acknowledged it had not recognised the need for additional financial support for some stores and that these factors contributed to the exploitation of vulnerable workers.

Ms James said every person working in Australia had the right to receive the relevant entitlements relating to their occupation.

community and social expectations.

Auditing and Reporting to the FWO – 7-Eleven will engage an independent auditor to conduct three annual audits throughout the duration of the Deed assessing compliance with Commonwealth Workplace Laws and applicable Fair Work Instruments.

Within two months of the audit, 7-Eleven must provide the Fair Work Ombudsman with a summary report prepared by the auditor outlining findings and steps taken to rectify contraventions.

Internal Auditing and Risk Analysis – In addition, 7-Eleven must appoint a Senior Manager with responsibility for auditing time and payroll data.

The Senior Manager will report to the 7-Eleven Audit and Risk Committee at least every six months and advise the Fair Work Ombudsman of any stores where serious non-compliance has been detected.

Reporting of Non-Compliance with Commonwealth Workplace Laws 7-Eleven will, at its own expense, establish and maintain a dedicated telephone hotline and email account service with interpreter accessibility to ensure that any person, including Employees and members of the public, may make enquiries, lodge complaints or report potential noncompliance with workplace laws, including underpayment of wages, at 7-Eleven Franchises. The hotline must have the capacity to receive, respond to and manage complaints made anonymously.

Access to Stores - 7-Eleven will allow and facilitate Fair Work Inspectors access to its Franchises, stores or offices at any time for the purpose of the FWO verifying compliance with Commonwealth

The measures include installing and overseeing biometric shift scanning systems and the roll out of 7-Eleven owned CCTV systems at all outlets in order to allow the head office to monitor employee hours and make sure workers are paid correctly.

“The law requires direct employers pay all workers, including visa holders, their minimum rates of pay.

The community also expects other entities that benefit from labour to take responsibility for making sure workers are paid properly.

We are pleased that 7-Eleven has acknowledged this by agreeing to this Compliance Deed, entering into a partnership arrangement with the FWO which sets a new Australian standard,” Ms James said.

“With the government committing to new laws to enhance franchisor responsibility for workplace entitlements, I call on all franchises to consider what steps they might take to ensure their network is compliant. We are happy to work with any business that wants to take responsibility for compliance with workplace laws in its supply chain or network” The Fair Work Ombudsman and 7-Eleven signed the compliance deed on Tuesday 6 December 2016.

Employers and employees who have any uncertainty or questions about their workplace rights and obligations are encouraged to visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website at www.fairwork.gov.au or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for advice.

—Source: Medianet, 7 December 2016.

Daniel Andrew’s visits Sankat Mochan Temple

By SAT News Desk

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elbourne, 1 December: Victorian Premier today had a first-hand experience of Indian hospitality laced with spiritual vitality and devotion. He was on a visit to the Sankat Mochan Temple, Huntingdale with Member for Oakleigh, Steve Dimopoulos, MP, where they were welcomed by Mr. Arvind Srivastava, Mrs. Sunila Srivastava along with an array of devotees.

The guests were taken around the temple premises and the Premier took a keen interest in it and enquired and listened to the plans to improve facilities at the place of worship. Aarti was performed and the Premier hon-

oured with the traditional shawl by the temple priest.

Addressing the august gathering Mr. Srivastava detailed the Hindu spiritual traditions

and the various activities of the Sankat Mochan Temple.

Hon. Daniel Andrew’s in his speech said, “I was delighted to visit the Sankat Mochan Temple

and see the fantastic work it does as one of the best supporters of our local Indian community.”

He advised the Sankat Mochan Samiti (the committee that runs the temple) to wisely and in

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detail draw up the plans for the temple’s expansion which would help the State government to look into the matter.

The Premier then mixed with the devotees and posed for pictures while having Indian snacks.

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ISCA committee members serving themselves or serving the community?

By Surendra Verma*

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elbourne: A recent phenomenon in Melbourne’s Indian community is the sudden increase in the numbers of so-called Indian senior citizens’ associations. The reason for this is twofold: People of who came to Australia decades ago (including this journalist) are now senior citizens. Their numbers are not very large. The real rise in the numbers of Indian senior citizens is due to the rise of dependent parents of young migrants.

As Indian seniors love to socialise – and play power politics – these associations provide a good forum for both activities.

Large numbers of these institutions are a good sign of how entrenched is democracy in the Indian psyche. Or, is it, really?

If you see democracy in action in many of these associations in this fair city, you’ll cringe and utter ‘shemozzle’. Read on.

Indian Senior Citizens Association (ISCA), based in Glen Waverley, is the oldest seniors’ associations in Melbourne.

It was co-founded more than 20 years ago by Dr Prem Phakey AM with the help of Mrs Krishan Arora OAM and others.

Dr Phakey and Mrs Arora both have now received Order of Australia awards for their distinguished and selfless services to the community, especially ISCA. Until recently, the general perception was that ISCA was a wellrun organisation that genuinely contributed to

the welfare of all Indian seniors irrespective of their regional, religious or cultural backgrounds. But that perception changed dramatically when the new management committee took over in September 2015.

ISCA’s nearly 450 members were perplexed when they learned of the resignation of the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and three other management committee members. They all were shocked when on 8 September 2016 they received an email from Mr Bhim Sud outlining four specific instances of irregularities in handling ISCA funds.

Mr Sud, a member of ISCA since its inception and the Treasurer for 13 years, is highly admired for his integrity and adherence to rules by ISCA members.

When the management committee failed to act on his repeated warnings of financial irregularities he resigned in frustration in June 2016.

Immediately after receiving Mr Sud’s email, Dr Dinesh Sood, ISCA President, called a special management committee meeting and announced that he will institute an inquiry board consisting of a community lawyer and independent auditor to investigate allegations of financial irregularities. Not only he has failed to keep his promise of independent inquiry, he and his management committee members have become completely silent on this issue. One wonders why?

In recent weeks, many leading members of ISCA have written to Dr Dinesh Sood requesting an

As Indian seniors love to socialise – and play power politics – these associations provide a good forum for both activities. Large numbers of these institutions are a good sign of how entrenched is democracy in the Indian psyche. independent inquiry, but there has been no reply.

How could an association claim to be democratic and transparent if it fails to investigate serious allegations of financial impropriety?

ISCA receives substantial grants from various government agencies.

Therefore, it must ensure that there is no conflict of interest in handling ISCA funds. It has been pointed out by various members that the current Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer all are related to each other and to the owner of the caterer who provides meals for monthly meetings and special functions. No democratic institution would tolerate

such a situation.

One incident highlights the total disregard for the normal rules for accountability. When a member asked the Vice President why he was not issued with a receipt for $30 he paid for a function, he received an email on 25 August 2016 from the Vice President berating him for asking ‘a petty question about issuing receipts for the subsidised function you attended and enjoyed thoroughly … We will not … issue receipts for future subsidised functions.’

Strange reply considering that the subsidy comes from government grants.

Keeping detailed and transparent accounts is required by the law.

Left with no recourse to seek transparency in account keeping, a group of leading members has become so exasperated that they decided to write to various authorities.

This journalist has written about Indian associations in Melbourne for more than three decades, but he has never come across such a desperate situation before.

Dr Prem Phakey AM, who has served ISCA as President for more than 12 years, has told this journalist that he is greatly worried by the lack of accountability to its members by the current ISCA management committee. ‘At present, ISCA has a savings of about $125,000 and we are worried that it may whittle down to nothing,’ he said, ‘if members are unable to scrutinise the opaque accounting practices of the current management committee.’

In Victoria, associations

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ISCA receives substantial grants from various government agencies.

Therefore, it must ensure that there is no conflict of interest in handling ISCA funds. such as ISCA are governed by the Associations Incorporation Reform Act of 2012 which clearly outlines steps for resolving disputes among members.

‘It’s simply a matter of calling a special general meeting and answering questions raised by members,’ Dr Phakey said.

India may be the largest democracy in the world, but ISCA management committee members have failed in their duty to the younger generation of Indians in Melbourne by not setting ISCA as an example of democratic institutions in practice.

Dr Dinesh Sood, ISCA President, was approached to explain allegations of financial irregularities made by various members.

He has refused to reply to this request. *Surendra Verma is a journalist and author based since 1970 in Melbourne.

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Message from Chief Commissioner of Police, Graham Ashton Response to Community Safety Statement 2017

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his week marked an important moment for the future safety of all Victorians.

As Chief Commissioner, I welcomed the State Government’s announcement that it would fund our plans to build a more capable, agile and responsive police force.

This has included funding an additional 2,729 police, 100 PSOs, and introducing new laws that will provide greater protection for citizens and better justice outcomes for victims.

They have also agreed to fund an extensive equipment and IT program for police – all of which will greatly enhance our ability to keep people safe.

Keeping the community safe is our greatest priority. As police we know that staying connected to all

communities is fundamental to us achieving this.

We know the issues of safety facing each of our communities are different. Our emerging communities deal with different challenges and issues to those who have been here longer, and as police we need to understand those differences.

The headline figure of 2,729 more police over the next four years will provide a huge boost to our organisation. Local police will be better equipped, skilled and confident to engage with, and be responsive to, the complex, evolving needs of Victoria’s many diverse and overlapping communities.

It will put significantly more police out on patrol, in the community, responding to pleas for help where and when needed.

It will allow us to appoint 42 additional Youth Resource Officers who will target areas of high risk youth offending and work with at-risk young people, including in schools and residential care, and four new Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers to expand positive engagement with Aboriginal Victorians.

And it will also allow us to grow our task forces and teams working on some of the most complex causes of harm, such as family violence, online offending and organised crime.

The additional PSOs will put

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Keeping the community safe is our greatest priority. As police we know that staying connected to all communities is fundamental to us achieving this. more officers on station platforms, keeping travellers safe, and our new Police Assistance Line and online crime reporting tool will provide new ways for the public to reach out to police and seek assistance.

Other measures we have secured include funding for the role out of Automated Number Plate Recognition technology to 220 highway patrol vehicles, a vital tool for detecting unlicensed drivers and unregistered vehicles.

And three new police helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft will greatly enhance our abilities to deliver people and services around the state, where and when needed, in quick time. We have also carefully worked through a package of law changes that will boost police abilities to investigate and prosecute offenders.

We have sought and been promised powers to take DNA samples from people suspected of committing a criminal offence, greatly increasing the availability of DNA samples to investigators.

We have pushed for and been promised new laws that will ban the payment of cash for scrap metal in an effort to target organised crime groups which trade in stolen cars.

And our advice on new laws targeting drive-by shootings, including firing into a house, building or stationary vehicle, has been listened to.

As said, this is a great outcome for the State.

As police, we know that we must evolve to meet new and emerging threats to community safety. Being able to anticipate the emerging issues is key and will allow us to be better prepared to respond. We look forward to continuing to work closely with your community to keep Victoria safe.

—Source: Victoria Police

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Free RadioApp covers 250 Australian radio stations

By SAT News Desk

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elbourne: In an Australian first, the radio industry today launched RadioApp, a new mobile app that allows consumers to live stream 250 Australian radio stations on the go.

The free app allows listeners to tune in to Australian radio from anywhere in the world, add stations to their favourites list and simply swipe to see what’s playing on other stations. Listeners can also view a list of recently played songs and share what they’re listening to with friends.

Developed by industry body Commercial Radio Australia and app developer All in Media, the app is part of a strategy to make listening to radio on smartphones much easier.

“RadioApp is the best way to stream radio on your smartphone because it puts commercial AM, FM and DAB+ digital radio stations as well as ABC and SBS stations all into one place,” said CRA chief executive

officer Joan Warner.

“It’s about setting commercial rivalries aside and putting the consumer experience first, so listeners can simply swipe and listen to their favourite stations wherever they are.”

RadioApp includes the following features: • Listen live to 250 Australian radio stations covering music, sports, talk and news • Access digital-only stations such as Buddha,

Kinderling Kids Radio, Koffee, EON Sports Radio and Christmas station Elf Radio • See what’s playing on air and simply swipe to change stations • Search for stations by name, town or frequency • View a list of recently played songs and purchase songs.

More features will be built into the app in future stages, including the ability to subscribe to podcasts.

CRA board member and Southern Cross Austereo CEO Grant Blackley said: “What’s in the marketplace at the moment is a very scattered view, with different technology and different apps across different platforms. This brings it all together and makes it easy for the listener, and that’s going to benefit the industry.”

ABC Radio Director Michael Mason said: “The ABC fully supports collaborative involvement in this innovative all-ofindustry app. This is an example of radio continuing to evolve to stay relevant to

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our listeners.”

SBS Director of Audio and Language Content Mandi Wicks said: “SBS Radio is keen to be part of RadioApp with eight SBS stations because it’s a great platform to deliver our music and more than 70 inlanguage programs to radio audiences.” RadioApp can be downloaded free through the App Store and Google Play or visit www.radioapp. com.au for more info.

The industry will promote the app through a national marketing campaign that launches today, including radio and online advertising, social media and interior bus panels. The ads carry the tagline: “RadioApp. Your radio, wherever you are.”

More than 95% of the population listens to Australian commercial and public radio stations each week in the five metropolitan capitals. GfK figures show Australians spend about six hours on average listening to Australian radio via a mobile phone or tablet each week.

—Source: Medianet, 30 Nov 2016

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Penny Wong, Daniel Andrews bat for multiculturalism at HoNG Lim’s banquet

By SAT News Desk

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elbourne, 4 December: Senator Penny Wong, representing South Australia in the Senate and Leader of Opposition in the Senate and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews batted for multiculturalism saying it is the diversity and inclusion which is the force that drives Australia. Both the Labour leaders were addressing the

big gathering at the Labour MP from Clarinda Hom Lim’s 23 rd Clayton Annual Multicultural Banquet at the Anabella Reception, Clayton South.

Criticizing One Nation for its anti-migration utterings Penny Wong said, “The values of diversity and inclusion were the driving force of Australia and openness has led to the most successful multicultural society.”

“Migration benefits our

country”, she said.

Pointing out at the different communities attending the Banquet, she said, “This is what Australia looks like.”

Premier Daniel Andrews while detailing Victoria’s infrastructure investments and vital steps on the health and community safety fronts said, “multiculturalism is a

precious gift that we have and it forms part of Labour Values.”

“Every member of the Labour team always defends and respects multiculturalism and inclusion,” he said.

Hong Lim expressed his happiness at the vast support from different communities for the Banquet and thanked

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them for their presence while welcoming all the guests.

Subcontinent Friends of Labour (SCFOL) was among about hundred organisations, groups, factions and businesses attended the Banquet.

A variety of cultural items were also staged by different community cultural groups.

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Andrews govt. joins community to protect the Racial Discrimination Act

By SAT News Desk

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elbourne, 7 December: The Andrews Labor Government today gave a powerful message to the Federal Government led by Hon. Malcom Turnbull by welcoming a joint submission by 61 local community groups that calls for existing federal racial discrimination laws to be protected.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott today met with Victorian representatives from a number of multicultural, faith and Aboriginal community organisations to voice the Labor Government’s support for the Racial Discrimination Act. A federal inquiry is currently being held into the efficacy of the Act and Section 18C, which deems it

unlawful to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” based on a person’s race or ethnicity.

Together with the

Premier Hon. Daniel Andrews, representatives of community groups and Government MPs, they demonstrated their unity

with a symbolic linking of arms on the steps of the Victorian Parliament House.

The Daniel Andrews Government says it will

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make a submission soon emphasising the on-going contribution of multicultural and indigenous communities to Victoria, the need to protect individuals and communities from racial vilification.

“All Victorians – regardless of where they come from, the language they speak or the faith they follow – deserve strong legislative protections,” says a media release from the office of the Hon. Robin Scott, Minister of Finance and Multicultural Affairs.

It says, “In May 2014, then Multicultural Affairs Minister Matthew Guy said: “There should be no changes to the Federal, Racial Discrimination Act and we’ll be very, very clear in our submission to say so.

Like the previous state Liberal Government, we fully support the Act as it stands – and will continue to do so.”

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‘Constitution Day’ celebrated at Indian Consulate

BY SAT News Desk

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elbourne, 26 Nov: The constitution of the world’s biggest democracy- India, was today celebrated and discussed at the Indian Consulate here. Known as the ‘Constitution Day’ it is celebrated each year on 26 November. On this date after deliberations and debates in the constituent assembly for three years it was adopted in 1949 and India became a Republic on 26 January 1950.

Indian Consul Manika Jain introduced the important articles of the Constitution dealing with equality, social justice and freedoms. She explained how the Indian Constitution framed under the leadership of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar is a living constitution and the Keshva Nand Bharti Case in the Supreme Court in 1973 laid down the ‘basic structure’ of the constitution which cannot be amended. This, she said, laid the principle that the Indian Constitution

is supreme and social justice is the corner stone of the Constitution.

The gathering was also addressed by Mr, John Moleny of Deakin University who outlined the basic features of the Indian Constitution. He also said

the Deakin University has strong links with India and 2,000 Indian students now study in it.

Mr. Pawan Singh of the Australia India Institute detailed how the Supreme Court of India and other courts by interpreting

the Indian Constitution gave equal rights to trans genders, gays, lesbians and bar dancing girls of Maharashtra.

Mr. Harjinder Mahajan also gave a summary of the social justice and secular credentials of the Indian

Mr. Pawan Singh of the Australia India Institute detailed how the Supreme Court of India and other courts by interpreting the Indian Constitution gave equal rights to trans genders, gays, lesbians and bar dancing girls of Maharashtra.

Constitution.

A documentary ‘Tanna Bana’ was screened before the speeches and a lively Q-A session took place after the speakers presentations.

Education partnerships the way to go forward between Australia & India: Sheba Nandkeolyar

BY SAT News Desk

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elbourne, 28 November: India and Australia have much in common but partnerships in the education sector are the ones where going forward is the way. This was the opinion of Sheba Nandkeolyar, National Chair Australia India Business Council & founder MultiConnexions. She was addressing a panel discussion on “Connecting Australia & India Through Education Partnerships” at the Indian Consulate, Melbourne, organised by the Indian Consulate and the Women in Business Chapter (WIB) of the AIBC Victoria.

Sheba set the tone for the discussion emphasising concentrate on the education ties between the two countries while detailing other aspects of the emerging engagement between the world’s biggest democracy and Australia.

A message from the Indian Consul Manika Jain was

read out by Mr. Malhotra and Anushka introduced the subject. Rebecca Abharam, student conducted the panel consisting of Jane den Hollander, Vice Chancellor – Deakin University, Jaffa Mckenzie – Senior Market Development Advisor, Victorian Government and Julia Evans – Project

Manager – Project Manager – Australia Academy of the Humanities & Co-Author of the Australia’s Diaspora Advantage report.

There was a lively discussion and it was felt more placements is not the solution, Indian students generally want to settle in Australia, we are

two different cultures but still Indian international students are extraordinarily successful. Placement for those going back to India after completing studies here are good and the Indian government has its own pathway with qualifications.

It was agreed education partnerships are not just

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There was a lively discussion and it was felt more placements is not the solution, Indian students generally want to settle in Australia, we are two different cultures but still Indian international students are extraordinarily successful. enough and it means jobs also. The panel discussion was wrapped up and all participants and panellists thanked by Molina Asthana.

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Victoria hosts Asia’s big business & economic leaders

BY SAT News Desk

economy, with two-way trade valued at more than $20 billion in 2015.

The Andrews Labor Government continues to grow its strong relationship with the region, releasing its China strategy Partnerships for Prosperity in April this year, outlining Victoria’s clear vision to be the Australian gateway

M

elbourne, 8 December: Victoria will be at the centre of talks on future economic opportunities for the Asia Pacific region today as hundreds of high-level business, government and academic leaders converge in Melbourne for the prestigious Boao Forum for Asia.

The three-day event is a chance to showcase Victoria’s strengths to top business leaders as they explore the region’s key challenges and opportunities with discussions on globalisation, e-commerce, free trade agreements, commodities and overseas investment.

The 2016 forum is a coup for Victoria, reinforcing the state’s growing position as a leading international hub of business, trade and investment.

The Boao Forum was established by key leaders from across the Asia Pacific in 1998, including former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and aims to strengthen economic relationships throughout the region.

Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said, “With our economy now growing faster than it has in almost a decade, Victoria is the perfect place to host these important discussions on the future of our region.”

“The Boao Forum for Asia is a great opportunity to show the leaders of Asia why our state is fast becoming a top global destination to live, work and do business, “he said.

This will be the first time it has been held in Victoria, with visiting international delegates given the chance to network one-on-one with local businesses to explore potential trade and investment opportunities.

China remains Victoria’s number one trading partner contributing an enormous amount to the state’s

into the Asian markets.

In the last six months Victoria has held a number of major global events including the AustraliaJapan Joint Business Cooperation Conference, the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress and the International Mining and Resources Conference.

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Melbourne Durbar

Inside the AIBC-Vic

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ELBOURNE: The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) in Victoria has been making news for years. In fact, the state chapter was taken over by the national AIBC and elections were held a few months back for a new committee. All sorts of stories are moving around about some of the new members (a group) who recently split from an organisation supporting the current ruling party in India are now in the new committee. The buzz is some of them do no business. One of them has been appointed as the Indian Business Advisor sacked for ‘misconduct’ by the Victorian Government.

The new executive committee led by President Stephen Manallack has in it – Mukesh Kolhe (Vice-President), Michael

Moignard (member), Gurpal Singh (member), Preeti Daga (member), Rashi Kapoor (member) and Vijeth Shetty (member). Forgetting the past one needs to know what the new team is planning.

A recent meeting endorsed close collaboration between

the AIBC Victoria and the ‘Indian Executive Club’ and to sign an MOU for this collaboration. The Indian Executive Club gives out Awards each year to Indian businesses.

In the same meeting it was decided to setup a Business Advisory Council to meet twice yearly, to give advice and mentoring to the President and the committee – with gender equality in leadership of a Male CoChair and Female Co-Chair - Harish Rao, Global Head Business Development, Sundaram Business Services, as the Male CoChair and Roshni Sharma as the Female Co-Chair - and foundation members former Victorian Premier the Hon. Ted Baillieu, Regional Director Tata Consulting Services David Galt, Rohini Kappadath and Indian Business Advisor Nitin Gupta.

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By Desi Oz

Indians not given “457 market rate”: study

T

hose who are on the 457 work visa in the IT industry and in Indian companies are paid much less than the average wage in the local IT industry. Most Indian IT companies operating in Australia avoid the “457 market rate” by importing their own staff from India, says a study, “Immigration Overflow: Why It Matters “by the Australian Population Research Institute, Monash University.

As a consequence, the study says there has been a IT invasion via the 457 program with low salaries. It says “According to the ABS, the average Australian salary for full-time nonmanagerial employees

in professional level IT occupations in 2014 was around $100,000.3 For the 5,722 of the total of 7,329 who were Indian nationals in these two occupations in 2014-15, the salary level was very low. Some 61.4 per cent had a nominated base salary below $70,180 — some $30,000 below average IT professionals’ salaries. Even more disturbing, the study says, is the relatively high proportion of these Indian IT professionals (28 per cent) whose 457 visas were approved at the extremely low base salary of $53,900 or less. This is despite the fact that only eight per cent of the 457 visas granted to Indians in the two ICT occupations in 2014-15 were aged less than 25.”

No changes in vilification laws needed: Forum

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elbourne: Community Forum held in Dandenong wants no changes in the Racial Discrimination Act : Those present included Julian Hill MP for Bruce, Clare O'Neil MP, Mark Dreyfus MP for Issacs, Hom Lim MP for Clarinda and a huge number of people. Mark said any www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082

attempt to change the racial vilification laws will be fought out as done in 2013-2014.

He also said Sec 18-C does not infringe free speech.

Executive Director of the Human Rights Law Centre said the opposition to the laws is ideological. Julian Hill conducted a lively Q-A session.

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SBS Radio investigation reveals prohibited drugs readily available for sale in Australian South Asian grocery stores

Illegally imported Indian ‘Kamini’ tablets found to contain opiates

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elbourne, 12 December: An exclusive investigation led by SBS Radio’s Punjabi program has revealed illegal importation of prohibited drugs to Australia. Readily available to purchase in South Asian grocery stores, the pill known as Kamini Vidrawan Ras (Kamini), was found to include opium and heavy toxic metal and that consumption can cause serious health outcomes.

After listeners started to raise concerns about the availability and increased sale of Kamini, SBS Radio commissioned independent laboratory testing on products purchased in Melbourne, which revealed that the pills contain Codeine, Morphine and Papaverine major components found in Opium.

SBS Punjabi Radio Executive Producer, Manpreet Kaur Singh, said: "Many people have contacted us about opiates and other illicit substances imported from India being easily accessible in most Australian cities. At least two people who have been affected by the consumption of Kamini tablets spoke to us during this investigation, raising concern about its widespread use within the community.”

Originally marketed as an ‘Indian Viagra’, Kamini is sold as an Ayurvedic remedy to improve men’s virility in India. However, it is also taken as a supplement, which users believe improves physical stamina and maintains alertness.

The investigation found that there was between one and five per cent (approximately between 2mg and 20mg) of Opium in a typical Kamini tablet.

The effects of consumption can lead to personal and financial problems for those addicted.

Dr Gurdip Aurora, a medical practitioner from Melbourne, is concerned about the easy availability of the drug, being sold in the

guise of an ancient Indian herbal therapy: “This is definitely not an Ayurvedic medicine. It contains chemicals and components which are probably banned in most countries around the world. It is highly addictive. This medicine is so dangerous that if someone overdoses on it, it can even be fatal.”

During the investigation, an anonymous source from within the Indian community informed SBS Radio that Kamini pills are imported into the country through shipping containers, alongside everyday grocery items including wheat, lentils, spices and snackfoods.

The source told SBS Radio: “Although I know

of one person who used to import shoes and would bring in these things hidden inside shoes, I would say 90% of this stuff is now being shipped in by food importers.”

Following the testing of two available products, the Australian Government Department of Health - Therapeutic Goods Administration has advised that Kamini tablets pose serious health risks and contain substances that are prescription-only in Australia.

They further advise that substances found in these tablets are prohibited imports under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 if licensing and permit requirements are

not met before importation and that the supply of these products in Australia is illegal. Full details here: http://www.tga.gov.au/alert/ multani-kamini-vidrawanras-tablets-and-ayurvedantkamini-vidravan-ras-tablets.

Peter Shelton, Manager of Regulatory Services at the City of Greater Dandenong, told SBS that the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services is aware of the availability of Kamini and has issued a warning to all local governments about it.

“We did receive advice from the State Department of Health about [Kamini] asking us to be aware of it, and to look for it when we’re doing inspections, but we haven’t come across it in our municipality as yet,” he said.

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection, which oversees the work of the Australian Border Force (ABF), acknowledged that the ABF had detected importations of Kamini at Australia’s borders.

A spokesperson said: “The Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 prohibit the importation of medications such as this, which contain opium, and the ABF will seize the

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Many people have contacted us about opiates and other illicit substances imported from India being easily accessible in most Australian cities. At least two people who have been affected by the consumption of Kamini tablets spoke to us during this investigation, raising concern about its widespread use within the community. goods.”

When contacted by SBS Radio, Victoria Police advised that they had not currently been involved in the seizure of Kamini.

The SBS Radio investigation also found that chewing tobacco was readily available to purchase in South Asian grocery stores.

According to Australian law, up to 1.5 kilograms of smokeless tobacco can be imported for personal use and must be declared, and any sale is banned and deemed unsafe for the public.

—Source: SBS Media release

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southSouth asia times 21 Asia Times

Law reform against elder abuse: Submissions till 27 February 2017

By SAT News Desk

A

ustralia has a rapidly ageing population and, with it, increasing rates of elder abuse. Older people living in remote and regional areas and those from non-English speaking backgrounds may be more vulnerable to elder abuse due to a range of factors, including access to appropriate information and services, physical and social isolation, or cultural factors that may affect how elder abuse is perceived and responded to in different communities.

So, how do Australian laws respond to elder abuse, and how can they better protect older Australians?

This is a question currently being looked at by the Australian Law Reform Commission.

Elder abuse usually refers to the abuse or neglect of older people by family, friends and carers.

Psychological and financial abuse are common types of elder abuse. Financial abuse includes such things as taking an older person's money or belongings, forcing them to sell their home or hand over assets, moving into their home without permission, and incurring bills which the older person is left to pay.

Physical assault and neglect are among other disturbing types of elder abuse.

The ALRC today released

a Discussion Paper on Elder Abuse. It includes 43 proposals for law reform.

Key proposals have been made concerning powers of investigation for public advocates and public guardians, enduring powers of attorney and enduring guardianship; family agreements, banking, aged care and social security, including: An online national register for enduring documents, and tighter witnessing and

reporting requirements: - Expanding the role of public advocates and public guardians in responding to elder abuse - Requiring banks to take reasonable steps to prevent financial abuse - Allowing tribunals to hear disputes within families about assetsfor-care arrangements— providing a low cost and less formal forum for dispute resolution - For aged care, strengthening the compulsory reporting scheme by providing for independent oversight of complaints of abuse, enhancing employment screening processes, and the introduction of an official visitor’s scheme - Support for a national plan with strategies to combat elder abuse beyond legal reforms ALRC President Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, Commissioner leading the Inquiry, said, “Vulnerability

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to elder abuse is heightened for those in remote communities and from CALD backgrounds. There is potentially a lack of access to appropriate services, dependence on family members for support, crossgenerational expectations in relation to care, and the dynamics of reporting elder abuse in small or isolated communities. Understanding elder abuse in particular contexts is a crucial aspect of developing informed and effective policy responses.

It is really important that we hear from these communities about their particular experiences and our proposals for responding to such elder abuse”.

The ALRC invites submissions in response to the Discussion Paper, available free of charge on the ALRC website at www. alrc.gov.au/publications.

Submissions close 27 February 2016.

—Source: Medianet, 12 December 2016.

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Russia's Pakistan gamble

By Anuradha Chenoy

N

EW DELHI: Why is Russia that for decades was hostile to Pakistan now willing to accommodate it?

How far will Russia go in this endeavour? Why is Pakistan cosying up to Russia generations after they joined every US led effort to contain and bleed it?

Russia's changing relations with Pakistan came to international and especially Indian attention when Russian and Pakistani special forces held their first joint military exercise in Cherat, northern Pakistan. Though planned in advance and of relative small scale with 90 Russians these exercises followed the 18th September 2016, militant attacks on the URI Indian army base near the Line of Control, for which India had blamed Pakistan.

Despite India’s request to Russia to call these off, Russia went ahead. Russia and Pakistan have had two naval drills earlier.

The Russians are finalising the sale of SU-35 fighter jets to Pakistan. They have delivered MI 35 Helicopters to Pakistan. They have commercial deals and interest in expanding their market, including pipelines in progress. Russia needs Pakistan to counter the growing threat and reality of the Taliban control over Afghanistan and the spillover effect of a possible civil war, radical Islam, revival of drug and other trafficking to Central Asia, the Caucasus,

and to Russia.

There is speculation that given the strategic tie up between Russia and China, the Chinese would play a bridging role between the two formerly hostile countries. The Chinese built port of Gwadar in Pakistan would provide a safe warm water port for the Russians to facilitate the North- South corridor that they plan. The Russians could benefit from the planned China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

For Pakistan, with the growing hostility from sections of US policy makers, Russia could be an ideal balancer and option, if the US plays hardball and puts pressure on them. Russian re-emergence as pro-active role in international politics, especially in West and Central Asia and cooling Russia from its relations with India could be assets for Pakistan. But how much of these speculations coincide with evidence?

So far there is little evidence of any dramatic shift in Russian relations with Pakistan. The Russian leadership from President Vladimir Putin down to his envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov have reiterated that Russia is not strengthening its ties with Pakistan at India's cost. India remains their priority, can be counted as one of their closest strategic and long term partner and will remain so.

Russia says their relations with Pakistan are purely commercial, at the formative stages. While Pakistan and

Russia had talks in 2013, President Putin has still not accepted Pakistan's invitations. Moreover, to quote Lewis Carol, 'one does not get less if the other get more'.

It is clear that the geostrategic landscape is changing. There is an atmosphere of a new type of Cold War. US- Russia relations are at their worst since the Cuban missile crises. In the recent past they have confronted each other over the Georgia and Ukraine, when Russia intervened on behalf of secessionist movements (in Abkhazia and Crimea) reviving their territorial linkages with the Russian empire.

More severe is their direct confrontation in Syria where Russia has backed President Assad and the war against the Islamic State- Daesh, Al Nusra and anti Assad forces.

The US and their allies, including Saudi Arabia put focus on regime change and over throwing Assad as integral to their fight against terror. This confrontation is on similar lines of past differences between Russia and the US where regimes were changed in Iraq, Libya and all kinds of military interventions and sanctions placed by the US and opposed by Russia though Russia avoided military action.

There is no indication that this confrontation between Russia and the US will stop, even though President elect Donald Trump has

promised to reverse military intervention and engage with Russia.

Pakistan has always been a frontline state for US interests in the West and Central Asian region, since the 1950's when they became part of CENTO the Asia focussed military pact. It's role in Afghanistan mirrors its covert and overt actions that benefit the Pakistani military and the deep state to keep alive core interests (especially visavis Kashmir, India and as regional balancer).

Witness the creation of the Taliban, the Mujahid-Din, the cover for Osama bin Laden, to the May 2016 alleged hand in poisoning the local station chief of the CIA. As reward the US in addition to the military assistance has given them US$ 5 billion aid since 2005 under the Kerry Luger Bermen Act and holds regular military exercises, including for nine days -Sept 16 2016.

President Putin is a deft player on the chessboard of international politics. He is most unlikely to shift from his old and trusted strategic partner India and even Iran with whom Pakistan has contradictions. Russian foreign policy wants the construction of a multipolar world. For that they require cross country relations, necessary to avoid the blocs of a Cold War. Russia is thus moving towards this, keeping channels of diplomacy open with Pakistan and others. Where they keep

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The Russians are finalising the sale of SU-35 fighter jets to Pakistan. They have delivered MI 35 Helicopters to Pakistan. They have commercial deals and interest in expanding their market, including pipelines in progress. and maintain old relations, develop new ones and ensure that they are not isolated or trumped at their foreign policy interests.

Conspiracy theorists of international relations can keep guessing.

(Professor Anuradha Chenoy teaches in the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University.Her books include The Maoist and Other Armed Conflicts, Militarism and Women in South Asia,The Making of New Russia) —Source: The Citizen, December 8 2016.

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Section 497: The Adultery Loophole N

By Sanjana Chowhan

EW DELHI: In 2011, while hearing a matrimonial dispute, the Supreme Court criticised Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code. The Section, which criminalises adultery, defines it as consensual sex between a man and a married woman. The bench of Justices Aftab Alam and RM Lodha criticised the law on the grounds that it reduces married women to property of their husband.

The court was hearing the case of Kalyani, who had appealed against an Andhra Pradesh High court judgment. The court had dismissed her petition against a case under Section 497, by another woman Sailaja who had alleged that her husband was having an affair with her.

In 2016, not much has changed. Amit (not his real name), 40, is in the midst of a messy divorce after his wife’s alleged infidelity.

“Why will I take action against her lover when it is my partner who is at fault here? This has been going on for over a year, we have split up and it is public knowledge that she is with him. Yet I’m the one bleeding dry.”

Section 497 of IPC states that, ”Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence

of adultery…. In such case, the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor."

The section provides that the wife cannot be punished even as an abettor.

Thus, the mere fact that the appellant is a woman makes her completely immune to the charges of adultery and she cannot be proceeded against for that offence.

“Only the paramour of a woman can be booked under the law with a premise that the man lured her into that relationship,” says Deepika Bhardwaj, noted men’s rights activist and filmmaker.

“Adultery is a moral wrong, not a criminal offence and the punishment should be the same for all,” she adds. Although adultery by definition refers to any extramarital incidence of sexual intercourse, the Indian law criminalises only one form of adultery.

It is illegal only if a man has sexual intercourse with a woman who is married without the consent of the woman’s husband.

However, it is not easy to prove connivance or consent.

For example, in the case of Bharatlal vs Top Singh, a trial court had sentenced Top Singh to RI for 1 year and fined for Rs. 700 for the crime of having an extramarital sexual relationship with Bharatlal’s wife. Top Singh had appealed to a sessions court and argued that there was a delay in the process filing a complaint

by Bharatlal and that he had proved that Bharatlal had connived to the extramarital

relationship. The court subsequently acquitted him of all charges. Yet, later the High court of Madhya Pradesh again reversed the decision stating that connivance was not proven.

Ironically, it was the British that introduced the adultery law in the IPC, but it remains unchanged in India even though the UK has long decriminalised adultery. Now, it remains a ground for divorce with the legal definition of adultery being “physical contact with an alien and unlawful organ.”

However in India, adultery is viewed in a way that a man’s lineage would be tempered with and the other male would be adulterating his blood line by having intercourse with his wife.

Hence, the intercourse with the consent of the husband, is not criminalised as he is aware of the lineage.

But the law seems less concerned with protecting marriage than with controlling women’s sexuality The code does not provide for prosecution of that married woman, a single woman who engages in sex with a married man, or a married man who sleeps with a single woman. So, while the law may appear to favour women, it is easily disregarded that it is this very law that does not permit a woman to bring a case against them or the other person.The larger question, however, might interrogate the appropriate boundaries of the State’s reach. “What a person does in his bedroom, with another consenting

adult, should never be a criminal offence,” says Alok Prasanna, senior resident fellow, Vidhi Centre for legal policy. Concurring, Bhardwaj says adultery should come under the civil laws framework where the aggrieved person can claim damages or compensation, but one shouldn’t be jailed for it since it’s consensual.

“If at all it must be termed a criminal offence because of the harm it causes to the institution of marriage, it should be punishable for allhusband or wife and their respective lovers whether man or woman,” says Bhardwaj.

According to Bhardwaj, while the law doesn’t allow a woman to prosecute her husband if he is found cheating, but there are innumerable cases documented where a woman, caught cheating, then files cases under Section 498 A (the Dowry law), the Domestic Violence Act and other provisions for maintenance and alimony on finding that her husband is in an extra marital affair.

“There was recently a case where a woman filed a 498A case on her own cousin, alleging her husband was having an affair with her sister. It’s a different thing that the court ruled that her own sister can’t be made an accused, because she isn’t the husband’s relative, but because he was caught cheating, she slapped this case on him.”

Sanjay Sehgal’s (name changed) wife walked out on him and his 8-year-old son in 2008. “I accepted it, till she attempted to play

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the woman card,” he says.

“She wanted a house, a car and then threatened to slap a domestic violence case and that’s when I went to court.”

Sehgal filed a criminal case against his wife’s lover, Dilip Mehta (name changed) relying on videos of the couple in a car as proof. Mehta then moved the high court to question the constitutional validity of Section 497, saying in a changing society where “live-in relationships are being legally recognised,” adultery as a criminal offence is no longer warranted. bench of Justice BH Marlapalle and Justice U D Salvi came down heavily on Mehta for these comments and said, “If somebody wants free sex, then first release themselves from the institution of marriage.

If such acts are allowed, then there would be no civil society," the judges had said While the judges observed that adultery was an "offence against the institution of marriage", they also had added that the section needs to be amended to bring women under the purview.

“It’s been 11 years,” says Sehgal who eventually settled out of court and got custody of his now 16 year old son. “Because the law is so skewed, I let the guy (wife’s paramour) go, why blame him? It’s a law of double standards.”

(Sanjana Chowhan is a multimedia journalist and author) —Source: The Citizen, December 8 2016.

south asia 26 South Asia Timestimes

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New Dawn in Pakistan M

By Kuldip Nayar*

he Dawn is a fairly respected newspaper in the subcontinent.

It was founded by Qaid-eAzam Mohammad Ali Jinnah at Daryaganj in New Delhi to propagate his cause of Pakistan. When Pakistan was founded The Dawn started appearing from Karachi. Since then, the newspaper has continued its publication from there.

It recently carried a story on the growing differences between the military and the civil government. The perturbed Nawaz Sharif Government wanted the paper to disclose the source of the story.

But it refused to do so.

However, the government approached the Press Council of Pakistan, which has upheld the right of the paper not to reveal the source.

A fairly countrywide debate has begun in Pakistan on whether or not the source should be disclosed. The overwhelming public opinion is in favour of The Dawn and supported the newspaper’s right to withhold the source.

For the newspaper to confront the Army, which governs the country in the real sense, is a courageous step. But it also shows the tenacity of the Pakistan press and the weakkneed policy of the Sharif Government. One doesn’t know how the matter will ultimately be resolved but at present the Pakistan media has won the bout.

The lesson that the Indian media can draw from the newspaper’s example is that however powerful the government maybe, the media can raise its voice as long as they hold the ground. They do not have to wilt against the government’s pressure.

If the story The Dawn has broken is correct or the comment it has made is without rancour or prejudice, there is no need to afraid of the powers that be.

This is a far cry from what happened to the Pakistani media some years ago. It would look towards Islamabad and mould its policy which mostly suited the government of the day. The misadventure of General Pervez Musharraf

at Kargil, when he was the Chief of Army Staff, was accepted without demur.

Even there were instances of journalists were being pilloried for stories which did not show the government in good light.

Unfortunately, the Indian media of today does not measure up to The Dawn example. The one-day ban by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on NDTV for the Pathankot coverage was defended by the channel itself. Others stood apart until the Editors Guild voiced its protest. Subsequently, the channel also filed a case in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the pressure applied by other political parties, too, mounted.

The NDTV owner, Pronnoy Roy, was told to appear before the Information and Broadcasting Minister where the channel was offered a compromise formula. But it goes to his credit that Roy did not rescind from his stand.

Information Minister Venkaiah Naidu looked small when he said that a one-day ban on NDTV was in the interest of the nation.

Who is he to determine what is in the national interest and who gave him the authority? Apparently, the Minister realised the mistake and did not pursue the matter further.

Indeed, the media scene has changed. I recall what the then editor of The Times of India,Shyam Lal, said—that Shanti Prasad Jain, the owner, did not even indirectly tell him what the paper should or should not carry. I knew Shanti Prasad Jain and he really thought that the owner was only a trustee as Mahatma Gandhi had defined the role of newspaper owners.

The role of Ramnath Goenka, the owner of The Indian Express, was equally commendable.

I was working with the newspaper and I know that even though Goenka was at the end of the road facing financial crisis because of the Indira Gandhi Government’s ban on advertisements, he did not budge even an inch and gave his editors full freedom which they used to express their antigovernment views freely.

In the face of the Emergency, The Indian

A fairly countrywide debate has begun in Pakistan on whether or not the source should be disclosed. The overwhelming public opinion is in favour of The Dawn and supported the newspaper’s right to withhold the source.

Express bore the wrath of the establishment and yet continued its lonely battle against it. There were several instances of the newspaper defying the censorship. The language papers were bolder than the English ones.

Today’s Indian media, by and large, does not appear to be anti-establishment.

The journalists themselves prefer to go in the direction of the wind that blows. Even the integrity of most is questioned unlike in the past.

There could be several reasons attributed for this change in attitude.

One, the owners of the media houses have come to consider newspapers or the television channels as commercial ventures.

Profit, not principle, is their motive. It also leaves no room for the handful of honest journalists to pursue their profession with full

freedom.

However, Bangladesh continues to be an exception. The two leading papers, The Daily Star in English and Prothom Alo in Bengali, daunt Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina who is dictatorial in her methods and does not brook any criticism. It’s tragic to find that the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who fought for the independence of Bangladesh, has muzzled dissent and falsified all principles of her father.

The Dawn example should give heart to the Bangladeshi media and the rest of those in the subcontinent. The freedom of the press is inviolable in a democratic setup. It cannot be compromised in any circumstances. People themselves take vengeance from the rulers who restrict their freedom.

Mrs Indira Gandhi, whose birth centenary is to be

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celebrated in a year’s time, is an example. Her Congress Party was swept out of power in the 1977. So much so, even she lost her own seat in the elections held when the Emergency was lifted. In any democratic set-up the sovereignty lies with the people. And they have shown again and again that they are the masters to give verdicts on political rulers.

By defying the government, The Dawn has reminded the people of Pakistan that they can confront the military rulers and restore democracy in the real sense. Political parties have a vested interest in power. People’s interest is in their betterment and development. The latter should prevail.

The author is a veteran journalist renowned not only in this country but also in our neighbouring states of Pakistan and Bangladesh where his columns are widely read. His website is www.kuldipnayar.com * The writer is a prominent senior journalist, former Editor of Indian Express and former Indian High Commissioner in London.

—Source: Mainstream Weekly, New Delhi December 3 2016.

D E C E M B E R

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south asia 28 South Asia Timestimes

sports

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Cricket Australia announces 2017-18 Men’s International Schedule THE SCHEDULE 2017-18 Men’s Ashes Series

First Test – Australia v England, Gabba - 23-27 November 2017 Second Test – Australia v England, Adelaide Oval (Day-Night) - 2-6 December 2017 Third Test – Australia v England, Perth (venue TBC) - 14-18 December 2017 Fourth Test – Australia v England, MCG - 26-30 December 2017 Fifth Test – Australia v England, SCG - 4-8 January 2018 2017-18 One-Day International Series against England First ODI – Australia v England, MCG – 14 January 2018 Second ODI – Australia v England, Gabba – 19 January 2018 Third ODI – Australia v England, SCG – 21 January 2018 Fourth ODI – Australia v England, Adelaide Oval – 26 January 2018 Fifth ODI – Australia v England, Perth (venue TBC) – 28 January 2018 Prime Minister’s XI PM’s XI v England – Manuka Oval – 2 February 2018 2017-18 T20 International Trans-Tasman Tri-Series First T20I – Australia v New Zealand, SCG – 3 February 2018 Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena – 7 February 2018 Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG – 10 February 2018 Fourth T20I – New Zealand v England, Wellington Stadium – 14 February 2018 Fifth T20I – New Zealand v Australia, Eden Park – 16 February 2018 Sixth T20I – New Zealand v England, Seddon Park – 18 February 2018 Final – TBC, Eden Park – 21 February

BY SPORTS DESK Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board have today confirmed the 2017-18 Men’s Ashes Test schedule, along with the five England One-Day Internationals scheduled for January, immediately following the Test Series.

The first Test will return to Brisbane’s Gabba, a traditional fortress for Australia during the Ashes.

Adelaide Oval will then play host to the first ever Day-Night Ashes Test, as the stadium cements itself to host ongoing Day-Night Tests in the future.

Following Adelaide, the series will move to Perth.

Cricket Australia and the WACA continue to work with the WA Government on the possibility of hosting matches at Perth Stadium in 2017-18.

The series will then move to the traditional Boxing Day Test and New Year’s

Test in Melbourne and Sydney respectively, where record crowds are expected.

Fans wanting to find out more information, including travel package, hospitality and ticketing options can visit www.cricket.com.au/ ashes. Public tickets for the Ashes Series will not go on sale until next year.

Five One-Day Internationals have been scheduled with the touring England side, to be hosted in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth between 14 January and 28 January, with Adelaide hosting the Australia Day fixture.

Cricket Australia together with New Zealand Cricket and the England and Wales Cricket Board also confirmed a T20 International trans-Tasman tri-series will take place from February 2018, with three matches to be hosted in Australia, and four including the final to be

hosted in New Zealand.

Prior to this the traditional Prime Minister’s XI will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra against England as a T20 International match on Friday, 2 February.

The Chappell-Hadlee series will not be contested next season, due to the Ashes Series and T20 International tri-series.

The trans-Tasman One Day International series will resume the following season.

Cricket Australia Chief

Executive Officer James Sutherland said: “We recognise how big the Ashes is for both home and travelling fans, and the early announcement of the schedule for this series will allow fans here in Australia and abroad to plan their Ashes summer.

“This schedule will allow for at least three Sheffield Shield matches to be completed as preparation prior to the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

“The decision to start

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the international season in Brisbane, then moving to Adelaide, allows us to give Perth Stadium the best chance to host the Test match, so we can welcome an even bigger crowd to Perth next summer.

“We’re really excited to announce that Adelaide will play host to the first ever Day-Night Ashes Test. We know how much Adelaide fans love this style of Test cricket. We’re expecting a full house next year in what is sure to be a great contest.”

The Australian Women’s Cricket Team will also host a home Ashes series next season, with that schedule and venues to be confirmed in due course. The 201718 domestic schedule will also be announced in due course.

For more information, visit www.cricket.com.au/ ashes.

—SOURCE: Cricket Australia

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southSouth asia times 29 Asia Times

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South Asia Times south asia community 32 South Asia Timestimes

quick community guide Radio GUIDE

www.ekantipur.com/en THE RISING NEPAL: www.nepalnews.com.np

SBS Radio's South Asian

SUNDAY Language Programs Hindi..................................9 am to 10 am – 93.1 FM BANGLA Urdu................................10 am to 11 am – 93.1 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Tamil...............................11 am to 12 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi.................................8 pm to 10 pm – 88.3 FM Monday & Saturday Singhalese.......................8 pm to 11 pm –97.7 FM 6-7 PM GUJARATI MONDA Y Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi....................................3 to 4 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBSPm Radio Bengali...............................4 pm to 5 pm – 93.1 FM Wednesday & Friday 4-5 PM Hindi...................................6 pm to 8 pm – 88.3 FM Indian (Fiji)..................................6 pm to 8 pm 88.3 HINDI Punjabi........................1 1 am to 12 Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 noon 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2

Daily TUESDAY 5 PM Hindi.....................................

6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi....................................

2 pm to 4 pm – 97.7 FM kannada Sydney SBS Radio 3

Melbourne SBS Radio 3 WEDNESDAY Tuesday 3-4 PM Hindi.................................... .6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi.........................................

12 to 1 pm – 93.1 FM Nepali Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS1Radio 2 12 pm - 92.3 FM Punjabi............................

1 am to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Hindi................................... .8 pm to 92pm – 97.7 FM Saturday & Sunday 4-5 PM

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5.30 am to 7 am – 97.7 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 9 pm – 92.3 FM Tamil....................................

8 pm to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2 Sinhalese..........................

Monday & Saturday 1 1 pm to 3 am –92.3 FM Punjabi.............................

9 pm to 10 pm – 93.1 FM 9-10 PM SINHALESE FRIDAY Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Indian.................................. .8 am to 92am – 88.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri

11AM-12 PM SATURDAY Sinhalese............................ 7 am to 8 am – 92.3 FM TAMIL TSydney amil.....................................

12-12.30 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 pm – 88.3 FM Indian....................................

5 am to 62am - 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Sun, Mon, Wed, Sat Punjabi..........................................

12-2 am – 92.3 FM 8-9 PM Indian................................

9 pm to 10 pm – 92.3 FM Punjabi..................................................

11 pm to 1 am urdu Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio24/7 2 Radio stations Melbourne FM & SBS Radio (Subscription) 2 Indian Link93.1 Radio Wednesday & Sunday 18000 15 8 47 6-7 PM Radio Santa Banta (Internet) Santabanta.com.au WORLD NEWS AUSTRALIA RADIO SydneyJhankar 1107AM88.6 & SBSFM; Radio 1 Thursday; 8 to Radio Every Melbourne 1224AM & SBS Radio 1 10 pm; Contact: 94668900 or 0411247320 or Monday & Friday 9404 2111 6-7 am & 6-7 PM

South Asian websiteS India TEHELKA – www.tehelka.com OUTLOOK – www.outlookindia.com FRONTLINE- www.flonnet.com THE HINDU: www.hinduonnet.com TIMES OF INDIA: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com HINDUSTAN TIMES: www.hindustantimes.com Pakistan DAWN: www.dawn.com THE FRIDAY TIMES: www.thefridaytimes.com THE NEWS INTERENATIONAL: www.thenews.com.pk Sri Lanka DAILY MIRROR: www.dailymirror.lk DAILY NEWS: www.dailynews.lk THE ISLAND: www.island.lk Nepal THE HIMALAYAN TIMES: www.thehimalayantimes.com KANTIPUR NATIONAL DAILY:

PLACES OF WORSHIP HINDU Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple 57 Boundary Rd, Carrum Downs, Melbourne, Vic 3201, Ph: 03 9782 0878; Fax: 03 9782 0001 Website: www.hsvshivavishnu.org.au Sri Vakratunda Vinayaka Temple 1292 - 1294, The Mountain Highway, The Basin, Vic 3154, Ph: 03 9792 1835 Melbourne Murugan Temple 17-19 Knight Ave., Sunshine VIC 3020 Ph: 03 9310 9026 Durga Temple (Durga Bhajan Mandali) Neales Road, Rockbank, Vic 3335 Ph: 03 9747 1628 or Mobile: 0401 333 738 Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Temple 197 Danks Street, Middle Park Vic 3206 Ph: (03) 9699 5122 Email: 100237.354@compuserve.com Hare Krishna New Nandagram Rural Community Oak Hill, Dean’s Marsh Rd., Bambra VIC 3241, Ph: (052) 887383 Fax: (052) 887309 Kundrathu Kumaran Temple 139 Gray Court, ROCKBANK Victoria 3335 Ph: 03-9747 1135 or M: 0450 979 023 http://www.kumarantemple.org.au/

D E C E M B E R

SHEPPARTON Gurdwara Sahib Shepparton 240 Doyles Road, Shepparton VICTORIA 3603 PH: (03) 5821 9309

JAIN Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh Inc 3 Rice Street, Moorabbin, Vic - 3189, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9555 2439 info@melbournejainsangh.org http://www.melbournejainsangh.org

Melbourne West Mosque 66-68 Jeffcott Street, Melbourne Ph: 03 9328 2067

Indian Consulate Address: 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia P.O. Box No: 33247 Domain LPO Vic 3004 Consular Enquiries: +61-3-9682 5800 (9.30am-12.30noon only) General Enquiries (other than Consular): +61-3- 9682 7836 Fax No:+ 61-3- 9696 8251 Email: consular@cgimelb.org Web site: www.cgimelb.org

Broadmeadows Mosque 45-55 King Street, Broadmeadows Ph 03 9359 0054 Islamic Call Society 19 Michael Street, Brunswick Ph: 03 9387 7100 Islamic Centre of Australia 660 Sydney Road, Brunswick Ph 03 9385 8423

Indian Consulate Consular services are handled by VFS Global Visa / Passport / PCC / IDLV / PIO / OCI services contact VFS +61 2 8223 9909.

Address: Part 4 Suite, Level 12, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Site : www.vfsglobal.com/india/australia/

Australian Islamic Cultural Centre 46-48 Mason Street, Campbellfield Ph: 03 9309 7605 Coburg ISNA Mosque 995 Sydney Road, Coburg North

Services handled by Indian Consulate Melbourne itself: OCI Misc. services, Registration of Birth, Birth Certificate, Renunciation of Indian Citizenship, Surrender of Indian Passport, New Passport Details on PIO, Transfer of Valid Visas, Marriage Certificate, Affidavit for Applying Child’s Passport in India, Documents Attestation.)

Coburg Mosque (Fatih Mosque) 31 Nicholson Street, Coburg Ph 03 9386 5324 Deer Park Mosque 283 Station Road, Deer Park Ph 03 9310 8811 United Migrant Muslim Assn.

72 George Road, Doncaster Ph 03 9842 6491, Footscray West Mosque 294 Essex Street, Footscray

SIKH

Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg

CRAIGIEBURN Sri Guru Singh Sabha 344 Hume Highway, Craigieburn VICTORIA 3164 (see map), Ph: (03) 9305 6511 KEYSBOROUGH Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib 198 -206 Perry Road, Keysborough VICTORIA 3073 (see map) LYNBROOK Nanaksar Taath, 430 Evans Road, Lynbrook VICTORIA 3975, (03) 9799 1081 HOPPERS CROSSING Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 417 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing VICTORIA 3029, Ph: (03) 9749 2639 WERRIBEE Gurdwara Sahib Werribee 560 Davis Road, Tarneit VICTORIA 3029 PH: (03) 8015 4707

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Sankat Mochan Temple 1289 A North Road. Huntingdale Morning: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm daily Evening: 4:30 pm – 8.00 pm daily Site: http: www.sankatmochan.org.au Contact: 0427 274 462

BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800

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Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy

Islamic College of Victoria (Mosque) 201 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing Ph 03 9369 6010 Huntingdale Mosque 320-324 Huntingdale Road, Huntingdale Ph 03 9543 8037 Al Nur Mosque 34-36 Studley Street, Maidstone

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Student Welfare Officer in the Indian Consulate Melbourne Consulate General of India, Melbourne Address: 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC – 3000 Phone: 03-96826203 Fax: 03-96968251 Email: cgo@cgimelb.org Website: www.cgimelb.orgExternal website that opens in a new window Contact person for Students welfare: Mr. Nirmal K. Chawdhary Designation: Deputy Consul General Mobile: 0430020828

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Sri Lanka Consulate 32A Brunswick Street ,Walkerville 5081 Melbourne , Phone: 9898-6760, 9248-1228 Email: rodney@techno.net.au

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business

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southSouth asia times 33 Asia Times

40 YEARS OF ECOTECH GROUP

Indo-Australian environmental monitoring pioneer celebrates 40 Years

By SAT News Desk

E

cotech Group, which comprises of flagship company Ecotech Pty Ltd based in Melbourne, Australia, Ecotech Industries Pvt Ltd in Madhya Pradesh, India and Ecotech Monitoring Solutions Pvt Ltd in Hyderabad, India has come a long way since humble beginnings in the 1970s, and is celebrating 40 years of achievements with a special commemorative book championing its people titled – Together: Future Forward Stories Past.

The glossy, 70 page coffee table book is a collection of anecdotes and memories from staff, partners and suppliers across the world.

The memories span four decades and are a vibrant reminder of the leadership qualities, staff knowledge and workplace culture that defines and has made Ecotech a special place to work for hundreds of people here in India and abroad.

Robert and Judy Dal Sasso started Ecotech Pty Ltd, the flagship company, in the late 1970s from their Melbourne family home and have since expanded Ecotech’s global footprint. The Ecotech Group remains a family enterprise today, with their son Nicholas Dal Sasso now at the helm.

“Ecotech grew from mum and dad working in their basement, to a family with more than 200 staff, plus offices and customers working together across the world. And that growth would not have been possible without our staff and global distribution partners,” Managing Director Nicholas Dal Sasso said.

“But with growth, it becomes harder to connect with people on a daily basis.

As a global company with expansion on the agenda, it’s still very important to stop, turn around and look back, celebrate our achievements and hero those who have helped make all this possible.”

Reconnect and Reflect “This book gives everyone the chance to reconnect, share their stories, and reflect on their successes.

It’s also my opportunity, my family’s opportunity to thank everyone that has travelled on this path with us.”

The anecdotes and

memories from those across the globe inside the book are broken into chapters that reflect Ecotech’s vision for the future – “Vision 2025: We are Growing; We are Open for Business; We are Striving for a Greater Good; and We have a Passion for Solving Problems.”

“Our hope is that this book is kept on the coffee tables of all Ecotech staff and partners globally, and gives them pride in their work as they share it with friends, family and future generations,” Nicholas said.

Ecotech is a proud familyowned business that now employs more than 200 people across Australasia and Asia. It has more than 50 distributors, two world-class manufacturing facilities and 10 branch offices across 80 countries.

Winner of the 51st Australian Export Awards in 2013 and the 2011 Governor of Victoria Innovation Excellence Award, Ecotech operates one of the largest networks of environmental monitoring systems in the world – more than 440 sites, in real-time, every day.

Ecotech Group established Ecotech Industries Pvt Ltd in India with a custom-built manufacturing facility on a greenfield site at Pithampore in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

In 2015, Ecotech Monitoring Solutions Pvt Ltd was set-up

to service customers within the sub-continent. Together, Ecotech has some 100 staff based in India.

Together: Future Forward.

Stories Past, will be published to coincide with Ecotech’s 40th birthday in December 2016.

ABOUT ECOTECH Ecotech (www.ecotech. com) started distributing air quality monitoring analysers in the 1970s. Today, Ecotech Group operates and manages over 440 real-time monitoring sites worldwide, every day.

Ecotech’s global footprint includes more than 50

distributors, 2 manufacturing facilities and 10 branch offices across 80 countries.

With extensive environmental monitoring experience of air, water, gas, meteorology, blast and particulate matter for industries including mining, oil & gas, construction, government, consulting, research and process industries, Ecotech is recognised for customised, turn-key solutions from design, manufacture, supply, operation and maintenance to environmental data reporting services.

Ecotech’s world-class

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082

manufacturing facilities are certified to ISO 9001 Quality Management standard. The expansion of Ecotech’s manufacturing operations into India (Ecotech Industries Pvt Ltd) started in 2015 with the opening of the custom-built facility on a greenfield site in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, a mirror of the Australian facility, ensuring quality of product, and delivering around the world. Meanwhile, Ecotech Monitoring Solutions Pvt Ltd provides service and maintenance in India, delivered by over 80 skilled technicians.

south asia 34 South Asia Timestimes

travel

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1300 FLY INDIA (1300 359 463)

The World is Waiting

By Shilpa Dhanothia

T

ravel opens up our eyes to so much more than we already know. It’s an adventure to experience cultures and perspectives that we are bereft of in our own homes. Travel is integral to growth and that in turn is integral to evolution. As Pico Iyer famously said “we travel to become young fools again”. Tourism enriches a destination through increased employment

opportunities and income creation. Local businesses thrive and the overall quality of life is greatly improved.

The traveler is introduced to diversity, jolted out of the comfort zone, exposed to cultural differences and international issues and in general is made more aware.

Sustainable development of a destination and immersive experiences for the traveler is the best Win-Win situation that comes to my mind.

Access to a destination is one of the pillars of tourism development. Increasingly

airlines are adding new sectors and more flights in their flight schedules.

According to the UNWTO barometer, 956 million tourists had traversed the world between January and September 2016. As the year draws to a close, it is but natural to look back and reflect on the major events and how they have reshaped our world for the better, or otherwise. I am certain that we can agree that the year has been noteworthy for a very large part of the world. Despite occasional

shocks the tourism industry has shown steady growth proving the resilient streak in humans.

Adding another feather to its cap Gaura Travel was awarded the prestigious “Top Producing Agent 2016” award by Singapore Airlines for the fifth year in a row. As the company progresses into its 10th year of operations the passion to continually grow is stronger. Gaura plans to make exciting offers with the aim to delight customers and undertake initiatives to further its focus on the

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082

community and social issues.

So, let’s resolve to leave footprints on many beaches and mountains across the globe in 2017; to learn more about other cultures and reconnect with nature.

Let’s be responsible in our ways and respect the planet and humanity. Let’s travel because the world needs it.

Gaura Travel wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May our hearts be warm this festive season and the weather... Oh well Melbourne!

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southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times

Adani’s ‘ironclad’ guarantee against 457 visas for Carmichael mine but opposition wants written commitment

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 6 December: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszuk has said she had an “ironclad” guarantee from Gautam Adani that there will be no foreign workers brought under the 457 visas for the $ 16.5 billion Carmichael coal mine project. Though there is no written agreement on it. The Queensland Premier announced this after a meeting with the Adani Group boss in Townsville today. Mr. Adani, considered close to the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi had met the Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull in Melbourne at a private meeting and briefed him the project details.

The “ironclad” guarantee from Gautam Adani is seen as an indication that no Indians will be brought in for the project under the 457

work visas.

ABC reports Queensand Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said written assurances would be preferable. “The Premier has said she takes Mr Adani at this word and that’s fine, but I would have thought it would have been better to assure Queenslanders that we had some written commitments that jobs from this project will go to Queenslanders,” he said. The Adani group today announced five regional towns will provide vital support services for the projects. In a media

release the Chief Executive of Adani Australian, Jeyakumar Janakaraj, said Emerald, Clermont, Moranbah, Collinsville and Charters Towers would be the source of support services including workers for its projects.

“We are particularly focusing on the construction of our planned near-400km rail line to be constructed between the Carmichael mine and our bulk port facility at Abbott Point near Bowen,” Mr Janakaraj said.

“So we need people and services in the region to

build that rail link, as well as companies to provide resources.” The provision of good, services and labour from the regional towns would be supplemented by Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville. Mr Janakaraj said Adani had also announced that Townsville would be the site of the Regional Headquarters for the Carmichael coal mine project.

Mr Janakaraj said Townsville would also be home base for the company’s Project Management Office, and provide port services for

incoming materials.

The original plan of the company was to have the project offices in Brisbane.

The Australian Conservation Foundation yesterday calling it a dirty deal said, “This coal mine would be a global climate catastrophe. It is dangerous to our planet and the people and places we love.

Australians don’t want this mine, we want our reef and a clean, safe future.

Malcom Turnbull has a clear choice. Honour an iron clad election promise or do a dirty deal with Adani to use Australian taxpayers’ money to fund a coal-carting railway line from the Galilee Basin to the Great Barrier Reef coast.”

Meanwhile, in a media statement the Wangan & Jagalingou Traditional Owners Council has announced a fresh court action against the proposed project after expressing anger at Mr. Gautam Adani not meeting them.

Why Competitive Intelligence is crucial for the Small-to-Medium Business market (SMB)

By Sriram Iyer

M

elbourne : Let's look at the world through the eyes of a business owner who falls under the SMB market. The definitions of the SMB market may vary but generally accepted revenue qualifiers fall between the $10 million - $100 million bracket.

The bulk of Australian businesses earn less than that and hence become part of the Small Business market. Now from my experience across all sizes of businesses I see the 'big boys', the corporate giants adopt certain practices that help them stay relevant in the marketplace. I see no reason why the smaller fish can't apply a lot of what the larger companies do.

I have been involved

with the CI (Competitive Intelligence) function either directly or indirectly and see the obvious value it has for a corporate. Let us see how it applies to an SMB (this might also apply to small businesses in most cases). From the perspective of the SMB owner let us see how staying ahead of the competition will impact the overall success. Here are the top 5 reasons why an SMB must invest in CI (Competitive Intelligence) practices:

Top 5 Reasons Why SMB's Need Competitive Intelligence: 1.Increased Customer Acquisition Through Competitive Intelligence (done right) you can get a clear picture of how consumers view the products / services in the market and what criteria they

use to evaluate who they do business with. An unbiased approach to this will help a company refine their product / service and help position it most favourably, thereby adding to their customer base.

2. Enhanced Resource Management An SMB needs razor-sharp focus and many business owners try to enter new markets or introduce new product lines too early in the piece and spread themselves too thin. The result? Disaster.

Competitive analysis will reveal where the money is to be made and help prioritise initiatives. The analysis will cover SWOT-based reports on competitors and will allow the SMB to identify gaps in their competitors' armoury and exploit the same in the most efficient way.

3. Improved Growth Planning A common misconception is that competitive analysis does not incorporate any market elements. A holistic approach to CI will examine intricate elements of not just market dynamics, but also consumer behaviour, products etc. This kind of

analyses will allow a company to explore and expand its core offerings into possibly complementary product lines or entering new markets as an example. While analyzing growth initiatives, risk analysis is a key tool which is typically informed by competitive analysis.

4. Increased Market Share Protection Competitive analysis will identify sources of competitive threat and a good analyst will incorporate threat mitigation strategies. While growth is on the agenda for many business owners, not losing ground is also a strong priority. Defending their turf is easier when business owners have a good grip on the competitive landscape.

5. Higher Profitability Another very common misconception is that if a business is growing it is being profitable. Growth can occur without profitability and while a large corporate can get way with a deliberate 'loss leader' strategy, many smaller businesses cannot.

Competitor analyses will use benchmarking models on various elements including pricing, promotional

www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082

activities, distribution methods etc. This gives a priceless understanding of how similar businesses are operating and staying profitable. Imitation is the best form of flattery.

In business, it can be the difference between profit and loss. Instead of being just a low-cost player, competitive understanding will help a business truly be differentiated.

The trick is to be able to set up an efficient and ongoing competitive intelligence piece without blowing your marketing budget. That's where I come in.

What Next? A Cup of Coffee!

If you run a small-tomedium business and are keen to see how this could benefit your bottom line, give me a call on +61 424 287 904. I have worked across multiple industries and know one thing for a fact - failing to have a handle on the competitive landscape can be really costly!

I am happy to chat over coffee to see how best we can work together to ensure you invest your marketing dollar in the right place!

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FINANCE

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What does a Financial Advisor do?

BY Balki Balakrishnan

I

n the last two articles in this newspaper we explored what financial planning is and how to identify a good financial advisor. In this article we will see briefly what a financial planner does. Most ordinary Australians do not engage an advisor because of this misconception that financial advice is only for the wealthy.

This could not be far from the truth. In fact, professional advice is essential to build and retain wealth.

In a nut shell a financial advice involves setting financial goals, assessing current financial status and then designing and putting in practice a process to achieve the goals.

The first and most important step in the advice process is to set your financial goals. The financial advisor assists you in this by going through a process of education, challenges and discussion with you.

An advisor will bring the education, training, skills, tools and the experience to work with you in discovering your financial and personal goals, desirers, concerns and preferences. For example, your financial goal may be to buy an investment property, fund your child’s education or generate a psssive income from some point in the future to name a few.

The financial advisor enables you to understand what steps are required in meeting your stated goals. More importantly the financial advisor will also educate you to dispel any unrealistic expectations and misconceptions you may have. This educative process may be about simple topics such as budgeting and savings or it could be about understanding complex

insurance, investment, taxation and estate planning matters.

Having set your goals, the next step in the advice process is to understand your current financial health.

The financial advisor is equipped with the right tools to collect this information in a structured way such that all the necessary details to design a good plan are collected. You should be mindful that ultimately a good plan requires comprehensive and accurate data about your current financial affairs.

The financial advisor will then proceed with researching potential solutions and propose a financial plan for discussion.

The presentation of this discussion paper is an important step in the process and not many financial advisors follow this step.

Broadly, this proposal document will contain your current financial situation, your goals that are in scope as agreed, solutions

that would meet each of your goals, advantages and disadvantages of the proposed solutions and what you should be aware of if you proceed with the solutions.

A good financial advisor will propose more than one strategy and product/service solution that could assist you in meeting your goals.

The proposal document is then presented to you for further discussion. At the end of the presentation you should have a good idea of what the proposed strategies are, how they are going to meet your goals, the time frame in which each goal will be achieved, the cost of proposed solutions and the likely fees you will be paying the advisor initially and on ongoing basis. A good financial advisor will offer you the opportunity to revise the goals, add or remove advice topics in scope and present you with a revised set of proposals.

This iterative process will continue until you agree with the proposed solution.

A good financial advisor will not charge you any fees until

this agreement is reached.

This is because a good financial advisor will strive to demonstrate the value in his/her proposition to your satisfaction.

The next step in the process is the preparation and presentation of Statement of Advice (SoA) which is a formal document and have strict rules in regards to its contents.

This document will detail the specific products and/ or services recommended for implementation. This document is presented to you formally and your consent is obtained to proceed with the implementation of the recommendations. A copy of the Statement of Advice is given to you for your records and follow up.

Financial planning is a dynamic process and your financial development needs to be regularly reviewed against the financial plan.

This is because the changes in economic factors, government legislations and your personal circumstances will have an impact on the

proposed plan. The effects of these changes have to be monitored, assessed and managed to make sure that your goals are on track.

Depending on their qualifications, experience and other factors a financial advisor could advice you on many topics such as Budgeting and Cash Flow Management, Debt Management, Personal Risk Insurance, Investment Planning, Superannuation including Self-managed Super Fund (SMSF), Tax Planning, Pre-retirement & Retirement Planning, Centrelink, Aged Care, Estate Planning and strategic advice to create wealth. A financial advisor cold also offer mortgage broking services if they are qualified to do so.

Most of the above advice topics are inter related and therefore a financial advisor will take a holistic approach in designing a solution to create and protect wealth for you. You will find that going through a financial advice process is a rewarding experience as many have found out.

The trustee of COMMUNITY FINANCIAL SERVICES Unit Trust ACN 155 048 132 is an Authorised Representative and Credit Representative of AMP Financial Planning Pty Limited, Australian Financial Services Licensee and Australian Credit Licensee.

Balki Balakrishnan

Financial Advisor Authorised Representative & Credit Representative

This article contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. If you decide to purchase or vary a financial product, your financial adviser, Community Financial Services Pty Ltd and other companies within the AMP Group may receive fees and other benefits.

The fees will be a dollar amount and/or a percentage of either the premium you pay or the value of your investment.

Please contact us at 0419 506 560 if you want more information. www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082

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POETRY

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Mir Taqi Mir: The Romancer of Delhi Y

Rekhtey ke tum hi ustaad nahin ho Ghalib Kehtey hain agley zamaane mein koi ‘Mir’ bhi tha

ou are not the lone scholar of Rekhta (Urdu language), Ghalib. They say that in olden days there was a ‘Mir’ too As Delhi fights an ongoing battle with hatred, it is apt that we celebrate the birth of its greatest romancer, the presiding deity of Urdu poetry, Khuda-eSukhan (God of poetry), Mir Taqi Mir who was born in Agra (then ‘Akbarabad’) in this very month in 1722. His autobiography, Zikre-Mir, does not give his date of birth but some manuscripts found in the personal library of the Raja of Mahmudabad establish it with reasonable certainty.

Mir arrived in Delhi in or around 1733 and made the city his home. It is believed that in Delhi Mir lived at three different addresses -- Kucha Chelan, Chandni Mahal and Matia Mahal – all in the heart of the walled city. He stayed in Delhi till 1782 and, during this long period of his stay in Delhi, he remained under the patronage of one or the other nobleman.

He was patronised, one after the other, by Itimad-ud-Daula II, Javed Khan, Raja Nagar Mahal, Imad-ul-Mulk, Raja Jugal Kishore and Raja Nagar Mal. With most of them he broke ties on issues of self-respect and principles – matters on which he never compromised, even mildly. In matters of self-respect he was so sensitive that, more often than not, people labeled him as arrogant. In matters of principles, he was dismissed as haughty.

He was aware, and rightly so, of the superiority of his work as against the works of most of his contemporaries and insisted that, on merit, he was entitled to a much more exalted stature and status than them.

Finally, in 1782, with a heavy heart and tearful eyes, Mir bid adieu to Delhi for good and migrated to Lucknow where he was received by the Nawab in person. Though he lived in Lucknow till his end, the distance from Delhi always hounded him.

For Mir, Delhi’s lanes were no less than an artist’s painting : Koochey nahin dilli ke, auraaqe-musawwir hain Jo shakl nazar aayi, tasveer nazar aayi These are not Delhi by-lanes, these are artist’s canvas Every sight I see looks like a painting However, he was distraught at the thought that the city and its people were being incessantly plundered and pillaged by one or the other invader. Narrating the plight of the citizens of this

frequently ransacked city, he lamented: Chor uchakke, Sikh, Maratthey, Shah-o-gada az khwaahaan hain Chaiyn mein hain jo kuchh nahin rakhtey, fiqr hi ek daulat hai ab Thieves, pickpockets, Sikhs, Marathas, affluent and indigent – all are in need In peace are those who do not possess anything, poverty itself is wealth and Deeda-e-giryaan hamaara neher hai Dil-e-kharaaba jaise Dilli sheher hai My weeping eyes are like a canal My ruined heart like the city of Delhi Accounts of his arrival in Lucknow also reveal his profound and rather passionate feelings for Delhi. It is said that the day he arrived in Lucknow, there was a mushaira he had to attend. New to the city of the flamboyant Nawabs, he reached the elitist gathering alone in an old-fashioned and modest dress.

Being out of style and not in vogue he was easily noticed, but was not recognized until he came up with one of his most famous

and now oft-quoted verses : Kya bood-o-baash poochho ho, poorab ke saakino?

Hum ko ghareeb jaan ke, hans hans pukaar ke Dilli jo ek sheher tha, aalam mein intekhaab Rehte thay muntakhab hi jahaan rozgaar ke Us ko falak ne loot ke veeraan kar diya Hum rehne waale hain usi ujde dayaar ke What whereabouts do you ask of me, O people of the East ?

Considering me an alien and laughing at me Delhi, that was a city unique on the globe Where lived only the chosen of the time Destiny has looted it and made it deserted I belong to that very wrecked city Discovering who he was, the highbrowed attendees embraced him and Mir made Lucknow his home for his remaining life.

Though he spent almost 28 years in Lucknow, he never forgot Delhi and would often compare it favourably to Lucknow.

18th Century Delhi had its own Bassis and Iranis. With one royal

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invasion after the other - the last being of Ahmad Shah Abdali Delhi was reduced to ruins. Mir could not bear his beloved city being blatantly ravished and eventually went into seclusion.

Russell reports that once some leading noblemen of Lucknow called upon Mir and, after exchanging pleasantries, requested him to recite for them.

Initially Mir was evasive but when the gentlemen insisted, he clearly told them that they would not understand his poetry, on which one of them remarked : “But we understand the poetry of Anvari and Khaqani – the greatest of Persian poets”.

Mir immediately retorted : “I am sure you do. But to understand my poetry what you need to know is the language that is spoken at the steps of the Jama Masjid of Delhi and that knowledge you do not have”.

Mir soon had a fall out with Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula too.

Once again, it was Mir’s lack of tolerance for what he considered discourteous behaviour on part of the Nawab that made him part ways with his benefactor.

The Nawab, however, did not stop paying Mir his stipend. His successor, Nawab Sa’adat Ali Khan continued the tradition but Mir cared two hoots for him too, to the extent that once he even refused to accept robes and money sent to him by the Nawab, asking the messenger to advise the Nawab to give it away in charity : Jis sar ko ghuroor aaj hai yaa’n taajwari ka Kal us pe yahin shor hai phir nauhagari ka The head that today takes pride in wearing the crown Tomorrow there are cries of mourning here on the same Eventually, the Nawab – acting like a present-day university administration, stopped Mir’s stipend and Mir fell into penury.

He started growing antagonistic towards Lucknow and regretting his decision to leave Delhi : Kharaaba Dilli ka vo chand behtar Lucknow se tha Vahin maiyn kaash mar jaata, sara seema na aata yahaan The deserted Delhi was far better than Lucknow Wish I had died there itself and had not come running here Mir was a poet of love and romance. He lived in an age when Urdu poetry was still in its infancy. In his Ghazals he created an inimitable language and style of his own : Patta patta, boota boota, haal hamaara jaane hai Jaane na jaane, gul hi na jaane,

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baagh toh saara jaane hai Chaaragari beemari-e-dil ki rasm-e-shehr-e-husn nahin Varna dilbar-e-naadaan bhi, is dard ka chaara jaane hai Mehr-o-wafa-o-lutf-o-inaayat, ek se waaqif in mein nahin Aur to sab kuchh tanz-okanaaya, ramz-o-ishaara jaane hai Every leaf and every bud knows my state Only the flower doesn’t know, rest of the garden does Curing the affliction of heart is not the tradition of the city of beauty Else even the naïve beloved knows the cure to this pain Mercy, loyalty, kindness and favour – none of them are aware of All that they know are taunts and gestures, signs and allusions Mir’s poetry is a poetry of unfulfilled love; it is a poetry of yearning, of desire and of craving: Dikhaayi diye yoon, ke be-khud kiya Hamein aap se bhi juda kar chaley Jo tujh bin na jeene ko kehte thay hum So iss ahd ko ab wafa kar chaley Bohot aarzoo thi gali ki teri So yaa’n se lahu mein naha kar chaley Jabee’n sajda kartey hi kartey karte gayi haq-e-bandagi hum ada kar chaley Parastish ki yaa’n tak ki aye buth tujhe Nazar mein sabo’n ki, khuda kar chaley She so appeared that I forgot myself She separated me from myself My claim of not living with you That pledge I am now honouring I aspired a lot to reach near you From here then I returned soaked in blood The head kept bowing down in prostration The duty of servitude I discharged I worshipped you to such an extent that, O idol !

Made you God in the sight of all On the one hand, the poet was enthralled by his beloved’s beauty: Naazuki us ke lab ki kya kahiye Pankhari ek gulaab ki si hai Mir in neem-baaz aankhon mein Saari masti sharaab ki si hai What to say of the tenderness of her lips It’s like the petal of a rose O Mir ! in these half-closed eyes Wine-like intoxication is writ large And on the other, he grumbled that falling in love was a headache: Kya kahoon tum se maiyn ke kya hai ishq Jaan ka rog hai, bala hai ishq Ishq hi ishq hai jahaan dekho Saare aalam mein bhar raha hai ishq Ishq maashooq, ishq aashiq hai Yaani apna hi mubtala hai ishq Mir ji zard hotey jaate hain Kya kahin tum ne bhi kiya hai ishq ?

POETRY How should I tell you what love is ?

It’s a sickness of the soul, it’s a curse, this love There is love and just love wherever you look The world is overflowing with love Love is the beloved, love is the lover As if love is involved in itself This Mir fellow is becoming pale Have you also fallen in love ?

Despite being the son of a religious scholar, Mir – like Ghalib – did not hesitate in audaciously announcing his incredulity to religion and religious formalism : Ulti ho gayin sab tadbeerein, kuchh na dawa ne kaam kiya Dekha is beemaari-e-dil ne, aakhir kaam tamaam kiya Kis ka Kaaba ? kaisa qibla ? kaun Haram hai ? kya ehraam ?

Koochey ke us ke baashindon ne, sab ko yahin se salaam kiya Sheikh jo hai masjid mein nanga, raat ko tha maikhaane mein Jubba, khurqa, kurta, topi, masti mein inaam kiya Mir ke deen-o-mazhab ko ab poochhte kya ho, un ne toh Qashqa kheincha, daiyr mein baitha, kab ka tark Islam kiya All my efforts went in vain, the medicine didn’t work at all Did you see, this heart disease at last killed me Whose Ka’aba ? what prayerdirection ? what Holy mosque ? what pilgrim’s robes ?

We, the inhabitants of her lane, abandoned all from here The Sheikh who stands naked in the mosque today, was in the pub last night Cloak, gown, shirt, cap – in inebriation he gave away as tips What do you now want to know about Mir’s religion and faith, he in fact has Tattooed the forehead, sat in the temple, abandoned Islam long ago Mir was a man of traditional values. He was aghast at the changing values of his times in Lucknow. He could not bear the thought that he was living amongst people who were oblivious to old principles, traditions and values which were quintessential to his very existence. Mir’s repulsion to such social transformation became more intense with time and reverberates in his later poetry: Rasm uth gayi duniya se ik baar murawwat ki Kya log zameen par hain, kaisa ye samaa’n aaya ?

Once the tradition of decency disappeared from the world What kind of people are there on earth, what scenario is this ?

Kya zamaana tha vo jo guzra Mir Hamdigar log chaah karte thay What an age was it that has gone by, Mir People used to love each other Mir is the first Urdu poet whose complete works were typeset and printed. The voluminous “Koolliyati Meer Tyqee” [should be spelt as Kulliyaat-e-Mir Taqi

southSouth asia times 39 Asia Times

/ ‘Complete works of Mir Taqi’] was published in 1811 as a major literary project sponsored by the Fort William College in Calcutta.

Mir’s Urdu poetry is spread over six diwans. Till his fifth diwan, composed in an advanced age, his ghazals make it clear that Mir hoped to find refuge in a more cultured and agreeable place than Lucknow. The city seemed gloomy to him and he found it “hard for a man to live (t)here any longer”.

By the time the last diwan was penned, the sourness receded.

Not because his views on the city changed but because he had no more strength to criticize. He had already lost his wife, daughter and son. His friends were dying one by one. He was penniless and seriously ill with a painful gastrointestinal disease. Despite these hardships, he continued to write and recite : Aur kuchh mashghala nahin hai hamein Gaah-o-begah, ghazal saraayi hai I have no other work to occupy me now In and out of season, I recite my poetry On September 21, 1810, Mir died in Lucknow at the age of 88.

He was buried in the graveyard of Bheem Ka Akhaara located north of what is today called the City Station. Until half a century ago, a grave situated just before the Chhatte Waala Pul near the City Station railway tracks was believed to be that of Mir. Today, there stands a humungous slum on the spot where the grave once existed and where Mir spent the last three decades of his life. There is no sign either of his house or of his grave.

Few years ago, I walked all over the area for hours enquiring about the remnants and relics of the poet’s life (or death). There was hardly a soul in the vicinity who had even heard of the poet, let alone knowing about his remnants.

An old resident of the area, one Baqai saheb, who runs a printing press right in front of the spot where Mir’s grave is said to have once existed, was kind enough to treat us to a hot cup of tea and tell us that the area had been usurped by land-grabbers long ago.

A lone broken stone erected in a park calls itself the ‘Nishaan-e-Mir’ and, if someone can search for it, an almost invisible and decrepit road-sign at the end of the street reads ‘Mir Taqi Mir Marg’. These are the only tangible signs of this Khuda-e-Sukhan (God of Poetry) that exist in Lucknow today.

It seems that Mir had commanded the powers that be to make it clear to future generations that he would not want those admirers to visit his grave, who didn’t care for him when he was alive : Baad marne ke meri qabr pe aaya vo 'Mir' Yaad aayi merey Eesa ko dawa merey baad O Mir, he came to my grave after

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Eighteenth century Delhi had its own Bassis and Iranis. With one royal invasion after the other - the last being of Ahmad Shah Abdali - Delhi was reduced to ruins. Mir could not bear his beloved city being blatantly ravished and eventually went into seclusion. The only way out of this misery, it seemed, was migration to Lucknow where the ruling Nawab, Asaf-udDaula, was known for his love for Urdu poetry and patronage for Urdu poets.

I died My Messiah remembered my cure after I had gone After my return from Lucknow, with my friends, Kanishka Prasad and Akila Jayaraman, I also trotted the Walled City with the help of a veteran Purani Dilli photographer.

The experience was even more painful than that in Lucknow.

Residents of Kucha Chelan, Chandni Mahal and Matia Mahal – neighbourhoods which Mir had once described as “artist’s canvas” and whose by-lanes once echoed with his poetry, do not even know who Mir was, much less where he lived. My recitation of Mir’s well-known couplet which aptly describes this harrowing state of affairs in Mir’s Delhi was also lost on them : Deedni hai shikastgi dil ki Kya imaarat ghamon ne dhaayi hai My heart’s siege is quite a sight What a castle have sorrows razed ?

And, why should it not have. After all, Mir had himself prophesised : Baatein hamaari yaad rahein, phir baatein aisi na suniye ga Parhtey kisi ko suniye ga, toh der talak sar dhuniye ga Remember my words for you will not hear such words again If you hear someone narrating them, you will bang your head in wonder —Source: Sabrang

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