The Observer Volume 18 Issue 12 (Dailies 2)

The Observer An IIJNM publication

Nearly 10,000 people sustain brain injury in Bengaluru every year, 1,000 succumb | P 3

Vol 18, Issue 12

Tuesday, November20, 2018

The Observer

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

Auto drivers use domestic LPG with impunity in two taluks, penalties do not deter them | P 5

Petrol, diesel prices rose CM meets farmers, mill owners

by Rs 14, Rs 19 in 1 year sugar to end impasse On Oct 16, they were Rs 83.54, and Rs 76.13 in Bengaluru Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel

P

etrol and diesel prices in Bengaluru rose by Rs 14 and Rs 19 a litre in one year from October 2017, touching alltime highs of Rs 83.54 and Rs 76.13 respectively on October 16, 2018. The increase was significant because the prices of the two motor fuels usually increased by Rs 5-Rs 6 till the year before.

“The international crude oil rate has affected the petrol and diesel prices. We are paying double or even triple of the usual price for one barrel of crude oil due to the sudden hike in oil prices and fall in the rupee,” Rajeev Agarwal, deputy general manager, retail sales, IndianOil Corporation, informed The Observer.

India is the third largest importer of crude oil. Brent, a benchmark for more than 50% of world’s oil, surged to its highest ahead of the US sanctions against Iran.

With a 5% fall in the rupee

against US dollar, importing crude oil has become expensive.

Deepa R, the proprietor of a Bharat Petroleum station on Kanakapura Road, blamed GST and demonetization for increasing fuel prices. “There should have been primary background checks before making such major alterations. Many lost their businesses as no one was prepared for such a sudden tax reform or demonetization,” she said.

Ramesh G, an HP bunk manager at Chamarajpet, said the prices started changing daily in June 2017. “The variations are due to crude oil transactions.”

Mahesh Krishnappa, secretary, Bangalore Petroleum Dealers’ Association (BPDA), said: “Crude oil surge has impacted fuel prices in

India. The rupee’s fall against the dollar has led to the situation.”

BPDA controls more than 500 fuel stations in Bengaluru.

Increasing fuel prices prompt bus operators, cab aggregators and autorickshaw unions to demand that the government increase fares.

“Fuel prices increases have had an adverse effect on bus fares. For the past five years, bus fares have never reduced despite a drop in fuel prices,” Darshan S, a UVCE student, said.

Karthick K, a cab driver, said: “We can’t run on low fares. If we increase fares, customers tend to seek drivers who would be ready to drive at a lower fare.”

In October 2014, the government gave a free hand to oil-marketing companies to decide diesel prices. They have since calibrated prices based on international crude oil prices.

Briefing media on the cabinet decision finance minister Arun Jaitley had then said: “Henceforth, like petrol, the price of diesel would be linked to the market and therefore, depending on whatever cost is involved, the consumers will have to pay.”

Petrol prices were deregulated in June 2010 by the UPA government. Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had then described the decision as a “much-needed reform”. abbinaya.s@iijnm.org

Raveena Bhati

P

rotests by sugarcane farmers forced CM Kumaraswamy to hold a meeting with them at Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday. Following the talks, the chief minister spoke to sugar mill owners and then met all farmers.

The outcome of the meetings was not known at the time of going to the press.

Sanjay Nadagouda, a farmer from Belagavi, said: “The sugarcane factories earlier paid us around Rs 2,200-2,400 for a quintal, but for the past one year, we have not been paid. The issue has been going on after the chief minister promised to waive the loans of sugarcane farmers in 15 days after coming to power, but even after four months the problem remains.”

The conference was attended by farmers from all districts of Karnataka and owners of sugarcane factories.

Manje Gowda, who was accompanied by more than 20 farmers from Belagavi district, demanded that fair remunerative price be paid to farmers and added: “Farmers in other states are getting higher prices for their harvest, and we are paid less. We want equal pay. The Minimum Support Price should be between

The talks were attended by farmers from all over Karnataka | Credit: Nidhi Roy Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,300.”

Most sugarcane factories are owned by politicians and legislators. Hence, farmers prefer to supply to factories that are not owned by politicians since they pay on time.

Farmers in Indi taluk in Vijayapura district complain that they have not been paid their arrears by Jamkhandi Sugar Mills, owned by the local MLA. Hanumant Patil, a farmer from Hirebennur village in Indi taluk, has his farms located in the shadow of the Jamkhandi Sugar Mills but prefers to take his sugarcane to a sugar mill 15 km away from his field.

Patil informed The Observer: “The MLA’s factory doesn’t pay on time. I take my harvest to the other factory because its owners are from Tamil Nadu and they pay me on time.” raveena.b@iijnm.org

61% of Karnataka’s very young Kumaraswamy must step down, says BJP children suffer from anaemia

Shrabona Ghosh

I

n Karnataka, according to the National Family Health Survey 4, about 61% of the children in the age group of 6 months to 5 years suffer from anaemia.

“Anaemia can be because of iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency and pathologically it can be because of haemoglobin disorder. People from poor background don’t have access to iron supplements. They lack knowledge about anaemia and cannot afford regular check-ups, leading

to increase in cases,” said, Dr Sowmya CC Paediatrician at Apollo Hospitals.

According to a report by Prema Ramachandran, Director, Nutrition Foundation of India, there are various other causes of anaemia like folate intake due to low vegetable consumption, poor bioavailability of dietary iron from fibre, excess of phytate in Indian diets chronic blood loss due to malaria and hook worm infestations, A pregnant mother should go for regular check-ups, and keep a

check of her haemoglobin level to avoid the risk of anaemia to the child.

Alcohol and smoking during pregnancy should be avoided as it hampers the health of the baby.

“A malnourished child will always be anaemic , regular iron supplements, protein rich diet, and adequate amount of vitamins and minerals must be consumed for healthy growth of the child,” Dr Arun Kumar, an expert in community medicine, informed The Observer.

Continued on page 5

Pranay Prakash

K

arnataka BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday slammed the Kumaraswamy government for “illtreating” farmers who had come to protest in Bengaluru.

“It is shameful on the CM’s part to make disgraceful remarks against women. It is his arrogance to call protesting farmers ‘goondas and dacoits’,” the former chief minister said.

Declaring his party’s support to the farmers’ protest, the BJP

leader urged Congress leaders to consider Kumaraswamy’s remarks and ask the CM to either implement his promises to farmers or resign.

Yeddyurappa alleged that the state government has failed to fix the price of sugarcane even after the central government announced an MSP. Three months ago, the state advisory committee should have come up with a state advisory price, but the Kumaraswamy government failed to take the matter seriously. pranay.p@iijnm.org

CITY

2

The Observer Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Keen to avoid traffic hassles, people are turning to driver aggregators Want to stay in comfort zone of their own cars, avoid Ola, Uber price surge

Akanksha Kashyap

T

he demand for drivers has increased in Bengaluru as people prefer to have them drive their vehicles rather driving themselves or hiring a cab.

“My work requires me to travel a lot. Hiring a cab every time is expensive,” Vikram Singh Chauhan, who works for BYJU’S, informed The Observer.

“Cab aggregators like Ola and Uber pose a threat to us, but due to an increase in fares and surge pricing, we see it as a positive effect on DriveU,” Ashok Shastri, co-founder and COO of DriveU, said.

Ram Prasanth, the founder another such company, EziDrive, said: “People opt for us because they want stay in the comfort zone of their cars. No one wants to drive in the traffic at peak hours. They would rather sit and let the driver do the work.”

Founder and CEO of DriveBud Nitin Sharma said: “I don’t see Uber/Ola as a competition because contrary to what people think, a driver on demand caters to a different set of customers al-

People are choosing driver aggregators over traditional cabs as they are more pocket friendly. | Courtesy: DriveU together. Most of our customers don’t want to board a cab but want to be driven around by a chauffeur.”

“There are times when I go out for parties and do not want to drive back; I hire a driver instead

of leaving my car behind. Or I can also hire him for to and fro services for a charge that would cost be less than Ola or Uber,” says Shipra Valecha, who works for an IT firm.

“Sometimes you cannot find an

Ola or Uber and get stuck. I thus prefer to hire drivers,” Valecha added.

Ankur Vaid, founder of Party Hard, said: “We provide cab services to people generally at night so that they can avoid drink-anddrive cases. There are times when you want to leave stuff in your car while you are out. Hiring drivers is the best option.”

“Hiring drivers is a comparatively new model. Getting a word out that something like this exists is a tough task. More than that, it takes time for people to trust random drivers with their vehicles.

We and other driver aggregators are working with insurance agencies to come up with an insurance plan,” Sharma of DriveBud added.

Nooper Sinha, an Infosys employee, said: “I always go for drivers instead of booking a self -driven car. It is easier, cheaper and more convenient for me for long trips.” Therefore, even if it is a completely a new territory, commuters are now opting for this model for the convenience it provides akanksha.k@iijnm.org.

News Briefs lDonald Trump, US president has suspended nearly $2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan, earlier this month for not taking action against terrorists. lIn Women World T20 group, India defeated Australia by 48 runs in the finals. Thus Indian Women Team has now won seven consecutive T20 matches . lTamil Nadu CM E.K Palaniswami announces Rs.1000 crore for the relief work in areas affected by the cyclone Gaja. lVoting for the second and final phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly election for 72 seats began, amid high level of security in view of Naxal attacks. lTwitter CEO was criticized for promoting hate speech, as he was seen holding a placard that read, “Smash Brahminical Patriarchy” during India visit. lWest Bengal Assembly has passed a bill to give land rights to people who came to live in the country following an exchange of enclaves with Bangladesh. lUttarakhand police have arrested four people for allegedly raping a minor girl in Sahaspur. windings lChilli powder thrown at Kejriwal

Sack cop who beat up Youth goes to Kumaraswamy speaks a dalit, demands DSS court seeking on employees’ shortage father’s job

Sindhuja M

A

DSS said that atrocities agianst the backward classes are on the rise.| Credit: Ileena Dutt Ileena Dutta chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy demanding Henne he Dalit Sangharsh Samiti Gowda’s arrest and dismissal.

(DSS) on Tuesday deSenior DSS member says manded the dismissal of a Sikandar said: “There was an inpolice sub- inspector who allegedly cident in the Kamanahalli Main beat up a dalit in Kolar district.

Road area where backward-caste “We want the sub-inspector to vendors and beggars were evicted be expelled from his duty for life- from footpaths and not given a time since he doesn’t regard a place to stay. The BBMP has conhuman being to be one. The inci- structed a park that is of abdent that happened two weeks ago solutely no use. Atrocities against at Kolar Gold Fields is traumatiz- backward classes are on the rise.” ing and inhuman. The man was Santosh SG, a sub-inspector in thrashed and abused without any Bengaluru, said: “We hope the reason,” Ashiq Ali Beg, Karnataka person gets justice and the subDSS secretary, informed The Ob- inspector is arrested. He is known server on the sidelines of a protest. as ‘Rowdy Inspector’ in that localSub-inspector Henne Gowda al- ity because of his atrocious behavlegedly thrashed and beat up the iour towards the local people.” dalit in the Devamangala police The DSS was started in Karstation. The incident caused nataka by dalit educated employanger among dalits across Kar- ees and students in 1974 to give nataka. voice to the backward classes.

The DSS has sent a letter to ileena.d@iijnm.org

T

26-year-old man has moved a civil court in Mayo Hall demanding that the government give him his deceased father’s job in the public works department.

Ramu D, son of Devakumar A, has struggled for the past seven years to get his father’s job.

Devakumar, a PWD worker, was killed in an accident in 2011.

Ramu waited for the government’s call to take up his father’s job under the law for appointment on compassionate grounds.

In 2013, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices S.A. Bobde and B.S. Chauhan said that employment on compassionate grounds can’t be claimed as a right. The authority should examine the financial condition and ability of the family member. Thus says mere death of employee does not entile family to claim the job.

The individual should be eligible to get the job of his/her parent who was a government employee, the appointment should strictly adhere to the mandatory requirements of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. The Article 16 speaks about providing guarantee of equal opportunity in matters of public employment. sindhuja.m@iijnm.org

Akanksha Kashyap

T

he Department of Information and Public Relations has a sanctioned strength of 545 but is functioning with 246 employees. “The problem is that the department hires people of the same age at the same time which in turn means that they retire at the same time, making a bulk of the positions empty and the cycle continues,” D P Murlidhara, deputy director of the news wing of the department, informed The Observer. He added that the department has managed efficiently despite there being a dearth of employees. He believes that more importance should be given to technology.

The department opened its new and high tech media centre on Tuesday. H D Kumaraswamy, chief minister of Karnataka, inaugurated the centre and said that most of the events which happen at the media centre of Vidhana Soudha will now be shifted to this centre.

“Journalists in Karnataka are doing a great job and this is the best event I have inaugurated till date. It is also special as it has been inaugurated in the honour of Mahatma Gandhi and would provide all necessities to reporters in the state,” said Kumaraswamy.

The city has two other media centres, one at Vidhana Soudha and the other at the Department of Information and Public relations;

the latter has now been replaced.

“This centre is similar to the national media centre where all important press briefings take place. Now most of these briefings will be held here,” said N Vishu Kumar, Director, Department of Information and Public Relations.

The Director of the department said that he had complete faith in HDK’s words. “The CM has ensured that the problem of shortage of employees will be solved soon,” said Kumar. Another employee, Indramma, chief reporter of the department said, “There are no major issues caused by the lack of employees. But we need supportive staff for more strength and I am sure, as the CM said, it will be taken care of.

The employees believe that the centre would be of great importance not only for them but also for the state. “It is a feather in the cap for the department,” said Murlidhara. akanksha.k@iijnm.org

CITY

The Observer Tuesday, November 20, 2018

3

Brain injury kills 1,000 BBMP’s clean-up drive worries in Bengaluru every yr

Madiwala vendors

Males are more at risk, most survivors worked

Sahana S

T

Sindhuja Michael

N

early 10,000 individuals sustain Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and more than 1,000 die of it every year in Bengaluru every year, says a study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).

“Traumatic brain injury is a major public health problem as evidenced by both physicians and epidemiologists in India. Disability due to neurological illness ranks third in India; the major contributor is TBI. A rapid increase in population, motorization and industrialization... has contributed to the significant increase. TBI results in deaths, injuries and disabilities in all age groups, especially young and productive people,” Dr Ashok Munivenkatappa of the National Institute of Epidemiology, informed The Observer.

Road Traffic Injury (RTI) is a major cause of brain injury followed by incidents such as fall and violent action. Overall, 71%of TBIs are mild, 15% moderate and 13% severe based on the Glasgow Coma Scale. As per a study on TBI conducted by NIMHANS, the risk for males is four times the risk for females. Most survivors of

The population at high risk of suffering from traumatic brain injury are young males | Credit: Sindhuja Michael TBI are in the prime of their lives and were working before the accident.

“The need for good-quality scientific information and data for policy and programme development needs no over emphasis.

The lack of research and goodquality data in India is often a major barrier which tends to undermine the importance of the problem. To bridge this gap, the department of epidemiology, neurosurgery and biostatistics, in collaboration with The Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center, undertook this project of research on TBI over a period of three and a half years in Bengaluru,” Said Dr D Nagaraja, director and vice-chancellor of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences.

“A study was conducted about people surviving Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The patients also experience some form of coma and significant deficits (in cognitive functions). In past, patients were medically stabilized, and then sent to rehabilitation centres for sensory stimulation in the hope of waking up their reticular activating system. Today, healthcare professionals are being encouraged to research and explore the possibility of implementing structured coma stimulation programs as early as 72 hours post- injury in the intensive care unit. Starting early is of paramount importance to a patient’s survival, and quality of life,” said Soumya S.L. of the Goutham College of Nursing. sindhuja.m@iijnm.org

hough they were asked to shift to a BBMP complex, most vendors at Madiwala market are yet to be allotted shops. Also, they are waiting for portions of land in the market area as compensation.

Many vendors fear that their businesses would suffer because of the BBMP’s clean-up drive.

“Earlier, customers used to visit my stall regularly, and I never faced any trouble in selling vegetables, but this has changed since the drive. Business has come down drastically, and I am in a risk of losing it,” Radha Krishna, a vegetable seller, informed The Observer.

Many vendors say the drive has left them devastated.They are forced to sit at the entrance of the market and fight for their space with others.

Vendor Muniswamy said: “I sold leafy vegetables in the market for over 30 years and never faced problems regarding space; but after shifting inside the market area, we are fighting for place.”

Ayyappa Swamy, who runs a fruit stall inside the market, said: “We didn’t have problems prior to the drive, but after the clean-up most vendors have shifted inside. We don’t have enough place inside the market area.”

BBMP assistant revenue officer Satish B.K. promised that the vendors would get allotment let-

The clean up drive has left many shop owners in dismay. | Credit: Sahana S ters soon. They would get permanent places inside the complex.

Interestingly, a few vendors who have been allotted space inside the market said they have no problem regarding allotment of stalls.

“Previously, I sold flowers on the pavement. After the clean-up, the BBMP allotted me space in the complex. I did not face problems regarding stall allotment,” vendor Junaid Aslam said.

On November 12, BBMP personnel, cleared 88 shops from the pavement between Krupanidhi Junction and Madiwala police station. The Times of India reported that the BBMP came up with the plan because traffic on the stretch would move very slow. sahana.s@iijnm.org

Dangling OFCs pose a huge danger to motorists Bundles on roads are a risk too Ajay Biradar

E

ven after BBMP introduced micro-ducts and clamps for them, optical fibre cables (OFCs) are still seen hanging from trees in Vasanth Nagar and Cubbon Park. In some places, OFC bundles lie on the road.

Haider Khan, who owns a betel-leaf shop in Vasanth Nagar, informed The Observer: “I have seen minor accidents when bikers came in contact with cables lying on roads.”

A cable operator said: “There are two kinds of people who use OFCs: Big telecom companies, like Reliance, BSNL and Airtel, and small cable operators. The latter cannot afford to pay BBMP, so they illegally install aerial cables.”

“There are even some telecom providers who install aerial cables illegally. These often go unnoticed by the BBMP, or they choose to ignore them.”

Despite the BBMP’s struggle to clear OFC cables, these in Vasanth Nagar (right) and on Cubbon Road continue to be eyesores and hazards | Credit: Shrabona Ghosh

What makes telecom providers install illegal aerial cables?

Sometimes while digging the ground, BBMP and BWSSB personnel unknowingly cut underground cables, bringing the network and signals down in that particular area. For immediate rectification, they lay aerial wires without permission because it takes nearly a month to lay new pipelines new cables.

Linganand Mainane, a student who regularly travels from Vasanth Nagar, said: “I recently came in contact with cables lying on the road and fell from my bike. I even witnessed some people falling from their bikes in rain due to these cables. I don’t

know when we are going to get rid of these cables.”

BBMP public relations officer Suresh claimed they removed almost all aerial cables in the city.

But there are some areas where work is pending. "There are big telecom companies which have both aerial and underground cables. They are laying cables underground.”

Praveena Patil, who travels from Vasanth Nagar daily, said “OFC cables are creating menace on roads. Once I fell from my vehicle as wires were lying on the road. They got stuck in the wheels of my vehicle. I could have died if there were other vehicles behind me. But, fortunately, nothing major happened.

I had a few scratches on my hand and my legs. It is very irresponsible of the BBMP to ignore their work and responsibilities.”

Speaking about the situation in Cubbon Park, Srikanth, a truck driver, said: “How can they put these cables on trees and just leave them. One got stuck to the mirror of my truck, I had to stop in the middle of the road to remove it.” ajay.b@iijnm.org

CITY

4

The Observer Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Water, air pollution have Bengaluru worried Koramangala, Hebbal taps spout black water

Yajush Gupta

Sounak Das

F

or a week now, Reva Yunus, a resident of Shantiniketan Apartments, Koramangala, has been buying 20 litres of bottled water daily. Ever since she began getting black water in her kitchen tap, she stopped trusting the ageing steel pipes in her home.

Reva is not alone. Residents of ST Bed have got contaminated water for the past few weeks.

Koramangala BWSSB officials say they are doing their best to solve the problem, but it seems it is much bigger issue. Over the past weeks, residents of Kanaka Nagar in Hebbal have also been complaining about black water.

“My family has been struggling with gastro-intestinal issues for two months,” Reva Yunus, a mother of two informed The Observer.

“Nobody understood why people were falling sick until one of our neighbours who visited a doctor was asked to check the drinking water in their house. We are now buying water from outside and have stopped using Cauvery water.”

BWSSB officials suspect sewage and drinking water is mixing. But they have so far not found the location where this is happening. BWSSB engineer maintenance zone Kemparamaiah said: “We are aware about the

Poor public transport to blame for pollution and congestion

B

Blackish water supplied in the ST Bed area | Credit:Yajush Gupta black water and are trying our best to solve this. We tried to flush out the entire pipeline water, but the problem persisted.

We will be carrying some additional checks in a few days.”

Another resident from Kanaka Nagar, Pradeep Gowda, said: “At least five of my neighbours are facing the same issue. It’s really not feasible to buy bottled water on a daily basis when I have a filter.”

According to a 2014 WHO report, water supplied to households in Bengaluru is much more contaminated than that supplied in Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad or Chennai.

A 2017 report by the Central Bureau of Health Intelligence and the ministry of health and family welfare found that contaminated water in Bengaluru causes diarrhea, typhoid, jaundice and cholera. According to a 2017 field test, only 28 % of water is drinkable. yajush.g@iijnm.org

engaluru is witnessing a rise in congestion and pollution because people are adopting private means of transport such as bikes and cars. This is attributed to public transport not providing last-mile connectivity and getting costlier as well.

“There has been a steady rise in the number of vehicles. People want comfort. Travelling is such a problem in Bengaluru. I used to change three buses from my house to my office. That consumed a lot of my time. Also, public transport has become costly,’ said’ D.N. Vignesh, a resident of Nandini Layout.

According to transport Department data, the city had 47 lakh two-wheelers and 13 lakh cars as of March 31 this year. Even though there has been a dip in the number of newly registered vehicles, their number on roads has increased considerably.

“We have requested the transport department to stop registering new vehicles. We had issued directives to ban two-stroke autos and vehicles that are older than 15 years. However, there are several vehicle users’ association who oppose this ban. These associations appealed to the Karnataka High Court. The court passed a judgment saying that the vehicles should go through

Siruguppa farmers migrate to cities for work Sayantan Sarkar

Project Shakti receives good response Anuradha Sriram

A

lack of proper employment opportunities in many villages in Siruguppa taluk has forced people to migrate to nearby cities for work.

“People can’t find suitable work in the villages, which is the main reason for migration,” said Nagesh B., a shopkeeper in Bagewadi village.

“The primary occupation of people in the regions is farming. Farmers face difficulties in cultivation here due to difficult weather conditions.

Siruguppa’s climate is dry because it doesn’t receive much rainfall. Cultivation of crops takes a toll due to absence of proper irrigation facilities and dry weather,” remarked Ashok Gaddi, a soil scientist in the Agricultural Research Station, Siruguppa. Villagers from the taluk also work in factories and rice mills. Most of them are forced to work in these factories as a last resort.

“We are only paid Rs 200 per day, which is meagre. It is extremely difficult to support our families with such resources,” remarked Saifulla Saab, a rice mill worker.

Chalawadi Yellappa, a villager

Congestion is a direct effect of the increasing number of public and private vehicles. | Credit: Pranay Prakash tests and inspections and creasing fares, it is going to lose brought into use again. However, commuters who use public transwe keep monitoring,’’ B. Na- port. I sometimes rent bikes. gappa, senior scientist, KSPCB, They are cheaper and provide said.MN Sreehari, a traffic ex- comfortable travel,’’ said Sumana pert, explained: “At present, Khan, a resident of Marathahalli. there are around 70 lakh vehiOne-person use of vehicles cles on the city’s roads which are is worsening the problem. “If too much. Our roads can accom- a car that can accommodate modate a maximum of 18 lakh five persons is used to ferry vehicles. You can imagine what one, you can imagine the inthe magnitude of congestion crease in carbon footprint per would be.’’ person. This can be stopped if Congestion is a direct effect of the government improves the increasing number of public public transport,’’ Dr A.N. and private vehicles.“The gov- Yellappa Reddy, a well-known ernment should consider the environmentalist, said. common man. If it keeps on in- sounak.d@iijnm.org

B

Even skilled and semi-skilled labourers are paid less than the minimum wages. | Credit: Sayantan Sarkar from Raravi, said: “Most of the people that migrate to cities are farmers. Failure in cultivation forces them to move out of the villages with their children.” In the cities, mainly Bengaluru, villagers work as labourers. “They are paid on a daily basis, which is not enough to feed the entire family.”

Most of the migrants are from the rural parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. They mostly travel to Bengaluru. A majority of them are from the SC/STs. They often face discrimination, they say.

Mohammed Rizwan, a worker at SSR Weighing Solutions Pvt Ltd, said: “Even skilled and

semi-skilled labourers are paid less than the minimum wages in Bengaluru.

Further, most of the engineering and chemical factories they work in, do not provide basic safety measures, the workers said.

The problem in villages around Siruguppa is more complex.

Agricultural scientist, M.A. Basavanneppa said: “The Agricultural Research Station holds training for the farmers, so that they can implement several innovative ways to cultivate crops.

These techniques are taught to farmers so that they don’t migrate in search of work.” sayantan.s@iijnm.org

engaluru: Karnataka witnesses around 2 lakh registrations for its recently launched ‘Project Shakti. The Launch of the Project and the overwhelming response has given hope to the Congress in Karnataka for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

“This is a voluntary service and no one is obliged to register for it.

Congress has worked with consistency towards coordinating with people in the past couple of months Karnataka has seen more than 2 lac people who have registered themselves for the project” says, NatrajGowda Social media coordinator of Project Shakti.

The Congress has strengthened its strategy of booth management by adding flavors to what Project Shakti initially consisted of. The project’s agenda is to identify Congress workers at the booth level and whoever sympathizes with the party can register themselves by messaging their respective voter id card numbers to theShakti Numbers of the respective state. After verification of the voter ID card, the sender of the message gets registered for the project..

This project further aims to uplift and engage the oppressed and

strenghthen their command at booth level during elections or for any other government service.

“This is high time we work towards the upliftment of the party by providing it a technological edge; by doing this we can increase our vote share by 5 percent and 50 seats” says Suraj Hegde, coordinator of project Shakti.

There is a separate provision for women to register for Shakti.

They have been provided with a separate number for registration.

Accroding to Javarappa KH, District general secretary Youth Congress “It is a good move. The welfare of the people will be looked after. This project won’t generate employment for the people but will help Congress coordinate with whoever sympathizes with it.” Those who have registered will be educated and updated on the party’s proceedings”.

The office bearers were made to register themselves in the project; they put in their voter ID card details and got themselves registered.

Former chief minister, Siddaramaiah, speaking at the meeting held at town hall, said “Adequate facilities should be made for all the oppressed and the depressed people of the society and Project Shakti will make way towards it”. anuradha.s@iijnm.org

The Observer Tuesday,November 20, 2018

RURAL KARNATAKA

IPPB hopes to cash in on rural faith in the India Post brand ‘Its launch will hugely benefit common man’

T

Digital payments, popular in cities, are quickly catching up in rural areas | Credit: Pranay Prakash standard charge of Rs 25 per transaction. One can put a maximum of Rs 1 lakh in an account.

M Jayadev, chairman and professor of finance and accounting at IIM-Bangalore, said: “Already, the rollout of services in rural areas has started, but with the existing reach of the postal service in India, the government has a better chance of providing other banking services to the last mile, like credit and linkage with existing post office savings bank account.”

Venkatesh, an area sales manager at the IPPB access point at the Museum Road post office, said: “The challenge lies in getting people to start using the service, since for most rural users such a service will be new. This is

where the offline and online models will be integral in delivering services. IPPB is relying on India Post’s reliability and trustworthiness to make the scheme a success.”

In a recent conversation with Bloomberg Quint, Suresh Sethi, MD & CEO, IPPB, said: “The critical thing is that we’re leveraging on an institution which has the trust of the people, the sovereign trust. And that’s the anchor.”

Despite the trustworthiness of India Post, some customers have apprehensions about the service.

Naseemuddin, a shopkeeper in Kumbalgodu, said: “I cannot trust these services since I am not very familiar with how they work. And I don’t know if I can

trust these companies with my money. I do not have any knowledge about how the app works.”

Experts, though, feel that the scheme can be expanded for other social benefits.

Jayadev said the scheme is not designed to capture the full potential of such an initiative. “Payment is just one aspect of the transaction in a rural economy.

The payment transaction data should be the basis of credit growth with fintech (being the enabler).”

IPPB should reduce the transaction fee to give an impetus to low-denomination transactions, Jayadev said. This will bring down the cost associated with using IPPB services. pranay.p@iijnm.org

Auto drivers in rural Karnataka use domestic LPG cylinders with impunity Police drives, penalties do not deter them Shashank Dipankar

A

utorickshaw drivers in rural north Karnataka use domestic LPG cylinders to fuel their vehicles despite knowing that it is dangerous. The problem is rampant in Huvina Hadagali in Ballari district and Kushtagi in Koppal district.

“LPG cylinders are cheaper than petrol and other fuels. All auto drivers here use these cylinders,” Shivaraj R, an autorickshaw driver in Huvina Hadagali, informed The Observer.

Autorickshaws using LPG cylinders have greater mileage than those run on other fuels.

“My autorickshaw travel 450 km on one cylinder of LPG which is really good. It helps me generate profit from rides I offer,” Ashok

Continued from Page 1 . r.Asra Counaine, General medicine, said “Breastfeeding is essential for complete nourishment. It protects the overall health of the child. Complete course of breast feeding of the child until one and a half years of age is essential for a healthy child but these days, most mothers stops after three to four months.”

Central nervous system processes are highly dependent on iron-containing enzymes and proteins in neurons. Deficiency of iron in early life may increase the risk of psychiatric morbidity, says a report by BioMed Central Psychiatry.

Dr PerwaizAlam a cardiac surgeon said that prolonged iron deficiency from malnutrition can also affect the brain. Until 5 years of age a child is most vulnerable to worm infestation which is the most common cause of the disease.

“Proper initiatives must be taken by the government and media to bridge the gap in the health sectors, so that the backward sections do not have to suffer” said Dr Neeetu G Naresh, a gynaecologist at Apollo Hospitals. shrabona.g@iijnm.org

D

Pranay Prakash he India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has begun integrating UPI’s payment system to its mobile application, boosting its mandate of providing a digital payment solution for everybody. Customers have started receiving text notifications from it.

Digital payments, popular in cities, are quickly catching up in rural areas.

Ankit Somani, a postal assistant at a post office that will soon become an IPPB access point, informed The Observer: “We get 57 queries regarding digital services from our customers every month. We have plans to roll out the service in the next couple of months and then we will be able to offer those services.”

“The rollout and training are on mission mode now,” Suresh VP, a senior manager at the IPPB branch on Mysuru Road, said.

“Once the rollout is complete, the common man living in rural areas will hugely benefit from the last-mile connectivity provided by IPPB and its digital offerings,” Suresh said. IPPB will provide basic banking facilities like deposits and withdrawal with a

5 Iron deficiency can even affect the brain

Auto drivers know abou the offence but still go on with it.| Courtsey: KPN S, another driver from Huvina Hadagali, said.

Use of domestic LPG cylinders as fuel in vehicles is illegal under Motor Vehicles Rules, 2001. Anybody who violates this can be booked and penalized.

Drives by police against autorickshaw drivers have failed to stop them from using LPG cylinders.

“We just book and fine these auto drivers without registering

any cases. They know they will be booked, but they still violate the law,” Marulasidappa Siddappa, a police officer of the Huvina Hadagali station, said.

Added H.C. Chamansab, a police constable: “We book and fine auto drivers all the time, and also warn them about the dangers of using LPG cylinders as fuel, but they don’t listen and continue doing it.”

Driver Shivaraj said: “We use

LPG cylinders even after being booked because it’s cheaper,” The drivers prefer domestic cylinders, buying them from homes, to the more expensive packaged LPG cylinders.

“Packaged LPG is expensive, so we just buy LPG cylinders from domestic households paying 100 rupees extra,” Hussain, an autorickshaw driver in Kushtagi taluk, shared.

Driver Ashok added: “There are 300 autorickshaws in Huvina Hadagali taluk. Everyone uses domestic LPG cylinders.”

T.H. Murthy, director, Centre for Rural and Development Studies, Bengaluru, said: “Village panchayats need to be educated properly so that they can create awareness about such illegal practices. It is cheaper, but they need to stop it as it is not legal and pollutes the air. Gram panchayats should act more seriously rather than just depending on the cops.” shashank.d@iijnm.org

Citizens’ Voice Constant power cut Kumbalgodu has been witnessing constant power cuts for the past few weeks. Power cut occurs every day from 8 or 8:30 am and last for about an hour. This causes inconvenience for the students and adults getting ready for school, colleges and work as their prep up for the day is delayed.

For example, clothes cannot be ironed, food using electronic like mixer cannot be made, phones and batteries cannot be charged etc.

Yohanjali R, IIJNM

City Weather Minimum: 19.7 degree Celsius Maximum: 30 degree Celsius Humidity: 50% Precipitation: 0%

Observer Team Editor: Sindhuja Michael Copy Editors: Shrabona Ghosh, Sounak Das, Yajush Gupta.

Desk: Renuka Thakare, Shashank Dipankar, Sayantan Sarkar, Yohanjali R, Sahana S. Reporters: Oisika Dev, Ajay Biradar, Ileena Dutta, Akansksha Kashyap, Pranay Prakash, Raveena Bhati, Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel, Anuradha Sriram, Renuka Thakare, Sindhuja Michael, Shashank Dipankar, Sharbona Ghosh, Sounak Das, Yohanjali R, Sayanthan Sarkar, Sahana. S, Yajush Gupta.

International

The Observer SUPPLEMENT

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

6

Twice Betrayed The Rohingya have been driven out of their country and abandoned by the rest of us, says Renuka Thakare

“I

have been struggling and it has become a challenge for me to find food and water every day. I am all alone, while fleeing Myanmar I lost my mother,” says Rahim, 20, a Rohingya now stranded in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. The Rohingya are a people without a country, denied citizenship in their own homeland. Many have fled to Bangladesh to escape persecution in Myanmar.

Extremists among Myanmar’s Buddhist majority in Rakhine province have supported a brutal military campaign against the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic group. Alleged terrorism by some of the Rohingya is the Myanmar government’s explanation for the crackdown. Both the government forces and their opponents report incidents of arson against civilians, forcing entire villages, even the elderly, infirm and small children to flee their homes.

Many Rohingya have been living in India illegally after they were deported from other countries, mostly in northern India and in some parts of South India including Kerala.

However, India refuses to give

Aung San Suu Kyi has been stripped of Amnesty’s highest honour over 'apparent indifference’ to the crisis. Credit: Saiful Huq Omi

them shelter and deports them to Bangladesh. “This is unfair to us, the population is increasing every minute and there are already so many refugees present in India,” says an angry Nabaneeta Bharali Gogoi, a resident of Assam. “Every sector is getting affected because of that and they are involved in some illegal activities as well. This is disturbing for us.”

Reported atrocities against the Rohingya include mass murder and gang rape. Since late August 2017, some 400,000 have left their homes with little or nothing. Arriving in neighbouring Bangladesh, refugees meet a kind welcome from humanitarian groups.

Despite the work of aid groups, hunger is widespread among the migrants. The refugee camp has filled beyond capacity. Demand for medical care strains resources.

Many arrived weakened or wounded. Some have encountered the horror of landmines while crossing the border.

Monsoon flooding has added to the problem of shelter, making some camps difficult or impossible to live in. And increasing the threat of disease are settlements without sanitation. The only option for some is once again to move on, with no clear future.

UNICEF is helping the Rohingya by delivering life-sav-

ing supplies and volunteers. It has helped the Bangladesh government immunize 900,000 children and adults against cholera and tested 263,000 children for malnutrition. UNICEF, on their official website, says that “Our motto is to provide education to every Rohingya child and we are supporting 15,000 children to receive educational support”.

B

ut that still begs the question. What are the immediate prospects for the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees? No country other than Bangladesh appears willing to shelter them, even if temporarily. International efforts have focussed on trying to persuade the government of Myanmar to protect the remaining Rohingya and thus encourage the million or more who have fled to return in safety to Rakhine province.

But an unaccountable government, that has been complicit in the massacre and forced migration of the Rohingya, is unlikely to give them much hope.

India could have done better for them. Instead, the xenophobic Bharatiya Janata

Party-led government has chosen to view the crisis in purely sectarian terms, seeing the Rohingya as another wave of Muslim immigration from the east. Preoccupied with ridding Assam of illegal aliens using the controversial National Register of Citizens, the Indian government has chosen to treat the biggest humanitarian crisis in its neighbourhood as a problem of illegal immigration.

With China openly supporting the Myanmar government’s ethnic cleansing policies for its own geopolitical gain, India completely indifferent to their plight and the West with little leverage in the situation, the Rohingya have been left stranded. Some of them will no doubt return to Myanmar, most will stay on in wretched conditions in Bangladesh while those who can will scatter across the region. But the Rohingya, as a community, have become displaced and have joined the ranks of the world’s stateless.

In a sense they are the forebears of the great migrations to come, when climate change will add millions more to their numbers.

A Matter of Convenience India’s relations with Russia have become more transactional in the emerging global order

I

ndia and Russia have had one of the most enduring strategic relationships over the past half century, one that has outlasted the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union. But the emergence of China and the relative decline of US influence in east Asia and the western Pacific have brought new strains to their ties. India has sought to deepen its relationship with the US while Russia has developed strong defence and trade relations with China.

What is the future of the relationship and can it find a new equilibrium? To find out, Nikhil Sawant talks to K Subrahmanya, journalist and former researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.

Here are excerpts from the interview: lHow do you see the future of India-Russia relations?

The two will remain friendly countries. But the relationship may not have much substance to make it an intensive partnership. Today, Russia

weapons, which India may not like at all. Also, China may impress upon Russia to have stronger relations with Pakistan. Of course, this will not be at the cost of Russia’s ties with India. For Russia, India will be a far more critical partner than Pakistan, when it comes to being a defence customer.

doesn’t see India as a necessary partner in its strategic vision. Similar is the situation as regards India. The only reason they still substantially need each other is the mutually beneficial defence trade: Russia as a supplier and India as the buyer. Many weapon systems which India uses are of Russian origin. You can’t change this situation overnight, even if you wish to.

Further, Russian weapons are quality products, among the best in the world.

lWhat role does Russia play in India’s relationship with Pakistan and China?

Russia has frequently changed its diplomatic stance in regard to its neighbouring countries such as India, China, and Pakistan. We are not living in a Cold War era.

As India has reached out and forged ties with a number of its Cold War-era adversaries, Russia, too, has reached out.

For Russia, China has become a significant strategic partner in its framework of managing its relations with the US. It is

the same for China as well.

Further, China has emerged as an important trade and investment partner. In future, China may get involved in a significant way in exploring Russia’s vast gas and oil reserves. As far as Pakistan is concerned, India may not like Russia forging stronger links with its fierce enemy because of a Cold War-era mindset.

But it is natural for Russia to reach out to Pakistan to have beneficial ties. Russia might even be open to selling

lIs the economic relationship between these two countries growing?

No. On the contrary, it has declined in the post-Cold War period, although several resolves were made to promote economic ties.

was one of them. Further, India was emerging as an important economic and commercial partner for the US. For India, besides economic factors, it became essential to redefine its ties with the US to neutralise the negative impact of Washington’s profile in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan. So, a mutually beneficial India-US tie took shape. Countries like Russia, China, and Pakistan have suspicions about this relationship. India has been trying to dispel this doubt which has cropped up in Beijing and Moscow. It is an ongoing process.

lHow will India’s improving ties with the US impact its relations with Russia?

During the post Cold War period there was a phase when Russia withdrew from its Soviet-era commitments because of domestic, economic, and political disruptions. The US, on the other hand, took advantage of the situation and tried to wean away former friends and allies from Moscow. India

lWhat is your take on India’s acquisition of the Russian S400 missile defence system?

This is a continuation of the high-tech defence deals between the two countries. The US may have doubts about it, but India has continued to acquire the latest systems from Russia, as it has done from the US and some European countries to strengthen its armed forces.