The Observer Volume 18 Edition 21

The Observer An IIJNM Publication

Protest by farmers demanding compensation for land acquired for PRR called off | P2 News Briefs National lFormer Karnataka CM SM Krishna on Monday said he believes that Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister again is “inevitable”. He added he will visit “as many constituencies as possible” and will ensure that “more BJP candidates” win from the state. He said the BJP can face this election with “much courage, excitement and aspiration”.

Local lThe Common Entrance Test (CET) 2019 in Karnataka will now be conducted on April 29 and 30. The test was earlier scheduled for April 23 and 24, but the state government decided to postpone it as the CET schedule clashed with the parliamentary elections.

Business lThe Enforcement Directorate has filed a supplementary chargesheet in connection with the money laundering case against diamond trader Nirav Modi, accused in the 13,000 crore Punjab National Bank fraud. The fresh chargesheet, submitted in court on February 28, focuses on the financial trail involving the bank accounts of several shell companies, located abroad, that were used to route funds.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Lack of storage systems leading to loss of livelihood of onion farmers | P3

In Karnataka, Nirbhaya fund is largely under-utilized Only 10% of its beneficiaries have got money Oisika Dev

International lBritain and the European Union emerged from last-minute talks late on Monday to announce they had finally removed the biggest roadblock to their Brexit divorce deal, only hours before the UK Parliament was due to decide the fate of Prime Minister Theresa May’s hardwon plan to leave the EU.

Vol 18 Issue 21

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he Nirbhaya fund is under-utilised in Karnataka. Although 667 crore has been allotted to the state under the fund, only 10% of the affected women have received compensation till now.

“The Nirbhaya fund remains drastically under-utilised in the state. Compensation is not provided to rape, acid attack, sexual harassment victims for a long time. Whenever we complain to the department concerned, they say we have distributed the money . This has been happening for quite some time now,” Cynthia Stephen, a member of Christian Women’s Movement

which is working in collaboration with NorthEast Solidarity in helping rape survivors, said on Tuesday.

“The fund is only allocated to Karnataka but not used properly . Most of the women are not able to use the fund. They are not able to access it. Around 50% to 60% funds are outsourced,” said Brinda Adige, a women and Compensation is not provided to the victims for a long time | Credit : Oisika Dev child rights activist.

Women form over 50% of the population, yet they After the gang rape of a 23are treated as ‘minority’ in ev- year-old physiotherapy intern in ery sphere. Functionaries of the Delhi on December 16, 2012, the department of police allegedly fund was started, through a prodo not pay attention to women’s vision in the 2013 Union Budcases. The helpline for women is get, to implement initatives for not used and the app is not com- the safety of women across the patible with Android handsets. country.

The systems and mechanisms “In 2017, a girl from Darjeelare neither sensitive nor wom- ing was gang-raped in Benen-friendly. galuru. After the incident, she

couldn’t walk or eat properly.

She has not received any compensation yet. A year and a half since the incident, she had not received anything,” said Prof.

Renne Rangti, who runs the North-East Solidarity, a NGO which provides shelter and rehabilitation to victims of sexual harassment.

“Every month, I get almost 3 or 4 such patients who have not received compensation money .They have been going to the women and child development department every day in vain.

After such incidents, even society abandons such victims.

Their situation detoriates.They don’t get proper jobs because nobody is ready to give work to a rape or acid attacked victim.

As a result, they go into depression. Although we provide them counselling, it is difficult to take them out of depression,” said Dr Isha Gupta, a psyschologist. oisika.d@iijnm.org

Citizen’s Voice Regular power cut in Kumbalgudu

Dr H.S. Shivaprakash, renowned poet and writer, inaugurates a National Conference on Literature at St Joseph College, Bengaluru, on Tuesday.

Calling for AN emphasis on Kannada literature in schools, he suggested that books on Kannada literature be made available in libraries to inform students about Kannada heritage and art forms | Credit: Devansh Dixit

Recently, there have been regular and long power cuts in some areas of Kumbalgudu. The power supply is shut down for about 4 to 6 hours making the situation for the public unbearable. Mostly, youngsters have been affected by this power cut as they are not able to charge their phones, laptops, batteries

and other electric equipment.

Most of these electronic devices are used to work from home, hence hindering the process and methods of our profession. Not only this, the power supply also a makes it difficult to handle the hot weather as fans do not work. Therefore, I request your publication to print this letter and make the responsible take required actions.

Yohanjali.R

2

CITY

The Observer Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Farmers call off protest against BDA

Issue has been politicized, says KRRS chief Pranay Prakash

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n indefinite protest called by the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) in front of the Bengaluru Development Authority was called off before it commenced on March 12.

The proposed protest was over farmers’ demand for compensation for land acquired by the BDA for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) and the Shivarama Karanth Layout projects.

When contacted by The Observer, KRRS president Girish Gowda MT refused to comment, saying the issue has been politicized.

The Peripheral Ring Road Project, which has been hanging fire for decades, has seen numerous delays and cost over-

City Speaks lBJP Karnataka@BJP4Karnataka Rahul Gandhi called Masood Azhar as ‘Masood Azhar ji’. At this rate don’t be surprised if @ RahulGandhi starts naming govt schemes in Congress ruled states after terrorists. Gesture of goodwill ah? #RahulLovesTerrorists lDr. G Parameshwara @ DrParameshwara As we celebrate the 89th anniversary of the historic #DandiMarch, we must pledge to follow the footsteps of Gandhiji & other founding fathers of our nation.

There will be those who will try to malign him & crush his idea of India, but they shall be eventually defeated! lSiddharth Moghe@the_gastronomix @and closes complaints on the BBMP Sahaaya App. Why the farce of creating an App when clearly you are not bothered to look at it. lVijay@vijay_smartt Traffic between Agara and Ecospace is horrible day by day in ORR. Is there any permanent solution.? Why all types of heavy vehicles plying at anytime in ORR and everyone spend 45min-1 hour in this stretch of 5 km.

A file photo of a KRRS farmers protest demanding compensation for land acquired for the Peripheral Ring road. | Credit: KPN News runs. Stretching from Tumkur Road to Hosur Road, the 65-kmlong road project, planned to ease the traffic on Outer Ring Road, has 1,810 acres of land earmarked for it.

According to a report published in the Bangalore Mirror, farmers who have not been paid compensation for the land acquired had held a protest last year as well.

C. Eshwar Reddy, a farmer, was quoted as saying in the report: “We have waited for 13 years for the project, but no government is keen to implement it. Even chief minister Siddaramaiah had promised to take up the project after assuming office, but nothing has progressed.”

This is the second time protests by the farmers have been called off. The farmers were earlier protesting the increase in width of the road from 75 metres to 100 metres.

While the government is dithering on starting the project, around 4,000 farmers whose land has been earmarked for the project have been surviving by doing odd jobs around Bengaluru or selling vegetables.

The farmers were notified of the land acquisition in 2005. Since their land has been marked for the project, they have not been able to dig borewells or mortgage their land for loans. pranay.p@iijnm.org

US company Skullcandy launches a new wireless earbud in Bengaluru Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel

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he American audio equipments company Skullcandy on Tuesday introduced its wireless earbud ‘Push’ in Bengaluru.

Company CEO Amlan Bhattacharya said at the launch: “It is easy to wear for long hours. We will bring in more colour variants soon.

It has various features which people will love. It is comfortable and water-resistant. It has everything that a person wants in a wireless earbud.”

Skullcandy claims it is the first to manufacture wireless earbuds in India.

The wireless earbud uses Bluetooth standard 4.2 that has the automatic on and off feature. It comes with a handy case that can give up to six hours of charge.

While most earbuds have connectivity issues, Skullcandy says pairing its product is simple and easy.

The product is designed to fit with a tiny lock to avoid falling off from ears along with ear gels. It can be connected with laptops, tabs and

Around the City lSospeso Art Workshop by The

Living Walls Studio on Tue, 12 Mar, 11:00AM - 2:00PM @ The Living Walls Studio Confident Dental Care - HSR Layout, Bangalore (NABH Certified Dental Clinic), South Bangalore. lKerala Mural Painting by Lahe Lahe on Tue, 12 Mar, 10:00AM 4:00PM @ Lahe Lahe, East Bangalore. lAdvance quilling workshop

by The Living Walls Studio on Wed, 13 Mar, 10:30AM - 1:30PM @ The living walls Confident Dental Care - Rajajinagar , Bangalore, ( NABH Certified Dental Clinic). lBasic Portrait Workshop- Konsult Art Academy on Tue, 12 Mar 11:00AM - 4:00PM @ Konsult Art And Design Academy , East Bangalore lNatural soap making class workshop By Bloom and Grow on Sun, 17 Mar, 2:00PM - 7:00PM, @ Bloom & Grow, South Bangalore. lKasuti Embroidery on Placemats By Bloom and Grow on Sat, 16 Mar, 2:30PM - 6:00PM, @ Bloom Grow - Art Craft Studio, Creative Corporate event Management, Corporate Gifts. lHarmony with Hormones

by Lahe Lahe on Sat, 16 Mar, 3:00PM - 5:00PM @ Lahe Lahe, East Bangalore. lDollmations- Puppet Making Workshop for Kids by Dialogues Cafe on Sun, 17 Mar, 10:30AM 12:30PM @ Dialogues Koramangala, South Bangalore. lClay Caricature workshop by Dialogues Cafe on Sun, 17 Mar 11:00AM - 2:00PM, Dialogues Koramangala, South Bangalore.

WEATHER

American company Skullcandy says its Bluetooth earbuds can be worn comfortably for a long time. | Credit: Abbinaya Swathi K mobile phones and is compatible with Android and iOS devices.

The earbud is claimed to have features like elimination of signal loss, besides a suite of media control including call, track and volume control.

The product is water- and sweatresistant as it has IPX4 rating, but you obviously can’t take it inside a pool. The maximum playback time

is 18-24 hours with 75% volume.

The product claims to have noise isolation feature instead of noise cancellation.

A user who didn’t want to be named informed The Observer: “The audio quality can be better. Connectivity is good and I didn’t find difficulty in pairing my device.” abbinaya.k@iijnm.org

Minimum Temperature: 21 degrees Celsius Maximum Temperature: 35 degrees Celsius Relative Humidity: 62% Tomorrow: Mainly clear sky with 35 degree Celsius. A dry day and clear night can be expected.

OBSERVER TEAM Editor- Sahana S Page Layout: Shrabona Ghosh, Yohanjali R Reporters: Pranay Prakash, Oisika Dev, Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel Desk:Ileena Dutta

Agriculture

SUPPLEMENT

The Observer 3 Tuesday, March 12, 2019

A Lifetime of Servitude

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The Indian farmer has to be released from the eternal cycle of indebtedness and loan forgiveness, says Sounak Das

f it’s election time in India, it’s also freebie time. The country is going to hold its 17th Lok Sabha elections starting April and political parties, especially those in power, have been doling out money or announcing preposterous sops to lure the electorate. Their first target is the farming community. Governments in many states have begun waiving agricultural loans in a bid to buy the loyalty of farmers.

The lasting damage they do to the institution of farm credit and the budgets of state governments can scarcely be imagined.

“Election sops like loan waivers are announced every year which are in the interest of political parties but not in the interest of farmers,” says Subodh Pal, a leader of a farmer association in West Bengal, and who graduated from the University of Burdwan in 2014. “The only viable solution to indebtedness is long-term systemic reforms and not just immediate relief measures. It is high time they realised that such waivers will only empty government coffers.”

and usurers.” One of the main reasons for the growing indebtedness is that cultivation costs have gone up considerably, but farmers’ incomes have declined steadily. The price of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides are controlled largely by big corporations.

Dayanand Satihal, farm superintendent, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bigudi, has helped frame farm policies for the It is estimated that only 31% of agricultural households benefit from loan waiv- Karnataka government. ers | Credit: The Financial Express He has an explanation for the exclusion of small and At best a loan waiver acts as during drought and disasters and marginal farmers from institua sort of short-term salve. The the failures of the crop insurance tional credit saying, “This has Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha scheme point to the governbeen a trend since the late 1990s. and Hasiru Sene (KRRSHS), a ment’s complete indifference to To obtain a loan it is absolutely state-wide farmers’ association, addressing issues of the people important that you produce docuhas been fighting hard to safewho sweat and toil to feed and ments relating to land, the main guard farmers, small and large, dress the nation. crop you grow, your assets, etc. from indebtedness in bad crop He says that registration of Small farmers, who are mostly years. They have been coaxing all cultivators is the need of the illiterate, have no idea of these the state government to make hour. “They should be provided things. They think that they can institutional credit accessible to with Kisan credit cards. Since all farmers. As Maheshwara Sub- financial institutions are reluctant go to any bank, ask, and get a edar, a KRRHS leader explains, to extend loans to them, marginal loan. When the banks refuse, they are compelled to borrow “The government cares not a fig and landless farmers are always from moneylenders who charge for us. The lack of compensation at the mercy of moneylenders

high rates of interest. Now, if the crop fails or anything untoward happens, they fall into a debt trap.’’

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ut bank officials who have had long experience of lending to small farmers tell a different story.

Says Lakshman Srivastav, branch manager, Madhya Bihar Gramin Bank, Arrah, Bihar, “There are farmers who avail loans for farming but squander the money on other activities, whether consumption, a medical emergency or to repay a moneylender. They are confident that even if they fail to repay the loan, only an agitation is required to rid them of the legal obligation.” The resulting loan waiver only proves them right.

The answer is simple: make agriculture viable by increasing the scale of farming, enable farmers to store produce and sell directly to customers or food processors and extend credit and insurance products on commercially viable terms. Farmers want success not charity.

Onions Make Farmers Weep

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nions are a paradox.

Customers protest they’re expensive even as farmers complain they rarely find it profitable to grow them.

Today when the wholesale price of onions ranges from Rs.2 to Rs.8 per kg, consumers are thrilled but farmers are weeping.

But can there be a win-win situation for both consumers and farmers? Yes, say experts, the answer lies in creating a system of storage and marketing networks that would allow farmers to sell directly to consumers Says Subhash Rao Gudde, an onion farmer from Maharashtra, “I have come here to sell onions.

The prices are less and that’s the reason, I have lost Rs 30,000 in nearly two months. I invest Rs.1 lakh once in three months and I’m not even getting any profits.”

Basvaraj M, an onion farmer from Bijapur, says he has suffered grievous losses. He says he spent Rs.15,000 to produce 100

Consumers and farmers can both benefit from a free market for onions, says Subhana Shaikh kilos and has recovered a fraction of that in sale.

onions now whose prices are low.

We are giving a support price of Rs.200 per quintal if the price falls below Rs 700 per quintal.

More than 100 loads are exported Facing risks and losses, farmers often shift to other crops from BanCredit: Subhana Shaikh galore each day to difLast year, Maharashtra farmferent states like Kerala, Andhra ers stocked onions because they Pradesh and Tamil Nadu but due weren’t allowed to export them to Cyclone Gaja, onions couldn’t so there’s a huge glut in Karnabe sent which led to the decline taka and Maharashtra . But there in prices.” are others reasons for the fall in According to the department prices and quite different soluof horticulture, onion productions for the same. tion in Karnataka rose by 14% in Says H.C Gajendra, addi2018-19 over the previous year, tional director of Karnataka’s when production had also seen a agricultural marketing services 10% rise. The reduction in onion department, “Due to less rainfall exports coupled with excess last year, we are getting damaged production inevitably lowered

prices. So how can the farmer get a better price?

Several large organizedretail chains such as Reliance, More and Future Group as well as government-owned Mother Dairy have made the farmer connect by setting up direct procurement centres. Global food companies located in India have also reached out to farmers. PepsiCo India, the major soft drinks brand, sources almost 50% of its total requirement of potatoes for its Frito-Lays brand of chips through contract farming. The company has tied up with 24,000 farmers across nine States, including West Bengal, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar.

Mother Dairy follows the cooperative model, procuring vegetables from farmer associations, while Reliance Fresh operates through its own channel. Experts says an order placed by Mother Dairy for a particular vegetable

gets distributed equally among the farmer members, so that each one benefits. This has also helped in transparent pricing.

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ays B.L Shankarappa an official of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), “Farmers are unaware of how much to produce and when. Government is responsible to guide the farmers.”

Says Priyankar Raha, head of the soil sciences and agricultural chemistry department at Banaras Hindu University, “Proper warehousing is a must.

The government of India and Karnataka have not developed proper warehousing and stores to procure onions. There are few storage facilities in Karnataka.

Government has not developed the proper processes of exporting onions to countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, where even transport links need to be developed.”

Arts & Culture

Woman In Charge

The Brie Larson starrer is a launch pad for Avengers Endgame, writes Sayantan Sarkar

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rie Larson starrer Captain Marvel is the first woman-led superhero movie, which is positioned as the origin story for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed

by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, it succeeds in delivering an excellent cinematic experience but falls short on storytelling.

The movie opens in a planet named Hala, where the Kree civilisation is engaged in a fight against the Skrull population.

Carol Danvers (Larson) finds herself embroiled in the fight after she is sent on her first mission by her trainer Yong-Rogg (Jude Law). An ambush leads her to Earth, where she encounters Nick Fury, who in 1995 is not the head of S.H.I.E.L.D.S. The movie tries to establish a back-story for the super heroine and a background to events leading up to the movie.

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SUPPLEMENT

The Observer 4 Thursday, March 12, 2019

The plot meanders in the first half, preoccupied as it is the background to Danvers and her past life. It takes time for the movie to develop the characters and establish a connection between Danvers and her pilot best friend Maria Rambeau played by Lashana Lynch who has left the military to take care of her daughter. The chemistry between Nick Fury and Danvers also tells a story.

We get to see their friendship develop as the movie moves along. Danvers and Lashana used to be aspiring pilots but a failed 1989 mission resulted in the capture of Danvers, which led her to Hala. Their reunion after six years gives the movie its soul and provides Carol the needed impetus to end the so called ‘fight’.

Marvel brings back Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson.

CGI has been used to make him look younger as the movie takes place in 1995.

chief. Marvel’s first female standalone movie couldn’t have had a more appropriate actor, even though some might feel that honour should have gone to Scarlett Johansson who plays the Black Widow in Captain Marvel could be the start of more women centric movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe MCU. JackCredit: Google Images son as Fury is charming and Even Samuel L. Jackson’s he plays a younger, less dark face is remodelled with CGI version of himself.

The cato have him look younger. sual yet serious demeanour The movie’s use of special of Jackson in the movie comeffects is spectacular. Durpliments the role of Carol ing a fight scene on top of a Danvers. Other powerful moving subway train, Carol performances include that is seen firing photon blasts the likes of which we haven’t of Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, the leader of the Skrulls and seen on screen before.

Lashana Lynch. Mendelsohn Brie Larson is a bundle outwits everyone in cerof kinetic energy, she plays tain scenes and also brings Danvers with a perfect combination of humour and mis- elements of pathos to the

end of the movie. Jude Law however, could have been better utilised. The first few moments of the movie with Larson were some of the top moments for him in the movie.

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aptain Marvel is the kind of movie that keeps you engaged till the end. It has a convoluted plot and the pacing is retro.

The action sometimes does not live up to expectations, though it has its moments when Danvers shows off her potential. There is a nice moment involving her and Fury where she gives him the pager that Fury uses to call her in Infinity War. Captain Marvel also has a direct reference to the Avengers movie and there are post credit scenes which directly connect it with next month’s biggie Avengers Endgame.

The movie in fact feels like a launch pad for Avengers Endgame.

The Black Man’s Burden

f opposites attract then Green Book explains why. The movie revolves around two men who couldn’t be more different from one other in terms of personality and social class, who find themselves thrown together under unusual circumstances.

The film, which was inspired by a true story, provides the audience with a scintilla of hope in a world riven by political, social, and ideological turmoil. Set in 1962, it tells the tale of a white man and a black man driving through the American South. The journey transmogrifies their beliefs and prejudices. They learn from each other and ultimately discover that somewhere, somehow they are similar. The audience can relate to the characters.

The chemistry between the central characters, Tony Vallelonga and Don Shirley, makes the film a

In a role reversal, it’s the black man’s duty to civilise the white, says Sounak Das

compelling watch. upon the roadTheir performances trip. They form are filled with pathos an unexpected from the beginning of friendship which the movie till the end. matures into a Viggo Mortensen’s bond. portrayal of Tony One of the Vallelonga is a treat. most remarkVallelonga, aka Tony able achieveLip, is a bloke who ments of the film The film won the Oscar for best picture at the 91st Acadis devoted and loyal to emy Awards | Credit: Google is that director his wife and two young and co-writer, progresses, the audience sons, but is a tad brash.

Peter Farrelly, finds out that Don is deeply His lips and cigarettes who is infamous for resorttormented and has assumed cannot part company, and ing to some of the cheapest a mask of refinement to the English tongue suffers and oftentimes the most hide it. injury at his utterances. He vulgar jokes along with his Tony takes up the job works as a bouncer, gambles brother Bobby to attract knowing it will keep him out of necessity, and just the baser appetites of the about manages to stay out of away from his family for audience, here summons a some time. Further, Tony danger. sober and character-driven is a racist with crass ideas Don Shirley, essayed by kind of humour. He realises about African-Americans Mahershala Ali, is a pianist that this theme demands of repute and needs someone (his reaction to a couple of great finesse. And, he sucplumbers working at his to drive him on a musical cessfully executes this as he house early in the film shows tells a serious story about tour across the American his preconceptions about South. Don exudes elegance the white man’s oppression black people). Despite his and has almost a regal aura of African-Americans that biases, Tony is a kind-heartabout him. He is sophistiforce the latter to make tered chap. But everything cated, proud, dignified, and rible compromises even as changes as they embark well educated. As the film he indulges in gentle hu-

mour. The film delves deep to explore the relationship of two very contrasting characters. Farrelly departs a long way from his usual style of lowbrow comedies.

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ome scenes are loaded with sheer detail, for instance the scene where Tony does not want to reveal his poor education.

Tony’s wife wishes Tony to write her letters on the go, but he is reluctant as he does not want to embarrass himself before Don. Don understands the situation and helps Tony write elegant and romantic missives for his wife. The brilliant piano performances are the icing on the cake.

The naively optimistic take on racial politics prevalent in the Jim Crow South has probably displeased a few critics. But it would be unfair to say that the ugliness associated with racism has been papered over.