The Observer An IIJNM publication
Vol 18 Issue 7
Autorickshaw drivers blame Ola and Uber for increasing losses | P 2
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Doctors suggest surgery when other methods fail Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel
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Obesity in women more than men |Courtesy: Pexels ious reasons, including marriage obese people. It is a process where and depression,” Dr G Moinoddin, the size of the stomach is reduced consultant,bariatrics,and ad- to controlthe intake of food. It is vanced laparoscopic surgeon at done by either removing a portion Gleneagles Global Hospitals, of the stomach or using a gastric Richmond Road, informed The band. Observer. As of July 2017, India stood Bariatric surgery, common in third in the World Obesity Rankrecent years, is suggested for ing, with 44,332,755 obese adults
Composting solutions from kitchen waste catch on Anuradha Sriram
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engaluru has of late seen a growth in people volunteering to provide composting solutions from their kitchen waste. This has been observed mostly at the community level, organizations and RWAs that wish to be trained in making composts. Vasuki Iyengar, owner of Soil and Health, an organization that provides composting solutions, informed The Observer: “Soil quality has been progressively declining over the past few decades as commercial farming practices have gained ground. We support people by helping them to make compost with minimum fuss from kitchen waste.” Iyengar set up Soil and Health in 2016. S. Vinayak, the accounts manager of Soil and Health, said: “Over 5,000 homes, 10 apartments/hostels and five agricultural farms are composting their waste using Soil and Health composting bins and growing safe vegetables with the compost.” “We have more than 150 leaf composters installed across Ben-
galuru: in 25 temples and churches, 20 apartments, five parks and 25 individual volunteers’ houses,” he added. The organization trains its clients in how to choose products to manage kitchen waste and convert it to compost by using microbial coco peats. The projects are specific and customized according to the needs of the clients. Their time span ranges from short-term to long-term. The number of people who have showed interest in the compost is increasing, and participation has been large. The assignments not only concentrate on composting techniques but also involve training and maintenance. Lakshmi Sankaran, a resident of Whitefield, said: “Composting solutions have worked a big deal for me. I have started to eat healthy. In compost bins at home, I grow organic vegetables.” “Lately the response we are getting is better than before. We are getting more invitations from RWAs, sangathans and even individuals,” RishitaV, a volunteer at Soil and Health, said. anuradha.s@iijnm.org
@theweeklyobserver On the Web: issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs/ the_observer
Tailor-made martial art Jeet Kune Do can save women from assaults | P 2
More women than men opt for surgery to get rid of obesity espite identical obesity rates, more women than men undergo bariatric surgery, doctors say. “In my experience with 50 cases of obesity, 32 were women. Women are more weight-conscious than men. Hypothyroid and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are two conditions that lead to weight gain. I suggest a surgery when there is no chance for weight loss by other methods like dieting or going to gym. Women between the ages of 16 and 30 opt for surgery due to var-
The Observer
– accounting for 4.9% of its adult population. The Observer accessed the operation register of the Gleneagles Global Hospital, and found that of the 39 bariatric surgeries performed between April 2017 and October 8, 2018, 28 were on women. “There is a marginal increase in women opting for surgery, but both women and men have similar obesity rates. There are various reasons that we suggest for surgery. Obesity associated with diabetes, blood pressure and sleep apnea syndrome needs surgery. We don’t encourage women who enquire about it for cosmetic reasons,” Dr Satish TM, senior consultant, bariatric surgery, Lenus Hospital, JP Nagar said. Genes play vital role in weight gain | Page 2
News Briefs Nation: Titli cyclone hits the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh killing two persons near Palasa in Srikakulam district of AP. Telephone lines and power supply have been disrupted. International:US President Donald Trump says three or four locations have been shortlisted for his second planned summit with North Korean President Kim Jong Un. The meeting will probably not take place in Singapore, the venue of the first summit. Business: Rupee hits an all-time low of Rs.74.50 against the US dollar, causing the BSE Sensex to plunge by 1,000 points. This year, the rupee has weekend 16% against the dollar, becoming the worst performing Asian currency Sports: Sixteen-year-old Manu Bhaker becomes the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal in Youth Olympics 2018. She shot a 236.5 in women’s 10m air pistol event in Argentina.
Cases of death due to negligence on Bengaluru roads increasing Most involve youngsters, says police officer Oisika Dev
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here has been an increase in the number of cases of death due to negligence on roads in Bengaluru in recent years. Anupam Agarwal, DCP (traffic), informed The Observer: “Most cases of death due to negligence involve people in the 15-25 age group due to their tendency of rash driving or drunken driving. People don’t understand steps taken to create awareness about traffic rules.” According to data of the City Crime Records Bureau in 2013, there were 54 deaths due to negligence on Bengaluru roads. The number increased to 60 in 2014, and to 139 in 2015. In 2016, there were 225 deaths due to negligence on roads. This year, the number has gone up to 239. “Police should be extra vigilant
Increased road accidents due to negligence| Credit: Varsha against drunken or rash driving. They should increase the frequency of their checks because this is the only way to prevent deaths due to negligence,” said Vijayalakshmi, who rides a twowheeler. Another commuter, who refused to be identified, shared: “Underage driving and consumption of intoxicants is the main reason for
death among youngsters. Parents should handle their kids strictly to prevent such fatal accidents.” Section 304A, IPC, which deals with causing death by negligence, says: “Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.” Harshit Kumar, a commuter who works at the Oriental Bank of Commerce, said: “One of the main reasons for death due to negligence is that most people don’t use protective gear or seatbelts. Hence, they are prone to accidents.” M.N. Sreehari, a traffic expert, informed The Observer: “Students should be educated about traffic rules from a very young age. If they are educated properly, they will grow to be responsible adults. Death due to negligence can be countered primarily by educating people about its consequences and prevention.” oisika.d@iijnm.org
CITY
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The Observer Thursday, October 11, 2018
and genes play Ola, Uber bite into profits Hormones vital role in weight gain of autorickshaw drivers B Some claim that their earning has Continued from page 1 ariatric surgery before pregnancy can help safe childbirth in obese women. Doctors say that progesterone and estrogen play a vital role in weight gain among women. Genetic obesity can also be another reason for obesity. Dr Moinoddin said women should workout regularly and avoid carbohydrates and sugars. But patients weighing more than 100kg have to opt for surgery as other methods might not work. Dr Kiran KJ, a bariatric surgeon at Apollo Hospital,said that he had almost equal number of men and women patients opting for surgery for reasons like arthritis. There might be a small increase in women undergoing surgery compared to men because
gone down 40%
Akanksha Kashyap
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pp-based cab-hailing services Ola and Uber are causing losses to Bengaluru’s autorickshaw drivers. The drivers say they can’t match the offers Ola and Uber have. “I used to earn around Rs 1,500 a day, but after these services came, I can barely manage Rs 1,000. If I have to earn Rs 1,000, I will have to work the entire day which is not possible,” Imran Khan, who has driven an autorickshaw for five years, informed The Observer. Most vehement in opposing Ola and Uber is the Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union (ARDU). “The biggest problem is that they are violating the fares fixed by the government. They offer discounts, and customers believe it is a cheaper mode of transport,” ARDU president Meenakshi Sundaram said. Some autorickshaw drivers claim they have suffered a loss of 40%. Laxman, who operates from the Jayanagar Metro station, said: their earnings have reduced in the past few years. “We are facing a loss of approximately 40% in our daily income due to Ola and Uber.” On the other hand, there are drivers saw where the money was. Like Syed Saleem, an autorickshaw driver who operates in Kumbalgodu. He said he realized he would earn more if he drove for Uber. “It pays me more. Even if I don’t get rides back from a certain location, they pay me extra.”
City Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy Maximum : 30 degree Celsius Minimum : 18 degree Celsius Humidity: 46% Precipitation :10%
Around the City •Medical Yoga Program @YogGokul (Yoga classes in Koramangala, Gymnastics classes for kids in Koramangala, Martial Arts), 12 Oct, 7:00PM •MylanHackathon 2018 @Mylan Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, Prestige Technology Park Marathahalli Outer Ring Rd, 13 Oct, 8:00AM
Observer Team Editor- Ileena Dutta Page layout- Anuradha Sriram, Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel Photo editor- Raveena Bhati Reporters-Abbinaya.K, Akanksha Kashyap, Anuradha Sriram, Oisika Dev, Ileena Dutta.
of physical differences. A woman who did not wish to reveal her name told The Observer that she is happy after bariatric surgery. “I was 96 kg earlier and had PCOS. It’s a year since I underwent surgery. My eating habits have changed. I have to follow á regular diet…, like eating every two hours, but am leading a healthy life,” she said. Bariatric surgery has changed the lives of many women in India, yet it can’t be a solution for obesity as there is risk in surgery. “Skilled surgeons are required as there might be bleeding during surgery. We give counseling before and after surgery. Reduction can’t be seen immediately but within a year,” Dr Satish TM added. abbinaya.s@iijnm.org
Citizen’s Voice Autorickshaw drivers distressed due to Ola and Uber. | Credit: Priyanka Srinivasan Ola and Uber have been expanding their business in Bengaluru. They started as cab services but added autorickshaws in due course of time. The cab-hailing apps are a favourite among young commuters. “I prefer Ola or Uber to autorickshaws because I do not have to get into the hassle of negotiating with drivers. I get to know the estimated tariff before I sit in the auto, with added discounts,” Aparna Jha, a law student, said. Harpreet Vishnoi, who works for an IT company, said: “Auto drivers charge extra even for shorter distances, whereas I find Ola and Uber cheaper.” Nava Karnataka Auto Drivers’ Welfare Society president Naveed Khan countered: “Auto drivers have been given meters. We can-
not charge more or less but exactly what the meter shows. Ola and Uber don’t follow these regulations.” The one lakh autos running in Bengaluru are meant for shorter distances. Ola and Uber have robbed autorickshaw drivers’ earnings in this segment too, Sundaram of ARDU said. Adarsha Auto Drivers’ Union general secretary C. Samanth said autorickshaw drivers do not want to join Ola or Uber because extra pressure. “Uber and Ola provide incentives to drivers as well. But the only problem is that the perks are given only if a certain amount of trips are done. If the driver fails to do so, no incentive or profit is given. This is the only problem with these apps.” akanksha.k@iijnm.org
Mysore road to Kengeri It becomes a risky drive from Mysore Road to Kengeri as there are no provisions for streetlights. Two wheelers face the most threat as even last week I observed a woman driver fall off her scooter, as there was a small pit on the road. Traffic is heavy in prime times and it would be a serious issue if not addressed earlier. Abbinaya Kuzhanthaivel
Garbage menace The story ‘No basic facilities for butchers in Chickpet’ exposes the effect of not managing wet waste, which deteriorates the business of butchers in marketplaces. BBMP should help the butchers tackle the garbage menace. That will lead to an increase in the number of customers visiting meat shops.Some steps should be taken. Oisika Dev
BBMP, step in The garbage problem in KR Market has led to a decline in the sales of vendors and exposed increasing health risks. Undoubtedly, there have been several drives to clean the city and dispose of garbage, but it all seems in vain. The problem needs urgent attention by BBMP. Anuradha Sriram
IBC gone haywire The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in force for the past year, stands subverted as the promoters with NPAs are filing cases in courts against eligible bidder. The state machinery should come down harshly on such promoters to stop the subversion of the resolution. Pranay Prakash
A tailormade martial art can save women from harassment Ileena Dutta
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n individually tailored martial art is smashing gender stereotypes and bringing together women of different age groups and fitness levels. Called Jeet Kune Do, it enables them to defend themselves from sexual harassers. “There are no regulations, rules or weight classes in Jeet Kune Do. Anyone can fight anyone.... There is no gender bias; a woman is trained to fight a man during the training regime,” Dr Ritesh Reddy, director of the Institute of Combat Studies, Bengaluru,informed The Observer. The institute provides training in Jeet Kune Do and other forms of martial arts. The safety of women is of prime importance for social good. Eveteasing, molestation, and sexual harassment can bring down a woman’s confidence, build insecurity in her and make her reluctant to compete with men in the workplace. In Jeet Kune Do, the art of combat is tailor-made for every
Jeet Kune Do, a tailormade art form helps women fight against real life situations of sexual harassments.| Courtesy : ICS individual. Bruce Lee believed that an individual is more important than any established system. Jeet Kune Do seeks to unite the body, mind, and spirit towards attaining self-liberation. “I migrated from Kolkata to Bengaluru to work in an IT company at Whitefield. It’s almost a boondocks area and it gets pitchdark after 6 in the evening. I used
to be afraid of assaults or attacks and hence decided to join JKD to learn the technique to fight back,” Sholanki Biswas, a student at the institute, said. Safety is a comparative term and is inversely proportional to the dangers sneaking in a city. A place like Bengaluru can have varying degrees of safety. Much depends on how its residents
want it to be. “In India, every 22 minutes a woman is raped. While we’re waiting for social reform to happen, the clock isn’t stopping. The urgent and immediate solution for women is to learn to protect themselves,” Dr Reddy said. Debates on how to ensure women’s safety are raging. “Today women are aware of the fact that they can also protect themselves from getting groped and assaulted. They don’t need to depend on their brothers, boyfriends or husbands for protection. The Institute of Combat Studies offers women a platform to attend workshopsand courses to learn and use basic techniques to knock down attackers,” Pushpanjali Reddy (60),architect ,entrepreneur and Blackbelt instructor, said. Dr Reddy has authored a book on women’s safety empowering women to fight back against harassment, whether in corporate boardrooms or crowded city streets. This book is distributed free of charge in public interest. ileena.d@iijnm.org