The Observer An IIJNM publication
Vol. 21, Issue 1
Delivery personnel dread venturing to outskirts in late evening fearing getting robbed | P 2
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Few are aware of the state govt’s scheme By Kashish Sharma
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Source: Social Welfare Department, Karnataka income and age conditions. Women in the 18-40 age group are eligible to apply. The department is conducting regular programmes to raise awareness among SC widows about the scheme, but people from remote villages do not know about it. N.B. Jayaprakash, founder of the Parihaar Foundation, an NGO that promotes the welfare of widows, said: “Incentives are offered only for SC remarriage cases. There are no caste or religious restrictions for the spouse,
but the widow should be an SC. In most cases, the marriage remains discreet. Widow remarriage happens in a closed atmosphere with little publicity. Such couples do not aspire for any incentives fearing that the event might be recorded or documented.” Manjula from Mysuru, a mother of two who lost her husband to Covid-19,said that being a widow from a city, she is free to consider remarriage;young rural widows lack this freedom. She runs a gym
to make a living. Gundapa Devikeri, a professor at the Department of Social Work in Bangalore North University, said marrying a widow brings a bad name to the man’s family as people think he is incapable of finding a good wife. The groom’s family is apprehensive of how society will react to the union. Even if the government raises the incentive to Rs 10 lakh, few widows will benefit from the incentive because there are no men ready to marry them. The incentive is given in the first year of marriage. Kalaburagi district received 21 applications in 2020 and has got 18 in 2021 so far, the highest among all districts, the official at the Social Welfare Department shared.Child marriages are common in the district, leading to a high number of young widows. Jayaprakash said: “As per the records, Karnataka has approximately 30,00,000 widows.”As per the 2011 census, the scheduled caste population in Bengaluru Rural and Urban districts stood at 2.13 lakh. Continued on page 3
Confusion prevails over Aug 30 quarantine order Those coming from Kerala must stay home, say agencies By Chhavi Vohra
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onfusion prevails over an August 30 order issued by the Karnataka government regarding institutional quarantine for people arriving from Kerala. The KSRTC, the railways and the Kempegowda International Airport do not have information regarding the order mandating a seven-day mandatory institutional quarantine. A home quarantine or a negative RT-PCR report is enough, they said. “Home quarantine is enough or you can contact your college to ask their requirements,” an official from the airport, informed The Observer.
Students and employees entering from Kerala must undergo a mandatory institutional quarantine | Chhavi Vohra A commercial controller at the Mysuru Junction railway station said: “No, there is no need for
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Doctors say they are stressed out over transmitting coronavirus to their family members | P 3
In Bengaluru Urban & Rural, few takers for SC widow remarriage
he Karnataka government’s scheme to promote remarriage of scheduled caste widows has received a poor response in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts since 2018. Official data show that on an average two applications have been filed every year under the scheme, called Incentive for Scheduled Caste Widow Remarriage. The government pays Rs 3 lakh to a woman who remarries under the scheme. As per statistics of the Social Welfare Department, Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts have received no applications for the year 2021-22. They receivedthree applications each during 2020-21. An official from the department informed The Observer that urban applications are often not processed as they do not meet the
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quarantine. You only need to provide an RT-PCR negative report on arrival.” When he was asked
about the government order, he said, “There is absolutely no quarantine requirement for people arriving from Kerala, and no one has been quarantined till now. You can go back home after showing your RT-PCR negative report.” An official at KSRTC said: “You have to do home quarantine. Please contact the BBMP if you want more information.” The official also said that there was no particular mention of mandatory institutional quarantine for students and employees. The Karnataka government on August 30 had made institutional quarantine mandatory for all students and employees coming to Karnataka from Kerala. On arrival, they have to produce an RTPCR negative report not older than 72 hours. On completing the seven-day quarantine, these travellers would then again have to undergo an RT-PCR test. Continued on page 3
News briefs SC to form panel to probe Pegasus case The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will set up an expert committee to look into the Pegasus snooping allegation against the central government. The court is yet to decide the committee members.
PM Modi arrives in Washington DC Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Washington DC on Tuesday to hold talks on the Indo-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. The PM will address the United Nations on issues related to Covid, terrorism and climate change. This will be the first time the Quad leaders will meet in person.
Sensex skyrockets by nearly 1000 points Sensex jumps to 958 points up at 59,885 making the biggest gain in four months. Nifty tops 17,800, Sobha jumps 8 per cent Larsen and Toubro 4 per cent and Reality Index gains 9 per cent, while Reliance Industries jumped 3 percent.
4.29 cr vax doses unused in India The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya said that there are over 4.29 crore doses of unused vaccine at the disposal of the states and UTs. It further said that 64 lakhs of doses are in the pipeline.
Google moves Delhi HC over ‘leak’ Google has filed a written petition in the Delhi High Court against the 'leak' of an investigation report by the director general of the Competition Commission of India. Google said it aims to prevent further leaks.
Post-Covid guidelines for health workers out Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday released National Comprehensive Guidelines for doctors, nurses, paramedics and community health workers all over India to manage longterm health issues caused postcovid.
CITY
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Delivery workers are scared to go to city outskirts after dark
Some have been cornered and robbed by gangs By Ayndrila Banerjee
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elivery persons from Swiggy, Amazon and Dunzo are wary of going to the outskirts of Bengaluru in the dark fearing they will be robbed. Robberies are common in areas like Kengeri because they are dimly lit, thinly populated and haveforest patches. “Usually, robbers come in gangs, force you to stop your vehicle and threaten to kill you with a knife if you don’t give up your valuables. My brother was robbed similarly,” Suraj Ramesh, a Swiggy employee, informed The Observer. “Companies like Swiggy take the responsibility to lodge FIRs, but they don’t do much to help prevent robberies. We don’t get any information regarding the case too,” Ramesh added. On the other hand, Joga Ram, an ex-employee of Dunzo, said: “When I was robbed, I filed a complaint with Dunzo, but no action has been taken since then. We don’t officially report to the police as filing a complaint takes a lot of time and we work round the clock.” A pattern can be seen in these robberies: Robbers come in gangs and are armed with knives.
Around the city International Conference on Advances in Business Management and Information Science,Trinity Isle,Swastik Circle, 139, SC Road, Seshadripuram, September 28. STORM-Mysore 20th Editionwith Gowri Shankar and Snake Shyam in Mysuru and Bengaluru from September 25 and 26. Namma Nandi Race,police station, SH 9, opposite Ambedkar Colony, Yelahanka, October 2. Strings Attached by Vid R.Kumaresh, a kaleidoscopic musical experience, September 25,Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, Malleswaram India Manufacturing Show (IMS), BIEC Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru, September 29. International Conference on Nanotechnology, Renewable Materials Engineering & Environmental Engineering (ICNRMEEE), Trinity Isle, Bengaluru, October 15.
one-per-day limit. Delivery people from Swiggy, Zomato and Dunzo don’t have many options but to deliver to the area they get an order from. A Swiggy official who did not want to be named said the company has a policy for its delivery executives which involves an in-app feature where, in the event of a robbery or an accident, the delivery person can click on the said grievance(s). The appthen redirects them to a nearby police station or a hospital. Sub-inspector Vanajakshi from the Kengeri Hobli police station said the station registers one to two robbery cases per month. “After the complainer reports a robbery case, an FIR is registered. We then visit the spot where the incident has taken place to verify the complaint. After investigation, if the Safety of delivery workers remain a constant concern |Courtesy: Ashtha robber(s) is caught, we bring the Tiwari person in for identification.” Ravi Kumar, who works at robbers specifically look for Valuables are recovered as soon Amazon, shared his horrific people in deivery uniforms as as identification is completed. experience with The Observer: potential targets,” Ramesh said. Kumar, who works at Swiggy “Six months ago, I was robbed by Amazon gives its delivery and covers North and East a gang in Kengeri. My vehicle executives the option of not Bengaluru says that he and his was chased.When I stopped my delivering in ‘Black Zones’,areas colleagues have faced similar vehicle, I was robbed. My located on the outskirts of the incidents in these parts of the city colleague was even threatened city.Regarding this, Joga Ram too. with a knife. We prefer not to go shared: “If delivery falls in a With limited or no policies to in these areas at night.” Black Zone, we choose not to go safeguard them,delivery workers In many cases, forgery is post-sunset and delay the remain vulnerable. involved wherein these gangs go delivery by one day. We always Under Section 379-A and 379-B of to the extent of faking orders in deliver goods to such places in IPC, people who rob others can an attempt to rob delivery daylight.” face imprisonment for no less than workers. “There are times when Swiggy allows its delivery 10 to14 years. This, however, only many hoax orders are placed by executives to cancel one order per applies to cases that are registered. these gangs just so they can rob day. They also penalize ayndrila.b@iijnm.org the delivery people. Usually, executives who exceed cross the
The Observer Thursday, September 23, 2021
Citizen’s Voice Bengaluru has a good way of immersing idols Being a resident of Delhi has toned down my emotion with regard to idol immersion during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi as the Delhi government has banned immersion in major water bodies of the city. However, I found the idol-immersion methodology adopted in Bengaluru very pragmatic. I think all states should follow thismethod of idol immersion to ensure that river water is not polluted while keeping culturalpractices intact. Sutapa Banerjee
A hostel is a home away from home Living away from home for studies can be difficult. But while being away, you become a part of a completely different family, whose members come from different cultural backgrounds. The hostel is one such family. Members of this joint family, with members from all over India, share similarities and differences. This makes living in it beautiful and special. Anushka Sharma
Govt should allay oppn fears over NEP Karnataka became the first state to implement NEP, but opposition parties spoke against the decision saying that it could lead to privatization of the education sector. Another apprehension the opposition parties have is that Hindi will be imposed on non-Hindispeaking states. Such fears should be addressed.The focus should be on students instead of doing politics over it. Arshiya Agarwal
Food delivery agents face flak online They deny they do it, but admit black sheep exist By Arshreet Singh ultiple users on social media platforms have registered complaints against food delivery agents indulging in “unethical behaviour”. Food delivery agents contacted by The Observer, however, categorically denied the allegations. “I placed my order in McDonald’s and the initial guy who picked it up cancelled it. The next Swiggy guy went to the restaurant, only to realize my order was not there,” Reddit user Rajesh,informed The Observer. “I called the first guy and he said you will get a refund, and hung up the call.” Asked if he filed a police complaint, he said the bill was only Rs 180 and not worth the hassle. Jambunatha, a head constable
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"Hunger Saviours" face accusations of "Unethical Behaviour” Credit: PTI at the Siddapura police station, said they have received no complaints regarding such issues. Restaurants have also fallen victim to such alleged acts. In a post titled “Swiggy Scammers”, a Reddit user who has the username Bulletz4Brkfstwrote how he unknowingly assisted a delivery agent in duping a restaurant. “I placed an order from Paradise Biryani. But the delivery agent said that the order didn't go through, so they manually placed the order and I had to pay him directly. He then asked me for my phone, cancelled the order and requested a refund." I thought to myself, ‘I’m technically not losing any money so I don’t see a prob-
lem. Amarash Shekharappa of Paradise Biryani informed The Observer, said that the orders are often cancelled once they leave the restaurant, especially on weekends. “We raise the issue with the respective delivery company who refer us to the area managers.” All the delivery agents The Observerspoke with said they do not indulge in such activities but know they are commonplace. According to Tapan Behra, a Swiggy delivery agent, only 10 percent of delivery agents are sincere. “I am honest with my work. But most agents will falsely claim they don’t have the cash to return the change and customers are left with no option, especially at night.” Behra spoke about amajor issue delivery agents face. “Our phones and wallets often get stolen at night. My friend’s mobile got stolen, and when he chased the miscreants, they scared him with a knife. Thieves also snatch phones from moving bikes,” he said.
Mohan Raj, who has worked for Swiggy for over four month, shared: “I have never indulged in such activities. But on one of my deliveries, I saw two delivery boys waiting for me to leave after I handed over the parcel. They then went up to the lady and asked for a payment again, but the lady had already paid online.” A Swiggy official who did not want to be named said the “delivery partners” are not employees of Swiggy, but independent contractors. “We are not responsible for their actions but we do conduct background checks for pending court cases to ensure that we do not hire criminals.” Asked about online complaints, he was quick to blame customers. “Some customers are just angry and go to online platforms…. However, if a complaint is registered, we investigate. The delivery partner can be fired or a police complaint can be registered. If a delivery partner has a spotless record, however, we ensure to check if the customer’s complaint is substantiated.” Arshreet.s@iijnm.org
the Observer thursday, September 23, 2021
CITY
By Anwesha Singh
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he pandemic has affected healthcare workers hard. They are under constant stress, fearing they could become be a source of transmitting the coronavirus to their families. “When you are a soldier, you have to go to war and are already mentally strong. The same is with the health sector.It’s not that the pandemic has made you strong. When you are in the health industry, you are already mentally strong,” said Dr Priya Kotur, a dietician working at the ESIC Model Hospital, Peenya. When The Observer asked how the pandemic has changed the way she works, she said: “One has to adjust the schedule. The load... is too much right now.We faced a lot more stress during the initial stage of the pandemic when people were reluctant to wear masks. We used to make them aware of the importance of social distancing, washing hands frequently and using face masks. Now, a lot of people have understood the value of wearing face masks….” Women doctors fear spreading the infection to their families. They make sure to take extra care of themselves so that their families remain safe. Dr Nilay Kumar, an ESIC physiotherapist, said: “Even after wearing masks, gloves and headgear, many doctors working here
Remarriage of widows is still a taboo in society Continued from page 1 hivappa Arivu, founder of Arivu Bharata, a forum for widowremarriage based in Kolar, said:“The scheme is not known to many as it lacks in the necessary advertisement by the government”. Asked about the condition of rural widows,he added: “Very few are bothered about their delicate social position.” According to Demographic Research, an open-access journal of population sciences,7.4 per cent of Indian women were widows and 1.8 per cent of Indian men were widowers in 2011. This disparity of numbers reflects the taboo associated with widow remarriage. Strict social norms such as the seclusion of widows exist in the upper castes, the study says. Arivu said any deviation from the cultural norms leads to a widow being accused of being immoraland sometimes even responsible for her husband’s death. kashish.s@iijnm.org
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SAfEty fIRSt: Examining and treating patients with precaution I Credit: Anwesha Singh have contracted Covid, including me. You cannot isolate yourself completely. Being the lady of the house, your family needs you and you need them.” About how the pandemic has affected her workroutine, she shared: “Earlier, we used to see 3-
4 patients together but now (see) only one patient at a time.” Many doctors tested positive and the workload considerably increased on the other doctors.” Despite wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, many doctors contracted the virus
and had to get themselves hospitalized. Being in the same ward with other Covid patients led to an increase in viral load. Dr Kiran Singh, a Bengaluru dentist,said her interaction with patients has decreased. “Wearing masks, shields and headgear deteriorates your communication with patients.” Wearing extra masks and PPE kits sometimes causes suffocation. Even the doctors’ vision is compromised. Asked how the pandemic has affected her way of work, she replied: “Our sterilization routine has not changed. Earlier, the room was sterilized and now also it’s been sterilized. (But) you always have that stress whether you are carrying the infection…. You can put your family at risk. Stress is always involved. You have to remain alert all the time. One cannot work freely as one used to earlier.” Dr Astha Tripti, a Patna dentist and mother of a year-old child, said the pandemic has affected her a lot. “I always feel scared I might infect my baby…. This fear has created a distance between me and my child. I have double responsibilities as a mother and a dentist.I make sure to do justice to both. At times you feel overwhelmed, but it’s the same for all. You have to manage your routine accordingly.” A study conducted by the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine using a self-administered questionnaire collected responses from 769 respondents. The results indicated 35.2% of doctors had anxiety symptoms and 28.2% of doctors showed depressive symptoms. anwesha.s@iijnm.org
No authority ensuring compliance of mandatory institutional quarantine Continued from page 1 he decision had been taken because students and employees arriving in Karnataka from Kerala, though bringing negative RT-PCR reports, were testing positive during repeat tests. The number of such cases is considerably high in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, according to the Karnataka government's official website. It will be the responsibility of the district administration to ensure that the instructions are strictly complied, the August 30 order said. The travellers are to be kept at a separate facility at the place of their arrival.Arrangements for their stay have to be made by their college or employer. However, these guidelines are not being followed.There is no authority ensuring compliance. People arriving from Kerala by flight, train or road are being allowed into Karnataka without having to undergo an institutional quaran
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A busy evening at the Kempegowda International Airport Courtesy: @beauty_of_bangalore tine. Officials contacted by The Observer did not know this. They seemed confused over what the order means. K.R. Gouri, a student of Sri Rajiv Gandhi College of Dental Sciences & Hospital who traveled to Karnataka from Kerala on September 14, said: “I came from Kozhikode to Carmelaram.There was absolutely no checking there.
They only saw the RT-PCR report. Even though I had heard a lot about institutional quarantine, nothing like that happened. They were not serious about it. I had a runny nose, but nobody said anything.” Gouri is currently staying in an apartment in Bengaluru. Reception staff at her college said: “As of now, we have not entertained anyone from Kerala.” Another student who traveled from Kayamkulam, Kerala, to Whitefield on September 14, said: “No one was there to check. No one was even asking anything. They didn’t even check my RTPCR report.” Asked about this, a BBMP official who answered The Observer’s call said: “It’s not the BBMP’s mistake. It is the college’s mistake. They should do something about the students.” Cases continue to rise in Kerala and Karnataka districts bordering Kerala. chhavi.v@iijnm.org
On this day in 1846, astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle became the first person ever to observe the planet Neptune, the existence of which had been mathematically predicted by UrbainJean-Joseph Le Verrier and John Couch Adams.
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Docs, health staff fear they’ll spread virus to their families
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Team Observer Editor- Anwesha Singh Reporters- Arshreet Singh, Anwesha Singh, Ayndrila Banerjee, Chhavi Vohra, Kashish Sharma Copy Editors- Arshreet Singh, , Ayndrila Banerjee, Chhavi Vohra, Kashish Sharma Page Layout- Arshreet Singh, , Ayndrila Banerjee, Chhavi Vohra, Kashish Sharma, Anwesha Singh Photo Editor- Arshreet Singh Supplements- Ahna Prakash, Shrishti Achar A.
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The Observer Thursday, September 23, 2021
Exploration
SUPPLEMENT
Looking for the Rainbow Bengaluru was an escape from the small-town mindset against queer people. But is the big city inclusive, wonders Ahna Prakash.
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s Pride month rolled in June, I felt alienated in a small town in Bihar. The idea of coming to Bengaluru felt liberating. Coming from a marginalized community– being a queer woman of backward class– the only way to escape the stigma around homosexuality was to come to a metropolitan city. For me, it was finally time to come out. My idea of queer inclusiveness in Bengaluru was largely based on the videos of Namma pride and Instagram pages of queer collectives. When I finally came here, I realized that this is not the space I dreamt of. From hiding my sexuality to keeping shut on homophobic jokes, I became part of the system that makes women suppress their voice, fearing isolation by their peers. Making gay jokes became a part of dinner table conversations and feminism remained in textbooks. While working on a story I even came across cases of con-
version therapy, which is an attempt to ‘cure’ homosexuality. Lesbians, I read, were raped in the name of the conversion. I had known of people who were forced by their parents to go into therapy just because they are not straight. Young people were taken to pandits to be taught that being gay is sinful. I read articles on the plight of transgender communities in Bengaluru and their struggles in getting vaccinated. I read about students who committed suicide because they were bullied by friends. The city that takes pride in being home to people from across the country was not making the LGBTQIA+ community feel at home. On a Sunday afternoon in Church Street, I noticed Rainbow Capitalism in almost all the big stores. They had goods related to queer culture. Though it may seem like creating awareness and acceptance through merchandise, these brands were highlighting how social capital plays a big role in
Pride March | Courtesy: Vitti Joshi
buying ‘queer aesthetics’. Celebrating pride month or shopping for pride march is not accessible to queer people who belong to marginalized communities. It seemed like pride be-
longs to the rich. Coming to Bengaluru involved a lot of things, including coming to terms with the different ways of queer representation. . It also meant understanding that for some, accepting us is just flex and not a mindset shift. Even after the decriminalization of homosexuality, somehow still not much has changed for us. The constant stereotyping and discrimination against queer people shows that India has still a long way to go when it comes to queer inclusiveness. Talking to queer people about their struggles made me think that there is so much to learn. A major problem lies in the fact that we don’t talk about it enough. We are shy to talk about it in front of our family members, friends and colleagues thinking that they might judge us for this conversation. Problems of queer people don’t make it to the front page of newspapers and more often than not people fail to realize that gender is a social con-
struct and your sexual orientation doesn’t make you different. Yet, there are platforms in Bengaluru that try to be inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community. Ever since I heard of the queer film festival, I have wanted to be a part of it. It was a wonderful experience to visit Ranga Shankara and meet Transgender performing artists. Several queer collectives are also popular around the city and I hope to be a part of them soon. For a long time now, I have felt lost and discriminated against. Compulsive heteronormative behavior has often forced me to hide my identity. But after I met so many different people in Bengaluru -gay, gender fluid, drag, non-binary -- I hope that someday I can stand out of the crowd and stand proud. I hope people around me understand that this is a part of me and there is nothing wrong with it. After all, this is what PRIDE is about.
ahna.p@iijnm.org
Rolling Stone’s ‘ghar wapsi’ Knowing the language and the people does not make a home-coming , says Shristi Achar A.
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arrived in the city about a month ago, all ready to begin a new chapter, a much-awaited one of my life. Bengaluru was familiar; it was the city I initially grew up in and spent my early childhood. All the way to the campus, my eyes were fixed on the road, trying to recognize the place from whatever fragments I had in the name of memories. The city mostly had good memories to offer; the relatively slow pace, its hilariously famous traffic, and the ever pleasant weather. The feather to the cap was that I was going to be staying in the same part of the city where my first school was. So, my educational journey was essentially coming a full circle. I knew the language, understood how people functioned in the city and quite liked the vibe. A wave of warmth, from nostalgia and a sense of belongingness, was washing over me. But in this month-long stay, several moments have made me feel just as disconnected. Given my proficiency in Kan-
nada, I have become the de facto translator for all my friends on campus. On one occasion, a friend called me to help her talk to an autorickshaw driver who was demanding more money than agreed upon. I would have argued with her that hailing an auto in the city was a foolish move, but let us take one ridiculous problem at a time. In the middle of a heated argument, I happened to say that I trusted my friend’s version of the story over his. His only rebuttal was, “Oh so you want to trust the outsiders over Kannadigas?” I could muster some response which I cannot now remember, but I know I didn’t like being put in that spot. I was taking a walk with a friend who also hails from Karnataka. But given we were in an environment that required us to converse in either English or Hindi constantly, these languages have settled into our daily practice. Either way, staying at home for more than a year has left our love for our na-
A familiar view of MG Road from its Metro station
tive tongues quite saturated. Onlookers weren’t happy, though. “Both of you know Kannada, why do you choose to speak in Hindi? You’re disrespecting our language, you know", a lady in our vicinity commented. We shrugged her off, but considering what I am writing about, I clearly haven’t
moved on. Such instances have repeatedly irked me. Why must I keep reiterating my love and respect for a language and a place at all times? Especially to absolute strangers? I was well aware of this constant tussle between ‘locals and migrants’, but I was no migrant. I was a person who
had made, what our government would call ‘ghar wapsi’. Mumbai, my home for the last decade, had been a marvelous teacher in the ways of life. The city had taught me to work through people and crowds and many a lesson on how to make a place for yourself within the crowd. It was natural for me to ask where a person was from or what language he/she spoke back home, and add that as a bonding material. Very rarely had I been in the spotlight for being ‘different’. Mumbai had very characteristically been a place of rolling stones. Bengaluru struck a dissonant note. Because it was my home once, I had imagined that I would have an advantage. I had imagined that having grown up in Mumbai, a city long known to be a melting pot, I would fit right in. But yet, I feel very detached. I might know the language and I might know the people. But the people don’t know me. shrishti.a@iijnm.org