Observer The weekly
ursday, September 26, 2013
VOL 13 ISSUE 9
Weekly Observer exclusive earns slum children a new school
PAGE 2
16-year-old under state care found raped and pregnant
Worshipers risk lives crossing tracks to reach temple
PAGE 3
PAGE 4
Raped and dumped on the road 246 minor girls were raped between January 2013 and August, 2013. On average, one minor girl is raped every day he initially resisted but finally ad-
give a statement. She is still uncon-
mitted to the crime and took us to
scious. We will take her statement
the place where he had dumped the
as soon as she is stable.”
girl.”
Apurva Venkat
has been in a coma for the last two days.
is is not the first case in Kar-
Gajanand added, “ We are very
nataka this year. According to the
upset with what has happened. My
State Crime Records Bureau, 246
picked her up and took her to the
niece was just four years old. is
minor girls have been raped in Kar-
hospital at Baad. We later shied
man has made her lifeless. I want
nataka from January, 2013 to Au-
her to Belgaum as her condition
him to be punished as harshly as
gust, 2013.
was serious.”
possible.”
is means that on average one
According to the police, the ac-
Dr. Roopa, head of department,
cused was taken into judicial cus-
Pediatric ICU of KLES Prabhakar
tody at 6pm yesterday. He was
Kore Hospital said: “e girl was
is figure has doubled in the past
produced at a special court in Bel-
admitted to our hospital on Mon-
two years. According to the records,
gaum. He has been charged under
day midnight. ere is a team of
104 minors girls were raped in the
section 376, 307 of the Indian penal
three to four doctors working on
year 2011.
code. According to the criminal law
her. She is in critical condition.”
minor girl is being raped every day in the state.
Narmada Anand, Programe man-
amendment act, 2013 the accused if
e girl’s uncle, who is with her at
ager for child protection, Depart-
convicted is liable for imprison-
the hospital, said: “I have been told
ment of Women and Child
ment of not less than 10 years.
that there was an operation con-
Development, Karnataka, said: “Al-
ducted yesterday on her for a head
most 60 to 70% of these rapes
injury. Doctors have told me that
would be committed by family
the sex offences act.
Photo credit: Tarun Bharat, Belgaum
destroyed her childhood forever.
He added: “ Her mother and I
He has also been charged under
Shivanand Mali, who allegedly raped his 4-year-old niece and dumped her by the road, is in jail as his niece fights for life
Gajanand said that her uncle had
ese sections pertain to punish-
we will have to wait till tomorrow
members of the girl. It is very diffi-
ment for penetrative sexual assault,
to see if the girl’s condition stabi-
cult to find out a way to stop this.
aggravated penetrative sexual as-
lizes. Until then she is at risk. ere
What we need now is to work at the
sault and punishment for aggrega-
is a police sub-inspector continu-
ground level. e Gram Panchayat
tive penetrative sexual assault.
ously with us. ey have been very
should start sensitizing people.
helpful. I just hope my niece sur-
ese are the people who are in
vives and gets better soon.”
closest contact with them.”
e Sankeshwar Police Station
Her uncle, Shivanand Mali, took
police have caught the accused and
legedly raped by her own uncle
her out of her house luring her with
registered a FIR on the basis of the
Gajanand added: “ While the doc-
She added that, the present sup-
and le to die by the road.
a chocolate. He then allegedly
information given by the family
tors are doing their level best, all we
port system available in form of
raped and dumped her on the out-
members.
can do is pray for her recovery.
Child line (emergency helpline
A four-year old girl was al-
e girl was admitted to the KLE S Prabhakar Kore Hospital, Bel-
skirts of the village.
MS Magadi, constable from
Once she is doing better the next
numbers for children) should be
gaum, in a critical condition on
e girl’s uncle, Gajanand, said:
Sankeshwar Police Station, said:
struggle would be to get this terri-
more effectively publicized and
Monday at around midnight. She
“When we questioned Shivanand,
“e girl is not in a condition to
ble experience out of her mind.”
used.
e Weekly Observer
ursday, September 26, 2013
2
Observer story earns kids a school BESCOM turns blind
Ramaiah, Director of Public Instruction, visiting the children the migrants stay. e children Nibedita Mohanta will be taught in Hindi. Children living in Rajarajeshe decision came aer e wari Nagar slum will soon be Weekly Observer reported that taught in their mother tongue more than 40 children have never - thanks to e Weekly Obbeen to school and aer the news server. was shared with the PRO of Kare Director of Public Instrucnataka Education Department tion, at Karnataka Education DeSuma SK, a site visit was partment, N.Kodandaramaiah, arranged. visited the slum on September 21 She sent the director to visit the aer our story and decided to slum and it was decided by the start a ‘tent school’ near where government that a new school
should be built. An NGO called the MS Surabhi Foundation has taken the responsibility of starting the school from September 26, 2013. In a written statement to the Deputy Director of Public Instruction, the parents had stipulated that they would only agree to send their children to school if a tent school close to their slum was set up. is is because of a fear that their children would be kidnapped if they went to other schools in the area. e parents finally agreed when the government accepted their proposal of setting up school near their slum. Suma SK said: “ey are all deprived children and they do not have a proper place to stay and that is why they could not go to school. Temporary arrangements have been made to teach them as it is a social responsibility and they also have the right to get educated.”
ink before you breathe
Ishan Bhattacharya
Certain areas of Bangalore emit as much as three times the legal limit of pollutants into the air. e law states that 60 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter of air are allowed. In the area around a graphite factory in Whitefield, the Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), pollution that can be breathed in, the values have exceeded the national permissible limit by three times. e legal limit for this matter is 60. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board found levels of 162. e air quality in Karnataka Housing Board Industrial area at Yelahanka exceeded the permissible levels by three times since 2011-13 with a reading of 182. e reason behind such a gigantic leap in the level of RSPM in the area is primarily due to the construction of the International Airport Road, according to KSPCB. Ambient air quality of the area near a battery manufacturer at Mysore Road has also exceeded the national permissible limit from 2006 to 2013. Measurements revealed that in the period
from 2012 to 2013, the RSPM concentration in the area was three times higher than the normal rate, sitting at 169.0. Yeshwanthpur has also failed to live up to the standards set by the Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1981. e ambient air quality in the area is almost double the national permissible limit. According to KSPCB measurements, in 2012 and 2013, the concentration of RSPM in that particular area is 107.0. Since last year the ambient air quality around Victoria Hospital has deteriorated significantly. e RSPM recorded in the area was 152.0, which is two and a half times greater than the permissible limit.
Ullash Kumar, an environmentalist in Bangalore, said: “Air in Bangalore is highly polluted.” He added: “High levels of RSPM causes chronic heart disease, cancer and lung problems. e worst affected are children. He claimed: “Bangalore is currently the most polluted city in India and this is not properly reported as people may stop coming here. Bangalore can hold a maximum of 20 lakh people but now more than one crore live here.” Dr Veeran Arora, from Victoria Hospital, said: “e most common problem from air pollution is asthma. In our out-patients department many come with breathing problems.”
eye to children’s safety
An open electricity box (above) and wires sprouting out from an electric pole (below)near the school in the Whitefield area Aurosmita Acharya Open electric wires pose a threat to around 800 children studying in schools in Whitefield. Despite 40 deaths being recorded by the State Crime Records Bureau from January 1, 2013 owing to electrocution, four poles in a residential area of Whitefield have wires spilling out. Adding to the problem is the absence of safety boxes. Usha Mohan, the Director of e Bangalore School, said, “We have made a complaint regarding the wires since March 2013. e Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) has not bothered to take any action.” Clara, a school administrator said, “Last week we saw sparks on these poles. Since this is a very narrow lane we have to be very careful for our children. “e vans and buses that pick the children from the school are parked here.” Prem, a resident said, “Our complaints go unheard. e Resident Welfare Association has been regularly making a complaint for the rectification since the past three months.” St. omas School, which is
about 150 meters from the Bangalore School, has almost 700 students. Vijaya Paul, the Office Assistant of the school said, “Last week we had to allow all the vehicles inside the premises to pick up the children as we saw electric sparks on these poles because of heavy rains.” Krishna Prasad, one of the parents said, “I have two of my children studying at St. omas School. Hence I personally had been to the BESCOM office to make a complaint. But, I am yet to get a response from them.” e Public Relation officer at the BESCOM office in Whitefield said, “We have been busy in laying the underground cable connection hence the complaints have remain unaddressed. We will be looking into the complaints soon.”
e Weekly Observer
ursday, September 26, 2013
3
Minor under state care found raped and pregnant on the street Anannya Sarkar
show official release papers, which
A 16-year-old girl rescued by the
are mandatory according to the law,
According to the statement given
along with two other men, forced
Child Welfare Commission and
before a minor can be taken from a
by Childline to the CWC, Kavita
Kavita to leave her aunt’s house the
supposed to be in a government
care home. Childline and the NGO
was first rescued by Childline
very next day and took her to a man
shelter was found wandering the
involved were not informed about
workers Manjula and Suseiraj on
where she was raped for four days.
streets two months pregnant.
the release of the girl.
granted bail on July 8.
the charge sheet said that Manjula,
July 19,2012. Kavita was then found
According to the NGO, no visit-
Kavita (name changed) was
e commission has refused to
again at Adarsh Nagar, Kolar, on
ing record of the Probation Officer
found roaming in the streets again
comment on the girl’s case or to dis-
March 7 this year, when she was
or the DCPO has been found dur-
and was taken to the Child Welfare
close the release order required by
two months pregnant.
ing the time when she was missing
Commission (CWC) by the same
law.
NGO and Childline workers who had rescued her the previous year.
Kavita had approached a local
from January until March.
vide them. Narmada Anand, Programme
Kavita was recognized immedi-
church volunteer for food. On
Narayanamma, in her statement
Head, Child Protection, Directorate
ately by the Childline workers as
being taken to a doctor aer com-
said that she was Kavita’s sole living
of Women and Child Development,
She told police she had been re-
having previously been rescued.
plaining about stomach ache, she
relative and had taken care of her
said: “It is unfortunate that this
peatedly raped. She had been taken
According to the NGO working
was suspected of being pregnant.
until she was eight years old when
happened to the young girl but the
from the government shelter by a
with Childline at Kolar, the CWC
e volunteer informed the local
she ran away. However, she said she
case is pending in the High Court
woman who claimed she was her
did not have adequate answers on
Childline workers who then came
willingly took her back when she
and necessary action will be taken
aunt. e Child Welfare Commis-
being questioned about how Kavita
and rescued her and took her to
was called by the CWC.
against Manjula.” She refused to
sion handed her over and refused to
ended up pregnant and on the
Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) CWC
streets again. Instead, they coun-
home.
Narmada Anand of Women and Child Development.
e rule for releasing anybody
comment on the possibility of any
from a CWC home is that a Social
slack from the CWC’s side and the
seled Kavita and filed a complaint
Aer Kavita was rescued by
Investigation Report (SIR) has to be
fact that the man who raped Kavita
against Childline worker Manjula
Manjula the first time, she was kept
formulated before handing them
has not yet been traced.
who had rescued her both times.
at KGF under the supervision of the
over to anybody. Despite repeatedly
Manjula’s case, aer her spend-
Manjula was arrested on March
CWC. However, the CWC handed
being asked for the SIR report and
ing days in jail, is still pending in
25 by the Robertsonpet Police and
her over to Narayanamma,65, the
a copy of the release documents
court while the man who raped
the chargesheet was filed on June 26
woman who claimed to be Kavita’s
pertaining to this case, both the
Kavita still roams free. Kavita is at
booking her under the Prevention
aunt, on January 24, according to
chairperson, S. Kalaiselvi, CWC
present living in Bangalore under
of Immoral Traffic Act 1956 and
the charge sheet.
KGF and Rukmini, Superintendent,
the observation of the CWC and
CWC Home, KGF, refused to pro-
will deliver her baby soon.
Sec.04 of POSCO Act 2012.She was
e statements submitted with
5 star hotel features UK diplomat in promo film Appreciating the food, he adds:
box at the
a “changing room”, no services
“It’s wonderful” and that the Taj has
entrance to
were taken up.
A British diplomat and his part-
an “excellent standard. is will al-
the
hotel,
Farheen Mansoor, Public Rela-
ner helped promote one of India’s
ways be a special place for us.”
situated in
tions manager at e Taj West End,
its
own
said: “It's a very personal matter re-
Anand Jain
largest luxury hotel groups.
e video, produced to mark the
Ian Felton, the United Kingdom’s
hotel’s 125th year in business, greets
grounds in
garding the Taj West End and we do
Deputy High Commissioner in
everyone who rents a room. It plays
Bangalore.
not want talk about it in a public
Bangalore, appears in a promo-
on televisions in every room as a
e
tional video for the Taj West End
welcome message to guests from all
Commis-
Michael Wright, PA of the British
Hotel in the Indian city, together
over the world.
sioner has
High Commissioner in New Delhi,
with his partner Judith Fairbairn..
Mr Felton appears to have vio-
In the 10-minute long clip, he
lated the Civil Service Code by
and his wife take a horse and car-
helping to promote a private ven-
riage ride through the grounds and
ture.
Ian Felton and his partner in a clip from the video organization”. It goes on to state that commissioners must never act in a manner
forum.”
responded
said: “I think he might have done it
saying his “participation was part
in a personal capacity and he is per-
of ” the commission’s “core public
fectly within his rights to do so.”
diplomacy”.
e video also features notable
Felton, in an interview, says he can
e British Civil Code for Com-
that would lead the ordinary man
“It is a place steeped in British
always rely on the Taj for that spe-
missioners states that a commis-
in the street to question their mo-
history with royalty and previous
Mazumdar Shaw, a leading Indian
cial luxury service.
sioner's conduct "must not give the
tives.
prime ministers staying there. My
entrepreneur and Dr. Devi Shetty,
personalities
cluding
Kiran
"e welcome we received at the
impression to any member of the
Felton and his partner appear in
role in Bangalore is to promote
a philanthropist and leading car-
Taj was more than we could have
public" that he has "been influenced
the video for about 75 seconds and
Indo-British ties,” he said, present-
diac surgeon.
ever experienced anywhere else in
by a gi or consideration to show
are also filmed taking time to ap-
ing this as the reason for his “par-
the world," he says in the video.
favor or disfavor to any person or
preciate a bright red Victorian post-
ticipation”. He added that except for
e maximum time, however, has been devoted to Felton.
e Weekly Observer
ursday, September 26, 2013
4
College bus crashes, 35 hurt Pranay Lakshminarasimhan & bus and witnessed the accident. He Karishma Ravindran alerted the hospital, called for amA college bus smashed into a tree
bulances and made sure that all the
leaving 35 students and two staff
victims were admitted within half
members injured.
an hour.”
e bus, belonging to JSS Acad-
According to the BGS Hospital
emy of Technical Education, was
PRO, Blood Kumar, 27 of the total
carrying 50 passengers, including
number of victims were girls. All
students and professors, to the col-
the victims were taken to the
lege when it collided with a tree on
trauma centre for initial treatment
Uttarahalli Main Road.
and were then branched out, de-
e driver, Ramesh, 39, was taken to the hospital along with the vic-
pending on the magnitude of their injuries.
tims. He didn’t sustain any injury
Venkatramana, the Vice Chair-
and was therefore, along with the
man and Chief Neurosurgeon of
bus owner, taken to the police sta-
the hospital, said that three victims
tion for further inquiry.
sustained critical injuries and were
Prithviraj, an investigation officer at Kengeri Traffic Police Station,
detained for further procedures and observation.
The JSS Academy bus that crashed into a tree on Uttarahalli Main Road, injuring 35 people already discharged and none of
will be discharged very soon,” he
said that the driver has been
Ashwini, a 21-year-old student,
them has any serious injury. ey
said.
booked for negligent driving under
suffered spinal injuries while Sid-
all have minor cuts and bruises that
Shruti, an unharmed student trav-
ing on the state of the college buses,
Sections 229 and 337 of the Indian
daruda, a 26-year-old student, sus-
were properly treated by the hospi-
elling on the bus, said: “e driver
said that all of them were improp-
Penal Code.
tained an elbow injury which
tal staff.”
was continuously speeding up. He
erly maintained.
e victims were rushed to BGS Hospital for immediate treatment.
requires surgery, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Mrutyunjaya added that Pooja, one of the students on the bus, was
swerved to avoid hitting an electric pole and collided with a tree.”
tims were borne by the principal. Students at the college, comment-
ey added that the roads around the college were in a terrible state
Mrutyunjaya, the Principal of the
College principal Mrutyunjaya
taken back into observation be-
According to Kumar, the medical
and have been so for a long time.
college, said: “A doctor from BGS
said that no one was critically in-
cause she felt giddy aer being ini-
expenses including costs incurred
Police and three ambulances at-
Hospital was driving behind the
jured. He said: “All the victims are
tially discharged. “She is fine and
on medicines and X-rays of all vic-
tended at the scene.
Blinded by faith, life lost on the rail track that from January 2013 to Septem-
because of the illegal level crossing
ber 10, 2013 as many as 402 people
near Sri Muthuraja temple. Daily
were run over by train, 30 per cent
morning more than 100 people
less than last year. Among the
come here for worship. Even
deaths this year, 337 were male vic-
though crossing the railway track is
tims.
illegal and dangerous, people be-
In Bangalore, 19 people died because they were run over by trains.
lieve that Lord Muthuraja will save them."
All 19 of these cases were registered
Shivamma, another visitor to the
H.L.Renganatha Moorthy, the priest of Sri Muthuraja temple
at Majestic Railway Police station.
temple, said: “People who visit the
occur there. We can build a bridge
H.L.Renganatha Moorthy, a priest
temple are very superstitious. ey
or subway only when the central
A man crossing the railway track near Sri Muthuraja temple
in Sri Muthuraja Temple who lives
believe that whatever happens to
government orders us to do so and
Chitharth Mathivanan and Ishan Bhattacharya
beside the temple in Jayaram Doss
them while crossing the rail lines is
it is the duty of the people to get or-
was crossing the railway track in
said: “People come to worship Lord
God’s wish.”
ders from the state government."
order to reach the Sri Muthuraja
Muthuraja for his blessings by risk-
Suvankar Bishwas, public rela-
H.S. Rajajeshwari, ward councilor,
Worshiping God in Jayaram Doss
Temple which lies just across the
ing their lives. It has become a rou-
tions officer, South Western Rail-
Nayandihalli said: “People cross the
has become a matter of life and
rail lines. He is one of 402 people
tine thing for worshipers to jump
ways Bangalore said:"It is not the
track on their own will and we are
death.
killed by trains this year alone in
over the tracks and have a look at
railways who build the temple, peo-
not responsible for the conse-
the state, according to the State
the Lord.”
A 32-year-old man was run over by a train in April, near the Gnanabharati Railway Station while he
Crime Recors Bureau. Data given by the bureau revealed
ple crossing tracks to visit the tem-
quences. We have informed the
Rajkumar, a daily visitor of the
ple is illegal and we are not
people regarding the perils involved
temple, said: “People lose their life
responsible for any accidents that
but people are still ignorant.”
Observer Team: Editor–Nikita Chief Sub Editor– Bhaskar Dutta Splash head– Apurva News Editors– Mayuri J. Ravi, Ishan Bhattacharya & Anagha Sawant Sub Editors: Aurosmita Acharya, Neha Singh & Gaurav Kumar Photo-editor– Chitharth Mathivanan Design Desk– Nibedita Mohanta Reporters– Bhavika Bhwalka & Anand Jain Emergency Call Services-Karishma Ravindran Proof Readers– Pranay Lakshminarasimhan & Anannya Sarkar Email– editor@iijnm.org An IJNM Publication (For Private Circulation)