Observer issue 13

The Observer

The Observer An IIJNM publication

Though GST on restaurant bills has been cut to 5%, eating out is heavy on the pocket | P 4

Vol 17, Issue 13

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

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Bengaluru’s transport cos and public spaces are indifferent to visually impaired people | P 4

Polluted winter air might spell trouble Using public transport can ease the problem Rachel Dammala dammala.r@iijnm.org

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ollution is high in Bengaluru. If left unchecked, it could have devastating effects. The level, moderate now, could become dangerous when winter commences.

At 11am on Wednesday, a level of 92 PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns) was recorded in industrial areas like Peenya and Yeshwantpur. Most places showed moderate levels ranging between 51 and 100 PM2.5.

Over the weekend, many places recorded levels between 40 PM2.5 and 68 PM2.5. These levels are moderate, according to the air quality standards for particulate pollution published by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Pollution levels matter more during winter than any other season as the tendency of pollutants

The Mysuru Road Metro station at Nayandahalli records high levels of pollution, thanks to the autorickshaw and bus stands right opposite it. | Credit: Manashaa Ganesan to remain in the atmosphere.

“Clouds retain pollutants in the atmosphere, leading to respiratory diseases in people. Also, the fluctuation in temperature makes

people more susceptible to viral diseases,” Priya Ramachandran, a pulmonologist, told The Observer.

The depression level of air is low, making it easy for pollutants to

enter people’s lungs. This, coupled with weather fluctuations, results in people catching cold and becoming prone to breathing problems like COPD (Chronic Obstructive

Pulmonary Disease) and bronchitis.

“The only way to avoid this problem is to do your bit to not pollute the air, apart from wearing masks,” said an official at the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board who did not want to be named.

“I only take autos that use CNG, no matter how long I have to wait for them. By making tiny thoughtful decisions, we can make a big change,” she added.

Prathyusha Apidepally, an IT professional, said that people, instead of travelling in comfort, should give more importance to keeping the environment safe.

“Using public transport like BMTC buses and the Metro help bring down the pollution levels significantly,” he added.

Environmentalists at the Indian Institute at Science believe decongestion of roads, in addition to political will, will help resolve this issue to a great extent.

The smog in Delhi has raised warning bells for other cities to step up their game in protecting the environment, experts say. The need of the hour is implementing solutions with state support.

‘Can’t do much to prevent fires’ Rayan Mitra rayan.m@iijnm.org

Hamper traffic on DVG Road during weekends

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Arlene Mathew Arlene.m@iijnm.org

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ush carts have created congestion and chaos in the shopping hub of DVG Road, Basavanagudi. Motorists and pedestrians find it difficult to navigate the road, blocked by the carts at different points.

Autorickshaws are banned from the road, but it seems to be of no help in preventing congestion.

Rama Rao Kagalkar, a retired bank manager, told The Observer: “DVG Road has become a pedestrian nightmare. The push carts crowd the road and cause trouble for commuters. Adding to this, buyers surround these carts, thus blocking the entry to shops, depriving them of business.”

It is not only during weekends.

Push carts add to the traffic menace at Devanahalli Venkataramanaiah Gundappa Road, Bangalore | Courtesy: Rama Rao Kagalkar Even two to three days prior to festivals, you can see congestion on the road,” he added.

Gandhi Bazaar, a popular shopping destination nearby, adds to the traffic on DVG Road. Commuting vehicles fill up the road, making it nearly impossible for the

pedestrians to walk through.

While the road is free of potholes, it is not wide enough to accommodate push carts and motor vehicles at the same time. The road increasingly resembles Commercial street, says shopkeepers. >> Pushcarts a menace, page 2

he Forest Survey of India issued more than 4,600 alerts to the Karnataka forest department in February this year after a wild fire destroyed more than 1,000 hectares in the Bandipur Forest Reserve.

But the forest department is yet to figure a proper way to prevent fires.

“This is a natural phenomenon; there is nothing much we can do about it,” Punati Sridhar, chief conservator of forests (wildlife), informed The Observer.

Terming the area of forest devastated “negligible” Sridhar explained: “We prepare for greater destruction. A thousand hectares is too small when it comes to forests; nobody cares for that.”

The fire that happened in February resulted in the death of 28year-old forest guard, Murigeppa Tammangol who suffocated while putting out a fire in the Kalkere range.

Earlier, a group of tribals lost their lives while trying to put the fire out.

“It did not rain much last year.

Leaves were parched which increased the chances of fire,” Sridhar said.

“Every fire is man-made.

Locals are the ones who trigger fires in the forest. We are still on a mission to establish a proper relationship with the tribal people,” explained Sridhar. “We are recruiting more forest watchers and guards to deal with the problem.”

Range forest officer Antony Mariappa refused to give further details of the damage, saying the matter is being handled by the Corps of Detectives.

Besides livelihoods, big forest fires endanger Bandipur’s flora and fauna. It is home to a wide range of rose, teak and sandalwood, and to endangered species like tiger, elephant and sloth bear. Forest fires could have devastating effects on the wild flora and fauna.

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The Observer Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Bengaluru sees a massive rise in number of drug cases booked Police source says that drug peddling has increased Saket Tiwari saket.t@iijnm.org

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engaluru has seen a huge increase in the number of cases booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

According to Bengaluru police data, these cases increased to 128 in 2016 from 69 the previous year.

Till June this year, 161 cases were booked — far more than those booked in the whole of the year 2016.

“Even if we catch people and seize these substances, it will not stop. The reason behind the increase in cases is very clear: Drug peddling has increased,” a police source informed The Observer.

Substances that cause psychological misbalance seem to be favourites among the peddlers.

In January this year, the Nar-

The National Crime Record Records Bureau has recorded a nationwide increase in the number of cases of drug peddling | Credit: Saket Tiwari cotics Control Board, Bengaluru, arrested Wing Commander Shekhar Reddy in a drug smuggling case.

He had struck a deal in Hyderabad with a scientist working for a pharmaceutical company. They

were caught dealing in about 3 kg of methamphetamine, an expensive psycho-stimulant (one that stimulates the central nervous system). The scientist is still absconding, as are some other people directly or indirectly involved

Youths are not interested in Yakshagana, rue veterans ‘Modernity and mobile phones have taken over’ Barnana H. Sarkar barnana.h@iijnm.org

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ith young people turning to technology and modern lifestyles, veteran Yakshagana artistes are worried. They fear that the classical art form — a combination of music, dialogue and expression — is waning. Yakshagana, a cultural treasure of Karnataka’s coastal region, presents the mythological tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Venkatesh Hegde, a civil contractor by day and Yakshagana performer by night, informed The Observer: “Despite having ten teachers of the dance form in a tiny place like Siddapura, we have no youngsters interested in learning it. They do not believe in old tales anymore.” Keshav Hegde, a Yakshagana singer who has performed with Padma Shri awardee Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, said youths spend most of their time at work or looking at their mobile phones.

“Technology has ruined art. I am worried that the following generations will not even know what Yakshagana is. It will become a thing of the past.” Pramod Hegde, a musician who makes his

Yakshagana presents the mythological tales of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata | Courtesy: www.tuluacademy.org own mandolins, rued: “There are about 2,000 Yakshagana artistes all over Karnataka which is too small a number. There are very few in Siddapura.”

However, some artistes are trying to implement the classical dance form in contemporary styles. Abhinav Grover, a 25year-old former artiste at the Udupi Yakshagana Kendra, spoke about the social stereotypes regarding classical dance forms that often keep youths from wanting to learn them. “If you are a boy, you are either termed boring or simply looked down upon for learning a classical dance form.”

Grover, now an actor at Aaina

Dramatics, Mumbai, said: “I always found that it was easier to blend my body according to Yakshagana’s needs. I could easily be as masculine as Ravana or as feminine as Draupadi. Yakshagana, to me, was a motivation to move.”

Actors like Grover are looking back to traditional art forms like Chou, Kuriyattam and Yakshagana. They use these forms to blend their bodies and minds according to the needs of mythological stories. “The mythologies resonate the traditional past.

Classical dance forms are the only ones to help us regain the traditions,” Grover concluded.

in the case.

NCB zonal director of Bengaluru division, Sunil Kumar Sinha, informed The Observer: “We were tipped off about a movement of crystal meth. We followed the lead, while a team of NCB monitored it and arrested an Air Force Wing Commander. We seized the meth in Hyderabad.”

According to data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), cases of drug peddling have increased nationwide in recent years.

While cases of drug peddling seems to be on the rise, the zonal director has a different opinion about the issue.

“Cases under the NDPS Act have increased, but it does not mean that drug smuggling or such activities have increased. Instead, it just means that the police and NCB have become stricter than before,” Sinha said.

According to the NDPS Act, a person cannot stock or sell an unauthorized or illegal substance.

Substances that are used in medicines but cannot be used separately, or cause harm to the body, fall under this category.

Pushcart menace >>Continued from page 1 nother person who lives near DVG Road, said the hawkers have some sort of understanding with traffic police.

It is rumoured, he added, that the roadside sellers enjoy police protection.

“We should work to make DVG Road, Commercial Street and Avenue Road free of traffic and parking spaces. If people crowd around vendors and buy stuff, then it causes difficulty for motorists. So it would make sense if the road is open either for vendors and shoppers or vehicles. In short, make it a pedestrian-only road or allow complete parking for vehicles,” said Shamala Kittane Subramanyan.

“No one seems to notice these push carts on the road. Once I had seen a traffic police clear them out. But soon the push carts were back again,” he added.

Asked why push carts are allowed on the narrow road, a senior traffic police who did not want to be named said that they do their best to clear them out when they cause traffic congestion.

“It does not appear to be a rampant problem. The entire road has shops. It is only normal that there is heavy traffic during evenings and weekends,” the traffic police officer added.

Arguments break out between the pedestrians and the push cart owners occassionally regarding this problem, but the cold attitude of the police does not give any hope to the residents about the problem getting resolved anytime soon.

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GEAG @GEAG_India Water in #Bengaluru Lakes Not Fit for Drinking or Even Bathing: Environment Research Body http://bit.ly/2A2XWit @indiawater @yamunajiye @nivedita_Him @Indian_Rivers @BangaloreMirror ANIVerified account @ANI #Bengaluru: #Visuals of Bellandur Lake, residents say "situation has not changed much as frothing continues, poses a major health risk" Avni Raja Verified account @avniraja 2 more injured due to potholes in #Bengaluru, while BBMP focus on Kannada hoardings. Patients forced to get off ambulance & walk to hospital because of #Karnataka CM's convoy & majority of MLAs bunk assembly sessions. When will citizens be put first? #TheBigStory @MirrorNow Deccan Herald Verified account @DeccanHerald #Bengaluru could be the first city in India to have electric buses for public transport STPIVerified account @stpiindia First French #technology hub in India to be set up in #Bengaluru

Today’s Weather Maximum temp (degree Celsius): 29.1 Minimum temp (degree Celsius): 19.5 Relative Humidity: 56% Today’s Sunset: 05:50 PM Tomorrow’s Sunrise (IST) 06:22 AM Rainfall: Fog or mist in the morning and a partly cloudy sky later

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The Observer Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Veggie prices touch sky due to GST and rain Pracheta Panja pracheta.p@iijnm.org

MLA Krishnappa yet to fulfill promise to get roads fixed Pracheta Panja pracheta.p@iijnm.org

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engalureans are nowadays afraid to go to buy vegetables. Reason: Prices have shot up because of GST. For their part, vegetable sellers also blame heavy rain in September and early October.

At Russell Market, tomatoes cost Rs 50 a kg, carrots Rs 90 a kg and onions Rs 50 a kg.

Vendor Saiyad Suhel informed The Observer: “The cost of transporting vegetables from farms to markets shot up after GST was implemented. To maintain our profit, we need to increase prices.”

J Nasir, a vendor who has been in the business for a long time, said: “After every rain, vegetables are damaged and prices rise. During November, December and January, we sell the vegetables at higher prices. After that, prices come down.”

D.S. Narayan, a retired officer who is a regular customer at the market, said: “The fluctuation in prices is surprising. Is a hike of Rs 20-Rs 30 per kg fair? Middleclass people have to suffer.”

Rosy Mary, a homemaker, told The Observer: “My husband died seven years ago, and I have to run the household single-handedly.

Vegetable prices never go down. It is very difficult to maintain a simple lifestyle. Just now I bought a

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kilo of onion for Rs 50. The vendor blamed GST. We are not benefiting from government decisions.”

Mohammad Nasir, who runs a small hotel at RT Nagar, said: “High vegetable prices have affected my business. Material cost has gone up, forcing us to increase the price of food. My customers are unhappy, sales have fallen.”

The picture at the Dasarahalli vegetable market, north Bengaluru, is worse than that at Russell Market. Onions cost Rs 60 a kg here. Suresh and Kavita, who sell onions and potatoes, say there are fewer buyers than before.

Ibrahim, a customer at the Dasarahalli market, said: “What will we eat if vegetables like potato and onion become expensive?”

Besides weather and GST, there is another factor impacting prices: Quality. Vegetables of better quality cost much more than the “normal” variety.

esidents and commuters of Neeladri Nagar, Electronics City, submitted a petition to MLA M Krishnappa recently regarding the inconvenience they face every day due to bad roads. The legislator promised to get the roads repaired, but the residents are still waiting.

The roads are muddy and accident-prone. The Doddathoguru Gram Panchayat and the Electronics city Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) have both disowned responsibility for maintaining them.

The road in front of the industrial area is well maintained, but the condition of roads in the residential area is very different, prompting the residents to approach Krishnappa.

Prasanth Dharmadasan, a resident, started a petition, which got 2,911 signatures.

The petition spoke of the residents’ pain: “The stretch from Wipro gate to Thalassery Restaurant on Neeladri Road is horrendous, to say the least. It has become so bad that any major incident can happen anytime. Every day reaching home or office or school has become a nightmare.”

The legislator told the residents

Despite a protest against the bad roads in Neeladri Nagar, and a petition to legislator M Krishnappa, nothing has improved, residents say. They put up with the bad roads | Credit: Pracheta Panja that potholes would be temporarily fixed with wet mix, and road repair would start 15 days after the rains.

Building a footpath was not possible, Krishnappa said.

Sutanuka Koley, who signed the petition, informed The Observer: “There is no footpath, so I have to walk on the road. It’s difficult to walk on the muddy and broken main road. Though they fixed it temporarily, it did not work.”

Abhirup Bhattacharya, who

works in an MNC, said: “I go there to meet my friends at Uniworld in Neeladri Nagar, but now because of the road condition, I hesitate making that. It’s very uncomfortable ride irrespective of whether I am walking, or am on a bike or in a sedan.”

Last year, the residents staged a protest against the bad roads, but nobody has paid attention to their complaints, Sampath Kumar, a retired banker who lives in Neeladri Nagar, informed The Observer.

Pavements block percolation of Nobody is ready to work water, put trees in great danger in fields in Keladi town Urban managers do not care about the issue Arlene Mathew arlene.m@iijnm.org

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cres of land under pavements are increasing surface runoff and reducing water percolation, says Vijay Nishanth, a Bengaluru-based tree doctor and urban conservationist.

More and more people are opting for pavements to beautify their homes, a measure that is posing grave danger to trees.

Residents of C.V. Raman Nagar say that interlocks around houses add beauty to their homes and help in keeping the surroundings clean. “There is no problem of stagnant water. Hence, there are no mosquitoes. It is very easy to keep the area clean,” says Vijaya S., a housewife.

Many people The Observer spoke to seemed to share Vijaya’s thoughts. But a few had a different opinion.

“Trees need open soil around them, so that water percolates and reaches the roots. If trees are denied it, they will eventually fall, in which case they will have to be cut for people’s safety,” said

Leaving just the base of the stem open for water percolation can cause damage rather than help Prreeya Narayanan, a psychology graduate. “I wish I could do something about this, but I do not know who to complain to.”

Many footpaths in Bengaluru sport trees with pavements almost choking the base of the stem. In some places, the roots have grown strong enough to uproot the pavement. Leaving just the base of the stem open for water percolation can cause damage rather than help, says Sandeep Anirudhan, a student

and conservationist. “When water percolates towards the edge of the canopy, the roots spread towards it, securing the foundation of the tree and making it stronger. However, if water percolates only at the base, the roots will not grow outwards; it will result in the tree toppling during strong winds,” he explained. “The farther it is the better.”

According to research conducted by Science Daily, increased runoff reduces groundwater recharge, thus lowering the water table and making droughts worse, especially for farmers and others who depend on water wells.

“The effects of pavements on the water cycle and trees are not easily visible, as it happens over a period of time,” Nishanth informed The Observer. “People seem to not notice the effect pavements have on the environment.

Premature falling and stunted growth are so common these days because tree roots are not strong.”

Campaigns have been organized near HSR Layout to increase awareness on the issue. There have been positive results in Jayanagar as the people are cooperative.

“The BBMP and urban managers are supposed to notice these issues, but they do not seem to care,” Nishanth rued.

Sreejani Bhattacharyya sreejani.b@iijnm.org

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armers in Keladi, a small temple town in Shivamogga district, find it hard to find agricultural labour. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for a majority of people in the town, 8 km from Sagara.

Deepak Jog, a homeopathic doctor and farmer who grows arecanut, pepper, banana, cardamom and coffee, says: “No one is interested in working in fields.

The main reason for this is that labourers can avail of NREGA benefits. Why would they put in hard work in fields? I have 7 acres of land but hardly anyone to look after it. I have one male worker and two female workers.

I pay the male worker Rs 300 a day and the female Rs 80. Earlier, they used to work for eight hours, but now they hardly work for four hours. They refuse to work after that.”

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, provides livelihood security to rural households by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to adults who volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Ramakrishna Hegde , a young farmer, concurs with Jog. “Firstly, young people here are not interested in agriculture.

People who used to work eight hours in the fields now work half that time Even if they get less pay in the city, they prefer to go there. So there is no one to work in the fields. Elderly farmers cannot do hard work. No one is interested in paddy cultivation as it yields very little profit. Keladi now has its last generation of paddy farmers.

On top of that, it is extremely difficult to find labour. In pepper cultivation, a lot of rigorous manual labour is required which they refuse to do. When we call them to work, they say they will come only if it is some light work, or if they can work in the shade.”

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The Observer Wednesday,November 22, 2017

Bengaluru no city for visually impaired and physically challenged people

Lacks ramps for easy access to buildings Manikankana Sengupta manikankana.s@iijnm.org

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n the race to make Karnataka the most preferred investment destination, the state government seems to have forgotten Bengaluru’s disabled population.

Public spaces in the IT hub are extremely unfriendly towards disabled people. Very few offices and buildings have special infrastructure to make access easy for them.

Balaji M., 55, who recently became visually impaired after suffering retinal detachment, works at the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, an NGO which empowers disabled people through education and skill training. He informed The Observer: “Someone from the Trust usually escorts me. So I do not face much problem. However, for those without escorts, it can be very challenging. For people who are

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled runs a school for differently abled children | Credit: Manikankana Sengupta physically handicapped, it can be terrible. People refuse to make way for us.

There are no ramps to accommodate wheelchairs. Though the government has made it mandatory to construct ramps in commercial and government buildings, it is hardly ever done.”

Isaiarasam R., a visually impaired telecaller working with the same NGO, echoed Balaji’s sentiments. He recently moved to Bengaluru from Chennai and did not find much difference in the two cities in terms of infrastructure catering to disabled people.

“One thing I notice in Bengaluru is that the road dividers are very high. It is very difficult for orthopedically challenged people to navigate around them.

Bus stands and railway stations do not have ramps. We cannot access stairs on their own, so we always need someone.”

Bus travel is a nightmare for the visually impaired. “A major issue we face is that we cannot identity bus numbers. We end up missing our buses. There should be announcements on speakers installed in the buses about the stops, but they hardly work. Conductors do not shout out the names of bus stops either. Another trouble is that people occupy seats reserved for the handicapped and do not vacate even when they are asked to.

There are numerous pits on the road, making it inconvenient for blind people using canes to walk,” he added.

Public transport is a nightmare for Isaiarasam, who shared some of his harrowing experiences. “Once my friend and I were travelling in the handicapped compartment of a train

and a man boarded the compartment saying he was a railway staff. After he got down at a station, we realized that our phones had been stolen. Police should be there to monitor these compartments.”

Harish M.J., 38, who has been visually impaired since birth, feels that Bengaluru’s transport is terrible for the blind. “The bus and train stations in Majestic are very far away from each other. It is difficult to navigate alone.”

Prathima Arikeri, a volunteer at the NGO, said though people are generally considerate towards people with disabilities, the city’s infrastructure and education hardly ever take these people into account.

“In India, disabled people have no infrastructure that looks into their needs. Education forms the foundation. This NGO runs a school for differently abled children, but in most regular schools, there is not much scope for equal opportunities. Education, infrastructure and transport are three areas that the state should take into account when dealing with disabled people.”

GST cut to 5%, but eating out Siddapura’s apiarists rake in the moolah is not necessarily cheaper Shiny Kirupa shiny.k@iijnm.org

We are facing crisis after reduction of GST: Eateries

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Rayan Mitra rayan.m@iijnm.org

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ating out was expected to become cheaper after GST on all restaurant bills was reduced to 5%. But the decision, which took effect on November 15, doesn’t seem to have benefited the diner much.

After the new rate came into effect for both AC and non-AC restaurants, some eateries have raised prices.

Café Coffee Day (CCD) put out a new menu card the day GST was reduced.

Earlier, people eating at airconditioned restaurants had to pay 18% GST, while those who dined at non-AC eateries shelled out 12%.

Saumya, manager of CCD’s Indiranagar branch, informed The Observer: “Cappuccino used to cost Rs 107 excluding 18% GST. Now it costs Rs 140 excluding 5% GST. CCD is a leading coffee chain in the country, and we have hardly experienced any change in the number of customers coming in.”

Two restaurant managers in Indiranagar share Saumya’s opinion.The manager of Southindies, a southern Indian restaurant in Indiranagar, said:

Restaurants’ food prices may remain unchanged even after the GST rates are cut | Credit: Rayan Mitra “As ours is a popular restaurant, we have always had a good customer base. For the sake of business, we had to increase the prices of some items on the menu.”

Sandhil Kumar, manager of Anjara restaurant, noted: “The shift has gone totally against us.

We did not witness any increase in the number of customers coming in. But we have a crisis in business. The same happened to our Koramangala branch.”

The manager of Drunken Monkey, a restaurant that serves fresh fruit juices and

smoothies, said: “The shift will surely benefit the customer, and we are happy for that. The menu remains the same as it was before.”

Bhojohori Manna, a restaurant specializing in Bengali cuisine, has kept the rates of food unchanged.

But its manager, Debashis, said business might be affected.

“We saw the number of customers go down when GST on food bills was fixed at 18%.

But now it seems to have stabilized. It is always good to see a customer walk out happily after eating,” he added.

ee-keeping is one of the small-scale businesses taken up by families in Siddapura taluk of north Karnataka.

Apart from maintaining areca and rubber plantations, they also engage in apiculture. The region’s weather and landscape are conducive for bee-keeping.

‘Thuduve bees’, which are found in the Western Ghats, are bred in Siddapura. People claim that these bees produce the best honey with medicinal values.

Most of the production and sale of honey is done at Bilgi, a tiny village 10 km from Siddapura town.

P.S. Bhat, an apiarist (beekeeper) from Bilgi has reared Thuduve bee colonies for the past 20 years. He earns a good profit by procuring and selling honey to his neighbours.

“A single box can fetch 18-20 litres of honey. A litre is sold for Rs 400-Rs 500. The months of February, March and April are the ideal season for bees to gather nectar. Harvest is done during September,” Bhat informed The Observer.

Madhuvana, a government society for apiculture in Bilgi village, produces and sells honey to farmers.

Benaka, an apiarist, said that bees are not only important for producing honey but also for the pollination of crops. “They

P.S Bhat, an apiculturist has been rearing ‘Thuduve bees’ for the past 20 years | Credit Shiny Kirupa fly across 10k m to get nectar.

The worker and drone bees help lay eggs and mate while the production is done only by queen bees.”

Each box contains five to eight frames. Each frame is sold for Rs 2,000.

Mahesh, another apiarist, said farmers and families who are interested in apiculture are provided tools and equipment. “The frames of bee boxes are given at subsidized rates.” The honey of the region will always be in demand, he added.

The Observer Wednesday, November 22., 2017

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Rubber growers of Puttur suffer because of their unscientific habits Drop in price last year affected them badly Manikankana Sengupta manikankana.s@iijnm.org

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sharp drop in the price of rubber has got growers in Karnataka worried. Lack of state support and unscientific methods adopted by the growers have made matters worse. In 2016, the price hit a rock bottom of Rs 116 a kg; it was Rs 245 a kg in January the same year.

Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district, suited for the crop, has large rubber plantations. However, a variety of factors, national and international, have created uncertainty among the planters.

Deputy Rubber Production Commissioner, Rubber Board, Puttur division, M Dinesh explained to The Observer the various reasons for the drop in price last year. “The reasons are varied and often beyond the control of the growers. The devaluation of the rupee, fluctuating crude oil prices, improper tapping techniques and lack of skilled tappers have all played a role in the de-

Rubber plantation in Kadamanjal’s farm | Credit: Manikankana Sengupta cline of market value of rubber in the past few years. Customers are not always ready to buy the product when growers sell it. They wait for the price to go down before they purchase rubber.”

A major setback to the output

comes from within the community. Mohammad Munner, development officer of the Puttur division of the Rubber Board said: “The tapping habits of the local growers results in the yield of sap dropping. Unscientific yielding

Absence of sanitation troubles people of Shiggaon taluk

Growing jackfruit is his hobby & passion Kritika Agrawal kritika.a@iijnm.org

Anjana Basumatary anjana.b@iijnm.org

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he absence of proper sanitation schemes in Shiggaon taluk has led to an increase in health issues among people. Besides Shiggaon town, where the sanitation system is good, no other area in the taluk has proper sanitation facilities.

The most common health issues are dengue, malaria and skin allergies.

People from poor families are unable to get treatment at hospitals. Seven people have been affected by dengue in Shishuvinal and Attigere villages. One villager has died.

“I lost my son two years ago,” a tearful Khairunnissa Khatim, a villager from Shishuvinal, informed The Observer. “He was suffering from dengue, and we could not get him the proper medical care he required.”

In lanes of Shishuvinal and Attigere villages, sewage flows out of half-constructed drains and over garbage spilled on roadsides.

A stench hangs over the lanes, used by people to commute. They have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

People have been requesting the panchayat for the past two years to repair the half -built

methods affect rubber growers all over Karnataka. Tapping in Puttur begins around 9am or 10am when it should ideally begin by 3am. Late tapping dries up the sap. Often, the growers try to do the tapping themselves, damag-

The situation belies the official claim that garbage is collected every morning | Credit: Anjana Basumatary drains and clear their area of garbage, but no action has been taken yet.

M. K. Mugali, panchayat office manager of Shiggaon town, claimed that every morning vehicles come and collect garbage from every lane in the town. “We have delegated people to ensure proper sanitation facilities in the town. We clean them up daily,” he added.

Ratna Godwad, the panchayat head of Shishuvinal, said sewage overflows only during monsoon

and not always as claimed by the villagers. “We are currently planning a sanitation management scheme for the village. We will assign two trucks to collect the garbage.”

Absence of proper sanitation facilities in villages of Shiggaon have also been attributed to the lack of proper roads. The villagers remain hopeful that the new sanitation schemes promised by the panchayat head could bring some positive changes to the village.

ing the tree in the process. This happens particularly in monsoon because few skilled tappers are available; they find the job cumbersome during monsoon. The incisions made on the trees to obtain the latex require a high level of expertise and knowledge.

Many potential areas are left untapped because of lack of labour.”

The state contributes to the misery of the growers. Dinesh said: “There is no state support for affected rubber growers. In Kerala, the state pays a minimum of Rs 150 as state support to growers. The Kerala government compensates the difference between the minimum selling price and the market price. However, the Karnataka government does not provide any such support.

This adversely affects many growers.”

Kadamanjal Subhash Rai, a farmer in Kedambadi village of Puttur taluk, said: “The drop in rubber price last year was drastic. Since, I follow mixed farming on my farm, I had other crops to fall back upon. Good coconut production in my farm saved me from a major loss.”

Rai grows rubber on 20 acres in his farm. He has been awarded a national prize for his rubber and cashew production.

eople have hobbies like collecting coins, stamps, toys and curios. In Beluru in Sagara taluk is a man who collects different varieties of jackfruit from all over the world. He cultivates them as well.

Narendra B.T., 63, grows more than 300 varieties of jackfruits on his 2.5-acre farm. He believes jackfruit is a neglected crop because of its smell and stickiness.

Five years ago, he got to know about different kinds of jackfruit and their characteristics. That is when he started collecting them.

“Normally, a jackfruit tree takes six to eight years to begin yielding fruit, but a grafted tree starts yielding from the third year,” Narendra informed The Observer.

“Some foreign jackfruit varieties are gumless. Some vary in colour, taste or fruit-bearing season. The

trees require no special attention because all varieties grow naturally in our land. But in the first two years, we have to take care of it, especially during summer. We should water it regularly to get a good yield,” he explained.

Chandravakke, one of the jackfruit varieties he grows, has dark red pulp. The Mangalore gumless variety is available in three colours: white, yellow and red. It has no latex.

Chamtedak, a Malaysian variety which he bought from Kerala, is available is three colors. One can cut it with his bare hands.

The Rudrakshi Bakke variety is the size of a small apple.

Ramakrishna, a young agriculturist in Sagara said: “Collecting different varieties of jackfruit is Narendra’s passion.

When the trees start yielding fruit, it will fetch him a good amount of money. Researchers from all over the world will come and study his jackfuits.”

Observer Team Editor: Debanjali Kabiraj Desk: Anjana Basumatary, Arlene Mathew, Athul M, Ayushi Singh, Kritika Agarwal, Barnana H. Sarkar, Rachel Dammala Reporters:Saket Tiwari, Rayan Mitra, Manikankana Sengupta, Shiny Kirupa R, Manahsaa G, Pracheta Panja, Sreejani Bhattacharyya

Environment

The Observer SUPPLEMENT

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

6

Turning Liabilities into Assets

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New technologies allow us to sustainably manage urban waste so why are we still trying to bury the problem, asks Kritika Agrawal

oor management of waste has created a garbage crisis in urban India. But it’s not just our cities that are blighted by the sight of ugly mounds of rotten garbage on streets and vacant lots, we have exported our problem to the surrounding countryside. Overflowing landfills around our major cities contaminate soil and groundwater, poison the environment and create a host of pollution-related health problems in rural communities.

India generates around 100,000 metric tonnes of solid waste every day, of which Bangalore contributes 5% or around 5,000 metric tonnes. Like many other cities, Bangalore recycles only 10% of the total waste it generates, sending the remaining 90% to landfills. India’s waste-management systems are outdated, inefficient and bordering on collapse.

The mystery is why this should be the case when there are several proven technologies from around the world that can not only solve the problem in a cost-effective way, but create valuable by products through sustainable waste treatment.

Biological technologiesare contributing to radically improving waste manageTwo seconds ment. In the US, Lanazatech, an Illinois-based biotech firm, uses microbes to convert carbon-rich waste into biofuel through a gas-fermentation technology and uses the waste emissions from refineries to produce ethanol.

This technology is expected to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by 70% and IndianOil in September signed a contract to incorporate this technology later this year into its Panipat refinery in Haryana at the cost of Rs. 350 crore.

Waste can be converted into electricity. Dong Energy, a Danish company, developed its Renescience technology, which uses enzymes to create electricity from all types of waste. The Renescience enzyme, like a washing powder, cleans the trash for 12 hours in a tank and aids the decomposition process. The organic residues can be used,

RFID tag to open the lid of the bin and the bin automatically calculates the amount the user has to pay and charges it to his credit card. here are solutions for everything. Novozymes, a Danish biotech firm launched Eversa, an enzyme that converts used cooking oil or other lower-grade oils into biodiesel. A study by community groups in three Bangalore Bruhat Maha Palike (BBMP) wards in 2014, reported that 68% of Bangalore’s waste comprises of food waste, largely generated by households. What has Bangalore done either to curb food waste or treat it?

Recently the Karnataka High Court directed the BBMP to prepare a ward-level, solid-waste management plan. In 2012, the court held that every ward committee would be responsible for segregating waste at source and to manage it by opening two wet-waste and one dry-waste processing centres. However, only 40% of waste is segregated.

Anil Nair, head of advocacy and reforms at Janaagraha , an NGO,says that, “All it takes is the political leadership for these technologies to come to India. Lack too long and its garbage’, Mac De Carle.Source: QuoteMd of knowledge and corruption at every level through anaerobic digestion, to generate electricity. The are the major hurdles involved here.” remaining materials are then segregated into various cateMore important, our administrators and policy makers must realise that in a resource-hungry world, urban waste gories like metals and plastics.

According to United Nations, approximately 1.3 bil- and garbage constitute huge sources of recoverable matelion tonnes of food gets wasted and thrown away each rials and energy.

Rather than think up ingenious ways to get rid of year. South Korea has introduced special bins fitted with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology that waste, we should try to recycle and reuse whatever matecharges the residents and the business owners for the rials we can recover from it, thus turning what are seen as amount of food they waste. The user needs a card with an liabilities into assets.

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Missing the Wood for the Trees Forest communities offer the best protection against encroachment and illegal felling. Why doesn’t the government realise this, asks Saket Tiwari

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y father came here from Maharashtra to of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest protects only non-tribal, “traditional forest dwellers”who graze his animals before I was born. Since Dwellers (Recognition of Forests Rights) Act 2006, it’s have lived there for 75 years. Given the pathetic state of then we have been living inHarogoppa. become a lot harder to take action against people they be- land records in even the most intensively cultivated parts This place is like my mother, it has nurtured me and also lieve are encroaching. of India, this is a tall ask. The law is in effect asking the taught me a lot. I don’t want to leave, I will die The Forests Act recognizes the rights of“forest- Gavali community to provide documentation dating back here,”saysVithal, 50,a forest dweller in Harogoppa dwelling scheduled tribes or traditional forest dwellers” to to pre-independence India!

Marathi Camp in Shikaripura taluk, Karnataka. nder theamended Forests Rightsrules,2012, the inhabit, hold and cultivate forest land, collect minor forest Harogoppa forest, some 15 km fromShikaripura town, produce (including all non-timber forest produce of plant gram panchayats have to certifythe claims of all is home to the Gavali and Sidhi communities who, by their origin), fish in its lakes and streams and graze their cattle forest dwellers to the sub-division level commitown account, have been dwelling in the forests near there. tee. That’s a requirement for registration that will provide Shikaripura for overhalf a century.They are dependent on The problem for the Gavali communities that the Act them a permanent living space in the forest. the forest for their various needs, from Says KB Raghvendra, regional forest grazing their animals to collecting officer, Shikaripur taluk, “About 5,400 minor forest produce like gum, bark, hectares of forest has been destroyed and leaves, herbs, shrubs and fallen encroached bythe tribals. Population of anbranches. They cultivate maize onsimals has also decreased. We have got mall plots and use most of what they 4,500 applications for land collect or grow for themselves and sell registration,some of which we have rethe remainder in the nearby market in jected. Other than those all have been accepted. The process of registration is Shikaripura town. The forests around almost complete, we have to verify and Shikaripurahave been steadily shrinkproceed.” Illegal felling and timber smuging. By one estimate, they have been gling, whether of sandalwood,rosewood denuded to just 6,500 hectares from oracaciais definitely on the increase in over 14,000 hectares 15 years ago.

Shikaripura. In the course of a visit to the Amith S, a deputy range forest ofarea and in conversations with local people ficer, says that tonnes of sandalwood and officials, it becomes apparent that they have been felled and smuggled from are being scapegoated by powerful finanthese forests in the last decade. He becial interests in the district, who are profitlieves forest encroachment in Shimoga ing from smuggling timber and other forest district is the highest in the state and products. blames communities like the Gavali for The Gavali vehemently deny they cut the problem. down tree, saying that those who dwell in Encroaching on forest land is illethe forest take care of it. Says Vital wistgal. Under the Indian Forest Act 1927, fully, “Government needs to take care of the government is obliged to protect us.” designated forests. But after enactment People have been dwelling in the forest area for half a century. Source: Saket Tiwari

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