The Observer Vol 21 Issue 22

Page 1

The Observer

An IIJNM publication

Vol. 21, Issue 22

Thursday, March 10, 2022

https://facebook.com/ iijnmbangalore https://twitter.com/ observer_weekly Epaper: https://issu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in

The business of CDs, DVDs and cassettes dies in the city as people shift to online streaming | P 3

Society witnesses a positive change as trans people get employment in organised sectors | P 2

Declining forest cover BJP retains power in in B’luru causes worry UP; AAP sweeps

Action by govt and people needed to save it By Abwesha Singh

N

ishka Kumari, 7-year-old, who is always fascinated by trees and plants and spends her evenings in a garden located in her apartment complex with her father, who explains to her the importance and need of protecting nature. “It is important to grow trees because they give you oxygen and are home to lot of birds. A large number of trees makes forest which is home to our wide biodiversity,” she said while speaking to The Observer. Nitin Kumar, her father,wants Nishika to know the value of trees and, as she grows older, participate in conserving the

Development activities have led to cutting of trees I Credit: Anwesha Singh environment. “While developing a place, we cut down so many trees, not understanding how important they are to protect our resources,” he said. The Times of Indiarecently reported that Karnataka has lost 64 sqkm of its moderately dense forest, which accounts for 54 per cent of the overall forest area in the state as per the India State

of Forests Report (ISFR) 2021, prepared by the Forest Survey of India to assess the country’s forest and tree resources. Notify forests: Expert Dilip Kumar PJ, a retired Indian Forest Service officer,said a reduced forest cover would affect a lot of things: ecology and biodiversity, climate and biogeochemical cycles, water, soil and air quality. On being asked what steps the government should take to increase forest cover, he said: “Identify good existing forest tracks and notify them as forest reserves or reserved forests under the Forest Act and give protection through forest departments. This is crucial.” He spoke about the concept of joint forest management during the 1980s where local communities were developed for notified forest areas. “The same could be done for village common lands used to provide fodder.” ►Continued on page 3

Metaverse: Trend or fad? Mental health issues rise in LGBTQIA+ community

Bengalureans still skeptical of virtual world

By Chhavi Vohra

By Swarali Bodas

magine a world where you can meet your friends, work in your office, transact, play games, go shopping and make new investments seated on your living room couch. You no longer need a venue to host a party for your friends. They can meet you virtually almost anywhere. Interesting, isn’t it? All this and a lot more would be possible in a metaverse. You might think, who wouldn’t want technology and progress like that? Bengalureans, however, are skeptical when it comes to metaverse, a virtual-reality space in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. They hold mixed views about the new technology at their behest.

he world came shattering down for Umaima M, 19year-old, a student living in Mumbai, when in May 2020 their parents gave them – Umaima’s preferred pronoun is “them”– an ultimatum and told them to leave the house. Gathering courage and some clothes, they called up their friend and asked him if they could stay at his place for the time being. At around the same time, a similar thing was happening in Vadodara: 20-year-old Himansh Singh was told to either listen to his parents or leave the house. The only difference here was that he didn’t have anywhere to go. In both scenarios, their only fault was that they came out. ►Continued on page 2

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T It will have both positive, negative effects, say citizens I Courtesy: pexels.com Raunak Sharma, a resident of Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “Metaverse is a digital platform which will enable people to have an active social life, meet their friends, family members and loved ones through the digital space as and when they like. I don’t understand why someone would want or need that. There’s no substitute to being physically present somewhere and fully enjoying the moment.” ►Continued on page 3

into office in Punjab BJP also holds on to the other three states

By Team Observer

T

he BJP is set to return to power in four of the five states that went to the polls, including Uttar Pradesh. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) looks set to make a sweeping win in Punjab this time. According to the Election Commission of India data, BJP had won three seats and was leading in 244 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh (total: 403 constituencies) at 4 p.m. In Punjab, which has 117 constituencies, AAP had won 53 seats and was leading in 39 constituencies. In Uttarakhand, the BJP was leading in 45 constituencies and had won 3 seats out of a total of 70 seats. In Goa, the BJP seemed close to returning to power. It had won 13 seats out of 40 and was leading in seven. In Manipur, the BJP had won 11 seats and was leading in 13 out of the 60 assembly constituencies. At the time of going to press, according to Mint newspaper, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath was leading in Gorakhpur Urban constituency and SP’s Akhilesh Yadav in Karhal. An Indian Express report said Punjab CM Channi was trailing in both the constituencies he contested from: Chamkur Sahib and Bhadaur. Likewise Congress’ Navjot Singh Sidhu fell behind in Amritsar East. AAP was leading in all these constituencies. In Uttarakhand, though the BJP looked set to return to power, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami lost his Khatima seat. In Goa, CM Promod Sawant was leading in Sanquelim. Manipur CM N. Biren Singh was leading by 2,598 votes in the Heingang constituency at 4 p.m today. It will be the first time since 1985 that a chief minister will have a second tenure in Uttar Pradesh if thr BJP gains power.

UP Results 2022

Punjab Results 2022

Uttarakhand Results 2022

Goa Results 2022

Manipur Results 2022


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