The observer 22nd issue

The Observer An IIJNM Publication

Lack of rules forces private food trucks off roads | P 2

Vol 18, Issue 22

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

The Observer

@theweeklyobserver On the web: issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs/the observer

Cycle rentals gain currency in fitness-conscious city | P 2

Acid attacks rise in Bengaluru in 4 yrs But Karnataka Has Fewer Cases Than Other States

ACID ATTACK CASES IN SOME OF THE OTHER STATES IN 2016

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G. Manashaa ases of acid attack in Bengaluru have registered an increase in the past four years, according to an organization that works for survivors. “There has been a rise in acid attacks,” according to Pragya Singh, founder of Atijeevan Foundation, an NGO that has been fighting for the empowerment and rehabilitation of acid attack survivors.

“Now since media are vigilant, the public is getting to know what is going on. Each one of these cases is reported. Earlier, it was not reported because people were unaware of laws. The offenders thought they could harm anyone and flee. But the situation has changed. More victims are coming forward (to report attacks),” she added.

But Karnataka has witnessed fewer cases than other major states. A report by Acid Survi-

Gujarat-39 Madhya Pradesh-69 Delhi-141 Uttar Pradesh-213 West Bengal-220

Many acid attack cases go unreported , says Sowmya R, an acid attack victim | Credit : Pexels vors and Women Welfare Foundation sayid 27 cases were registered in Karnataka in 2016, less than West Bengal (220), Uttar Pradesh (213) and Delhi (141).

Madhya Pradesh had 69 cases and Gujarat 39 during the year.

Data for 2017 is unavailable.

Receiving proper medical treatment remains a huge challenge. “Victims have to undergo many painful surgeries. The

number of surgeries depends on the percentage of burn and kind of injury. In critical cases, the surgeries get extended to 30 procedures,” Singh said.

Sowmya R, an acid attack victim from Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “There are many unreported cases. Some victims might hide information if the attacker is close to them. It took almost six months for the wound

Lack of support in the Karnataka state budget leaves BMTC grounded Funds would have allowed it to buy new buses

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Rayan Mitra on-allocation of funds in the Karnataka budget has deprived the BMTC of a boost when it is facing a stiff challenge from Namma Metro.

A fresh infusion of funds could have helped the corporation to introduce double-decker services and e-buses.

“People in the city have high expectations from BMTC. Denying it funds will adversely affect the transport system in the city and cost the government in the long run,” said Anish Banerjee, an IT professional who uses BMTC services regularly.

BMTC, with a daily ridership of around 5 million, has been catering to the commuting needs of Bengalureans since 1997.

The state government had promised BMTC support for the purchase of 1,500 new buses

and leasing another 1,500 to reach a fleet strength of about 9,000. However, the leasing process is yet to be completed.

The corporation, with a fleet of 6,167 buses, added around 1,200 buses and scrapped roughly 1,000 this financial year. After a long search, the BMTC signed a contract with a company from Hyderabad that agreed to run ebuses for it.

“We are looking for private partnership and investment.

About competition with the Metro, I would say it’s a little early (to say anything). We have a commuter base of 50 lakh; they have 3-4 lakh,” Shyamala S Maddodi, public relations officer, BMTC, informed The Observer.

Commuter Manjula said: “I used BMTC services regularly for 20 years but shifted to the Metro now. After the Metro becomes dominant in the city, BMTC will incur a loss because people will choose an economical and time-saving mode of travel.”

Ravi. M, who commutes from

to heal in my case. Luckily, I suffered only minimal injuries.”

According to the Acid Survivors Foundation, acid throwing is a violent assault to disfigure, torture or kill someone. The reason could be vengeance or anger or revenge at times.

While victims suffer lifelong disfigurement, they have high survival rates.

The victims face physical and psychological challenges. They require intervention by psychologists and counsellors at each stage of their physical recovery. The far-reaching effects on their lives impact their psychological, social and economic viability in

Vu calls TV rival Mi a low-end brand

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Denial of funds is a major setback for BMTC ahead of e-buses | Credit : Rayan Mitra Mysuru Road and Kengeri Road regularly, said: “Money should have been allotted for purchasing new buses. There are not many buses on the route. Congestion gets unbearable at times.”

The BMTC has failed to keep its promise to run five doubledecker tourist buses on Bengaluru’s roads by December 2017.

The proposal to introduce the buses for Bengaluru Darshan (day trips for tourists) was approved in June last year. rayan.m@iijnm.org

various communities.

Dr Ganapathy RM, who has been performing plastic surgeries in Marathahalli, said: “Most of the attacks are on the face.

The extent of damage depends on what acid has been used. If it is a concentrated acid, the burn is more intense as these acids eat away the skin completely.

Parts of the body like mouth, ears, skin, lips, eyelids, nose and hair can be severely damaged.

Some victims are very strong; others aren’t and may end up with clinical depression.”

“To curb acid attacks, the sale of acids anywhere and everywhere must be stopped. The law must be tightened and punishment must be severe,” added Sowmya. There were no separate statistics for acid violence cases in India till early 2013 because the criminal law did not recognize it as a separate offence. Following an amendment to the Indian Penal Code in February 2013, incidents of acid attack are now being recorded as a separate offence under Sections 326A and 326B. manashaa.g@iijnm.org

Pracheta Panja u Televisions on Tuesday said it is competing with Sony in the smart TV segment, and made light of Mi’s new product, 4A LED. “I think Mi is low-end brand. We are competing with Sony and Sharp,” said Devika Saraf, CEO of Vu, at a press conference on Tuesday.

She ignored a question on why the Mi smart TV is priced less than Vu’s Android 7.0 TV, which she launched in Bengaluru today.

The company says a highlight of the Android 7.0 TV is its voice search feature. They are providing activoice remote.

It claims the TV, which has an in-built Dolby sound system, will bring revolutionary changes in the television industry.

Saraf called Vu’s 55inch Android smart TV “a complete game changer”.

Asked why the TVs are priced low in the US and high in India, she said: “We need to pay 28% duty in india. The government will be able to give an answer.”

The California-based Vu has tied up with Flipkart to sell its products. According to Flipkart vice-president Ajay Yadav, Vu was the most searched brand during the Big Billion Day sales of the e-commerce company.

Saraf, asked more women to enter entrepreneurship.

“80% of the managing team for this launch are women. I wish to see more women entrepreneurs in the future.” pracheta.p@iijnm.org

Observer Team

Editor- Rayan Mitra Desk- Manikankana Sengupta, Ayushi Singh, Rayan Mitra Reporters- Rachel, Athul M, Manashaa G, Pracheta Panja

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The Observer Tuesday, March 13, 2018

CITY

Lack of rules forces private food trucks off the roads BBMP says it is working on provisions

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hile mobile Indira Canteens have gained popularity in Bengaluru, other food trucks are finding it tough to do business. Police force the private vehicles to move away, operators say.

Neither government officers nor the private operators have any clarity on the licence required for the food trucks to operate.

Both Indira Canteens and the food trucks run on the basis of the FSSAI licence and permission from the RTO. The hawker’s licence the latter possess doesn’t seem enough for them.

Varun Sequeira, president Bengaluru Food Truck Association, informed The Observer: “The problem is that we don’t have proper rules for food trucks in our country as it is a relatively new concept. The hawker’s license does not permit you to cook in the vehicle or avail gas facilities. We depend on the FSSAI licence and permission from the RTO, but sometimes that does not seem enough for the authorities. We have to deal with police on a day-to-day basis.

They interfere in our business.

We mostly find our customers in places like Koramangala, HSR

A truck of Great Indian Bhukkad, one of the main food trucks in Bengalurur, affected by the absence of licensing norms | Credit : Great Indian Bhukkad Layout and Indiranagar. Mobile Indira Canteens are parked on BBMP properties, so they find it easy. BBMP is drafting a new set of rules to accommodate us.”

According to Suraj of Great Indian Bhukkad, “authorities create a fuss about our parking.

We are in constant negotiation with BBMP officials to provide us some licence so that we can go about with our business.”

BBMP PRO L Suresh said: “As of now, we don’t have any rules for these food trucks. There is public litigation in process in this regard as well. Laws and

clauses will soon be put in place for food trucks which would help them to function smoothly.”

“Our goal is to provide hygienic food to people and serve the cuisine they like. BBMP does not have any licence for us. Since mobile Indira Canteens are out on the streets, we expect BBMP to come with new sets of rules“ Leoma D’Souza of the Swat Food Truck said.

Varun Srikanth, founder of Food Truck League (FTL) said: “We need a bunch of licences, including the fire and safety licence, FSSAI licence and per-

mission from the RTO. But there is a lot of confusion. For example the vehicles, the RTO permit under the ‘Mobile Canteen Clause’ does not allow us to modify them according to our requirements.

There are no readily available food vehicles in the Indian market. So most of us buy Tempo Travellers and modify them but the RTO interferes in this. We are in talks with BBMP regarding laws that we should abide by. But they have not come up with any solutions so far.” athul.m@iijnm.org

We’ll waive farm loans, says RPI (A)

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Rachel Dammala he Republican Party of India (A) on Tuesday promised to fix minimum wages of workers at Rs 2,665 a day if voted into office. It would later waive the loans of farmers and pay them compensation.

Speaking at a news conference, M. Srinivasa, vice-president of the party’s Karnataka unit, said citizens need to be educated so the government does not befool them. He accused the government of not sticking to the Preamble of the Constitution.

“We want a society that is socially and economically equal, where there is no gap between the haves and the have-nots,” he said. The RPI (A) would make India a better place to live in.

Senior party leader HR Surendra said: “We have the biggest Constitution in the world, But of what use is it if it is not executed well?” The party’s main aim is to make India a sovereign, socialist, democratic republic, Surendra said. He quoted Ambedkar as saying, “If the Constitution is in the hands of the right people, it will be a good constitution.

And if it is in the hands of the bad ones, it will serve the wrong purpose.”

Srinivasa said the party would release its manifesto soon. dammala.r@iijnm.org

State’s plan to raise retirement age opposed

Bicycle rentals gain currency in fitness-conscious Bengaluru Y

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Manikankana Sengupta large number of people in Bengaluru have taken to cycling as a mode of transport and as a way to keep fit. The bicycle rentals industry is flourishing because a large number of cyclists prefer renting cycles to buying their own.

Prateek Tambi, co-founder of City Cycling, Bhoganhalli, informed The Observer: “We started two years ago. There is a high demand now. More and more Bengalureans are opting for cycle rentals. We rent out 100200 cycles in a month. One of the main reasons is that people are a lot more fitness-conscious.

Another reason is that cycles are faster in traffic. Weekends bring a large number of clients. We have a lot of working professionals renting bicycles. People can choose from regular and special mountain cycles.”

Sachin Venkateshaiah of Pedals and Wheels, Malleswaram, said: “We started in 2009. Over the years, we have seen a massive increase in business. In a year, we rent out 600 to 700

ICycle conducts a number of cycling events throughout the year in and around Bangalore. | Credit: ICycle.in cycles. The maximum demand Managing Director of ICycles in comes from people in the 18- Nandini Layout.

“Earlier people used to partici30 age group. There is an even higher demand during win- pate (in events) only if they had ter. More and more people are cycles, but now there are a lot of looking to rent cycles suited for people offering bicycles on hire. rough terrain. But continuity We get demands for big cycling is missing as a lot of them stop events. We usually rent out 50cycling after a short while. An- 60 cycles a month for regular other obstacle is that if the dis- rentals, and 100-120 cycles for tance of commute is too great, these events. Rentals are higher then the person gets tired before during the weekends. We get the maximum customers in the he reaches his destination.”

There has been a big change in 30-40 age group who have not the cycle-renting business, said cycled since school,” he said.

Srinivas, co-owner of By C Manjesh Chandrashekharan,

Fun in Devanahalli, seems to have cashed in on Bengaluru’s proximity to Nandi Hills. “We entered the business primarily because of the tourism industry.

Nandi Hills is a very popular tourist spot so people would go there on Sundays and holidays.

They do not always want to carry bicycles from Bengaluru, and instead wanted to rent it from somewhere nearby. That is how

By C Fun started,” he informed The Observer.

Shreya Bhawana Toppo, a student of Christ University, said: “I do not cycle every day.

So it does not make sense for me to buy one. I rent out cycles during weekends. It is a great way to keep oneself fit, and I also feel I am doing my bit for the environment.”

Adhip Ashak, a mechanical engineer, shared: “The option to rent out mountain cycles is really great. A lot of people are passionate about it, but these cycles can be very expensive.

Moreover, you cannot go on a cycling trip every other day.” manikankana.s@iijnm.org

Athul M outh for Jobs, a sister association of Karnataka Jana Sakthi, on Tuesday opposed Karnataka government’s plans to raise the retirement age of its employees from 60 to 62 years. When unemployment is high, the government’s decision will render more youths jobless, a member N. Ramesh, a retired professor from National College, said at a news conference on Tuesday.

“The government seems to keep increasing the retirement age. On the other hand, they are not filling up vacancies in government offices,” he said. “Statistics showed that there were 95 lakh unemployed youths in Karnataka in 2013. Every year, around 8 lakh apply for government jobs. Out of the 7.20 lakh vacancies, only around 4.4 lakh vacancies have been filled.”

Youth for Jobs will hold a meeting at the National College grounds on March 25 to make political parties aware of the situation. People in the 1839 age group number 7.4 crore, the organization said. If the government does not fill vacancies, they may boycott elections. athul.m@iijnm.org