The Observer, Volume 19, Issue 13 by IIJNM Bangalore

The Observer An IIJNM publication

Bengaluru’s state-run libraries have poor infrastructure and lack updated books | P2

Vol 19, Issue 13

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Vitamin C & D is prescribed for people there Shoby Krishna G

Data from NHP- 2019 show that 156 districts across 19 states are under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis up to 2018-2019 | Courtesy: Matthew Ferguson 57/Wikipedia in terms of number and percentage, after Rajasthan. Other states under the programme include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and Bengal. The National Health Programme report states that out of the 13,17,088 cases that were examined, 5,49,988 were suspected to be of dental fluorosis and 1,97,563 were suspected to be of

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In Kudiligi taluk, deaths in road accidents go up; police suggest having a skywalk over highway | P5

Over half of Karnataka’s districts have high incidence of fluorosis arnataka has high incidence of fluorosis in more than half of its districts, according to the National Health Profile released in October 2019. Out of the state’s 30 districts, 19 are under National Programme for Prevention and Control of Fluorosis for the period 2018-2019. The districts are: Ballari, Mysuru, Chikkballapura, Koppal, Davanagere, Tumakuru, Bagalkot, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Vijayapura, Raichur, Chitradurga, Gadag, Kalaburagi, Hassan, Kolar, Mandya, Ramanagara and Shimoga. The state has the second highest number of districts, both

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skeletal fluorosis. Dr Roopashree S, a fluorosis consultant in Bengaluru Urban district, informed The Observer: “Karnataka is one of the endemic states for fluorosis. The rural drinking water supply ministry checks water for fluoride content. If fluoride is more than 1 ppm (parts per million), then it can cause fluorosis. Sometimes, fluoride-rich foods like junk food can

aggravate the situation.” She added: “In fluoride-rich belts, we ask people to take more Vitamin C and D. In each district, there is a district fluorosis consultant and district lab technician. Water samples are checked and suspects are screened for urine fluoride. Every month, school surveys are undertaken.” ASHA workers’ help is also taken to promote awareness. Tests such as Coin test, chin test and stretch tests are given to confirm the cases. Calcium tablets are given to the patients for three months. After three months, there is a follow-up by checking urine samples. Dr Kalavathi, a health officer in BBMP, said: “For now, there is no separate fluorosis officer in BBMP. In Bengaluru, fluorosis prevalence is not there as there is more piped water supply rather than groundwater usage.” Dental fluorsis affects K’taka children, page 4

News briefs Congress dominates civic polls in Rajasthan

The Congress has won a majority in 23 of 49 municipal bodies in Rajasthan, winning 961 wards. BJP managed to win only six municipalities, with 737 wards. Independents, with 368 wards, are likely to play a crucial role in formation of civic councils.

BBMP blacklists contractors

BBMP has blacklisted 32 contractors for the second time for raising fake bills ov er civ ic works i n R a j a r a j e s h w a r i Nagar, Malleswaram and Gandhinagar divisions between 2008 and 2011.

Shahadat banned for 5 yrs

The Bangladesh cricket board has banned former national team fast bowler Shahadat Hossain for 5 years and 2 of them suspended, after he assaulted a teammate during a match.

PSBs report frauds

State Bank of India reported a fraud of Rs 25,400 crore, followed by Punjab National Bank of Rs 10,800 crore and Bank of Baroda of Rs 8,300 crore.

BBMP slaps KIMS hostels with Rs 1-lakh Cycle lanes used as parking penalty for improper disposal of waste lots & to drive other vehicles Meghna Das Chowdhury

Aarthi N

he girls’ and boys’ hostels of the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) have had to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 each to the BBMP Solid Waste Management Plant for not segregating waste properly despite repeated warnings. The hostel authorities say they will now on follow the rules governing segregation. On Tuesday, the BBMP’s inspection of the two hostels revealed that waste was dumped without any segregation. According to BBMP’s Solid Waste Management Rules, “It is mandatory to segregate waste into organic, dry and sanitary from February 1, 2017. Non-compliance will be penalized.” Randeep, BBMP’s special commissioner for solid waste management, informed The Observer: “The hostels were disposing of waste in a very unhealthy manner. We had warned them earlier. They must segregate waste before

The KIMS hostels used black plastic to dump trash, which is against the BBMP’s SWM guidelines | Credit: Meghna Das Chowdhury disposing it of in BBMP vans. But they didn’t. They kept dumping everything together. They use black plastic bags for dumping the waste; that too is a violation of the rules. The manner in which they dump the waste is against BBMP’s Solid Waste Management guidelines.I hope they learn a lesson from the fine imposed.” BBMP vans have stopped collecting waste from the two hostels because they were not segregating it. The Observer found that a lot of waste has ac-

cumulated and it is kept inside a storeroom. The place stinks and is filled with flies. “Earlier, BBMP vans used to tell us to not dispose of everything together. They asked us to segregate solid, wet and sanitary waste. We avoided it. After some time, they stopped picking up the garbage. Now all of it has been accumulated in a room,” said Rajeshwari HT, supervisor of the girls’ hostel. BBMP vans warned KIMS repeatedly, page 4

he #CycleToWorkFridays movement has gained a lot of positive response but cyclists complain it is risky to ride cycles as there are no dedicated lanes. Also, people do not know about cycle lanes as two-wheelers and four-wheelers use them. “I have been using a cycle for the past few years. It would be better if there are separate cycle lanes as riding on the road with speedy vehicles is quite risky. If there are separate lanes, then we can ride without any fear,” Ashwath A, who works with an IT firm, informed The Observer. Rohith K, an employee at a finance company in Marathahalli, said: “There are cycle lanes in a few places in the city but as not many use them, the lane is being used by other vehicles. These cycle lanes should be separated from the road with barricades or dividers so that other vehicles do not use them.” Harish C, who uses app-based

BBMP’s plan to construct cycle lanes hasn’t been completed | Credit: KPN cycles to reach his office, shared: “Many people use cycles these days. Even if we don’t own a cycle, we can always use Yulu and Bounce cycles to cover short distances. It is very risky for the cyclists to ride cycles along with other vehicles. Cycle lanes are a must when it comes to safety of the cyclist. There should be strict violation rules for people who drive their two wheelers and fourwheelers in the cycle lane.” Cyclists face difficulty, page 3

CITY

The Observer Wednesday, November 20, 2019

City’s state-run libraries in bad shape due to poor maintenance Major issues are poor infra, lack of updated books Shivani Priyam

tate-run central libraries in Bengaluru suffer due to delays in payments by urban local bodies and block development authorities. The Vijayanagar Central Library is a huge repository of books ranging from classics to science, but its disorderly arrangement of newspapers creates problems for visitors. Bharath M.B., a BTech student from the Don Bosco Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “I visit the Vijayanagar library as it is located close to my place. I am searching for reference books to study for competitive exams. But most of the times, I find the seats already occupied. Lack of space forces me to occupy a seat between the racks. The dim light hampers my eyes, but I’ve to study. So I don’t really bother now.” Gururaj, an audit officer with the social welfare department has a different view. “I find the place quite comfortable and peaceful. I manage to take some time out from work in the evening to read newspapers in the reading area.” The City Central Library in Bangalore South is a fairly large one, housing over 50,000 books

The books in South Bengaluru’s City Central Library are in a deplorable condition | Credit: Shivani Priyam and a newspaper reading section on the first floor. But the books are in a deplorable state. Most of them, especially law books, are old and torn, with no proper binding. The covers are covered with dust. The administration does not seem to have organized the books properly after binding. The library has a separate reading area reserved only for women, but both men and women can be seen seated in the space. Maithili, a post-graduate student, informed The Observer: “The signboard carries the label ‘For Ladies Only’ but people do not bother. Everyone seems to occupy the space available, and male citizens sit randomly.” Nanduni S, an engineering student, said: “I am preparing for UPSC exams. Though the library fulfils my requirement of refer-

ence books, there is the issue of women’s restroom. It is not clean. Sometimes the library space is full. So, there are problems of seating for the students.” The public library in Siddanna Layout, Banashankari Stage II, is grappling with lack of availability of updated books, popular books on Kannada and Tamil literature and drinking water. Sometimes, the seats are reserved by people in advance which create problems for new visitors, even though students may not be using them. The library has no Internet and computer facilities for visitors. Vinayak Gaonkar, a BE student from VTU, Belagavi, who is preparing for the Civil Services exam, said: “I have been visiting the library for the past one and a half years and I find people re-

serving seats by keeping their books in advance. The library lacks essential books in Kannada literature, including great works of authors like Kuvempu. Moreover, I find editions belonging to the year 2008 are not relevant when it comes to Civil Services. We look for revised editions. “The library’s management system is faulty as it comes under the jurisdiction of the Block Development Authority, which is not paying rent. It is a classic case where two departments of the state government are in tussle with each other over funds.” Yadhu Kumar, a BCom student, shared: “There is no drinking water in the library. First-year chartered accountancy books are not available too. I find it extremely difficult to prepare during exams when I need reference books for CA..” The City Central Library also faces the problems of data backup in computers and the limited availability of desktops. Visitors complain of only four computers available with poor or no Internet connectivity. Bhasavaraj Talwar, an accountant who manages administrative matters at the department of public libraries, said: “There is a separate administrative department handling solely the funding and maintenance of libraries. The department handles the funding, allocation, etc for libraries every year.” shivani.p@iijnm.org

Around the city Global Education Fair 2019 Taj MG Road, November 24, 11 am to 5 pm. Free workshop on Digital Marketing 23rd November, from 11 am to 1 pm at National Institute of Digital Marketin, Bangalore. Free Seminar on Stock Market Investments November 23, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, at Revamp In, JP Nagar. Story-telling Festival From November 23, 6 pm to 24th November 9 am, at Bangalore, Karnataka. Free Workshop on Data Structures and algorithms November 23, from 9am to 1:30 pm, at ABC for Technology Training (BTM Layout). Healthy Self Journey Free Session on Healthy self Journey Towards a medicine free life, on November 23, from 10:30am to 12:30pm, at Revamp In, J.P. Nagar.

Weather Forecast Max. temperature: 28 degree celsius Min. temperature: 18 degree celsius Precipitation: 40% Humidity: 73% Wind: 19 km/hr

Attractive glass facades raise threat to the planet They force people to use ACs, which emit CFCs Adilin Beatrice C

hopping malls and industrial parks adorned with glass facades are not ecofriendly. “Glass facades isolate people from the environment. When buildings have glass facades, they need air conditioners, which consume more electricity. The more people use ACs, the more the city gets heated,” environmentalist Sandeep Anirudhan informed The Observer. ACs emit CFCs, which erode the ozone layer. “Bangalore was called a ‘Fanfree City’ in 1950s. But now, due to the increase in buildings that neglect such aspects, the city is getting destroyed,” he added. According to a study conducted by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, London, a complete glass building consumes four times more electricity than a normal building. “If a glass building is con-

structed, the architect should be concerned about the east and west sides as they get more sunlight. They neglect this to highlight the elevation. When the glass placement is not correct, it ends up heating the building. But people inside are not concerned because of the air conditioners,” said Naveen G.J., an architect. ACs increase power consumption which contributes to global warming,. “The substitute to this is thermally insulated glass. The glass is kept like a sandwich with an air gap in it, preventing sunlight from entering. But people avoid using it due to the high cost,” Naveen added. Thermally insulated glass is trying to find a foothold in India. But heat transmission through glass is still high compared to other building materials. Meenakshi Dhote, assistant professor, department of environment planning, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, informed rediff.com: “Since glass is transparent, higher amount of infrared radiation comes in. It is shortwave radiation when it enters, but the moment it enters a room, it becomes long-range radi-

A study reveals that a complete glass building consumes four times more electricity than a normal building | Credit: Adilin Beatrice C ation. Hence, a higher capacity AC is required to keep the indoors cool. India has a tropical climate, and these glass building are just not suitable.” R. Prasad, additional director, town planning, BBMP, said: “We let the construction of a building once it passes all criteria of the National Building Code of India. We don’t stop them from con-

structing buildings using glass facades. We can’t instruct them to construct as per our wish. Rather we give them an option to go with the concept of green buildings.” “When a building comes under the criteria we have for green building, we give them some relaxation, benefits or concession in tax. This green building concept is implemented to encourage peo-

ple who abide to keep the globe cool,” he added. The Building Code is a national instrument providing guidelines to regulate building construction across India. But there are people who have favoured glass facades for their buildings to make them look attractive. Nagesh Murthy, the owner of a glass building in Vijayanagar who has rented it out to various entities, said: “My architect suggested a glass facade saying that it will give a classy look to the building. Glass elevations always attract people. That is why I constructed the building using them.” Bharathi, owner of a glass-facade building on Central Street, Shivajinagar, said: “We put glass in the elevation to control sound. This is a noisy street and people keep honking. So, a solution could be blocking it with glass.” Glass buildings are a European concept. Their main aim is to get maximum sunlight. But the concept does not seem relevant to India, where the maximum temperature can get as high as 50 degrees Celsius. adilin.b@iijnm.org

CITY

The Observer Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Driving offences by juveniles worry Bengaluru traffic police R Parents are fined

Hike in job quota for SCs demanded

Shoby Krishna G

for accidents by underage drivers

Chirag Dutta

uveniles driving vehicles is a serious offence. In Bengaluru, up to five children are injured every day while driving or riding vehicles. These offences also put drivers around them at risk. M S Prakash, sub-inspector of a Traffic Management Centre, informed The Observer: “Underaged drivers pose a threat to traffic. Young teenagers ride or drive without proper experience and end up in accidents, not only injuring themselves but putting other drivers at risk too. Bengaluru police pay special attention to this matter. The police have to be very careful while making arrests. To escape punishment, children often try to dodge the police. In most of these cases, they end up crashing and injuring themselves severely. At times even police personnel are injured in the process. When a child is arrested for a driving offence, his parents are called and are charged hefty fines. For severe offences, the vehicle is seized.” Recently, three boys crashed their bike into a divider near

Young teenagers ride or drive without proper experience and end up in accidents, injuring themselves severely | Credit: Chirag Dutta Baiyappanahalli. The youngest of A second chief traffic warden, them was 13 years old. The boy Dr K. Mohanan Nambiar, shared: riding the bike was rushed to a “Parents and locals of an area nearby hospital with a serious have the best chance to prevent neck injury. The other two did not these accidents. Parents must not require immediate medical atten- allow their children to drive untion. Such cases are not uncom- less they are mature enough to mon in areas like Baiya- pass driving tests and earn a lippanahalli, Shivajinagar, etc. cence. Youth is keen to learn Traffic police say these cases bike riding, boosts the issue. Eldare dealt with very seriously. ers should keep an eye on them

while they learn and shouldn’t allow them to go far. While learning, one should not ride a bike on a busy road or a major road. Even though we have installed security cameras around the city, we may not always be able to reach the victims on time. The best solution to this is prevention. This is an issue where parents and locals are the main help the police can rely on.” Chandrasekhar K, an autorickshaw driver, shared his experience. “I was completing a trip near Shivajinagar when a bike collided against my auto. Two children on a Bajaj Platina hit the auto from the left side. One of them fell and the other was dragged along with the bike. To my luck, I was able to slam the brakes on time, or else a rear wheel would have rolled over the child’s arm. In accidents like these, people blame the driver of public transport. But in my case, children were involved,” he said. Sections 199A and 199B of the Motor Vehicles Act say that guardians or vehicle owners will be held responsible when an underage person causes an accident. A fine of Rs 25,000 with three years imprisonment will be imposed and the juvenile will be tried under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act while the registration of the vehicle will be cancelled. chirag.d@iijnm.org

eservation in government jobs for SCs should be increased from 15% to 17%, participants In a meeting on Wednesday demanded. Retired IAS officer Venkatayya N said that SCs and STs are socially and politically discriminated against. Laws such as the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, do not help in social empowerment. In rural areas, most of the school dropouts are from SC/STs. A committee under retired judge Nagamohan Das has been formed to study the matter. A petition is expected to be submitted to the state government. shoby.k@iijnm.org

Quiz Corner lWho can remove the governor of a state from office? lPart VI of the Constitution of India is not applicable to which state? lWhich ministry has started the Ganga Aamantran Abhiyan? lWho is the current chief of the World Bank Group? lHookpass terminology belongs to which sports? lIn which year Football was inducted as a competitive game in Olympics? lName the financial institution which has launched 'green' bond fund for central banks to promote green finance? For answers see page 5

People find it tough Absence of adequate STPs to cycle with traffic affects rejuvenation of lakes

Continued from page 1 atya Sankaran, Bengaluru’s cycle mayor, said: “There are a lot of people coming up to ride cycles these days. With #CycleToWork Fridays, we want more people to join to put pressure on the BBMP to construct cycle lanes. We have already requested them to construct cycle lanes to which they have agreed and informed us about the plan.” When The Observer questioned a BBMP official (who didn’t want to be named) about the construction of cycle lanes, he said: “Building cycle lanes is a failed project. We will not continue work on it.” “There are lot of cyclists in the city and for a cyclist to be safe, a dedicated infrastructure is required. We have cycle lane only in Jayanagar, which was built long ago and now is used as parking space for two-wheelers and fourwheelers. Cyclists who cycle in the Whitefield road are at high risk because the roads are horrible. They are filled with potholes, open drainages. The beginners will find it really difficult and scary to use such roads while cycling,” said Shilpi Shahu, cycle ambassador of Qualcomm. “Recently, they marked bus

lane in ORR but they have not marked lane for cyclists. We now have to cycle along with the buses which is even riskier,” she rued. There are a few cycle lanes in in Jayanagar, Cubbon Road and near Vidhana Soudha but these lanes are used by other motor vehicles as they do not have any distinction from the regular road. According to a December 2018 report in The News Minute, the BBMP drew up a detailed plan to construct cycle lanes on the roads stretching over 100 km of roads in the city in about 11 months’ time. The selected roads for the cycle lanes to be built were parts of Outer Ring Road and Whitefield during the first phase of the project and in Marathahalli to Hoodi via Brookfield, and in other places. According to a Hindu report on February 2, BBMP was to work on a cycle lane in HSR Layout at a cost of Rs 18.5 crore. The deadline to complete the work –the end of March – has been missed. BBMP has floated tenders for the development of cycle lanes and footpaths around some Metro stations, and some dedicated cycle tracks around the industrial hubs. aarthi.n@iijnm.org

They need to be set up at the source: Expert Nissim Jacob

he lack of sewage treatment plants has adversely affected the rejuvenation of several lakes in Bengaluru. Environmentalist Sandeep Anirudhan said: “The real problem is the discharge of untreated sewage into storm water drains which ultimately ends up in lakes and affects the quality of water. Harmful microbes enter the lakes which increase the algae in the lake, depleting oxygen levels and affecting the ecosystem.” “STPs need to be set at the source level itself and regulations need to be brought in. Efforts need to be made that sewage is treated before being sent to storm water drains,” he added. Abhinandan, a resident of Sarjapur, informed The Observer: “The level of water in the Kaikondrahalli lake, near my house, has reduced. This is because sewage

All lakes in the city should have STPs | Credit: KPN has been let into the lakes through storm water drains, affecting the health of the lake. All the lakes in the city should have an STP. Otherwise, the quality of water will deteriorate. Attempts to rejuvenate the lake will fall short without STPs,” he added. Satish, a resident of Halasuru, said the condition of lakes can be improved if sewage treatment plants are set up. “Lakes across Bengaluru are in a terrible condition. This is because untreated sewage is let into lakes. That is deteriorating the quality of the water in the lakes.” BBMP chief executive engineer

for lake development, BT Mohan Krishna, said: “BBMP has set up sewage treatment Plants for five lakes in the city, most of which are tertiary treatment plants. These are in Uttarahalli, Doddakere, Dasarahalli, and Mallathalli which are conventional STPs, while the one in Hirohalli uses soil biotechnology that can treat secondary sewage. We plan STPs for lake rejuvenation.” Asked about declining water levels in lakes, he said: “Due to high evaporation and percolation losses, the holding capacity of the lakes has decreased. This is because partially treated sewage is let into the lakes. The STPs help to solve the problem to some extent, but other work that we do, such as desilting, deweeding, and strengthening of bunds, also helps in lake rejuvenation. We also divert the sewage downstream.” The National Green Tribunal (NGT) set up a committee headed by Justice N. Santosh Hegde to oversee the protection and rejuvenation of the Bellandur, Varthur and Agara lakes. The committee recently submitted its report to the NGT. nissim.j@iijnm.org

CITY

50 more baby feeding centres to be installed at rly stations

Aarthi N

baby-feeding centre has been opened at the Majestic railway station’s AC waiting room. Covered with thick curtains, the centre has two wooden stools for lactating women to sit comfortably and feed their children. “We have installed the Corner Baby-feeding Centre as a pilot project at the Majestic station. We will soon implement such centres in 50 other stations, including Yeshwantpur and Kengeri,” Raushan Kumar, divisional commercial manager, South Western Railway, Bengaluru division, informed The Observer. Laxmi, a cleaner at the station, said: “Many women who want to breastfeed their babies come here. There is space only for one person to sit. They have more privacy here compared to the ladies waiting room, which has many chairs.”

KIMS Hostel repeatedly warned by BBMP vans

Continued from page 1

arlier BBMP vans used to tell us not to dispose off everything together. They asked us to segregate solid, wet and sanitary waste. We avoided it and after sometime they stopped picking up the garbage. Now, all of it has been accumulated in a room,” said Rajeshwari HT, girls’ hostel supervisor. Savitha Hiremath, a waste management expert explained, “Waste segregation legislation has been there for a long time. Any organization that generates more than 50 kg of wet waste is supposed to process it within the campus, be it a residential area, college or hostel. KIMS hostel should follow the rules. Violation of rules must be penalized. Also, sending out mixed-waste causes a lot of pollution during transportation. It is harmful for the landfills as well.” meghna.c@iijnm.org

Feeding rooms are available at the Kempegowda International Airport and in a few malls. | Credit: Aarthi N Meenakumari, a passenger at the AC waiting room, noted: “It is a very good initiative as the mothers will have privacy. It will help women if such centres are opened in every railway station and also

other public places.” Sangeetha, another passenger, said: “We have these centres in a few places and most of them are closed. Centres like this should be open 24/7. Women can travel

The Observer Wednesday, November 20, 2019

freely if such centres are installed at all railway and bus stations.” Swati Desai of Bangalore Women Power Organization said: “It is a great step to help new mothers as they feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public.” The government should implement open such facilities in all public spaces. Public places do not have designated spaces for breastfeeding, and 73% of mothers in Bengaluru want breastfeeding spaces, according to a Deccan Chronicle report published on May 29, 2019. Feeding rooms are available at the Kempegowda International Airport and in a few malls. According to news reports, in 2017, BMTC planned to launch lounges at bus stations for lactating moms to feed their babies. It sought a budget of Rs 2.25 crore from the Centre under the Nirbhaya fund, but two years later, there is not one such lounge. aarthi.n@iijnm.org

Citizen’s voice Sportspersons lack facilities Recently at Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru, volleyball players from Nepal along with their chief coach were heard blaming India’s sports managers for the lack of training facilities. They had to travel to southern India ahead of the six-nation regional South Asian Games, 2019, to train. The government should improve facilities for sportspersons. Ritam Chatterjee Toilets not maintained Public toilets near Shivajinagar lack maintenance. Toilet water is stagnant, making the place very unhygienic. It is not cleaned regularly. Authorities should look into the matter and take soem steps to stop it. Priyansh Verma Give them better meals Midday meals in schools around the city lack proper proteins items. The school meals should be analysed by the government and made better since school students health should be taken into account. Shlok Arya

Dental fluorosis affects K’taka school children Continued from page 1

ata from NHP- 2019 show that 156 districts across 19 states are under the National Programme for Prevention and control of Fluorosis (NPPCF) up to 2018-2019. Dr Edmond Fernandes, CEO of the Center for Health and Development, Mangaluru said: “Dental symptoms appear first, starting with staining and pitting. In severe cases, (there is) damage of enamel. Skeletal fluorosis leads to fluoride accumulation, causing pain in joints and bones. In severe cases, there is calcification of ligaments, resulting in severe pain and impairment of movement.” There is no established treatment for fluorosis. “Although den-

Bellandur is one of the worst-hit areas. Any area with fluoride contamination carries a higher risk of fluorosis. Treatments for fluorosis are usually cosmetic and expensive, therefore not affordable to many. tal fluorosis can be concealed with cosmetic procedures such as tooth whitening and bonding, damage to enamel is permanent. Skeletal fluorosis reversal depends on extent of damage. Stopping fluoride intake can reduce accumulation in bone and enhance elimination by urine.” About the situation in Bengaluru, Dr Fernandes said: “Bellandur is one of the worst-hit areas. Any area with fluoride contamination carries a higher risk of fluorosis. Treatments for fluo-

rosis are usually cosmetic and expensive, therefore not affordable to many.” The Times of India had in March 2019 reported that “Data released by the central ministry of drinking water and sanitation show Karnataka has 365 fluorideaffected habitations, the most in South India and the fourth highest in the country.” The paper on November 2 reported that nearly 4 lakh children in Karnataka’s schools suffered from dental fluorosis. NPPCF, a health initiative during 11th Five-Year Plan, is being expanded in a phased manner, according to the National Health Mission website. It is a part of other non-communicable diseases under National Health Mission. Fluorosis is caused by excessive intake of fluoride, mostly through drinking water. There are three types of fluorosis: dental, skeletal and non-skeletal. The effects include abdominal pain, excessive saliva, nausea and vomiting, seizures and muscle spasms, according to the WHO website. National Health Profile is an annual publication of Central Bureau of Health Intelligence. According to its website, “the purpose is to provide relevant information for planning and decision-making on an informed basis to planners, policymakers, health administrators, research workers and others engaged in raising the health and socio-economic status of the community. It covers all the major information on Demography, Socio-Economic Status, Disease Morbidity & Mortality, Healthcare Finance, Human Resources in Health and Healthcare Infrastructure.” shoby.k@iijnm.org

Speakers condemned the removal of 44 labour laws | Credit: Nissim Jacob

Labour meet speaks up for staff of IT companies Nissim Jacob

he working conditions of employees of IT companies was a highlight at an event organised by the Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) in Bengaluru on Wednesday. N Shivanna, state secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), informed The Observer that massive layoffs in the IT sector are deeply disturbing. “Many IT employees earn a meagre salary of Rs 12,000. The companies are only concerned about earning profits. One of our priorities is to have a minimum wage of Rs 21,000.” The event was held to criticize the policies of the Modi government, which JCTU sees as being against poor and ordinary citizens and in favour of corporations. Speakers at the event attacked the government for weakening labour laws and for “excessive privatization” of sectors that were traditionally state-owned. Shivanna said: “The purpose of this event is to bring attention to the plight of the workers and poor citizens of our country. Most of the

economic problems have happened post-liberalization. In UPA 1, the Left was a coalition partner, but since UPA 2, there has been a steady erosion of labour laws. When the BJP came to power, the process accelerated. Policies that have been put in place since then have promoted corporate interests.” CITU state secretary C.R. Shanbhag informed The Observer: “Forty-four labour laws have been removed by this government and now we only have four labour codes. The government has done this to please the corporations whose interests they represent instead of the common people and the workers of the country.” Sloganeering marked the beginning of the event which is a precursor to a nationwide strike on January 8, 2020, against the economic and labour policies of the BJP-led government. The JCTU is a joint platform of AITUC, INTUC, HMS, CITU, TUCC and AICCTU. Unions of bank and insurance employees are part of it. nissim.j@iijnm.org

RURAL KARNATAKA

Police suggest having skywalk over highway Aman Bhardwaj

eaths in road accidents have increased in Kudiligi taluk, Ballari district, in the past two years, police records show. Police data till October 24 show that 36 cases of death in road accidents were registered since January 2019. Most of them were drunken driving cases. Thimmanna S. Chamnur, subinspector, informed The Observer: “In 2017, 52 cases of accident were registered, while in 2018 there were 53 cases. In 2019 till October, 48 cases were registered at our police station. We plan to install CCTV cameras and a speed detector on the highway so that we can control rash driving and drunken driving cases.” Police have asked the government to plan the construction of a skywalk over the highway. Rudhramani, assistant sub-in-

Bengaluru-Kudiligi highway, which faces high number of accidents is being patrolled thrice a day | Credit:Aman Bhardwaj spector, said: “On public request, our team has started patrolling the highway thrice a day. There will be at least one patrolling van standing on the highway at all times.” The patrolling vehicle will report to the nearest police station if any accident takes place. Dr M.A. Saleem, inspector general of police, traffic and road safety, said: “This is a very serious problem faced by the villagers. Local authorities should make strict rules for road safety.

The government has approved a National Road Safety Policy. It outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, establishing a road safety information database, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, and enforcement of safety laws.” Manjunatha, a bakery owner, said: “Because of inadequate patrolling on the highway, people drive at high speeds.” There are no speed limit boards or addi-

tional lane for bikers. There is a congestion of heavy trucks on the highway as the road connects Ballari with Bengaluru. Manjula G.S., a flower seller on the side of the highway, said every month there are two or three accidents. She has seen many people dying in accidents. Most of the accidents take place when pedestrians and vehicles crossing the road are hit by trucks or cars. Venugopal, who lives in a village, said: “There is a shop close to the national highway where people buy alcohol and drive. This causes accidents. The police have to take serious action against the alcohol shop and order it to shift to some other place.” There should be no sale of alcohol at night. Ramanthan, a businessman, said: “As a lot of heavy trucks travel on the road, the government should plan a skywalk for villagers. Police should take steps to fix signboards prescribing speed limits on the road.” People from the villages must be careful while driving on the road. aman.b@iijnm.org

No pharmacies in villages, Handicraft makers Medars want people go to Maski for drugs govt aid to save their livelihood There are few buses to town

Meghna Das Chowdhury

araldini, Antargange, Banaklal and many other villages in Maski taluk in Raichur district have no pharmacies nearby. Residents have to travel long distances to get medicine and first aid. Residents of the villages informed The Observer that there are local shops that sell tablets for cold and cough. They have to travel to Maski town to get medicines. During emergencies, travel to Maski is risky. The Observer witnessed that public health centres and clinics in Maski and nearby villages lack medicines. A resident who had severe back pain had to wait till a person got the prescribed medicine from the town. Villages in the taluk have very poor transportation. Buses make just a couple of trips to the town. Suresh, a health inspector at Antargange, said: “We keep some basic medicines in clinics. But we cannot store a lot. Therefore, a pharmacy is important. People might fall ill anytime. Every time it is not possible for someone to go to the town to get medication. It is often a matter of life and death.” Ambarish, a member of the zilla panchayat who looks after 52 villages, said: “We are aware of the problem and are trying to re-

solve it. We plan to have at least one pharmacy for two villages.” Dr Edmond Fernandes, chief executive officer of the CHD Group, informed The Observer: “A pharmacy should have all the basic facilities which include refrigerator, lockable cabinets. Apart from this, a medicine store should have all medicines under the National List of Essential Medicines. Understanding the local prescribing patterns is also necessary for a pharmacy. Having

Buildings that once housed pharmacies are now deserted | Credit: Meghna Chowdhury at least one pharmacy with all these facilities is necessary.” The villagers complained that the panchayat has taken no action though it was informed several times. According to an article in The Economic Times, the penetration of pharma companies in villages with a population less than 10,000 is limited: their presence is largely restricted to selling acute therapy products: medicines for common. meghna.c@iijnm.org

Ankita Mukherjee

he Medar community of Yashwant Nagar village, Sandur taluk, Ballari district, whose main occupation is handicrafts, fears that their tradition will fade away. Neelamma, an 80-year-old woman who makes putti (bamboo baskets), informed The Observer: “Putti is a basket made out of bamboo or cane which is used to keep roti or dal (pulses). I make putti through the week. The price varies from Rs 35 to Rs 100. The market is not widespread. Also, the panchayat doesn’t put any effort to promote our business.” “I have been working with my husband Malairappa for the past 12 years. We sell putti starting from Rs. 100, depending on the size. My husband collects bamboo, wood, and sugarcane stems, with which I make putti and he makes thatti (bamboo shades),” said Gouramma, another maker. The Medar community consists of craftspeople who make putti, mora (stools made from bamboo) and thatti for a living. They strive for recognition and respect for their work. As their handicraft largely depends on trees, they fear their tradition will die due to rapid deforestation. Lack of assistance from the government is another major factor for the decline of their craft. Parshurama, a third-generation member of his family to be in the business, shared: “It’s been 50 years since my family is in this business. We make mora, thatti

Medar community craftspeople make putti, mora and thatti for a living | Credit: Ankita Mukherjee and putti. Though the price of thatti is around Rs 500 per piece, it is not needed until it rains. We do not have a big marketplace to sell our products. Also, we cannot travel beyond Ballari because of the cost and poor transport facilities.We also don’t want to put our next generation in this occupation.” Ramya Manjunath, sarpanch of the Yashwant Nagar gram panchayat, said: “We do not help them with the funding as we know that it’s their individual business. Also, we didn’t get any order from the upper level of officials for the same. But we do provide assistance relating to health and education.” Mr Shashidhar, senior assistant director of handicrafts, Union government, said: “Nowadays the handicrafts culture is dying. The skill never gets the recognition it’s worthy of. People in this field are leaving the occupation due to huge losses. Art and culture used to be an identity of our nation.” ankita.m@iijnm.org

Twitterti Talk Tejasvi Surya @Tejasvi_Surya As I leave to Bengaluru, I am filled with overwhelming gratitude for PM Sri @narendramodi His kind words of encouragement & appreciation for our public outreach initiative @SansadDhvani has given us so much strengthWe will strive harder in our work for the country.Pranams ITBT Karnataka @ITBTGok “Karnataka will remain the national leader in technology and the Govt will ensure that it will work with the industry and academia to take the state higher on the innovation scale” - Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri @BSYBJP during the inaugural address at #BlrTechSummit BMTC @BMTC_BENGALURU Awareness campaign about not allowing other vehicles to enter the Bus Priority Lane, pamphlets were distributed to create an understanding of the need. Bhaskar Rao, IPS @CPBlr Bangalore City Police has introduced new system of holding night roll call called “Beat Cops” in sensitive and crime prone areas , instead of holding it in Police Stations . It serves dual purpose of Area domination and Confidence Building amongst public as well. Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress @KarnatakaPMC Congratulations @DrPushpaAmarnat on completing one year as the State President of Karnataka Pradesh mahila Congress.

Quiz Answers

Deaths due to road accidents in Kudiligi taluk increase

1.President 2.Jammu & Kashmir 3.Jal Shakti Ministry 4.David Malpass 5.Basketball 6.1908 7.Bank for International Settlements

The Observer Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Team Observer Editor: Adilin Beatrice C Copy editors: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Aman Bhardwaj, Ankita Mukherjee, Chirag Dutta, Meghna Chowdhury, Nissim Jacob, Shivani Priyam, Shoby Krishna, Tammana Yasmin Reporters: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Aman Bhardwaj, Ankita Mukherjee, Chirag Dutta, Meghna Chowdhury, Nissim Jacob, Shivani Priyam, Shoby Krishna Event reporters: Meghna Chowdhury, Nissim Jacob, Shivani Priyam, Shoby Krishna Supplement: Nissim Jacob, Tamanna Yasmin

Health

The Observer Wednesday, November 20, 2019

SUPPLEMENT

Risk to Reproductive Health The growing incidence of PCOD in young women is linked to stressful lifestyles, says Tamanna Yasmin

very year, more than a million women in India are diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) or, its early form, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOD is one of the most common hormonal disorders in women of reproductive age, leading to the enlargement of ovaries due to the growth of multiple small cysts on their outer edges. According to the National Health Portal, PCOD was first diagnosed by Stein and Leventhal in 1935, who discovered the link between its multiple symptoms that include amenorrhea (interrupted periods), hirsutism (excessive hair growth) and enlarged ovaries.That’s why it’s also called theStein-Leventhal Syndrome. Early diagnosis of the disease is very important asit can lead to infertility and other medical complications such as insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart problems. If left untreated it increases risk of developing endometrial hyperplasia and uterine cancer. The cysts reduce secretion of the female hormone proges-

Indian women are at risk| Credit: KPN

terone and increase that of the male hormone androgen. Consequently, disruption in the menstrual cycle, especially missing them, is the most common symptom of this disease. Other symptoms include excessive facial hair growth, acne, hair fall, weight gain and severe abdominal pain during menstruation. Says Shalini Sinha, 21, who’s been suffering from PCOD for the past seven years, “I was

diagnosed with PCOD at 14 after missing my period for three consecutive months. My doctor had put me on a birth control pill. When my periods became regular, I stopped taking the medicine which resulted in withdrawal symptoms like hair loss, weight gain, sleep problems, and more. Then I adopted homeopathy treatment which did little to alleviate my suffering.” “I am having polycystic

ovaries since I was in the ninth standard,” says Priti Mukhopadhyay. “My gynecologist had prescribed me an oral contraceptive. I took the medicine for three years, after that, I stopped taking it because of its side effects. I used to experience an unusual increase in appetite, and subsequently, I had gained a lot of weight and lost stamina.” Despite the disease being widespread, there is no effective treatment other than the intake of oral contraceptives which supplement the female hormones lacking in the body. A lot of PCOD sufferers terminate the treatment because of its side effects, which include weight gain, lactation due to an increase in prolactin level, mood swings and decreased libido, among others.

he cause of PCOD is not yet well-defined. Doctors suggest that genetic factors can increase the risk of the disease, but lifestyle also plays a key role. As veteran gynecologist Dr. Krishna Chandra De explains, “In our country, one out of five women suffer from PCOD. Be-

sides genetic factors, lifestyle, food habits such as eating a lot of junk food, and sleep patterns are responsible for its development. Food adulteration is also an important factor.” He further adds that contraceptives are prescribed to regulate the menstruation cycle. However, patients need to control their weight and must follow a healthy diet. Also, they should not stop any medication on their own. That leads to more issues. Says Dr. Akhila Joshi, a nutritionist, and founder of Akhilasoukhya, a weight-loss and lifestyle-management clinic, “The pills are good as a support system, but they are not a permanent solution, patients should take care of their lifestyle.” Although PCOD can’t be cured, its symptoms are controllable. Both Shalini and Priti say that adopting a healthy lifestyle helps them to deal with the disease. Says Shalini, “I took up yoga at 19, and my periods became regular too.” Currently, both of them are not taking any medicine,and are doing much better than before.

Sowing Seeds of Doubt The new Seeds Bill gives us an opportunity to revisit the value of geneticallymodified crops, writes Nissim Jacob

limate change is responsible for extreme weather conditions across the globe and has caused droughts and floods and severely affected agricultural production. This has revived anxiety over food security and global hunger, especially in developing countries which are the most vulnerable to disruptions in their food supply. Past interventions to deal with food shortages,specifically the“Green Revolution” of the 1960s and 70s, brought a measure of security. But it also led to the food market being inundated with mass-produced, cheap food grown at the cost of environmental degradation including loss of soil nutrients, erosion, wateroveruse and pollution. Traditionally, a diverse variety of crops were grown across a region, but now they were replaced by ‘monocultures’that have made the crops more vulnerable to pests, diseases and weather conditions. As the market has increasingly come to dictate what farmers grow, the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops has been a logical progression to the rising demand.

as reasons for avoiding them. While some GM crops eliminate the need for harmful pesticides, others in fact make their use possible. The most common example is that of glyphosate, a herbicide that is sprayed on Monsanto's GM maize, butisn’t used on regular maize. Glyphosate is said to cause cancer, skin irritation and endocrine disruption. However, scientists claim that this is an exception rather than the rule. They make a distinction between Ht (herbicide tolerant) crops and Bt (bacillus thuringiensis) crops. Bt corn, which isinsect-resistant,reduces the need for pesticide yet prevents losses from infestation.

Are we beasts of burden?| Credit: KPN

In GM crops, the DNA of the seed is modified to create desirable traits using genetic engineering techniques. Resistance to pests, salinity and drought can be enabled by introducing genes from other plants. They also alter its nutrient-absorption profile and significantly increase yields. However, the introduction of GM foods has created discord between environmentalists and the scientific community over

their safety for human health and the environment. According to an article in The New York Times, about 90% of scientists believe GM foods are safe and healthy— a view endorsed by the American Medical Association, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the World Health Organization. But environmentalists cite ‘unintended effects’ and toxicity

nother criticism, levelled by some environmentalists is lack of control over ‘gene flow’ or the unintended intermingling of genetic material in the field. But scientists point out that the practice of selectively breeding crops, the basis of agriculture developed over millennia, is nothing but crossbreeding to create a hybrid plant with better traits, producing more quantity and quicker growth of the plants.

Conversations on GM crops inevitably boil down to the role played by agribusiness and the conflicts between farmers and corporations over ownership of the technology. A recent example is the dispute between PepsiCo and Gujarat farmers over growing its patented potato crop. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 allows farmers to grow or sell produceof registered varieties as long as they do not sell branded seed. PepsiCo ultimately withdrew the cases against the farmers after facing the threat of boycott on social media. The new Seeds Bill that the government has introduced is an opportunity to examine all these issues afresh. Will a monopoly over GM crops discourage scientific progress and limit their acceptance among farmers? Will labelling of GM foods increase or decrease consumer acceptance of GM foods? GM crops need to be tested on a case by case basis before introduction. Only continuous research can decide whether GM crops are key to solving global hunger and sustainably provide food security.