https://facebook.com/ iijnmbangalore
The Observer An IIJNM publication
BJP-JD(S) alliance will not affect Congress during Legislative Council polls, says youth wing | P 2
Vol. 21, Issue 17
Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in
Some Bengalureans now prefer pocket-friendly ‘staycations’ to planned long-distance travel | P3
People unhappy, but hand over devices due fear By Arshreet Singh
I
A DCP says checking phones without permission is not allowed, but street-level cops remain unaware of policy | Courtesy: KPN me and asked me to step out of the vehicle. He then went through my wallet and my bag. I was scared what if he places something in my bag.” “He asked me about my CTC, and then asked to go through my phone. I had two options – either stand up and go to jail or leave peacefully. So I opened my phone
Epaper: https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Without approval, police check citizens’ mobiles for drug leads
n a gross misuse of authority, complaints of the Bengaluru police reading citizens’ personal conversations on their smartphones have surfaced on the Web. Citizens are wary of invasion of their privacy, but still give in due to a fear of being taken into custody. “We were walking around looking for apartments in Kasturi Nagar when two cops approached and asked us to show our phones. When we refused, they yelled at us, and told us to open WhatsApp and started reading the chats of me and my friend. When we asked why, they told us it was because of drugs. He even asked me for my CTC,” said Gaurav Sharma, 25, who works for an IT company. “It is my privacy, but we surrendered because we were scared,” he added. Mukund Kulkarni, 26, who works for CRED, informed The Observer: “This happened last Friday. I work in Indiranagar and live in Bannerghatta. I got an Ola to go back home late at night, and the cops stopped us at a checkpoint. The policeman looked at
https://twitter.com/ observer_weekly
and he typed in the keywords ‘maal’ and ‘score’ and then proceeded to go through my personal photos,” Kulkarni added. When Kulkarni retaliated by saying it was unfair and he was disappointed by the conduct of the policeman, the cop simply asked him to leave. Reports of such incidents in Hy-
derabad have also been published by the Hindustan Times and The News Minute. However such violations of privacy have remained under the radar in Bengaluru. Gururaj Biradar, a traffic constable, said: “We are allowed to check phones if we have a doubt or a suspicion on a person.” The Observer contacted DCP Santhosh Babu to get clarity on the subject. Contradicting the constable’s statement, he said: “It is not allowed. But if we suspect a person, we can take them to the police station and get a warrant.” “Only if a person is caught redhanded at the scene of a crime, then the policemen have the permission to seize the mobile, and it will be submitted to the court. If you are not involved in a direct crime, we cannot check. It is your privacy,” Babu added. Advocate Shiva Kumar Biradar, who has practised for more than nine years, said: “Police cannot check your phone without your approval. It is an invasion of privacy under Article 21 of the constitution. They can first issue a notice to check the phone, but cannot force you to hand over your phone.You can sue the police in a court of law for this.” Under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the police do have the power to conduct searches, but only when they are pursuing investigation of an offence. arshreet.s@iijnm.org
News briefs We have no record of farmers’ deaths, says govt The government has no record of the farmers who died during the year-long farmers’ protests. “The ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare has no record in the matter and hence the question does not arise,” the ministry said in a reply in Parliament. The opposition has asked whether the Centre intends to provide financial assistance to the families of those who died during the protests.
Sudha Bharadwaj gets default bail The Bombay High Court on Wednesday allowed the default bail plea of Sudha Bharadwaj in the Elgar Parishad case. She will be arraigned before the special NIA court on December 8, which will impose bail conditions and finalize her release. The Bench, however, rejected the default bail pleas of the eight other co-accused.
Resumption of int’l flights postponed DGCA on Wednesday decided to postpone the resumption of scheduled international flights from December 15 citing "evolving global scenario" in the wake of the emergence of the new Omicron variant. Last month, the government decided to normalise international flight operations. Scheduled international flights to and from India remain suspended since March 2020.
Fearing Omicron variant, parents are Most govt school students reluctant to send children to school not ready to learn coding By Tina Freese
F
ear of an emergence of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Bengaluru, parents are reluctant to send their children to school. For their part, schools are waiting for government orders. Hemu R, a parent whose child studies in class 9, informed The Observer: “It is very scary for me
to send my girl to school after hearing about the formation of new Covid clusters. The new variant, as it is known, mutates multiple times, making it even more dangerous. I understand that online classes are not as good as onsite/offline classes, but in an alarming situation like this, for safety, schools should consider shifting back to online classes.” Sajeesh KP, who has three chil-
dren, faces a similar dilemma. “Online classes are not as good as offline classes, but they are safer. Two of my children are going for onsite classes and we worry about them. The younger ones are naughty and don’t take proper precautions. We try to make them use sanitizer as much as possible but aren’t sure they do that in school too. I think sooner or later, schools will have to switch to offline classes again,” he said Schools, however, aren’t sure of what they should do. ►Continued on Page 5
T
he National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has made coding a part of the curriculum from class 6, but most government school students are not prepared to learn it. They lack a basic understanding of computers, reports Simran Sharma. Many government schools and some private schools lack enough computer teachers. Many schools
do not even have the necessary infrastructure like computers to support such learning. Karnataka is the first state to implement NEP. Its implementation will begin from the next academic year. State authorities say that the NEP is still in its infant stage and the implementation is still being planned as of now. ►Details on page 4
2
POLITICS
Youth Congress says BJP-JD(S) pact for MLC polls doesn’t bother party Leaders claim Congress will win the polls By Simran Sharma
T
he Congress is not worried by any BJP-JD(S) alliance ahead of the legislative council elections, Youth Congress leaders said on Wednesday. Surbhi Dwivedi, National Secretary of the Youth Congress, informed The Observer: “The JD(S) has fallen prey to it (BJP). No one has suffered because of it except the people, she said at an exhibition of Indira Gandhi’s pictures. JD(S) president H.D. Deve Gowda met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on November 30. They reportedly discussed the elections to 25 council seats. The Congress and BJP are contesting 20 seats each, while the JD(S) is in the fray in six constituencies. Dwivedi said she is confident the Congress would win the coming council elections. The Observer spoke with other Congress leaders as well. Ashik Gowda, state secretary of the Youth Congress, said: “I don’t think this will affect the Congress. The BJP hijacked MLAs
The Observer Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Citizen’s Voice Probe how bodies were left in a mortuary The bodies of two persons were found in a Bengaluru hospital mortuary one and a half years after their death from Covid. The relatives of the deceased were informed way back in April 2020 that they had been cremated. This shows extreme negligence by civic authorities. No one bothers about human rights in this country. A high-level committee should be set up to find out how it happened. Amit Vohra
Having r-egional courts of appeal not a good idea
Pictures of Indira Gandhi’s life from biirth to death exhibited at a photo gallery in Congress Bhavan near Race Road, Bengaluru| Credit: Simran Sharma and has formed a government.’’ The Karnataka Pradesh Con- the event, The Observer was inPeople are dissatisfied with the gress Committee’s social media formed. government in power. coordinator for Jewargi Suresh “It started at 3 p.m. and went “If BJP makes 10 different al- Biradar said: “The JD(S) has on till 8,” said a security guard of liances, then also it won’t win.” been a B team of the BJP. This is Congress Bhavan. Nothing good will emerge if the a compromise. It happens every Students of nearby schools BJP forges an alliance with the year.’’ This will not affect the were sent invitations, but in view JD(S), he further added. Congress’ position in the coming of the Karnataka government’s Karnataka NSUI president council elections. advisory, they did not attend the Kirti Ganesh said students are KPCC president D.K. Shivaku- photo gallery exhibition not happy with the BJP govern- mar and other Congress memThe photo gallery has been orment. “NEP and delayed scholar- bers attended the inaugration of ganized to celebrate the birth anships have turned students the photo gallery on November niversary of Indira Gandhi. against the ruling party,’’ he said. 30. About 500 people attended simran.s@iijnm.org
Setting up of regional courts of appeal in different parts of India, as suggested by attorney general K.K. Venugopal in the Supreme Court, to help decrease pendency of cases is not going to serve the purpose. Litigants are unlikely to be content with the justice delivered by these courts of appeal as compared. Sita Ram Vohra
Indian CEO for Twitter reflects our mettle
On November 29, the board of Twitter collectively reached a decision to appoint and promote Parag Agrawal, the company’s chief technology officer, as the new chief executive officer (CEO). This marks a huge success for Indians who have successfully carved their niche in the corporate giant. Shivani Kaul
Congress opposes shifting Gaganyaan project from Bengaluru to Gujarat
Covid tracker
There’s a move to privatize ISRO: KPCC
Karnataka New Cases Active Cases
By Swarali Bodas
T
he Congress on Wednesday criticized the reported move to shift a prestigious space project- Gaganyaan from Bengaluru to Gujarat. “Without a green signal from PM Modi or the government of India’s consent, nothing can be done,” KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar said at a protest by the Congress and NSUI outside Antariksh Bhavan, the ISRO headquarters in Sanjaynagar. The demonstrators opposed any move to privatize ISRO. They demanded that the Gaganyaan project should not be shifted to Gujarat. “It (ISRO) is a pride of Karnataka. Bengaluru and is a knowledge-based centre. We want to protect the interests of our state, land and scientists,” Shivakumar said. He also hinted at “internal conflicts” within the organisation. “I have information but I don’t
Total Cases
1,065 2,334 1,646,193
New Vaccinations
547,446 Total Vaccinations Members of National Student Union of India and Indian Youth Congress hold placards and protest against the alleged move to privatise ISRO| Credit: Swarali Bodas want to disclose them.” maintained: “Traffic manage- The Observer questioned them Rakesh, an NSUI member, ex- ment was smooth and the traffic about it. They said that they pressed his concern over the police managed everything.” “just came here”. shifting of the project. “If the Surabhi Dwivedi, national secFive days ago, Shivakumar plan is successful, the name of retary of the Indian Youth Con- wrote to Modi to appeal to him our state will be highlighted in gress, said all projects cannot be not to shift the Indian Human the entire world. Why do they shifted to Gujarat just because Space Flight Program from Benwant to shift the project?” he in- the Prime Minister is from Gu- galuru to Gujarat. “If it happens, formed The Observer. jarat. “This was supposed to be a the people of the state will feel Around 70 police personnel symbolic protest. If ISRO does not the government at the Centre is were deployed at the place. There come out with a clarification soon ignoring, betraying and giving were barricades at the start and about whether they are shifting scant respect to the feelings of end of ISRO Road. There was a the project or not, we will protest Kannadigas,” the letter said. traffic jam at the junction of 4th in massive numbers,” she said. ISRO refused to comment on Cross and 5th Cross. Some NSUI members were the protest at all. But police inspector Balram K. clueless about the protest when swarali.b@iijnm.org
73,872,570
India New Cases Active Cases Total Cases
99,023 6,990 34,587,822
LIFESTYLE
The Observer Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Staycation: An emerging trend among fun-loving Bengalureans It’s a safe home away from our home,say people By Chhavi Vohra
S
ome Bengaluru residents prefer staycation to planned long-distance travel. Staycation is a vacation one takes in his/her hometown for either an overnight or a weeklong stay. It is a pocket-friendly way to travel in the same place. Presha Malhotra, a Bengaluru resident, shared: “I prefer staycations because they are an easy way to travel:Take a break without straying too far from home. It is like a safe home away from home with great view and good food,”she further added. Another resident, Raunak Sharma, said: “Staycations are cheaper; they aid my pocket. I don’t have to worry about the transportation cost as I can take my own car. A one- or two-day staycation is enough for me. I don't end up missing my workdays and am spared of the workload,”she added. The pandemic has played a major role in this shift of attitude Tanya Sharma, who loves to travel, said: “I like exploring new places. I have also made a bucket list of all the places I would like to visit. But, lately, due to the ongoing pandemic, I prefer travelling safe. I visit different hotels and resorts in the city, enjoy different views and relax for a few
Quiz 1.When HIV was first recognized in the U.S.? 2.HIV attacks a certain kind of cell in the immune system. Which is it? 3.What is the CD4 T-cell count at which AIDS is considered to have developed? 4.Where did HIV originate? 5.Which is not considered a common method of transmission for HIV? 6.Can HIV pass through sharing toilet seats with infected people? 7.Which test gives the most accurate confirmation of HIV presence? ►Answers on Page 5
Across the city Bollywood Night, 6th Block, 7172, Jyoti Nivas College Road, 5th Block, Koramangala, Friday, December 3 to Saturday 4, December 4, Bengaluru. Friday Comedy Nights, Glens BakeHouse, Kalyan Nagar, Friday, December 3, Bengaluru. Bangalore HR Summit 2021, The Chancery Pavilion,Residency road, Ashok Nagar, Friday, December 10 to Saturday, December 11, Bengaluru.
Staycations are less hard on pocket and gives one the same pleasure in the same place| Credit: Chhavi Vohra days. This gives me a muchneeded break amid work.” Hotels and resorts in Bengaluru have been encouraging staycations.Dheeraj Mehta, the manager of Lords Eco Inn, Jayanagar, said: “Yes, people enjoy the local area and staying at a place. It was a less-known concept before, but gradually, it has been gaining acceptance in the society. It benefits the environment as well.” Le Roma Gardenia, a hospitality service in Bengaluru, has a space on their Instagram page dedicated to people’s staycation stories.Asked about it, they agreed
that more people are preferring staycations to long-distance travel which is miles away. The trend is slowly becoming popular among people. Ragavendra Prasad, the general manager of Comfort Inn Insys, a four-star business hotel in Bengaluru, said: “We entertain various industrial people from different parts of Karnataka. There sure has been a shift in the way people plan their holidays. Now, people favour in-city travel.” Major travel agencies in the city are observant of the new normal. Srinath Aditya, a manager with
Airone Travel SolutionsPvt. Ltd., a travel agency,informedThe Observer: “Everyone is travelling domestic because of the pandemic.” However, not all the travel agencies agree with this. Ashish Kumar, MD of Guide My Trips, said: “People go wherever they want to go. Seventy percent of people like to enjoy. Nobody follows a set protocol.” NivaVari, a professional travel blogger whohas been on several staycations, said they have seen a rise in this trend. “I would look for a more calming vacation rather than an adventurous day out,” she added. Bachelors have a different view of the concept of stayfacation. Jithin Davis, a travel blogger who loves to be a part of new adventures, shared: “If you’re a bachelor, all trips will be cheap for you.My plan is to first cover entire India and then moveabroadbecause India has many hidden jewels worth visiting. Due to blogging many people from other states get to know us and they are the people who help us in visiting local places.” With countries, and states sealing borders, and with compulsory post-travel quarantines, staycation is one of the biggest holiday trends observed these days. In the US,hotels and resorts are counting on people going on staycations to keep them afloat. In Canada, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson encouraged the residents to consider a “staycation” to support localbusinesses and kick-start the tourism economy. chhavi.v@iijnm.org
3 Twitterati Talk @rajnathsingh Best wishes to the wonderful people of Nagaland on their Statehood Day. The state is known for its natural beauty and vibrant culture. Praying for Nagaland’s continuous growth and development. @ShashiTharoor Journalists to hold rally on December 2 to fight for access to Parliament. What an embarrassment for our democracy that it has come to this. #Covid is no longer an acceptable excuse to deny journalists access & to continue stifling free media reporting. @nsitharaman Rupees 1,31,526 crore gross GST revenue collected in November GST collection for November,2021 surpassed last month collection registering the second highest since implementation of GST . @mansukhmandviya On #WorldAIDSDay, let us all pledge to work towards ensuring that people infected with & affected by HIV/AIDS lead a normal life sans discrimination and social stigma. @Swamy39 It is hilarious if not tragic for Rajya Sabha Secretariat to inform me today that my Question whether the Chinese have crossed the LAC in Ladakh, cannot be allowed “ because of national interest”!!! @JM_Scindia India and the EU( European Union) (are partners in essence. Met with His excellency @EUAmbIndia, Mr. Ugo Astuto (EU’s ambassador to India) to discuss issues pertaining to international travel and passenger safety.
Instagram stores get more buyers Small trades flourish due to increased orders By Tina Freese
M
ore and more people are shifting to Instagram stores to shop. Sales got a push during the lockdowns, say Instagram store owners. Shreya Kushwa, 21, a student in Bengaluru, started Instagram shopping during the pandemic. “During the lockdown, I didn’t have much to do; all I did was to scroll Instagram. That’s how I found these small businesses. They are usually cheaper, the packaging is very cute, and the quality i good because they aren’t mass-produced. Also, it feels nice to support these small businesses,” she further added. Riya Jain, 22, an MBA student, concurred. Her experience with Instagram shopping has been very good. “ These stores, in order to develop a strong and
Instagram shopping feels like scrolling a showroom in the palm of your hand | Credit:Tina Freese loyal consumer base, sell very good quality products. Some of these products are handpicked and single pieces which make the shopping experience unique, ” she informed The Observer. Some shoppers did face a problem with the delivery of products. AlkaVerma, an Instagram shopper, shared: “I ordered a denim shirt, and it took almost a month for them to deliver it. The product was of good quality and the prices were reasonable therefore I con-
tinued shopping from Instagram. started Instagram shopping during the pandemic since we couldn’t go out and all I did was to scroll Instagram or read books. ”said Saloni Ved, the owner of small illustration art business called feliciaillustrations, said: “ Sales have increased post lockdown as people like the concept of small business, and we put a lot of effort in packaging and satisfying the consumer. Many I nstagram influencers are switching from brands to small businesses which help us grow and gain an audience.” Tavleen Rajpal, a young Instagram store owner, had a similar experience.” Saleshave definitely gone up. I am sure Amazon or other online sellers have similar products, but the lower prices make the dea more attractive. Also, most Instagram stores customize goods for their customers as they aren’t massproduced.”This gives customers a homely feeling. Features like reels and stories make it easier for small- scale businesses to promote their products online.
“If it was not for reels, my store wouldn’t have the reach and audience it has today. It is very important to be active and make use of these tools to our advantage. They have a really good reach, ” Rajpal further added. Some sellers have seen greater sales and orders from Instagram than their offline stores. Falguni Pathak, 22, who owns a boutique and an Instagram store, compared the sales from both places and said: . Instagram reels and stories are actually a very easy and effective way of advertising our products without actually paying for advertising.” However, the grass isn’t green for all as some Instagram shop owners saw a decline in their sales. “Due to lockdowns, delivering goods wasn’t very easy especially inter-state deliveries. This is primarily the reason why we were seeing a drop. But as things opened up the sales actually got better,” he added. Instagram has acted as a supplement for small and medium business to grow and thrive. tina.f@iijnm.org
CITY
4
The Observer Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Basics of computer knowledge are still Greek to many school-going students Officials unsure how they will be taught coding By Simran Sharma
A
student raised his hand, gathering courage amid blank faces, when the teacher asked that if anyone knew anything about coding, C++, Java or HTML. “CPU” is the answer the class 8 student of a Government Urdu Higher Secondary School gave. Harsha Kashyap, a class 7 student, informed The Observer: “We don’t have computer subject, and we do not have any computer teachers in our school. I have heard the word coding sometimes, but don’t know the meaning of it.” She does not know much about the basics of computer, The Observer noticed. On the other hand, Ayesha, a class 8 student, said she had learnt little bit of coding before joining the school. “I was in an aided school where I learnt a little bit of it. The rest I learnt from some of the coachings (institutes) I went to.” The government school she studies in does not have a subject on coding. With the National EducationPolicy 2020 making coding a part of the curriculum from class 6, most government school students are not prepared to learn the subject. Many of them lack basic knowledge of computers. The Observer asked authorities
Most of the Karnataka’s government schools do not have enough of teachers, staff and the means to impart computer knowledge to students | Courtesy: KPN News about the planning and implementation of the new policy. An official from the Department of State Educational Research and Training, said: “We are still in the process of preparing the curriculum. It is a cradle baby, and we are still in the planning phase. We have initiated the process, but as of now, I cannot say how we are going to provide all these things to the students.” An official from the education department said they have been
given a budget of Rs 2 crores for NEP. The program is still in its infancy. They are planning for effective implementation. The Softcopy, an IIJNM publication, mentioned that most of the government schools in Karnataka lack basic infrastructure. It also reported that as per the Unified District Information System for Education plus, 92.25 percent of government schools in the state do not have Internet facilities and 66 percent of them do not
have functional computers. Most schools are understaffed. Rashmi M, a science teacher in a Government Higher Primary School, said: “We don’t have computer subject in our curriculum as of now. There are a total of 10 teachers, and we don’t have specialized computer teachers as well. We were given some basic training in computers so that we can improve the learning experience. We are currently focusing on building basic infrastructure .”
Radha, headmistress of GHPS, Bidadi Colony, said: “We don’t have computer teachers in our schools. If any NGO or the government provides us some specialized teachers, then it is OK, but otherwise what can we do?” Mariyama, headmistress at GHPS, Vajarahalli, said: “We only have even subjects in our curriculum and computers is not one of them. We have three teachers and a total of 45 students.” Private schools think similarly as the government schools. Jyoti Khandelwal, a computer teacher in a private school, said: “In most private schools, computer departments are understaffed. Another big issue is that children who were in class 5 do not have much practical knowledge about the subject because their schools were closed due to Covid. Now, after almost a year, they are in the sixth standard. It will be difficult for them to understand coding when they are not aware about the computer basics they have missed out on.” Karnataka is the first state to implement National Education Policy. Its implementation in schools will begin from the next academic year. The policy brings coding to the secondary school curriculum with the goal of making children proficient in technology, as well as to help them in developing a scientific temper. As per the 2020 NSO report, only 4 percent of rural households have access to computers as compared to 23 per cent of their urban counterparts, reported by TOI. simran.s@iijnm.org
ESG funds surge in India; ‘environment’ takes centre stage Popularity and tangible results drive the trend
By Shristi Achar A
A
s investments in ESG funds pick up pace, the environmental factor dominates in India, say investment consultants. ESG stands for ‘environmental, social and governance’ investments. These are essentially non-financial factors that are used to measure investment instruments to enable a socially responsible form of investing for the investors. While investing in ESG funds is in its nascent stage in India, they have been on the rise, surging to 76 percent in 2020-21, according to media reports. However, a trend has been observed, wherein, investments in the ‘environment’ factor have dominated the ‘social’ and ‘governance’ factors globally.. Nitya Surya, an ESG investment consultant from Mumbai, corroborated a similar trend in
Millennial investors are increasingly becoming sensitive towards environmental and social issues and thus looking for companies that are involved in sustainable practices | Credit: Shristi Achar A India as well. Explaining to The Observer, he said: “There are multiple reasons for such a trend to occur in the country. The main one is that they perform well in the market, with the returns on such investments outperforming by approximately 25 percent. When one invests in an environ-
mentally conscious company, it is often understood that they have the practices that are compatible socially as well.” “Climate change affects the economy, which in turn has linkages with the income of the people, and therefore determining their social status and further —
the society’s practices. So it is all interlinked,” he added. Surya also credited the recent surge in ESG investments to the Covid-19 pandemic. “In the pandemic, where almost everyone was badly hit, there were some companies that showed resilience, especially since they were involved in ESGcompliant practices. And since investment is about looking at the future and making decisions, their popularity has surged. People can now easily see the effects of climate change in the companies,” he further added. Vaibhav Jain, Head of Advisory and Business Strategy at Tavaga Advisory Services, said the trend has to do with the fact that environmental effects have various ramifications for companies. He said: “For any business, an environmental clearance is a must. It is a tangible factor for the industry, whereas the social and governance factors are intangible. And in a time when everyone is moving towards being carbon neutral, the popularity is quiet understandable among people.” “No balance sheet reflects how diverse their workforce is or how
well delegated the responsibilities are in the company. So fund managers find it difficult to understand the social and governance parameters. So environmental factors dominate investment decisions,” he added. Animesh L, an investor based in Mumbai, said the long term optimism towards ESG funds is what led him to invest in them. He said: “A company being sustainable goes in the favour of both, their practices and in long term wealth creation. While I was somewhat motivated due to the fad element surrounding the ESG, it was mostly due to the factor that the fund managers of ESG investments are bullish about them in the long term.” Dr. Moinak Maiti, an associate professor of finance in National Research University in Russia, said while the trend is definitely visible in India, it is changing. “Yes, while the ‘E’ factor does dominate in India, as it does elsewhere, the current pandemic has highlighted the importance of ‘S’ and ‘G’ factors as well. So, in the coming decades, these will be given importance as well.” shristi.a@iijnm.org
CITY
Long neglected road repaved for PM Modi’s visit in 4 days Nearby roads still riddled with potholes By Saumyangi Yadav
W
ithin four days, the road stretching from Nagarbhavi Circle to Vrishabhavati Canal Bridge has become unrecognizable. Evenly coated with asphalt, the road looks new and untrodden. The reason: Nation’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Bangalore University’s campus on December 6, 2021. Residents say the road was riddled with potholes a few days ago. Yogesh S.N., who owns a refreshment stall at Nagarbhavi junction, informed The Observer: “For the past one or two years, the road was in a bad condition, but no one took any action. But they started construction about three days ago, and it has already been fully fixed and relaid.”
Schools await govt orders
K
arthik Joshi, Principal of Swargarani School and PU College, said they are following every precaution to avoid any untoward situation. “We were planning to have offline classes for primary school, but with this news coming now, we have cancelled them. However, for higher secondary schools, we have given the students an option…. If they wish, they can choose to attend onsite or online classes.” Margaret Eastwood, Principal of Eastwood High School, however, said that although there is a dip in attendance, they are not planning a shift to online classes. “We observe things on a day-to-day basis. I understand that there might be reluctance on the part of the parents but there hasn’t been any government order yet. If the government asks us to cancel onsite classes, we will do that.”Also an issue is that students after school go to social gatherings, where the risk is increased. Shashi Kumar, general secretary of Karnataka Associated Management of English Medium Schools, said: “As of now, there is no plan to shift to online classes. We are going to wait for the government instructions and take precautions in the schools to avoid formation of clusters.” The Print recently reported the formation of four Covid clusters in schools and colleges. In total they recorded more than 250 cases of Covid-19. A dip in attendance has prompted many schools to return to online classes, according to a report published in The Hindu. tinafreese@iijnm.org
Local residents of Nagarbhavi Circle are not enthusiastic about the Prime Minister’s visit | Credit: Saumyangi Yadav Modi will inaugurate the B.R. Ambedkar School of Economics on the Jnanabharati campus of Bangalore on December 6. Rajesh Patil, a guard at the National Law School of India, Nagarbhavi, said: “It hasn’t even
been four days since they started construction, and it is already looking so even and smooth. Just a few days ago, the road was filled with pits and bumps. But it’s good for us. Because of Prime Minister Modi’s visit, at least they are tak-
ing some action.” However, residents and shopkeepers in the area are not ecstatic about the PM’s visit. Deepak K, a resident of the area, said: “It does not make much difference. Everything will be in order for a few days while he is here, but go back to the usual soon. If the PM is coming to this area, it is expected that there will be a large number of police and security officers as well. It will be bothersome for people and vendors in this area.” When The Observer tried to contact the university about details of the inauguration to be attended by the Prime Minister, they refused to share any information. Contract labourers working on the roads said just five days ago, they were given an order to relay the road within 10 days. Though the road has been blackcoated properly, there are still a few broken patches on the sidewalk. The Observer noticed that the nearby roads like Mysuru Road are still full of potholes. saumyangi.y@iijnm.org
Karnataka reduces HIV positivity, but availability of medicine dicey Systemic issues and taboos cause hiccups By Shristi Achar A
W
hile HIV awareness programmes in Karnataka are successful, systemic issues like funding are causing problems in drug procurement for the disease, say the medical officials in the field. On the eve of the World AIDS Day, Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society and Lions Club organised an awareness campaign for blood donation, and an award ceremony to commemorate the people who have worked for eradicating HIV. Several Integrated Counting and Testing Centres (ICTC), ART (antiretroviral therapy) centres and NGOs were felicitated in the ceremony. Dr. G S Sreenivas — the District Health and Family Welfare Officer was the chief guest, while Bengaluru DC Manjunath gave it a miss. The initiatives taken by the state government and NGOs have certainly helped to bring down the HIV positivity rate to 0.24 per cent in the state, and 0.22 per cent in the district. S. Raghavendra, Lions Club member, talked about the necessity of conducting such mass drives for blood donation. Talking to The Observer, he said:" "We collect blood from donors in our
ICTCs, ART centres, and NGOs were awarded for their exemplary work | Credit: Shristi Achar A mobile campaigns, but that isn't the only aim. While donors come in, we also test them for HIV, jaundice etc, and maintain the data. This is then shared with the necessary authorities for policy implementation. There are also other programs we do; The platelets that are present in the donated blood are given free of cost to children who have cancer for their treatment." Dr. Kala Yadhav Kishore, associate professor and HOD (Microbiology) from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, said that the awareness programmes do work as the positivity rate has come down, but there is a lot more work to be done. She said: "Yes, definitely the awareness has increased, but there are still pockets where the programme falls short." Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College has an ICTC centre, and Yadhav was awarded for her
work as the Chief Medical Officer. Deccan Herald had reported on November 26th, that Karnataka's drug procurement was running a year late. Asked about the impact of this, Dr. Sreenivas said that no such shortage was seen in the state, even during Covid-19. He said: "No, we even provided the medicines continuously for threefour months during the first and second wave as well." Dr Yadhav on the other hand, did confirm the shortage, citing administrative issues. She said: "Earlier, when we were under NACO alone, the funds used to come from foreign sources… we even used to get funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. So for the first 10-15 years, things ran pretty smoothly. However, now that things have been transferred to the state government, there have been hiccups." Jayamma, an NGO worker from Kengeri said: "While we do face some shortage, we don't know the reason behind it. We have a door to door awareness campaign, so we cover rural areas as well… in such situations, there are times when there is a shortage of medicines to provide for HIV patients." Dr. Sreenivas said that while there is awareness around HIV, there is a lot less volunteering from the people's side to help eradicate it. "Vulnerable groups like rural women consider HIV as a taboo and sex workers aren't willing to step up. So our efforts often fall short because of that," Dr. Sreenivas said. shristi.a@iijnm.org
5 This day, that year On this day in 1955, Rosa Parks, an African-American activist in the Civil Rights Movement, famously refused to relinquish her seat to a white passenger on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She was arrested as it was in violation of the segregation laws, subsequently sparking a 381-day bus boycott led by Martin Luther King Jr.
Quote of the day “You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” — Rosa Parks
Weather Maximim temp: 27° Celcius Minimum temp: 19° Celcius Precipitation: 10% Humidity: 74% Wind speed: 3 km/h Forecast: Partly cloudy
Quiz answers 1. 1983 2. T cells 3. 600 4. Chimpanzee 5. Urine 6. No 7. Wester Blot test
The Observer Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Team Observer Editor: Chhavi Vohra Reporters: Arshreet Singh, Chhavi Vohra, Tina Freese, Saumyangi Yadav, Swarali Bodas, Shristi Achar A, Simran Sharma Copy editors: Anwesha Singh, Arshreet Singh, Ayndrila Banerjee, Chhavi Vohra, Kashish Sharma, Shristi Achar A, Swarali Bodas Page layout: Anwesha Singh, Arshreet Singh, Ayndrila Banerjee, Chhavi Vohra Supplement: Jinit Parmar, Shristi Achar A
6
COMMERCE Channapatna’s own toy story
The Observer Wednesday, December 1, 2021
SUPPLEMENT
For this age-old art to survive, artisans are now exploring new ways of promoting their toys, writes Jinit Parmar
H
ome to over 5,000 artisans and 400+ factories, Channapatna's journey to becoming the "toy town of Karnataka" is believed to have begun nearly 200 years ago under the reign of Tipu Sultan. The then ruler of Mysore is said to have been gifted a lacqueredwood toy from Persia in the 18th century. Impressed by the craft, he brought artisans from Persia to train local artists in the craft. In 2006, the Geographical Indications Registry granted a GI certificate to Channapatna toys. However, over the years, the craft's existence has been threatened by the availability of cheaper Chinese imports. From that of former the United States president Barack Obama to the prince of Bhutan, the geographical indication (GI) tagged toys from Channapatna are in homes around the world. For this age-old art to survive, artisans are now exploring new ways of promoting their toys. One artisan, Krishna Singh, has been working to facilitate workers and artisans in the industry for years. In recent years, the number of artisans in the toy-making pro-
Channapatna’s toy business might go out of trend if sellers don’t promote their business| Credit:: Jinit Parmar fession has dropped considerably. Many are switched to other professions while others have shifted to their native places. “I have been in this business for the last 25 years and I have never seen such a shortage of skilled workers. This has affected many
toy-makers in the town,” said Krishna Singh, owner of Jagannath Krishna Handicrafts. “My business is good but I cannot deliver bulk orders as my factory lacks skilled workers,” he added. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the business of these toy-makers
and artisans slid further into distress. Export was limited and the local market also took a downturn for a long time. “Since there were no training programmes in the town during Covid-19, many unskilled workers either worked at a slow pace compared to skilled workers, and earned less, or moved to their native places,” said Anil Kumar, production head at Maya Organic in Channapatna. The Decline: Singh pointed out the unique nature of Channapatna toys, turned in lathes and finished in lacquer. When the European market opened up to Channapatna in the 1970s for wooden napkin rings, lakhs of such rings were exported worldwide. “However, this is also when, he thinks, the downfall of the craft began. Many workers, in greed, started to use duplicate wood instead of real wood,” he said. In February 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon Channapatna toy-makers to explore the possibility of e-marketing their traditional wear across the country and the world. Singh said that he had written a
letter to PM Modi in May this year, requesting more focus on the financial aspect of the industry. “There are handicrafts training programs and institutes in the town of Sagara, Shivamogga district where one can learn various handicrafts including toymaking but not everyone can afford this,” Singh added. There were many NGOs who used to train workers. During Covid-19, there were no training sessions and hence many workers were left with no work to do. “We had planned to design a crafts park in Channapatna to teach toy-making. But due to the pandemic, the construction was delayed,” said Sreekala Kadidal, Independent Director of Channapatna Crafts Park. On their part, all that people like Singh could do was to write letters to the Prime Minister and other officials and create awareness around the issue. But if the workers do not get assistance, financially and through training, individual efforts are in vain and the world famous toys of Channapatna could lose all its glory and could go extinct. jinit.p@iijnm.org
Where are the numbers?
The lack of accurate data from the government causes several vulnerabilities, comments Shristi Achar A
A
s a student of economics, I had based much of my education on the reliability of data and the evidence it provides to conduct meaningful research and studies. But people involved in Indian academia have often found that very weapon of stability often goes missing in India. When the country was reeling with the migrant crisis in the midst of the first wave of Covid, the government had told the parliament that “it is not feasible to keep record/data of migrant labour workforce.” And just like that, in a sentence, the government had put millions of lives in uncertainty, for so long. It wasn’t a question of whether or not the government would help them, but rather how they would help them in the absence of any information at all. The issue isn’t Covid-specific, however. The trend has been going for long and well in public sight. In 2019, media reports stated that the present government had suppressed the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report on unemployment in the country. Post this, the leaked report showed that the unemployment in the country stood
at a 45-year high. In a development to this, the alleged quitting of two NSSO members in protest of compromising the data, further questioned the reliability, or the ability of the government to disseminate information to public. At the risk of sounding obvious, lack of correct data hampers the basic need to have information, in the absence of which policy decisions are difficult to undertake. The World Bank had released a report titled ‘Poverty and Shared Prosperity Report: Reversals of Fortune.’ One of the highlights in its report was the lack of poverty estimates in India, since the most recent household level survey the nation had conducted was in 2011. When the preliminary level of data itself isn’t available, how can it be expected that there will be sound policies in place to ensure development and welfare of the populace nowadays? However, this presents merely one aspect of the web of problems. Inaccuracy of data presents another major issue, resulting in
adding to the prevalent misinformation that is rampant in the country. A major component is the statistical inaccuracies that happen
when there are inconsistencies in calculations of important economic indicators. In 2018, the NDA government
changed their base year to calculate the Gross Domestic Production (GDP) of India to 2011-12 from 2004-05. However, in calculating the GDP for the preceding years, the data released scaled down the growth rates by almost two percentage points gained during the UPA regime. While the nittygritties of the computations can be debated, such inconsistencies in the information available downplay the developments. Additionally, since economic forecasts are done on the basis of back series data, the lack of coherent data often leads to misleading forecasts as well. A prime example is that of demonetisation that was undertaken in 2016. The call back of the Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 denominations, which formed approximately 86 per cent of the currency in circulation, led to a
decline in India’s growth by two to three percentage points in that quarter. Between 2016 and 2018, an approximate of five million jobs were lost as a result. However the data for all this was available only two years later, in 2018. In the time gap of two years, it is easy to notice how the lack of information could have had dire consequences on forming necessary policies to help mitigate the impacts of such large scale economic events. The few respites that are offered come from the private sector, where think-tanks like the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy or universities like Azim Premji University fill in the data gaps by conducting their own ground research. However, a lot of these datasets lie behind paywalls, inaccessible to the larger public. Accurate government datasets are essential in such respects and other things. They say history is the oldest bank and data is the the new gold. In the new world where information is the king, the fact that India often falls short of having the latter is a little concerning at this point of time. shristi.a@iijnm.org