The Observer An IIJNM publication
Vol 22, Issue 8
Insomnia is a sleeping disorder which can cause various complications like abnormal weight loss | P 2
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
@theweeklyobserver
Website: theweeklyobserver.in Epaper: https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver
Veena losing its popularity due to a decline in the number of skilled players and craftsmen | P 3
Seatbelts don’t Demands of the urban poor in B’luru remain unheard save children ‘Politicians visit us only in the front seat when they need votes’ By Yukta Mudgal
Airbags deploy with speed, can hit children
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By Suryash Kumar
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ront-seat airbags were made mandatory in 2021, but the potential danger for children below 12 years travelling in the front seat has been ignored. During crashes, seatbelts cannot hold children to the seat properly. An inflating airbag can pose great threat to their life. In India, there are no special laws prohibiting children from sitting in the front seat. A study by the NGO SaveLife shows that more than 55,000 children have died in road accidents since the year 2008. The Observer found that chdren were sitting and playing on the front seats of around 60 cars on the Mysuru Road. Umesh G, technical lead, Crash & Safety, ASM Digital Engineering Pvt. Ltd, said: “Countries in the West had made airbags mandatory long back, but in India, airbags weren’t made compulsory until 2021 for the front seats. Implementation of (the) six airbags (rule) has been deferred.” Airbags are not designed to be used without seatbelts. “If the occupant is without a seatbelt and a crash happens, an airbag, even if it inflates, will not protect the occupant or will not be as effective as with a seatbelt,” Umesh added. “Seatbelts are not designed for kids. Kids do not have a suitable height, and they are below a position at which seat belts fail to restrain their movement during crashes. Airbags deploy with great speed, and it can hit children, leading to serious injury. In the US, children must sit in the rear seat and infants between 3-4 years must sit in the seats specially designed for them.” Cars have a special seatbelt system for children above four years. Infant seats are rear-facing seats, so even if airbags deploy,
55,000 children died in road accidents in 2008 | Credit: Ishan Rathi the child will not come into contact with the airbag, he shared. Vishwanath, a head constable at the Upparapet traffic police station, said: “Parents are responsible for their children's safety; after that come the police. We should have a law that mandates children to sit in the rear seat.” Sharan Kumar, a consultant at Mahindra and Mahindra, said that the seatbelts are designed for adults in which an occupant’s height is assumed to be between 5.5 feet and 6 feet. If the occupant is below 5 feet, the seatbelt doesn’t get locked, and the impact of the airbag is worse than it would have been if the front seat belt were locked. Krupanandan, a sales trainer at Viva Toyota, said: “Seatbelts are designed for adults, and not children. The impact of the crash can be deadly for children as their bones are fragile. Cars have child locks in the rear seat only because children below 12 years old should be seated at the rear.” Shiv Kumar, Traffic inspector, BBMP, said: “We need separate seats for children, and parents can use separate seats.” When The Observer asked if the Bangalore traffic police has any awareness drive to make parents aware of the dangers of children travelling in the front seat, he replied in the negative. suryash.k@iijnm.org
he Karnataka government has promised to provide slum-dwellers basic facilities like housing, electricity and water, but many of their demands remain unfulfilled. The government’s Basic Service to Urban Poor scheme aims at providing seven basic amenities and services to the urban poor, especially slum-dwellers. The basic amenities include security of tenure, improved housing, water supply, sanitation, education, health, and social security. Annapurna Hadapad, wo has lived in Vinayaka Layout, Nayandahalli for 30 years, said the government has not provided them permanent housing. “The High Court has cleared our demand, but the government is not giving us permanent houses. They have made ration available, but our temporary houses get filled with water every time it rains.” They cannot live on rent, which is between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 a month. Politicians come only to ask for votes, she said. Continued on page 3
BWSSB officials demanded Rs 8,000 to set water meter not meeting slum dwellers’ budget. They fear that water supply can be cut | Credit: Yukta Mudgal
Lack of parking space in Bengaluru has made motorists’ life difficult Only 1,300 4-wheeler slots added in 3 yrs
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SC to hear plea against Bilkis convicts’ remission The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will hear on November 29 petitions challenging the remission of sentence and release of 11 convicts in the 2002 Bilkis Bano gang-rape case and murder of her seven family members during the Gujarat riots.PTI
US does a volte-face on Pakistan statement
By Vindhya Pabolu he lack of parking spaces in Bengaluru has become a headache for car owners and drivers in busy areas. Latest BBMP data show car parking areas have space for only 2,670 four-wheelers, an addition of just 1,300 in three years. Manu H.S., a cab driver working for Accenture, informed The Observer: “In the past, I was fined countless times. How can we find customers when the parking spaces are too far away from commercial areas? Once I was even fined while I was waiting for a passenger.... What could I do? I am not left with any other option because it’s my only livinghood.”
News briefs
A parking policy prepared in 2012 and adopted by BBMP aims to discourage the use of personal vehicles | Credit: Vindhya Pabulo Car owners and drivers say it has become tough to park their vehicles in bustling areas. They get fined continuously because of parking in non-parking zones. According to data published by the Karnataka transport department, from April 2021 to March 2022, 12,682 four-wheelers were registered. At present, Bengaluru has 17.5 lakh four-wheelers. Continued on page 2
The US is confident of Pakistan's commitment and ability to secure its nuclear assets, the US State Department has said, days after President Joe Biden dubbed the country "one of the most dangerous in the world" as it has "nuclear weapons without any cohesion".PTI
7 dead in Kedarnath helicopter crash
A helicopter ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi here crashed into a hill due to poor visibility on Tuesday, killing all six pilgrims and the pilot on the spot. National Disaster Response Force, of Uttarakhand and Delhi, and police brought the bodies to the Kedarnath helipad. PTI
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The Observer Tuesday, October 18, 2022
We are paid just enough for our survival, say circus employees Ban on animals has reduced people’s interest By Yukta Mudgal
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mployees of Rambo Circus, which is running in the city of Bengaluru after Covidinduced lockdowns, say their salaries are just enough for them to survive. Ismail Sheikh, a globe rider at the circus,informed The Observer that the situation is improving now as a good number of audience are coming to watch the shows .We went through a bad phase during the pandemic. He earns only Rs 18,000 a month. “I get food three times and a place to sleep. But as per the requirements the salary is really low. We are just surviving.” Ranjit Sada, who plays the joker in the circus, shared: “I have been in the circus business since past 22 years. I earn only Rs 15,000 that is Rs 500 per day, like a labourer. In this inflation, my salary should be around Rs. 30,000.” A cooking gas cylinder costs Rs 1,400, mustard oil Rs 200 a litre, and masoor dal Rs 100 a kilo, he said. Sada, whose family lives in Bihar, continued: “I have three kids back at home, and all of them go to school. I get to go home after six months.The travelling expenses are around Rs 2,000.While going back home the expenses add up I have to buy
40% of roads are allotted for parking Continued from page 1 rakash B, who works with Mysore Travellers, said: “Ananda Rao Circle is a place where travellers come from various regions and leave Bengaluru. As there was no parking space allotted for car...the road. It was for a few minutes, but I was fined about Rs 2,000 multiple times and my company is not ready to accept any more fines.” Shankarappa, head constable, Yeshwanthpur, said: “Nobody is fined without reason. We warn them if it’s the first time. It is our duty to fine if a vehicle is parked in No Parking Zone. Basavaraj H.N., Assistant Revenue Officer, and BBMP East Zone, said: “We have constructed three multi-parking space areas in various parts of the city yet people are complaining. Jai Simha, Assistant Executive Engineer, Traffic Engineering Cell, and BBMP, said: “In Bengaluru, around 40 per cent of the roads are allotted for parking. We are planning to install some more parking spaces.” Read the full story on www.theweeklyobserver.in
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Performing artistes were the worst victims of the Covid crisis as thousands of artistes lost their livelihood. | Credit: Yukta Mudgal sweets and toys for my children. Earlier he had applied for a handicapped-person certificate but he did not get any response from the government. During the lockdown, his situation worsened to such an extent that he had started selling eggs to meet the financial needs.According to Sada Russian artists are paid rs 5000. Rashmi Subramanya, a spectator, said: “We have come to the circus after a long 10 years.My child has not seen any kind of entertainment since past ten years In the past two years, my child
has not seen any kind of entertainment In my opinion the circus of our times was way more entertaining than today ‘s. The tickets are expensive. The front seat ticket costs Rs 2000.It is more than a person spends in a shopping mall. Veeresh Yaragattimath, another visitor, said: “I have come to watch the circus after many years.My son dragged me here.. Earlier the circus had an act of playing with animals. Today we do not have such acts. There was only a dog juggling for some time.
A sign on the circus gate said tickets would have to be purchased for children above the age of three years.Akbar Kurka, who operates a merry-go-round since 1999, said he earns Rs 15,000 a month. His wife works as a tailor. People’s interest in circus started declining after animals were banned, he said. The Maharashtra government gives circus employees Rs 15,000 a month,but not all employees benefit from the dole. Harish D.V., who handles public relations at Rambo Circus, shared a press release with The Observer which mentioned that performing artistes were the worst victims of the Covid crisis. Thousands of artistes lost their livelihood. Many companies shut down as they were not able to cope with the Covid-induced financial crisis. Circus companies were no exemption. The person who does the lighting said, “I get Rs10,000 -Rs 15000 per month. it is enough to meet basic necessities. Sujit Dilip, owner of the circus, said in the release: “During the difficult Covid times what kept us going was the unwavering support of the circus lovers. When many of our fellow circuses were forced to shut down, it was the trust of people that made us search for innovative ways to reach them. With online circus shows and special shows to school students via social media platforms like zoom, teams, and YouTube, which kept us going. yukta.m@iijnm.org
Sleep disorder insomnia needs to be addressed properly It’s risen with increase in screen time
By Shruti Banerjee
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nsomnia, a sleep disorder, is not recognised as a disease though many suffer from it. According to Mayo Clinic, insomnia can make it difficult for a person to fall asleep, hard to stay asleep or cause a person to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. It affects a person’s overall health, work performance and quality of life. Aadrita Chowdhary, a student at TISS, Mumbai, said she had trouble falling asleep during the lockdown and used to sleep mostly early in the morning hours. When The Observer asked her whether she consulted a doctor, she replied in the negative. .She thought her sleep pattern would get better once she return back to her normal life, and it did. Trina Banerjee, a clinical psychologist, said she had encountered people having stigma about mental disorders; but over the
past few years, it has decreased due to the influence of social media.Generally, people visit doctors frequently but rarely they do consult a psychologist. Insomnia can lead to other health issues like abnormal weight loss, hormonal imbalances in women, she added. Anxiety and depression can lead to insomnia. During the lockdown time due to online classes and webinars, screen time increased for people of various age groups which, leading to insomnia. Over the past three years,
Banerhee said she has treated almost 500 patients who suffered from the disorder. Rachna Sharma (name changed), who suffered from insomnia for five years, shared that because of depression, she was unable to sleep properly at night. It started around six years ago due to a strain in her marital life; it continued to be mild before it ended. She consulted a psychiatrist who had advised her to take hormone-balancing medicines which she did not take. Shatabdi Ghosh, 23, a student, said that even after 19 hours of attending classes and doing assignments, she feels tired but is not able to sleep. Rachna Sharma informed The Observer, that when she was suffering from insomnia, she started following spiritual gurus. She says that one should always keep the mind preoccupied with something one is passionate about, and not overindulge in anything. Due to social stigma prevalent amongst the public about mental health, disorders like insomnia and other diseases are not addressed and treated properly. shruti.b@iijnm.org
Citizen ‘s Voice Defining moment for the Congress today A new Congress president will be elected on October 19. It will be a defining moment for the Congress.The English-speaking middleclass wants Shashi Tharoor, a rebel in his own right, to be the new president. Tharoor has promised to do away with the centralization of power. On the other hand, the Gandhi family would want a loyalist to head the party, so that it gives away power but does not lose it. Mallikarjun Kharge is the high command’s trump card. A yes man, hehas been placed at the centre of the tussle for the Congress presidency. Aashwin Shankar
Our buses lack fire extinguishers
According to Section 167 of Karnataka Motor Vehicles Act, fire extinguishers should be installed in public transport vehicles. But while travelling around the city, I did not see them in buses. Also, it's only the driver who knows how to use the extinguisher. This is a matter of concern. Ishan Rathi
Women stepped out of their homes even before
Women going out and working is not new. In the 10th century, Kundavai, daughter of emperor Sundara Chola, was not just a princess. She was raised equally with her two brothers and allowed to take her own decisions. Kundavai was known for her intelligence.She could tackle any situation. History shows women working and being allowed to take decisions was common.It is just that people are just not aware of this. Navya Sruthi
Quiz 1.What James Watt invented? 2.The largest glaciers are? 3.The Nobel peace prize is awarded in which city? 4.Movement of cell against concentration gradient is called? 5.Todar Mal was associated with?
Around the city Aane Matthu Iruve : Story of a Republic, Film Festival and Panel Discussions19-21 October, 2022 @ St. Joseph's University Auditorium,36, Langford Road, Shanti Nagar, Bengaluru. Club Carnival- Masque Rade, 7: 00 PM, 19 October, 2022 @ Indigo XO HSR, HSR layout, Bengaluru.
Weather Today’s temperature: 23°C Low: 20°C High: 28°C
The Observer Tuesday,October 18, 2022
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Mysore Baani style of playing the veena is on the wane
Wonders of the World
There aren’t many manufacturers left; people want to learn in a hurry By Sneha T.S.
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Once a renowned art form, bears the brunt of westernisation leaving the manufactures shift towards other source of income.|Credit: Sneha T S renowned veena player, informed The Observer:“Mysore Baani flourished and prospered under the Wadiyar dynasty. Today,though many prefer to learn western instruments, there are a few who are doing their best to take our traditional art form ahead. There are many parents who want their children to learn the veena. Many veena artistes are from musical families. That is why it is easier for them to learn and acquire knowledge about it. The veena can be introduced in school cur-
Slums remain an easy target for robbers Continued from Page 1 he slums are targets of thieves.Noora Nisa, who lives in Hombegowda Nagar, near Lalbagh, said slumdwellers face a lot of problems. There are no water meters in the slum. BWSSB officials say a meter costs Rs 8,000, but “we can only pay Rs 3,000. They will cut our water supply if we do not
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Multiple woes
lThere are no permanent houses even for people who have lived in slums for long lBWSSB officers demand Rs 8,000 for a water meter, an amount they can’t afford lSlum-dwellers fall ill after being bitten by insects that breed in garbage dumps lGovt’s aid of Rs 1,000 a month to buy nutritious food for children is inadequate comply with them.” She showed The Observer an old washroom which has now turned itself into a garbage dumping ground in which insects breed and spread diseases.
Mallikarjun, secretary at Deena Seva Sangha, an NGO, said: “There are 65 children from the underprivileged background in our NGO who require nutritious food. We have to cover their health expenditure. But the government only gives Rs 1,000 for every child. We live a very hard life. Only donors help us, but even that is not sufficient for us.” Shankar Pujary, assistant director, Karnataka Slum Development Board, said the government and NGOs help the dwellers with food supplements during floods. Meghana B.V., who identifies herself as a social welfare expert at the Karnataka Slum Development Board, said: “We have constructed thousands of buildings. They don’t look like slums. During floods, field engineers facilitate them and attention is given by assistant executive engineers and assistant engineers. We… provide housing to slum-dwellers due to which their lifestyle has been uplifted. The government has also provided free education and anganwadis.” yukta.m@iijnm.org
riculums. Students who are willing to learn can take it up as a subject. Again, the problem is... a dearth of teachers. Many perform at concerts because they get paid a lot. The other reason why this art form is declining is because many are not able to connect to it.”The number of skilled veena craftsmen has gone down. V. Raju, a craftsman and the owner of the Veena Works, Basavanagudi, said: “Yes, the demand for the veena had decreased earlier; but in the recent times, the demand...has
MG ROAD POTHOLES TROUBLE COMMUTERS
Kamchatka ice cave is a paradise on earth. Found in the far-east peninsula of Kachatka in Russia, this stunning ice cave is near the active Mutnovsky volcano. A stream that flows beneath glacial fields at the bottom of the volcano and the melting glacier allows sunlight to pass through creating a spectacle of colours inside the cave. Now, explorers, navigators and even tourists visits this place. Untill 1990,it was left unexplored. Source: Tripzlla
Tweetcasm Bengaluru traffic is so useful. My wife got mehendi applied on her hands for Karwachauth, and by the time we reached home battling the insane traffic, it had already dried. @HaramiParindey
Did You Know? The Sahara Desert can reach up to 136 degrees. Its average temperature is actually about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's pretty much always hot.
Quote of the Week “I will utter what I believe today, if it should contradict all I said yesterday.” -Wendell Philips
Quiz answers 1. Rotary Steam Engine 2. Continental glaciers 3. Oslo 4. Active transport 5. Finance
he once-famous Mysore Baani, a style of playing the veena, is losing its popularity because there are not enough craftsmen and artistes. N. Karthik, a popular veena player from Bengaluru who in 2006 made it to The Guinness Book of Records for performing themost number of concerts in 24 hours, said: “The veena has a mention in ancient texts of Yajurveda, Rigveda and Samaveda.” He continued: “Mysore Baani belongs to Karnataka and is popular in the state. Talking about Mysore, the number of people taking up this style has reduced. Everybody wants to learn it fast and post on social media. No one wants to take traditional music ahead. I tell my students to practise Carnatic music,but many take it lightly. I think the generation gap has to be blamed for this. Today, one can hardly find these people; many people have given up this occupation.” Asked about the decline in the manufacture of veenas, he said: “There are not many veena manufacturers today. There is a place called Simpadipura in Doddabalapura, where around 30 to 40 families are into this craft,but even there many have given up this job and are now shifting to other jobs like farming. Making a veena is a difficult task; it takes almost one month.” Vidhushi Pushpa Raju, a
increased because now many children are willing to learn it. Unfortunately, in Karnataka, there are only a few veena craftsmen left.Apart from my workshop, I know only the one that is in Doddaballapura . Rakesh B.G.,the owner of the Veena Ranganna and Sons, who is also a veena manufacturer, shared:“I want to take this ahead. It was started by my great grandfather Veena Ranganathan in the 1800s. The veena is the reason behind my existence. Today’s people have given up this for blue-collar jobs and monetary gains.This tradition must not die, we need to take this ahead.... We invest Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 on one veena.”Despite the decrease in the instrument’s popularity, some budding artistes have chosen to learn the veena. Soumya Raghevendran, who is a Veena student, said: “Every individual has (her or his) preferences. Although, many people have taken up western instruments and cultre..Instead, I prefer learning the veena. I practise it regularly. I took it up as a passion. In recent years, I have observed that in the West many have started teaching their children our artforms that also includes the veena.” Though the art is declining, but it is not dying as there are still some people who are interested in pursuing it and therefore they are taking the tradition ahead. sneha.ts@iijnm,org
The Observer
Potholes and parked cars at M.G Road are slowing down the traffic and at times, leading to traffic snarls, which is causing inconvenience to commuters. Many of them have to take a detour that significantly increases their travel time. Credit: Vindhya Pabolu
Produced by the Print students of the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media at Nityananda Nagar, Kumbalgodu, Kengeri hobli, Bengaluru 560074. Editor: Suryash Kumar News Editor: Shruti Banerjee Copy editors: Sneha T.S, Yukta Mudgal, Siddhi Chauhan Photo editor: Vindhya Pabolu Other IIJNM publications l The Beat magazine l CityCast l The SoftCopy