The Observer Volume 20 Issue 3

As cyclone Nivar calms down, TN heaves a sigh of relief

By Mahitha Owk

T

he cyclonic storm Nivar, which is moving northwest, is likely to weaken further into a deep depression, according to the India Metrological Department.

"The storm now lies inside the land area. There will, however, be rainfall and strong winds as well,” Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, Balachandran. S told the mint.

According to NDTV, atleast three people have died because of the cyclone. The streets of Chennai are flooded and has uprooted hundreds of trees.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in north Tamil Nadu

Normal life was affected in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as Cyclone Nivar caused torrential rain | Courtesy: Jarun Kumar/Twitter and Chittoor, Kurnool, Prakasam and Cuddappah districts of Andhra Pradesh. A few places in Telangana are also likely to experience heavy rainfall.

“I see that the situation is very much in control when compared to the 2016 situation,” said Ram Kshirsagar, a resident of Chennai.

A resident of Thanjavur,

Antony Fernando, said farmers are the worst­affected as this is the season of harvesting. Many farmers weren’t able to register for crop insurance as the deadline was November 24, a day before Nivar made a landfall. "They gave 24 to 48 hours’ notice to the farmers, which is very less, and left almost 40% of them unregistered for the crop insurance.”

mahitha.o@iijnm.org

By Dhruv Raghav

By Abhisek Dutta

T

he unavailability of train tickets is preventing construction workers from going back to their workplaces.

Arpan Roy, a civil contractor from West Bengal, informed The Observer: “Site managers are calling now and then, but the unavailability of tickets is making it difficult for labourers to travel.”

Along with his 30 workers, Roy returned home in May from a construction site at Hubli by a Shramik Special train. All his workers have been jobless since then. “I have been trying to arrange tickets for the past one and a half months, but tickets are unavailable up till December,"he shared his experience.

The Indian Railways initially suspended all its trains because of the Covid­19 pandemic. Later,

Aarthi. N, a resident of Chennai, said a few low­lying areas in Tamil Nadu have been facing problems due to waterlogging. They have no electricity. “Roads are bad as usual, it’s very windy here, and I don’t see anything unusual."

Fernando and Kshirsagar said the situation was far better than the previous years.

“It is evident that the government has learnt its lessons from past experiences,” Fernando noted. There are two main reasons for the less damage this time: Nature was comparitively kind, and the Cauvery delta districts, which have a bulk of paddy fields, are not affected much.

Although people have suffering due to the cyclone, the situation seems to be in control.

Thousands were shifted to flood relief camps 24 to 48 hours before Nivar made a landfall at puducherry

Construction labourers are working in agricultural fields to earn daily wages | Abhisek Dutta they announced the resumption of 230 trains in the first phase and announced another set of 120 trains on September 1 to augment passenger services. But the demand for tickets is so high that most trains show a waiting list up to December­end on the IRCTC website.

Rahul Bauri, a construction worker from West Bengal,

returned from his workplace nearly eight months ago.

Obviously, I need a job but this scramble for tickets has left me in a dilemma. Even if I reach the site somehow, I may have to return home any time as my wife is pregnant,” he shared. But he needs a job to take care of his family.

Continued on page 2

New Delhi: Tour operators and guides are struggling to make ends meet because of pandemic­ induced international travel restrictions. With no assistance for them in the economic stimulus package, they want the government to resume issuing tourist visas.

“Covid­19 has affected the travel industry the most. It has sent us five years back (economically). Millions of lives have been affected,” Mahendra Singh, Director, India Personal Tours, informed The Observer.

A report published by the World Tourism Organisation in the first quarter of 2020 reported a loss of Rs 5.92 lakh for the tourism industry due to travel restrictions around the world. The curbs caused a decline of 67 million in international arrivals.

“When tourists come to India,

Former Argertina Football team captain and coach Diego Maradona died at the age of 60, on Wednesday.

Jallikattu for Oscars Jallikattu, directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, is India’s entry for Oscars.

Amravati land case Supreme Court stayed Andhra Pradesh High Court’s media gag order in the Amravati land case.

Anti­cow slaughter bill Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan said that the anti­cow slaughter bill will be introduced in the winter session.

Covid contacts in India According to an online survey conducted by LocalCircles, a social media platform 9 out of 10 Indians have one or morecontacts of people who had covid.

Farmers fight against Agriculture bills Police fired water cannons and sealed the borders of the national capital to stop the 'Delhi Chalo' march. As the farmers are protesting against the newly introduced bills.

they stay, travel, eat and visit monuments. The lives of all the people who are involved in these businesses have been affected.”

Data published by the National Sample Survey office mentioned that Delhi hosted 2.26 crore foreign tourists in the year 2014­15, the highest in India. Twelve hundred licensed tour guides are registered with the tourism ministry in the northern region.

Mahendra Singh, who has been in the industry for 17 years now, has laid off eight of his ten guides. “Even if I invest in a new business, there is little hope. I have worked most of my life in the tourism industry.”

Harjinder Singh, director of 24x7travels.com, an inbound and outbound tour operator, said only 10% of the company’s volume has been operational since September. He has laid­off three of his employees.

Continued on Page 2

The Observer Thursday, November 26, 2020

'It's boring at home': Students want to go back to school

By Mahitha Owk Hyderabad:

Children in Telangana are stressed out as their wait for schools to reopen has prolonged.

“Everything is online: Classes, homework and even talking to my friends,” Akshith Reddy, a sixth-standard student, informed The Observer.

Sai Sandeep, 10, said he and his brother have to share the only mobile device at home. “I miss playing with my friends. It’s so boring at home. I want to go back to school.”

Lahari Addla, who studies in class X in Sri Chaitanya Techn School, said: “This is my last year in school. I had a lot of plans, and now it ended up like this.” Her father has fallen victim to Covid19 and that worries her. Even if schools reopen, she isn’t sure whether she should attend physical classes as she sees her father suffering.

While schools in some states are gradually reopening, Telangana’s schools are closed for more than seven months. The state government has asked all schools to conduct online classes. The Centre permitted states to open schools from October 15 but left it to the states to decide depending on the Covid-19 situation.

Dr A.K. Sumanth, a psychiatrist, said: “Research shows a child’s brain cannot concentrate on devices more than 15-20 minutes. So how can an online class be effective?” Two-way communication, which plays a crucial role in the learning process, is not possible in online classes.

Hasini Movva, 14, spends the entire day attending online classes. “My eyes ache and I feel like throwing all the devices away. Once I am done with school, my tuition starts which is also online,” she shared. Online education is more exhausting

than playing outdoor games and travelling to school.

Aadhya Yogitha, a tutor, said: “I see my students are already stressed out, so I try to keep things simple and do not burden them with homework.” But it’s tough to teach maths via WhatsApp calls. I am still adapting to changes and finding better apps for effective learning.”

Dr Sumanth suggested parents spend more time with their children in a situation like this.

They should send their children out to play “Children need to drain out their... energy; if they

don’t, they become hyperactive which isn’t a good thing.”

A Hindi teacher, Renu Sinha, said she tries to give her students little homework, and clears all their doubts. Since they are stressed out, it would be good if schools reopen soon.

Lahari said: “I just want to meet my friends, have lunch together like we used to, and play with them.” Hansini has similar thoughts: “I usually don’t like going to school, but now I am eagerly waiting for schools to reopen.”

Archana Deshpande, a mother of a seven-year-old, said: “Thanks to technology, without stepping out of the house, my child is still able to learn many things.” Both online and offline classes have their advantages and disadvantages. She is happy she can spend more time with her daughter.

Though the number of Covid-19 cases in Telangana has been decreasing, the state government is unsure about reopening schools. In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, there are instances of students testing positive after schools reopened. With experts predicting a second Covid-19 wave soon, a reopening of schools in Telangana looks uncertain.

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Continued from page 1

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Continued from page 1

ohd Izhar, a resident of Bihar’s Katihar district, is presently working with only 27 people out of his 300 labourers at a site in Indore because he was unable to book tickets for all. “I had to do several break journeys in small groups to reach Indore which amounted to an extra Rs 3,000 for each worker,” he said.

Prashanta Panda, a concrete maker from West Bengal, has taken up jobs like farming and vegetable vending to earn money.

Resting under a tree, he informed The Observer that all his savings have dried up.

Working in a paddy field gives him just Rs 150-180 per day, which isn’t sufficient to run his family. “If I were there, I could have earned about Rs. 500 per day. But there is no way until my contractor gets tickets.”

Civil contractor Chandan Patra said he returned home in West Bengal on February 25 after the completion of a project in Bhatinda. All his 60 labourers are jobless since then. “For the past two months, I have checked IRCTC’s website almost every

day.

It either shows accommodation unavailable or a few seats are available.”

A construction labourer from WB, Achintya Bauri said that his family members have got weary of his joblessness since the lockdown started.

Pavitra Kumar, an administrator of a site of Shapoorji Pallonji Engineering and Construction Company in Hyderabad, said they need at least 1,000 more workers to attain the same progress they had before the lockdown. “We are trying to mobilize workers by sending buses,” Kumar said.

Subhash Chandra, an assistant supervisor of Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC), who is currently assigned to a site in Bhatinda, said the company had to pay a huge amount to arrange labourers by bus.

Brajesh Kumar Mandal, a civil contractor from Madhepura district of Bihar, is working with 150 workers in Rajasthan under VRC Constructions Pvt Ltd. He said, “Three months ago the company sent two buses to bring my workers here.”

e have no business. This has been another demonetisation for us.

We used to hire naturalists, drivers and guides. Seventy per cent of the support staff has moved to different occupations,” Harjinder Singh said.

“We are not behaving like a country. Each state has its own rules which is causing confusion and has hurt us badly. One has to know the restrictions imposed by the states.”

Guides who often freelance with tour operators have returned to their hometowns. Narendra Chhangani, a regional tour guide who has gone back to Rajasthan, said many guides like him who have gained expertise in the field are finding it difficult to find new jobs. “Some have started farming and some of them have started selling vegetables. A few of them even had to take their own lives.”

Chhangani, who works with a tour guides’ union, said he and a few union members had in vain approached an MLA for help.

“This time the offseason arrived a month early. We have been sitting at home for more than eight months. There has been no help provided to us by the government.

The Kerala government is the only state

which helped tour guides by giving them Rs 10,000 once,” said Chhangani.

Dimple Maggoo, a former tour guide driver, has set up a shop selling spices and dry fruits for his livelihood. “Travelling is my passion; I will never leave it. One has to earn to survive, so I started this business when tour operators stopped hiring me to drive passengers to different parts of India.”

“The government has done nothing. They should start issuing tourist visas again to keep the industry afloat. We are ready to take all sorts of measures. There can be multiple

Q1. Which pharmaceutical manufacturer has claimed that its vaccine candidate to be the most efficacious?

Q2. Which 2 companies are manufacturing mRNA vaccines?

Q3. What is the efficiency of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin efficiency rate?

Q4. Which pharmaceutical manufacturer has partnered with Serum Institue of India to manufacture its vaccine candidate?

Q5. Which much will one dose of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine cost in Indian rupees?

For answers see page-4

Temperature: Maximum: 21 degree Celsius Minimum: 18 degree Celsius Precipitation: 30% Humidity: 100% Wind: 8 kmph

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levels of screening put in place.

Infected passengers can be quarantined. I used to arrange groups of 1,200 tourists for multiple trips till last year. Now, even if I manage to get five trips of 200 passengers, I will be able to sustain my business,” said Mahendra Singh.

The government of India has started reissuing existing visas to all foreign travelers, except for those who are either on tourist, medical or electronic visa.

A Ministry of Tourism official said they did not take tour guides and operators into consideration as most freelance guides are not registered with the government.

Hence, it is difficult for the government to extend help.

“There are industries such as the hospitality sector which are also dependent on foreign travellers for their income. They bring foreign exchange. A few protourism states such as Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have brought in policies to help these people,” she added.

With increasing Covid-19 numbers and a second wave of infections forcing European countries into another lockdown, uncertainty looms over the livelihood of tour operators and guides.

Post-lockdown, condition of Brahmani bridge causes worry After Rourkela has reopened post-lockdown, the condition of the Brahmani bridge has begun to worry the public again.

Heavy vehicles that travel between the mines and the industrial areas have increased the risk of the bridge collapsing.

“The bridge has been deteriorating for 12 years,” SN Chaterjee, a daily commuter on the bridge. “The bridge is too shaky and, under such heavy load, may collapse anytime.”

According to a Kalinga TV report, a portion of the bridge had developed a crack in May this year. The crack was repaired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), but commuters were unhappy. Even though the crack has been repaired, iron plates of the bridge are exposed in a few places. The bridge shakes when heavy vehicles pass over it.

“Long traffic jams on NH-143, especially the Brahmani bridge, create a lot of issues for us,” Binikesh Mohanty, an engineering student from Burla who lives nearby, said. “Not only the bridge, but also the condition Rourkela:

of the entire NH-143 is very bad.

The traffic jams are mostly due to the bad condition of the road.”

Tapan Parida, another commuter, said not much progress has been made on a new bridge whose construction began in 2018. Work stopped for a few months due to the pandemic.

“Still, we really wish that the construction will be completed soon, so that we can get rid of the death trap.”

The existing bridge, between Hockey Square and Vedvyas Square, is like a death trap.

NH-143 is in no good condition either. It is filled with potholes.

Due to continuous heavy traffic, there is a lot of dust in the area which gets into people’s eyes. The condition becomes worse during

the rainy season. The whole road becomes muddy and slippery.

Many people had a narrow escape as their vehicles skidded.

PN Pradhan, inspector-incharge, Raghunathpalli police station, said: “Traffic in the area is at its peak during the evening.

Many two-wheelers climb the footpath. There is a high chance they may fall down the bridge; many such accidents have occurred in the past.”

Potholes near the bridge are one of the main reasons for traffic jams.

According to data from the Raghunathpalli police station, there have been 19 accidents on NH-143 in 2020. Of these, six took place near the bridge, including an accident on the

W

By Nishita M. Agath

ork from home and elearning requirements have led to a sharp rise in the number of broadband connection subscribers.

Sudhir K Gupta, secretary of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), informed The Observer: “According to data published by TRAI, during the lockdown, broadband connections increased by 6% within the duration of April to June.”

With high-speed internet proving to be an integral part of individual’s lives, TRAI experienced a major change in Internet utilization patterns.

About the growing requirement of needs of broadband connectivity for high speed and uninterrupted network, he added: “Telecom service providers are not solely responsible for the customer complaints regarding poor

networks. Instead, it is a group effort. Areas such as improving infrastructural facilities and the use of cable TV for broadband must be considered.”

Himen Makadiya, an assistant manager at GTPL Ahmedabad Cable Telelink Pvt Ltd (ACTPL), said: “In the Covid-19 scenario, a steady Internet connection has become more of a necessity than a facility. Earlier, broadband connections were a part of upperclass families only. But now, due

to frequent video calls for office meetings and children’s online classes, even middle-class families are opting for the same.”

“Earlier, broadband connections were an integral part of developed cities like Mumbai, Delhi, etc. but less awareness existed in small city areas. Due to the Covid-19 situation, there is an around 50% rise in the new connections in less populated cities. The connections increased from 100

bridge. In 2019, 22 accidents occurred on NH-143, 10 of them near the bridge and one on the bridge.

Sourabh Chaurasia, Project Director, NHAI, shared: “Earlier there were some issues with the people of Dandiapalli regarding land acquisition which delayed the construction of the new bridge. We were later able to acquire the land with the help of the district administration.”

Due to the lockdown, the required resources could not be transported to the construction site.

Chaurasia said that the construction of the new bridge is a part of the four-laning project of the highway from Biramitrapur to Brahmani Bypass End section of NH-23.

Work on it will be completed by December 2021.

As per NHAI, the bridge was constructed between 1952 and 1960 by the state government. It connects Rourkela to ore-rich Rajgangpur and Biramitrapur, and also to Jharsuguda and Sambalpur. It is also the only route from Panposh and other villages and towns to Rourkela.

It is the only route from Rourkela to the Vedvyas temple and ghat, a major religious site and cremation ground. Even patients being taken to hospital and bodies taken for cremation are held up on the bridge due to heavy traffic. ashutosh.a@iijnm.org

to 350 per month,” he added.

In spite of the high demand, a lack of infrastructure prevents telecom companies from providing wired connections to small cities.

“Due to a lack of infrastructural facilities, Reliance Jio Fiber Broadband Plans are not accessible in small cities like Porbandar,” said Mahesh Andani, an employee at Jio Digital Life, Porbandar.

Asking about the challenges faced by the industry, Nikunj Nakum, desk engineer at Speed O Bits Internet, Rajkot, shared: “It is now mandatory for us to provide services 24/7. People working at international firms might be working during the night hence we have to keep a check upon the signals 24/7."

"A rise in opportunities has led to increased work and extended office hours,” Nikunj added.

Mr. Nakum went on to say, “Our monthly customers rose from 70-100 to 1,000 customers per month. We decreased the price of Internet plans to expand our customer base.”

Mohit Kotecha, Assistant Manager at Deloitte Haskins and Sells LLP, Mumbai, said, “I have

Netflix India recently faced a backlash over a kissing scene in a Hindu temple in ‘A Suitable Boy’. Movies in the past have sparked controversies and led to protests. Censorship in India has always been a dicey issue. But is it right to make a fictionalized depiction a priority?

Tasmia Ansari

Punjab farmers are protesting in New Delhi on November 26 over three controversial farm Bills. Only farmers from Punjab are protesting, suggesting it is the only state to have issues with the Bills. Both the state and central governments have failed to listen to the farmer's concerns.

Sakshi Kaushal

Ram temple, check. Abrogation of Article 377, check. Uniform civil code? Contrary to the BJP’s long-standing promise of a common civil code, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to table a Bill on “love jihad”. The country's main party, which aims for one ration card, one tax, and uniform civil and criminal codes, seems to have a dark plan for a Hindu Rashtra.

Padmini Dhruvaraj

been working from home since mid-March. Due to connectivity issues while using a mobile hotspot, I had to resort to a broadband connection. Our firm encourages all employees to set up their broadband connections.”

It reimburses personal data charges to those not provided dongles."

Kinal Lila, a student at the GMC International School, said.“Internet through mobile hotspot isn’t able to fulfill the daily requirements. It either gets exhausted or loses connectivity in the midst of lectures due to poor connectivity.

Low connectivity results in difficulty in gaining conceptual clarity which further leads to poor scores,” said Consumers say Internet service providers do not answer their calls for assistance.

Vatsal Rachchh, a broadband subscriber from Rajkot, said: “We activated a two-year plan of 50 mbps costing Rs 9,000 with GTPL connections. But the speed is highly interruptive. Before 10 am and after 10 pm, Internet (connectivity) is uncertain. They don’t even respond to complaint calls and emails.” nishita.a@iijnm.org

The Observer Thursday, November 26, 2020

4

Shutting down of homeopathy medical centres in Telangana hit patients hard Doctors say they suffered losses, face difficulties, could not understand health issues

Hyderabad: The closure of homeopathy clinics in Telangana during the lockdown inconvenienced doctors and patients.

While patients suffered due to a lack of proper medication, doctors faced problems with online consultations.

“I am diabetic and allergic to allopathy,” said Jobe Sirra, who suffered as homeopathy clinics were closed. He has been on homeopathic medication for three years now.

Many other patients like Jobe had to face inconvenience due to unavailability of proper medication. Namrata, a software engineer, said just two months before the lockdown she started taking homeopathy medicines for sinusitis. It was a six­month course.

“Every month, I go to the clinic and get my medicines, but as the

Dr. Lavanya.B.R faces difficulty in examining patients and providing medical assistance through E-consultancy | Mahitha Owk lockdown was imposed in the state, I couldn’t get my medicines,” she informed The Observer.

“Moreover, homeopathic medicines are not easily available as any other English (allopathic) medicines.”

Dr Lavanya. B.R, who runs a homeopathy clinic in Hyderabad, said online consultations weren’t easy at all. “I understand the patients’ problems better when I see and examine them.” It was difficult for her to treat patients

with dermatological problems “They sent me pictures of the affected area, but it was hard for me to judge the problem by examining pictures.”

Dr Sridhar Reddy, another homeopath, said his clinic incurred a huge loss during the lockdown. “I talk to my patients on WhatsApp and try to resolve their issues.” However, the patients are not satisfied.

Gururaj Govardhan, a driver, said he has been using

homeopathic medicines for migraine. He ran out of medication during the lockdown and couldn’t buy it. “Initially, I suffered a lot. Later, with no option left, and in unbearable pain, I was forced to take allopathic medicines.”

Chaitanya TV, PRO of Telangana health minister Etala Rajendra, said the decision to close homeopathy clinics was taken as a precautionary measure. “People may mistake Covid­19 for common fever and visit these clinics, which do not have facilities for testing and treating Covid­19....”

The decision was especially taken considering people in rural areas who are not fully aware of the virus.

Dr A. Rajendar Reddy, a retired director of the Telangana ayush department, said it was not a good idea to close homeopathy clinics. “Wine shops reopened before homeopathy

NGO brings relief to flood-affected people of West Champaran district

Besides food, it gave shelter and hygiene kits

By Nidhi Kajaria

A

s heavy rainfall and floods left lakhs homeless in Bihar’s East and West Champaran districts, an NGO gave succour to hundreds of people.

Hundreds of people lost their lives and dozens were reported missing after the calamity in late August.

Aziz Ansari, a villager from Nautan block of West Champaran district, informed The Observer: “I lost my house and don’t have anything now. We slept anywhere we found a place in the night. The pandemic added to our problems.” He alleged they were not provided any help by the government. It was getting difficult for them to cope with hygiene issues.

According to government reports, the overflowing rivers, originating in Nepal, forced about 4.9 lakh people to evacuate, but only 11,793 people took refuge in shelter camps.

The Bettiah Diocesan Social Service Society (BDSSS), an NGO in West Champaran district, helped in providing shelter and hygiene kits to 850 beneficiaries.

“We prepared a detailed

Relief kits distributed by BDSSS to flood-hit families | Sumit Victor project analysis looking at the situation and number of affected people in the nearby districts and sent it to the funding agencies for approval,” said Sumit Victor, project manager of BDSSS. “We started packaging the rescue kits as soon as the project got approval.”

Project staff working on the ground explained the objectives at a ward­level meeting that was held in the affected areas.

Sukhram Yadav, a field worker, said: “With the help of the Community­Based Operation Research team we made a list of beneficiaries. We took validation from the villagers and once they gave an agreement to the final list, we presented the list to the

administration”.

Madan Mahato, another resident of Nautan, said the distribution was fair. “The list was made with the consent of other villagers and everyone gave the validation on their own.”

“They also helped the people who were not in the list; they repaired and chlorinated the hand pumps.”

Yadav said: “We chlorinated 85 hand pumps and repaired 25 hand pumps… under the supervision of Victor.”

Victor said he went to the affected area to verify the list.

“Soon after identifying and verifying the beneficiaries, we started distribution.” The NGO followed every technicality in

each step of the project. “We issued cards for identifying the beneficiaries and after the distribution we put a stamp as an assurance of credibility.”

Harikisun Yadav, a resident of Bairia village, said: “I didn’t know what to do when I saw flood water coming towards us. I took my children and ran in the opposite direction. Everything, including my three goats, was washed away. I don’t know where we would have lived if we weren’t provided shelter kits on time.”

Victor said: “Approximately Rs 18 lakh was allocated to the project. Each of the kits cost Rs 2,000. Each of the shelter kits had a 10ft x 15ft tarpaulin and a sheet of 10ft x 18ft. “We focused on hygiene which is why we added five packs of sanitary pads and eight Lifebuoy soaps to each of the kits for the affected women.”

Ansari said: “The hygiene kits which we were given had masks and gloves; at least that helped us from getting infected from the virus to some extent.”

Food relief kits were sponsored

by Zomato Feeding India, an NGO. Each kit contained 6 kg of poha, biscuits, namkeen, milk powder and soap.

BDSSS also organized orientation camps for women and girls on the use of hygiene kits; they requested ASHA workers to make women aware of the need to use sanitary napkins.

nidhi.k@iijnm.org

clinics. How fair is that?”

To help patients, Dr Lavanya and Dr Sridhar used to pack medicines in boxes with the patient's name on it and keep the boxes in the cellar of their apartments.

Patients would come and collect the respective boxes and pay the fee online.

Jobe said that this arrangement helped him to get a few medicines at the time of lockdown.

Dr Rajender Reddy said the clinics should have been reopened with precautions in place. The government's decision to close clinics did not reduce the number of cases.

With Unlock 5.0 in Telangana, almost everything has opened up. Homeopathy doctors are expecting an increase in the number of patients visiting their clinics. Although the cases are decreasing, experts are wary of a second coronavirus wave.

mahitha.o@iijnm.org

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The ‘sponge city’ design can absorb excess rainfall; it can also insulate cities from ecological shocks, writes

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he Indian monsoon has become synonymous with flooding and disaster.

Nature’s unpredictability and uncontrolled urbanization have combined to place around 2.6 million lives at risk and potentially cause hundreds of crores worth of property loss every year.

Various parts of Bihar, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mumbai, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Telangana experienced severe flooding due to the torrential rains this year. In Assam, the mighty Brahmaputra River swallowed the lives of more than 150 human beings and at least 225 animals in the Kaziranga National Park.

Thousands of homes were submerged and hundreds of hectares of crops were destroyed.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) says the country received 27 per cent more rainfall than normal this August, the fourth­highest amount in the last 120 years.

While governments may not always be able to control the floodwaters, they can certainly stop them from creating a disaster.

The most promising idea in

I

to drainage and flood control. In the long­term, they will cut down expenses and reduce the constant expansion of the urban piping network, prevent waterlogging and reduce flood damage.

The sponge city project was first introduced in April 2012 at the “Low­Carbon Urban Development and Technology Forum” in Shenzhen, China. The concept was then successfully implemented across China. Most cities in China uses a combination of surface drainage and pipe drainage where the extensive use of hard concrete prevents surface penetration.

this respect is the “sponge city”.

The term refers to a city that is elastic and, like a sponge, can absorb severe environmental stress or natural disaster. In respect to flooding, it literally means the ability to absorb the excess water load. Key to this is the “sponge road” that can absorb, save, filter and purify water for later use.

Permeable asphalt is selected according to the rainfall characteristics of the project site.

But porous materials used in roads can also be applied to riverbanks, lakes, the seaside and can play a huge role in sand stabilization, embankment reinforcement and water and air permeability. In urban areas, they can be used to absorb excess noise as well.

Porous roads have a huge advantage in helping to maintain the ecological balance. As a short­term application, road materials can always contribute

I

nspired by China’s success with the technology, the Kerala government began experimenting with this new approach in 2020. As Kerala’s water resources minister K Krishnankutty told The Hindu, “The state will evolve a policy to use water resources effectively.

The overall water requirements for various purposes such as drinking, irrigation, and power generation by 2030 would be around 1,000 thousand million cubic feet. However, only around 300tmc is available now.” The

department also planned to implement a ‘room for river’ program inspired by the Netherlands in Kuttanad. The ‘room for river’ project provides more space for the water body to manage extremely high water levels during floods.

The surrounding areas can turn into natural sponges that can absorb excess water during floods.

As KA Joshy, chief engineer, design, research, and investigation wing of the Kerala irrigation department, explained, “The flood control dams planned in the state have multiple purposes such as irrigation, drinking water, and power generation. Unlike the existing dams which use only 8­10 per cent, the proposed dams can utilize 25­30 per cent cushion for flood control through spillway regulation.”

According to a 2019 article by NASA Earth Observatory, Numerous states in India are facing critical drought conditions and water scarcity. Nearly 65 per cent of the country’s reservoirs are running dry. One of the worst­hit areas is the state of Maharashtra, where six of the 17 reservoirs had dried out that year.

Trees hold the key to controlling pollution and protecting human health, says

ndiscriminate tree felling for infrastructural development has become a major source of environmental stress in India.

According to data released by the union ministry of environment, forests and climate change, between April 2016 and March 2019 as many as 76,72,337 trees were cut down for various projects. In a five­year timespan, the ministry has given permission to cut down 1,09,75,844 trees in the name of development.

Says Divya Karnad, professor of environmental science at Ashoka University, Sonipat, “The unplanned infrastructural policy is leading to the countless number of trees felled. The environment ministry should look at the impact of cutting each and every tree on the environment and should prepare for its outcome.”

According to the Rainforest Action Network, 3.5 billion to 7 billion trees are cut down each year worldwide. The impact of such widespread felling on the environmental imbalance is ignored. One major impact which is associated with it is the

increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere which is leading to the alarming rate of global warming.

Healthy forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, acting as valuable carbon sinks.

Deforested areas lose that ability, the consequence of which is the release of an estimated 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere globally each year.

Tree felling contributes to habitat loss and severely impacts the lives of multiple plant and animal species.

Numerous studies have shown that weather changes are directly proportional to the loss of forest coves and the wholesale destruction of the Earth’s remining rainforests and tree cover is causing a climate crisis.

According to a study, there are on average 422 trees per person worldwide but just 28 trees per person in India. A tree census released by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation states that the tree­human ratio in Mumbai is 1:4, that is one tree for every four people; the ideal ration is believed to be 7:1, according to the Indian Institute

of science, Bangalore.

In February 2019 alone, 1,500 trees were cut to widen up four roads in the country's capital.

Similarly, in October 2019, 2,700 trees were cut down in Mumbai to make way for a subway carriage depot. Both led to massive public protests in the two cities.

There is always an environmental cost attached to economic development. Trees and forests are among the few

readily available means we have to reduce the effect of the greenhouse gases we generate. If we can’t expect industry and transport to switch overnight to less­polluting fuels, we should seek every other means to mitigate their effects.

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he only solution left to this is to create awareness among people and educate them about the importance of a healthy tree cover and the need

to regenerate forests on an emergency footing. With rapid urbanization, the green belts that surround cities are fast depleting so it should be made mandatory for cities to grow trees. Stricter laws should be enforced to prevent infrastructural activities that harm the atmosphere in any way that creates an environmental imbalance. Clear­ cutting of forests should be banned. Government policies should focus on saving the environment and promoting every effort that reduces the release and concentration of carbon in the atmosphere.

As India is one of the world's fastest­growing economies with a still fast­growing population, it will be difficult to balance both the requirement of space to house the population and increasing our tree cover. But there is no other option.

The appalling air quality in our cities, with New Delhi’s now ranked as the world’s worst with AQI around 600, will take a take terrible toll on human health long before the full consequences of climate change become obvious.

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Artistes struggle to adapt to the Covid­induced reality of performing online, says

anya Mitra fixes the audio on her laptop and prays it doesn’t malfunction today.

She checks her network connection. Last night she spent hours on a call with a Wi­Fi technician to make sure itworks on her first online performance.

Tanya is a singer who performs mainly in cafes and at cultural shows. “Online shows can never replace the thrill of live shows. They don’t even pay enough,” she complains. But, when she found her savings dwindling, she had no other choice.

The pandemic has taken its toll on artistes, whether actors, musicians or circus performers.

Cancelled shows and the closure of all public venues have left many of them destitute.

In May, the attempted suicide of a popular folk singer in Kolkata sent tremors through in the art world.

Since then, we have seen a rise in online shows, where artists perform on Zoom.

Booking is done through an online ticketing site and patrons get a link in their email accounts. “Yes, they have started online streaming for theatres.

Great actors like Ratna Pathak Shah are doing it, but what about small­time artists?” asks Rahul Pandey, founder of Belapur Drama Association in

Navi Mumbai. “We had to fire 20 actors and all the technicians.”

In Germany, Sweden, Finland and Norway, governments have set up funds to support performing artists through the pandemic. Sadly, in India, there have been no such initiatives from either the union or state governments. “We urge the government to set up a fund.

Our industry has been struggling since aeons, now we are pleading for help, just so that we can sustain ourselves,”

pleads Ramkamal Roy, founder of Navi Mumbai Bengal Cultural Association.

But performing online doesn’t address a host of other requirements.

Says Sparsh Khanna, a theatre artist, “I can’t design my own costume, I can’t design my own set. I live in a one BHK house in Mumbai, I don’t have space.” Sparsh says most theatre companies in Mumbai are not even giving the artists the money to procure costumes.

“We do not get a lot of audience

on Zoom calls. Most are used to live shows and can’t function with low production values.”

Sparsh had no work for the first three months of the lockdown.

He now gets paid Rs. 2,000 per show, which doesn’t even cover his basic expenses.

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onsumers haven’t warmed to the idea of online shows. “Why would I pay Rs. 350 to watch a play online when I can watch it on YouTube for free?” asks Ranjita

Sharma, an ardent theatre­goer.

“The thrill of going to a theatre is the idea of being right there, watching the performance on stage, live.”

While many performing artists talk about the lack of engagement in online shows, most of them are happy that at least they are getting some work.

Rambo Circus became the first circus in Mumbai to go online.

The performers are grateful that they have work after such a long break. “We had to do odd jobs during the pandemic, now we can earn something again,” says Biju Pushkaran, a clown in the circus.

Sourav Choudhury, a stand­up comedian sees the positives as well “Online shows are also great in the sense that we have more time to interact with the audience, we can have question and answer sessions as well.”

But as Sushma Parekh, a makeup artist, points out, “Performers can still earn through these online shows but what about us?"

"The only way to ensure that performing artists, along with makeup artists, technicians, instrument tuners, set designers and several others do not suffer, is through government support.

NGOs have helped in raising funds for artists and crew members but it's not enough.”

It takes a lot of commitment to pursue dance in these troubled times, writes

T

he Covid­19 pandemic and the lockdowns that followed in its wake have rudely interrupted the dance.

Schools, venues, teachers, and students are feeling the pain, some financially but almost everyone emotionally.

Mitali Biswas has been a dance teacher for over 30 years.

Her husband, Dipankar, founded their dance school Renesha. They have been running the school for several years, but this was for the first time they have had to shut down their school for so many months. “We haven't experienced anything like this before,” says Biswas. “During the initial days of the lockdown, we were unable to understand the situation. We thought it would get better within two or three months, and we would be able to open our school again.”

Like many other dance teachers, Biswas shifted her classes online and continued to teach different dance forms using Zoom. But she found the

transition difficult. “Although we were able to resume the classes for some months, we met with difficulties,” she recalls. “My daughter and I conducted the classes almost every week. But we could not schedule it properly.

The students had other commitments. We tried to continue the classes for some months but failed eventually.”

Her students had their own problems. According to Biswas, some students discontinued classes because they were unable to pay the fees. Others could not take out the time from their schedules as they had other responsibilities. Biswas says it has been emotionally disturbing.

“I don't know whether I will be able to continue the classes even after the situation gets normalized. Our dance room has never been this silent.

Previously, we used to be busy with our annual programmes or small functions throughout the year. But now there is nothing to look forward to,” she says.

“Even though I have started in­person classes again, very few students have been willing to come. I have lost a considerable number of students, too. The older students come in small batches and try to learn some dances,” Biswas adds.

But, despite the difficulties, teachers and the students are trying to get accustomed to this new situation. Many dance institutions have organized virtual programs and functions in hopes of making the situation better. Says Paromita Halder Chakraborty, founder of dance institution Dhrupadi Nrityalaya, “I have participated in some virtual performances which were posted on social media platforms.

It helped me deal with these uncertain situations.”

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eachers like Chakraborty are financially dependent on these classes. So the lockdowns and the uncertainty over how long it would take for any sort of normalcy to return

has cost her dear. “I had to close my institution temporarily because of the lockdown. I have been looking for alternative ways to earn money as I have been struggling financially. It is a challenge to do the classes online, as it is difficult to create a routine. Many parents are giving more support to academics than extracurricular activities. That is why the number of students in my institution has reduced.”

There are many dance teachers like Biswas and Chakraborty who are struggling to earn a living while trying to keep their institutions alive.

Many of their students are making an effort to keep to the discipline by joining online classes. Others have overcome parental concerns about their safety to attend in­person classes. Their passion and love for dance, even during a pandemic, shows how it’s possible for people to overcome their fears and pursue art whatever it takes.