The Observer Volume 19 Issue 12 by IIJNM Bangalore

The Observer An IIJNM publication

Ten months on, there is no sign of BMTC’s colour codes to maintain better identity of buses | P 2

Vol 19, Issue 12

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

He just wouldn’t listen, wanted me off the bus, says Bhoomika

he KSRTC bus conductor who pushed a pre-university student out of a moving bus eight days ago is yet to be arrested. His employer says it will conduct a departmental inquiry into the incident. Bhoomika, a student of Jyothi Kendriya Vidyalaya in Yelachenahalli, Kanakapura

Observer special Road, informed The Observer she boarded the bus at 3pm on November 11 from her college stop. Soon after, when she showed her student pass to the conductor, he asked her to get down saying passes were not allowed on the bus. She pleaded with him and said she would alight at the next

Bhoomika sustained injuries on her head and neck, and was left with broken teeth stop. But, in a flash, he pushed her out when the vehicle was near the Yelachenahalli Metro station, she added.

@theweeklyobserver Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in

Maski taluk in Raichur district lacks public toilets; villagers forced to defecate in open | P 4

Conductor who threw girl out of moving bus yet to be arrested Adilin Beatrice C

facebook.com/ twoiijnm/

Passersby took a bleeding Bhoomika to Sri Sai Ram Hospital, Yelachenahalli. She had sustained injuries on her head and neck, and was left with broken teeth. “I am a regular passenger from Yelachenahalli to Kanakapura town. Since my college got over early, I didn’t take the usual bus. I never thought a ride on a different bus would affect me so much. I showed my student pass to the conductor, but he refused to accept it. He didn’t even ask me to get a ticket. He just wanted me to get down from the bus. I agreed to get down at the next stop, but he pushed me before that,” Bhoomika, 16, said “After the incident, my parents approached a local depot. They told them to come on Sunday evening. That is when we lodged a complaint at the Konanakunte

police station,” the first-year PU student said. Srinivas Prasad, a police officer at the Konanakunte police station, said: “The girl’s parents came to file a complaint on Saturday. After that, we sent a letter to the KSRTC and the local depot. We are yet to arrest the conductor.” At the KSRTC head office, an official who did not want to be named said: “We received the letter from the Konanakunte police station yesterday. Soon after that, we suspended the bus conductor. We will conduct a departmental inquiry into the incident before taking action. Mostly it will be a fine or a block on his increments. In the worst case, it will be dismissal. We may even compensate the victim her hospital expenses.” adilin.b@iijnm.org

News briefs Airtel, Vodafone-Idea to increase tariffs in Dec.

Reeling under the impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling on adjusted gross revenue (AGR), Vodafone-Idea and Airtel on Monday announced that they will increase tariffs from December.

‘Corruption in BBMP’

Leader of the opposition in the BBMP council Abdul Wajid on Monday alleged misappropriation of funds in BBMP projects taken up after the BJP came to power in the civic body.

‘Israeli settlements OK’

The Trump administration has said it no longer considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be a violation of international law, reversing four decades of US policy and further undermining the Palestinians’ effort to gain statehood.

Surplus reserves

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said transfer of surplus reserves from the RBI to the government in future would depend on net income and other parameters.

Koramangala residents want Metro Karnataka sees rise in line, BMRCL says it is not possible crimes against SCs

Aarthi N

Shoby Krishna G

esidents of Koramangala want the Ejipura-Koramangala elevated corridor replaced with the Metro line from Baiyappanahalli to Silk Board to decongest the area. But officials say it is not possible to do so. “We’re trying to connect all the possible places in the city through the Metro, but Baiyappanahalli to Silk Board is not in our plans,” B.L.Yashavanth Chavan,PRO of BMRCL, informed The Observer. Jayanti, a resident of Koramangala, shared: “There is no proper route to Silk Board. If the Metro is introduced on this line, a lot of people will be benefitted especially working people who have their offices in the Silk Board area and beyond. By constructing a Metro line, traffic in the city will also decrease and it will also benefit people living in and around the area.” Satish R, an IT company employee, noted: “By building this

arnataka registered an increase in crimes against the scheduled castes, shows the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2017, released last month. Crimes against SCs registered under IPC increased from 1,852 cases in 2015 to 1,869 in 2016. The number increased to 1,878 in 2017, according to the ‘Crime in India’ report, released by NCRB.

The under-construction flyover in Koramangala leaves residents in trouble. They want a Metro line instead of the flyover | Credit: Aarthi N flyover for the past two years, traffic has increased in this area. What is the use of a flyover when traffic is going to be the same even after constructing it? But if the Metro is constructed, a lot of people will use it. When there’s such connectivity, the amount of traffic, pollution, and tension will reduce at a large scale.”

Sommu, an autorickshaw driver said that if the flyover is built, only one side from Madiwala to Domlur side would be useful. The other side would not be useful. It took more than an hour to cross the signal. Also, the road is in a very bad condition due to the ongoing construction. Continued on page 2

NCRB report In 2017, Karnataka registered the highest number of incidents (1,298) with 1,520 victims under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. This was next only to Uttar Pradesh (2,309 incidents). Except for these two states, all other states registered close to 400 cases or less. Sandeep Patil, joint commissioner of police (crime) said: “We

monitor all crimes in the city including crimes against SCs and STs. It is a fact that crimes which have been solved do not get reported or highlighted, unlike the ones which do not get solved.” The contingency plan report by the Commissionerate of Social Welfare, Karnataka, provides a comprehensive picture of the roles of every authority after an atrocity has been committed and the deadline within which action must be taken. Some of the IPC sections under the ambit of the SC/ST Act include murder (Sec. 302), grievous hurt (Sections 325 and 326), voyeurism (Sec. 354), and kidnapping and abduction (Sec. 363). Karnataka, with a SC population of 104.7 lakh, accounted for 4.3% of the total crimes against SCs compared to other states. On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan registered a decline in crime against SCs. Continued on page 3

CITY

The Observer Tuesday, November 19, 2019

BMTC’s uniform colour scheme for its buses remains a dream

Will implement it soon, says company PRO Adilin Beatrice C

MTC’s blue-and-white colour scheme for its buses continues to be a plan. In January 2019, BMTC had announced all its buses would carry a uniform blue-and-white colour code within a few months in order to maintain a better identity. Ten months on, there is no sign of these colours. The Observer found buses painted green, orange and double colours plying in the city. BMTC PRO Deepak said: “The rule is not totally implemented. We planned it earlier and it is still on. The buses will be painted when they go for an annual fitness check. All buses will undergo the process. It is mandatory for us to paint it every year during fitness checks. To colour a bus, it will take approximately Rs 20,000. It is not an extra expense because anyway the bus is going to be painted and now we are going to paint it in uniform colours.” “The uniform colour system is a need for the city. It was implemented for the convenience of the passengers. But right now, we are working on it and will implement it soon,” he added. The blue-and-white colour code applies to around 6,000 ordinary BMTC buses currently in operation. Meanwhile, the Vajra and Vayu Vajra AC bus services will

Presently several non AC buses use green colour as well as blue and white | Credit : Adilin Beatrice C continue to have the same blue colour. When the announcement was made, V Ponnuraj, then managing director of BMTC, said around 82% of the employees and 65% of the people, who were surveyed opted for blue-and-white over other colours. There were very few people who preferred green; about 15% of the participants were indifferent to the proposed change in colour. Talk about making the bus colour uniform began in January 2015. The proposal was worked upon following complaints by commuters that different colours of the buses often leave them confused. As a public transport utility, it is in the interest of commuters that all the buses should be in the same colour to

Contractors’ dues pending Continued from Page 1 he metro line will reduce traffic in the area as most of the people in the city prefer to use the Metro instead of standing for long at the traffic, he added. Chavan said: “To construct a Metro line, a lot of measures and studies are to be done to decide if construction is possible at that particular place. Today, connectivity is there through the Metro. We are trying to connect more places with our future projects. But public transport cannot start from people’s backyard. They have to walk a bit to utilize the available public transport. We have begun with Phase IIA and Phase IIB and are trying to complete them as early as possible.” A BBMP project engineer who refused to give his name said: “A flyover is very important in a city like Bengaluru. People will ask for a Metro line, but it is practically not possible to have Metro lines everywhere. Out of 1.3 crore population, only about 5%, or 5 lakh people, use the Metro; others

use their private vehicles. These vehicles on road need to move smoothly. It is possible only with flyovers. The Ejipura-Koramangala flyover, once built, will reduce the traffic in the area.” It is expected to be ready by September 2020 Anil Bhaskaran, an architect, and urban planner, said: “The actual solution that I would say is to build a new city with new infrastructure. Secondly, the government should bring in new policies which limit migration to a certain extent.The demand for infrastructure is true but any number of infrastructures is not enough as the population is increasing making people demand increase in infrastructure too“ The flyover will decongest traffic but demands made by people will only increase every day, he added. The work, which began in 2017, was expected to be completed by November 2019. BBMP has an outstanding pending bill of over Rs 20 crore to the contractor. aarthi.n@iijnm.org

mark their identity. “They don’t have enough funds to do it,” said Sanjeev V. Dyamannavar, an urban mobility expert. “This plan didn’t add any value to neither passenger nor BMTC. There are different kinds of buses and they all are already identified as BMTC buses. Then why should they spend on changing the bus colour? I don’t think they will implement it any soon. That is why they are taking it slowly. Why would they paint a bus that is perfectly looking good?” In March 2015, BMTC pitched the idea of having all their buses under three categories of colours: Green (for ordinary buses), Blue (for air-conditioned buses, including Airport buses) and Orange (for feeder services). Launching the colour-code programme, offi-

cials hoped to complete the rebranding within one-and-a-half years. In September 2016, the idea resurfaced and BMTC concluded that the bus colours would be orange, green and blue. It is an “inspired” colour code, according to the department officials – green from the city’s gardens, orange from the spirit of joy and happiness, and blue from the sky. Commuters The Observer interviewed said the delay in implementation of uniform colours could be because of the change in government in Karnataka. Prakash P, a passenger, said: “The government kept changing and there was much other confusion among parties as well. Maybe that could be the reason for BMTC having trouble implementing the system. This is not a very useful idea. They can better use the funds to improve the facility in buses. They do it for name’s sake to make the city look more like a smart city.” The statement that BMTC buses would be repainted during their annual fitness checks has created confusion among some passengers. Jovita Y, a resident of Whitefield, said: “If the buses are repainted during fitness checks, then by now almost 90% of the buses should be in blue and white. This proves that the buses are not serviced properly.” In the past, BMTC buses had more than 10 colour schemes that included even brown and silver. As per the model, ordinary buses were green in colour while AC buses came in blue and white and feeder buses were in orange. adilin.b@iijnm.org

Citizen’s voice No guards at ATMs ATMs around Bengaluru lack security guards. Not only does this increase chances of security breaches, but also leave the users hassled when the face problems with the machines. Authorities should look into the matter. Sajeet Lakra Polluting vehicles Vehicles caught in traffic jams cause a lot of air pollution. In light to the recent environmental condition, the authorities should come up with an effective solution. Arghyadeep Dutta No change at Metro counters Commuters regularly face trouble in buying Metro tickets due to lack of change at the ticket counters. The issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible. Bibek Baidya Polluted tap water Karnataka’s tap water has found to be the most polluted in India. In rural areas, tap water is not even clear. The matter should looked into immediately to prevent health problems. Kurian Joe Illegal sand mining Illegal sand mining is going on on the banks of the Vrishabhavathi river. This is happening on 8th Main Road, Rajarajeshwari Nagar. Residents have been complaining about this to the BBMP. Last week, a BBMP engineer visited the place. Labani Mahanandy Israeli settlements It is unfortunate that US President Donald Trump has decided to say that Israeli settlements are no longer a clear violation of international law. Bhavya Kumar

BBMP offices lack adequate infra Don’t have toilets and electricity Shivani Priyam

BMP, India’s fourth largest municipal corporation, responsible for a population of over 6.8 million, itself lacks infrastructure, civic amenities and electricity in its offices. Kumuda BJ, an accountant working for BBMP, Thyagarajanagar, informed The Observer: “Though the office hours are fixed for both men and women, we face problems at times due to the lack of a restroom for women. We mostly have to go outside. Power outages are a frequent problem.” Similar is the case with the BBMP office in JP Nagar, Phase 1, where heaps of garbage are piled up outside the office. The office space is not enough for smooth functioning and implementation of tasks. Nethra M, an accountant at the

The BBMP office buildings are in poor condition | Credit : Shivani P JP Nagar BBMP office, said: “The situation has remained the same for the past three years. One can observe the files stacked into a small space within the room. We mostly come to finish our duties on time. It no longer bothers us.” Ravi Kumar, assistant executive engineer, BBMP office, Ma-

hadevapura, said: “Ward-level meetings are held every week. Our officials handle issues faced by citizens connected to potholes, bad roads, drainage, etc. on time. Sometimes, the issue is resolved within a day. We are planning to allocate a separate office space for which efforts are on to negotiate terms with the BDA.” Subramanaya, a supervisor at the BBMP control room, said: “There are inspectors and sub-inspectors to handle issues related to ward work at the local level, while there are separate officials to handle major roads and the Central Project. So there is no question of inefficiency.” Sameer H, planning head, Centre for Urban and Rural Infrastructure Planning, Bengaluru, said: “BBMP has to construct offices and buildings as per the book of construction laws. The office has to serve notices to the occupation department for building approval, but that is not happening.” shivani.p@iijnm.org

CITY

The Observer Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Eateries keep cylinders on roads, flout safety norms

Some restaurants place them near transformers Nissim Jacob

estaurants in Bengaluru place LPG cylinders on roads in violation of the fire safety norms. Raju Zacharia, a resident of Kammanahalli, informed The Observer: “Restaurants in my neighbourhood place LPG cylinders outside, on the roads, near transformers. This is a major hazard, and the authorities concerned should do something about it.” Krishna S, a resident of Nagawara, said: “An EatFit outlet has stocked cylinders in large numbers, posing a risk to residents. The cylinders are placed in the driveway of a residentialcum-commercial building which is against the fire safety rules.” Asked about the problem, C. Basavanna, deputy director (fire prevention), said: “Stocking of cylinders in bulk is not an offence, but it should be under the permissible limit of five hundred kilograms. All buildings are expected to have an NOC. However, if a commercial outlet is opened in a residential building, the NOC already issued for the residential building is applicable to the commercial outlet as well. BBMP is in charge of providing the certificate.”

Twitteratti talk @JNUSUofficial 43% of students of JNU have an annual parental income of less than Rs 1,44,000 & the proposed fee hike will make the annual hostel fee Rs 66,100 for Single Seater and Rs 62, 500 for Double Seater. @GotabayaR As a policy, we will maintain an equidistant and yet cordial relations with all countries and remain neutral in power struggles amongst nations. I also appeal to all global leaders to respect sovereignty and unitary status of Sri Lanka. @rajnathsingh Deeply pained by the demise of soldiers and porters due to avalanche in Siachen. I salute their courage and service to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to their families. @SenSanders Israeli settlements in occupied territory are illegal. This is clear from international law and multiple UN resolutions. Once again, Trump is isolating the US & undermining diplomacy by pandering to his extremist base.

Restaurants in Kammanahalli keep LPG cylinders on the roads | Credit: Nissim Jacob What does the fire safety department do if the rules are flouted: Basavanna said: “Electricity to the building is cut off.” He added: “It is illegal to store cylinders on driveways and roads. We take strict action against such violations by restaurants and commercial buildings.” According to the documents provided by the fire safety department, compressed gas cylinders should be stored only in sheds that should be constructed from non-flammable material under the Gas Cylinder Rules, 2004. Section 13 of the Karnataka Fire Services Act, 1964, says the state government may, by notification in the official gazette, order owners or occupiers of premises in any area or any class of premises used for purposes which in its

opinion are likely to cause a risk of fire to take precautions specified in the notification. Dr V. Ramesh, an expert on urban planning and safety, explained that the problem is rampant in Bengaluru. Several restaurants place cylinders on roads. “Maybe large restaurants may not break the rules; but small restaurants do this due to space constraints. These small restaurants often place their cylinders near the transformers which is dangerous.” BBMP is responsible for issuing NOCs. Food inspectors should inspect premises to make sure the rules are followed, so that there is no risk to people in the vicinity, Ramesh said. The problem should be dealt with in the initial stage by BBMP. Bengaluru is the first Indian city to come up with a city-specific fire safety blueprint to be implemented over five years. The 17page ‘Five-year Blueprint for Bengaluru’ was a joint effort of Beyond Carlton, a city-based fire safety community that was formed following the Carlton Towers fire tragedy in 2010 and the Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services Department. The last major fire incident reported from Bengaluru was the Kailash Bar tragedy in Kalasipalya on January 8, 2018. Five employees who were locked up inside the bar suffocated to death after a fire broke out in the wee hours. nissim.j@iijnm.org

3 Bengaluru registered highest number of cases Continued from page 1 arnataka stood second in the number of cases registered under Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, which deals with untouchability. Bengaluru registered the highest number of cases (190) with 207 victims under the Act for 2017. Data obtained from the Commissionerate’s website shows that in Bengaluru Urban district, for the period 2019-2020, more FIRs were filed than in any other district of Karnataka. A director-level senior official from the Commissionerate in-

to the President of India are confidential but the public have the right to know. At the regional level, we are making sure that people are aware of the provisions of the Act.” Data from NCSC’s website shows that the number of SCs living below the poverty line (BPL) in Karnataka is 37% in rural areas and more than 50% in urban areas. The SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Rules, 2016, has increased the compensation amount provided to victims, and made the formation of

formed The Observer: “We strive to create awareness through advertisements, street dramas and acts so that people are aware of the penalty and their legal rights under the Act.” An official from Karnataka Regional office of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), said: “The purpose of NCSC is to investigate the matters pertaining to SCs and make recommendations. The recommendations which are submitted

Vigilance and Monitoring Committees at the state and district levels mandatory. The rules state that the committee should meet at least twice in a year to review the implementation of the Act. The Indian Express reported on November 13 that Bihar which also has a high number of cases registered under the Act, has directed district magistrates to ensure that the recommendations of the committee are implemented. shoby.k@iijnm.org

Bengaluru sees a sharp rise in cyber frauds Would-be buyers must verify seller, product: Lawyer Chirag Dutta

he number of online scams involving fake products has increased in Karnataka in the past two years. Fraudsters use reselling apps to publish advertisements for fake products. The Observer spoke to Sunil K, chief constable at the cyber crime department, about the issue. “We track the scammer by analyzing his bank transactions. When the buyer uses a card to pay, the amount is transferred from his bank account to an account linked to the seller. With the help of the bank, we collect and analyze the record of the transaction to track down the criminal. The job becomes easier if the scammer uses his bank account that of or anyone he knows, but if the is account is linked to fake IDs, then the process becomes complex,” Sunil said. Some online platforms let sellers post their ads for free and connect directly to interested parties. Those interested may call or get

“As soon as the transaction was complete, the seller blocked my number and removed the ad from the website. By then, I realized that I had been scammed.” - Animesh P, a victim of fraud in touch with the seller directly to buy their product. Many users of such portals complain they were scammed. On these websites, fraudsters create fake IDs and offer duplicate products for very low prices. Mobiles, electronic gadgets, cars, and even antiques are faked the most. There have been cases where people have been scammed

after paying through cards. Animesh P, a bank employee who became a victim of an online scam, shared: “It happened in 2018. I was planning to buy a sofa set. As I had a tight budget, I decided to buy a second-hand one. I found the set that I wanted to buy and had a chat with the seller. He sent me quite a few pictures of the set and informed me about its condition. It was a good bargain. Though I wanted to meet up with the seller and pay him in cash, the seller insisted on an online transaction. He sounded credible, and I thought that I had sufficient information about the product. So, I used my debit card to pay. As soon as the transaction was complete, the seller blocked my number and removed the ad from the website. By then, I realized that I had been scammed.” Syed Ahmed, owner of a mobile shop in Dharmaraja Koil Street, Shivajinagar, said: “We publish ads of products we want to sell online. Most of the time, these are second-hand products, but we sell new ones too. To preserve our credibility, we prefer cash payments. We post ads under the name of the shop and address. It has been more than 5 years since we have been run our business both offline and online. Our cus-

tomers have no complaints.” Lawyer Deepthi Ayathan said: “Verification is the key to online safety.. If I want like to buy a table and I go to OLX to see if there is a second-hand table available. I would check for the seller’s details and the information he has provided about the item. I would call the owner or take his WhatsApp number and request for more pictures of the product. I would verify the product before paying. People go for immediate transactions. If one hurries in online transactions and overlooks verification, there is a huge chance of the person getting scammed.” Section 420 of the IPC says: “Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.—Whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person de¬ceived to deliver any property to any person, or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or sealed, and which is capable of being converted into a valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.” chirag.d@iijnm.org

RURAL KARNATAKA

LPG IS A FAR CRY IN SINDAGI TALUK

Beating women is ‘normal’ in this village Nobody goes to the cops as it is ‘personal matter’

Ankita Mukherjee

Labourers transfer coal produced in kilns into sacks for transportation near Bandal village in Sindagi taluk, Vijayapura district. People in the villages still use coal to cook food. While some do not have LPG connections despite the government’s promise to provide the same under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, others say the high cost of refills discourages them from using LPG Some villagers complain of respiratory problems due to the smoke generated in the kiln burning process | Photos and text: Nissim Jacob

Most villages in Maski taluk have poor public toilets Residents are forced to defecate in open

Meghna Das Chowdhury

ost villages in Maski taluk in Raichur district do not have proper public toilets. People defecate in the open because the few toilets built are incomplete and without water supply.30 In villages like Digganayakanabhavi, Antargange, Muraladinni Tanda and Banaklal, people have to fetch water to be used in toilets. A few public toilets have the structures, but no doors or facilities inside. Because of this, people are forced to defecate in the open. “I have lived in this village since my birth. I saw a few public toilets being constructed a few years ago. But if you take a look at their condition now, you will not find water supply inside. The walls are broken. We cannot use toilets like these,” Dinnama, a resident of the Antargange village, informed The Observer. People who have toilets built in their homes use them. But some still defecate in the open, especially children. Pigs roam the village feeding on human waste. The villagers complain that the toilets provided by the govern-

A public toilet in Antargange, Maski taluk, which is poorly built and maintained | Credit: Yamini C ment for public use are not regularly cleaned; there is either very little or no water supply. They have to carry water from far-off places or their homes to use the public toilet. The problem is more difficult for the women. They say because of the poor condition of the public toilets, they don’t use it. The sewerage is not well built. “We have toilets in our home, and we use them. There are public toilets in my village, but they are not properly maintained,” Ambaji, a resident of Digganayakanabhavi, said. A few toilets lack taps. But Ambarish, a zilla panchayat member who looks after 52 villages, had a different take. “After the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission, most

homes in the villages have their own toilets. Therefore, the public toilets are not used. Moreover, there are people in the villages who have toilets built in their houses but use them as storerooms. They refuse to use them and still defecate in the open.” Residents of the villages seemed unaware of the diseases spread through open defecation. “People here are educationally backward and ignorant. They don’t understand the need for toilets,” said Suresh, a health inspector from Antargange village. Environmentalist Akshay Heblikar, Director of Eco-Watch, an NGO, said: “Open defecation and defecating in unhygienic places can lead to serious diseases. It is not just about health but also about the environment. This waste can drain down to any nearby water body and pollute it. Villagers use water from the same water bodies for various purposes without knowing what they are using. Proper toilets are the need of the hour. Every village should have proper public toilet facilities." According to an advisory by Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation, ministry of housing and urban affairs, “public and community toilets should provide clean, safe, accessible, convenient, and hygienic facilities to the public.” meghna.c@iijnm.org

The Observer Tuesday, November 19, 2019

omestic violence is a part of the life of women in M Thumbaraguddi village in Sandur taluk of Ballari district. They are beaten up by their husbands but do not complain as it is “very normal for them,” Mohd Hamsar, who helped The Observer speak to the victims, said. “Every night my husband beats me after returning home. This is very common in our village. Therefore, it’s OK. After it, we have a conversation and… the beating comes to a halt for 2-3 days and then starts again,” a woman said. The victim’s husband said: “I work at the mines as a lorry driver. I work day and night and drink a lot. After I return home, if my wife makes a mistake, my anger explodes and I beat her. It is our personal matter.” Another woman said she has faced physical harassment since her childhood. After marriage, she has been harassed mentally. “I work in the field and my husband stays home. If I don’t give him money to drink, he beats and abuses me. He becomes normal after he gets what he wants.” Sandur taluk sub-Inspector Basha said he does not receive many FIRs regarding harassment of women because the villagers consider it their personal matter. Assistant commissioner of police,

Ashoknagar, N. Prathap Reddy informed The Observer that it is the responsibility of courts to resolve such matters. If a man is arrested under Section 498 of IPC, the victim gets temporary maintenancey for 20-30 days. Deepthi Ayathan, a lawyer said:

“

HORROR TALES

I work in the field and my husband stays home. If I don’t give him money to drink, he beats and abuses me.” – A woman of the village of M Thumbaraguddi “I work day and night and drink a lot. After I return home, if my wife makes a mistake, my anger explodes and I beat her. It is our personal matter.” –The husband of another woman “When a victim seeks judicial procedure…, it should be conducted on a fast-track basis and given importance.” “We handle cases depending on how women want to resolve them. We talk it out between the two parties, but if women want their husbands to go behind bars, we work according to the court procedures,” Jain added. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, defines domestic violence. It recognizes not only physical violence, but also other forms of violence such as emotional, verbal and sexual, and economic abuse. ankita.m@iijnm.org

Meat waste dumped on roadside in village Aman Bhardwaj

he wayside of Chornur village in Sandur taluk, Ballari district, is dumped with animal waste. Shopkeepers throw meat waste on the roadside, causing a stink. Village residents informed The Observer that they have complained many times but no action has been taken. Chand Bose, a hotel owner, said: “We requested the meat shop owners to not throw the waste on the roads because it stinks badly and also affects our health.” The gram panchayat should identify a place where the waste can be dumped. Ramnath, a villager, said: “The government is not paying the attention. We filed so many complains to the MLA and MP, but no one is taking any initiative. .”

B Srinivas Shetty, a pharmacist, said: “The PDO is not responding to the villagers’ complaints. The stink from animal and other waste is polluting the air of the village. Animals eat the waste. This causes them health problems.” When it rains, people cannot use the filthy road. PDO Virappa replied: “We don’t have enough funds, so we have asked the zilla panchayat to release more funds.” Dr Harish Sasabali, a village doctorrequested the PDO to solve the problem. Akshay Heblikar, director of Eco-Watch, said: “Outdated and improper treatment of animal waste can lead to serious health problems. Improper waste collection and disposal of untreated animal waste can harm groundwater and human health.” aman.b@iijnm.org

CITY

The Observer Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Sub-registrars are suspects in revenue stamp fraud: Police

They functioned as middlemen: Police officer Ankita Mukherjee

he police suspect that subregistrars were involved in a revenue stamp fraud that came to light recently. A police officer said that they functioned as middlemen. Mr Venugopal, assistant commissioner of police, Central Crime Branch, informed The Observer: “A revenue site is agricultural land in the green belt. You need permission from the local authority to get this land. Subregistrars are becoming middlemen and, through stamp vendors, making their own profit and deceiving buyers.” KV Thrilok had lodged a complaint on October 18 under the Information Technology Act, 2000, against the sub-registrars and two stamp vendors. “Two stamp vendors, Keshava and Rangaswamy, were arrested

Central Crime Branch has arrested two stamp vendors who were allegedly involved in a revenue stamp fraud | Credit: Ankita Mukherjee as the buyer and the seller both went to stamp vendors. The vendor mentioned the government price of the land as well as his commission. The buyer then came to police to lodge a complaint. We are investigating. A special team has been sent to Pune to collect more information. We hope to reach a conclusion soon,” the ACP said.

The registration of revenue sites in unauthorized layouts, and that of sites in approved but undeveloped layouts, is banned as the layouts and sites are in unconverted agricultural land. Till the ban was imposed, up to 5 lakh persons had purchased such sites and built houses on them without registration. This resulted in

hardship to them. Therefore, the government proposed to regularize all such sites and layouts developed prior to December 12, 2008, as a one-time comprehensive scheme subject to certain reasonable conditions. Deepthi Ayathan, an advocate, informed The Observer: “To get land, one has to go through the application procedure under the local governmental authority so that one gets the license of that land. There are some criteria to follow. To issue a licence, the local authority should check under what jurisdiction that land comes under. There are several cases where the licences have been violated and people cheated repeatedly. We still haven’t found any mechanism that can stop this sort of case. Now, everything and anything can be duplicated. A large huge number of people are being scammed.. The Enforcement Department has to look into it.” According to a Deccan Herald report, several sub-registrars, data entry operators and engineers have applied for anticipatory bail fearing arrest. ankita.m@iijnm.org

Women think that driving heavy vehicles is tough: BMTC PRO

Ankita Mukherjee

They choose to be conductors

Aarthi N

nder the Nirbhaya scheme, BMTC had announced more women would be trained to drive heavy passenger vehicles, but presently the corporation has only one woman driver. BMTC PRO Deepak N informed The Observer that there aren’t many women drivers because driving a bus is considered tough. There are a few women drivers-cum-conductors but only one is working as a driver. BMTC has compulsory training programmes for the drivers and conductors on how to behave with passengers, especially women. It has 1,500 women conductors. Sathyalaxmi, a woman conductor, said: “Most of the women are coductors because issuing tickets is easier than driving. Despite training, most women feel it is difficult to drive a bus. There is one woman driver, Prema, who drives buses. Women should take up training and not be scared of driving heavy vehicles.” Jyothi, another woman conductor, said: “A few years ago, there were six or seven women drivers. But later, they became conductors because they felt the job of a conductor was easier. If a woman knows to drive a bus, she is sappointed as a driver-cum-

In 2018, under the Nirbhaya Fund, BMTC allotted Rs 7.3 crore to train up to 1,000 women for free | Credit: Aarthi N conductor. She can choose the work she wants to do. When given this option, women prefer to take the job of a conductor.” The Observer tried to speak to personnel at the BMTC Training Centre but they refused to answer queries. Prema Ramappa Nadapatti, the only woman BMTC driver, remarked: “When women can fly aeroplanes and drive Metro trains, they can easily drive buses too. They consider driving buses tough, but it is not. Women can drive if they want to. There is nothing impossible.” Swati Desai of the Bangalore Women Power Organization said: “Most of the women do not know

about the opportunities they have due to lack of awareness. Campaigns like Pink Cabs which had women cab drivers was much spoken about, but later it failed as there was no awareness about it. If we work more on education and awareness, women can definitely achieve in any field.” In 2018, under the Nirbhaya Fund, BMTC allotted Rs 7.3 crore to train up to 1,000 women for free. According to news reports, BMTC last year had enrolled 115 women to train them in driving heavy passenger and light motor vehicles, but only 162 women have completed their training. aarthi.n@iijnm.org

5 Quiz corner •What is the theme of World Toilet day 2019? •What is the current strength of the Supreme Court including Chief Justice of India? •Where will the G-20 summit 2020 be held? •Who is popularly known as ‘The Grand Old Lady’ of the Independence Movement? •Which cellular organelles are called ‘Suicide bags of the cell’? •How many Indian states share boundaries with Nepal? •Where is Hemis Buddhist monastery located? For answers see page 6

Around the city •The Handmade Collective by a Hundred Hands- Tenth Edition: Nov 20, 11am-8pm, Jayamahal Palace Hotel •International Education Exhibition: Nov 20, Noon to to 5pm, MG Road, Yellappa Chetty Layout, Sivanchetti Gardens •Annual Expo for Everything Handmade: Nov 20-24, 1030am-8.30pm •Blood donation drive: Nov 20, 9am-2pm, Prestige Khoday Tower, Vasanth Nagar •Introduction to Living Philosophy Course: Nov 20, 7.30pm, New Acropolis, Jayanagar

Ban on live music at pubs robs livelihoods, give relief to some wenty-seven pubs in Bengaluru were barred from playing live music in 2018. The number has now increased to 107, according to reports, causing huge losses to the F&B industry. Artists who used to perform at these pubs say they do not earn a living anymore. “I used to do jam sessions with my mates in BFlat, a pub in Indiranagar, regularly and then we formed our band and started playing there professionally. We were getting a lot of crowd and appraisals. But due to the new regulations and licensing problems, we had to leave what we love most. My mates go to private companies (to perform), but I couldn’t get into one as I couldn’t get over my passion. So I left the city and am following my passion in Mumbai,” said Swarnabha Gupta, a guitarist who used to play in Bengaluru’s pubs. Rishikesh Dharap, a guitarist who used to play at a pub in Indiranagar, informed The Observer: “I used to play the guitar at two to three pubs in Indiranagar and Koramangala. With the ban I had to stop playing. I started to find jobs but those weren’t of my interest. At the end, I took a call centre job.” N. Prathap Reddy, assistant commissioner of police, Ashoknagar, said pubs and bars need to have occupation certification to play loud music and organize any live concert. “A pub must be built according to a certain plan so that it do not intervene the city life.

We go in when we receive any complaints against them.” Many residents have complained to police against loud music. Anuja Sengupta, a resident of Koramangala, said: “The pub What’s in a Name’, situated in a residential area of 5th Block, is quite disturbing at times. Rajkumar S, a resident, shared: “Due to the noise and the beats that come from pubs near our residential area, it is very difficult to sleep at night. Children cannot concentrate on studies.” Akshay Heblikar, director of Eco-Watch, said: “Pubs and discos have to be away from residential areas. The music in pubs has to be below certain decibel so that it doesn't affect the neighbourhood. Loud music creates noise pollution. Unregulated and technically faulty licences for pubs, bars and discos in and around residential areas have to be cancelled. There has to be a demarcation between residential, commercial and recreational areas.” ankita.m@iijnm.org

The Observer Tuesday, November 19, 2019

CITY

Skill development dept misses 5 lakh jobs target Has helped only 1.6 lakh youths find employment

Aman Bhardwaj

he Department of Skill Development Entrepreneurship and Livelihood has failed to meet its target of providing 5 lakh jobs. “Till now, only 1.6 lakh jobs have been provided,” Dr S. Selvakar, secretary of the department, informed a press conference at the Skill Development Summit, 2019, on Tuesday. S. Sadagopan, Director of International Institute of Information Technology, said: “The main problem with this department is if you have any problem, then you have to meet a minimum of 5 people for the solution. That takes too much time.” Nagesh H, minister for excise and skill development, said: “A large number of engineering graduates have applied for training programmes. We are increasing jobs in the private sector. We are also signing partnerships with the different industries like artificial intelligence, automation, and fashion.” Selvakar said: “We are increasing the training sectors for engineers and biotech students, and also tying up with the industries like manufacturing, renewable energy, and automobile training.

Nagesh H, Minister of excise and skill development inaugurates the SKil Development Summit 2019 | Credit: Aman Bhardwaj That will improve job opportunities for youths in different sectors. We are also tying up with 70 industries to increase jobs.” Karnataka is the first state to provide training for jobs in the Gulf countries, he added. Sadagopan said: “Most of us, when we finish our education, find jobs. What I like about today’s generation is that they take risks. We must enlarge our view on jobs. The employers and the teachers give more time in managing the existing jobs and less time in creating more jobs.” Sumanth, a student of skill de-

velopment department now working at Toyota Kirloskar, said: “There is lack of resources in training centres. Students are getting very few opportunities in the private and public sectors.” The department is doing a very good job, but has very little support from the government. The Karnataka government set up the skill development department to help youths to acquire the necessary skills to increase their employability. Among the department’s aims is to provide skill and empower society. aman.b@iijnm.org

Women entrepreneurs’ chutzpah acknowleged Aarthi N

he journey of an entrepreneur is long and they need the fuel of encouragement along with assurance and guidance which the government is ready to provide,” said B.S.Yediyurrapa, Chief Minister at the celebration of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day held at Sir.M.V.Auditorium organized by Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) and Government of Karnataka. “This is the first time I’m a part of FKCCI. It is a great platform for entrepreneurs like us to exhibit our products. Women should be proud of them and try their hand at anything they are passionate to do. They should inspire others,” said Sapna Shankar, an entrepreneur at the event. “Dwaraka, our NGO, supports rural women from Andhra Pradesh and train them to do hand-painted kalamkari clothing,” said Bhagya Jyothi Mary, Artist, and production lead at Dwaraka. The event had panel discussion on schemes and policies for entrepreneurs and start-ups, and hidden secrets of successful start-ups. Udhay Shankar, General Manager of Karnataka State Finance Corporation informed the audience that1320 women have taken these schemes and Rs. 805crore has been provided to them from the government with a reduced interest rate. Rupa Rani, Chairperson,

Prevent climate change, says new forest policy

1. Leaving none behind 2. 34 3. Riyadh,Saudi Arabia 4. Aruna Asaf Ali 5. Lysosomes 6. 5 Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, WB, Bihar 7. Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir

Dr.S.K.Gairola, Director General of ICFRE addressed the media about climate change | Credit: Chirag D forced to scatter over a large area in search for food and shelter.” Dr. M.P. Singh, Director of the IWST, said “When something like this happens. In cases like these, a lot of factors need to be considered like the dosage of tranquilizer, seriousness of the condition, the state of the wild animal. In most of the cases, the animal is cornered by a group. This is the worst thing to do and it drastically increases a chance of being attacked. There are Standard Operating Procedures which are required to be followed. The local police are not well equipped to deal with such cases. The best thing to do is to call the forest department immediately.” chirag.d@iijnm.org

Women entrepreneurs Committee, FKCCI, said: “Entrepreneur is someone who goes beyond limits to prove themselves. Today, we have come far from how we were, as many women are starting their own business and are becoming entrepreneurs.” Dana Kursh, Consulate General of Israel, shared her experience of working in various fields that she had been and said that entrepreneurs are “Chutzpah”, which means someone who is daring to take the risk. “14% of Indian businesses are run by women. There are only 26% of women working in the workforce in our country. Women are ready to take challenges but a few they hesitate to. They should never be afraid to speak and should be trained from a young age to face reality,” said Gunjan Krishna, IAS, and Commissioner for ID, and Director, Department of Industries & Commerce. aarthi.n@iijnm.org

Quiz Answers

Chirag Dutta hile climate change has been the talk of the town, the new Forest Conservation Policy which will replace the Forest Conservation Policy of 1988, also lists prevention of climate change as one of its aims. In a press conference organised by Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) at Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Malleswaram, Dr. S.K Gairola, Director General of ICFRE said that the key areas of emphasis will be prevention of adverse climate change, increasing carbon stock and emphasis of human-wildlife conflict. He explained the main reason for these attacks. “Firstly, India is an agro based country, it is the second most densely populated country in the world. Food production by agriculture is the only way to sustain such a large population. Destroying the natural habitat of an animal forces it to look for food in human settlements. Secondly, India is in a rapid developing phase. Chunks of forests are cleared out every day to construct infrastructures. In this scenario, wild animals are

Chief Minister Yediyurappa inaugurated a panel discussion as part of Women’s entrepreneurship day| Credit: Aarthi N

Team Observer

NOBODY AT CARICATURES EXHIBITION: There were no visitors when The Observer went to an exhibition of caricatures by YS Nanjunda Swamy at the Indian Cartoon Gallery on MG Road. The exhibition depicts the profiles of famous people | Credit: Adilin Beatrice C

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