The Observer An IIJNM publication
Woman succumbs to burns a day after her daughter’s death | P 4
Vol 19, Issue 14
Thursday, November 21, 2019
21 of them work in three shifts, don’t know if their work is permanent
Adilin Beatrice C
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No vaccines, diphtheria show a spike
Nine marshals on duty at Varthur lake | Credit: Adilin Beatrice C on November 20, we imposed Rs 2,01,000 as fine on local chicken
sellers who dumped chicken waste in the lake.”
“We’re surveying encroachments that are within the buffer zone (a radius of 30 meters from the lake). BBMP will send a notice to them to clear the place.” The marshals were appointed to inspect the lake area and prevent illegal activities in the buffer zone. They will check anti-social activities and illegal dumping of construction debris and garbage into the lake. Ramesh, assistant engineer of ward 149, said: “Varthur lake comes under the BDA. Due to its bad condition, NGT has asked BBMP to appoint marshals to take care of the lake.” Continued on Page 4
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Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in
News briefs Trump scandal
U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, on Wednesday testified that he was part of a pressure campaign on Ukraine, whichwas undertaken at the direction of President Trump.
Twitter blames Tories
Twitter accused Britain's governing Conservatives on November 20 of misleading the public by rebranding themselves as factcheckers during a live TV election debate, fuelling concerns about trust in politics.
Probe against Amnesty
The Enforcement Directorate’s findings in its probe against the Amnesty International India Private Limited and related entities have been made part of the case registered by the CBI alleging violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.
Street vendors continue to wait for certificates that could set them free Shoby Krishna G
paucity of vaccines and lack and awareness have raised diphtheria cases in Karnataka. According to official data, 464 cases have been reported in 2019 till October from across the state. Most of the patients are from the north Karnataka; Bengaluru has reported 13 cases. The Tdap vaccine, which must be given to children at the age of 11 or 12, is not available at pharmacies of government hospitals. It’s the same with the DPT booster stage 2. Parents are not aware when their children have to be given the diphtheria vaccine. Full story on page 4
@theweeklyobserver
Beware of complimentary neck crack done at barber salons | P 2
Marshals at Varthur lake collect Rs 2-lakh penalty in two days ollowing the deployment of 21 marshals at Varthur lake, strict measures are being taken against those who dump trash into the water body. Wesly Fernandez, one of the marshals deployed, informed The Observer: “We work around the lake on three shifts. Every shift has seven marshals, with one in charge of them. For now, BBMP has given a work order to be here. We don’t know if it’s temporary or permanent. The decision will depend upon what the National Green Tribunal says. On November 19, we collected Rs 2,200 and
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ending certificates, which aim to regulate street vending, have not been issued by BBMP as the authority responsible for issuing the certificates, Town Vending Committee (TVC), has not been formed yet. Divya, who sells fruits around KR Market, informed The Ob› server : “We did not have any legal certificate. I don’t have enough money to own a shop. My cart is my only means of survival. This makes us vulnerable to harassment by authorities. The police ask for a bribe of Rs10 or Rs 20 everytime they come here. If we don’t pay the amount they ask, they take away my weighing stone. Then we have to pay Rs 500 to get it back. So we would rather pay the bribe in the first instance than lose our business and pay and extra bribe.” Veeran, a vegetable vendor in Chickpet, shared: “I have been selling vegetables in this cart for the past 10 years. I don’t have any certificate or ID card.” Asked if authorities have approached him to issue any certificate, he said nobody has met him for reg-
The Town Vending Committee is the authority to issue certificates to vendors above 14 years of age. The Act acknowledges the rights and duties of street vendors. It has provisions to prevent harassment by authorities | Credit: Shoby Krishna istration or any survey. Paramasivan, a street vendor outside the Chickpet Metro station, said: “It would be helpful
if the authority issues certificates or identification cards to vendors like us. We do not have a trade union or an association to fight for
our rights. So these certificates would give validity to our business. They will also prevent harassment by the police.” The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation) Act, 2014, says no street vendor should be evicted. It talks in detail about three types of certificates for vendors: stationary vendors, mobile vendors and other types of vendors. The Town Vending Committee is the authority to issue certificates to vendors above 14 years of age. The Act acknowledges the rights and duties of street vendors. It has provisions to prevent harassment by authorities. A senior official from BBMP’s social welfare department informed The Observer : “We have already issued 11,000 certificates, and 24,000 vendors have been identified. We have got a directive from the skill development department and the nodal agency, to not issue cards till TVC is formed. Election preparations for TVC members are under way. The Joint Commissioners of zones are the officers responsible for the election process.” Continued on Page 2
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The Observer Thursday, November 21, 2019
Beware that complimentary Tobacco products neck crack at barber salon sale near schools, colleges goes on If done suddenly, it can damage vertebrae: Doc
Students smoke cigarettes in public places
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visit to a barber’s salon for a haircut can cost you dear. Often, barbers offer a massage that involves twisting the neck. “Neck crack is a dangerous thing to do,” Dr Pratap, a neurologist, informed The Observer. “Untrained therapists turn customers’ neck to left, right and back which results in neck crack. The neck connects the body and the brain. It connects to the respiratory system and heart. When a crack is taken suddenly, it damages vertebrae which result in the person becoming unconscious; it can even lead to death. Massage is not as dangerous as cracks; but still it is better not to take it from an untrained person.” “More than 95% of people are unaware of the damage a neck crack and a bad massage can cause. I came across a case when a person gave a cricketer a neck crack as he had pain in his neck. Suddenly, the cricketer became unconscious and fell on the ground.” The sudden turning of the head, and the crack, can result in dissection of the major artery supplying blood to the brain. Dissection occurs when a tear in the artery wall allows blood to leak between the layers and separate them. A neck massage may seem to be a great way to relieve tension and stress, but it can be dangerous. Though not a fragile structure, the neck is a vulnerable spot. The arteries of neck are a little fragile, so getting massage therapy by untrained or incompetent therapists can cause serious problems, including a stroke.
Citizen’s voice Protests in JNU
Protests against the hostel fee hike in JNU has added another chapter in its history of instigating contentious debates and shaping public opinion on India’s socio-economic structure. In the present scenario, when dissent is being curbed, such protests are essential for the survival of India’s democratic structure. Priyansh Verma
D/N Test a new challenge
Team India will play their first day and night test match on 22nd November on Eden Gardens. The excitement and new challenge will definitely flourish Team India to create history with expectations from the crowd. Bibek Baidya
Ankita Mukherjee
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Doctors say that getting head massage from intrained people can result in serious accidents like getting a stroke | Courtesy- Pexels Other possible common sideeffects of massage therapy may include muscle soreness and fatigue, lingering pain, headache, sleepiness, vomiting, inflammation, skin redness and heat, and bruising. It can aggravate existing injuries and cause new ones. Prakash Perumal informed The Observer: “Almost all salons I visited do complimentary head and neck massage, and take cracks in the neck. It should be
“When a crack is taken suddenly, it damages vertebrae which result in the person becoming unconscious; it can even lead to death.” — A neurologist stopped if it’s dangerous. It is fine if you are unaware, but even after knowing that a person can even die because of it, barbers are putting a lot of customers’ lives at risk.” Recently, a 38-year-old man who went to a new salon near his house in HSR Layout got a stroke after a neck crack. Ajay Kumar, 54, of Delhi started experiencing breathlessness after a sharp neck crack. On investigation, it was found that his phrenic nerves, which
control the diaphragm, were damaged. Since the diaphragm controls the breathing, the nerve damage has directly affected his respiratory system, which explains his breathlessness. “I do neck and head massage and take cracks in the neck because customers feel good when I do that. They say it is relaxing. When I was working for someone, he taught me to do massage,” said Basavaraj A, who runs a hair-cutting salon. Ram M, who works in a salon in Sampangirama Nagar, said: “I do neck massage and take cracks because my boss insists I do so. I didn’t receive any training for that.” Ramu M, who has run a salon in Marenahalli for 28 years, said: “I do massage and take cracks after giving haircuts. I didn’t undergo any training. I just know how to make customers feel relaxed through it. Even the customers insist I do this because they like it.” The massage and neck crack is a ritual performed in most salons. Some charge an extra amount for it, while some others do it for free. adilin.b@iijnm.org
hops around educational institutions continue to sell cigarettes and tobacco products though it is banned. Students smoke in the open near their schools and colleges. Also, many shops sell loose cigarettes though there is a ban on it. The Observer found noticed three shops near the Symbiosis School of Media and Communication, Bengaluru, selling cigarettes in packets and also loose to students, who then smoked them in public. There are several other schools and colleges in the area. Asked why he was selling tobacco products despite a ban, a shopkeeper smiled said: “I don’t have a licence but have to sell cigarettes to make a living.” Vijendra Bilaguli, a BBMP health official, informed The Observer: “It is a matter the local police should look into. We are aware of the matter, but we cannot do anything if… the police don’t look into the matter. We are not permitting to sell, but it is still going on. We are trying to curb it.” Akshay Heblikar, director of Eco Watch, said: “The shops have to be regulated jointly by BBMP and the institutions. Just one authority can’t do it. BBMP has to make arrangements for such shops in designated areas away from the institutions.” Near the BGS International Residential School in the Kumbalgodu area, three snacks shops also sell tobacco products and cigarettes to students. Raghu D, the owner of a shop,
Vendors were evicted despite HC order Continued from page 1
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sked when TVC elections are expected, he said the date has not been finalised but preparations for the elections are under way. “Vendors are supposed to give a written undertaking that they will follow all rules, including the plastic ban. Some vendors are scared that if they give such an undertaking, it would affect them as they use plastic covers despite the ban.” Sreenivasa Rao, a volunteer of Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), said: “Street vendors are an essential part of our economy. They are involved in selling all sorts of goods. I feel the government should regulate their activity to prevent public nuisance or distur-
bance to general public. It should, at the same time, allow them to earn their livelihood. Though they are not in the tax net, if we count the volume of business it must be in hundreds of crores. This is another aspect requiring government attention.” The government should stop extortion by authorities. Newsclick, in July 2019, reported that street vendors in Vijayanagar were evicted despite the Karnataka High Court order exempting them from the definition of encroachers. Recently, Newsclick reported on November 15 that “hundreds of street vendors from different markets of Delhi marched to Jantar Mantar from Mandi House, demanding a immediate survey of street ven-
dors and implementation of Street Vendors Act, 2014.” Street vendors, who are a common sight in any area in Bengaluru, are part of the unorganised sector. The National Association of Street Vendors of India website says: “For most street vendors, trading from the pavements is full of uncertainties. They are constantly harassed by the authorities. The local bodies conduct eviction drives to clear the pavements of these encroachers and, in most cases, confiscate their goods. A municipal raid is like a cat-and- mouse game with municipal workers chasing street vendors away while these people try to run away and hide from these marauders.” shoby.k@iijnm.org
Many shops near institutions still sell loose cigarettes though it is banned | Courtesy: Pexels shared: “I have a licence for my shop but not for selling cigarettes or tobacco products. Police have never conducted a raid in this area, so we are safe.” The law says shops which are in a 100-yard radius of a school or college should not sell tobacco products. According to Section 6 (a) and 6(b) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, “No person shall sell, offer for sale or permit the sale of cigarettes or any other tobacco products to any person who is under 18 years of age; and no person shall sell, offer for sale or permit sale of, cigarettes or any other tobacco products in an area within a radius of one hundred yards of any educational institution.” In St Joseph’s College, the rule has been displayed on the wall for students. D. Savitha, a health expert, said: “Educational authorities should pay more attention to their students so that they can keep control on underage smoking. Parents should have a friendly bond with their children to talk about these things and to make sure that they do not get attracted to bad habits. ankita.m@iijnm.org
Quiz Corner lWhat is the lifeline handed by government to telecom industry as it announces a two-year moratorium on payment of spectrum dues by mobile operators? lWhich country has been allowed access to utilise India’s missile test range at Chandipur in Orissa? lWho is the longest serving Chief Minister in India? lWho is the Chairman of Kendriya Hindi Samiti? lWhat is India’s rank in the 2019 World Press Freedom Index? lWhich country has pulled out of doubles in the Davis Cup Finals? lName the current World Bank chief. lWhich controversial politician has been nominated to parliamentary consultative committee on defence? For answers see page 5
CITY
The Observer Thursday, November 21, 2019
Around the city Bengaluru Improv Festival Show BlrFlux, Indiranagar, November 21, 9pm to 10.30pm Ushus 2019 Christ University, Bangalore, 22 November to 23 November Startups Club Demo Day 2019 Now a NO Paper- No Plastic event St. John’s Auditorium, Koramangala, Bangalore, 23 November to 24 November, 9am to 6pm Cloud Native Java Applications Workshop on building cloud native Java applications with Quarkus Red Hat India. Ltd., Doddanekundi, Bangalore, 23 November, 10am to 1pm Waste Management Event Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Tumkur Main Road, 21 November to 23 November, 9am to 6am
Weather Forecast Max. temperature: 28 degrees celsius Min. temperature: 18 degrees celsius Precipitation: 20% Humidity: 67% Wind: 18 km/h
Mosquito infestation ups dengue, malaria cases
Accumulation of garbage blamed for the problem Chirag Dutta
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ore and more Bengalureans are falling victim to vector-borne diseases because of the proliferation of mosquitoes. Residents of various localities have reported the matter to authorities. Dr Venkatesh, a rural health officer, informed The Observer: “Pointing out a specific reason isdifficult. Factors like waste dumping and water stagnancy caused by sewer blockages are responsible for the rise in mosquitorelated diseases. I think this sudden rise has happened due to the high amount of rainfall received by the state this year. There has been flooding in many places this year. After the monsoon, the environment became favourable for mosquito breeding.” There is a spike in dengue cases all over Karnataka. According to a report published by BBMP, in 2019, 10,524 dengue cases have been registered in the state. Of these, 6,515 have been registered in Bengaluru. Cases of malaria and chikungunya have also been reported in
There is a spike in dengue cases in Karnataka | Credit: Chirag D Most affected areas of mosquito borne diseases in 2019
• East Bengaluru: 351 cases • South Bengaluru: 197 cases • Mahadevapura: 180 cases • Bommanahalli: 145 cases large numbers. According to a BBMP report for all its 8 zones, there has been an increase of 138% in diseases caused by mosquitoes. There are several complaints about the lack of fogging, garbage accumulation, and clogged drains. Vikas T, a watchman who suffered from dengue, said, “I contracted a cold one evening; by the night, it had turned into fever. The next morning, I got severe body pain along with nausea. I re-
alized that I should visit the hospital. When the blood test report was out, I could not believe that I had dengue. I was on leave for 2 weeks. I couldn’t shake off the weakness till 4 days even after I was declared fit. I slowly regained my strength.” Dr V.C. Murthy, an assistant medical officer of health, said, “We held more dengue treatment and awareness programmes this year than in the past five years. Rural areas have suffered the most from these diseases. In Bengaluru, the biggest factor to take into consideration is waste management. Certain areas around the city have garbage piled up in every corner of the streets. It is not only the civic bodies that should take care of the waste, people should also be more cautious about garbage accumulation and stay up to date about the health issues in the state.” Nursing student Deblina Nandi informed, “During my training, most of the patients admitted were suffering from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. The disease was detected late. Malaria and dengue characteristics were seen in all of them. This was the main reason for their serious condition. If detection is late, it becomes harder for the doctors to treat them. Protection against mosquitoes is a must for the people of Bengaluru.” chirag.d@iijnm.org
3 Twitteratti Talk @BBMPCOMM #BBMP is keen to save existing trees in #Bengaluru. Formally launched #FreeTheTree initiative in Malleshwaram this morning by removing treeguards hampering growth of trees. In the coming days, such guards will be removed from hundreds of trees across the city. @RahulGandhi That any Govt. could slam the draconian "sedition" law on 10,000 Adivasis, fighting against state oppression, should have shocked the conscience of our nation & raised a media storm. But it hasn’t.Our “sold out” media may have lost its voice; as citizens can we afford to? @pbhushan1 The govt has collected 94,000 Cr as tax from us for higher education which remained unutilised according to the CAG. Yet they want a several fold hike in JNU fees to prevent people like Kanhaiya Kumar to study there. It is a war on education&thought itself @BJP4Karnataka For decades @INCIndia divided & ruled India on communal lines. To keep its Vote Bank intact, Congress turned a blind eye to the massive influx of illegal immigrants.
As road construction in RR Nagar Disabled and elderly can’t access city’s public spaces halts, residents face big trouble Meghna Das Chowdhury
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enchanna Halli Road in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, under construction for a long time, has left residents complaining that they face a lot of inconvenience as the work is not done on regular basis. “The work is going on for months now. The entire road is dug up and most of the days it is not carried out. Forget about the vehicles, sometimes it becomes difficult to even walk on the road,” Shambhulingappa BG, who lives close to the road, informed The Observer. The Observer found the road in a miserable condition. Drivers of heavy vehicles had a tough time navigating it. People were seen folding up their trousers while walking on the slushy road after rain. Shopkeepers in the area said they are incurring losses because of the traffic congestion and chaos on the road. Mehmood, another resident said: “There were a lot of potholes on the road. I think that is why the construction was started. It has been months and the work is not progressing. Most of the road is dug up, allowing no vehicle to pass. The situation is worse during the monsoon season. Resi-
The road construction work has come to a standstill now,say the residents | Credit- Meghna DC dents complain to BBMP workers, but they seem to take no action.” BBMP chief engineer for road infrastructure S. Somashekara said: “Maintenance is done by the area chief engineer; he can inform you.” Vishvanath AE, the chief engineer responsible for the construction and inspection of roads in the area, said: “There are various reasons for the work not being carried on a regular basis — like funding. The Kenchanna Halli main road was dug up by the BWSSB for a water pipeline issue. Therefore, until the water pipeline issue is resolved, we cannot complete the road. Hence, it is taking time. We are focusing on completing the main road, where traffic is heavy. Then we will go
towards the residential area. We are currently focusing on filling up potholes as we don’t want further inconvenience.” According to a Hindu article, “Lack of coordination between agencies, including private telecom companies and Internet service providers, is often the culprit for poor and unmotorable stretches of roads across the city. In the past, residents’ welfare associations and motorists have highlighted perfectly good roads that were dug up for utility and development works only to be badly restored. In an attempt to address this perennial problem, BBMP has decided to increase the security deposit that agencies and firms have to give at the time permission is accorded for road cutting.” Dr V Ramesh, head of the CE department, Rajarajeshwari College of Engineering, said: “There is lack of coordination among various government bodies. One doesn’t have any idea of what the other one is doing. Permissions are required from various organisations before the construction of a road. Often, roads are not made with concrete. One monsoon and it will all wash off. Government bodies need to interact with each other more often.” meghna.c@iijnm.org
Footpath bollards block people using wheelchairs Nissim Jacob
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ublic spaces in Bengaluru, such as pavements and skywalks, are not accessible to the elderly and people with physical disabilities. Yathindra, a person suffering from polio, informed The Observer: “Because of my condition, I can’t climb stairs easily. I wish skywalks were made accessible to people like me. Some of the skywalks don’t have elevators. Even if they have, they are not functional. BBMP had decided to make 23 out of 31 skywalks user-friendly by providing elevators. But according to a report in The Times of India, only two are functional. Abhinandan, whose grandmother is wheelchair-bound shared: “We are unable to take her anywhere for shopping. Most pavements are not designed with ramps. Even TenderSure roads cannot accommodate wheelchairs as they have bollards.” Nagendra Naik, chief welfare officer at BBMP, said: “The engi-
Footpath bollards block disabled and elderly using wheelchairs | Credit: Nissim Jacob neers are directed to maintain a certain distance between the bollards under the revised guidelines.” Regarding the provision of elevators in skywalks, he said: “BBMP has started the work of installing elevators. Wherever they are not functional, repair work begins immediately.” Dr V Ramesh, an expert on urban planning and public infrastructure, explained: “The facilities provided for disabled people in India are minimal compared to other countries. They have parking slots exclusively for disabled . The reason for this apathy is lack of awareness about the difficulties faced by this minority community. An awareness campaign about the struggles faced by the disabled and the elderly would encourage ordinary citizens to advocate their rights.” nissim.j@iijnm.org
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Gas leak kills two of a family in Maruthinagar
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family in Maruthinagar witnessed two deaths following a gas leakage. Hours after Chitravati, 52, died in a fire accident on Tuesday, her mother Sathyaprema succumbed to her burns the next day. “The family never used to open the windows of their home. The room is compact, and without any ventilation. They might had left the gas knob open. When Sathyaprema, 78, went to make coffee, the gas caught fire. It tried to engulf the whole family,” an officer of the Chandra Layout police station informed The Observer. When Chitravathi, went to save her mother, her nylon saree caught fire. The Observer visited the house and found that the room they used to live in is congested. The smell of cooking gas still hung over the place. Sandhya Subramani, Chitravathi’s sister and the youngest daughter of Sathyaprema and Lakshmi Narayan Rao, said: “I am shocked. I don’t know what to say after losing my mother and eldest sister. I just hope I can return home with my father and brother safe and sound.” Sathyaprema’s neighbours Manjunath and Geeta, who live on the first floor of the building, shared: “We were sleeping when
Damages caused by the gas leakage in the victims’ residence | Credit: Ankita Mukherjee we heard the sound and came down running. It was around 3pm.” The family was first admitted to a local hospital, where the daughter died in the night. Then the others were admitted to Victoria Hospital, where the mother died on Wednesday. Lakshmi Narayan Rao (88) and his son Gurumurthy (48) are out of danger as they received got 10% and 30% burns respectively. “Sathyaprema couldn’t take so much because of her age and burns. She got more than 50% burns,” said a doctor at Victoria Hospital.
Garbage dumped in the lake caught fire in January
The fire and emergency services said: “At 3:20pm, we received a phone call and acted immediately. We sent our team to extinguish the fire. Before we could do anything, their neighbour admitted the family to a local hospital.” Since it lacked facilities, they were moved to Victoria Hospital.” Narasimha Murthy, a fire control officer, said, “People need to be cautious while using gas cylinder, lest more cases like this will happen. Even a small negligence can lead to severe mishaps. Also, every room should have ventilators, so that gas can escape.” ankita.m@iijnm.org
The Observer Thursday, November 21, 2019
IoT sector to grow to Rs 5k cr in 3 years, says Deloitte study Aman Bhardwaj
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ndia’s Internet of Things (IoT) sector is expected to grow to Rs 5,000 crore in the next three years as per industry estimates. According to a study by Deloitte, the number of loT devices in India is 60 million. This will increase to 1.9 billion by 2020. Among Indian companies, 81% feel that IoT is the key to digital transformation. “loT has the potential to be limitless. Advances... will be accelerated through increased network agility, integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and the capacity to deploy, automate, orchestrate and secure diverse use cases at hyper scale,” Madhavi Kanumoory, CIO of HCG Hospital, said at the ninth edition of IoT Innovation, India Conclave and Exhibition, on Thursday. Anirban Mukherjee, partner, E&Y, said: “IoT can also revolutionize the way companies work by improving performance through IoT analytics and IoT security to deliver better results.” Various sectors stand to gain by implementing IoT in their business strategy to make informed decisions, improve processes, efficiency, assets management and productivity. Rahul Sandwani, CEO of Konnect, the organizer of the event, said: “IoT is a major technology by which we can produce various useful Internet applications. Basically, IoT is a network in which
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Varthur lake’s poor condition| Credit: Adilin Beatrice C waste, mud or earth soil or liquid wastes or any pollutants into lakes. But people continue to dump garbage and debris into lakes. In January 2019, an under-construction weir plummeted the water level of the Varthur lake. That was not the first time the lake faced such an issue. In 2017, a weir breached several times. The BDA, the custodian of the lake, blamed BBMP for the incident. Also in January, garbage dumped in the lake caught fire, spreading panic among residents of the area. adilin.b@iijnm.org
all physical objects are connected to the Internet through network devices or routers and exchange data.” IoT allows objects to be controlled remotely across existing network infrastructure. Purushottam Kaushik, head, strategy & mega deals at L&T Smart World & Communications, said: “Internet of Things is the conduit for sharing information, providing quality healthcare and education, besides being critical for enterprises to run their business efficiently.” From being a “good to have” to becoming a “must-have”, the Internet brings things, people and data together. The growth of the Internet has been unprecedented and driven by advances in mobile technology and increase in processing power, he added. aman.b@iijnm.org
Societal norms, family pressures keep women from doing night duty Aarthi N
Continued from page 1 andeep Anirudhan, an environmentalist, welcomed the decision. “There are a lot of lakes across the city. Most of them have encroachments in the buffer zone and even on the banks. This is because of the breakdown of government. The custodianship of lakes is under multiple authorities like BBMP, BDA and forest department. So they have no clear policy. The government should hand over maintenance to a single authority. They should also have ecologists who understand water to stop illegal activities happening around the lakes. Lakes are the water security framework of the city. The government should take immediate action to save them,” Anirudhan said. The decision to appoint marshals was announced by BBMP commissioner Anil Kumar at a meeting with additional chief secretary EV Ramanna Reddy. Rajakaluves (storm water drains) would be marked as per the apex court’s order. The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act, 2014, bans construction on, and occupation of, lake land and dumping debris, municipal solid
IoT sector is expected to grow to Rs 5,000 crore in the next three years | Credit: Aman Bhardwaj
Women working in factories are happy with the Karnataka government’s announcement that they can work in the night shift, but are not ready to do so because of societal norms. The Observer noticed many women working in garment and footwear factories in the industrial areas of Peenya and Dasarahalli. Brinda Adige, a women’s activist, said: “When it comes to the night shift, transportation and safety are very important. Also, we live in a patriarchal society, and our mindsets still haven’t changed. I don’t know how the government made this announcement when the requisite safety measures aren’t looked into. In due course of time, things might change.” The IT sector is different from factories, where women have a lot of restrictions. “They cannot even use the washroom when they want to. They are paid less than men. They have been asking for an increase in wages for a long time. A woman working in the night shift will suffer health issues, but it is wholly the individual’s choice,” she added. The government on Wednesday
A file photo of garment factory workers protesting lack of minimum wages | Courtesy: KPN announced that female employees of factories are allowed to work in the night shift, from 7pm to 6am, changing the policy that was applicable only to male workers. Sandhiya, who works in a garment factory, said: “We don’t have night shift here but many factories do. Women, too, can work in the night shift Iike men but they are not allowed to. Families won't agree to women working in the night even though there are facilities and safety provided.” Savitha, a tailor who works at Texport India Pvt Ltd, said: “The number of women working in garment factories is more than that of number of men. In the factory that I work in, women do the tailoring work and men do the ironing work. We work only till 6pm as we have to go home, look after
our children and cook.” Ellama, another garment worker, said: “Even if we have a shift system, I’ll not work after 6pm. My family will not allow me to work. My husband works in a factory nearby. He comes home late, but if I work late, I’ll be questioned.” Raghu, who is in charge of the tailoring segment in a garment factory, said: “Here, more than 80% of the workers are women. They work here from 10am to 6pm. We provide all facilities.” About the government's announcement, he said: “Women prefer to go home by 6pm. So we follow this timing. Women who work in factories that have the night shift may consider working at night, but many may not agree due to their own reasons.” The Observer was unable to contact the labour commissioner for his comment. According to a Deloitte report, quoted by The Hindu Business Line, women in India’s labour force were 26% in 2018, down from 36.7% in 2005. The state government’s announcement said women can work in the night shift in factories that are registered under the Factories Act, 1948, and it is not compulsory. aarthi.n@iijnm.org
RURAL KARNATAKA
Both schools there do not have enough teachers Aarthi N
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he Higher Primary Government School-Urdu Medium in Sagar, Shahpur taluk, has run without electricity for the past seven months. Despite a complaint by the headmaster to the gram panchayat, no action has been taken. Laxman Narayankar, headmaster and Kannada teacher at the school, said: “Education is very poor here as people do not value education. It is mainly because they do not know anything about it. We do not have electricity for the past seven months. All cables have fallen. I have submitted a complaint application long back to the panchayat, but they haven’t taken any action. They do not care about government schools.” Sagar has two government schools – one for the girls and a Urdu-medium school. Out of 72 students in total, teachers said, only about 30 attend school.
The village school in Shahpur taluk | Credit : Aarth N Science teacher Sultana informed The Observer: “There are 72 students here. They stay here from morning to evening without electricity. We three teachers teach all the subjects. One teacher has to at least take 3 to 4 subjects per class as there are not enough teachers. Students do not come regularly. If all facilities are provided, they will come regularly.” V Pradeep Kumar, an education expert, commented: “It is atrocious. It is the mistake of both the headmaster and the panchayat development officer. The headmaster should have gone fur-
ther to complain to the zilla panchayat and even the education ministry. When a government school does not have the basic amenities, how will parents send their children to school?” Kalappa Vishvakarma, secretary of the Sagar Gram Panchayat, said not many students study in both schools as their parents do not allow them. “We are not getting any funds from the government to maintain the schools.” PDO Annaray Roogi said: “The teacher had given the application a few days ago. We are looking into the matter. We will soon rectify it. It usually takes time as we rectify all problems together.” The Observer noticed that the school does not have proper infrastructure and is very small for 72 students. The classrooms are shabby. The Union government financially supports the states and Union Territories (UTs), for the creation and improvement of infrastructure in schools under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The requirements of infrastructure in schools are worked out every year by the respective state/Union Territory. aarthi.n@iijnm.org
Quiz Answers
Students of Sagar village suffer without electricity
1.Rs 42,000 crore
parents due to lack of awareness,” Dr Hayagreev said. Rahul Kumar, a patient’s father, said: “As a new parent, I had no idea about the vaccines to be given. My child is suffering from diphtheria for one month. We did everything possible to cure it, but nothing is working now.” Doctors are treating his child with antibiotics and an antitoxin. Dhaval Patel, another parent, said: “My son is not able to eat food and drink water properly due to a throat infection. The problem started with cold and fever.” It is mandatory to give children a booster vaccine called Tdap at the age of 11 or 12.
2.Singapore
body. Diphtheria bacteria live in the mouth, throat and nose of an infected person and can be passed to others by coughing or sneezing.” The symptoms of diphtheria are a sore throat, swollen neck glands, discharge from the nose. Usually, the incubation period for the disease is 2 to 5 days. “People with diphtheria need to be isolated until they are certified to be free from the disease. The diphtheria vaccine is administered through the National Immunisation Program. The first dose of diphtheria vaccine is now recommended to be given at six weeks of age. As the child grows up, the booster is ignored by the
3.Pawan Kumar Chamling
The health and family welfare department said it solve the problem of vaccines in Karnataka | Credit : Aman Bhardwaj
4.Prime Minister
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iphtheria cases in Karnataka have increased as 48% of children between 5 and 6 years have not been vaccinated. There is a paucity of both vaccines and awareness. The number of diphtheria cases in the state was 203 in 2017. It dropped to 115 in 2018, but has increased again in 2019. Official figures say 464 cases have been reported till October from across Karnataka. While most of these cases have been reported from north Karnataka, 13 are from Bengaluru. According to a report of the state health and family welfare department, 27% of the cases are in the age group of 5-7 years, and 26% are in the age group of 10-16 years. Dr Vishnu N Hayagreev, professor of medicine at Dr B.R. Ambedkar Medical College, informed The Observer: “Diphtheria is caused by a bacterium, Corynebacterium diphtheria. The disease is caused when bacteria release a toxin into a person’s
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he condition of a five-dayold abandoned baby is improving. Dr Pratap of Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain hospital informed The Observer that when the child was admitted to the hospital, his body was not able to accept nutritional solutions. But since Wednesday, the child has stopped excessive vomiting. He has been quite responsive and gained almost 200gm. The child is currently with the Women and Child Welfare Committee and in better health. When the child was rescued, and admitted to a hospital, he had already lost 200-300gm, according to officials at the High Ground police station.
5.140
Aman Bhardwaj
Jagdish, a parent, shared: “My child is 5 years old. I couldn’t find the DPT booster stage 2 in the pharmacies. I can’t afford treatment at a private hospital, so I went to a government hospital, but there is a lack of vaccine in the hospital. The immunization drive also has scarcity of the vaccine.” Dr Rajni of the state department of health and family welfare said: “We are trying to get supplies from the logistics department, but there is scarcity of vaccines all over India. We are trying to immunize as many children as possible through drives in government schools”. In 2019, an outbreak of diphtheria started with cases reported from Kalaburagi. All these cases were unvaccinated patients. Only 48% of children between the ages of 5 to 6 years are covered under routine DPT booster 2. Nitoiananda, a patient's guardian, said: “This problem is increasing rapidly among children as the disease is communicable and vaccination is not given. It is important for parents to know about the causes and the cure for this disease. They should save children from these diseases bvaccinating them on time.”Diphtheria vaccines are unavailable in government hospitals, he added. aman.b@iijnm.org
Chirag Dutta
6.Australia
Few parents are aware about the child disease
Condition of abandoned baby improves
7.David Malpass
Cases of diphtheria go up as govt hospitals lack vaccines
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8.Pragya Thakur
The Observer Thursday, November 21, 2019
Hungund taluk reels from rain damage Has no regular supply of drinking water Shivani Priyam
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illages in Hungund taluk, in the north Karnataka district of Bagalkot, are in a sorry state following heavy rain in October. People The Observer interviewed complained of a spread of mosquito-borne diseases and inaction by the panchayats. Mahantesh M.B., who cultivates sugarcane and sunflower in Chittaragi village, said: “When it rains heavily, the crops get damaged. My sugarcane cultivation has suffered more than 75% damage. A sugarcane factory is located 25 km from here. One tonne fetches me around Rs 2,200.” Seetimani village has poor drainage and no assured drinking water supply. Its houses suffered heavy damage because poor construction material was used. Residents said their cash crops were destroyed. Three persons succumbed to malaria in a span of one week. Vinayak Desai, another farmer
shared: “My field spans 20 acres. For an acre of sugarcane cultivation, I earn around Rs 1 lakh. I applied to the revenue office for compensation a few months ago. Revenue officials claim to have done the paper work, but I have not received any payment.” Renuka Angadi, an assistant engineer working at the Chittaragi Gram Panchayat, informed The Observer: “Farmers are supposed to receive compensation from the state government; the panchayat has no role to play. We have been working consistently to provide good roads, electricity and water to the village. shivani.p@iijnm.org
Team Observer Editor: Nissim Jacob Copy editors: Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Aman Bhardwaj, Ankita Mukherjee, Chirag Dutta, Meghna Das Chowdhury, Nissim Jacob, Shoby Krishna G, Tamanna Yasmin Reporters:Aarthi N, Adilin Beatrice C, Aman Bhardwaj, Ankita Mukherjee, Chirag Dutta, Meghna Das Chowdhury, Nissim Jacob, Shivani Priyam, Shoby Krishna G Supplements: Nikita Arora, Labani Mahanandy
Arts & Culture
The Observer Thursday, November 21, 2019
SUPPLEMENT
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The Heart of Darkness Anubhav Sinha explores the underside of our righteous republic, that devalues life and all human decency, writes Labani Mahanandy
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n his film Article 15, director Anubhav Sinha holds a mirror to contemporary Indian society to highlight an unspoken truth: that despite its prohibition under law,caste-based discrimination underpins much of ‘modern’ India’s social order. The movie,named for the provision in the Constitution that outlaws discrimination “on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth,” tells the story of a young IPS officer Ayaan Ranjan’s discovery of the reality of caste. For Ayaan (played by Ayushman Khurana), the Indian countryside is as foreign as the horrors of the caste system and its pernicious hold on the imagination.The first time his faith in much hyped “Incredible India” breaks is when he’s stopped by his fellow police officers from buying a bottle of water at a tiny shop in the village. The sellers are lower caste, he’s warned, and told that he mustn’t let their shadow fall on him let alone consume anything touched by them, lest he be polluted. He is intrigued and appalled that the people he is sup-
willed to back off and decides to unearth the truth even as the Central Bureau of Investigation is called in to apparently impede his investigation. As he’s has done with every character he’s played in his short career,Ayushman Khurana gets under the skin of Ayaan.He’s ably supported with brilliant performances by Manoj Pahwa in the role of Bhramdutt, Kumud Mishra as Jatav,Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub as Nishad, a social activist, and Sayani Gupta asa seemingly helpless but, in reality, a strong woman.
Article 15 holds a mirror to contemporary Indian society |Credit: TOI
posed to serve are referred to by his colleagues as “ye log” (these people). When three village girls go missing, the police file a perfunctory First Information Report but dismiss the matter saying,“that’s what happens with them”.Even as Ayaan tries to understand why “ye log” are looked down upon and get his head around the idea of untouch-
ability, news comes that twoof the missing girls have been found hanging from a tree. The movie now becomes as much a social commentary as a crime thriller. As pressure mounts to close the case as unexplained suicides, it dawns on Ayaan that there is more to the matter than meets the eye. He’s far too strong-
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he narrative leaves one with goosebumps. The grim tale evokes the hopelessness and despair in the lives of India’s ‘others’. The spellbinding cinematography by Ewan Mulligan highlights the wretchedness of their fate while the background score adds to the drama. Article 15 is not an easy watch but is a “must see” movie. It depicts the cruelty and heartlessness you would encounter if you travelled into the true heart of
India, its countryside and the poison that fills the hearts of millions of our compatriots. This will bring forth everything we don’t want to see.Like the scene where a safaiwalais shown emerging from a drain soaked in filth; it’s uncomfortable to watch but you cannot ignore the fact that it’s not only true but exactly how thousands of people earn their livelihoods. Anubhav Sinha challenges us, the blissfully ignorant minds of the tiny slice of India that enjoys the safety and comforts of the cities, to look at the larger reality of an India still breathing the toxic air ofcaste, privilege and prejudice. It forces us face the harsh world of a rural India that we are willingly blind to.
Director: Anubhav Sinha Cast: Ayushman Khurana, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Sayani Gupta, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. Cinematographer: Ewan Mulligan
The Power of Anime Japanese animation, a powerhouse of creativity, is now driving a tourist boom, says Nikita Arora
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he anime pilgrimage has always been a niche culture reserved for the Japanese anime otakuin or those who invest a large part of their lives watching anime, perusing manga (comics) or playing computer anime games. Now, as anime has gained a growing international audience, a popular variation called the Anime Journey is catching on with aficionados of Japanese animation all over the world. The anime journey involves visiting places that feature as anime settings. For instance, if you travel to the town of Chichibu in October, you may see anime buffs wearing anime ensembles and join the Ryusei Celebration. The reason? Chichibu has a few spots that look like specific scenes in an anime piece called The Bloom We Saw That Day. In fact, numerous spots in Chichibu look like the scenes in other anime stories.Anime otaku spot such locations and tag them as anime seiche or ‘consecrated spots’ for other anime fans. Says Radha Lakshmi, an anime fan in Bangalore, "I too wish to visit this
sociation of the spot with a particular anime story or character. Even anime studios, for the most part, provide little information about places areas that have provided inspiration or backdrops for their tales. Anime otaku compete among themselves to find these areas and name their own touring spots as holy anime spots. This has encouraged anime otaku to venture all over Japan in search of areas that look like scenes in an anime piece. By spotting the locations and creating signboards, the otakuseek to educate other visitors of the link between the location and the anime world. Anime Journey is catching on with aficionados of Japanese animation all over the world
place once. After having watched and followed anime religiously since past couple of years, I would certainly not miss an opportunity to go to a place like this and explore to my heart's content." Namrata Pandey, Calcutta, who’s an avid reader of animated novels and comics, "I've been reading anime for
years now. When I read, I construct this image in my mind as to how are things going to be like or how my character would be like and one thing that catches my attention the most is the setting. I am eager to see if the image that is in my head matches the real image or not." Usually there are no signs at such areas to explain the as-
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he designation of ‘consecrated spots’ by the anime otaku has given aboost to tourism in Japan, both domestic and foreign. The Anime Journey is often included as an extended part of the Japanese experience. Anime enthusiasts across the world are encourages to either become an anime otaku themselves, wherein these travelers embark on a search for new anime stations to witness the
the beauty of anime and manga or just visit the best-known anime spots. Anime and manga are vital components of modern Japanese culture. Hence apart from the efforts of anime otaku, Japan Special Visits has curated Japan anime visits for anime andmanga fans to visit Japan's biggest anime celebration in Tokyo. Here fans can relive their favourite anime memories, and add to their anime and manga collections. The Anime Journey Japan intends to cover the majority of the real anime and manga spots in Tokyo. The ideal agenda for 2020 isto incorporate stops at the most cherished anime sites across Japan. Diehard anime fans are invited from all over the world to investigate the flourish ing anime town of Akihabara, discover individual ace mentors at the Pokemon super focus, find the otherworldly universe of Totora and the remainder of the posse at the Ghibli Exhibition hall. They can also shop to theirsoul’s content at the Tokyo Character Road and Nakano Broadway. Anime is big business!