The Observer An IIJNM publication
Shopkeepers in Gujarat keep their shops open flouting the curfew to make ends meet | P 3
Vol 20, Issue 25
Friday, May 28, 2021
‘To create fear, strong penalty should be given’ By Padmini Dhruvaraj
Myths always don’t protect from Covid
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ovid-19 myths have become popular and, unfortunately, people are following them to stay away from Covid-19, writes Mahitha Owk. Myths like drinking hot water, avoiding cold temperature and refrigerated food, consuming ginger and garlic are some of the common myths people follow. Inspite of having a hot weather, India saw second wave during summer. However, experts are saying that these remedies are not always safe and not all of them are very effective. World Health Organisation on their website has clearly distinguished between facts and myths. Despite this people still are following the myths. Newspapers, Word of mouth and Social media seem to be the source of information for these myths. Full report on page 6
als drag on for years and most accused escape with a light penalty. Dr Indira Ramarao, a professor at the University of Mysore, said: “Rape videos in the socio-cultural context have become very common. Rapists try to gain visibility through wrong means. Strong punishment should be given to rapists to create fear.”
Somehow people are turned on by such violence, Ramarao said. A Deccan Herald report said police had arrested the five alleged perpetrators, all Bangladeshis, who lived in Bengaluru illegally. They pushed the survivor, also from Bangladesh, into prostitution. On her refusal, they stripped and tortured her.
On the morning of May 28, police shot two men in the leg when they tried to escape NDTV reported. The accused had been taken to the crime scene. Bhumika L. Raju, a resident of Bengaluru, said: “Every time I come across such news, I wonder if it is to fulfil one’s physical need or more. Now I have realised that it’s sadistic behaviour to take revenge against a woman who tried to stand her ground. I also wonder about their mental health as they enjoy filming and torturing? Do they feel empowered by taking down an innocent girl?” Society has seen a lot of examples where rape victims have decided to end their lives or have considered doing so. “Women’s honour does not lie between their thighs. It’s a traumatic incident, true, but women should stand strong and fight hard,” said Dalal. After the rape video, uploaded to a porn site, went viral in the northeast, Assam police sought information about the culprits. padmini.d@iijnm.org
‘Did my ma’am teach me wrong?’ Misspelt branding confuses kids To sound unique, companies tweak spellings of words
Epaper:https://issuu.com/ theweeklyobserver/docs Website: http://www. theweeklyobserver.in
News Briefs Sushant’s friend held In narcotics case Sushant Singh Rajput's flatmate Siddharth Pithani has been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau nearly a year after the actor's death in Mumbai, being investigated by multiple agencies. Pithani was among the four people present at Sushant Singh Rajput’s home in Mumbai when he was found hanging in his room on June 14. He was reportedly arrested by the anti-drugs agency in Hyderabad.
Oz’s Victoria sees fewer cases on day 1 of lockdown
Australia's Victoria state reported fewer new local Covud-19 cases on Friday, the first day of a oneweek hard lockdown imposed to contain a highly infectious outbreak which authorities said could become uncontrollable. Four new locally acquired cases were reported in 24 hours, down from 12 a day earlier, taking the total infections in the latest cluster to 30. But officials urged people to remain cautious and follow lockdown rules.
OnePlus Nord receiving OxygenOS update in India
OnePlus Nord is receiving the OxygenOS 11.1.1.3 update in India. The May 2021 Android security patch also comes bundled with the update. Alongside, it also brings some system, network, camera, and file manager improvements to its smartphones.
PETA India asks Amul to produce vegan milk
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has asked Amul to switch to producing vegan milk. In a letter to Amul managing director R.S. Sodhi, PETA said the dairy co-operative society should benefit from the booming vegan food and milk market. "We would again like to encourage Amul to benefit from the booming vegan food and milk market, instead of wasting resources trying to fight the demand for plantbased products that is only growing," PETA India said.
By Abhisek Dutta
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n increased use of misspelled words by companies in advertisements has left questions in children’s minds. Aarin, a seven-year-old boy who was watching television with his father, saw an advertisement and promptly asked his father: “Why are there two Ws in the spelling of grow? Did our ma’am teach us wrong?” Aarin was confused on seeing the spelling of an online investment platform called Groww. His father cleared the confusion: “No. The correct spelling is ‘grow’, but here it is presented this way.”
@theweeklyobserver
Rourkela’s travel agencies continue to bleed as travel restricted during second wave of pandemic | P 5
Rape videos emanate from belief that men are greater than women Bengaluru: A horrifying video of a woman being brutally assaulted and raped by four men and a woman has been circulated on a porn site. Neha Dalal, a psychologist and professor at L.S. Raheja Arts and Commerce College, Mumbai, informed The Observer: “Rape is not about sexual pleasure or consent. It’s almost always about exerting power. They are taught that men are greater than women.” Asked if rape videos are shot for money, she said: “I don’t think so. This is again to display dominance. It could be for blackmailing the victim, the gratification of oneself and within a group.” Sociologists say there is a lack of fear among people as rape tri-
facebook.com/ twoiijnm/
Most children try to read and learn the words they see in advertisements on television, banners, hoardings and leaflets. In recent times, companies have been using distorted spellings of words to create their trademarks and to attract people.
Children learn these misspelled words and grow up with them. Many famous brands, like Thums Up, Flipkart, Quikr, Tumblr, Flickr and Reddit, have intentionally misspelled words to attract people. Continued on page 6
Odisha seeks long-term solution to cyclones
Odisha government demanded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a long-term solutions to mitigate problems of repeated cyclones and provision of disaster resilient power systems.
NATION
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The Observer Friday, May 28, 2021
Non-heinous crimes in Delhi come down due to Covid -19 With nobody on roads, how can it happen: Police By Dhruv Raghav New Delhi: Motor vehicles theft reported in the national capital came down by 26 per cent in 2020. Similarly, the number of burglaries and house thefts also plummeted due to a combination of lockdown and fear. “Crime has come down because of a combination of two things: Lockdown and Covid. People stopped moving, and most of them were not in a position to report even if a crime did occur,” V.N. Rai, retired director general of police, Hyderabad, informed The Observer. In 2020, the entire nation went under a complete lockdown for months starting March, followed by a series of unlocking phases. The Covid-19 pandemic not only forced a lockdown but also prompted governments to divert resources to the fight against the disease. “Several police personnel were commissioned on Covid duties. This could have led to the police force not working at their full capacity. On top of this, we were
As the entire nation went under a complete lockdown for months the crime rate showed a decline | Courtesy: YesPunjab also losing frontline workers; they were getting sick,” Rai shared. Crime statistics published by Delhi Police showed that the number of motor vehicles thefts went down to 28,732 between January 1, 2020, and October 2020, from 39,066 in the same period the previous year, a 26 drop of per cent.
News Quiz 1. Quito is the capital of which country? 2. Which, by population, is Australia's largest city? 3. Which US State shares borders with Canada and the state of Utah? 4. The Smiths were formed in which UK town? 5. What is the official language of Gabon? 6. What is the tallest mountain in the Alps? 7. What nationality was physicist James Clerk Maxwell? 8. In which US state would you find Mount Rushmore? 9. Which Central American nation borders Costa Rica to the south and Honduras to the north? 10. The Piazza Garibaldi is found in which Italian city? Answers on page 6
Words of the day Skylark: to frolic; sport. Bovarism: an exaggerated, especially glamorized, estimate of oneself; conceit. Peradventure: it may be; maybe; possibly; perhaps. Palaver: profuse and idle talk; chatter. Lacustrine : of or relating to a lake. Dentifrice: a paste, powder, liquid, or other preparation for cleaning the teeth. Sartorial: of or relating to clothing or style or manner of dress. Plenipotent: invested with or possessing full power.
This trend was seen in other non-heinous crimes like burglary and house theft as well. In 2020, there were 1,698 reported burglaries compared to 2,606 in 2019. Similarly, in 2020, there were 1,657 house thefts reported against 2,291 in 2019. (According to the Supreme
Court, offences that do not provide a minimum sentence of seven years in prison are not heinous.) Ajeet Singh, a journalist, said this is an extraordinary situation for all. The mobility of people has come down, so has the number of robberies amid fear and chaos. Another possible factor could be underreporting of crime. “Mobility and crime are often interconnected – which is that if people do not come out on roads with their vehicles, a robber will not be able to commit a crime. Along with this..., there is quite a possibility of cases being underreported,” he said. “Criminals are also human beings. If the common people are scared of Covid, so are criminals,” Singh added. Satya Pal, assistant commissioner at the Delhi Police Research Cell, denied that cases were under-registered or underreported. “There was no mobility. Nobody was on the roads, then how can crimes happen? The number of crimes has come down because the whole country was under a lockdown.” While reported non-heinous crimes registered a decline, the capital – like the rest of the country – witnessed a spike in domestic crimes during the lockdown. dhruv.r@iijnm.org
Citizen’s Voice Farmers’ protests show the govt is incompetent Farmers’ protests are a result of the central government’s incompetent governance. The government of a democratic country like India should know how to initiate a dialogue with its people and resolve their issues. Piara Dhadwar
First Covid vaccine, then board exams Class 12 board examinations are an important part of students’ lives. The dates of competitive exams like IIT JEE and NEET depend on board exams. Cancelling board exams is not a solution; it could put the future of the students at stake. Vaccinating students and conducting their exams is an alternative preferable option. Anushmi Tripathy
Nehru is criticized for his few failings The trend of criticizing Jawaharlal Nehru over his mishandling of the China and Kashmir issues cannot detract from his achievements. This is the fate of all great democratic statesmen from Lincoln to Roosevelt to Nehru. They are criticized for their few failings. Nehru is bigger than the sum of all his imperfections. Nishant Kumar
Lack of access to menstrual products can badly affect the health of women By Queeneerich K.
said Judy Pohlong, a school-goer. Another teenager, Liza Koch, said: “Educating a girl about menstruation before she has her first period is the best way to make sure she knows what will happen. She should be told why she should not be scared and can't keep doing normal things.” School bathrooms and public restrooms stock toilet paper, soap and paper towels, but do not have menstrual products. One in every 5 girls leaves school early, or misses school entirely, due to a lack of access to menstrual products.
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ack of access to menstrual products can badly affect the health of women. According to studies, about 88 per cent of Indian women and girls use alternatives to sanitary pads like cloth, rags, hay, sand or ash. Dr Alok Deb, a gynecologist at Woodland Hospital, Shillong, informed The Observer: “Menstrual Hygiene is not much of a problem in urban areas. But females in rural areas suffer a great deal to access sanitary products. Girls who do not have easy access to sanitary pads use cloth, which can cause infection.” “The use of tampons at a certain time was discouraged as people did not understand how to use them, causing infection, infertility and death. Parents and elder sisters are the best people to educate girls on menstrual health...,” the doctor added. In India, there are 355 million menstruating women and girls, but millions lack access to menstrual hygiene. Girls do not have consistent access to information about puberty and menstrual health. In India, 71% of females said they had no idea what menstruation was before their first period. Girls frequently seek knowledge and
Menstrual Hygiene Day Out of 355 million menstruating women in the country millions lack access to basic menstrual hygiene | Credit: Queeneerich k assistance from their mothers. Seventy per cent of mothers regard menstruation as “unclean”, according to Menstrual Health of India, a research paper. C. Massar, a young adolescent from Shillong, said: “It is important to educate girls on menstrual health. You don’t want to be 11 years old, at school, wondering why you’re bleeding. I think menstrual products in India are decently priced. Having sanitary items for free would be ideal,
though. However, as the saying goes, nothing good is free. So don’t compromise your health by using sub-par items.” “It is important to educate girls on menstruation so that they will be able to have a comfortable period without skipping school.... For those with financial problems the government needs to provide free menstruation products. My parents do educate me regarding menstruation, but the school gives details regarding the topic,”
Elizabeth Lalzarzo, another adolescent, said: “Inadequate menstrual hygiene can potentially have health consequences such as increased risk of reproductive and urinary tract infections, which can be very dangerous for a female.” Because the menstrual cycle lasts an average of 28 days and women menstruate an average of five days every month, and May is the fifth month of the year, Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed on May 28. This year’s theme is “Action and Investment in Menstrual Hygiene and Health”. queeneerich.k@iijnm.org
COVID IMPACT
The Observer Friday, May 28, 2021
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Shopkeepers flout curfew, do business
Say govt should also think about their situation
‘NO OTHER OPTION’
By Nishita M. Agath
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espite a curfew imposed by the Gujarat government, several shops do business during restricted hours. Bhavan Patel, a shopkeeper in Kamala Baug, Porbandar, informed The Observer: “It is difficult to meet our needs as this situation is prevailing for the past two years. As this will not end soon, we have to run our shop during curfew hours too.” During curfew hours, most bakery shops and general stores remain open. Madhav Kori, a bakery owner in Indraniel Society, Rajkot, said: “A majority of our customers visit after 6 pm, and the curfew begins at 7 pm. Therefore, I cannot afford to shut my shop during peak hours. Rising Covid19 cases is a concern. But the government should consider our situation too.” Bharat G, the owner of a general store in Paresh Nagar, Porbandar, said: “I close my shop at 7 pm. However, as the shop is situated next to my house, I provide services even after 7 pm. As no one comes to check residential areas, I continue selling goods even during curfew hours.”
During curfew hours, most bakery shops and general stores remain open | Courtsey: KPN Several shopkeepers who close their shops on time consider it an injustice as they incur financial losses due to the rules. Shiv Rughani, who runs a bakery on M.G. Road, Porbandar, said: “We faced huge losses during the first wave of the pandemic. We don’t have any option. I have to close my shop after the curfew as my shop is situated on the main road.”
Covid-19 stats of India today
Customers frequently visit shops during curfew hours to buy essential items. Anuj Khunti, a customer, said: “Bakery items are fresh only if we purchase them in the evening. Else, they are from the previous day. Therefore, we prefer to buy bread in the evening. Also, there is a lot of rush between 5 pm and 7 pm and we have to stand in a queue for around half
an hour. Hence, I visit bakeries after 7 pm.” Ashal V, another customer, shared: “We often visit shops in the evening…. Several bakeries sell after 7 pm behind closed shutters. So we go then. Also, there is less rush during those hours.” Rambha Kiroon, another customer, said: “Shops in residential areas are open till 10 pm. Some-
A majority of our customers visit after 6 pm, and the curfew begins at 7 pm. Therefore, I cannot afford to shut my shop during peak hours. – Madhav Kori, a bakery owner We faced huge losses during the first wave of the pandemic. We don’t have any option. I have to close my shop after the curfew as my shop is situated on the main road. – Shiv Rughani, a bakery owner Bakery items are fresh only if we purchase them in the evening. Else, they are from the previous day. Therefore, we prefer to buy bread in the evening. – Anuj Khunti, a buyer We often visit shops in the evening... Several bakeries sell after 7 pm behind closed shutters. So we go then. Also, there is less rush during those hours. – Ashal V, a buyer times we require a few essentials like curd, milk and vegetables all of a sudden when guests arrive. Therefore, we frequently visit the shop after 6.30 pm.” Sushma Kishore, a police inspector, said: “A fine is not charged if a shopkeeper is caught for the first time. Initially, a warning is given, and later a chargesheet filed.” nishita.a@iijnm.org
Petitioners are happy as court orders status quo on Hesaraghatta grasslands ‘Legislators can’t decide, we will put up a fight’ By Upasana Banerjee Bengaluru: As the Karnataka High Court directed the Karnataka government to ensure no alteration is made to the remaining grasslands of Hesaraghatta, the prime petitioner expressed relief over the order. Vijay Nishanth, the main petitioner, informed The Observer: “Just a few MLAs can’t decide the fate of the grasslands. We will put up a fight. The government shouldn’t do anything that causes more damage to the site,” he added. Villagers in the area are happy over the court’s interim order. The petitioners had challenged the state government’s decision to reject a proposal to declare the grassland a conservation reserve. Sreeja Chakraborty, one of the advocates fighting for the grasslands, said: “The Board that decides on the issue was reconstituted illegally in October 2020. Earlier, the board consisted of eminent personalities from an environment background. But
Vijay, the main petitioner, has expressed relief | Courtsey: Vijay Nishant now they have taken politically motivated representatives who have zero knowledge of environmental issues.” “This interim verdict is not a relief yet but just one part of the entire case...,” she added. The Hesaraghatta lakebed in Karnataka spreads across 1,912 acres and remains the last patch of grasslands surrounding the Bengaluru region. The Karnataka government had earlier planned a film city to be developed Hesaraghatta, but conservationists were not ready to give up the biodiversity-rich
area for commercialization. They demanded the patch of land to be protected as a conservation reserve. The order of the court comes at a time when around 235 species of birds have been listed by the IUCN Red List as endangered and vulnerable. According to K.S. Gopi Sundar of the Nature Conservation Foundation, Hesaraghatta is a unique system of wetland-grasslandmarshland which is critically endangered. The bench has posted the next hearing to June. upasana.b@iijnm.org
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The Observer Friday, May 28, 2021
NATION
Bengal nurses, para-medical staff oppose contractual posts
Prefer permanent jobs to higher pay for 2 months By Abhisek Dutta Kolkata: Registered nurses and para-medical staff of West Bengal who are waiting for permanent government jobs are unhappy with the state government’s decision to hire them on a contract basis for two months. Manisha Samanta, a staff nurse at R.N. Tagore Hospital, a private hospital in Kolkata, questioned the concept of contractual recruitment. “The government should recruit us on a permanent basis. My present salary is similar to the proposed one. Why should I quit my job for a twomonth contract?” she informed The Observer. In a recent order, the West Bengal health ministry has decided to recruit registered nurses and para-medical staff on a contract basis for two months to help it tackle the surge of Covid-19 infections in the city. All these contractual posts are sincerely dedicated to the state’s Covid hospitals. Both nurses and technicians will be paid Rs 17,220 a month. The charge of the recruitment process is given to the chief medical officer of health
Registered nurses and technicians have started a campaign against the government’s decision to hire them on contractual basis | Courtesy: KPN (CMOH) of every district. Sourav Dutta passed out student of Bankura’s Sammilani Medical College in 2018. Presently, he is working at Seba Niketan hospital at a monthly salary of Rs 8,000. But he is unwilling to apply for a contractual post that will get him a higher salary. “There will be no security after two months,” he said. Swagata Ghosh, a staff nurse at RN Tagore Hospital, said: “Almost all pass-out students are working in private hospitals. Why should we join contractual posts?”
Some registered nurses and technicians have started a campaign on Twitter against the order. They have tagged chief minister Mamata Banerjee demanded permanent recruitment in government hospitals. Pinky Ghosh, a staff nurse at Pandey Nursing Home, a private hospital at Chandannagar, informed the Observer: “In February this year, the government declared to recruit for permanent posts. But it postponed that.” Dr Prakash Mridha, CMOH of Jhargram district, said: “We have
‘Positivity’ is a PR stunt to hide the actual number of Corona deaths PM’s actions have caused.
Wave of discontent
@rsprasad
Almost all pass-out students are working in private hospitals. Why should we join contractual posts? – Swagata Ghosh, a nurse My present salary is similar to the proposed one. Why should I quit my job for a two-month contract? The government should recruit us on a permanent basis. – Manisha Samanta, a nurse We have opened a portal for applications. Once applications are submitted, we will publish a list based on their marks. There will be no interviews during the pandemic. – Dr Prakash Mridha, chief medical officer of health, Jhargram
Government fully recognises and respects the right of privacy. Ordinary users of WhatsApp have nothing to fear about the new Rules. Its entire objective is to find out who started the message that led to commissioning of specific crimes mentioned in the Rules.
opened a portal for applications. Once applications are submitted, we will publish a list based on their marks.” There will be no walk in interviews during the pandemic due to rising cases. But he did not respond when The Observer asked him about the proposed contractual recruitment. The cases are surging continuously in the state. A couple of weeks ago, the chief minister announced that her government would increase 10,000 beds in hospitals to tackle the situation. abhisek.d@iijnm.org
@MIB_India Milk producers of India make us feel proud- The backbone of Indian dairy sector, making India the largest milk producer of the world. #AGlassOfGoodness
@drharshvardhan 20.57 Cr #COVID19Vaccine Doses administered across the country so far. Daily recoveries outnumbered daily new #COVID19 cases for 15th consecutive day. Recovery rate increases to 90.34% with over 2.59 L recoveries in last 24 hours. #Unite2FightCorona
@KamalaHarris Every American worker deserves the chance to build their skills and increase their earnings. American Families plan makes this possible by providing two years of free community college.
By Abhishek Saini
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astern Bihar received heavy on Friday rain as cyclone Yaas entered the state. More than 10 districts have been affected. The state government responded by cutting power supply for more than 16 hours with no resumption in sight. People working from home have been most affected by the heavy rains. Prabhakar Lal, an employee of HCL living in Sitamarhi, informed The Observer: “I left Lucknow in the month of September last year when the company allowed us to work from home. Yesterday during the night shift, I couldn’t work due to the electricity cut. I informed my manager. We have no hope of receiving electricity tonight as well.” Bihar is one of the few states where power cuts are the norm. During summer, people rely heavily on inverters ad other backups due to frequent cuts. Aanand Sinha, an employee of the electricity supply department, said: “It is a standard practice to cut off power when there is a storm or heavy rain. Though I am not the person responsible for this
@RahulGandhi
Rafael Nadal eyes his 21st Grand Slam Title
Heavy rain in Bihar; electricity cut off By Nishant Kumar
Twitterati Talk
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Cyclone Yaas wreaks havoc in Bihar | Courtesy: PTI decision, I understand the reason.” The India Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain in the next 72 hours. The state is on yellow alert. Continuous rain with high speed winds has caused massive water logging across Bihar. Moreover, more than four people have died due to lightening in last 24 hours. CM Nitish Kumar has held two meetings to take stock of the situation. nishant.k@iijnm.org
afael Nadal is all set to defend his title at Roland Garros, in an attempt to secure his 21st career grand slam title as the French Open 2021 begins on Sunday, in Paris. Nadal has won the French Open record 13 times. Speaking in an interview with AFP, Rafael Nadal said: “Roland Garros is a very special place for me. My goal is to be the one who plays the best.” Despite his record at the tournament, Nadal added: “No one is invincible, anywhere.” Nadal’s fans, who lovingly call him ‘Rafa’, expect the Spaniard to clinch the title again. “With age catching up, I think this Roland Garros will be one of Nadal's toughest ever. He definitely didn't look unbeatable in this year's clay court season. That said, he's still the favourite to win the tournament, but watch out for Djokovic and Thiem as well.,” said Parth Chawla, who has been supporting Nadal since 2008. At the tournament draw on Thursday, the ‘Big 3’ of tennis, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, were placed in
Nadal is all set to defend his title at Roland Garros | RolandGarros the same half of the tournament, reported Times of India. This effectively means that 2 of these 3 could possibly face each other in the Quarter Finals of the event. “Although the fans must be excited to see the big 3 in the same draw, I think it will be a straightforward win for Nadal,” said Ankit Sharma, a tennis fan. The tournament also marks the return of former world No. 1 Roger Federer from a long injury. This will be Federer’s first grand
slam appearance since the Australian Open 2020. “After a long injury break, I'm really looking forward to seeing him back on court. I hope he can get some form and set the tone for Wimbledon next month,” said Shreshth Makker, a Federer fan. Champion Iga Swiatek will begin her tournament against Kaja Juvan. Naomi Osaka, Ash Barty and Aryna Sabalenka are other favourites for the tournament. abhishek.s@iijnm.org
The Observer Thursday, May 28, 2021
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CITY
Travel agencies bleed during lockdown
Biz of operators in Rourkela is reduced to zero By Ashutosh Acharya
Rourkela: Travel agencies in Rourkela are facing heavy losses as inter-state and inter-district travel has been banned due to the lockdown in Odisha. Keeping in view the rising number of cases during the second wave of Covid-19, the Odisha government had announced a complete lockdown from May 5 to May 19. Subsequently, it extended the lockdown till June 1. Anurag Sahoo, owner of Anurag Travels, informed The Observer: “The situation is very bad now. We don’t have enough money to even pay the drivers, leave alone paying the EMIs for cars.” Sahoo owns a bus called Anurag Bus, which runs from Jharkhand to Bihar, and has 13 cars which run within Odisha. “Bus services have been stopped for now, and I get only three or four bookings for cars in 10-15 days. The second wave of Covid has come at a time when business
Odisha Government has put restriction on intra-state travel, except for medical purposes.This is primarily aimed at stopping the movement of people and goods, which worries the agencies | Courtesy: Newzz was just recovering from the first wave. We don’t know what will happen next.” According to the Odisha government’s guidelines, intra-state movement of individuals by road, taxis and cab aggregators, except for medical purposes, has been prohibited. The government has said the lockdown is primarily aimed at restricting the movement of goods and people. Smita Satpathy, from Utkal Tours and Travels, said: “My business had just started to pick
up when this lockdown happened. We are suffering losses as we had to cancel everything.” Utkal Tours arranges flight tickets, visas, passports and tour packages. “We are facing heavy losses. Many people had booked tickets for Dubai which were cancelled due to the second lockdown. Domestic flight tickets were also cancelled. We don’t have any business now,” she said. Under Unlock 3.0, intra- and inter-state travel in Odisha re-
‘It is beyond our capacity’: High prices crush daily wages earners
year student at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology who lives in Rourkela, said: “I am glad I got home before intra-state travel stopped. Now, our hostel mess is closed, and there is no way we could have stayed in hostel during the lockdown. A few people who were there were told to vacate the hostel within a very short time, which would have been troublesome for me.” Swayam Prakash Dehury, a third-year student from Sri Ramchandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, who hails from Rourkela, is stuck in the hostel, as he couldn’t get a ticket to return back. “I tried booking tickets immediately after the lockdown was announced, but every bus was full. Now, I cannot even book a cab. The only good thing is that the hostel mess is open.” As of May 28, more than 11,000 Covid cases were identified in Odisha. The lockdown doesn’t seem to have affected the curve much yet. There are chances of the lockdown being extended further. Under such circumstances, the travel industry will again face severe losses. ashutosh.a@iijnm.org
Covid Diary
Covid didn’t allow me to bid adieu to hostel friends Courtesy: Amna Karimi
Allege grocery shops overcharge By Upasana Banerjee Kolkata: The rise in the prices of essential commodities has caused concern among earners of daily wages. Many of them are either out of work or earning less as compared to pre-Covid times. The second wave of the Covid19 pandemic has made the situation worse for these workers, who are unable to go back to their villages as trains have been stopped. Namita Sarder, a domestic help, informed The Observer: “We couldn’t go back to our villages, so some of us have stayed back. Like last year, most of our employers have asked us not to come to work.” "Our earnings have reduced to half and prices soared. How are we supposed to survive in this big city?” Rupa Gupta, a resident of south Kolkata who is worried about her family’s safety, has asked her domestic help to stop coming for work. “With rising Covid cases in the city we can’t afford to take a risk. So I have asked my maid to come after the situation gets a little better.” The West Bengal government announced a complete lockdown on the May 15 for a period of 15 days. Within restrictions in place, markets, grocery shops and stores selling other essential
sumed in August 2020. It saw a boom within a month as the people stuck during the early lockdowns went back home. Now, the travel sector has come to a standstill. Santosh Parida, owner of Sushree Travels, which has two buses plying from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar and back, said: “Our buses used to be full even when there was talk of the second wave. I think the reason for that was that the people were returning home in fear of another lockdown. Now, we don’t have any business. Buses in the state have stopped plying due to the lockdown.” Many students from Rourkela who study in Bhubaneswar used to travel by Sushree buses. “We saw a decline in the students travelling in our buses since the second week of April, when institutions started closing down slowly.” Even though physical classes in educational institutions started closing from April 1, hostels were open until the lockdown was announced. While some students managed to get home, others are facing issues returning as travel is not possible due to the lockdown due to the second wave. Pragyanshree Tripathy, a final-
Daily wages earners hope that lockdown is lifted and their work starts soon | Vijay Nishant items will function from 7 am to 10 am, increasing the possibility of crowding. In the wake of this, shopkeepers and retailers are charging exorbitant amounts for rice, pulses, wheat, and other food ingredients. Sailesh Saha, owner of Sankari grocery store, shared: “Our business has been badly affected. Unlike last year, opening times have been restricted. We also buy the items at a higher price. This is bound to happen.” The daily wages earners claim essential food items like pulses that they used to buy at Rs 30 a kg now cost Rs 45 a kg. Haran Mondal, a rickshaw puller, said: “Daily wages earners like us have been hit the most. Due to the complete lockdown, people are not going anywhere, hence no passengers. Our earnings have stopped, but our families need to be fed. These people only look
after their profit.” People are forced to purchase commodities at whatever prices are fixed by retailers, who are charging between Rs 15-Rs 20 in excess of the MRP on essentials like rice, milk and vegetables. Earlier, the workers used to buy food items cheap from small grocery stores, but amidst the pademic they have hiked prices to survive in a competitive market. Tapas Nasker, a construction worker whose work stopped after the second lockdown, now has to visit the same shop that well-to-do people from his neighbourhood go to. “We hope our work starts soon. Therefore, we have stayed back. Due to the limitation on business hours, we have to buy from the same shop as any other person does from this neighbourhood. It’s beyond our capacity,” he said. On May 16, the Centre asked the state governments to keep ration shops open for longer hours and ensure timely and safe distribution of foodgrains to the poor. But the shops are neither open throughout the day nor are they selling at the prices they have been asked to. Madan Ghosh, owner of a ration shop, said: “It’s not possible to open the shop for long hours. We have not got any instructions.... We have to follow all safety protocols.” Workers are demanding that authorities should take note of this situation upasana.b@iijnm.org
By Nidhi Kajaria
T
he word Covid has become an essential part of life today for people of every age group. I would not have realised the existence of this subconscious feeling until I got infected with the virus. I had an inkling of faith in our expensive health institutes but my hopes were too high. Citizens of this country have also failed me. I don't see masks on their noses anymore, I don’t see the fear that I felt, all I see is their ignorance. It’s not just the Covid that kills you but the isolation that comes with it. I was separated from my friends on those days when they needed me the most. Looking at them for the last time, as they pack their bags and leave, through nothing but a window
several meters apart. By the time the doors were open for me, the only thing that was left for me to say goodbye to was Rachel, our hostel dog. It was good to get back home and meet my sisters after 14 days of quarantine. And then came the news that the vaccination is available for our age group. I remember when the CoWin portal opened for us, I rushed to my laptop thinking that it is the early bird who gets the worm, but again my hopes were too high. Fourteen days later, my patience was at its limit. I wanted to get rid of this virus plaguing our lives for the past two years. I picked up my press card, hoping I'll be considered a frontline worker, even though they hesitate to declare it officially. nidhi.k@iijnm.org
COVID IMPACT
6
The Observer Friday, May 28, 2021
not all home remedies help to fight covid MYthS aroUnD US l l l l l
the fearfactor
By Mahitha Owk
Fear is an emotion that makes people believe anything. It is not difficult to fact-check information, but people usually don’t. Moreover, all the information available online is not so accurate. – Dr Sreekanth Reddy, a psychaitrist
A
midst the raging Covid-19 pandemic, people’s fear of getting infected is driving them to unproven and unscientific remedies. Amrutha Palacharla, who works for a private company in Telangana, informed The Observer: “It is always recommended to drink hot water with honey as it helps in fighting Covid-19. Also, people believe that eating non-veg is good for Covid patients, but from what I heard, it has a lot of side-effects, so we stopped consuming non-veg.” Smithraj Karna, a BTech student from Odisha, said: “Kaadha bana ke pi lo (make kaadha and drink it).” Kaadha is a drink made with herbs that is believed to boost immunity. He added that he was suffering from cold and fever, and afraid he had got Covid. Kaadha was effective in treating him.
Drink hot water with honey Prepare kaadha and drink it Heat kills the virus Wear mask in gymnasium Hot peppers kill the virus
Lack of proper guidance and correct information is leading people to believe such myths. A study published by BMJ Journal, brought out by the British Medical Association, said in March 2020 that more than a quarter of the top Covid-related video s on YouTube had misleading claims. They had more than 60 million views. Hari Krishnan from Tamil Nadu who is preparing for government exams said: “I consume almonds, garlic, cashews and healthy food regularly. I heard this helps in preventing Covid-19.”
The sources of such myths are newspapers, word of mouth and social media sites. Sometimes even doctors recommend such remedies. Swastik Shivasish, an MBBS student from Odisha, said he believes kaadha helps in Covid-19 treatment as he has read an article about it in a newspaper. His primary source of information is newspapers, he shared. Manisha Panthulu, an employee of a private company in Telangana, said: “My entire family was infected with Covid-19. Later, we drank warm water regularly with kashayam (kaadha)
every day and avoided food from the refrigerator.” She believes low temperature helps the virus to stay alive and heat kills it. These home remedies were recommended by a doctor. The WHO website says myths are circulating about Covid treatment. One common belief is that hot weather ensures protection from Covid. However, as per WHO, one can catch Covid any time, irrespective of the weather. Countries with warm weather, like India, have reported a high number of Covid cases this summer. Several studies and news
Companies should focus on Vaccine or photo op? creating new words: Experts Continued from page 1
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ut it adversely affects the learning process of children. Children see these brand names in different modes of advertisement and memorize them, thinking of them as the correct spellings. Tanusree Chakraborty, an English teacher at Christ Church Girls’ High School, Kolkata, thinks the advertisements are so attractive that young children learn easily. “But once they get a misconception, it becomes very difficult to erase it and teach them the correct one, she said. “Some students of higher classes use such wrong spellings which become even more difficult to correct them,” she added. Some teachers, like Nilotpal Roy of Kolkata, believe this is a critical problem for elementary learners. Roy says advertisements are a form of art, so they have the freedom to be creative. “Neither can we ask for censorship in advertisements nor can we stop children from watching advertisements. So parents have to take the onus to make their children aware,” Roy informed The Observer. The daughter of Mumbai’s Ankita Yerukar was puzzled to see such adverts. “A couple of times, my daughter asked me about these confusing spellings. I corrected her. But we can’t al-
‘Difficult to erase’ But once they get a misconception, it becomes very difficult to erase it and teach them the correct one – Tanushree Chakraborty, a teacher Neither can we ask for censorship in advertisements nor can we stop children from watching advertisements. So parents have to take the onus to make their children aware. -Nilotpal Roy, a teacher ways correct her as most of the time we stay out of home.” Companies tweak the spellings of existing words to sound unique and create a trademark. But Gaurav Gulati, a branding expert from Ambala, believes that companies have plenty of opportunities to use correct spellings and be unique. “Rather than twisting an existing word in the dictionary to name their brands, companies should focus on creating new words. If companies create their own unique words for their brand name, it will be really creative,” he said. Besides questioning the trend of using misspelled words, educationists have also raised questions about the content of television advertisements. They consider some of these unhealthy for children’s upbringing. abhisek.d@iijnm.org
articles say wearing a mask in a gym while exercising prevents Covid-19. However, WHO points out that sweating during exercise makes masks wet and difficult to breathe; it increases the growth of microorganisms. Instead of wearing masks, WHO has recommended maintaining social distancing while exercising. Another such myth is that eating garlic prevents Covid. This has been proved to be wrong by WHO. Also, “hot peppers in your food, though very tasty, cannot prevent or cure Covid-19”. Dr Raju Kumar, a general physician who treats Covid-19 patients, said: “Although a few remedies may boost immunity, they don’t protect an individual from Covid-19.” Some of these remedies, like drinking too much kaadha, may cause a burning sensation in the stomach and disrupt digestion. Consuming hot drinks does not kill the virus. Dr Sreekanth Reddy, a psychiatrist, said: “Fear is an emotion that makes people believe anything. It is not difficult to factcheck information, but people usually don’t. Moreover, all the information available online is not so accurate.” People accept myths and spread them without verifying them on the ICMR website. mahitha.o@iijnm.org
Quiz Answers 1. Ecuador 2. Sydney 3. Idaho 4. Manchester 5. French 6. Mont Blanc 7. Scottish 8. South Dakota 9. Nicaragua 10. Naples
Social media, papers, word of mouth are sources of bogus info
Across the Nation South india dancer's fest, Balajrishna Rangamandira, RR Nagar Bengaluru, Karnataka 29 May 2021, 12:30 am India virtual marathon-Bengaluru, Karnataka 30 May 2021, 9 am to 11 pm Rail India conference expo, Delhi 29 May 2021
Team Observer
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday launched a vaccination drive for slum-dwellers, street vendors and Namma Metro workers in different parts of Bengaluru. As many as 53,000 street vendors have been identified for vaccination while Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited will vaccinate 7,500 workers in the first round, according to an article published by The Hindu. Yediyurappa acknowledged the contribution of the private sector, which has provided Rs 175 crore under CSR to the Karnataka government for Covid-19 management | Courtesy: KPN
Editor: Nishita Agath Copy Editors: Nidhi Kajaria, Mahitha Owk, Ashutosh Acharya, Dhruv Raghav, Nishita Agath, Abhisek Dutta, Upasana Banerjee, Nishant Kumar Reporters: Abhishek Saini, Padmini Dhruvaraj, Queeneerich K, Upasana Banerjee, Mahitha Owk, Dhruv Raghav, Mahitha Owk, Nishant Kumar, Ashutosh Acharya, Nishita Agath, Abhisek Dutta Page Layout: Dhruv Raghav, Mahitha Owk, Nishita Agath, Ashutosh Acharya, Abhisek Dutta