The Weekly Observer by IIJNM Bangalore

The Weekly Observer

CAUVERY WATER SETS CITY ON FIRE Volume 16 Issue 2

An IIJNM Publication

TUESDAY,13 September 2016

By The Weekly Observer team @ObserveThis16

Bengaluru- Protests broke out in the city after the second verdict by the Supreme Court on the Cauvery water dispute was released yesterday. The SC verdict which came out yesterday stated that the state of Karnataka will have to release 12,000 cusecs of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu till September 20. This is the modified verdict of the September 5 which said 15,000 cusecs of water had to be released by September 15. The verdict triggered violence throughout the city after Kannadigas were attacked in Tamil Nadu, reported The Hindu. Another major setback to the state government is that the plea by Karnataka for modification on the verdict got rejected by Supreme Court, reported News 9. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been imposed on the city, as confirmed by G. Parameshwara, Home Minister of state, reported by news channel CNN-IBN. The protests have been more intense on the Mysore Road area having direct effects on local malls, schools, colleges and public transport. Gopalan Arcade mall was shut down and people were evacuated from the back exit of the building. Police officer B. Venkatesh sa “Tamil Nadu registered vehicles are

Courtesy: Suryatej Srinivas

majorly being attacked.” People taking photos of the violence were made to delete the images. Four trucks were set on fire at Nayandahalli road in the span of an hour. Mobs were heard chanting profanities at Tamil Nadu CM J.Jayalalitha. Police officers confirmed that similar violence took place at the Outer Ring road. The RAF (Rapid action force) has been deployed in the city to keep the situation under control. However, ambulances were allowed to operate through the city. The Ulsoor police were tipped

by an anonymous source saying, “The Kannada Rakshana Vedhike Sangha (KRVS), a pro- Kannada outfit, are on the rampage to destroy the Thiruvalluvar statue, the saint poet of Tamil Nadu, near Ulsoor lake.” Ninety police officers were dispatched to cordon off the area near the lake. The statue of Thiruvalluvar was unveiled last year amid tight security. Police have been keeping a close eye on the place for over a week since the SC order. The Ulsoor police said a complaint has been lodged against the KRVS for destroying The Madurai Idly Shop

A Quest of Survival for Street Kids

By Mrigakshi Dixit mrigakshi.d@iijnm.org

BENGALURU – When most 6year-olds are playing indoors with toys and learning their ABC’s, Suresh is carrying loads of goods on his small shoulders looking with hope at passersby to buy a toy from him. Every day in the streets of India’s major cities, children are verbally abused, pushed and shoved and exploited. And it’s not a handful of children, or even a dozen, but millions. According to Youth Xchange, a survey collaborated with UNESCO says, out of a population of 39 per cent ,there are 18 million kids on streets in India. In Bengaluru alone, there are about 30,000 street kids according to Vidyaranya, an NGO working in the city towards sustainable change. In a 2015 survey conducted by the NGO, some 387 children work on streets every day and have completely no access to education. “They are mostly migrants who come from rural areas and range in age from 3 to 21. Some 60 per cent

near the Domlur Ring road. The house of retired Tamil Nadu Judge Shivappa was vandalised in Pandavpura, Mandya district, according to a report by News 9. Vatal Nagaraj, politician and ex-MLA, and other pro-Kannada organisations were detained, said The Hindu. On the Karnataka- Tamil Nadu border, vehicles with Karnataka registration were not allowed to enter Tamil Nadu and were told to go back to the state, as per regional news channel Suvarna TV. The Cauvery water dispute has

Millennials Top Charts of Suicide Victims Amid Scarcity of Public Health Facilities By Aishwarya Iyer aishwarya.i@iijnm.org

Photo courtesy: calltohumanity.com

are either abandoned or have no family; others come in search of jobs to support their family,” said Nagasimha, director of the Child Rights Trust of Bangalore. “About 5,000 children hit by poverty migrated last year from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in different cities of the state.” Nagasimha added that the children are called “street kids” because they don’t have a permanent shelter; their day starts in the streets and ends in the streets. They are involved in the business of selling at

traffic stops, working at shops or construction sites, or they end up being rag pickers. In all these professions they are prone to being mistreated. Child beggary is banned by the government in Bengaluru, so to feed themselves, the kids sell. “In the city, selling at the traffic stops is becoming more popular as they are under no surveillance.

Contd on pg 5

its roots in the 1924 agreement which laid down rules of water supply from the Krishnarajasagar dam, the oldest dam on Cauvery basin, signed by the two states. This agreement included ‘Clause 11’ which allows modifications to the agreement after 50 years. The geographical division of water as per the 1924 agreement stated that 75 percent of water was to be supplied to Tamil Nadu and 23 percent to Karnataka and the rest to Kerala. As per the latest report by The Hindu, one person died in the clashes.

AIDS and sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), cancer, paralysis, inMental health experts say a lack of sanity and other mental illnesses governmental treatment facilities tops the chart of causes for these and the stigma surrounding mental suicides with 23,746 deaths attribillness could slowdown the drop in uted to these illnesses alone, states suicide rates, particularly among the NCRB report. Bengaluru has the highest suicide population - the second highest number of suiIndia’s millencides in the Traits associated with suicidal country after nial. tendencies include: In 2014, Chennai. *Spending maximum time there were “Mental alone and 1,904 suicides health is the reported in withdrawal from social circles most ignored Bengaluru, ac- *Poor performance in the work aspect of health place cording to an care in India. It *Behavioural changes and annual report is widely stighabits like eating, sleeping, matised and by National drinking patterns Crime Record people are B u r e a u afraid to say (NCRB). Of the 1,31,666 people what’s going on in their minds. The who committed suicide nationwide fear of getting labelled stops them in 2014, some 34 per cent, or from taking help,” said Nagesh 44,870, were committed in the 18 to Hegde, 68, a veteran journalist and 30 age bracket - the highest a widely respected writer on health amongst all age groups. issues. Depression stemming from Contd on pg 3

BENGALURU THE OBSERVER

TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2016

Burglary Cases on the Rise, Despite Police Efforts By Ilona Dam ilona.d@iijnm.org

BENGALURU - The count of house burglaries and theft cases in Bangalore is increasing and if it continues at its current pace, the number of cases is expectedto exceed the total number of burglaries recorded in 2015. In 2015, for the first six months, police reported 186 house burglaries In the first six months of 2016, some 206 cases had been recorded. Police point to gangs of burglars who have been operational since as far back as 1988 throughout the area. In one case, members of one of the area’s most notorious burglars gang - Talapad Nabagaon – have continued their streak despite their leader’s arrest earlier this year. Nabagaon’s gang of eight to ten men have made thefts of about Rs. 50 Lakhs in cash and gold from people’s houses. According to Mr. H. Krishnamurthy, police inspector, Vijaynagar police station, the gang, whose roots

are in Ahmadabad, Gujarat have burglarized homes since 2007; they target South Indian cities, especially Bangalore and Vishakhapatnam, where more cash and jewellery is likely to be found. . Nabagaon and his accomplices, Rakesh and Mitesh Panchal, were charged with house burglary theft, under IPC 380 and are currently serving in Bangalore Central Jail. “We recovered about 2.5 kilograms of gold from Nabagaon and around one crore in cash,” said Mr. Lohit Kumar, technical support officer for Vijaynagar Police station. Police have spent around Rs. 2 lakhs trying to find the remaining gang members and in recovering the stolen valuables, Kumar said, adding that gang members “keep changing cities every day, and this makes it difficult for us to keep track of their movements.” Another major gang leader charged with numerous burglaries is Delhi-based Kurshid Khan, 38. Khan’s 18-member gang started its operations back in 1988, and to

date none of the ringleaders have been arrested. Police have made one arrest though – that of S.K Mishra, who, after a six-month investigation, was traced in Sahara Lodge, near Vijaynagar. He was charged with house burglary theft under IPC 380, and is serving in Bangalore Central Jail. The Khan gang, according to the Vijaynagar police station inspector H. Krishnamurthy, picks young boys from various states to carry out the burglaries, promising them huge sums of money for work in major cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore. Although most of their work is in these two cities, the gang changes locations frequently, particularly when a member is arrested, said police. “When we finally traced Khan in Delhi a few months ago, he fired on us,” says Kumar, “but we were not allowed to fire back as we were under the jurisdiction of a different state. Hence, Khan easily escaped as we could not get near him.”

Christ Suspends Students Over Informal Wear

Photo courtesy: Rameshng

By Manasvini Paul manasvini.p@iijnm.org

BENGALURU - Christ University suspended five students for almost a week, recently, for not wearing “proper” formal clothes. The University’s rule is that the boys wear white shirt and black trousers along with a black tie and black formal shoes while the girls have to wear ethnic clothes along with dupatta. Christ University is a private institution classified among the top colleges for courses such as masters in journalism and mass communication, bachelors in BBA, etc. in the city. “I got suspended for over a week just because my shirt’s sleeves were rolled up and my shoes were not polished. My attendance has By Abhishek Mitra

METRO

been cut short as I missed classes during my suspension,” said Mrinal Shah*, a second year BBA student. It is not only about the uniform, students can be suspended for not shaving properly or missing a tie. Shah’s mother, who lives in Delhi, laughed when she heard the reason for her son’s suspension. “I wonder if clothes or looks of a person matter so much that they have to be punished in a way that affects their studies?” she said. Sanhi, another student at Christ University added, “I have just joined college and have already been warned by the college authorities just because I was not wearing dupatta with my suit”. She said the college authorities warn students the first time but they are directly sus-

DOODLE WOODLE

pended, for at least three days, without a hearing, if they are caught repeating the act a second time. Christ University is not the only school to impose a strict dress code. Amity University, another private school with branches all over India, also expect their law and management students to be dressed in strict formals. Students who are improperly dressed are given a warning and after three warnings, the school informs the student’s parents. At Christ University, students say they do not have the right to convey to school officials the inconvenience they face due to the dress code. The University authorities remained unavailable for comment. * names changed on request

Doddanekundi Residents: Cries to Fix Potholes Are Falling on Deaf Ears By Bhakti Tambe bhakti.t@iijnm.org

DODDANEKUNDIYear-long complaints of potholeridden roads have gone unanswered by Bruhat Bengluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP). But the BBMP infrastructure agency says the roads are not under their authority.

In the last two months, BBMP has received more than 25 complaints; most include complaints that the roads are causing minor accidents and traffic problems. But BBMP officials say they are not responsible for the maintenance or renovation of Doddanekundi Road, Bangalore Public Works Department (PWD) holds that responsibility. . “Conditions of these roads is worsening day-by-day,” says Anji, a roadside fruit juice owner. “On Doddanekundi main road, one cannot walk straight even for a few feet . Pedestrians, two-wheelers , cars , rikshaws and tanker drivers struggle every day to find their way.” “Local authorities are neglecting our complaints. I registered complaints several times with the corporator as well as with BBMP complaint forum but nothing has happened so far.” Raghvendra Prasad, BBMP chief executive engineer for Road Infrastructure (Mahadevpura), said four bodies - BBMP, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), PWD and the local corporator - are all working in the Doddanekundi area. “So the big question is: ‘Who is supposed to look after the problem of potholes?’ “I would like to clarify that BBMP is not supposed to reconstruct the roads for Doddanekundi,” stressed Prasad. “PWD should look into the matter and the corporator should get this

work done.” He added that underground utilities are one of the basic problems of the area. Water supply lines, electricity lines, sanitation pipelines and Internet connections wiring are all below the surface of the road. “So all these departments dug up the road but didn’t cover it again properly.” “ Who will pay the cost of reconstruction is the main question here. In the Doddanekundi area, we have 63 kms of unauthorised dug up roads causing major pothole problems in the area.” BBMP recently took over jurisdiction of the Doddanekundi new zone from City Municipal Corporation. Doddanekundi main road was constructed in June 2013 at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,997,545, according to BDA’s website. Since its construction, the local corporator’s office has filled potholes four to five times in the past three years. “Four months ago, the corporator’s office covered potholes with tar but now you can see potholes all around,” says Narayan, a local resident. “And BBMP is not responding to any of the complaints. Everyday some minor accident takes place on this main road, but who cares?” According to PWD’s website, tenders for reconstruction of Doddanekundi main road were announced on June 19, 2015 under the chief minister’s special grants program for the year Reconstruction of Doddanekundi Road was scheduled by PWD for the year 2016 but till date, nothing has happened. Corporator of Doddanekundi, Swetha Reddy and the Public Welfare Department were unavailable for comments.

HAL Tests New Helicopter By Surya Tej Srinivas surya.s@iijnm.org

BENGALURU - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is testing a Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) for military use that is expected to be available in 2017. The chopper lifted off for the first time on the 6th of September, 2016 at Bangalore’s HAL airport. The test flight, conducted by HAL’s test pilots, lasted 15 minutes. According to a press release by the company, the LUH is the third helicopter to be indigenously developed by the HAL after the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). It will serve as a replacement for Airbus manufactured helicopters Cheetah and Chetak.

The ground testing of the military variant of the aircraft which has been successfully completed involved running the engines at capacity for extended periods of time while the bird was anchored to the ground. This procedure was carried out at the HAL facility in Bangalore. As a part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, a large portion of the aircraft parts will be manufactured indigenously. A civil variant of the bird is slated for launch in 2020. HAL, a state owned company, is a major player in the Indian aerospace and defence sector and is currently developing upgrades to the LCH and the ALH HAL Rudra.

BENGALURU THE OBSERVER

TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2016

METRO

Once premier mall in North Bangalore, Esteem is a shell of its old self today By Romita Majumdar romita.m@iijnm.org

HEBBAL- What used to be the preview mall of North Bangalore has become a liability for shop owners who have seen a significant drop in customers and about 75 per cent drop in the number retail stores it houses. Facing acute losses, many stores have moved to Sahakaranagar, a bustling suburb where there is greater shopping demand. Another reason for the move is the mall’s seemingly never ending renovation work. The mall has been under renovation since part of it was razed by Bruhat M Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) to build a skywalk back in March 2015 after two pedestrians died trying to cross the road. Nine years after opening, the interior of the mall is completely lit-

tered with construction debris, open wiring and rows of vacant shops. While the Esteem website still advertises the more than 60 stores that were on board when it opened, the reality is that only 15 remain, and they are there because they must honor their leases. Although Esteem management has reduced rents, it still does not help to compensate for the losses the remaining stores face due to the ongoing work, said Sunil who runs a kiosk at the mall. Latha, an attendant at Monte Carlo on the first floor, says they have barely two visitors on weekdays and a maximum of six to seven on weekends as most people don’t even realise that the mall is functional. Popular stores like Fabindia, Health & Glow, Megamart, etc. have long moved out. “If not for our lease, we would

have left too,” says Latha, adding that not only does the mall’s decline hurt Monte Carlo’s revenue but also the meagre salaries the employees earn. “Fabindia was among the first stores to be set up at Esteem as well as the first to move out to Sahakaranagar due to losses in 2014,” said Syed Imran Pasha, store manager, Fabindia. The mall always had low customer turnout due to its unfavourable location, he said, adding, “The management never tried to attract crowds or provide any incentives for the big brands to stay.” Susan, a staff member of Breadworks, said that the store, unable to bear losses, moved to Sahakaranagar nine months back. Harish K R, store manager at Health & Glow, which moved to Sahakarnagar this March, said the store had been running in acute

losses since construction work at the mall began. However, he did mention that the mall management wrote off three months worth of rent to compensate for the loss. The Observer tried to contact Varsha, one of the partners at Esteem Developers, for input but she said the concerned person was not in India presently and hence she could not comment on the issue. She also refused to name the “concerned” individual. When asked about renovations, Varsha said that whatever losses the stores are facing are due to road widening only and has nothing to do with the internal renovation. Esteem Developers, which was formally known as SNS Builders, own a number of commercial properties across the city like Esteem Arcade, Esteem Regency.

Namma Metro Washrooms in Disrepair, Officials Vow to Flush Complaints By Chhavi Nagpal chhavi.n@iijnm.org

BENGALURU – Next month, the Namma Metro will celebrate its five-year anniversary, but the celebrations may be dampened by the fact that one can’t always answer nature’s call at any of the metro stations’ washrooms. “They do not have sanitary napkins and if you insist they just hand you a piece of cloth which is just gross. I use the metro everyday to commute from Attiguppe to M.G Road,” said metro commuter Nivedita Balakrishna. “What am I supposed to do if the washrooms are not at all in a usable condition?” “They’re filthy, absolutely mucked and the floors are all wet; anyone could easily slip on them”, said Ilona Dam, a student at the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media (IIJNM) who hails from New Delhi, home to India’s first modern metro. Complaints about the washroom facilities at Namma Metro stretch back to November 2014 when riders began to complain that there were no public toilets available at most of the station stops. In May 2015, Karnataka Mahithi Hakku Okkoota, staged a protest calling for cleaner drinking water and public toilets. Six months later, in November 2015, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) officials opened toilets for public use. Recent visits to some Metro stations found washrooms that lacked soap, nonworking water taps, and dirty commodes and clogged drains, and the stench was unbearable. There were no janitors and, no metro staff to provide first-aid should the need arise. The exceptions are M.G. Road,

Mysuru Road, Byapanahalli and Vidhana Soudha. Janitors there have a shift of 6 a.m-2 p.m. One of the problems seems to be an apparent communication gap as the janitors speaks only Kannada or few words in English and no Hindi, which makes it difficult for many commuters to communicate with them. There are also no separate provisions for pregnant women or for people with disabilities, as required by law. In Byappanahalli station, the washroom for the handicapped has been combined with that for women. Namma Metro runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and by May 2016 had a footfall of nearly 1, 80, 000 passengers a day. According to U.A. Vasanth Rao, chief public relations officer for BMRC, part of the issue is that Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) only allows for one manhole per metro station. He also noted that the toilet problem arose because the pay-anduse method was scrapped and the toilets were opened to the public for free. The BMRC is currently working with a housekeeping agency that provides it with staff and supplies. Once the footfall increased and the public started using toilets without hesitation, said Rao, cleanliness went for a toss. “We are currently debating about re-introducing the pay-anduse policy and will soon be floating tenders for the maintenance and upkeep of the washrooms,” said Rao, who stressed that the allegations of unkempt washrooms and the problems of inaccessibility to clean drinking water and basic toilet facilities are baseless and are an attempt to instigate the public.

On-going renovation at Esteem mall has added to the losses of the in-house stores. Courtesy:Romita Majumdar

City Anganwadi Struggles to Quench Children’s Thirst By Sonal Agarwal sonal.a@iijnm.org

BYATRAYANAPURA - Lack of electricity and limited water supply are taking a toll on the children who depend on the Becha Gowda Smarak Anganwadi Kendra for food and shelter every day after their parents go to work. The children at the anganwadi are not getting basic necessities, said staff member Sanjeevarathna and her helper Sharda. The limited availability of water has made maintaining cleanliness in the toilets difficult. It has also caused problems in cooking food and supplying drinking water for its 20 students. A child development report by UNICEF and the Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, an Indian public policy think tank, says the anganwadis were setup under the Integrated Child Development Services Programme to provide children with health and developmental services. The Becha Gowda Smarak Anganwadi Kendra has been around for 27 years and is forced to get water every day from a bore well

at the nearby L&T Construction Company and even this source of water might be closing down soon. According to the established levels of access by the ‘Domestic Water Quantity, Service Level and Health’ report of World Health Organization (WHO), 2003, the level of health concern is high since the anganwadi has limited access to water supply. Sanjeevarathna says, “We have sent several complaints to the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike).” However, the BBMP welfare executive stated the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) of the area is responsible for such maintenance concerns. CDPO’s main officer, Dr. Siddharamanna, accepted responsibility, but declined to comment on the unavailability of electricity and the lack of storage space for water at the anganwadi. Siddharamanna said, “I am looking forward to providing these basic necessities with the help of the local Corporator Mr. Manjunath.”

Contd. from Pg 1(Street Kids)

These kids sell various items at different traffic signals, most of them crowding around the busiest stops like Anil Kumble Circle Junction, MG Road, Commercial Street and Mysuru Road. Very often they are caught by the police taking drugs at the railway station or under various city flyovers,” says Nagasimha. According to Muttannah, a traffic police officer at MG Road, “Everyday we catch five to six poor kids selling different things that they et from unknown sources. Every day we ask them to go but they come back again as somehow it’s the only source of income they have.” Another police officer, stationed at the Yashwantpur traffic signal, who asked not to be identified, said: “In a month about two to three children are injured after running behind the bikes, and especially the autos. The risk of getting injured is higher during the peak morning hours and in the evening.” Recently, 4-year-old Shrilatha was injured by an auto rickshaw at the Yashwantpur traffic signal. She was selling flags on Independence Day. Most of the kids at these signals are the victims of substance abuse and are verbally abused by commuters. “I sell these items as my parents ask me to earn money and we belong to poor family. Some give me full amount but most of the time people bargain,” said Sri Nidhi, a 7-year-old working at M.G. Road. Every day she sells about eight to ten items given to her by her parents. Sri Nidhi’s task is to sell each and every item before coming back to the house in order to get food and shelter. With dreams of going to school to “become something,” she instead works from 9 a.m. until all the items are sold. “The government has started a scheme called Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) and has also started a helpline - 1098 - for their protection,” says, Bhaskar, chief executive officer of Vidyaranya, the NGO. As per the Right to Education Act, every child up to the age of 14, including street kids should get compulsory education. Bengaluru organisations such as Bosco, Varsha and Vidyaranya are working towards imparting education and providing shelter to disadvantaged children. Vidyaranya accommodates about 150-200 street kids at its shelter, and provides them education and skill training. “These organisations are setup for their welfare but many a times they think of us as their enemy and they run away from the shelter home and end up doing the same thing. The rehabilitation process is really difficult sometimes,” said Nagasimha. “Hence, an initiative should be adopted by every well-educated person to pick one child and educate them in order to get a better future for the developing country.”

4 Reflections: What Eid Means to Me BENGALURU

OPINION

THE OBSERVER TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2016

By Cathline Chen cathline.c@iijnm.org

second and the third day of Eid we go to our friends and other relatives place.

illions of Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, also known as Feast of the Sacrifice, with great enthusiasm. This time of the month is not just a time to wear new clothes and exchange gifts but rather a time for prayer, spiritual reflection, good deeds and a time to spend with your family and loved ones.

Eid brings a different meaning to each and every individual all around the world. For each individual coming from different walks of life, whether from Saudi Arabia or the United States, Eid adds a different purpose and meaning into their lives.

Eid always starts with the sighting of the moon because Muslims traditionally follow the lunar calendar.

According to the Quran, about 4,000 years ago, Prophet Ibrahim was tested by God. He and his wife Hajra were blessed with a son named Ishmael and God commanded Ibrahim to sacrifice Ishmael, his only son. After much deliberation, Ibrahim decided to sacrifice his son. However, just before he was about to sacrifice his son, God was pleased by Ibrahim’s sacrificing heart and Ishmael was saved and a ram was sacrificed in his place.

That is why in this Eid, the practicing Muslims sacrifice an animal to remind themselves of how God saved Prophet Ibrahim's son.

“In Eid al- Qurban, we distribute to the poor first and then to relatives. Back in Afghanistan, people don’t spend money in buying all the luxurious food like dry fruits, cookies, but instead they bring us tea and toffee and if they can afford they bring fresh fruits and very simple meals. Everyone eats lunch at their homes and not at others homes, but now the traditions have changed and they go to people’s homes during lunch. Times have definitely changed and so have our traditions in Afghanistan,” said Ahmed.

Image courtsey: Creative Commons

As the world celebrates Eid alAdha, we take a look at a few people across the globe and find out what Eid means to them.

“Eid to me signifies a great opportunity for one to reflect upon his/her past deeds and seek repentance. It's a blessed month to be extra focused on prayers and to give more to the poor, and when one can afford to and reconcile relationships in the name and for the sake of God,” said Feroze Khan, 30, a software engineer in Singapore.

For 26-year-old Noorsher Yosof, a student at Santa Barbara City College and a California businessman, the holiday begins with an Eid congregation prayer at the local mosque in Santa Barbara, California. “After attending the sermon at

Where’s the Food? By Ashima Choudhary ashima.c@iijnm.org

Smoke House Deli is an upscale restaurant situated in the heart of Indiranagar, Bangalore which is the hub of all activity in the city. The place has a comfortable parking space and blends seamlessly with the other buildings in the area. As you enter the place, you are invited by a radiant setting, a delightful marriage of ancient and modern times. The theme is a classic black and white, the clientele is all dapper and class. The menu boasts of a huge selection of dishes. I ordered Fettuccini with Basil Pesto and smoked prawns and my friends ordered Fettuccini with Sundried Tomatoes and smoked prawns and baconwrapped tenderloin. Though the three of us ordered three dishes, we didn’t feel we missed out anything since the food was exquisite. Each one the items were fresh

and felt like a home-cooked meal. The chefs, with great consideration chose the best quality ingredients and nothing was amiss. The restaurant caters to all tastes by offering a vast selection of wine, pricey yet worth trying. Serving the aesthetically plated food were similarly dressed hotel staff who are all smiles as they interacted with the diners. Though the prices are a bit on the higher side, the experience of dining at the place makes it worthwhile having shelled out all that money. Smoke House Deli is simple yet assorted; old-fashioned yet fresh; as crisp as name sounds yet at the same time pressing some surprising punches for even the prepared sense of taste. With these demonstrated staples, served and conveyed with such settled reliability, Smoke House Deli is is here to stay.

“Sometimes we travel about 200 miles away from our city to a farm where we would sacrifice an animal. But this year, we sent the animal sacrificing money to some poor families in Afghanistan, who we think do not have money to celebrate Eid. May Allah accept our hard work and reward us for it”

the mosque, Muslims greet each other by saying ‘Happy Eid and may Allah accept your prayer and sacrifice.’ We personally celebrate

Eid by inviting our uncles and relatives at home for brunch, followed by a barbecue party at the beach in the afternoon,” said Yosof.

“Sometimes we travel about 200 miles away from our city to a farm where we would sacrifice an animal (typically on the 2nd day of the Eid). But this year, we sent the animal sacrificing money to some poor families in Afghanistan, who we think do not have money to celebrate Eid. May Allah accept our hard work and reward us for it.”

Jamil Ahmed, 24, of Nuristan, Afghanistan, said, “The first three days of Eid are the most exciting for me because in Eid, we youngsters take money from our elders as Eidi. The first day, we all go visit our elders and celebrate with them; on the

“There’s so many memories that I can recollect,” he added. “When I was in Afghanistan and whenever I go back there, Eid has so much significance. Eid to me means that people should be happy and forget about what happened in the past, looking ahead into the bright future.”

Here at IIJNM, Muslim students abandoned the campus to head to their respective homes for the celebrations.

“It’s a lot of fun. It’s a feast and a family get-together,” said Anjala Farahath, 21 and a multimedia student at IIJNM. “It’s about how you can sacrifice something to show your love for God. It’s all about how one can combine the festivities as well as the religious aspects of your life. You get to have a day off, you get to eat so much and you get to meet so many people.”

Voices on the Street People share first-person accounts of the mayhem in the city. “Banaswadi was pretty peaceful although we were quite tensed by the stories we kept hearing from our friends across the city” -Arzit Singh Sidhu, employee at JW Marriott,

leti, who was travelling are quite worried for our from JP Nagar to Koraman- safety.” - Arijit Das, resident, Vidyaranyapura. gala.

”Students were asked to leave after their recess that is around 1:30 pm. Later, the teachers and the class “My parents called me representatives confirmed home on Saturday out of with all the students fear, and turns out their whether they have reached intuition was right. I do not safely or not.”- Sayan know when I will be able to Bhattacharya, Jain Univerreturn to Bangalore, and sity how safe I will be.” - Aaditya “All shops in our area have Narayan, student. closed down including “Didn’t see much trouble on ATMs. People waving the the streets. Media seems to red and yellow Karnataka be stirring up trouble on flags were protesting near both sides,” - Bhargav Vo- Doddabommasandra. We

“Bellandur was quite calm. In fact, I and my roommate have been planning to go out for a movie.” - Anksuh Mittal, Walmart Lab

“I saw people shouting on the streets in Ulsoor. I was walking towards my house, and I heard a group of old people discussing the situation. Luckily, our college asked us to go home by afternoon.” - Lydia Johnson, St.Joseph’s University.

Bengaluru

METRO THE OBSERVER

TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2016

Millennials Top Charts of Suicide Victims Amid Scarcity Why GST Matters? of Public Health Facilities (2012) publication. Shamanth N, a counsellor at Bangalore-based mental wellness organization, Roysum Mind Power Institute, recommends the facilities at government hospitals over those at private hospitals. “The experience level of the psychiatrist matters. Government hospitals have highly experienced and reputed doctors with medical students assisting them and are excellent in terms of therapies and counselling. Unlike physical health treatment, very less equipments are required here. Fees at private hospitals start from Rs 1,500 per hour a personwhile public hospitals charge very less depending on the illness,” he says. In August, the United Nations said that nearly 60 per cent of the Indian population- estimated 701 million of the 1.2 billion 2011 - are under age 30. That’s more than the 503 million residents of the entire European Union and double the U.S. population. Indian’s youth are the best-educated generation in independent India and are most likely to drive the country to long-term prosperity, says a report by gulfnews.com. This further pushes the concern for good mental health care in the country and tactics to decrease youth suicides. Addressing the mental health issue is of greater concern in the country’s rural areas. Grameena Abyudaya Seva Samasthe (GASS), an NGO operating in South India, uses innovative techniques like drama, street plays and songs to help remove the fear and stigma of mental illness in these areas. “People will not change and shun their customs overnight in order to deal with their psychological health status,” says Dr. Ashok Pai, national-award winning psychiatrist and film maker. With the complicated belief systems that rural people live with, mental health is often ignored. “The stigma of psychiatry is a scar on the society. Hence, the nuances of mental health have to be woven with the people’s belief system,” he added. If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, or needs someone to talk to, contact SAHAI at 080-2549 7777.

The bustle around the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill may have made you wonder why it matters to you and how it will affect you. With the approval of the GST bill, the Indian tax structure is witnessing major and important reform. The Observer answers some basic questions about GST. What is GST? The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Second Amendment) Bill, 2014GST (Goods and Services Tax) is a unified system of indirect tax across the country on products manufactured and services provided. Previously, India’s complicated tax structure meant that individuals paid an assortment of taxes levied by state, central and local governments. Which taxes will be eliminated? Taxes levied by the central government, such as central excise duty, additional excise duty, service tax, additional custom duty, and taxes levied at the state level, such as value added tax (VAT); entertainment tax; octroi, or entry, tax; purchase tax; luxury tax; taxes on lottery, betting, etc., will be eliminated. With the implementation of GST, all the taxes will be brought under one roof. Why was GST established? GST was established to incorporate all the indirect taxes levied at different levels of production and to bring transparency in the indirect tax payment structure. Government will roll out GST on April 1, 2017.

sanitation for all.’ It also highlights the targets which say - By 2030; achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and Acute shortage of water in Venkatala is making private tanks unaﬀordable. Courtesy: Konica Kamra girls and those in vulnerable situations. litres of water every week tion for residents except to buy Research says that the Government roughly around 20 per cent of their water from private tanks. If no alhas planned to build a water tank monthly income, Devraj added. ternative works for this area, peoon the Cauvery water but it is been Complicating matters is that the ple may be forced to migrate to delayed since 6 months. Private other cities. Goal 6 of sustainable two water tanks in the village also water tanks are doing business development goals of United Naare not operational. with their own bore wells and tions comes in picture which says, The new apartments or complexes charge unreasonably which imthat have come up recently in Ban- ‘Ensure availability and sustainpact’s people’s income. “We have able management of water and galore depend on bore well. But

a serious water problem in this village. The water from private water tanks or other bore wells are supplied once in 10 days and it is hard to manage our daily chores,” says Arun Raj, a resident of Venketala village. To draw a bigger picture there are serious problems with government drinking water supply schemes According to recent statistics (article shared by Smriti Chand on yourarticlelibrary.com) ,44 million are affected by degraded water quality with the excess of fluoride, arsenic, iron, nitrate, heavy metals and salinity. Only 18.7% of villages have safe water supply while 51.1% depends on wells, tanks, and other sources. 32% of the villages do not have any water supply, put up by Joydeep in Maps of India. Despite government efforts, the number of 'problem villages' does not seem to go down, as shown in the following graph. Water being central to our lives has not been the central point focus in our planning affecting rural areas economically while we rapidly evolve into an urban society.

Contd from pg 1 For teenagers like Preeta Srinivasan, 19, such fears prevented her from getting the help she needed for years. She used to inflict cuts on her hands intentionally on a daily basis. This self-harm phenomenon is the act of injuring oneself to cope and divert one’s attention from emotional pain. It is classified as a psychiatric disorder. In fact, it was a psychiatrist who unveiled Srinivasan’s greatest issue – her identity crisis. According to Srinivasan, her parents’ strong desire for a boy when she was born translated into short hair, a boy’s nickname and boyish clothes. In the end, Srinivasan’s identity suffered; she said she was unsure whether she was a boy or a girl. She slipped into suicidal depression, but after counselling and therapy she says she can now cope. The self-harm has now stopped. “Desperate attention-seeking nature, guilt due to committing some wrong, wanting to be identified as ‘cool’ and ‘hippie’ are some reasons in youngsters harming themselves,” says Neha Cadabam, psychologist at Cadabam’s Hospitals, a speciality centre for psychiatry and neurology. “The initial intention is to threaten others of killing self and there are less chances of actual suicide. However, there are exceptions where people go into suicidal thoughts if the self-harm factor is not tackled properly.” SAHAI Helpline - a Bengaluru-based telephone helpline which is a collaborative effort between National Institute of Mental Health, Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and Medico Pastoral Association, an NGO for emotional and mental wellness - has recorded over 770 calls in the past eight months, with 64 being from youngsters between the ages of 15 and 24 seeking help. “Five out of every eight cases we deal with suffer from relationship and marriage problems,” says Anita Gracias, who has been working as a senior volunteer at SAHAI since 2002. “The second major cause for youngsters slipping into depression and emotional imbalance is stress. Students suffer chronic anxiety when burdened

with high expectations from parents that do not match the reality. “They find out ways to harm themselves,” she adds. On the other hand, young adults like 23-yearold Kiara Chatterjee are too wary of visiting doctors to tackle depression. Chatterjee suffered depression for three months last year after a failed relationship. “I did not interact with anyone apart from my parents during that period. I stopped going to college, dance classes, tuitions and switched off my phone. I slept a lot and kept the doors and windows of my room always closed.” Chatterjee says that this was unusual for her since she is essentially an outgoing person. The phobia of being questioned further worsened the situation. “My mother played a major role in helping me cope with the problem. She urged me to visit counsellors, but there was constant fear of answering the counsellor’s questions. My mother encouraged me a lot and she started spending time with me, trying to make me understand myself.” She says she is still recovering. Hegde says the high suicide rates among young people marks a generational shift. “During my days, I hardly remember being stressed. We used to play the whole day, roam around in gardens and have lots of fun. Studies and play found their own balance. “That formula cannot be applied in today’s scenario. With social-media exposure, teenagers today are under the pressure of being judged. Also spending too much time in tuitions and less sleep adds to the stress factor.” Karnataka Institute of Mental Health in Dharwad and NIMHANS in Bengaluru are the only two government hospitals for mental health and psychiatry. There are only 3,000 psychiatrists for the national population of 1.2 billion, roughly equal to one psychiatrist for every 3,43,000 people. To handle the number of people who require mental treatment, India needs 11,500 doctors and 23,000 psychiatric social workers, well above the 400 currently employed, according to a survey by the National Human Rights Commission

- Bhakti Tambe bhakti.t@iijnm.org

Water Crisis Cost Residents their Income in Venketala By Konica Kamra konica.k@iijnm.org

VENKETALA - The village is facing a shortage of water and is depending on private tanks for water supply, which many in the town cannot afford, say residents. “Water is the biggest problem and people living here cannot afford buying water from private tanks,” says Devraj, who has resided in the village for 26 years. “Also people have lodged complaints about the condition of the tank but no action has been taken by the local authority,” he added. Despite being poor in drinking water, Venketala, which lies in the suburbs of Bangalore, is rich in lakes, which the village relied on 10 years ago, before they became contaminated with waste from nearby businesses There are around 10 bore wells in Venketala, of which eight are not working due to motor damage or leakage, say residents. The two remaining bore wells serve the 5,000 people who reside in the village. These two are not enough to serve the entire village, so residents must

rely on private water tanks. Villagers pay Rs 450 for 3,000

these bore wells don’t last for long and dries up which leaves no op-

Bengaluru

UNWIND

The Conversation THE OBSERVER

TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER, 2016

Renowned figures from diverse backgrounds will discuss their experiences, stories and life lessons every week.

Alison Bethel McKenzie is an Americanb o r n journalist and editor. She is the executive director of the International Press Institute, the first woman to reach the position in the organisation’s history. She is also on the Advisory Board for the Centre for International Media and Ethics. Alison has over 31 years of experience on the field as a reporter, bureau chief, senior-editor and trainer. She has worked at the Boston Globe, The Detroit News, Legal Times, and Nassau Guardian. Currently she is a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore.

Q) How has the global experience been?

A) I have lived in U.S, Austria, Ghana, Bahamas, and India. Different people, different cultures, and different food experiences. However, I feel Indians aren’t that different from us. We share the same kind of ethics and have the same respect for our families. But the difference is in the way we communicate. I have faced weird reactions because I am aggressive, I am a leader, and sometimes what I say might offend someone, particularly men. This is what I faced in Africa and the Caribbean. I come from a country that is ultra-liberal and some people, specially men, get freaked out. Despite the achievements I have and the position I have reached today, what still freaks people out is that I do not have a kid. I don’t think every woman is supposed to have kids, become a mother.

Q) Keeping in mind your years in the field have you ever faced any dangerous situations?

A) I am not fearful when I am doing what I am doing knowing it is the right thing. You develop a thick skin as a journalist and just

learn how to divide your attention over the years. There were three main times when I encountered such situations. Once, in The Bahamas, the police came into the newsroom and tried to stop us from running a story. I put my foot down and stressed the freedom of press in the country and handled the situation calmly. We continued with the story without further interruption. It was a difficult situation because I was in a foreign country, and things could have got nasty. The second time, it was a sexual harassment case, and was more upsetting than any situation I faced. He just locked the doors, undressed partially and he was a huge person, but I wasn’t going down without a fight. It was upsetting because I had thought he was a friend and he ran the paper and I was working with him! I went and told my boss who never took any action. He was in a powerful position (editor-in-chief), and was a well-known personality. I removed myself from the position and left the newspaper. Then there was this lady who harassed me online and threatened to kill me. These three incidents were the

ones that scared me the most. There were other situations where I felt awkward and uncomfortable or just plain ‘what the hell?’ like this one time when the Zambian Minister of Information sent a guy to my door at 11 in the night, asking me to meet him outside. I of course, did not go and never got to know why he called me.

Q) What would you any advice to the new crop of journalists emerging in this generation?

A) I would just stress on learning as much as you can, and make no excuses. Do not turn down any work and put in all your efforts. This generation should take advantage of the facilities and liberties they have. The second thing is- dream big. If you want to be the next editor-in-chief, the chief photographer, a worldrenown journalist, you should dream big. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. I believe what you send out in the universe, comes back to you, so pay your dues and put in all the hard work, it really will come back. Have fun! Life is short!

In Remembrance of 9/11 I

n memory of all the victims, and their families who suffered in the horror of 9/11, on the 15th anniversary of the tragedy, the world sent it’s support to U.S. #NeverForget

Twitter This Week

Here in NYC this morning. The memorial service for 9/11 is about to begin. The loss and pain are so very real here 15 years later. @ShaunKing

“The survivors and families of 9/11—your steadfast love and faithfulness has been an inspiration to me and for our entire country." -@POTUS -@WhiteHouse

Pres. Obama delivers remarks at Pentagon: “We will never forget” lives lost in 9/11 attacks. -ABC News -@ABC

Remembering the tragedy of 9/11. Keeping in prayer those who lost their lives, the heroes, the survivors &all their families. #NeverForget -Mariah Carey -@MariahCarey THE WEEKLY OBSERVER TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chhavi Nagpal DEPUTY EDITOR Cathline Chen COPY EDITORS Romita Majumdar Aishwarya Iyer

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LAYOUT EDITOR Suryatej Srinivas

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PHOTO EDITORS Ilona Dam Abhishek Mitra

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS Manasvini Paul and Anushree Madappa

STAFF Sonal Agarwal,Shannon Court,Bhakti Tambe,Konica Kamra Prabhakar Kumar,Ashima Choudhary,Mrigakshi Dixit Pallabi Sutar

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