A rock found mostly in Oman can be harnessed to soak up the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, at a rate that could help slow global warming, scientists say.
Carbon dioxide comes in contact with the rock, peridotite. The gas is converted into solid minerals such as calcite. Geologist Peter Kelemen and geochemist Juerg Matter said the naturally occuring process can be supercharged one million times to grow underground minerals that can permanently store 2 billion or more of the 30 million tons of carbon dioxide emitted by human activity every year.
Peridotite is the most common rock found in the earth's mantle or the layer directly below the crust. It also appears on the surface particularly in Oman, which is conveniently close to a region that produces substantial amounts of carbon dioxide in the production of fossil fuels.
"To be near all that oil and gas infrastructure is not a bad thing," Matter said.
They also calculated the cost of mining the rock and bringing it directly to greenhouse gas emitting power plants, but determined it was too expensive.
The scientists who are both at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in New York, say they have kick-started peridotite's carbon storage process by boring down and injecting it with heated water containing pressurized carbon dioxide. They have prelimenary patent filing for the technique.
They say 4-5 billion tons of gas could be stored near Oman by using peridotite in parallel with another emerging technique developed by Columbia's Claus Lackner that used synthetic trees which suck CO2 out of the air.
Peridotite also occurs in the pacific island of Papua, New Guinea and Caledonia and along the coast of the Adriatic Sea and in small amounts in California.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Times Square to get its first 'green' billboard
New York: This winter, New Year's Eve revelers will have a close-up view of Times Square's first environmentally friendly billboard powered entirely by wind and sun.
But the billboard might not be quite as dazzling as some of its high-powered neighbors along the Great White Way.
Construction on the 35,000-pound sign advertising Ricoh Americas Corp is to begin this month across the avenue from the building where the ball drops on New Year's Eve.
Powered by 16 wind turbines and 64 solar panels, the sign is expected to save $12,000 to $15,000 per month in electricity costs. Ricoh, an office equipment and document storage supplier, estimates the sign will also keep 18 tons of carbon out of the environment.
The billboard will be lighted by floodlights rather than light emitting diodes. It wont have a back up generator, so it could go dark during long period with little wind or sun.
But Ricoh spokesman Ron Potesky said the signs turbines will probably be able to keep the billboard lit even after four days without breezes or bright sun.
"The point is that there are way of being environmentally friendly to the planet, even on a billboard," Potesky said.
A lighting ceremony for the 126 foot wide, 47 foot tall sign is scheduled for Decemeber 4.
(AP)
But the billboard might not be quite as dazzling as some of its high-powered neighbors along the Great White Way.
Construction on the 35,000-pound sign advertising Ricoh Americas Corp is to begin this month across the avenue from the building where the ball drops on New Year's Eve.
Powered by 16 wind turbines and 64 solar panels, the sign is expected to save $12,000 to $15,000 per month in electricity costs. Ricoh, an office equipment and document storage supplier, estimates the sign will also keep 18 tons of carbon out of the environment.
The billboard will be lighted by floodlights rather than light emitting diodes. It wont have a back up generator, so it could go dark during long period with little wind or sun.
But Ricoh spokesman Ron Potesky said the signs turbines will probably be able to keep the billboard lit even after four days without breezes or bright sun.
"The point is that there are way of being environmentally friendly to the planet, even on a billboard," Potesky said.
A lighting ceremony for the 126 foot wide, 47 foot tall sign is scheduled for Decemeber 4.
(AP)
Saturday, November 22, 2008
AIIMS to keep tabs on medical errors
Institute becomes first Govt Hospital in India to implement patient safety programme.
New Delhi: A small medical error can prove fatal. But, to ''err'' is human, and the medical fraternity says it is high time this is realised and appropriate steps are taken to reduce the scope of error in medical treatment and ensure patient safety.
At the ongoing South Asian conference and CME on synergy in Healthcare ( SASHCON -2008) at the All India Institute of Medial Sciences, the theme is: Planning and designing of speciality healthcare facilities, safe hospitals and patient safety. In fact, AIIMS in India's first govt hospital to have implemented a patient safety programme at its Cardio thoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) centre.
Studies have shown medical negligence to be one of the leading causes of death in USA and UK. Approximately two billion dollars is spent annually on additional stay in hospitals due to medical errors. Similarly, a report by the Institute of Medicine ( IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences shows nearly 98,000 preventable deaths occur annually due to medical error and 7,000 preventable deaths related to medication errors alone.
In the 90s, the medical community realised the seriousness of the problem, following reports on medical errors from various countries. But the irony is that there is no such system in place in India.
"There is an urgent need to ensure patient safety. There is a need to keep record for all wrong surgeries, over-medication, timely checking of patient's medical parameters etc. Unlike US and UK, which have a rough estimate of deaths due to medical negligence, we don't know where we stand," said Dr Shakti Gupta, head of the dept. hospital administration, AIIMS and the organizing chairman of SASHCON-2008.
Earlier this year, St Stephen's Hospital participated in the pilot project in patient safety under WHO.
Dr Sudhir Jospeh, medical director, St Stephen's hospital said, " We had studied 1,000 patients before and after surgery. A checklist was prepared for all patients who underwent a surgery and we monitored all the parameters both before and after the surgery. We monitored the dose of medicine given to the patient, patient care post-surgery among other thigs. This helps in reducing the scope of error."
Inspired by the project, AIIMS implemented a similar programme at the CTVS unit. The findings of the project would be presented at SASHCON 2008. It is estimated that one in 10 people receiving healthcare in developing countries suffers preventable harm. "In developing countries, the incidence of medical negligence is much higher. There is a dire need to implement patient safety programmes," said Dr Gupta.
New Delhi: A small medical error can prove fatal. But, to ''err'' is human, and the medical fraternity says it is high time this is realised and appropriate steps are taken to reduce the scope of error in medical treatment and ensure patient safety.
At the ongoing South Asian conference and CME on synergy in Healthcare ( SASHCON -2008) at the All India Institute of Medial Sciences, the theme is: Planning and designing of speciality healthcare facilities, safe hospitals and patient safety. In fact, AIIMS in India's first govt hospital to have implemented a patient safety programme at its Cardio thoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS) centre.
Studies have shown medical negligence to be one of the leading causes of death in USA and UK. Approximately two billion dollars is spent annually on additional stay in hospitals due to medical errors. Similarly, a report by the Institute of Medicine ( IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences shows nearly 98,000 preventable deaths occur annually due to medical error and 7,000 preventable deaths related to medication errors alone.
In the 90s, the medical community realised the seriousness of the problem, following reports on medical errors from various countries. But the irony is that there is no such system in place in India.
"There is an urgent need to ensure patient safety. There is a need to keep record for all wrong surgeries, over-medication, timely checking of patient's medical parameters etc. Unlike US and UK, which have a rough estimate of deaths due to medical negligence, we don't know where we stand," said Dr Shakti Gupta, head of the dept. hospital administration, AIIMS and the organizing chairman of SASHCON-2008.
Earlier this year, St Stephen's Hospital participated in the pilot project in patient safety under WHO.
Dr Sudhir Jospeh, medical director, St Stephen's hospital said, " We had studied 1,000 patients before and after surgery. A checklist was prepared for all patients who underwent a surgery and we monitored all the parameters both before and after the surgery. We monitored the dose of medicine given to the patient, patient care post-surgery among other thigs. This helps in reducing the scope of error."
Inspired by the project, AIIMS implemented a similar programme at the CTVS unit. The findings of the project would be presented at SASHCON 2008. It is estimated that one in 10 people receiving healthcare in developing countries suffers preventable harm. "In developing countries, the incidence of medical negligence is much higher. There is a dire need to implement patient safety programmes," said Dr Gupta.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Child Labour - Gurgaon
MINOR GIRL WORKING AS HELP THRASHED BY EMPLOYERS, RESCUED IN GURGAON
Gurgaon: Thirteen-year-old Lakhi, who was being forced to work as a bonded labourer for the past seven months, was rescued in a joint operation by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and child line, Gurgaon, on Saturday from a house in Kendriya Vihar, Sector 56.
Reportedly, not only was the girl forced to work without being paid, she was being subjected to severe physical abuse and her body bore several signs of heatless beating.
The accused couple Debok Das and Poromita Sharma, in whose house Lakhi worked as a maid-servant, are well educated and financially well off. They have two children aged four and six. While Debok works as a manager in a BPO, his wife Poromita is a lab technician.
Manju Hembrum, member of NCW, had come down from Delhi after receiving information about the ill-treatment the minor was being subjected to. She said, "We were shocked to see her condition. It seems she was beaten up regularly."
Reportedly, one of Lakhi's eyes was swollen, three of her teeth were broken and there were burn marks on her arms and back. Lakhi complained it was because she was burnt with a hot pan on several occasions. She had head injuries as she was reportedly thrashed against the wall.
Meanwhile, the accused, who hail from Guwahati, Assam, were arrested and booked under various sections uncluding Section 23/26 under the Juvenile Justic Act (2000), Section 16 of Bonded Labour Act (1976), Sections 323,325,324,367,368 and 374.
Nishikant, director, child line, Gurgaon, said, "What is shocking is the fact that they are a well-educated, working couple who have two children." A mobile phone from the accused was recovered, on which footage of the victim doing situps, holding her ears, was recorded. "This suggests the couple are no less than psychopaths, " ruled Nishikant.
Gurgaon: Thirteen-year-old Lakhi, who was being forced to work as a bonded labourer for the past seven months, was rescued in a joint operation by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and child line, Gurgaon, on Saturday from a house in Kendriya Vihar, Sector 56.
Reportedly, not only was the girl forced to work without being paid, she was being subjected to severe physical abuse and her body bore several signs of heatless beating.
The accused couple Debok Das and Poromita Sharma, in whose house Lakhi worked as a maid-servant, are well educated and financially well off. They have two children aged four and six. While Debok works as a manager in a BPO, his wife Poromita is a lab technician.
Manju Hembrum, member of NCW, had come down from Delhi after receiving information about the ill-treatment the minor was being subjected to. She said, "We were shocked to see her condition. It seems she was beaten up regularly."
Reportedly, one of Lakhi's eyes was swollen, three of her teeth were broken and there were burn marks on her arms and back. Lakhi complained it was because she was burnt with a hot pan on several occasions. She had head injuries as she was reportedly thrashed against the wall.
Meanwhile, the accused, who hail from Guwahati, Assam, were arrested and booked under various sections uncluding Section 23/26 under the Juvenile Justic Act (2000), Section 16 of Bonded Labour Act (1976), Sections 323,325,324,367,368 and 374.
Nishikant, director, child line, Gurgaon, said, "What is shocking is the fact that they are a well-educated, working couple who have two children." A mobile phone from the accused was recovered, on which footage of the victim doing situps, holding her ears, was recorded. "This suggests the couple are no less than psychopaths, " ruled Nishikant.
Custodial Death - HC livid.
Police in dock for custodial death.
- Times of India, November 6, 2008
New Delhi: Stating that beating up an accused to the extent that he dies while in police custody does not fall under the "ambit of official duties", a sessions court has slapped stringent charges on Delhi police officials in an eight year old custodial death case.
Pulling up on Delhi police, having made the offence under Section 304 A (death caused by rash or negligent act) for custodial death. Additional Sessions Judge Brijesh Garg said, " By no stretch of imagination can it be said that the accused persons were authorized to give such beatings to the deceased.. while discharging their official duties of investigating some crime or offence. "
The court further ordered the framing of charges under a more stringent law. "There is enough material on record to make out a prima facie case for the offence under Section 304 ( culpable homocide not amounting to murder) against both the accused officials," ASJ Garg said.
The case dates back to 2000 when Lekh Raj died in police custody. The police had initially chargesheeted the accused officials under Section 304 A. As per the case, Lekh Raj was apprehended by the public when he was trying to flee from the spot where he had committed a robbery. He was severely beaten up by the people and later arrested by the police. An FIR was filed against him at the Connaught Place police station and his custody was handed over to the then SI Subhash Chand and constable Naresh Pal.
Since he sustained injuries, he was taken to the RML Hospital on March 31, 2000 from where he was discharged late in the night. In the report, it was stated that he sustained three injuries. He was then sent to the lock-up. On April 1, 2000, when Lekh did not wake up, the officials took him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
In the chargesheet, the police, however, chalked out a case of death caused by negligence. The case kept hanging lose and was then transferred tot he Fast Track Court of ASJ Garg. Dismissing the contention of the police, the court took into account the postmortem reports which stated the diseased sustained 10 injuries. The court said the medical reports of the diseased before police custody mentioned only 3 injuries whereas the postmortem suggested 10 injuries. These injuries could have been caused only during the police custody.
- Times of India, November 6, 2008
New Delhi: Stating that beating up an accused to the extent that he dies while in police custody does not fall under the "ambit of official duties", a sessions court has slapped stringent charges on Delhi police officials in an eight year old custodial death case.
Pulling up on Delhi police, having made the offence under Section 304 A (death caused by rash or negligent act) for custodial death. Additional Sessions Judge Brijesh Garg said, " By no stretch of imagination can it be said that the accused persons were authorized to give such beatings to the deceased.. while discharging their official duties of investigating some crime or offence. "
The court further ordered the framing of charges under a more stringent law. "There is enough material on record to make out a prima facie case for the offence under Section 304 ( culpable homocide not amounting to murder) against both the accused officials," ASJ Garg said.
The case dates back to 2000 when Lekh Raj died in police custody. The police had initially chargesheeted the accused officials under Section 304 A. As per the case, Lekh Raj was apprehended by the public when he was trying to flee from the spot where he had committed a robbery. He was severely beaten up by the people and later arrested by the police. An FIR was filed against him at the Connaught Place police station and his custody was handed over to the then SI Subhash Chand and constable Naresh Pal.
Since he sustained injuries, he was taken to the RML Hospital on March 31, 2000 from where he was discharged late in the night. In the report, it was stated that he sustained three injuries. He was then sent to the lock-up. On April 1, 2000, when Lekh did not wake up, the officials took him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
In the chargesheet, the police, however, chalked out a case of death caused by negligence. The case kept hanging lose and was then transferred tot he Fast Track Court of ASJ Garg. Dismissing the contention of the police, the court took into account the postmortem reports which stated the diseased sustained 10 injuries. The court said the medical reports of the diseased before police custody mentioned only 3 injuries whereas the postmortem suggested 10 injuries. These injuries could have been caused only during the police custody.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
5 most important issues in the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections
1) Tightened security in the city in light of the recent attacks of terrorism.
Considering the huge shock and terror that rattled the city in the recent bomb blasts in the capital, the authorities will need to pull up their socks (and pants if things go on as they are) to ensure that the people of Delhi can feel safe enough to go out shopping or throw their waste in garbage cans.
2) Transport issues need to be dealt with more seriously
There isn't enough manpower (traffic police) to regulate areas of the city when the metro construction and commonwealth infrastructure is being developed. Traffic is blocked for long periods of time during rush hour and even at other times of day. Case in point - Akshardham intersection and following traffic lights. (which don't work)
3) Water wastage
The Delhi Jal Board needs to be caught hold of and held responsible for the malfunctioning transport vehicles it has on the roads of Delhi. Almost everyday one witnesses tankers that are over filled and not closer properly. They splash water on the roads leading to wastage of large amounts of water. Case in point - Licence plate no. - 1 G B 4120
Helpline no. - 011 29234746
When contacted no one picks up or if the call is answered they only take down the number and disconnect.
The drivers of the vehicles too are not interested if one points out the malfunction.
4) Polluting the Yamuna and other water bodies.
Religious practices account for a majority of the pollution in the Delhi water bodies. Rituals like flowering throwing and other puja materials have lead to the Yamuna in particular being turned into bin of sorts. All of this material is non biodegradable and stays in the water body. Now some people even dispose of their house hold garbage on the banks of the river.
5) Child labour - Underage domestic help
This is a practic occuring in a majority of homes in the NCR. Children from the age as young as 6 and 7 years are made to work as domestic help. They are often ill treated. Education is a far plight of these children. Even though these cases are brought up in the media from time to time, nothing is done. The govt. needs to take this problem seriously and take action immediately as this will soon turn into a crisis.
Considering the huge shock and terror that rattled the city in the recent bomb blasts in the capital, the authorities will need to pull up their socks (and pants if things go on as they are) to ensure that the people of Delhi can feel safe enough to go out shopping or throw their waste in garbage cans.
2) Transport issues need to be dealt with more seriously
There isn't enough manpower (traffic police) to regulate areas of the city when the metro construction and commonwealth infrastructure is being developed. Traffic is blocked for long periods of time during rush hour and even at other times of day. Case in point - Akshardham intersection and following traffic lights. (which don't work)
3) Water wastage
The Delhi Jal Board needs to be caught hold of and held responsible for the malfunctioning transport vehicles it has on the roads of Delhi. Almost everyday one witnesses tankers that are over filled and not closer properly. They splash water on the roads leading to wastage of large amounts of water. Case in point - Licence plate no. - 1 G B 4120
Helpline no. - 011 29234746
When contacted no one picks up or if the call is answered they only take down the number and disconnect.
The drivers of the vehicles too are not interested if one points out the malfunction.
4) Polluting the Yamuna and other water bodies.
Religious practices account for a majority of the pollution in the Delhi water bodies. Rituals like flowering throwing and other puja materials have lead to the Yamuna in particular being turned into bin of sorts. All of this material is non biodegradable and stays in the water body. Now some people even dispose of their house hold garbage on the banks of the river.
5) Child labour - Underage domestic help
This is a practic occuring in a majority of homes in the NCR. Children from the age as young as 6 and 7 years are made to work as domestic help. They are often ill treated. Education is a far plight of these children. Even though these cases are brought up in the media from time to time, nothing is done. The govt. needs to take this problem seriously and take action immediately as this will soon turn into a crisis.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Decision on borewells may be revised : CGWA
New Delhi : Central Ground Water Authority's (CGWA) recent notification to permit boring for tubewells in the south and south-west districts has raised quite a storm, prompting officials to take a second look at the notification. Apart from residents and environmentalists, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) too has strong reservations about the new rules and intend to lodge a protest.
"We have read the notification and intend taking up the matter with CGWA. The concerned areas are very important for us as DJB itself has a lot of borewells here. The new rule will have a direct implication for us as our borewells will dry up," said Ramesh Negi, CEO, DJB.
Officials alleged they were not informed of the decision when it was taken and only heard of it from newspaper reports. "The entire matter has been conducted in a strange way. Neither was it discussed with concerned agencies, nor was the matter of transferring of the power of authorization for constructing of tubewells to the deputy commissioners done legally," Jyoti Sharma, president of Forum for Organised Resource, Conservation and Enhancement.
However, CGWA officials turned the heat around on the water utility, saying had it provided sufficient water to residents in these zones , there would not have been any need for borewells at all. " Ground water in these zones got depleted as residents did not have access to any other water. Had DJB been doing its job, such a situation would not have arisen, " said a CGWA official. According to sources, CGWA has been mulling over amending thenew notification since the past few days. Due to several loophoples, the notification stood a great chance of being misinterpreted, a fact officials fist vehemently defended and then said would reconsider.
" Illegal boring was taking place rampantly in these zones after money exchanged hands between the boring parties and the concerned authorities. CGWA's aim was to ensure the least those who genuinely needed to have tubewells as they werent getting the DJB supply would not be harrassed by those asking for bribe. The process would have become transparent. The particular point in the notice that asks interested parties only to 'intimate' the concerned authorities about the borking will be looked into to ensure they require authorisation for the same, " said an official.
Meanwhile, NGOs and RWAs are planning to take a representation to the authorities to clear the issue. Residents of DLF in Gurgaon,another area affected by the new notification, intend asking HUDA to intervene in the matter. CGWA is expected to send a reply very soon
"We have read the notification and intend taking up the matter with CGWA. The concerned areas are very important for us as DJB itself has a lot of borewells here. The new rule will have a direct implication for us as our borewells will dry up," said Ramesh Negi, CEO, DJB.
Officials alleged they were not informed of the decision when it was taken and only heard of it from newspaper reports. "The entire matter has been conducted in a strange way. Neither was it discussed with concerned agencies, nor was the matter of transferring of the power of authorization for constructing of tubewells to the deputy commissioners done legally," Jyoti Sharma, president of Forum for Organised Resource, Conservation and Enhancement.
However, CGWA officials turned the heat around on the water utility, saying had it provided sufficient water to residents in these zones , there would not have been any need for borewells at all. " Ground water in these zones got depleted as residents did not have access to any other water. Had DJB been doing its job, such a situation would not have arisen, " said a CGWA official. According to sources, CGWA has been mulling over amending thenew notification since the past few days. Due to several loophoples, the notification stood a great chance of being misinterpreted, a fact officials fist vehemently defended and then said would reconsider.
" Illegal boring was taking place rampantly in these zones after money exchanged hands between the boring parties and the concerned authorities. CGWA's aim was to ensure the least those who genuinely needed to have tubewells as they werent getting the DJB supply would not be harrassed by those asking for bribe. The process would have become transparent. The particular point in the notice that asks interested parties only to 'intimate' the concerned authorities about the borking will be looked into to ensure they require authorisation for the same, " said an official.
Meanwhile, NGOs and RWAs are planning to take a representation to the authorities to clear the issue. Residents of DLF in Gurgaon,another area affected by the new notification, intend asking HUDA to intervene in the matter. CGWA is expected to send a reply very soon
Friday, November 7, 2008
New tubewells can plunder water
Times Of India, New Delhi, September 07, 2008.
In a move fraught with serious repercussions for the already critical round water levels in the south and southwest districts in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurgaon, the Central Ground Water Authority has decided to permit boring of new tubewells for domestic purposes in these regions on the condition that the area deputy commissioner be intimation 10 days before work is to start.
The notification that is being criticized for various loop holes, doesnt specify a cap on number of borings, opening up the areas to massive exploitation of groundwater. The CGWA, however, says its move will bring ''transparency''.
'' We were concerned over the rampant corruption in the notified zones and since boring was taking place in any case, we wanted to ensure that the area DC would at least have details on the extraction taking place. We only wanted to make the system transparent, " said an official.
Residents of the areas claim that about 200 borewells have already been dug since the notie was issued. The main point of the notice that those ''intending to construct new tubewell will intimate the authorised officer/advisory committee 10 days in advance''.
"Since the notice only talks of intimation, people did not permission was required and went ahead with work, " said Jyoti Sharma, president of Forum for Organised Resource, Conversation and Enchancement (FORCE).
On the new notification that permits boring of new tubewells for domestic purposes in south and southwest districts, she said "The soth DC's office made a proforma asking for details on water availability, presence of other borewells, number of residents etc and issued to those who had applied for digging. This has been interpreted by people as no permission is required.''
The DC's office confirmed that no official permissions had been issued and sources said that the DC had sent a letter to CGWA , asking for clarifications on the numerous ambiguities in the notice. In fact, a CGWA official also said that the notice had not been framed correctly and would lead to a lot of problems. "The guidelines have been framed in such a way that that they leave scope for a lot of misinterpretation. Secondly, CGWA passed on its responsibility of authorizing boring to the DC's without any formal change in rules," said an official on condition of anonymity.
Ironically,when the CGWA wanted to notify five more zones in the city last year where grounwater levels had fallen alarmingly , the DCs of those ones zones had objected , saying that notification only led to corruption and that CGWA had to come out with a concrete plan to preserve groundwater resources. " The situation in south and southwest districts has only deterioration since they were notified. What guarantee do we have that the situation wont repeat itself in these areas too," said a govt official. The notification of these zones is still pending.
Residents of Vasant Vihar approached the LG over the issue on Thursday. Ranjan Mukherjee, officer on special duty for the LG, told Times City that he would be writing to CGWA on Friday and ask for the reasoning behind such a move. "We know that the areas are critical in terms of groundwater and would like an explanation from CGWA on why such a notice was issued. Until we get a reply, we cannot take any teps," he said. While he CGWA officail who had signed the notification refused to comment, the member secretary could not be contacted.
In a move fraught with serious repercussions for the already critical round water levels in the south and southwest districts in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurgaon, the Central Ground Water Authority has decided to permit boring of new tubewells for domestic purposes in these regions on the condition that the area deputy commissioner be intimation 10 days before work is to start.
The notification that is being criticized for various loop holes, doesnt specify a cap on number of borings, opening up the areas to massive exploitation of groundwater. The CGWA, however, says its move will bring ''transparency''.
'' We were concerned over the rampant corruption in the notified zones and since boring was taking place in any case, we wanted to ensure that the area DC would at least have details on the extraction taking place. We only wanted to make the system transparent, " said an official.
Residents of the areas claim that about 200 borewells have already been dug since the notie was issued. The main point of the notice that those ''intending to construct new tubewell will intimate the authorised officer/advisory committee 10 days in advance''.
"Since the notice only talks of intimation, people did not permission was required and went ahead with work, " said Jyoti Sharma, president of Forum for Organised Resource, Conversation and Enchancement (FORCE).
On the new notification that permits boring of new tubewells for domestic purposes in south and southwest districts, she said "The soth DC's office made a proforma asking for details on water availability, presence of other borewells, number of residents etc and issued to those who had applied for digging. This has been interpreted by people as no permission is required.''
The DC's office confirmed that no official permissions had been issued and sources said that the DC had sent a letter to CGWA , asking for clarifications on the numerous ambiguities in the notice. In fact, a CGWA official also said that the notice had not been framed correctly and would lead to a lot of problems. "The guidelines have been framed in such a way that that they leave scope for a lot of misinterpretation. Secondly, CGWA passed on its responsibility of authorizing boring to the DC's without any formal change in rules," said an official on condition of anonymity.
Ironically,when the CGWA wanted to notify five more zones in the city last year where grounwater levels had fallen alarmingly , the DCs of those ones zones had objected , saying that notification only led to corruption and that CGWA had to come out with a concrete plan to preserve groundwater resources. " The situation in south and southwest districts has only deterioration since they were notified. What guarantee do we have that the situation wont repeat itself in these areas too," said a govt official. The notification of these zones is still pending.
Residents of Vasant Vihar approached the LG over the issue on Thursday. Ranjan Mukherjee, officer on special duty for the LG, told Times City that he would be writing to CGWA on Friday and ask for the reasoning behind such a move. "We know that the areas are critical in terms of groundwater and would like an explanation from CGWA on why such a notice was issued. Until we get a reply, we cannot take any teps," he said. While he CGWA officail who had signed the notification refused to comment, the member secretary could not be contacted.
Water supply may be hit
Times Of India, September 07, 2008.
New Delhi : Several parts of the city may face a problem with the daily water supply on Friday. Due to excessive floating material in the western Yamuna canal, the Haiderpur water plant is getting a reduced quantity of raw water. This is likely to affect water supply in the command of Deer Park reservoir.
The situation is expected to be normal by Friday evening. Water tankers will be available from the water emergencies of the respective areas. Due to repair of gravity duct carrying raw water at Chandrawal Water Works, water supply will be available at low pressure on Friday evening in Karol Bagh, NDMC areas, Paharganj, Azad Market, Civil Lines, Metcalfe House, Hindu Rao Hospital and the nearby areas.
New Delhi : Several parts of the city may face a problem with the daily water supply on Friday. Due to excessive floating material in the western Yamuna canal, the Haiderpur water plant is getting a reduced quantity of raw water. This is likely to affect water supply in the command of Deer Park reservoir.
The situation is expected to be normal by Friday evening. Water tankers will be available from the water emergencies of the respective areas. Due to repair of gravity duct carrying raw water at Chandrawal Water Works, water supply will be available at low pressure on Friday evening in Karol Bagh, NDMC areas, Paharganj, Azad Market, Civil Lines, Metcalfe House, Hindu Rao Hospital and the nearby areas.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Stories from sex workers
A magazine for women trapped in prostitution, Red Light Despatch is a window into the feelings and traumas of those living in red light areas. CHANDANA BANERJEE describes this experiment in grassroots journalism.
Sunday, Oct 26
Meenu was thirteen when she was trafficked to Kolkata from Darjeeling. At an age when other girls are savouring their teenage years, Meenu was being regularly subjected to torture, rape and beatings. It was Red Light Despatch, a monthly magazine by and for sex workers, which sliced through the drudgery and despair and offered her a sliver of hope. “When I spoke about everything that had happened to me, I felt a sense of healing. It gave me the confidence and courage to escape from the place,” she says.
Asma Ghosh, another prostituted woman, who was trafficked even earlier, at the age of 12, also feels the same about this magazine which is brought out by Apne Aap Women Worldwide, an organization that works to help sex workers and fight human trafficking. According to Asma – “By the time I came across the Despatch, my confidence was low. I was trafficked at the age of 12 and had been in living hell since. After being passed a copy by a volunteer, I became a regular reader. I suddenly felt a new sense of hope. The stories inspired me to change my life.”
While for women who have been forced into prostitution, this magazine is hope in words and paper; for policy-makers and activists the Red Light Despatch is a window into the feelings and traumas of those living in red light areas.
Launched on 2nd October 2006, on Gandhi Jayanti, the magazine serves as a mouthpiece for women who are organized by Apne Aap, an NGO that believes that prostitution is a form of violence against women, that that she is the victim of structural violence as a female and the only way to end prostitution is to internalize the principles of non-violence.
“Women, girls and men trapped in prostitution from the red-light areas of Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal write for the Despatch. They write for each other and share information, dreams, struggles and hopes in solidarity from different corners of India,” explains Ruchira Gupta, a former journalist who founded Apne Aap and who also edits the magazine.
She tells us more about what prompted them to launch the magazine. “It was a comment by two of our members, who are women in prostitution. We had started discussions on the amendment to the ITPA (anti-trafficking law) being debated in Parliament and we wanted some newspaper articles which reflected the debate. We could not find any and one of the women said - “Does that mean that to mainstream media, we are not important?”
On another occasion, we had started a weekly group discussion among our members on what was reported in the newspapers. Less and less girls would show up for the discussion and when I asked them why they did not come, they said there was nothing relevant to their lives in the media, so why should they come?””
Through the Red Light Despatch, activists and members of Apne Aap are trying to make up the gaps in mainstream media that often does not cover information that is relevant to the marginalized. “Very often reporting about children and women in red-light areas is voyeuristic or judgmental. The Despatch gives an opportunity to women in prostitution to express their feelings and what they think about the 'outside' world, sitting in their 'inside' world,” explains Ruchira.
Scripting their stories:
The stories in Red Light Despatch are a mélange of experiences, fears, hopes and dreams. While a young girl, the daughter of a sex worker, dreams of owning a house with basic commodities like television, fridge, things that we take for granted. She also hopes to live in her house with her family – a happy family with a father, mother, sisters, just the kind that children draw with crayons in their art class. In another story, a sex worker writes about her wish to start her own food business and her self doubts about doing so. “I believe if we can start a food business through a common kitchen supplying food, it will address our long term needs,” says the writer. In another article, a sex worker wonders “why are those who make us suffer are not punished?”; while, another piece titled ‘Punish those who profit from our misery’, the author writes about being born into prostitution.
They write of life in the brothels and related crimes like domestic violence and casteism, getting an education, travelling to other cities and about their interactions with people outside their milieu. Many articulate their growing awareness that they are entitled to lives of freedom and will not tolerate crimes committed against them. Some talk with excitement about a song they have heard. Others conduct candid Q&A sessions with doctors about HIV, and with lawyers about their right to legal redress and the brass-tacks of legal procedure.
Ruchira points out that hunger, violence, death and beatings are so much part of the women who contribute to the magazine that they no longer give much importance to it. “Sometimes the story begins from a colour they like or a parrot they have seen and then suddenly they write about death in another para. That is a coping mechanism. They seem to have lost control. Yet, there is a tenacity to hang on.”
Bringing out the magazine:
Story ideas are discussed at Apne Aap centers across India; then Ruchira sifts through those before assigning the stories with certain guidelines. While those who are illiterate simply dictate their stories, those who can write email Ruchira their copy. After she edits the material, she passes it on to a DTP artist who does the final layout and then the magazine, in a pdf format, is sent to activists, policy-makers, politicians, journalists, artists, film makers and to the various Apne Aap centers via email.
Brought out in Hindi, Bengali and English, the Despatch is now trying to reach out to a wider circle of people by registering the magazine, getting advertisements and distributing the magazine through mainstream vendors.
“We hope that our reporters and correspondents will show mainstream media what grassroots journalism can be like, that alternative newspapers have a space and can succeed,” says Ruchira. She also hopes that the reporters will get opportunities for training in writing, editing and layout, and can demonstrate the importance of journalism with a purpose. Finance is another issue that Ruchira hopes to resolve. “We are bringing it out with no budget at all and so, we are unable to pay any of the writers. We would like to be able to pay them something.”
Sunday, Oct 26
Meenu was thirteen when she was trafficked to Kolkata from Darjeeling. At an age when other girls are savouring their teenage years, Meenu was being regularly subjected to torture, rape and beatings. It was Red Light Despatch, a monthly magazine by and for sex workers, which sliced through the drudgery and despair and offered her a sliver of hope. “When I spoke about everything that had happened to me, I felt a sense of healing. It gave me the confidence and courage to escape from the place,” she says.
Asma Ghosh, another prostituted woman, who was trafficked even earlier, at the age of 12, also feels the same about this magazine which is brought out by Apne Aap Women Worldwide, an organization that works to help sex workers and fight human trafficking. According to Asma – “By the time I came across the Despatch, my confidence was low. I was trafficked at the age of 12 and had been in living hell since. After being passed a copy by a volunteer, I became a regular reader. I suddenly felt a new sense of hope. The stories inspired me to change my life.”
While for women who have been forced into prostitution, this magazine is hope in words and paper; for policy-makers and activists the Red Light Despatch is a window into the feelings and traumas of those living in red light areas.
Launched on 2nd October 2006, on Gandhi Jayanti, the magazine serves as a mouthpiece for women who are organized by Apne Aap, an NGO that believes that prostitution is a form of violence against women, that that she is the victim of structural violence as a female and the only way to end prostitution is to internalize the principles of non-violence.
“Women, girls and men trapped in prostitution from the red-light areas of Bihar, Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal write for the Despatch. They write for each other and share information, dreams, struggles and hopes in solidarity from different corners of India,” explains Ruchira Gupta, a former journalist who founded Apne Aap and who also edits the magazine.
She tells us more about what prompted them to launch the magazine. “It was a comment by two of our members, who are women in prostitution. We had started discussions on the amendment to the ITPA (anti-trafficking law) being debated in Parliament and we wanted some newspaper articles which reflected the debate. We could not find any and one of the women said - “Does that mean that to mainstream media, we are not important?”
On another occasion, we had started a weekly group discussion among our members on what was reported in the newspapers. Less and less girls would show up for the discussion and when I asked them why they did not come, they said there was nothing relevant to their lives in the media, so why should they come?””
Through the Red Light Despatch, activists and members of Apne Aap are trying to make up the gaps in mainstream media that often does not cover information that is relevant to the marginalized. “Very often reporting about children and women in red-light areas is voyeuristic or judgmental. The Despatch gives an opportunity to women in prostitution to express their feelings and what they think about the 'outside' world, sitting in their 'inside' world,” explains Ruchira.
Scripting their stories:
The stories in Red Light Despatch are a mélange of experiences, fears, hopes and dreams. While a young girl, the daughter of a sex worker, dreams of owning a house with basic commodities like television, fridge, things that we take for granted. She also hopes to live in her house with her family – a happy family with a father, mother, sisters, just the kind that children draw with crayons in their art class. In another story, a sex worker writes about her wish to start her own food business and her self doubts about doing so. “I believe if we can start a food business through a common kitchen supplying food, it will address our long term needs,” says the writer. In another article, a sex worker wonders “why are those who make us suffer are not punished?”; while, another piece titled ‘Punish those who profit from our misery’, the author writes about being born into prostitution.
They write of life in the brothels and related crimes like domestic violence and casteism, getting an education, travelling to other cities and about their interactions with people outside their milieu. Many articulate their growing awareness that they are entitled to lives of freedom and will not tolerate crimes committed against them. Some talk with excitement about a song they have heard. Others conduct candid Q&A sessions with doctors about HIV, and with lawyers about their right to legal redress and the brass-tacks of legal procedure.
Ruchira points out that hunger, violence, death and beatings are so much part of the women who contribute to the magazine that they no longer give much importance to it. “Sometimes the story begins from a colour they like or a parrot they have seen and then suddenly they write about death in another para. That is a coping mechanism. They seem to have lost control. Yet, there is a tenacity to hang on.”
Bringing out the magazine:
Story ideas are discussed at Apne Aap centers across India; then Ruchira sifts through those before assigning the stories with certain guidelines. While those who are illiterate simply dictate their stories, those who can write email Ruchira their copy. After she edits the material, she passes it on to a DTP artist who does the final layout and then the magazine, in a pdf format, is sent to activists, policy-makers, politicians, journalists, artists, film makers and to the various Apne Aap centers via email.
Brought out in Hindi, Bengali and English, the Despatch is now trying to reach out to a wider circle of people by registering the magazine, getting advertisements and distributing the magazine through mainstream vendors.
“We hope that our reporters and correspondents will show mainstream media what grassroots journalism can be like, that alternative newspapers have a space and can succeed,” says Ruchira. She also hopes that the reporters will get opportunities for training in writing, editing and layout, and can demonstrate the importance of journalism with a purpose. Finance is another issue that Ruchira hopes to resolve. “We are bringing it out with no budget at all and so, we are unable to pay any of the writers. We would like to be able to pay them something.”
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
A media minority – women journalists in Assam
Even as the print media flourishes in Assam, women journalists find themselves on the margins of their profession
- Nava Thakuria
Guwahati, - Print journalism in Assam has witnessed a boom in recent years and is emerging as an attractive profession for hundreds of educated young people. The state capital, Guwahati is home to 20 dailies, more than half of which are in the Assamese language. It is estimated that the print media has created 8,000 jobs in the last decade and provided part time employment to 20,000 people throughout the state. Guwahati itself is home to over 400 working journalists.
Despite the boom, women journalists remain a minority in this sector. Only 15 per cent of print journalists in Assam are women. Guwahati has only 50 full-time women scribes, of whom just 20 work as reporters, and five young freelance photojournalists. Barely 10 exist in the rest of Assam.
“Newspaper proprietors prefer not to hire women journalists. If appointed, they are assigned mostly to desk jobs. Young girls, hired as reporters, are eventually transferred to the news desk after they get married,“ says Jullie Barua, a Guwahati-based photojournalist. Proprietors do not want to hire women reporters because they think women cannot cover the conflict-hit areas.
Until 1979, newspapers and magazines in Assam were largely focused on social themes, with the editor and the reporter treating journalism as an instrument of social change. Two men of vision, R G Barua and Deveswar Sharma, took up the challenge to start dailies like The Assam Tribune, Dainik Asom and Dainik Janambhumi. These papers were more professional in their approach and today are leading publications of India's northeastern states.
The student agitation of the 1980s changed the face of journalism. Print journalism became more aggressive and focused on investigative reportage. Amidst all the turmoil and social chaos, the local media flourished. Today, almost all the prominent Assamese dailies - Asomiya Pratidin, Amar Asom, Dainik Janambhumi, Dainik Agradoot, Asomiya Khabar, Aji, Dainik Janasadharan and Dainik Batori - have multiple editions to reach more readers in remote areas.
But this growth has not brought any benefits to women journalists. “Women reporters, including photojournalists, are normally deprived of space, scope and dignity in the media. We don`t have a woman editor in any of the dailies,“ says Barua, who had earlier worked for a Guwahati-based news-photo agency which did not pay her salary for three consecutive months. Now she works as a freelance photojournalist and plans to shift to New Delhi for better prospects. The Assam Tribune, the state`s leading daily, is over 100 years old, but it has never had a woman editor.
S Ahmed, President of The Assam Tribune Employees Union says that, by and large, journalists are not treated well by the management and that women in particular get a raw deal. “More than 60 per cent of newspaper employees in the state, including journalists, are deprived of basic minimum rights like an appointment letter, regular leave, provident fund and medical facilities, besides recommended wages. They are emotionally exploited by the management and have no job security.“
The National Commission for Women, in its 2004 report, `Status of Women Journalists in India`, mentions the insecure conditions under which women work in the northeast. According to the report, most women journalists do not get promoted beyond the level of a senior reporter or senior sub-editor. A large number of them get salaries ranging from Rs 1,500-5,000 and some do not get reimbursed for their phone bills and other news gathering expenses.
While the situation is similar in most northeast states, in Assam - where most of the media houses are based, and where most publications are doing very well - the working conditions for women are particularly unhealthy and unsatisfactory. None of the major dailies have any mechanisms for grievance redress or compensation.
Several women journalists in Assam allege that their male colleagues sexually harass them. While in most cases the women prefer to remain silent, Sabita Lahkar, a young journalist decided to speak out against her editor, Homen Borgohain, in 2003.
Lahkar, then a senior sub-editor with Amar Asom, an Assamese daily, wrote in the first information report (FIR) that she was sexually harassed for two years by Borgohain. “As I had two school-going children to take care of, I tried my best to keep silent, although I felt terrible throughout. But one day I was compelled to take a hard decision.“ Lahkar complained to the management. But instead of taking any action, the management withheld her salary. “I resigned from my job and filed a case,“ says Lahkar. However, even after two years, the police have not moved on the case at all.
“I have raised my voice against a powerful journalist with the aim of exposing the issue of humiliation of working women in newspaper offices. In my decade-long career in journalism, I have met several women who had silently suffered injustice at the hands of their male colleagues. I demand justice not only for myself, but for the hundreds of suffering women in the media,“ declares Lahkar.
A positive development has been that women journalists in the state have become more active in addressing issues that affect them. Some of them organised a meeting in the Guwahati Press Club protesting against inaction in the Lahkar case.
Prakash Mahanta, a Guwahati-based journalist and activist, says, “Women journalists must come out bravely for their due space and dignity in the media houses.“
- Nava Thakuria
Guwahati, - Print journalism in Assam has witnessed a boom in recent years and is emerging as an attractive profession for hundreds of educated young people. The state capital, Guwahati is home to 20 dailies, more than half of which are in the Assamese language. It is estimated that the print media has created 8,000 jobs in the last decade and provided part time employment to 20,000 people throughout the state. Guwahati itself is home to over 400 working journalists.
Despite the boom, women journalists remain a minority in this sector. Only 15 per cent of print journalists in Assam are women. Guwahati has only 50 full-time women scribes, of whom just 20 work as reporters, and five young freelance photojournalists. Barely 10 exist in the rest of Assam.
“Newspaper proprietors prefer not to hire women journalists. If appointed, they are assigned mostly to desk jobs. Young girls, hired as reporters, are eventually transferred to the news desk after they get married,“ says Jullie Barua, a Guwahati-based photojournalist. Proprietors do not want to hire women reporters because they think women cannot cover the conflict-hit areas.
Until 1979, newspapers and magazines in Assam were largely focused on social themes, with the editor and the reporter treating journalism as an instrument of social change. Two men of vision, R G Barua and Deveswar Sharma, took up the challenge to start dailies like The Assam Tribune, Dainik Asom and Dainik Janambhumi. These papers were more professional in their approach and today are leading publications of India's northeastern states.
The student agitation of the 1980s changed the face of journalism. Print journalism became more aggressive and focused on investigative reportage. Amidst all the turmoil and social chaos, the local media flourished. Today, almost all the prominent Assamese dailies - Asomiya Pratidin, Amar Asom, Dainik Janambhumi, Dainik Agradoot, Asomiya Khabar, Aji, Dainik Janasadharan and Dainik Batori - have multiple editions to reach more readers in remote areas.
But this growth has not brought any benefits to women journalists. “Women reporters, including photojournalists, are normally deprived of space, scope and dignity in the media. We don`t have a woman editor in any of the dailies,“ says Barua, who had earlier worked for a Guwahati-based news-photo agency which did not pay her salary for three consecutive months. Now she works as a freelance photojournalist and plans to shift to New Delhi for better prospects. The Assam Tribune, the state`s leading daily, is over 100 years old, but it has never had a woman editor.
S Ahmed, President of The Assam Tribune Employees Union says that, by and large, journalists are not treated well by the management and that women in particular get a raw deal. “More than 60 per cent of newspaper employees in the state, including journalists, are deprived of basic minimum rights like an appointment letter, regular leave, provident fund and medical facilities, besides recommended wages. They are emotionally exploited by the management and have no job security.“
The National Commission for Women, in its 2004 report, `Status of Women Journalists in India`, mentions the insecure conditions under which women work in the northeast. According to the report, most women journalists do not get promoted beyond the level of a senior reporter or senior sub-editor. A large number of them get salaries ranging from Rs 1,500-5,000 and some do not get reimbursed for their phone bills and other news gathering expenses.
While the situation is similar in most northeast states, in Assam - where most of the media houses are based, and where most publications are doing very well - the working conditions for women are particularly unhealthy and unsatisfactory. None of the major dailies have any mechanisms for grievance redress or compensation.
Several women journalists in Assam allege that their male colleagues sexually harass them. While in most cases the women prefer to remain silent, Sabita Lahkar, a young journalist decided to speak out against her editor, Homen Borgohain, in 2003.
Lahkar, then a senior sub-editor with Amar Asom, an Assamese daily, wrote in the first information report (FIR) that she was sexually harassed for two years by Borgohain. “As I had two school-going children to take care of, I tried my best to keep silent, although I felt terrible throughout. But one day I was compelled to take a hard decision.“ Lahkar complained to the management. But instead of taking any action, the management withheld her salary. “I resigned from my job and filed a case,“ says Lahkar. However, even after two years, the police have not moved on the case at all.
“I have raised my voice against a powerful journalist with the aim of exposing the issue of humiliation of working women in newspaper offices. In my decade-long career in journalism, I have met several women who had silently suffered injustice at the hands of their male colleagues. I demand justice not only for myself, but for the hundreds of suffering women in the media,“ declares Lahkar.
A positive development has been that women journalists in the state have become more active in addressing issues that affect them. Some of them organised a meeting in the Guwahati Press Club protesting against inaction in the Lahkar case.
Prakash Mahanta, a Guwahati-based journalist and activist, says, “Women journalists must come out bravely for their due space and dignity in the media houses.“
Friday, September 26, 2008
The media’s role in Kerala’s healthcare setbacks
Has the incessant anti-vaccination campaign carried out by a section of Malayalam media led to a drop in immunization coverage?
N P Chekkutty(executive editor of Tejas, a daily newspaper from Kozhikode) examines accusations of exaggerated media criticism of public sector health care slippages.
As Kerala, whose gains in health care had been compared to the first world standards, is facing a huge challenge owing to the spread of epidemic threats on a regular basis and the slippage in areas like vaccination for immunization, the role of media in the downward trend is coming in for criticism. A number of concerned scholars and activists have made the accusation that irresponsible and often ill-informed media coverage of health affairs even in the mass circulated newspapers has had a negative impact on health care activities in public sector.
They question the media’s negative coverage of health issues and its role in spreading half-truths and plain falsehood as news in recent years. They also question the media’s preparedness and objectivity in covering matters of scientific and technical nature with little training or expertise to handle such affairs. Many health activists and eminent doctors in the public sector health service seem to share the view that media coverage of health affairs in Kerala is generally ill-informed and biased. There is concern that it could seriously undermine the gains the State had made in health care in the past decades, thanks to a public sector health care system.
A number of factors including the decline in budget allocations for health and education since 1991 have contributed to the present situation, where some of the major epidemics which have been eradicated from the State decades ago, such as malaria, cholera and polio, are making a comeback. Other seasonal outbreaks such as cases of Chikungunya, Weil’s disease, etc, are proving to be regular incidents every year. In fact, the President, Prathibha Patil, on her first visit to the State recently, made a pointed reference to the serious nature of the threat to Kerala’s health care and cautioned against slippage in its gains which had received great encomium from the world over, including from scholars like Dr. Amartya Sen.
Even as the government is accused of withdrawing progressively from its health care commitments, it is being pointed out that media has been overtly critical of the public health care facilities indirectly promoting a thriving private sector. The major criticism against media is that reportage on the failures/slippages of the public sector is often highly exaggerated and without any cross checking, giving a false and often misleading picture to the common people. While deaths in government hospitals get headlines, the same in private hospitals generally go unreported. The case of reporting on Chikungunya, a disease that is caused by mosquitoes, as it spread across the State during the recent monsoon is an example.
Newspapers reported about deaths in scores and then in hundreds resulting in a mass exodus from coastal areas like Cherthala in Alapuzha which had been hit seriously by the disease. The public sector health centres (PHCs) and hospitals and the State Department of Health were particularly targeted for criticism. But the mortality figures were proved wrong later, as proper studies were taken up by the Central and State health authorities. However, the alarming fatalities reported in media during Chikungunya season could be attributed to confusion among official sources themselves, as there were differing views on it between the State and Central authorities and even between the Chief Minister’s office and the Health Minister’s office in the State Government.
But that the media coverage often is biased and ill-founded, is beyond doubt. In a recent article, titled Scoop Journalism- A New Threat to Public Health, published in the Journal of the Government Medical College, Kozhikode, and also in Sastragathi, a monthly magazine of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Dr. K P Aravindan made a scathing criticism on the media for their “irresponsible ill-informed” reporting on health affairs. He cites the reporting on the neo-natal deaths in the public sector SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, in a mainstream newspaper with over a million copies in circulation, as a case in point.(The news item was reported by Mathrubhumi, the second largest daily in Malayalam, though Dr. Aravindan does not give the name of the newspaper in his article.) The initial newspaper report, which was later picked up by other newspapers and various news channels, said that there was a huge increase in the deaths in the neo-natal ward of the Government’s premier mother and childcare hospital with a suspected outbreak of infections.
In his well argued study of the newspaper coverage of the incident, Dr. Aravindan points out: As the visual media and newspapers took up the issue, nobody bothered to check the real figures [of mortality] and compare them with the previous years. It was also not made out in the reports that the problem, if any, was confined to the newborn nursery, where most of the babies admitted were premature and of low birth weight, resulting in a higher mortality rate.
He makes a comparison of the statistics with the previous year’s mortality rates and finds that there has not been any substantial increase in the death rate at all. “Overall, no dramatic difference is perceivable. The data certainly shows no evidence of a major outbreak of nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections in SAT Hospital this year,” he concludes.
Similar conclusions have been reached by other studies on developments in health sector in the State. Recently, the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies (AMCHS), attached to the Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, had found that there has been a setback to vaccination campaigns for immunization in some areas, mainly in north Kerala, which scholars attribute largely to negative media coverage of such vaccinations. The study, entitled Current Status of Service Delivery in the Health and Family Welfare Sector in Kerala, released in January 2005, looked at 5000 households from five districts, representing various geographical regions in the State.
The report says: Immunization coverage of children between 12 and 23 months was found to be low in Malappuram district. In all other districts, coverage of DPT 3 and OPV 3 was over 90 per cent. However, in Malappuram district both DPT 3 and OPV 3 coverage was less than 50 per cent. This is surprising since the TT coverage for pregnant women in Malappuram was 90 per cent. After a period of ‘No polio’ case in the State for more than three years, one case of polio was reported in Malappuram district. Therefore there is an urgent need to improve immunization coverage in Malappuram and areas of low coverage in other districts.
The survey report does not make any direct reference to the reasons behind this “surprising phenomenon in Malappuram”, though it points out that lack of access to health care facilities is not the issue here. Dr. K R Thankappan, who led the AMCHS survey, said that there has been a major decline in children’s vaccination in Kerala in recent years compared to the progress registered by Tamil Nadu. Quoting from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) statistics, he said that proportion of children between one and two years who received all the mandatory vaccination was 81 per cent in Tamil Nadu, while it had dropped to a mere 75 per cent in Kerala. According to him, the incessant anti-vaccination campaign carried out by a section of Malayalam media, including highly respected newspapers, is responsible for the situation. As a consequence to the decline in vaccinations, he also refers to another major health indicator, the infant mortality rate (IMR), going up in Kerala, while it is showing a fast decline in Tamil Nadu. (The IMR which had dropped to as low as 10 per 1000 in Kerala in the mid-nineties, stand at 15 /1000 according to recent NFHS data.) Though the NFHS figures may not be statistically very accurate, the trend is unmistakable and they must be seen in the context of a highly negative media atmosphere in Kerala, he felt.
Dr. B Ekbal, an internationally known heath activist and former vice chancellor of Kerala University, in an interview to this writer, said that though the setbacks to the health care gains in Kerala could not be fully attributed to media coverage, there is a real and dangerous nexus between the media and certain groups which campaign against modern medicine and vaccinations. “It is a fact that media in Kerala is generally unscientific and goes by hearsay,” he said. He said that the campaign unleashed by small groups including the anti- vaccination lobbies like the homeo and naturopaths’ groups, some “cultural leaders” and religious fundamentalist groups who get disproportionate coverage in the media, did have an impact on the low vaccination levels in some parts of the State, especially among the poorer sections. He pointed out that the AMCHS study had proved that drop in vaccinations were mainly confined to some backward areas in districts like Malappuram, which show that these campaigns did have an impact on the socially and educationally backward sections like Muslims in the State. It appears that media influence among these backward sections is comparatively higher than among the middle classes who have other sources of information.
To prove this point, Dr. Aravindan refers to a recent media attack on vaccination for immunization launched by some of these groups and the local media in Kozhikode district following the death of a school girl in Kallachi, a Muslim dominated area, a few days after she received a TT vaccination from the school. He says: After the death of the girl in Kozhikode district many weeks after tetanus toxoid vaccination, it was alleged that the death was due to vaccination. The allegation had been proved wrong. The offshoot of the media handling of the event was that immunization rates dropped in the area. He said that the district officials had to carry out a special campaign there to encourage children to accept vaccinations, as the drop was alarming in the immediate wake of media reports about the death of the girl.
What is surprising about these events is that while most of the highly charged reports are proved to be half-baked or baseless later on, there is no soul searching or retraction by the media. In fact, in spite of the serious criticism raised by intellectuals and health activists about the media coverage, there has not been any effort on the part of the media to take note of the situation. The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) at its State conference in Thiruvananthapuram recently, made an attempt for a dialogue with the experts and activists on various aspects of media coverage on sensitive issues and their fallout, but it was attended by only a few persons from the media. That calls for some other ways to find a solution to educate the media on simple matters of scientific nature. As one agonized doctor said, the media itself need to analyze these events and try to evolve a code of conduct regarding reporting of public health issues.
N P Chekkutty(executive editor of Tejas, a daily newspaper from Kozhikode) examines accusations of exaggerated media criticism of public sector health care slippages.
As Kerala, whose gains in health care had been compared to the first world standards, is facing a huge challenge owing to the spread of epidemic threats on a regular basis and the slippage in areas like vaccination for immunization, the role of media in the downward trend is coming in for criticism. A number of concerned scholars and activists have made the accusation that irresponsible and often ill-informed media coverage of health affairs even in the mass circulated newspapers has had a negative impact on health care activities in public sector.
They question the media’s negative coverage of health issues and its role in spreading half-truths and plain falsehood as news in recent years. They also question the media’s preparedness and objectivity in covering matters of scientific and technical nature with little training or expertise to handle such affairs. Many health activists and eminent doctors in the public sector health service seem to share the view that media coverage of health affairs in Kerala is generally ill-informed and biased. There is concern that it could seriously undermine the gains the State had made in health care in the past decades, thanks to a public sector health care system.
A number of factors including the decline in budget allocations for health and education since 1991 have contributed to the present situation, where some of the major epidemics which have been eradicated from the State decades ago, such as malaria, cholera and polio, are making a comeback. Other seasonal outbreaks such as cases of Chikungunya, Weil’s disease, etc, are proving to be regular incidents every year. In fact, the President, Prathibha Patil, on her first visit to the State recently, made a pointed reference to the serious nature of the threat to Kerala’s health care and cautioned against slippage in its gains which had received great encomium from the world over, including from scholars like Dr. Amartya Sen.
Even as the government is accused of withdrawing progressively from its health care commitments, it is being pointed out that media has been overtly critical of the public health care facilities indirectly promoting a thriving private sector. The major criticism against media is that reportage on the failures/slippages of the public sector is often highly exaggerated and without any cross checking, giving a false and often misleading picture to the common people. While deaths in government hospitals get headlines, the same in private hospitals generally go unreported. The case of reporting on Chikungunya, a disease that is caused by mosquitoes, as it spread across the State during the recent monsoon is an example.
Newspapers reported about deaths in scores and then in hundreds resulting in a mass exodus from coastal areas like Cherthala in Alapuzha which had been hit seriously by the disease. The public sector health centres (PHCs) and hospitals and the State Department of Health were particularly targeted for criticism. But the mortality figures were proved wrong later, as proper studies were taken up by the Central and State health authorities. However, the alarming fatalities reported in media during Chikungunya season could be attributed to confusion among official sources themselves, as there were differing views on it between the State and Central authorities and even between the Chief Minister’s office and the Health Minister’s office in the State Government.
But that the media coverage often is biased and ill-founded, is beyond doubt. In a recent article, titled Scoop Journalism- A New Threat to Public Health, published in the Journal of the Government Medical College, Kozhikode, and also in Sastragathi, a monthly magazine of the Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Dr. K P Aravindan made a scathing criticism on the media for their “irresponsible ill-informed” reporting on health affairs. He cites the reporting on the neo-natal deaths in the public sector SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, in a mainstream newspaper with over a million copies in circulation, as a case in point.(The news item was reported by Mathrubhumi, the second largest daily in Malayalam, though Dr. Aravindan does not give the name of the newspaper in his article.) The initial newspaper report, which was later picked up by other newspapers and various news channels, said that there was a huge increase in the deaths in the neo-natal ward of the Government’s premier mother and childcare hospital with a suspected outbreak of infections.
In his well argued study of the newspaper coverage of the incident, Dr. Aravindan points out: As the visual media and newspapers took up the issue, nobody bothered to check the real figures [of mortality] and compare them with the previous years. It was also not made out in the reports that the problem, if any, was confined to the newborn nursery, where most of the babies admitted were premature and of low birth weight, resulting in a higher mortality rate.
He makes a comparison of the statistics with the previous year’s mortality rates and finds that there has not been any substantial increase in the death rate at all. “Overall, no dramatic difference is perceivable. The data certainly shows no evidence of a major outbreak of nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections in SAT Hospital this year,” he concludes.
Similar conclusions have been reached by other studies on developments in health sector in the State. Recently, the Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies (AMCHS), attached to the Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, had found that there has been a setback to vaccination campaigns for immunization in some areas, mainly in north Kerala, which scholars attribute largely to negative media coverage of such vaccinations. The study, entitled Current Status of Service Delivery in the Health and Family Welfare Sector in Kerala, released in January 2005, looked at 5000 households from five districts, representing various geographical regions in the State.
The report says: Immunization coverage of children between 12 and 23 months was found to be low in Malappuram district. In all other districts, coverage of DPT 3 and OPV 3 was over 90 per cent. However, in Malappuram district both DPT 3 and OPV 3 coverage was less than 50 per cent. This is surprising since the TT coverage for pregnant women in Malappuram was 90 per cent. After a period of ‘No polio’ case in the State for more than three years, one case of polio was reported in Malappuram district. Therefore there is an urgent need to improve immunization coverage in Malappuram and areas of low coverage in other districts.
The survey report does not make any direct reference to the reasons behind this “surprising phenomenon in Malappuram”, though it points out that lack of access to health care facilities is not the issue here. Dr. K R Thankappan, who led the AMCHS survey, said that there has been a major decline in children’s vaccination in Kerala in recent years compared to the progress registered by Tamil Nadu. Quoting from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) statistics, he said that proportion of children between one and two years who received all the mandatory vaccination was 81 per cent in Tamil Nadu, while it had dropped to a mere 75 per cent in Kerala. According to him, the incessant anti-vaccination campaign carried out by a section of Malayalam media, including highly respected newspapers, is responsible for the situation. As a consequence to the decline in vaccinations, he also refers to another major health indicator, the infant mortality rate (IMR), going up in Kerala, while it is showing a fast decline in Tamil Nadu. (The IMR which had dropped to as low as 10 per 1000 in Kerala in the mid-nineties, stand at 15 /1000 according to recent NFHS data.) Though the NFHS figures may not be statistically very accurate, the trend is unmistakable and they must be seen in the context of a highly negative media atmosphere in Kerala, he felt.
Dr. B Ekbal, an internationally known heath activist and former vice chancellor of Kerala University, in an interview to this writer, said that though the setbacks to the health care gains in Kerala could not be fully attributed to media coverage, there is a real and dangerous nexus between the media and certain groups which campaign against modern medicine and vaccinations. “It is a fact that media in Kerala is generally unscientific and goes by hearsay,” he said. He said that the campaign unleashed by small groups including the anti- vaccination lobbies like the homeo and naturopaths’ groups, some “cultural leaders” and religious fundamentalist groups who get disproportionate coverage in the media, did have an impact on the low vaccination levels in some parts of the State, especially among the poorer sections. He pointed out that the AMCHS study had proved that drop in vaccinations were mainly confined to some backward areas in districts like Malappuram, which show that these campaigns did have an impact on the socially and educationally backward sections like Muslims in the State. It appears that media influence among these backward sections is comparatively higher than among the middle classes who have other sources of information.
To prove this point, Dr. Aravindan refers to a recent media attack on vaccination for immunization launched by some of these groups and the local media in Kozhikode district following the death of a school girl in Kallachi, a Muslim dominated area, a few days after she received a TT vaccination from the school. He says: After the death of the girl in Kozhikode district many weeks after tetanus toxoid vaccination, it was alleged that the death was due to vaccination. The allegation had been proved wrong. The offshoot of the media handling of the event was that immunization rates dropped in the area. He said that the district officials had to carry out a special campaign there to encourage children to accept vaccinations, as the drop was alarming in the immediate wake of media reports about the death of the girl.
What is surprising about these events is that while most of the highly charged reports are proved to be half-baked or baseless later on, there is no soul searching or retraction by the media. In fact, in spite of the serious criticism raised by intellectuals and health activists about the media coverage, there has not been any effort on the part of the media to take note of the situation. The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) at its State conference in Thiruvananthapuram recently, made an attempt for a dialogue with the experts and activists on various aspects of media coverage on sensitive issues and their fallout, but it was attended by only a few persons from the media. That calls for some other ways to find a solution to educate the media on simple matters of scientific nature. As one agonized doctor said, the media itself need to analyze these events and try to evolve a code of conduct regarding reporting of public health issues.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Praising a murderer?
Outraged at the Judge’s praise and sympathy for R K Sharma, Delhi journalists ask, what about the deprivation of Shivani’s life?
The Gender Council of the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) is outraged at the Judge’s observations on the murderer of journalist colleague, Shivani Bhatnagar.
In a joint statement the Gender Council Chairperson Sujata Madhok, Anjali Deshpande Secretary Gender Council, S.K. Pande President DUJ, T.K. Rajalakshmi Secretary DUJ, Dinesh Chandra Vice President DUJ, and Javed Faridi General Secretary DUJ said, the observations of Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri that: “except for this crime R.K. Sharma was an asset to this nation” and the references to his “distinguished services” and his “contribution to the society as an IPS” reflect an excessive and misplaced sympathy for a man convicted for murder. The judge seems to be more impressed with the IPS pedigree than outraged by the criminality of an IPS officer which is tantamount to a betrayal of trust society places in law enforcers.
Judge Shastri also said that “incarceration in jail is deprivation of personal liberty. A life devoid of these is nothing more than existence.” What about the deprivation of Shivani’s life? Or is that to be condoned because she was spared an ‘animal existence’ as defined by the judge? In a country where thousands of under trials languish in prisons such empathy with a criminal who was entrusted with enforcing the law clearly displays a clear class bias too.
The Gender Council underlines the fact that as a senior police officer Sharma was oath bound to observe the law, not flout it for personal gain. He deserved exemplary punishment. Sharma meted out a life-long sentence to Shivani Bhatnagar’s newborn baby by depriving the child of its mother’s love and care. In the circumstances it seems ridiculous for the court to lament over the fact that Sharma had to be given the minimum life sentence.
The judge seems totally oblivious to the trauma and loss of privacy that her husband and other members of her family suffered because an IPS officer thought he could get away with murder, planned and plotted cold bloodedly.
The DUJ Gender Council believes that the judiciary must uphold the law without any gender, caste or class bias, and not provide alibis for law breakers who belong to influential sections of society. No one, least of all the police, should be above the law of the land.
The Gender Council of the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) is outraged at the Judge’s observations on the murderer of journalist colleague, Shivani Bhatnagar.
In a joint statement the Gender Council Chairperson Sujata Madhok, Anjali Deshpande Secretary Gender Council, S.K. Pande President DUJ, T.K. Rajalakshmi Secretary DUJ, Dinesh Chandra Vice President DUJ, and Javed Faridi General Secretary DUJ said, the observations of Additional Sessions Judge Rajender Kumar Shastri that: “except for this crime R.K. Sharma was an asset to this nation” and the references to his “distinguished services” and his “contribution to the society as an IPS” reflect an excessive and misplaced sympathy for a man convicted for murder. The judge seems to be more impressed with the IPS pedigree than outraged by the criminality of an IPS officer which is tantamount to a betrayal of trust society places in law enforcers.
Judge Shastri also said that “incarceration in jail is deprivation of personal liberty. A life devoid of these is nothing more than existence.” What about the deprivation of Shivani’s life? Or is that to be condoned because she was spared an ‘animal existence’ as defined by the judge? In a country where thousands of under trials languish in prisons such empathy with a criminal who was entrusted with enforcing the law clearly displays a clear class bias too.
The Gender Council underlines the fact that as a senior police officer Sharma was oath bound to observe the law, not flout it for personal gain. He deserved exemplary punishment. Sharma meted out a life-long sentence to Shivani Bhatnagar’s newborn baby by depriving the child of its mother’s love and care. In the circumstances it seems ridiculous for the court to lament over the fact that Sharma had to be given the minimum life sentence.
The judge seems totally oblivious to the trauma and loss of privacy that her husband and other members of her family suffered because an IPS officer thought he could get away with murder, planned and plotted cold bloodedly.
The DUJ Gender Council believes that the judiciary must uphold the law without any gender, caste or class bias, and not provide alibis for law breakers who belong to influential sections of society. No one, least of all the police, should be above the law of the land.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
No Country For Young Girls ?
Focusing on foeticide and child marriage, a documentary and a TV serial find imaginative ways to explore still-grim gender realities in India.
SEVANTI NINAN
September 12,2008
Some gender realities in India in remain grim but an emerging economy that is frequently toasted by the globalising world has little patience with reminders of what holds it back. It is a challenge for the media to keep some issues alive, to present them with enough imagination to hook viewers who do not want to be reminded of the grimmer half.
Foeticide is an issue which continues to shame the country. Its visual narrative on television has usually been presented through sting operations done at abortion clinics, or ghastly repeat visuals of foetuses bobbing in a water body on an India TV news telecast, or through panel discussions with experts. But a couple of weeks ago BBC World aired a TVE film by an Indian filmmaker which humanises the dilemma that sex selection presents young mothers with. It will be telecast again this coming weekend as part of the channel's Living on the Edge series.
"No Country for Young Girls?" is an imaginative take on a scourge which, according to the film, accounts for a million female foetuses annually in India. (That is quite a statistic, and one would have liked to know where it came from.) It tells the story of sex selection through a young woman, who has had to flee her husband's home to avoid yet another abortion. She lives in Agra, which allows for the film to be pegged to the Taj Mahal, monument of love, for the BBC's international audiences. It begins with something similar to the famous Princess Diana shot: sitting wistfully alone on a bench in front of the Taj. That is where Vaijanti begins to recount her story. And the film ends with a shot of this young woman walking with her daughter on the sandy stretch behind the Taj.
What's different about the treatment is that the protagonist goes beyond being a case study. The filmmaker takes her out of her milieu and travels with her to other cities so that she can meet other women like herself, see her country, and discover whether a girl in India really can make it on her own. She travels to Delhi and visits both an abortion clinic and a discotheque, apart from meeting Minister for Women And Child Development, Renuka Choudhury. She goes to a village near Ganganagar in Rajasthan and meets a nurse who refused to abort her female triplets, and is now bringing them up on her own. Fresh-faced teenage girls in long plaits who attend school, and have ambitions.
Finally, filmmaker Nupur Basu, formerly NDTV correspondent in Karnataka, takes Vaijanti to Bangalore to meet women in the IT industry. They talk about where they have got, as well as about things which do not change. IT engineers demanding dowries, for instance.
"No Country for Young Girls?" makes it point without melodrama or hyperbole. It allows in voices from women in different parts of the country, women who like Vaijanti are victims of marital cruelty because Indian families in the 21st century continue to prefer boys. It leaves you with the image of a woman who has had her eyes opened for her, and must now take hard decisions. Should she return to her husband or bring up her children on her own and help them find a place in the sun?
I would like to juxtapose this documentary on a news channel with a serial running on the new entertainment channel, Colours, a Viacom-TV 18 venture. Simply to show that changing mindsets on gender needs a concerted onslaught using different television formats.
"Balika Vadhu", or child bride is also about young girls. It is a daily 8 pm fiction series, set in rural Rajasthan and intended to confront the continuing practice of child marriage. It is evocatively visualised, has a recognisable story line, and features some stellar performances by Surekha Sikri as the tough, sometimes cruel matriarch, and by Vaibhavi Raichura who plays the child bride's mother. Both women play their roles with finesse, as do the supporting cast of characters. Good acting is nowadays a rare commodity on Indian television.
The 8 to 10 pm band on Hindi general entertainment channels is aimed at small town India, rather than metro audiences. Across channels it is replete with overdone family sagas of marriage and intrigue. A new channel that bucked the trend to put on an imaginative serial that tackles a social issue, deserves to be congratulated.
Each episode ends with a one-line comment on why child marriage is hard on young girls—a throwback to the didactism of the development soaps of the 1980s. There is however some ambiguity about whom the message is reaching and in what shape. Because "Balika Vadhu" also appeals commercially. It meets all the entertainment expectations of the upwardly mobile tv viewer, and more important, of advertisers. The haveli in which the story is set is supposed to belong to a wealthy rural family, so it has the same improbable dimensions as the cavernous houses in which the other family soap operas are set.
All the women including the little bahu of the house are always bejewelled and dressed up, but in odhnis and lehengas and costume jewellery which blend in with the setting. For a Mumbai TV serial, the aesthetics are unusually well done. Nobody is slathered with make up, the ethnicity of the interiors is subtle. There is enough realism to make the story credible, and an intelligent writer has summoned a series of small daily catastrophes and confrontations that bring out the inherent cruelty of dumping the weight of tradition on the tender heads of young children.
The eight-year-old bride is plucked from her home before puberty, unlike the norm, because her mother panics when another child bride in her village is widowed even before her 'gona.' A naturally sunny child, she is bewildered, forlorn, and adjusting by turn. The nicest bits of this many faceted serial are the evolving relationship between the children who have been wed, and the interplay between ritual observances and bursts of childhood effervescence.
The family matriarch rules with an iron fist, her sons do not have the gumption to stand up to her. For "Masa", as the old woman is called, the surbordination of a child bride so that she knows her place and purpose in the family is a relentless pursuit. If it involves locking up the terrified child in a store room as punishment, so be it. Much of the drama and tension in the serial comes from this friction. Meanwhile the smouldering older son of this joint family, whose wife has died in childbirth, is waiting for his mother to find him a second bride. It could be another child, and "Balika Vadhu" will have more opportunity to underscore its message.
"No Country for Young Girls" was telecast on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9 pm and Sunday Sept. 14 at 4 pm. "Balika Vadhu" runs on Colours at 2pm, 8 pm and 11.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
SEVANTI NINAN
September 12,2008
Some gender realities in India in remain grim but an emerging economy that is frequently toasted by the globalising world has little patience with reminders of what holds it back. It is a challenge for the media to keep some issues alive, to present them with enough imagination to hook viewers who do not want to be reminded of the grimmer half.
Foeticide is an issue which continues to shame the country. Its visual narrative on television has usually been presented through sting operations done at abortion clinics, or ghastly repeat visuals of foetuses bobbing in a water body on an India TV news telecast, or through panel discussions with experts. But a couple of weeks ago BBC World aired a TVE film by an Indian filmmaker which humanises the dilemma that sex selection presents young mothers with. It will be telecast again this coming weekend as part of the channel's Living on the Edge series.
"No Country for Young Girls?" is an imaginative take on a scourge which, according to the film, accounts for a million female foetuses annually in India. (That is quite a statistic, and one would have liked to know where it came from.) It tells the story of sex selection through a young woman, who has had to flee her husband's home to avoid yet another abortion. She lives in Agra, which allows for the film to be pegged to the Taj Mahal, monument of love, for the BBC's international audiences. It begins with something similar to the famous Princess Diana shot: sitting wistfully alone on a bench in front of the Taj. That is where Vaijanti begins to recount her story. And the film ends with a shot of this young woman walking with her daughter on the sandy stretch behind the Taj.
What's different about the treatment is that the protagonist goes beyond being a case study. The filmmaker takes her out of her milieu and travels with her to other cities so that she can meet other women like herself, see her country, and discover whether a girl in India really can make it on her own. She travels to Delhi and visits both an abortion clinic and a discotheque, apart from meeting Minister for Women And Child Development, Renuka Choudhury. She goes to a village near Ganganagar in Rajasthan and meets a nurse who refused to abort her female triplets, and is now bringing them up on her own. Fresh-faced teenage girls in long plaits who attend school, and have ambitions.
Finally, filmmaker Nupur Basu, formerly NDTV correspondent in Karnataka, takes Vaijanti to Bangalore to meet women in the IT industry. They talk about where they have got, as well as about things which do not change. IT engineers demanding dowries, for instance.
"No Country for Young Girls?" makes it point without melodrama or hyperbole. It allows in voices from women in different parts of the country, women who like Vaijanti are victims of marital cruelty because Indian families in the 21st century continue to prefer boys. It leaves you with the image of a woman who has had her eyes opened for her, and must now take hard decisions. Should she return to her husband or bring up her children on her own and help them find a place in the sun?
I would like to juxtapose this documentary on a news channel with a serial running on the new entertainment channel, Colours, a Viacom-TV 18 venture. Simply to show that changing mindsets on gender needs a concerted onslaught using different television formats.
"Balika Vadhu", or child bride is also about young girls. It is a daily 8 pm fiction series, set in rural Rajasthan and intended to confront the continuing practice of child marriage. It is evocatively visualised, has a recognisable story line, and features some stellar performances by Surekha Sikri as the tough, sometimes cruel matriarch, and by Vaibhavi Raichura who plays the child bride's mother. Both women play their roles with finesse, as do the supporting cast of characters. Good acting is nowadays a rare commodity on Indian television.
The 8 to 10 pm band on Hindi general entertainment channels is aimed at small town India, rather than metro audiences. Across channels it is replete with overdone family sagas of marriage and intrigue. A new channel that bucked the trend to put on an imaginative serial that tackles a social issue, deserves to be congratulated.
Each episode ends with a one-line comment on why child marriage is hard on young girls—a throwback to the didactism of the development soaps of the 1980s. There is however some ambiguity about whom the message is reaching and in what shape. Because "Balika Vadhu" also appeals commercially. It meets all the entertainment expectations of the upwardly mobile tv viewer, and more important, of advertisers. The haveli in which the story is set is supposed to belong to a wealthy rural family, so it has the same improbable dimensions as the cavernous houses in which the other family soap operas are set.
All the women including the little bahu of the house are always bejewelled and dressed up, but in odhnis and lehengas and costume jewellery which blend in with the setting. For a Mumbai TV serial, the aesthetics are unusually well done. Nobody is slathered with make up, the ethnicity of the interiors is subtle. There is enough realism to make the story credible, and an intelligent writer has summoned a series of small daily catastrophes and confrontations that bring out the inherent cruelty of dumping the weight of tradition on the tender heads of young children.
The eight-year-old bride is plucked from her home before puberty, unlike the norm, because her mother panics when another child bride in her village is widowed even before her 'gona.' A naturally sunny child, she is bewildered, forlorn, and adjusting by turn. The nicest bits of this many faceted serial are the evolving relationship between the children who have been wed, and the interplay between ritual observances and bursts of childhood effervescence.
The family matriarch rules with an iron fist, her sons do not have the gumption to stand up to her. For "Masa", as the old woman is called, the surbordination of a child bride so that she knows her place and purpose in the family is a relentless pursuit. If it involves locking up the terrified child in a store room as punishment, so be it. Much of the drama and tension in the serial comes from this friction. Meanwhile the smouldering older son of this joint family, whose wife has died in childbirth, is waiting for his mother to find him a second bride. It could be another child, and "Balika Vadhu" will have more opportunity to underscore its message.
"No Country for Young Girls" was telecast on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 9 pm and Sunday Sept. 14 at 4 pm. "Balika Vadhu" runs on Colours at 2pm, 8 pm and 11.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Delhi water bodies battle for survival
Fast depleting water resources in the Capital have raised concerns in the corridors of power so much so that 629 such water bodies have been listed for revival and maintenance. However, several water bodies that are struggling to survive rapid urbanization don't figure in this list for reasons varying from their strange disappearance to officials not attending the meeting.
The 36,000 sq feet Mayapuri lake in one such water body that was reduced substantially when its 18,000 sq mt area was filled up for a common effluent treatment plant (CETP). However, the PWD, under which the lake was listed in 2002, says that its revenue records show that no such lake existed. In a reply to an RTI plea filed by NGO Tapas recently, the dept has denied that the water body was even under its jurisdiction.
"When the CETP was being made, the dept was asked to create another water body of the same size in Bawana for which the Delhi Jal Board (DKB) has given an affidavit. PWD also claims to have paid the Municipal Corp of Delhi Rs. 1.5 crore for removing encroachment on the lake. Now they are saying that is doesn't exist,'' said Vinod Jain of Tapas.
In 2001, the MCD had identified 177 water bodies in the Capital but this figure was challenged since an earlier report had identified 355. The court formed another survey committee which, in 2002, came up with a list of 508 water bodies. However, there were several discrepancies in this list over the size of the water bodies. Finally, an independent body was set up by the court which has identified 794. Of this, at present, 629 water bodies exist officially in Delhi which are being revived by various agencies.
Strangely, missing from this most important list are prominent water bodies, including the IG stadium lake that is right next to Delhi secretariat. Another water body in Sainik Farms, that was listed in 2002, in not in the current list as the surveyors were unable to find it. Similarly, three water bodies in JNU, which were mentioned in the 2002 list, did not find a place in the current list as nobody from JNU attended the meeting to finalize the list.
In the absence of official recognition, it is the easiest thing to encroach upon the water bodies. Several have already disappeared under concrete structures. A park has come up on the 31,000 sq mt huge water body in Vinod Nagar. A hospital is to come up on an 8,400 sq mt water body in Jhilmil Tahirpur.
The L-G's office confirmed that it had asked all owning agencies to send it a list of water bodies under them.
''The fact that there is still no consensus on the number of water bodies made us take this step. There are a little over 400 water bodies that can be revived and we have asked all agencies for a list of the same. In about a couple of months, we will start compiling the list," said an official.
The 36,000 sq feet Mayapuri lake in one such water body that was reduced substantially when its 18,000 sq mt area was filled up for a common effluent treatment plant (CETP). However, the PWD, under which the lake was listed in 2002, says that its revenue records show that no such lake existed. In a reply to an RTI plea filed by NGO Tapas recently, the dept has denied that the water body was even under its jurisdiction.
"When the CETP was being made, the dept was asked to create another water body of the same size in Bawana for which the Delhi Jal Board (DKB) has given an affidavit. PWD also claims to have paid the Municipal Corp of Delhi Rs. 1.5 crore for removing encroachment on the lake. Now they are saying that is doesn't exist,'' said Vinod Jain of Tapas.
In 2001, the MCD had identified 177 water bodies in the Capital but this figure was challenged since an earlier report had identified 355. The court formed another survey committee which, in 2002, came up with a list of 508 water bodies. However, there were several discrepancies in this list over the size of the water bodies. Finally, an independent body was set up by the court which has identified 794. Of this, at present, 629 water bodies exist officially in Delhi which are being revived by various agencies.
Strangely, missing from this most important list are prominent water bodies, including the IG stadium lake that is right next to Delhi secretariat. Another water body in Sainik Farms, that was listed in 2002, in not in the current list as the surveyors were unable to find it. Similarly, three water bodies in JNU, which were mentioned in the 2002 list, did not find a place in the current list as nobody from JNU attended the meeting to finalize the list.
In the absence of official recognition, it is the easiest thing to encroach upon the water bodies. Several have already disappeared under concrete structures. A park has come up on the 31,000 sq mt huge water body in Vinod Nagar. A hospital is to come up on an 8,400 sq mt water body in Jhilmil Tahirpur.
The L-G's office confirmed that it had asked all owning agencies to send it a list of water bodies under them.
''The fact that there is still no consensus on the number of water bodies made us take this step. There are a little over 400 water bodies that can be revived and we have asked all agencies for a list of the same. In about a couple of months, we will start compiling the list," said an official.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Activity II
Name : Savita Das
Age : 27
Work : part time domestic help in 5 homes, 7 days a week.
Work Routine : Morning round - 6am to 12pm
Evening round - 6pm - 8 pm
Education : class 5 pass.
Common ailments suffered from : Stomach upset/infection
Treatment : at home. Diagnosis and medication decided by self.
Children : Daughter - 14
Son - 8
Common ailments suffered from : Cold, cough, fever.
Treatment : Private consultant. No trust in govt. medication.
Cost of private treatment : Rs. 300-400 each time. Rs. 200 for consultation + cost of medicine
Education of children : Daughter - class 5 pass. Now works in homes as domestic help
Son - in class 3.
School: Naya Disha, Sector 29, Noida
Provision of mid day meal at school : None
Cost of education : Does not know
She wants her son educated so that he can grow up and get a good job and earn money for the family. Thinks her daughter can survive without education as she will pick up work elsewhere.
Age : 27
Work : part time domestic help in 5 homes, 7 days a week.
Work Routine : Morning round - 6am to 12pm
Evening round - 6pm - 8 pm
Education : class 5 pass.
Common ailments suffered from : Stomach upset/infection
Treatment : at home. Diagnosis and medication decided by self.
Children : Daughter - 14
Son - 8
Common ailments suffered from : Cold, cough, fever.
Treatment : Private consultant. No trust in govt. medication.
Cost of private treatment : Rs. 300-400 each time. Rs. 200 for consultation + cost of medicine
Education of children : Daughter - class 5 pass. Now works in homes as domestic help
Son - in class 3.
School: Naya Disha, Sector 29, Noida
Provision of mid day meal at school : None
Cost of education : Does not know
She wants her son educated so that he can grow up and get a good job and earn money for the family. Thinks her daughter can survive without education as she will pick up work elsewhere.
STATE OF THE ART GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN THE WORKS
(from article ''District hospital infused with new life'' - Vandana Keelor , August 22, Noida Plus)
Acting on UP Chief Minister's instructions, the Noida Authorities have left no stone unturned in the renovation and up-gradation of the district hospital in Sector 30 of Noida. The directions are to construct two state of the art multi-speciality Dr Ambedkar Hospitals in Noida and Greater Noida and have them functioning by March 2009. As per sources, an expenditure of Rs. 150 crore will be made for establishing the hospital at Greater Noida and an amount of Rs. 378 crore has been invested into turning the Noida 100-bed hospital into a 300-bed multi-specialty hospital.
Besides improved infrastructure and routine health care it would have advanced facilities for plastic surgery ans surgeries in fields of gynecology,urology,neurology and much more.
A telemedicine dept. has also been planned. The up-gradation plan also includes procurement of machines for MRI, CT-scan, digital X-Ray, Color Doppler as well as facilities for normal and cardiac ICU. It also entails setting up of a Blood Bank so that patrons don't have to run to private blood banks or to Ghaziabad to procure blood.
This step taken by the UP government and Noida authorities has been a blessing for the people of Noida and Greater Noida. The conditions of the district hospital in Sector 30, Noida, were quite bleak. Not many wanted to utilize the facility but were pressed to due to lack of resources for private health care. Greater Noida lacks a district hospital, so to speak. There is a severe lack of competent professionals working at these institutions. Looking at the planning for the residential blocks and 'international-class food court facility', one can now hope that more nurses, doctors and hospital staff will encouraged to seek employment in this government facility.
Acting on UP Chief Minister's instructions, the Noida Authorities have left no stone unturned in the renovation and up-gradation of the district hospital in Sector 30 of Noida. The directions are to construct two state of the art multi-speciality Dr Ambedkar Hospitals in Noida and Greater Noida and have them functioning by March 2009. As per sources, an expenditure of Rs. 150 crore will be made for establishing the hospital at Greater Noida and an amount of Rs. 378 crore has been invested into turning the Noida 100-bed hospital into a 300-bed multi-specialty hospital.
Besides improved infrastructure and routine health care it would have advanced facilities for plastic surgery ans surgeries in fields of gynecology,urology,neurology and much more.
A telemedicine dept. has also been planned. The up-gradation plan also includes procurement of machines for MRI, CT-scan, digital X-Ray, Color Doppler as well as facilities for normal and cardiac ICU. It also entails setting up of a Blood Bank so that patrons don't have to run to private blood banks or to Ghaziabad to procure blood.
This step taken by the UP government and Noida authorities has been a blessing for the people of Noida and Greater Noida. The conditions of the district hospital in Sector 30, Noida, were quite bleak. Not many wanted to utilize the facility but were pressed to due to lack of resources for private health care. Greater Noida lacks a district hospital, so to speak. There is a severe lack of competent professionals working at these institutions. Looking at the planning for the residential blocks and 'international-class food court facility', one can now hope that more nurses, doctors and hospital staff will encouraged to seek employment in this government facility.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
AGROWON - India's first Agro daily
A Pune-based Sakal group of newspapers has launched a Marathi daily, Agrowon, dedicated to all aspects of agriculture.
The daily which is priced at one rupee covers wide variety of subjects relating to sugarcane production, relations between sugarcane producers and sugar co-operative factories, production techniques to increase quantum of sugarcane and other crops, pesticides to be used for seasonal pests, credit facilities to agriculture, horticulture, milk dairies and other activities are some of the subjects covered by way of news, features and articles.
The editorial presents critical analysis about agricultural policies and also the performance of government machinery which is expected to respond to the periodical needs of farmers, and problems of crop failures particularly in drought-affected areas.
Readers have appreciated the exclusive coverage of matters relating to agriculture. A special page for readers' views is named as 'Apale Pan' (Your page).
Another important aspect of the daily is a provision of a few pages out of the total sixteen to films, television and also subjects relating to health and fitness.
Such an endeavor is bound to have immense impact on the lives of the rural population. It is a cost effective method to bring to the attention of the public various aspects of agriculture, modern trends in agriculture, contract farming, power shortage, legal aspects of farm activities.
The daily which is priced at one rupee covers wide variety of subjects relating to sugarcane production, relations between sugarcane producers and sugar co-operative factories, production techniques to increase quantum of sugarcane and other crops, pesticides to be used for seasonal pests, credit facilities to agriculture, horticulture, milk dairies and other activities are some of the subjects covered by way of news, features and articles.
The editorial presents critical analysis about agricultural policies and also the performance of government machinery which is expected to respond to the periodical needs of farmers, and problems of crop failures particularly in drought-affected areas.
Readers have appreciated the exclusive coverage of matters relating to agriculture. A special page for readers' views is named as 'Apale Pan' (Your page).
Another important aspect of the daily is a provision of a few pages out of the total sixteen to films, television and also subjects relating to health and fitness.
Such an endeavor is bound to have immense impact on the lives of the rural population. It is a cost effective method to bring to the attention of the public various aspects of agriculture, modern trends in agriculture, contract farming, power shortage, legal aspects of farm activities.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Plant a tree
When in school, I had the opportunity to plant a number of trees. We were supposed to take care of them over the years. I planted my first tree in grade 7. It was an exciting experience.
Today when asked again to plant a sapling, I am excited. There is this rush of affection towards something you've helped to nurture. I have planted a neem tree sapling in the community garden of our apartments. Because neem trees grow very slowly during their first year and require regular watering I will have to make a conscious effort in taking care of it.
I look forward to doing so.
Today when asked again to plant a sapling, I am excited. There is this rush of affection towards something you've helped to nurture. I have planted a neem tree sapling in the community garden of our apartments. Because neem trees grow very slowly during their first year and require regular watering I will have to make a conscious effort in taking care of it.
I look forward to doing so.
Independent India
200 years of foreign rule.
August 15
1947
An independent India.
"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge... At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom." Jawaharlal Nehru, 1947
For most of us Independence day is another holiday. As we grow older the significance of India's independence weakens. The excuse being there are many more 'priorities' in life than celebrating a victory that occured 61 years ago.
For me , Independence day means more than a 'chhuti'. And I have my family to thank for that. Coming from a background where my grandparents had to leave everything they had ever known and start from the bottom, like millions of others, Independence day means more than a 'chhuti' to me.
I appreciate their struggle and their unnerving faith in the Indian Govt. at a time when all was chaos and it was for each his own.
I am grateful to our forefathers for the fight of their and the future generations' lives.
I am thankful of all those Indians who might not have been Gandhis or Nehrus but were Indians, ready and willing to give it all up for the freedom of a country they could loved and cherished.
I am an Indian.
If I were the Prime Minister, I would
want to commemorate our Independence Day with gusto and involve the entire nation in celebration.
In the Prime Minister's address to the nation on the morning of the 15th, I would like to remind India of how rich her itihaas is and how beautiful and diverse a culture she has.
I would ensure that all public broadcasting media speaks of India's independence and her journey from then till now.
What I realize is that the government does all of the above. What is required is for every Indian to become conscious of the significance of our independence and to appreciate it and celebrate it with gusto. We wouldn't be who and where we are today if it weren't for our independence and all those who fought till death for it.
Kite flying is a tradition I associate with this today. We spend hours with family and friends watching our kites soar across the free skies.
August 15
1947
An independent India.
"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge... At the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom." Jawaharlal Nehru, 1947
For most of us Independence day is another holiday. As we grow older the significance of India's independence weakens. The excuse being there are many more 'priorities' in life than celebrating a victory that occured 61 years ago.
For me , Independence day means more than a 'chhuti'. And I have my family to thank for that. Coming from a background where my grandparents had to leave everything they had ever known and start from the bottom, like millions of others, Independence day means more than a 'chhuti' to me.
I appreciate their struggle and their unnerving faith in the Indian Govt. at a time when all was chaos and it was for each his own.
I am grateful to our forefathers for the fight of their and the future generations' lives.
I am thankful of all those Indians who might not have been Gandhis or Nehrus but were Indians, ready and willing to give it all up for the freedom of a country they could loved and cherished.
I am an Indian.
If I were the Prime Minister, I would
want to commemorate our Independence Day with gusto and involve the entire nation in celebration.
In the Prime Minister's address to the nation on the morning of the 15th, I would like to remind India of how rich her itihaas is and how beautiful and diverse a culture she has.
I would ensure that all public broadcasting media speaks of India's independence and her journey from then till now.
What I realize is that the government does all of the above. What is required is for every Indian to become conscious of the significance of our independence and to appreciate it and celebrate it with gusto. We wouldn't be who and where we are today if it weren't for our independence and all those who fought till death for it.
Kite flying is a tradition I associate with this today. We spend hours with family and friends watching our kites soar across the free skies.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Airwaves Of Hope
Article by Chandana Banerjee
From a decrease in dowry deaths to an increase in girls’ education, ‘Chala Ho Gaon Mein’ is helping the villagers help themselves
TheRanchi
The community radio programme was started by AID in 2001. It had already been working on various issues concerning the villagers and tribals of the area which include lack of proper information and access to mainstream media, ignorance about basic rights and other problems such as those of rural migration, starvation deaths etc.
The AID realized that all these problems were stemmed from the fact that the people of the region were unable to express themselves and speak freely about the problems that they were facing. So, setting up a radio programme seemed like a good way to give a voice to the voiceless. A programme for the villagers and by the villagers that would not only address their issues and make them more aware, but would also reach out to other people who could make a difference to their lives.
Quite a few of the reporters are women who have been working in self-help groups created by the NGO and it’s generally the ones who are bright, helpful and active in community activities, who come forward.
From a decrease in dowry deaths to an increase in girls’ education, ‘Chala Ho Gaon Mein’ is helping the villagers help themselves
The
The community radio programme was started by AID in 2001. It had already been working on various issues concerning the villagers and tribals of the area which include lack of proper information and access to mainstream media, ignorance about basic rights and other problems such as those of rural migration, starvation deaths etc.
The AID realized that all these problems were stemmed from the fact that the people of the region were unable to express themselves and speak freely about the problems that they were facing. So, setting up a radio programme seemed like a good way to give a voice to the voiceless. A programme for the villagers and by the villagers that would not only address their issues and make them more aware, but would also reach out to other people who could make a difference to their lives.
Quite a few of the reporters are women who have been working in self-help groups created by the NGO and it’s generally the ones who are bright, helpful and active in community activities, who come forward.
The community radio programme draws them out from their shy selves and gives them a mission in life – a mission to educate their fellow villagers, an aim to help their own cause and work for the betterment of their community.
Monday, August 4, 2008
PRIVATIZATION OF MANY GOVERNMENT SERVICES
Article in Time Of India - August 4th,2008.(TNN)
The government is preparing to promote private competition in public services that interface with the public and the customers. It has accepted a recommendation of the Administrative Reforms Commission on opening up these ''monopolistic'' services bogged down by ''departmental hegemony''
Most of us are trained from the start to assume that getting work done in a 'Sakari' office is a stressful and long drawn out process. Being pushed from one counter to the next, sent from one official to another for the payment of bills, procuring or renewing a license and a range of other odd jobs.
The government's move to promote private competition in these services is expected to bring down levels of corruption. The increased participation of private companies will bring about a change in the pace of work. Practices like red tapism and bribery as expected to be curbed as the administration process will have better infrastructure and more man power to officiate.
A recent meeting of the Core Group on Administrative Reforms chaired by the cabinet secretary took the crucial decision and the department of administrative reforms and public grievances has already issued directives to central ministries and state governments to formulate policies.
In its report, ''Ethics in Governance'', the ARC has recommended: ''Every ministry/department may undertake immediate exercise to identify areas where the existing 'monopoly of functions' can be tempered with competition. A similar exercise may be done at the level of state governments and local bodies.
The areas where such openings up will be allowed are yet to be ascertained , public services related to transport offices,the electricity department and the utility bill collection system will be included.
The government wants the ''opening up'' to progress in a time bound manner, with quarterly reports to the department on the status of work. It has directed that the first report for the July - September period be sent to the department by October 10.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Jail and fine for clients of sex workers
''Clients visiting Indian brothels are likely to face a jail term of three months and a fine of Rs 20,000 if Cabinet accepts the recommendation of a group of ministers
The government is likely to accept an amendment to the Immoral Trafficking (Prevention) Act which could mean a jail term and fine for clients visiting brothels.
“The group of ministers has already decided about the provisions of jail term and penalty. It will soon be presented to Cabinet for approval and implementation on the field,” said Khairati Lal Bhola, member, central advisory committee of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The amendment was moved with the aim of curbing trafficking of women into prostitution. According to Bhola, ministers believe that penalising clients will also help control the spread of HIV/AIDS.
As per the amendment, clients will invite a jail term of three months or a fine of Rs 20,000 or both for their first offence. Repeat offenders will pay a penalty of Rs 50,000 or a six-month jail term.
The Bill was moved in Parliament by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2006 and has been kept pending for two years.
There has been some criticism of the amendment by activists who say that criminalising paid sex will not help sex workers. Last month, in June 2008, activists wrote an open letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi urging her to re-think the proposed amendment...''The situation of sex workers in the country today has not improved as it should have.
The focus is still on eradicating the phenomenon instead of trying to structure it in such a way that it works for every party.
National activist groups have raised their voices against this amendment, arguing that it will not protect the rights of the sex workers.
Their say is that this will not protect the women in prostitution but make them more vulnerable in many ways.
The legalization of prostitution is being cited as the only way to resolve the issue. Once legalized, there will be laws protecting the rights of the sex workers and giving them the right to freedom or selection and action. This will give power to women to work according to their self rules and norms.
What the government needs to do is take a more empathetic stand and play a more democratic role when dealing with the livelihood of these women. They need to think in a progressive manner and be open to change. To see what is beneficial in the long term rather than what the ''moral police'' has to say.
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