A 'Ban' smoked away

By karishma Karki, Anubhooti Panda and Mohd. Reyaz

Prachi Dutt (name changed) was 10 years old when she tried smoking for the first time. Since then, ‘let me try it once’ has became a habit. Today, eleven years later, she cannot stop smoking even on her college campus, although the university has been declared a smoke- free zone.

Like Prachi, there are many others who openly flout this ban in various colleges and universities across Delhi. And they seem to have no qualms about it.

Rahul (name changed), a student of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) said, he is sure he would not be caught because he is certain authorities don’t care. “Everyone smokes openly here; even the staff and professors indulge in it. And no one says anything, neither the guards, nor the administration.”

Anand Kumar, a guard at the university concurs. “Students do smoke in the campus. But they hide the cigarette when they see us,” he said.

Apam Kharingpam, an Assistant Professor at the same university believes that smoking zones should be created at various places in the universities, just as in restaurants and airports. “The government earns a lot of money from chain smokers like me. So, I think it is hypocrisy on the part of the government to ban it in certain places and to sell it at others.”

Though the law is being openly defied by many, authorities seem to be sitting pretty after installing hoardings and banners everywhere. Professor Gurmeet Singh, the Proctor of Delhi University says, “We conduct regular classes and awareness campaigns to sensitise the students. More than going behind the students with a stick in our hand, we believe in educating them. We conducted a survey after we started the campaign. And the results show that 23 percent of the students have quit smoking after the campaign was started.”

But going by the number the people who smoke in the campuses, the ground realities seem very different. Monika Arora, Director of Hriday, a NGO working with students against smoking, questions the validity of the claim. “I don’t know how scientifically proven that survey is.”

She, however, agrees that the government and the administration are doing their best to spread awareness about the no-smoking campaign. “Change cannot be brought overnight. But going by the no-smoking hoardings and banners that have come up in the city, it appears that University administration and the government are putting in a sincere effort.”

A possible reason why the students are taking the ban lightly could be that the authorities have not been harsh while implementing it. Though the ban has been in place for quite some time now, there have been no strict actions as of yet in these universities.

Mukesh Ranjan, Assistant to Proctor of JMI says, “I am aware that the university is a smoke free zone. But I have got no official instruction yet on as to how to go about implementing the ban.”

Gurmeet Singh says, “A student can be fined Rs.200 if caught smoking in the campus. But there have been no fines as of yet because we do not want it to be a punitive effort. We want the students to understand for themselves.”

Whether the students understand or not, the fact remains that personal choices of a few are putting the health of thousands at risk. And the open defiance of the law by the educated masses goes on to prove that it is high time that stricter measures are taken so that bans like these are effectively implemented.

Quick facts

• India is the second largest producer of tobacco in the world.
• 25 crore population in India are regular tobacco users.
• Tobacco worth Rs 24,000 corers is sold annually.
• The government has to spend Rs 27,000 corers annually on free health services to offset the harm caused by it
• Every 30 seconds, one person in India dies of diseases related to tobacco or gutkha.
• Every two seconds, 1 Indian child tries tobacco for the first time.
• 4 million children below the age of 15 years use tobacco regularly.

Sources: Data compiled from the Ministry of Health and Women Welfare, Government of India, American Cancer Society, National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), The World Health Survey, 2003.

Kathak Mahatosav-Showcasing the classic Indian culture

A week long Kathak festival, held at various places across Delhi ended on 29 March. The festival was organized by the Kathak Kendra, a wing of the Sangeet Natak Academy. The festival was a treat for its patrons and was a showcase of India’s culture to the MTV generation that is perhaps not much interested in this rich tradition of cultural expression.

Artists from various cities such as Pune, Mumbai and Kolkata participated in this Mahaotsav (festival) that was dedicated to late Rohini Bhate ji, the great Kathak exponent. The entry was free and all shows were houseful. The crowd cheered equally for the young disciples and their elder gurus.

Many foreign tourists had also dropped in to have a glimpse of the classic Indian art form. Tanya a cultural enthusiast from Russia said that she felt ‘rejuvenated’ after the performance and even showed her interests in learning the fusion of Kathak and Sufi.

What was saddening though was the lack of sponsors despite a heavy footfall. Sangita Chattejee, a trained Kahtak Dancer lamented on the disinterest of the corporate world.

Geetanjali Lal, the great Kathak exponent herself and a Kathak trainer at the Kathak Kendra, had no complaints though. “The Government allocates enough funds to organise festivals and to train people. So we don’t face any real problem”, she clarifies. She also expressed her happiness on the successful accomplishment of the festival.

Simply Spice!

   By Kriti Gupta and Mohd. Reyaz

                                        

Al Bake is an eating joint in New Friends Colony Market (NFC) that has become an institution in the city of Delhi. Its main serving is minced chicken rolled in bread called shawarmas. While, traditionally a Lebanese concept, the shawarmas at NFC have been Indianised and are a rage in the capital.
                                         
Ten years ago, Ishrat Beg came to India with her husband from the Gulf. While she was excited about leaving Saudi Arabia, she realized that the one thing she would miss was the shawarmas. They had become a part of her daily diet. Not willing to give up her addiction, she decided to start a small food place where they would sell shawarmas rolls.
                                           
On the first day they sold two rolls. Now, they have a daily footfall of over 200 people. The family has opened two more joints in the same market. From husband, wife and the two sons working to make ends meet; Today, they hire 30 employees and offer a variety of cuisines – Chinese, Mughlai and so on.

                                           

Their main connoisseurs are young people. Students at Al-Bake came from far and wide. A group of three young people came especially from Faridabad just to enjoy the rolls. Hogging on the food, they said, “We could spend all day here. We really like the food.”

                                        

                                               

                                  
Mrs. Beg says that the student population keeps the joint running, “Our main focus therefore, is good food, low prices and basic hygiene.” The food is good indeed as can be seen by the number of people present at any given time.
                                              
The prices attract the youth. But hygiene is a different matter altogether. The kitchens are cleaned daily. The establishment tries as much as possible to improve the conditions under which food is prepared.

                                     
But the preparation process itself seems to be dirty. Dry, cut meat lying around on floors, cockroaches and so on are easily visible. Young people say that since ‘the food is cooked and so completely delicious’, they don’t mind. They swish away flies with the dismissive wave of a hand.

Irrespective, people seem to come in large numbers to enjoy the delectable taste of the shawarma rolls. And Mrs. Beg can boast of starting with nothing and becoming a successful thriving entrepreneur!

A second chance at life

Five year old Ramu was always
laughed at, but he himself
could never even smile. That
was till 'The Smile Train', a global
charity committed to giving smiles
to those who have never known one,
came to his help. Ramu had cleft lip,
and thanks to the charitable organisation,
he has got another lease of
life.
Cleft is one of the most unfortunate of
all birth defects, for it is one of those few
deformities that can be corrected with
proper medical intervention and surgical
treatment at the right time, but yet isn't in
most cases. Due to lack of awareness and
poverty 50% of clefts remain untreated,
although it is not as expensive as most people
might think, about Rs 8000.

“Indian parents pay
more attention to
the correction of
deformities of girl"
child

The Smile Train has over 160 centres
across the nation and provides financial
support to poor cleft children. Satish Kalra,
the Regional Director-South Asia of the
Smile Train says, "Smile Train does much
more than offer free surgeries. We actively
promote the training and development of
medical professionals, sponsor all the other
rehab services cleft kids need after surgery.
And also carry out a lot of awareness generation
activities through partner hospitals,
state governments, voluntary organizations
and others".
A cleft is a sub-division in the body's
natural structure, formed before birth.
Though exact cause of it is still unknown, a
cleft lip or palate leads to speech defect,
breathing problems, distorted face and psycho-
social stigma. For Dr. Harsh Jain, a maxillofacial
surgeon, in countries like India,
cleft is more of a socio-economic problem
than medical.
Superstitions often mislead people to
believe that cleft is a form of punishment
from god for our sins and is hence a bad
omen. Children with clefts become the
objects of ridicule and are treated as 'virtual'
outcasts. In the past, children with cleft,
often girls, were either killed or abandoned
after their birth. But things have improved a
lot now. Dr. Subodh Kumar Singh, director
and chief of plastic surgery at G.S. Memorial
Plastic Surgery Hospital & Trauma Centre in
Banaras affirms, "The average age at surgery
for girls in my hospital is one year less
compared to that for male patients. Indian
parents pay more attention to the correction
of deformities of girl child". Dr Singh
operated on Pinki, the girl who featured in
the Oscar winning documentary 'Smile
Pinki'.
Till a decade ago, corrective plastic surgery
was expensive, but things got much
better after the arrival of Smile Train in
2000. Dr. Vimala Rajan, a consultant plastic
surgeon at Max and Apollo Hospitals confirms,
"Earlier I used to perform surgery
even for poor in the Moolchand Hospital.
But now, most of my patients are elites
from the country or from abroad. The Smile
Train is really doing a great job".
Though most common of all birth
defects, the government does not even
recognises clefts as a disability. Everyone
associated with the cause hopes that 'Smile
Pinki' would help create awareness, especially
amongst poor and help children with
clefts or those cured in integrating with the
society, thus giving them a second chance
at life. Dr. Kumar wishes that it creates
“awareness about the plight and problem
of cleft patients and also about the fact that
it can be treated by plastic surgery and
other associated treatment.”

St Valentine must be sobbing

St. Valentine was one of the greatest shepherds who led his life in the path of god and for the redemption of mankind. Consequently he had to face miseries and was ultimately martyred like all other messiahs of peace. He was buried on February 14, and hence the day is celebrated as ‘Valentine’s Day’ the world over.
But here lies the ambiguity. The day is not actually included in the
Liturgical commemoration list of the Catholic calendar of saints for universal liturgical veneration as revised in 1969. More than a Christian festival, it has become a day of celebration by lovers, assumed lovers and couples, to express their love-publicly or in private.
Traditionalists and fundamentalists see it as an ‘attack on our culture and rich heritage’. Hence, the moral policing brigade becomes very active on this day, especially in our country. Dukhataran-e-millat (Daughters of the community) in Kashmir, or Ram Sene in Mangalore, or Shiva Sainiks in Maharashtra, or their slight variations in other parts of the country are all products of this politics of hatred, based on ‘inferiority’ complex as also the inherent prejudices that they have. But it does not end just with the condemnation of the day. At times, they get really violent and every year there are instances of attacks by those hoodlums in some part of the country. They go to the extent of physically abusing young couples, some of whom are barely in their teens.
Who is right? And who is wrong? Really difficult to say. Things are not as black and white as they appear to be. Both sides have genuine reasons and grievances. But then, none is really patient enough to sit and talk. Perhaps, St Valentine will have to visit the pastor again to preach his flock of sheep, who have deviated from their path. But till then, who is going to decide in a Democracy as to what is right and what is wrong?
Whichever way it is, one thing is sure. St Valentine must be sobbing in the Heaven. And tears must be in both his eyes. He must never have thought that his birthday would become a ploy for big corporate giants of greeting cards, chocolates and flowers to exploit his naïve sheep. But then he never have approve either that if his flock became delinquent, unchecked ‘moral police’ would curb them forcibly.


Happy Valentine Day to all the sheep of the flock!!!

New Balance between state and market needed

The ongoing financial crisis became prominent since September 2008 after the failure of few big financial American firms due to subprime mortgage crisis in the US, although its signs were visible early that year. A negative aspect of Globalisation was soon visible when the US financial crunch hit other markets as well and it rapidly evolved into a global credit crisis and deflation. That resulted in a number of European bank failures and declines in various stock indexes. This led to reductions in the market value of equities and commodities worldwide. The crumbling figure in Wall Street is affecting markets from Tasmania to Tanzania.
The mess that began due to fast, unregulated mortgage lending in the US has now become a perilous crisis and markets worldwide have lost the confidence of the investors. There is fear amongst investors and depositors, bankers as well as regulators since no easy solution seems to be in sight. United Kingdom’s Prime Minister acknowledges this when he says, “This is not a time for conventional thinking or outdated dogma but for fresh and innovative intervention that gets to the heart of the problem.”
Federal banks have tried all possible options. Most Reserve Banks have cut down on interest rates. On January 8 the Bank of England cut down base rate to 1.5%, the lowest in the Central Bank’s history since its inception in 1694. The economy is also being affected by cuts in capital spending.
Finance is one of the most international of industries. All major banks have their networks spread wide across seas and continents. Thus when banks run into trouble, it’s not clear who should actually help. Generally the favoured practice has been the direct government intervention. The US Congress announced a $700 billion rescue package, referred by many as ‘socialism for the rich’. But this is not always a viable option. US itself is not in a position to announce similar package for the automobile industry. And then there are many small or third world countries where these big banks have their balance sheet far exceeding their gross domestic products.
Industry watchers predict a ‘bleak 2009’ for the Global Economy. According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) US economy will grow only 0.1% in 2009. Europe, China or India is also expected to have very slow growth rates. Thus nobody will be able to take over the US as the world economy, but that everyone will drag down everyone else. Dennis Snower, president of Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy, believes, “Governments are making the same mistake….They’re trying to deal with the crisis on a piecemeal basis.” Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, too agree that the problem has now become a global phenomenon and so only a multinational solution can work. “While American eyes are on the intersection of the Wall and Main Streets, there is much more to the story,” he says. “The response to these crises will have to be larger and global.”
Ideological differences, as also other hostilities, however are proving great impediments in tackling this global problem. Governments are fast realizing this and so a sense of ‘intimate cooperation’ has developed among nations. Economists worldwide are stressing on the need to reexamine the free-market system. French president Nicholas Sarkozy has even spoken of the ‘new balance’ in market economy between the market and the state. American President George Bush, however, still supports the free market system. He has reiterated that “capitalism is not perfect, it can subject to excess to excesses and abuse, but it’s the most efficient way of structuring the economy.” China, which still calls its economy ‘socialism with market characteristics’ has welcomed America’s bailout plans and emphasize that greater market check is necessary for regulation.
Indian Prime Minister (and current Finance Minister as well) hinted as early as in September itself that India can’t remain unaffected by the global financial crisis for long. But looking back at the year passed, the year has not been as bad as it could have got and certainly the Indian economy has not been as affected as many feared. India has often been described as an elephant who does not know its potentials. The year 2008 has not been as bad for the economy. Yes markets are at ebb. Even Reliance Industries had to cut down on its expenditure and postpone future adventures. But with inflation now coming to below 6 mark and slash in petroleum price, costs of most commodities are now in control. But if India wants to play major role in the world economy, then it needs to take some bold steps and cut down on subsidies. But with the Left becoming a formidable force in recent years and the general election ahead the government here is taking every step cautiously.
No doubt the financial crisis has affected those maximum that seemed to have the soundest economy-USA, Germany, Japan. In last two years more than a million home have been lost to foreclosure in US alone and experts believe that another 1.5 million is on the verge of foreclosure. The third world countries have suffered so miserably that it’s becoming difficult for them to come back on its own. The IMF is already lending money to Hungary, Iceland and Pakistan and several other are pleading for aids. World leaders thus need to augment at least $500 billion to IMF. China has offered about $200 billion and one expects similar goodwill gestures from countries with huge reserves, like Japan, Saudi Arabia.
No country, as of now, appears to take over America as the leader of the world economy. But one thing is sure, the ongoing crisis will give rise to a slightly ‘balance’ system with many players coming to foreground. Dollar thus will lose its initial monopolistic credence. Euros and Yen too will grow in value and that will have political implications as well.

Amidst confusion hope still flickers in Singur

As one drives to Singur from Kolkata on NH-2, some old tattered banners and billboards are still seen- “Welcome Tata” and “Give back our Land” both in English and in Bengali. Rather contradictory! But that’s the grim reality surrounding the Nano Project. As one gets close to the original factory site different signboards are found scattered from the ‘Nano Bachao Samiti’ (Save Nano Group) requesting Tata to come back.
Everyone by now knows that about 900 acres of land were given to the Tata Motors for the Nano Project, owned by about 12000 land holders. Roughly 11500 farmers willingly gave their land. Of those who did not accept the money, most are still willing to part with their land for the project and in the interest of the locality. But all they want is proper compensation. Nitya Ananda, one such farmer says, “I want industry. But I don’t want a situation where I have no land, no business, no job….what will I do then.” In fact that was the apprehension that most farmers had. They claim that the land yield three crops every year. 92 year old Gopal Santra, one of the most vocal farmers from the opposing group vehemently says, “Tata came here not for country service. But for business.”
Majority of the villagers are not happy though. Uattarram Patro, who willingly gave his land for the project, says “before the Nano project was announced, one bigha of land cost 15-30 thousand rupees. The government gave us Rs 3 lakh.” Farmers, however, claim that the current value is above Rs 7 lakh. Gopal Santra stresses, “I have two sons and the eldest is 50 yrs old. The money offered to us is nothing compared to the current market value.”
Most of the land owners who gave their land were not directly connected with the land, that is they were engaged in other works for livelihood, like masonry, electrician or had some shops. So besides money from the land, which they could easily invest into business, they also ahd more opportunities since constructions had begun at the factory. Says Vishnoodhar, a local villager who had set up a small tea stall near the site, “when construction was going on I could easily earn Rs 300-400 everyday. Now the whole day’s sale hardly exceeds fifty.”
Robin Palen, a local teacher, explains “if land holders had acted intelligently or they had got proper counsel, free from politics, it could have been a win-win situation for all.” He elucidates that most land that fell under the project were one or two crop land. Moreover, about 500 bighas were fallow. Only a small portion yielded three crops each year. But the region is low lying and hence crops often got washed away. That was the reason villagers could not depend upon agriculture and were most of them were also involved in other professions. “A farmer would at best earn 6-7 thousand rupees from one bigha land”, he further explains, “if they had only deposited Rs 3 lakh, the interest every year would amount to at least 20000.” Besdies one member was getting job and others too could easily earn more rand by engaging in some other profession. But if farmers don’t want to sell their land? He refutes, “Haven’t they been selling their land when some one in the family was sick, or when their daughters got married?”

Robin Palen laments, “We never thought industries would come knocking at our village…We missed a golden opportunity.” Locals, especially those who did not have land there or who willingly gave their land also moan on the ‘golden opportunity’ lost and halted the sudden development that had begun in the region. Doctors from Kolkata had started to visit those villages weekly at company’s expense. Roads leading to neighbouring villages were fast being constructed. Says Rabindra Shah, “Tata had built embankments and canals. Our crop was thus saved from flood this year.” In the neighbouring Joymollah village at Bairaberi the Company gave Rs 4 lakh to buy benches, desks, table, chair, and fans. But on September 23 Tata decided to move out of Bengal and with that all aids too have stopped. Vandana Pakhira, a woman from the neighbouring village, becomes aggressive when approached, “What’s the use talking about it now. Tata has already gone.”

Yes Tata has decided to move out and land had not yet been given back. So what next? Most on the locality still hope that the company will have a rethink and the government would persuade them to come back. And if they don’t, villagers pray that some other company would come as the land is no more suitable for cultivation. Gopal Santra rightly concludes, “We want Tata, but we also want job security.”