2/2014
Cleanliness is Godliness: Building Toilets as against Temples
he last time I went to the Loharu School to attend to their Annual TDay celebrations the leitmotif was that ‘Cleanliness is Godliness’, which was an apt message to convey to the toddlers. But they are not ignorant about it because we Indians are known for being so concerned about our own hygiene. However, where they are at fault is for the sheer negligence and callousness about what happens in our environs. Even if they are taught not to throw out the banana skin from the moving car, they do it, because they see so many of us doing it. Consequently, everywhere www.google.com we see dirt and filth other than people desecrating our surroundings nonchalantly. Perhaps we will see a new thrust in ensuring higher cleanliness in our environs with the new Narendra Modi Government in the saddle for few years, at least. A campaign will be launched on promoting cleanliness and sanitation in our cities. Even the issue of cleaning the Ganga will be taken to higher action levels, which is witnessed by the www.google.com appointment of Uma Bharati as a Cabinet Minister for Water Resources and cleaning the Ganga. Reportedly, over M20,000 crores have been spent to clean the Ganga, but the money has flown down to the Bay of Bengal where Ganga ends. www.google.com Cleanliness can be best promoted by people’s involvement and participation. One way is by naming and shaming the miscreants. At a village near Bhopal, the people put up a hoarding showing people and dogs crapping together on the roads. The hoarding was pulled down after much protest as many felt offended to be compared to dogs, but the impact was felt and people started behaving better. In Delhi, I have seen posters on noise pollution showing that if dogs don’t bark unless provoked, why do drivers blow their horns unnecessarily. These posters have not met with any criticism but the message has hardly gone home. Surprisingly, even in
Business Standard poor countries that I have travelled to, people do not use horns unless absolutely required. In Jaipur, drivers are so callous that they keep their fingers pressed on their horns for long as if it is their birthright. There is just no education or peer pressure on them to desist from such awful activities. Alas! Our villages and city slums do not have public toilets and people defecate on the roads or public grounds. In the villages, more than half the population go to the fields for defecation. But there are temples dotting round all over our country and new I N S I D E ones being built every day. No wonder the former Rural Development Minister, Jairam Ramesh and even Narendra Modi has said that we build more temples than toilets. How many of our philanthropists donate for building toilets; they are more than willing Portrait of Modern Britain ! to donate to build temples. Another act of shaming or embarrassing people peeing on the roads is being handled Trial of Man-made Blood ! very cleverly. In some cities, water tankers have been equipped with water cannons and they use them on people who are found pissing on roads, as they do to control Cellphones to Exceed People ! protesting crowds.
! ‘Trust’ in Health
! Metro Updates Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General Miscellany
Portrait of Modern Britain The food puree is injected into the In the year 1985, the level of water Indians in the UK are the most printer as “ink”, and out comes the final started increasing and the place started prosperous among all minority groups, product. The printer is controlled by a sinking and by 1993, the city sank about according to a new report called the software that determines the shape and 10 metres below water. After 25 years, ‘Portrait of a Modern Britain’. Almost all you can set the shape to match the food. the city again started coming on the other minority groups have In an another development, a surface. Presently, there are no people unemployment rates that are double designer has created a jelly-fish like, living and it is deserted. (DB, 24.05.14) than the national average. tasteless edible water, the “Ooho Water”. The ‘Portrait of Modern Britain’ has “Ooho” harnesses a technique called Mobiles Revolutionise Reading revealed that almost one in three people sphereification, which encircles the water United Nations Education Scientific in Britain will be from an ethnic minority in a membrane of algae. It is an innovative and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) by 2050. Non-white people will make packaging that proposes an alternative is pointing to a “mobile reading up between 20 to 30 percent of the to the plastic bottles. revolution” in developing countries, after population by 2050. (The Wire, 29.05.14 & DesignBoom, 18.05.14) a year long study found that adults and The report reveals that while the face children are increasingly reading multiple of Britain is becoming multi-racial, people ICU under Your Roof books and stories on their mobiles. from ethnic minorities have a stronger As a part of the new healthcare Nearly 5,000 people in seven association with being British than the concept, a room at home can now be countries – Ethopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, whites. (ToI, 07.05.14) converted into a dedicated and fully Nigeria, Pakistan and Zimbabwe – took part in the research, the largest study of Banking on the Wife its kind to date, which found that 62 Bhartiya Mahila Bank, India’s first percent of the respondents were reading women-focused bank, is flooded with more on their mobile phones. requests for loans, since its launch a few The key conclusion from the study months ago. Ironically, however, very few was that “mobile devices can help people of the loan seekers are women. develop, sustain and enhance their The bank has been receiving several literacy skills”. (TH, 25.04.14) calls from men asking for loans for their wives and when the bank staff asks them Action Movies Bad for Heart? what they will do with the money, the A study from University College stock answer is, “She will do something, London and Guy’s and St. Thomas’s we have not decided yet. You give the functional Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It Hospital suggests those with weakened loan first”. can also perform dialysis and hearts could be negatively affected by Naturally, the bank staff is spending chemotherapy for cancer patients. watching a stressful film. a good part of its time explaining to the After foraying into Delhi and Researchers found that the blood customers that a women’s bank does not Chandigarh, Health Care at Home pressure increased, the pace of breathing mean interest free loans or loans without (HCAH), a UK based healthcare firm, has became faster and the heart’s natural purpose. (BS, 22.04.14) come up with the new facility that offers rhythm began to shift during viewing of healthcare services at your doorsteps. a clip from 2000 action thriller ‘Vertical Printed Food and Edible Water For this, a team of HCAH will contact Limit’ depicting a shocking rock climbing In Germany, companies are doing a patient’s doctor and provide adequate accident. some incredible things with 3D printing. treatment needed for him at home. If They are using it to make food. One of required, it can also set up an ICU within the more successful projects is ‘Biozoon’s six hours at home for serious patients. (DNA, 10.06.14)
City under Water for 25 years In 1920, a tourist village named Villa Epequen was established in Argentina on the banks of the Villa Epeqen Lake. After Dead Sea, maximum salt was found The study saw 19 people monitored in this lake. It was almost 10 times more via electrodes detecting activity in the than the other lakes. In the beginning of ventricles of the heart. It is believed to the 19th Century, people started settling be the first recorded instance of in this city and soon it became a biological effects of mental and emotional Smoothfood’, which was developed to favourite tourist destination. stress on healthy conscious patients. print food for senior citizens having need By the year 1960, the number of The changes in the heart pattern are for such food. Smoothfood creates melt- tourists reached 25,000, in a year. There linked to the autonomic nervous system, in-your-mouth food from fresh were more than 300 hotels, spas and which operates below the level of ingredients using a 3D printer. museums in the city. consciousness. (TH, 18.05.14)
2 Miscellany
Trial of Man-made Blood get washed away during monsoon due world by entrance doors 40 cm thick. Artificial blood created from stem to river’s flooding. For a pleasant working environment, the cells could be tested on the Britons (Indo Asian News Service, 20.04.14) data centre has simulated daylight, within two years. The scientists believe greenhouses, waterfalls and a huge it will transform transfusions by A Big Step of Apple on Earth’s Day 2600-litre salt water fish tank. preventing hospital shortages and save Apple Inc. has announced that it (DB, 15.04.14) thousands of lives on battlefields and at would allow the customers to recycle the scene of car crashes. iPhones and iPads with the company and Cellphones to Exceed People The ‘holy grail’ of blood research, the receive gift cards in exchange. By early 2015, there will be more man-made blood would be free of Previously, iPhone trade-ins would cellphones than the world’s population, infections that have lighted natural only get a credit on a new iPhone – that said Swedish technology giant ‘Ericsson’. supplies and could be given to almost was no longer the case. Simply going According to the report, of the 6.8 everyone regardless of blood group. online and answering to questions about billion global mobile subscriptions, in the The hope comes from Edinburgh and the device and Apple will send the first quarter of 2014, 790 million were Bristol University researchers who have, customer a shipping label and packaging in India. for the first time, made thousands of materials. millions of red blood cells from stem Once the company receives the cells – ‘master cells’ seen as a repair device it will release gift cards to the kit for the body – taken from bone customers within a month. If the device marrow. is too old to trade-in, one can simply go It is predicted that in two to three to the closest Apple store and the years, they will be ready to inject a company will recycle him a device free teaspoon of man-made blood into of charge. healthy volunteers, in the first British Moreover, the company also plans to trial of blood from stem cells. allow customers to recycle other (FT, 15.04.14 & Mail Online, 26.06.14) companies’ products for free on a couple The global figures included the of occasions in the current year. addition of 120 million new subscriptions Bridge Use Barred (RP, 23,04.14) during the first quarter: India led the Residents of a village in Bihar’s global growth with 28 million new Darbhanga constituency have barred Data Centre Nuclear Bunker subscriptions, during this period. representatives from using a bridge they A Data Centre built in cold war era The report projects mobile Nuclear Bunker located in Stockholm, subscriptions will hit 7 billion by the end the ISP Bahnhof gained notoriety when of 2014 and overtake the world’s it hosted WikiLeaks’ sensitive materials. population of 7.2 billion in early 2015. Built into the Pionen Mountains, the (HT, 04.06.14) Centre took two years to retrofit the caves with enough space for their server Health Horoscope racks and backup generators. Marriage in India is often based on This underground data centre has matching of astrological horoscope greenhouses, waterfalls, German (Janam Kundli) before deciding on the life submarine engines, simulated daylight partner. and can withstand a hit from a hydrogen However, in order to build a built with their own donations. bomb. It is a newly opened high-security relationship on the foundation of good Villagers of Kamalpur Brahmtar Ghat, a data centre run by one of Sweden’s health for the would-be-couples and village, under the Pirri panchayat block largest Internet Service Provider (ISPs). their future generation, Health Minister, in Darbhanga, have announced a boycott This was located in an old nuclear Rajendra Rathore, Rajasthan, has of Lok Sabha polls for failure of the bunker, deep below the bedrock of advocated for ‘Health Horoscope’. people’s representatives to fulfill their Stockholm city and sealed off from the According to Rathore, before demand for a concrete bridge, over the marriage, the girl and boy should make Kamla river. a ‘Health Kundli’ after undergoing blood According to a villager, the bridge tests as it would give information was open for public, but not to the regarding diseases like Hepatitis B, C and politicians. In the last five months, not a HIV too. single legislator has dared to cross the People do not pay attention to bridge. medical tests before marriage. But such The bridge has provided connectivity test is really important for healthy life to dozens of nearby villages also. Earlier, after marriage, pointed another health the villagers used to travel across the expert. (ToI, 12.05.14) river through a bridge, which used to
3 Briefs
In an another Health Ministry’s ‘MyCity’ for Local Self Governance move a separate emergency medical o engage the citizens in urban local governance, community meetings unit will be set up in all government- Tand interface meetings are being organised, under the MyCity Project, a run hospitals attached to medical CUTS endeavour for improving the quality of Urban Service Delivery in colleges to strengthen the emergency Jaipur. To review the progress of MyCity Phase II Project, Mandakini Devasher services in the state. Surie, Senior Programme Officer, The Asia Foundation, New Delhi, visited (ToI, 05.06.14 & 03.06.14) CUTS on April 24, 2014 to discuss the ongoing activities of MyCity Project. Mandakini also took part in a community meeting organised by the Road Safety and Traffic Control Maulik Foundation at Ward 64. She along with the Project team visited The civic bodies and traffic Jaipur City Mayor, Jyoti Khandelwal to discuss the issues related to local department have decided to install self-governance, under the Project. The Mayor appreciated the efforts made, traffic signals at 58 places at a cost of under the Project to engage citizens in the urban area. She mentioned that M9.91 crore. A high number of CUTS’ focused approach in selected wards of Jaipur city is helping in raising general awareness about civic issues in public.
Marriage Gardens Demolished ‘Trust’ in Health Jaipur Development Authority The Chairman of Tata Trusts, Ratan (JDA) had demolished two allegedly Tata has expressed his interest in illegal marriage gardens operating collaborating with the State from the premises of Rambagh Palace Government to work on social issues Hotel. More than the demolition, the with specific focus on health. Tata swiftness with which the civic body asserted that his trust is willing to vehicles plying on city roads has acted against the private operators enhance people’s standards’ of living necessitated the need for installation – in less than two hours after their in the state. of traffic lights at these spots. appeals were turned down by a With the number of vehicles tribunal – later raised several registering a growth of 8.96 percent eyebrows on the authorities’ action. in the past one year, a proper traffic The gardens were issued notices management plan is required for the for failing to provide parking facilities city. inside the hotel premises that The Rajasthan Police Academy ultimately caused traffic jams on the (RPA) is conducting a three-day roads. Moreover, the hotels did not refresher course for traffic police take the Jaipur Municipal personnel on prevention of road Corporation’s (JMC) permission to run accidents and traffic management. The the marriage gardens. police will not only examine the However, later the Rajasthan High According to Rajendra Rathore, causes of accidents but will also Court granted the permission to the next step will be to chalk out a analyse the technical aspects of the organise celebrations and strategy to initiate welfare road accidents, construction of the Ceremonies on the premises. The programmes. Rajasthan having one of road, the turns, geographical position court also directed the hotel officials the highest maternal and mortality of the crossings. that no vehicle should be parked on rate and infant mortality rate in the (ToI, 21.05.14 & HT, 06.05.14) the service lane and the roads that country. Tata desired to make blocks the traffic. Rajasthan a model state in ‘mother M (ToI, 22.05.14 & DNA, 31.05.14) and child health’ care. Security @ 1 To control the increasing crimes in the state, the city police has New Government to Check Inflation better in future. Women, especially the Families of the middle income housewives, were also vocal on the planned a ‘Community Policing’ group adopted a different take in rising prices and said the sky- scheme. This is a public participation showing their resentment over price rocketing prices have brought them programme involving Municipal rise of commodities in the last 10 to the polling booths. years. Prices of essential If the Government is changed in commodities have risen sky high in Delhi, it would certainly bring some the past 10 years. changes in the lives of the middle People have voted for change class, according to a respondent. with a hope that things would be (ToI, 18.04.14)
Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other. “Oscar Ameringer, “the Mark Twain of American Socialism”.
4 Briefs
Corporation, traffic department Self Service System and officials of the other Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) as departments also. Until now the the country’s largest state owned oil police has advised the people in a retailer, IOC, has just thrown open few selected areas to keep a India first self-service system at watchman for every lane, at the Bais Godam in Jaipur. This concept, rate of M30 in a month. which is almost de rigeur in many For the security of women, an countries across the world eliminates electronic personal safety system the need for an attendant to fill fuel these dishonest attendants fill lesser fuel (EPSS) has been introduced, on a into a customer’s car. than billed for, thus blatantly cheating single button press of which the Many a times, petrol pump the customer. police can reach to the person attendants operate in teams of two, a This menace will also come to an seeking help. This safety device has person who dispenses fuel and end once the customer is able to fill fuel to be registered in the police another who collects money to her/himself through self service system. control room. distract the customer getting the fuel On the whole, this new initiative by IOC (RP, 21.04.14 & DB, 10.04.14) filled. By employing distraction tactics, is indeed a laudable one. (DB, 18.06.14)
Metro Updates
Commercial Operations from August Jaipur Metro would most likely start its commercial operations in the Pink City by the end of August in 2014, according to official sources. The trial run of Jaipur Metro will most probably begin in July on its first-phase route from Mansarovar to Chandpole, which is 10kms, and the commercial operations for commuters by the end of August, Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) Chief Managing Director N C Goyal said. After receiving JMRC’s completion report on the first phase and plan for trial run and commercial operation, the Commissioner of Metro Railway of understanding (MoU) for the joint venture is expected Safety will soon issue clearance in view of the to be shelved. metro’s speed certificate, he said, adding it might A senior official source said, “The total project cost for take 15 to 30 days for Commissioner of Metro Phase-I is M3,149 crore. The previous State Government Rail Safety (CMRS’s) approval. (ToI, 13.05.14) had sanctioned M1,802. Recently, the BJP-led Government, too, has sanctioned M500 crore for the same. M969 Crore ADB Funding The Central Government had sanctioned M627 crore The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will for the project. Moreover, the Asian Development Bank provide $176mn (M969-crore) loan to construct (ADB) had recently given in principle approval to provide Jaipur Metro’s phase-I (B) Project proposed from a loan of M969 crore. The bank is willing to release the Badi Chaupar to Chandpole area and an funds but it is held by the lack of progress in the project. agreement was signed by the State Government (ToI, 01.04.14) along with the Centre and Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) with the bank in New Delhi. Mess with the Metro N C Goel said, “It’s a very positive sign for the Any misunderstanding in the Jaipur Metro has results state. The project cost of the proposed ranging from fines to life imprisonment and even capital underground metro corridor (phase-1, B) is punishment depending on the gravity of the particular M1,126 crore. The deal will give financial backing offence. to the Project and work can be done at rapid JMRC released a list of offences and penalties, under pace”. (ToI, 30.05.14) the Metro Railway (Operation and Maintainence) Act 2002. There are 22 such clauses, which could put you into trouble Centre’s Assistance Not Required for causing offense while travelling by the Metro. The State Government might not take the Even for unlawfully entering or remaining in the train financial assistance of Central Government for the even when requested to leave, there is a provision of Jaipur Metro Phase-I project. With this the decision imprisonment for up to three months or fine up to M250 of the previous Government to sign memorandum or both. (ToI, 09.06.14)
5 Opinion Night Bazaar and Night Tourism: New Identity of the City
ounded way back in the year 1727 by Maharaja Sawai According to Arun Tyagi, Vice President, Rajasthan FJai Singh-II, Jaipur has grown by leaps and bounds since Tourism Guide Association, night bazaar should be started and is the home to more than 5 million residents at present. keeping into consideration the needs and convenience of The ‘Pink City’ edging to become a metropolitan also takes the tourists and the local people. There should be adequate pride of being perhaps the first ever planned city of India. security, cleanliness, parking space and light facilities. Its huge palatial buildings, palaces and wonderful Karan Singh Kachhawa, General Secretary, Jaipur architecture add much to its glory. Working Guide Association pointed out that night bazaar The emerging ‘new’ Jaipur is an exclusive city – vibrant, is the need of the hour and it should be developed in a with booming markets, food joints, religious places, malls way, which can provide the visitors healthy recreation along and multiplexes. The upcoming concept of night bazaar/ with the glimpses of rich Rajasthani art and culture. night tourism will make it more distinct. Jaipur has a vibrant Assistant Sales Manager, Sumit Katiyaar of Hotel and unique nightlife, which is worth experiencing. As the ‘Country Inn’ recommended that open areas can be suitable city goes into the lap of darkness, the streets start to glow for night bazaar and keeping the aspirations of the middle with the lights and the activities assume a different flow. classs into consideration there should be handicraft items, Night tourism can not only open ample tourist music food courts etc. opportunities but also provide employment prospects to Seena Sethi, National Convener of Confederation of the people. Moreover, it can solve the problem of excessive All India Traders (CAIT) Women Entrepreneurs’ traffic and parking as this will distribute the load of traffic Organisation, night bazaar should offer recreational avenues on the roads. Quite often, the tourists coming to the pink like cultural programmes, classical music, dramas along city have to go disheartened as there are no alternatives with stalls of delicious food. Dusherra Ground in Adarsh for visiting and entertainment during the late evening hours. Nagar can be a good place for the same. Besides, the extreme hot climate restricts the tourists to However, to implement the concept of night bazaar/ visit the heritage city but the idea of ‘night bazaar/tourism’ tourism an extensive survey of the various places that can can give a new identity to the city. If night bazaar gets be ideal venues for night bazaar should be done. The encouragement then automatically ‘Night Tourism’ will also concept also demands effective advertising and marketing. be boosted. Markets all over the city, particularly the walled Besides, it also requires strong will of the Government, city are fascinating, colourful places and provide a great adequate security measures and of course a well organised sense of nearly every aspect of the culture, whether it be plan. the degree of religious devotion, the styles of dress and Giving shape to the city’s dreams, Vasundhra Raje has adornment or the gastronomical delight. recently inaugurated the Barkat Nagar- Adarsh Bazaar (ideal Earlier, in 2005, during the previous tenure of market), which is being developed as the ‘second pink city’. Vasundhra Raje as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan also on She assured that the Government will leave no stone the occasion of Rajasthan Diwas, a 10 day night bazaar was unturned in making a new Rajasthan in the next five years. organised, which got a good response but had some The Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) has already spent shortcomings as well. Some of the eminent politicians and M2.5 crores on colouring the market pink, constructing industrialists provided their valuable suggestions on the drains, footpaths, roads and other development works. theme of night bazaar/tourism. Thus Night Tourism can turn out to be a marvellous Narpat Singh Rajvi, Legislator, Vidyadhar Nagar, opined theme, which will credibly add more charm to the that night tourism can be started in the walled city keeping fascinating city and can turn it into a favourite tourist in mind the city’s rich heritage and economic feasibility. destination.
Sources: BS: Business Standard; DB: Dainik Bhaskar; DNA: Daily News Analysis; FT: Financial Times; HT: Hindustan Times; RP: Rajasthan Patrika; TH: ;The Hindu; ToI: Times of India
CityMatters is a quarterly newsletter published by Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS), D-217, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park, Jaipur 302016, India, Phone: 91.141.2282821, Fax: 91.141.2282485 Email: [email protected], Web site: www.cuts-international.org, and printed by Jaipur Printers P. Ltd., Jaipur, India. CUTS offices also at Kolkata, Chittorgarh and New Delhi (India); Lusaka (Zambia); Nairobi (Kenya); Accra (Ghana); Hanoi (Vietnam); and Geneva (Switzerland).