How 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Option On Ecommerce Lead To Rise In Consumer Debts?

Consumer credit is rising. Given the enormous liquidity being pumped into the system, consumer credit and debt is headed for disaster.

But it should be highlighted that economic euphoria may be taking over the market right now, driving up demand. However, given the public’s crippled financial capacity owing to pandemic-related health costs or rising crude or gasoline prices, it is reasonable to expect debts to continue to climb indefinitely.

In light of easy credit, the “Buy now, pay later” concept has swept the credit business. While it is undeniable that such choices are rising in favour, several analysts have warned of increased default risks in the future. This is owing to the lack of credit checks and the “opaque” debt reporting mechanism currently being used.

The BNPL system does not scrutinise consumer credit histories. This mechanism can cause lenders to undervalue borrowers’ debt levels when evaluating fresh loan applications. This implies that the system is based on a frail monitoring mechanism that might cause a massive credit bubble. Consumers are also at risk of accruing greater credit card debt. In order to pay off past “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) obligations, a consumer may overspend, resulting in new credit card debt.

The BNPL system is strongly integrated into the economy as BNPL service providers frequently partner with retailers, both online and offline. This allows users to pay in future instalments.

This payment option is gaining appeal among younger investors due to the economy’s flexible lending policy. In response to the growing demand for BNPL services, more businesses have begun offering them.

That digital payment companies like Square are buying Australia’s “buy now pay later” supplier Afterpay for $29 billion shows how popular BNPL services are becoming.

But what will cause future increases in consumer debt? As a first point, the sector’s debt performance reporting is “obscure” and the debt monitoring mechanism is non-existent due to the absence of background credit checks Worse, many of these service providers do not report usage to credit bureaus, thus complicating the matter. Notably, BNPL debt is rarely visible on borrowers’ credit files. Growth in consumer debt can cause havoc on the economy as a result of this.

Desperate to avoid bankruptcy, these organisations providing BNPL services do not evaluate users’ creditworthiness or financial standing.

For big-ticket items like electronics, furniture and appliances, instalment plans or classic “BNPL” services were previously employed just for big-ticket items. This is because the latest “buy now, pay later” programme is aimed at younger, tech-savvy consumers.

More loathsome and uneventful sweets than credit cards and ordinary instalment loans make the whole plan even more nefarious and unpleasant. It has low or no interest rate, no late fee, and huge loan limitations that these technological apps offer as sweeteners. It also doesn’t require any credit checks. Deduced from the foregoing, this is clearly a formula for economic doom.

Also, organisations that provide such services do not have to bear the weight of the consequences. Consumers who don’t read the terms of borrowing could be negatively affected by this plan.

Rescheduling payments or being charged more owing to inadequate information are examples of potential costs. However, such borrowing might lead to an endless debt cycle. Without timely payment, Bnpl users may find themselves in danger. With credit cards and other strange methods of debt financing, many BNPL customers will be forced into a vicious cycle of debt.

Because of the pandemic, online purchasing has increased dramatically, leading to an increase in non-performing loans. Analysts warn that the rise in such services is related to the convenience of application and low cost of borrowing, in addition to lenient credit policies.

Because the system relies on a fragile monitoring mechanism, its failure might imply economic disaster. An economic bubble is becoming more likely as new platforms like Phonepay enter the market. As a result, authorities must take control of the situation. #livehyd #LiveHyd

‍'Yeh Dosti Hun Nahi Chodenge....' - Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri And India-England Test Series

Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri might have more answering to do now that the fifth Test of India’s tour of England has been rendered redundant, and the IPL’s early participation may have been compromised.

After Covid Gaffe on the event of The coach’s book launch, the Team India is drawing comparisons with the Australians from two years ago, when they partied on the England pitch after getting ahead in the Ashes only to have to settle for a humbling draw in the end. After all it is hard to imagine any international sports team with a tour in the balance whose coach decides to launch his book overseas.

Three Tests down after that fateful misadventure at the World Test Championship final, Kohli and his team were yet to establish themselves convincingly as “the team to beat” as the Indian captain declared at Shastri’s book launch.

The eventual result in favour of the visitors on the final day of the fourth Test only reaffirmed that fact, as India had to dig themselves out of a hole and not without substantial help from the wobbly hosts. Few teams could have got a reprieve, let alone a jail-free card, after being twice bowled out for less than 100, had they been playing against a stronger, more consistent team than England.

It is something of a feat that India under Kohli have pulled off what the team under Kapil Dev did, winning two Tests in a series in England. Overall India were favourites but not outright winners, which says something given how low England have been on the Test charts.

The fact remains that the trophy cupboard has been empty since 2013 despite the familiar and repetitive backslapping between coach and captain. No amount of touting wins by the coach (which seems his most effusive role to date) is going to change that. Not unless India have a trump up their sleeve for the Twenty20 World Cup which is expected to be Team Shastri’s last hurrah.

For now all the bluster has led to massive embarrassment and worse, a potential series hanging in the balance, as Shastri and the rest of the support staff remain quarantined because of a positive Covid test which has overshadowed the fourth Test and cast a huge cloud of doubt over the possibility of the fifth.

There have been a fluster of discussions between the ECB and BCCI over the awkward timing of the fifth Test, which now threatens to compromise the IPL interests of the latter, and over the impossibility of moving the IPL back so close to the T20 World Cup.

It was the ECB who came out with the statement first, which might lead to some clarification and correction from the BCCI, who have been opposed to the ECB’s demand that India forfeit the match:

“Following ongoing conversations with the BCCI, the ECB can confirm that the fifth Test between England and India Men due to start today at Emirates Old Trafford will be cancelled. Due to fears of a further increase in the number of COVID cases inside the camp, India are regrettably unable to field a team.”

Reportedly the ECB changed the wording of this statement, adding the word “regrettably”. The mean of forfeiture also disappeared in a matter of minutes from the public eye, suggesting that backdoor negotiations were still happening at the late hour - with India unwilling to cede their advantage and England wanting to hold India accountable.

Rajiv Shukla was first to speak on behalf of the BCCI, to suggest that despite the ECB claiming to release the statement after discussion with the BCCI, “the match was only called off. The match was not forfeited.” That still seems like a bone of contention, with the ECB not alluding to the result since taking the forfeit statement off the table.

It only highlights how the situation has quickly spiralled from a coach’s breach to several considerations about the match to now boards playing tug of war at the negotiating table, undoubtedly with some give and take before deciding what the final result of the series will be.

Once again it will be a game decided by the boards and not by the play on the field, in what should have been a straightforward decision with pre-laid contingencies.

If this was not a bad enough reflection, intentions on all sides were plainly evident as the ECB wanted India to forfeit the match if any of the players tested positive ahead of the Test, while India felt they would rather call off the match (without forfeiture) for fear that positive results here would impact foreign participation and timely preparation for the imminent second leg of the IPL.

It is not an everyday occurrence that on the eve of an important Test match that could possibly decide the series result, that the head coach of the visiting team decides to launch his book.

Ravi Shastri should thank his stars that it was a relatively modest affair. India’s position in the fourth Test looked like it would force Kohli to eat humble pie, before another horrendous England collapse on the final day made India’s win easier.

Flabbergasted was not the word as a muted launch was planned for Ravi Shastri’s book on the eve of the Oval Test, particularly since India had been blowing hot and cold through the first three Tests, coming into the contest with an emphatic win at Lord’s but succumbing to the understaffed hosts almost immediately to even the scales.

One does not have to leaf back very far into history to see that the Indian captain is standing on fragile ground. While his captaincy future might not be in immediate doubt, his words at the end of the World Test Championship have the potential to come back to haunt him.

Having lost rather poorly in the end to a determined New Zealand team in Southampton, Kohli was visibly miffed. In a familiar sermon of heads will roll, he seemed to suggest that there were too many tourists on the trip, and players who lacked intent and had it made it to the team despite his own exhortations for accountability.

It would have been a scathing but true indictment if the captain had been at the helm of more than one shoddy performance without a team of his choice at his disposal.

A disgruntled, not to mention embarrassed Kohli, could not quite mirror the reactions of Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, in defeat. Instead of taking responsibility he virtually threw the team under the bus.

His statements in the immediate aftermath, which included the words, “Bring in the right people who have right mindset to perform,” must now make him look sheepish because by his own batting assessment on the England tour, he cannot be asking much of his team when as captain he has been quite unable to counter England’s charges with the ball.

Meanwhile his counterpart, England captain Joe Root, has been in impeccable form in both victory and defeat.

Contrary to Sourav Ganguly’s recent assertions that India are the better team by a mile, Virat Kohli’s team haven’t shown quite the impetus that should have put them in the driver’s seat much sooner.

Given that their last Test appearance was down under when Ajinkya Rahane led the team in the three remaining Tests to a phenomenal series victory after Kohli’s departure after the first Test in Adelaide (which incidentally India lost) the disgruntlement of a grumpy captain unwilling to accept defeat gracefully became all too apparent.

After all, Kohli and Shastri have had more than just a few run-ins when the Indian selectors were left red-faced, having picked squads for tours while coach and captain made their own calls, sometimes in obvious contradiction of the selectors’ assessment.

To somehow suggest that the team was thrown into disarray after his absence for a few easy riders, when the results were emphatic Down Under is something that will unfortunately go down in the tour diary.

It is true that Shastri took over as head coach at a turbulent time, when he was director of cricket and Duncan Fletcher was not having a good time as India coach.

But the shenanigans that followed in the falling out between Kohli and the subsequent coach he did not want, Anil Kumble, in an unfair one-year tenure for the leg spinner before Shastri’s surprisingly smooth reappointment by the Kapil Dev led Cricket Advisory Committee in 2019, showed that Shastri and Kohli had developed an all too comfortable relationship of bonhomie, allowing one to take a comfortable backseat while the other had unfettered reign, on and off the field.

Accountability too must then come from the top down.

Cricket fans were not willing to look past the obvious. In one of the more prominent instances, cricket aficionados were agreed that Shastri, as coach, should have had a more mentoring hand in how he handled Rishabh Pant.

Pant to his credit bounced back from being initially overlooked for the World Cup, then being asked to unfairly fill big boots in the semifinal. And did so again after being targeted by the coach when the going got tough for India Men, to transform himself into one of the chief architects of India’s success in Australia under Rahane - all under the tender age of 21.

For those who chose to paint lightly India’s victory down under, it could be argued that the challenge for Kohli has been fairly similar to that for Rahane. Although it is hard to fault Kohli who has been a prolific run getter in Test cricket, not to mention a champion for the five day format, his bat has been conspicuously silent when it came to the big hundreds. If intent and performance hold measure, Jimmy Anderson has painted the Indian captain in such humiliating light that it is hard to see how Kohli can lift his own profile without a captain’s knock to his name.

It bears repeating that England’s team is a visibly compromised one. Although they have creditably taken the challenge to their superior visitors, frankly speaking the situation has not changed much before or during the series, where the burden of run-getting remains with their captain, Joe Root, and of the bowling strike on James Anderson.

While others have played support to spoil India’s facile part, India will look back on this series, irrespective of the result of the fifth Test, and wonder why they were so inconsistent for a team that should have had a tighter leash on the game, given the strength in their batting and the genuine talent in their seam bowling, which has also come to their rescue with the bat on more than one occasion in the past year.

Excuses are often made in hindsight. India, who have more recently adopted the policy of next to no tour matches before Test series - call it the bane of the Indian Premier League era, pandemic notwithstanding - are often seen being bloated with praise by the likes of Ravi Shastri when the wins come, or being scathingly cut down by the likes of the coach, who targets one or two players - not unlike his stint in the commentary box where he is likely to return.

Given the imperative for India to re-establish their authority over the game, particularly after the humiliating climbdown from Lord’s and with results swinging wildly through the course of the series, the opportunistic manner of the coach’s book launch unfortunately only shows that Ravi Shastri timed this one wrong, and not for the first time in this rather cosy coach and captain relationship.

Winning for Virat Kohli has become more than a matter of prestige and pride. It is important for the outgoing coach to finish this relationship on a high to secure the captain’s consent in the choice of the next coach. After that acrimonious falling out with Kumble, Kohli too will be under scrutiny.

Shastri’s exit might make life easier for many. After all, it was Shastri who took to social media to lament before the series how Bharat Arun, the bowling coach, had to serve isolation time as per UK health protocols after coming into contact with throwdown specialist-cum-masseur, Dayanand Garani:

“My right hand back in the house. Looking fitter and stronger after being in isolation for 10 days even though testing negative all the way. Bloody frustrating these isolation rules. 2 jabs of the vaccine has to be trusted.”

With a blasé, ignorant attitude like that, coming as it does from the head coach whose vaccination certainly didn’t spare him the embarrassment of covid at an inconvenient juncture putting the team and the series in peril, is it surprising that India find themselves in this late and rather needless off-field turmoil?

Fortunately, the second leg of the truncated Indian Premier League is not too far off, and even with the possibility of prolonged player quarantine as a result of this mishap, all shall soon be a thing of the past. #KhabarLive #hydnews

‍‍‍How 'Female Egg Donors' Dupe IVF Clinics In 'Fertility Fraud' To Make Some Big And Quick Bucks?

Despite the stringent laws and absence of any regulatory authority, thousands of fertility clinics have mushroomed in the country over a period of time.

With infertility rising among couples in India, fertility clinics have become a booming business. Reports say that out of 10 lakh annual In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) cases in the world, 2.5 lakh, which is 25 per cent of the global share, take place only in India.

In the absence of any regulatory authority, thousands of fertility clinics have mushroomed in the country over a period of time. There is no monitoring mechanism in place on their quality of services and treatment which makes stakeholders, especially couples, vulnerable to various types of fraud.
One such fraud is committed by female egg donors where they hide their personal details, religion, and donation status to cheat fertility clinics.  

IVF is a medical procedure in which a female egg and a male sperm are fertilised in a petri dish or outside the female body. After fertilization, it is placed in the female’s womb to grow as a fetus as in the case of a normal pregnancy. 

Couples, where one of the two are infertile due to various reasons, opt for IVF clinics that arrange either female eggs or male sperm depending on the need in the case.    

“If in a couple, the female partner is not able to produce enough or healthy quality eggs, we need female egg donors and if the male is unable to produce good quality sperm, we look for male donors,” Dr Suparna Banerjee, Clinical Director of Ankur Fertility Clinic, Kolkata and Institute of Reproductive Solution, Uttarpara.

“There is always a high demand for female egg donors, especially, in tier II and tier III cities. This is because while a male can give millions of sperms with natural stimulation, females are administered hormonal injections for 10 to 12 days so that they can produce some 10 to 20 eggs,” Dr Banerjee said.
Fertility experts say that a female’s egg quality deteriorates with each donation and good clinics don’t entertain a female donor more than three to four times.

“Though so far as I know, in many developed countries one female donor can donate eggs six times,” Dr Banerjee said.
Also, only healthy young females below the age of 30 years are considered good candidates for egg donation. These issues are governed by guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research as there is no law that regulates IVF procedures in India.

All these factors restrict female donors from egg donation and force them to resort to deceiving tactics. Fertility clinics say that female donors hide their age, religion, times they have donated eggs in the past, and their health status.

“While performing health check-ups we catch them red-handed. Like ultrasound can give us an idea of the history of their egg donations in the past but sometimes they can manage to get away with it,” Dr Saurav Prakash Maity, Gynaecologist and Fertility expert, Rashmika Fertility, Kolkata, said.
Dr Maity added, “We can catch them only when we retrieve poor quality eggs from them. 

These experts say that there is no centralised data of donors in India and each clinic maintains its own records. So clinics cannot crosscheck and donors exploit the situation.

“They even manipulate their age and name by getting fake government IDs like Aadhar Card or Driving license issued. Just recently I caught a lady who came with a different Aadhar card with a different name,” a fertility clinic owner in Delhi said requesting anonymity.  

Dr P Agarwal, MD, Sanjivani Test Tube Baby Centre, Sambalpur, Odisha said, “In places like Odisha where infertility among couples is a big issue, we always face a shortage of female donors and we have to depend on states like Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Mumbai.”
  
Fertility experts say that a female donor earns between Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000 for each donation and normally those who are in need of money come forward for that.    
Experts have differences of opinion on the question of payment as many feel that they are well-compensated while some call it exploitation by the hands of fertility clinics which force women to go for multiple donations and commit fraud. Some experts also say that since there is no regulator, IVF clinics also try and exploit these helpless women by sometimes paying them as minimum as possible. 

The government is in the process of bringing legislation and the current Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Bill is being deliberated upon among stakeholders. Interestingly, the bill says that a woman cannot donate eggs more than once in her lifetime. 
Fertility experts say that this will not only create a huge shortage of donors but increase many types of frauds as well.

“Unless the government maintains a national database of all the donors and gives its access to all the IVF clinics, it is impossible to ensure one donation per female donor in India. It will increase a huge shortage of donors and couples have to pay more also,” the Delhi-based fertility clinics quoted above said. #KhabarLive #hydnews

‍‍'‍Kolam, The Raj Gonds Riddles' Of Andhra Pradesh - A Sheer Reflection On Telangana Languages

“Riddles are probably the oldest extant forms of humour”, says Encyclopaedia Britannica. They are also the vehicles of heritage knowledge for every community. They were in vogue from the earliest literary texts of Vedas.

The following riddle from Rigveda is popularly cited (for ex: by Velaga Venkatappayya in Podupu Kathalu, 2008, p. vii).
Dwaanuparnaa sayujaa rakhaayaa samaanam
Vriksham parisha swajaate yoranyah
Pippalam swaadyatti ankyovashnannabhi baaka reti

Thereafter many Itihasas, Puranas, poetic works, stories, Jain and Buddhist texts and Bible mention the riddles and they are more popular among the rural people. The peoples’ memory is rightly emphasised by Devendra Sathyarthi (in “Indian Children’s Rhymes and Chants”, Modern Review, October – November, 1936, p. 39): “The people were the victims of great catastrophes, but none could kill the children’s indigenous games and home spun songs”.

During the evening times of leisure the village elders, boys and girls gather in the courtyard of a village/street elder and pose riddles to each other to uncover the intended meaning. Not only are they humorous in spelling out rhythmically by expressing the beauty of the language and vocabulary, but also carry the knowledge of their environs indirectly suggesting ‘learn to live’. This way the riddles are not only entertaining but also educative.

One of the most ancient races that have been carrying the heritage of riddles is of Kolams. Renowned anthropologist Professor Haimendorf made the following observations on the Kolams (The Raj Gonds of Andhra Pradesh, pp. 32, 38 & 345-48) — “The population that can best claim the epithet ‘aboriginal’ is the Kolams or Kolavars … several thousand members of the tribe are found scattered over the greater part of the Adilabad district from the uttermost corner of Kinwat to the taluqs of Sirpur and Lakshetipet in the east and south. Most Kolams speak a distinct tribal language, but some groups in the west have exchanged this for Marathi while in the east there are communities of telugised Kolams. In their own language, the Kolams call themselves Kolavar, but in Gondi they are called Pujari, in Telugu Mannevarlu, and in Marathi and in Urdu Kolam. Their tribal language known as Kolami is a Dravidian tongue and belongs, like Gondi, to the intermediate group of Dravidian languages, agreeing in some points with Telugu and in others with Tamil and connected forms of speech. The Kolami spoken in Adilabad is unintelligible to Gonds and judging from my limited word lists it seems, at least in vocabulary, to have closer affinities to Telugu than to Gondi… Those outlying groups who have fallen under the sway of either Marathi or Telugu culture and lost with their language many of their old customs occupy a different position; they are in the process of becoming a Hindu caste, and between them and the Gonds there is no feeling of common tribal tradition”.

His observations made some points clear — one, Kolams are one of the most ancient tribes in South India (across erstwhile Adilabad district in Telangana). This is why the Government of India recognised them as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PvTG). Their population is almost stagnant for the past three decades — 1991 to 2021 — oscillating between 40,000 and 45,000 while the population of all other communities in India are increasing. Two, the Kolams speak a language of their own and it belongs to “intermediate group of Dravidian languages”, like Gondi and Telugu. Linguists starting from Bhadriraju Krishnamurti (Telugu Verbal Bases Comparative and Descriptive Study, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1961, p. 269) recognised Kolami as one among the 11 languages belonging to the Central Dravidian branch of proto Dravidian language. Third, the Kolams living on the borders are losing their language and culture to those of Marathi and Telugu. This is a threat to their ancestral heritage.

Fourth, the Kolam vocabulary is more akin to Telugu than to Gondi. Well-known linguist P. S. Subrahmanyam concludes that the Kolavagotti (language of Kolams as they call it) imbibed many words from Telugu. Therefore it can be presumed that their homeland might be the Telugu land itself (Draavida Bhaashalu, 1977, p. 42 & Kolavagotti, jstor, 1998).

However, other scholars like M. Rama Rao (Temples of Tirumala, Tirupati and Tiruchanur, TTD, 1999, p. 3) trace the roots of Kolams to the down south, i.e. Tirumala Hills called Vengadam in the remote past: “Vengadam was inhabited by an uncivilised tribe of hunters known as the Kalvar. Their chieftain was Pulli, who was a fierce and powerful master. He and his people spoke a language which was different from the language of Tamilaham. The Vengadam hill was known to many poets of the Sangam age as famous for its forests, for its elephants, for its streams and for its drunken bouts”.

It appears to be true, because the word Kalvar is similar to Kolvar; kal meaning offshoot. There are still some villages by name like Kollam Penta and Komman Penta (in Nallamala forests in Nagarkurnool district) that suggest their migration from south to north through the hinterland of Telangana, during the times of far histories.

The word kollam and even kolam also means rangoli. Rangoli is elaborate among the Kolams and festivals can not happen without them. And, kolam was very popular with the people of Indus valley civilizations, some 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. This way the ancestry of the Kolams goes back to proto-historic times and their language stands as a link between the south and north Indian regions.

However, now the two observations of Professor Haimendorf – losing of Kolam language and culture to their associated dominant peoples and its affinity to Telugu – prompt us to study the language of the ancient race of Kolam. As such, five years ago I started encouraging Athram Mothiram to collect folk songs of his own tribe Kolam. Initially he did not find ‘great things’ in the folklore, but as I went on convincing him on the importance of his ‘community memory’ which is entering the endangered zone, he finally utilised an opportunity and recorded the riddles spelt out in leisure time by Kolam students studying classes 3rd to 10th in the Government run residential school in Endha, Utnoor Mandal, Adilabad District, during the closing months of 2019.

Further, few months earlier Athram Mothiram participated in another similar evening session in a Kolam village Choupanguda, Wankidi Mandal in Kumram Bheem Asifabad District with six teenagers and a youngster – Athram Ravi (12), Anasuya (15), Kova Renuka (15), Sidam Kavita (15), Kova Prasad (13), Kova Bheemrao (26) – and recorded the riddles (altogether 112).

The riddles in their language Kolami are labelled sitah and are posed randomly in an enthusiastic flow. Yet, earlier scholars tried to present the riddles in a systematic manner and a scholar on the subject Archer Taylor divided them into five groups – animal related, human related, tree related, things related and non comparable riddles. But a primary study of the riddles of the Kolams leads us to divide them under the following categories:
1. House, food and health related riddles
2. Forest and environment related riddles
3. Agriculture related riddles
4. Culture and education related riddles

Till recent times, the Kolams lived upon food gathering, hunting and a primitive agriculture stage. Therefore, we find more number of their riddles (62) revolving around the things related to the ways of acquiring food in the forested environs (25) and from their primitive cultivation (18). Since they are strong believers in appeasing their deities by playing musical instruments during their fairs and festivals, we come across those things in the riddles (4). Education is a relatively latest addition to the social system and this is also evident in their riddles (3).

The house related riddles are about house plastering, swing, clothesline, door, pot hanging ring, wooden pillar, sweeping, termites, bore pump, lamp, ladder, dog tail, neem fruits, umbrella, andugu tree, oil presser, log and thorns. Food related items include popcorn, spatula, custard apple, tamarind fruit, egg, castor oil, mahua flowers, fire ash, bean support log, stove, cake piece, pan, millstone rawa, bitter gourd, match stick, fire, salt, onion, brinjal, nutmeg and maize. Human related things are shade, spit, nose, cry, leather sandals, old people, kid, comb, navel, eyes, nails, teeth, tattoo and lice. Forest related riddles are about Vemapli tree, Buduma fruits, Morri nuts, Aare leaf, wild bitter gourd and bamboo shoot. Birds like sparrow, gijigaadu and peacock and terrestrial animals like rats, ants, porcupine, boar, scorpion, chameleon, squirrel, fishermen – fish, burrowing quail and partridge appear to be humorous riddles. Environment is reflected through the riddles to unfold the intended meanings of stars, valley, stream, air and moon.

Agricultural equipment is expressed through the riddles on machan, paise, axe, ship, causeway, goad, blacksmith, cart axle. Cattle related riddles include the meanings of cow, cow udder, tail and the crops include millet, sesame, fangs, cotton, groundnuts and maize.

There are riddles that talk about musical instruments like Dol, Kaalikom, Dandaari cap and flag. Book and pen are also dealt in few other riddles. The above words are very close to Telugu vocabulary.
To cite a few riddles: the Kolami riddle “iduput mudipi” can be translated as “idupulo mudi” in Telugu; another Kolami riddle “thutthur thummeng, netthur thothed” can be translated as “thurrmane thummedaku netthuru ledu” in Telugu; the Kolami riddle “sikding ver thod, jinkskung jaaga thod” can be translated as “chikkuduku veru ledu, jinkaku jaaga ledu” in Telugu.

A general observation of the Kolami words let us find them with similar spelling and phonetic sound of the Telugu words. For example: the Kolami word gol is gollu in Telugu; chimni is same in both the languages; neenda in Kolami is needa in Telugu; satri in Kolami is chatri in Telugu; cheeme in Kolami is cheemalu in Telugu; the Kolami word pelaa becomes plural word pelaalu in Telugu. Thus, there are slight differences between the two languages, especially in respect of prepositions and verbs. Most of the Kolami words end with nasal sounds which can not be written so easily.

This appears as one of the reasons for the absence of script for the language.
Several scholars made considerable efforts to understand the language and vocabulary. Emeneau’s classic work (1955) presents a detailed grammar, vocabulary (with cognates for Dravidian words and identification of loans from Indo-Aryan and other sources), a discussion on the relationship of the language with the other ones of the Dravidian family, a chapter on the features of the Adilabad dialect as found in P. Sethumadhava Rao’s work (A Grammar of the Kolami Language, 1950) and a few texts. Other tribal languages Naikdi and even Naiki of Chanda can be considered as dialects of Kolami for all practical purposes, say linguists P. S. Subrahmanyam.

Thus, Kolami is not only related to the Telugu language but also to other tribal languages and carries historical community memory through the folklore like riddles. All the dialects of the language Kolami are on the edge of disappearing now. If their folklore is not studied and recorded, the humankind will lose the much needed diversity. I hope this benign effort will serve the interests of the scholars on the subject to take up further works like this to preserve the endangered community’s heritage memories. #KhabarLive #hydnews 

‍Will ‍BJP Expose Ruling TRS Party Corruption In Telangana?

As a matter of fact, this time any political party will easily grab the power from ruling TRS party with gaining public confidence, solving the much awaited promises and assure the easy life without much hard work. All these BJP can provide in the state if the party becomes Secular and much transparent in terms of getting vote bank in Telangana.

https://youtu.be/W1ybKQKOsVU

Time is running out for the seven-year-long dictatorial rule of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.KCR has played with the lives of students who led the separate statehood movement. He became the CM by playing politics, not leading the movement.

In 2014, on the Floor of Assembly, he vowed to fill 1.07 lakh vacant posts in various departments. In 2017, he announced filling up of over 1.12 lakh posts and promised to issue notifications annually.

However, the number of vacancies in government departments has now piled up to 2.5 lakh. There are many vacant teaching and non-teaching posts in universities even as many government schools have been closed. There has been no instance of filling even one teacher post.

No efforts were made to fill Group-I, junior college, degree college teacher and university teachers posts. In fact, except in the police department, no other vacancy has been filled.The number of districts has been increased, but no effort was made to recruit people needed to administer the districts.

For the post of police constable, PhDs, and those who have done MTech have applied, indicating the desperation of the unemployed. The number of unemployed has shot past the 50 lakh mark if the number of applicants for various posts is any indication.

https://youtu.be/UqgXe-1HHUc

A glance at the Statistics and Programme Implementation Department’s periodic labour force survey statistics or state-wise unemployed data being maintained by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy reveals that the unemployment rate has reached 25 to 33 percent in Telangana. At many places, the unemployed are resorting to suicide.Is this the Bangaru Telangana promised by KCR?

It’s clear that KCR is victimising students who played a crucial role in the Telangana statehood movement.It’s clear that during the past seven years, those who benefited the most are his family members and those nursed by him.Corruption under the KCR regime has reached dizzy heights.

Thousands of crores of corruption is taking place in projects, contracts, construction of projects, sand quarrying, liquor sales and in almost every transaction but nobody raises a voice against KCR.For example, the Kaleswaram project, which was estimated to cost less than Rs 40,000 crore, has been revised to Rs 1.30 lakh-crore. Not surprisingly, the government is accused of swallowing the funds meant for migrant workers.

KCR has shown the door to many leaders – like Ale Narendra, Vijayashanti and now Eatala Rajender – who questioned his activities.His coterie consists of all those who play second fiddle to him. After coming to power for the second time, his ego has become inflated as he feels he cannot be challenged.

KCR went back on his promises like three acres of land to Dalits, construction of 7 lakh 2BHK houses, stipend for unemployed, waiver of crop loans, free KG-to-PG education and construction of a hospital in every constituency.

The Covid second wave exposed the shortcomings of the public health infrastructure. He is also accused of diverting BC, SC and ST Sub-Plan funds to other purposes. Besides misusing Central funds, KCR diverted the funds meant for infrastructure development projects to implement vote bank politics.

The government did not build new projects, but re-designed old ones and inflated the cost many times over to loot public money.KCR claimed credit for implementation of the free vaccination programme, five kg of rice to the migrant workers and old age pension. In fact, the Centre should be given credit for these programmes.

Buying votes by spending crores, bringing MLAs elected on other party tickets into the TRS fold, repressing those who question him are some of the skills nurtured by the CM.The debt burden of the State in 2014 was Rs 60,000 crore and has now risen to Rs 4 lakh-crore.

KCR promised to celebrate September 17 as Telangana Liberation Day, but failed to implement it. Moreover, KCR is in league with communal forces who are heirs to Razakars.

Against the Constitution, he provided 12 percent quota for Muslims. There is no check to the atrocities of the Majlis because of the appeasement politics being practised by KCR.

Majlis leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who opposed triple talaq, is supporting the atrocities perpetrated against women in Afghanistan saying that even more severe atrocities are being perpetrated against women in India.KCR joining hands with people like Owaisi, who wants to see Muslims confined to the Medieval Age to protect his interests, is atrocious.People are realising that the seven year rule of KCR exploited the state.

Cracks are now appearing in the fort of KCR.The people are witnessing the failures of KCR; his popularity graph is on the decline. People have realised that there is no congruence whatsoever between his sayings and doings.

That is why the Praja Sangrama Yatra by BJP Telangana president Bandi Sanjay has received overwhelming support. It shows the fall of KCR is imminent. #KhabarLive #hydnews 

‍‍Parents Rattled Between Govt Orders And Schools For Schools Reopening On September 1, Court Stayed GOs In Telangana

Several schools in Hyderabad have asked parents to sign 'consent forms' that say management takes no responsibility for health of children on reopening from September 1. Now, Telangana High Court stayed the government orders on reopening of schools. This is considered as a major relief to parents and educational institutions in the state.

The “lack of clarity” and “suddenness” with which the Telangana government has ordered the reopening of educational institutes has left parents in the state worried. And this has been exacerbated by ‘consent forms’ from three schools that seek to absolve the management of all responsibility towards children’s health.

After last week’s state government order asking all educational institutions — from kindergarten to post-graduation — to resume physical classes, several schools in Hyderabad sent forms to parents seeking their consent for children returning to schools from 1 September.

However, at least three schools also asked parents to sign a declaration, which states that the school management is not responsible for children’s health or any “untoward incident”.

In a form sent by Sujatha High School, one of the oldest schools in the city, the management asked parents to take responsibility for their child’s health.

They were asked to undersign a statement on the form, accessed by ThePrint, which read: “I declare that I am sending my child to the school at my own risk and responsibility and that I will not hold the school responsible for my child’s health.”

Delhi School of Excellence, which has branches across the city, sent out a similar form in which parents were asked to declare they are “sending their ward to the school willingly and will not hold the school responsible for any untoward incident”.

Another well-known institution in Hyderabad, the Gitanjali Group of Schools also asked the parents to take sole responsibility for their child’s health and asked them not to hold the school accountable in case he or she is infected despite the precautions taken.

“It is impossible to determine who has it and who does not given the current limits in virus testing,” read an internal circular from the school.

All three of these forms, meanwhile, also listed out the precautionary protocols the schools will be taking against Covid to keep the children safe, such as social distancing and mandatory masking.

Ashish Naredi, member of the Hyderabad Schools Parents Association (HSPA) — an independent organisation that mostly includes parents of children who attend private schools — and a parent of a Class 8 student, called the language used in the forms reprehensible.

“Parents and schools are not against each other. What we have to ensure is the safety of the children. The language used by these schools in the consent form is reprehensible. It’s like schools are shrugging off the responsibility of child’s health. How will a parent sign such a declaration form in such times,” Naredi told #KhabarLive.

When #KhabarLive reached Delhi School of Excellence via call and Gitanjali Group of Schools over email for a comment but received no response till the time of publishing of this report. Sujatha High School, meanwhile, declined to comment over a phone call.

No response was received from Hyderabad District Education Officer R. Rohini either, when reached over text message and call, till the publishing of this report.

Parents of school children have also criticised the lack of clarity in the state government order calling for reopening of schools. Unlike other states, the K. Chandrasekhar Rao-led government has not designed a formal modus operandi for the resumption of physical classes.

The Telangana government released a memo on 24 August announcing the reopening of educational institutions. On the same day, in another circular, the government released a list of basic Covid protocols to be followed which included sanitising premises and taking symptomatic children to healthcare centres. No other protocols specific to resumption of schools have been released yet.

According to Seema Agarwal, another member of the HSPA, “No clear instructions are given to the parents. It is left to their whims and fancies on how they want to operate.”

She further noted that a survey conducted among 300 parents of the association, revealed that about 87 per cent of them were not willing to send children to offline classes.

“I am actually surprised how the government just said that all institutions can re-open without listing out some detailed guidelines. I think the first step before calling any child to school is making sure all teachers are vaccinated, at least with first dose,” Naredi said.

Meanwhile, It is known that the Telangana government has decided to reopen schools and colleges in Telangana from tomorrow after a halt for a long time. However, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday ruled that the opening of schools is not mandatory and imposed a week-long stay on the Government Order.

The High Court said that students need not attend classes in any of the public schools or private schools.

The High Court has also ordered that no schools should force the students to come to school and also asserted that the management should not take any undertaking from the parents regarding the Covid-19. The High Court agreed with the petitioner that there is no scientific study to start the schools. It remains to be seen how the government would respond to the High Court order.

The High Court heard the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by private teacher Balakrishna against the direct teaching to pre-primary and primary classes in the schools. The petitioner contended that direct teaching was inappropriate amid the coronavirus third wave thread.

The petitioner alleged that the government has decided to start educational institutions without any scientific study and guidelines. The High Court heard the case on Tuesday and stayed the re-opening the schools.  #KhabarLive #hydnews

‍#Sponsored: Important Tips To Study In Australia

Australia is regarded as one of the most varied and friendliest countries across the globe. With over 1,100 schools and 22,000 courses to select from, Australia offers a varied choice of education possibilities for overseas students.

The Australian Qualifications Framework distinguishes the Australian education system from that of many other countries by providing primary, secondary, and post-secondary education (AQF). The AQF is a national strategy that lays out how qualifications at different levels of education are linked.

International students can pursue education at all levels, from elementary and secondary school to vocational education and training (VET), English language courses and higher education (including universities).
Higher education (universities) and vocational education and training are referred to as 'tertiary education’ in Australia (VET and TAFE colleges). Higher education and VET institutions are governed by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) (https://www.teqsa.gov.au/) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) respectively. These organizations are in charge of institution registration and re-registration, as well as course accreditation and re-accreditation.

Australia's laws support great education and protection for international students, regardless of what you're studying for or how long you're studying. National standards for international education and training providers are set by the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act of 2000 and the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities & Providers of Education & Training to Overseas Students 2007 (National Code).

Before Studying in Australia, there are certain things one should be keeping in mind. Read through the following to explore the necessary steps that may be required before planning to study in Australia. 

You may be enthralled by the prospect of studying in Australia, having heard tales of cute animals, endless beaches and lengthy summers. While Australia has a lot to offer, shifting countries may be difficult. So it's worth planning ahead of time if you're going to be an international student.

There's a lot you should know about studying in Australia before you go. Some things you'll learn when you get there, but here are a few highlights to help you get ready for your new life in Australia.

A visa is required

To study in Australia, international students require a Student Visa (subclass 500). This allows you to study in Australia full-time and is valid for the duration of your program. You must have been accepted into a registered full-time course in Australia to be eligible for this visa.

You might require health insurance 

Unless you are a student from a country where the cost of international healthcare is paid by the government, you will need to purchase Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of your stay in Australia. This is a requirement of the student visa since it helps pay for any medical treatment that may be required during your period of stay.

In addition to meeting the criteria of your visa, OSHC may assist you in obtaining insurance to cover you in the event of an accident or injury.

Make an effort to improve your English skills 

It's always a good idea to brush up on your English abilities so you can keep up with your professors, especially if English isn't your first language. Try watching formal English-language television news and chat shows, reading books, or listening to podcasts (https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/audio-series/podcasts). Learn some Australian slang and have a good time. Even though they all speak English, Australians (or "Aussies" as they are known) have a wide range of terms (and accents).

Your educational institution's grading system may be different 

The grades in Australia are not the same as those in other nations. A first-class mark, for example, could be assessed with an HD (High Distinction) rather than an A or A+. If you're intending on finishing your course in your native country, find out how this may affect your grades.

Consider carefully where in Australia you want to study 

You can choose from a range of destinations for your study abroad vacation to Australia.It might be intriguing for you to study in the UK, but do you prefer to live in the city or on the outskirts of town? Do you want to spend all of your leisure time at the beach (that is something pretty much everywhere in Australia ), or do you prefer to go into "the bush"? Depending on what you study, certain regions may be better for you. Australia is where you’ve got to land.

If you're interested in marine biology, Queensland, which is home to the Great Barrier Reef, might be a suitable fit. If you're a business major, studying in Sydney might be a better option for you. Apart from Sydney, there are numerous possibilities in both large and small places. Consider attending events in Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, or Canberra, to mention a few.

Australia is an expensive country

In comparison to many other nations, you may perceive Australia's cost of living to be quite excessive. It's a good idea to figure out what kind of weekly costs you'll have and how much each one will cost.

To get a student visa, you'll need to show that you can afford a minimum living cost of $19,830 per year, but you might end up spending more, especially if you plan on studying and living in one of the larger cities.

What Does It Cost to Study in Australia?

The cost of studying in Australia is determined by the institution and degree of study that you select. The table below illustrates the range of course expenses for various types of qualifications.

If you think you are ready to bear the expenses of studying abroad, it is suggested that rather than forcing your mind with the mainstream thought to study in the US, it would be far more attractive to be experiencing a whole different sphere of education from Australia.  

However, you might be able to work 

In term time, a student visa allows you to work up to 40 hours per fortnight, excluding any employment required as part of your degree. During the holidays, you can work full-time. However, you will not be able to work in Australia until your studies have commenced.

The public transportation system might be confusing 

Buses, trains, ferries, and trams make up Australia's public transportation system. International students are entitled to discounts on some or all of these in some, but not all, states.

Driving rules vary by state, while most will allow you to drive with a valid international driver's license — again, do your homework before you go. Keep in mind that we drive on the left side of the road in Australia.

The seasons are inverted! 

If you're traveling from a Northern Hemisphere location, such as Europe or the United States, you will notice that the season you left behind has changed. You'll need to pack for the Australian heat as if it was your winter. Furthermore, Australia operates in a separate time zone from the United States, so expect some jet lag when you arrive.

In fact, to experience an all-rounder of seasons and living an educational life amidst the beauty of mother nature, studying abroad in Sweden or Australia would make you a good choice. 

Australia is a hugely diversified country 

Although Australia's population is small in comparison to its size (approximately 23 million people), it is home to over 25% of the world's population. This is one of the reasons why there are a number of languages spoken here. English is the official language and is likely to be the language in which you will be expected to learn. 

Some of the meals may be odd to you 

You might be able to obtain some familiar flavors from home depending on where you study in Australia. Australia has a diverse cuisine scene to go along with its cosmopolitan society.

Kangaroo, lamingtons, Tim Tams, and (if you're feeling daring) Vegemite are all good options for a traditional taste of Australia.

Don't underestimate Australia's size

Australia has a vast landmass of 7.96 million km2. So, unless you have a lot of time and money to spare, it's quite doubtful that you'll be able to see all of our key sights and towns in one trip. Plan the things you truly want to visit and determine if your expectations are reasonable; this will help you avoid disappointment later on. 

If candidates can consider smaller countries like, studying from Hong Kong while reviewing the size and area, studying from Australia would anyday be a winning streak  with the upper hand. 

Knowing what to expect when studying in Australia will help alleviate any concern you may be experiencing about such a significant life decision. There'll be plenty to learn once you arrive, so pack your bags and prepare for education outside your university's walls.

Scholarships 

Many scholarships are available to students of various nationalities, but the requirements of each grant are specified by the institution or organization that is offering it. Applications must be sent directly to the scholarship giver, and you must contact the scholarship provider to find out if you are qualified for a scholarship.

Studying in Australia would be a journey worth experiencing. Once you walk out with that degree from Australia, you would see in yourself a new change, a person with a global outlook and brimming with self confidence. Not just will your life change, studying programmes from universities abroad can change your identity as an individual and shall be touching newer heights. #KhabarLive #hydnews

Extracurricular Activities To Do While Studying Gives Your CV A Great Boost

We intend to study abroad to gain that academic excellence and an edge over the others compared to students back in your own country. However, when you plan to study abroad and then work there, you need to stand out amongst the diversity of international students who already exist there to land that progressive and dream job.

Gaining academic excellence and knowledge should be your ultimate goal while going to study abroad. New language, new friends, new cuisine, new insights, and new learnings come along while learning with other students from diverse cultures. Well, there is something that you should add to your profile seriously while studying abroad consciously. Yes! It involves yourself in extracurricular activities. What does that mean?? Where can I find time for them? What exactly do I need to do? How will it help? Confused? Don't worry; this blog then is just for you. Read till the end to know about extracurricular activities to do while Studying Abroad and why. Get started.

Things to do while studying abroad that can give your CV a boost

We intend to study to gain academic excellence and an edge over the others compared to students back in your own country. 

However, when you plan to study abroad and then work there, you need to stand out amongst the diversity of international students who already exist there to land that progressive and dream job. So only academic achievements may not be enough all the time to make yourself stand out from others. So if you do want your CV to stand out once you graduate from university, get started with some extracurricular activities along with your study right away!

Do we understand that you must be thinking about these extracurricular activities that I need to take up? Well, they can be anything of your interest ranging from things like joining the university sports team, learning a new language, or becoming a peer mentor. It will add to your CV and display your existing skills and interests besides your academic achievements to the recruiter. It makes your personality attractive!

We would sincerely advise every student not to underestimate the importance of extracurricular activities on your CV. There is a lot of competition for picking up that dream job, so anything you can do in your free time that leads to developing new skills will surely help make your CV stand out from the rest! 

We bring you 10 extracurricular activities that you can think about and pick up based on your interest. However, more choices can be vast; take up anything substantial you feel will stand out in your CV!

1. Become a Volunteer

Volunteering is a great extracurricular activity to opt for. It allows you to give back to society and is rewarding as well. It proves to be an excellent addition to your CV that demonstrates to the recruiter that you have a good work ethic and possess good organizational skills, too, as you have juggled between volunteering and studying.

You can find some volunteering opportunities in the locality of your university or where you stay in case off-campus.

2. Join a sports team

Playing a sport is a great extracurricular activity. Playing a sport requires various skills that are recognized and appreciated by a recruiter. Well, you can play any sport, be it football or basketball, join a sports team and play for the team. You can find such opportunities within the university or even in your local area.

3. Join some societies.

Make an attempt to join any society, and it is going to shine on your CV. You can even boast about it to your recruiter, especially if it is a friendly society. You must be thinking, what kind of society should you be joining? Well, it can be related to your degree or future professional aspirations. You can even join a club that teaches you something completely new too! 

4. Be actively involved in events related to your university

Become an active member for all events related to the university. This involvement of your university activities will showcase to the employer that you are social, possess leadership skills, take the initiative, manage time, and be a good communicator. 

5. Part-time job

If you can finish your university or college work well in time and efficiently, then you can consider picking up a part-time job too. This will give definitely give your resume a boost because it showcases your time management and organization skills.

6. Peer mentor

Becoming a peer mentor if helping other students is your calling is a great extracurricular activity to try your hands on. Most of the universities have peer mentoring and tutoring schemes. In this, the second and third-year students support the first-year students to adjust to university life. You could be involved in taking the new students for a campus tour, addressing their queries over an email, and being there as a friend on campus for them.

7. Take up an internship

Internships are a great way to get into the industry's workspace that you will finally work in. It is an experience that teaches you a lot and gives you the practical experience of your theory learned.

Internships are a great extracurricular activity to add to your CV. It is because it shows your natural ambition and passion, as you have worked for free or for a negligible amount during your internship.

8. Get Political

Think what strikes a chord with you. Is it teaching someone free of cost or helping people with mental health issues. Identify the cause dear to your heart and join a political society or campaigning group to work towards that cause. You will surely come out with excellent leadership skills and an excellent addition to your CV.

9. Start your Vlog

Pick up a passion that is close to your heart, and you can start your Vlog on social media. This extracurricular will definitely showcase the commitment and education that you have towards things you enjoy to the recruiter. A great addition to your CV for sure, keeping in mind how the world is moving regarding social media.

10. Launch your podcast

This is also a new innovative extracurricular picking up nowadays. It does not require much, just a microphone, a phone, and an idea to make it unique. Identify your passion and start your own podcast. It's a tremendous extracurricular to add to your CV and implies the excellent communication skills you possess.

You may go to the best university and gain academic excellence, but when you begin to work in the real world, what is also required is a set of skills. Leadership, communication, teamwork, time management, organization are all skill sets that are a must in your workspace. Start early by indulging in various extracurricular activities while you study. Push your limits and explore. At the end of the day, it will add to your CV and help you stand out with employers. 

Remember, extracurricular activities are not only an excellent way to demonstrate your interests and individuality to the recruiters, but it also showcases to them that you have a range of valuable skills that you could apply to the job if selected. #KhabarLive #hydnews 

‍Sudden Surge Of 'Covid Cases' In Hyderabad, All Designated Hospitals Kept On High Alert

As the government opening up all sectors and allowing full freedom to the people to move about and go about their daily lives, several doctors have been expressing concern over the past few weeks that careless behaviour by people could well result in another spurt in cases leading to a third wave of Covid-19 in the state.

As a result, a sudden surge of Covid cases rose by 45 per cent overnight in Hyderabad city and the rest of the GHMC area with the health department saying that on Wednesday, 102 new Covid-19 cases were discovered in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits. On Tuesday, the department reported 70 new cases in GHMC area.

The last time 100 or more cases were reported in Hyderabad was on July 4 this year when 107 cases of Covid-19 were found. With the government eased up all sectors and allowing full openings to the people to move about and go normal lives, doctors expressed concern that careless behaviour by people could result in another spurt in cases leading to a third wave of Covid-19 in the state. And that is happened.

While Wednesday’s steep jump in Covid-19 cases in Hyderabad could be an isolated development, the sudden rise comes barely a week before all educational institutions are set to open fully in the city and the rest of the state. Now, it's a high time to government to take a call on the decision of reopening of schools again.

Meanwhile, the department said that two more people died from Covid-19 in the state taking the death toll so far to 3,864, while the 366 fresh cases on Wednesday took to 6,56,098, the overall cases.

Covid Aug 25 numbers
Fresh cases: 366
Deaths: 2
Tests done: 80,470
Active Cases: 6,295
Total Cases – 6,56,098
Total Deaths – 3,864

Highest New Cases – Name of district with a number of cases:
1. GHMC: 102                       
2. Karimnagar: 34               
3. Medchal Malkajgiri, Warangal Urban: 27      
4. Nalgonda: 24
5: Khammam: 19                

Experts says, this is the indication of third wave arrival in the state. Further, if the delta variant which is again making waves may add flavour to this surge. And seasonal diseases too act as catalysts to this too. The ultimate result of this warning signal have to wait and see. #KhabarLive #hydnews 

‍Covid Scare Still Looms On ‍Parents, Not In Favour Of Sending Children On Reopening Of Schools In Telangana

Though the Telangana government has decided to reopen all educational institutions from September 1, many parents are still not ready to send their children to schools.

Most of the parents, especially those of primary and secondary school students, are not willing to send their wards. They are not ready to take risks as the Covid-19 cases continue and vaccine for children is still not available.

The fear of their children contracting Covid may prompt the majority of parents not to send them for physical classes immediately but wait for a few weeks before making a decision.

The state government on Monday decided to reopen all educational institutions from KG to PG across the state from September 1. The decision was taken by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at a meeting with education minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy and senior officials.

With the health department officials stating in their report that Covid situation in the state is under control, the chief minister announced that all educational institutions including Angandwadis will be reopened.

The officials of the education department told the meeting that due to continued closure of educational institutions, students, especially school children, have come under psychological stress and this may have an impact on their future.

Keeping this in mind and after studying all aspects and after taking views of all, the chief minister decided that all educational institutions should be reopened with precautionary measures.
Some states including Andhra Pradesh have already reopened schools. The neighbouring state reopened schools a week ago.

However, on the day when the Telangana government took the decision to reopen all educational institutions, four students of a government-run school in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district tested positive for Covid-19 in the random sample testing conducted on Monday. Some students of government schools in Guntur and Prakasam districts had also tested positive for Covid after reopening schools in the state on August 16.

The decision of the Telangana government to open all educational institutions has come under criticism from parents. "Instead of opening all institutions in one go, the government should have announced this in phases. Schools above eighth standard should be reopened first and if everything goes fine, physical classes can be resumed for others," said P. Mohan Reddy, whose son is a student of fifth class in a private school in Hyderabad.

The parents recalled that lack of proper planning had led to closure of schools within a few days after reopening in February.

After a gap of nearly 11 months, educational institutions in the state had reopened in February this year. However, due to the surge in Covid-19 cases during the second wave, they were shut down on March 24.

The media reports about experts warning a possible third wave playing up in parents' minds. "The experts have not ruled out a third wave. There were also reports that children may be the worst affected in the third wave. In such a situation, how can we take risks," asked Syed Ashfaq, whose three children are in primary and secondary schools.
While parents agree that continued closure of schools is taking a toll on children's psychological health, they want to wait for some more time to see how the pandemic situation evolves before taking a decision.

"There is still no vaccine for children. If they are fully immunized, parents may be ready to send them but at this juncture not many are willing," said Ayesha Fatima, a teacher at a private school.
She pointed out that when schools had reopened for Class 7 and above in February, the attendance was only 25-30 per cent.

Lack of clarity about online classes has also landed parents in a dilemma. While announcing re-opening of all educational institutions, the government did not clarify if online classes will continue for those students whose parents are not ready to send them for physical classes.
Most of the parents are of the view that the government should continue online classes till the threat of the pandemic is completely eliminated. #KhabarLive #hydnews

‍‍Is 'Third Wave' Of Covid Knocking On The Doors Of Telangana?

The harsh reality is the third wave is ready to knock the doors of Telangana State despite the end declaration of health officials.

The vigilant health machinery in the state seems busy to manipulate the numbers of Covid cases and instructing hospital staff to hide the actual details. And projecting the end of the second wave.

Though it cannot be said with certainty, a check at the ground level indicates that there is a mismatch between the official bulletin issued by the State Government and the situation in Gandhi Hospital and Telangana Institute of Medical Science (TIMS).

Officially the government claims that there are only 494 positive cases, but sources indicate that over 45 Covid cases are being reported every day in Gandhi Hospital.

As of now there are about 400 patients undergoing treatment. Similarly, in TIMS there are 65 patients and another 38 in King Koti hospital. The health bulletin also claims that there are only 76 positive cases in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, but it is learnt that the private diagnostic centres have also reported an increase in positive cases.

Two villages Endapally and Maddutla, located in Velgatoor mandal have imposed certain restrictions on their own to prevent further spread of the virus. When asked about it, the Health authorities say that it is all in the hands of the people.

A third wave can be prevented or restricted if people strictly follow the health protocols. But it is not known if the Health department or the civic bodies were planning to take up any awareness campaign or not. People say that on one hand, the government had imposed restrictions on the number of participants in marriages and funerals but was doing nothing to control the number of people in public functions or even government meetings.

Many people are seen without masks but still no action is taken against them. They also alleged that neither the Health department nor the civic bodies had taken up any campaign on the need to use masks and follow social distancing. Not just that, there are reports in media and social media about the mutation of corona virus but no awareness on such issues is being created. #KhabarLive #hydnews

‍Bad Civic Amenities And ‍Narrow Roads Becomes A Nightmare For Goshamahal Redidents In Hyderabad

Bad civic amenities and narrow roads causing health issues, traffic congestion and many problems in the Goshamahal area in Hyderabad are giving a nightmare to locals and commuters.

The Nizam era roads, drainage system, nalas are still being continued and with no proper development plans for the area residents and especially the traders of Begum Bazar market are facing several difficulties.

The 400-year-old Goshamahal area has many narrow lanes connecting both the old city and the new city areas like Afzalgunj, Darussalam, Nampally, Moazzam Jahi Market, and Bahadurpura. The area is still underdeveloped. Everyday thousands of vehicles pass through Goshamahal and due to the narrow roads, there is a frequent traffic jam.

Speaking to #KhabarLive, Laxminarayan Rathi, a wholesale trader from Begum Bazar said, "Since Nizam period the road has not been widened in the area, though several representations were given to the civic authorities urging them to propose a new road plan for the area till now not even a single road plan has been taken up.

Thousands of people from districts visit the market and all lanes connecting Begum Bazar witness heavy traffic congestion." Many other parts of the Goshamahal constituency are facing the same issue, including Chudi Bazar, Maharajgunj, Siddiamber Bazar, Feelkhana.

Locals have been urging the authorities to take up the expansion of these roads for 30 years and widen the road from single lane to double lane but till now there is no response from the authorities. Moreover, Goshamahal constituency MLA T Raja Singh also demanded the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to release funds for the road development works, if not he said he will stage a dharna at GHMC head office.

Locals are demanding the GHMC to resolve the problems which they have been facing for several years.

A resident of Dhoolpet said, "Once the road is widened, even artisans will have a smooth way to transport idols and the market will have a new look." #KhabarLive #hydnews

‍‍Corona Killed More Than One Lakh in Telangana During 2020, MeeSeva RTI Reveal

The RTI Reveal the real face of the Telangana government on covid deaths counting the data. This reveal by a MeeSeva RTI as the entire data source to the governmental bodies.

A RTI reply from citizen helpline MeeSeva suggests potential Covid death undercounting in Telangana. State doesn’t call it a Covid death if patient has comorbidities. 

Telangana witnessed thousands of ‘excess deaths’ in 2020, as compared to the average annual fatalities in the four preceding pre-pandemic years, state government data obtained through an RTI query suggests.   

‘Excess deaths’ refer to the additional fatalities reported in a certain time period, as compared to the average number of deaths expected in that time based on trends witnessed in earlier years. 

In the context of Covid, excess deaths may convey pandemic fatalities that never made it to official records — for example, those that were categorised with a different cause — or patients of other grievous ailments who could not get requisite medical care as the healthcare system turned its focus to the novel coronavirus.
  
While the Telangana government acknowledges that there has been an increase in deaths in 2020 and 2021, as compared to previous years, it says they are yet to look into the matter since they’re “busy tackling the pandemic”.

According to data sourced by city-based activist Vijay Gopal from  ‘MeeSeva’ — a government-run citizen helpline that helps with issuing/applying for Aadhaar cards, ration cards etc, besides providing copies of birth, death certificates — Telangana witnessed at least 1,20,929 deaths in 2020. 

In comparison, the state of approximately 3.5 crore residents, recorded at least 79,097 deaths in 2019, 62,142 in 2018, 63,900 in 2017, and 48,849 in 2016, the data shows. The average thus derived comes to 63,497/year. 
At least 1,80,437 deaths were recorded between March 2020 and mid-June 2021, the RTI data further states.

However, experts said the actual figures could be different, even higher, because of how MeeSeva records data — the figures here convey the number of people who died in the stated period, but only those whose relatives approached MeeSeva for copies of their death certificates.  

The official Covid death toll for Telangana, which recorded its first case of the disease in March, was 1,544 as of 31 December. The number had risen to 3,831 by 10 August.

Reached for comment, the Telangana government denied undercounting of Covid deaths in the state. Telangana Director of Public Health G. Srinivas Rao said a Covid-infected individual’s death is only categorised as pandemic-related if the patient was otherwise healthy and without comorbidities. 

“There is no issue of underreporting. We report whatever has come to our notice. For any death to be officially counted as a Covid death, the person should not have any comorbidities and must be full healthy (say a 35- or a 45-year-old) and then if they’re infected and unfortunately succumb to the virus – only then we count it as a Covid death,” he said. “If the person is aged and has comorbidities, then we do not really consider it as one.”

Rao said the rise of deaths in 2020 and 2021 has come to the state’s notice but the department is yet to look into the issue since they’re “busy tackling the pandemic”.  

MeeSeva was launched as an online e-governance service in 1999, with one centre, by the then N. Chandrababu Naidu government of united Andhra Pradesh. In 2001, it was launched on a larger scale as a pilot project. 

As of now, there are about 4,500 MeeSeva centres in the state, according to state project manager Narasimha Rao Bajjuri from Telangana’s Electronic Services Delivery department.

A citizen usually obtains original death certificates from their local municipality. MeeSeva comes into the picture when the citizen wants a copy of the certificate for sundry purposes such as bank work etc, Gopal told #KhabarLive. 

This means that the number of deaths, as evidenced by MeeSeva data, just refers to the number of fatalities for which death certificate copies were sought, Gopal said. 

“Every death registered has a ‘unique death certificate number’ and that is the data we sought from MeeSeva via this RTI… It’s like, say, an Aadhaar number. So, all these death certificates issued are unique and there is no repetition of counts,” Gopal told #KhabarLive. 

Among other things, the data also reveals that, in the first six months of 2021, the state had already recorded 80,631 deaths. This is a figure higher than the annual toll of 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Allegations of undercountinting have dogged Telangana’s Covid data since the start of the pandemic.

In April this year, the Telangana High Court, hearing multiple petitions related to Covid, pulled up the state for apparently hiding the real death count and said there should be display boards at crematoria and burial grounds depicting the true picture. 

The same month, a group of doctors, led by Dr Lakshmi Lavanya Alapati, managing director of the American Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology in Hyderabad, wrote to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, urging him to increase testing and issue transparent health bulletins with real cases and death count.
Speaking to #KhabarLive, Alapati said “lapse in death reporting is a shame”. 

“It is a lot in Telangana — deaths are almost 10 times more than what they report as official state count. Even if the government thinks they will lose credibility, it is fine, but what they should do is rewrite the deaths that were not counted before to give us the real picture,” she added. #KhabarLive #hydnews

Dengue, Malaria And Viral Fever Cases Are On Rise In Hyderabad Hospitals

Congenial weather during the ongoing monsoon has started to cause a spurt in cases of dengue and viral fevers in Hyderabad and surrounding districts. Several cases reported in various private hospitals, nursing homes in Hyderabad last one week.

In the last one-week, cases of dengue have started to get reported in private nursing homes, clinics, speciality hospitals and Fever Hospital, Nallakunta in Hyderabad.

A majority of the patients are being presented with high grade fever, body aches, rashes, low back ache, nose bleeding, low platelet count, and quite often a drop in the blood pressure. At Fever Hospital, in the last one week, the authorities have also registered a slight bump in the number of dengue and viral fevers.

“This is the ideal season for mosquito breeding and that’s why cases of dengue and even viral fevers have started to get reported. At present cases are not alarming. However, there are dengue positive patients who are receiving treatment at Fever Hospital and this is the time for the community to take precautions,” says Superintendent, Fever Hospital, Dr K Shankar.

The seasonal diseases expert said that patients and their relatives should understand that platelet transfusion is needed only if the blood platelet count falls below 20,000. Dr Shankar was alluding to instances where every year relatives of dengue patients desperately look for blood platelets for transfusion.

“We have seen that private clinics and nursing homes unnecessarily prescribe blood transfusion even if patient has a platelet count of 80,000 or even 1,00,000. As a result, the families end-up incurring a lot of out of pocket expenditure while procuring platelets,” Dr Shankar said.

The most effective way to prevent dengue is not to allow mosquitoes to breed. Dengue is caused by a virus, which is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Unlike the Culex mosquito, which causes malaria, Aedes is a day time biter and breeds prodigiously in clean water collections like rain water, pools, water collected in tyres, coconut shells etc.

Since Aedes is a day time biter, taking mosquito precautions during nights will not prevent the spread of dengue infection, a major reason why public health care institutions often find it difficult to contain dengue, when compared to malaria.

“Dengue mosquitos bite during day time and people must be cautious. They should observe dry day once a week, preferably Friday and empty all the water collecting points. Individual homes, offices and commercial establishments must remove water from their air-coolers and other small containers at least once a week,” says Director of Public Health, Dr G Srinivas Rao. #KhabarLive #hydnews