Cracking the whip on errant policemen, Dehardun Police have decided to adopt a novel method of punishment in which they will spend a day in forest all alone with the bare minimum for survival. Police personnel, found guilty of dereliction of duty or misbehaving with public will spend a day in the forest all alone with the bare minimum for survival, SSP Keval Khurana said.
“The novel method has been devised to sensitise and discipline the police force in the city,” Khurana said. The move follows frequent complaints about policemen misbehaving with people who approach them for help, he said. Personnel attached to the police lines as a punishment for dereliction of duty or misbehaving with the public will be given 15 days’ time to mend their ways, failing which they will be sent to the jungle to spend 24 hours in solitude, with bare necessities to support them, like uncooked rice, pulses and two water bottles, Khurana said.
However, this punishment will be imposed on errant policemen only if they fail to show any improvement during the 15-day period, during which they will be given a heavy dose of training aimed to reform them, the SSP said. The first ever 15-day training for policemen against whom complaints of improper behaviour have been received began on Friday, he said.
The training involves night march by errant policemen on foot to Sahaspur and Doiwala in full uniform with a rifle hanging from the shoulder. They will also be imparted training on how to behave properly with people during the period, the officer said.
According to Hindu mythology, Cauvery, the daughter of Lord Vishnu, craved to serve humanity, but for the longest time, was confined to a “Kamandala” by her possessive husband Sage Agasthya. A subtle knocking over of the Kamandala by the deft Lord Ganesha set the boundless river free; she is said to have flowed happily through forests, grasslands, fields and towns, bringing life, prosperity and wellbeing to millions in Karnataka.
The cascading river today is bound, caught and piped over 100 kms with a 500 mt negative slant to single-handedly quench the thirst of a growing, ambitious city of 8.1 million people – 958 million liters of her water every day. The lone Goddess of Bangalore’s water supply probably feels differently about community service now.
Thirsty Bangalore city needs 1.3 billion litres of water everyday. We get 958 million litres from hallowed Cauvery, 46% of which is wasted due to leaks in the old, rusty pipeline infrastructure, transmission losses and pilferage, which means that the bountiful river meets the water needs of less than half of the city. The rest comes from borewells, 2 lakh of them, that are alarmingly depleting ground water levels, doing very little to recharge supply.
Our sewage water, 1.1 billion liters of it everyday, less than 40% of it treated, flows out of the city as a gift to the outskirts, and comes back to us in our water, soil and food.
Historical water sources for Bangalore city, its 262 lakes, are now reduced to just 33 being even visible through satellite imagery. And the famed tanks that were the hallmark of the city’s ingenuity in water planning? Dharamambudhi tank is now the Bangalore city bus stand, the Challaghatta Tank is the KGA Golf Course, the Koramangala Tank is a sports complex, the Sampige Tank is a stadium.
We are sitting on top of a ticking time bomb. All scientific predictions are firm that if this season does not see abundant rainfall, all taps are going to run dry by April 2013, not just in Bangalore, but in many growing cities in India. And summer is just around the corner. While the BWSSB engineers go hunting with to pipe the next willing river, now is a good time to talk about saving every drop while we can.
'Catch Every Drop' is the beginning of a movement aimed at sustainable water conservation, harvesting and recharge in and by Bangalore city.
Stay with us over the next six weeks to:
• Adopt water conservation practices as individuals – what each one of us can do to conserve water and use it smartly – be it in our homes, offices, public spaces, malls or while travelling.
• Get aware, plan and implement water harvesting in our communities – how can we as apartments, communities, corporate, campuses, schools and colleges leverage every inch of open space available for rain water harvesting and ground water recharge
• Find ways and means to implement waste water recycling – to create a self-sustaining system that can move us to off-the-grid on water
• Get involved in restoring the city’s blue glory – lakes and tanks - that are thriving centers of urban ecological diversity, means to increase the water table, lung spaces for communities and precious catchment areas for water.
We have, coming up:
- Ideas and stories about what people have done in their homes and outside to reduce and optimize use of water
- Best practices and case studies on rain water harvesting implementation in communities, businesses and institutions
- Cool gadgets, tools and measures to quantify water consumption
- All the buzz around lakes and tanks in Bangalore
- Contests, videos, infographics, DIY sessions and much much more.
In 1995, the World Bank Vice President, Ismail Serageldin, said, “the wars of the next century will be fought over water.” It is time to prepare the ammunition.
'Catch Every Drop' is a campaign on sustainable water conservation by Mahita Vision partnered with India Water Portal and Biome Environmental Solutions.
Got something to say about water? Write to us with your stories, ideas and questions at mahitavision@gmail.com
Seventy kms. from Bangalore, Antharagange makes for a quick adventure getaway and a glimpse into the former glory of the Kolar gold mines under the starry sky.
“Ecstasy – the feeling one salvages, when an act of laziness unfolds into a melodramatic experience.”
I was in for such an experience, when my lazy attempt to photograph stars on a cloudy night, turned into a string of events that looped me into the past. My destination was Antharagange, near Kolar. Situated around 70 Kms from Bangalore, it can be an ideal getaway for a day’s ride.
Antharagange is famous for the temple situated in the mountains, which literally means “Ganges from the deep”. Also the temple houses a pond that gets continuous flow of water from the mouth of Basava (bull idol). The temple can be easily reached by a fleet of stone steps. The view from the top of the mountain is majestic and is always a trekker’s delight. One can either trek through the rocky terrain exploring caves on the way or easily reach the top by a motorable road.
Antharagange, usually portrayed as an adventure spot on the Internet and by various sporting groups was about to throw a surprise for me. I had planned to visit the place during night time. As I reached there, the sun was colouring the sky with its last shades of orange and the crowded pilgrim / tourist spot was getting deserted. The mountainous landscape peppered with boulders was getting lost in the darkness.
A little tip from a local helped me find the road to the top of the mountains. Soon, I was passing by villages, dilapidated buildings, mud walled huts and a mosque before the tarmac ended bluntly. I was amidst hillocks covered with volcanic rocks and an uninteresting landscape that would set up for a dull scene.
On my way back, I found a rusted iron mast among precariously perched rocks overlooking the town below. Instantly I knew it was not to be missed. With a sudden surge of enthusiasm, I set up my gear on one of the larger boulders. But the clouds played the spoilsport, covering up the night sky along with my sprouting zeal for star photography.
Hovering on the unfortunate turn of events, I lurked to the edge of the rock staring blindly at the infinite horizon. Minutes passed, before my eyes could shift the focus from the horizon to the town below. A brush of cold wave brings me back to my senses.
Suddenly the placed that showed any hint of excitement started to light up. As the street lights sparkled to life at the town below, I realize that I am at the perfect viewpoint that the place could offer. A haze of gold brightens the horizon and the twinkling yellow spots illuminate the whole place like an ornament bejewelled with precious stones. It brings an unsolicited smile on my face as my thoughts race back in time. The sight makes me wonder if the shut down gold fields of Kolar come up to life at night. It bewitches my mind and takes me on a journey into the past.
I see before me a town that had prospered in the past and the magnificence when the mines were in their heydays, when Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) was regarded as the largest gold production centre in Asia. The days when the mines attracted workers from all parts of the country.
I could not stop myself from visualizing the town buzzing with activity and had prosperity as its only face. The centuries that have passed, when a battle was fought more than once to lay hands on the reserves. The days when the precious metal was purified by blood and sweat. The times of despair and suffering that followed as epidemics spread through the town and the last the days of redemption that put an end to all the glory and despair as the mining came to a halt. With over a decade after the operations ceased, I see a town revelling in its past with its glory fading in the present.
Forgotten will be the land and its history over the next few decades. Buried will be all its glory along with it. The thought of it sends a shiver down the spine and breaks me from the spell. With little time left, I click some quick snaps and pack up with my thoughts still lingering over.
I wish that someday, the land of fading glory will bloom again with its deep held secrets to marvel and mesmerize generations forever.
QUICK TIPS:
- Kolar is an hour’s drive from Bangalore (70 Km apprx.)
- Head left from Pallavi Theatre to reach Antharagange.
- To take the road uphill, reach out to the locals for directions to the ‘Betta’.
- On a day trip, you can visit the Antharagange temple.
- If you are an adventure seeker, never miss out to do some rock climbing from the temple to the top of the mountain.
- On a night trip, you can go ahead to do some cave exploration activities.
- Often hit by adventure seekers, this place is becoming a victim of environmental pollution. Travellers and fun seekers must maintain the sanctity of the temple and guard the surrounding environment.
They say the only thing which is constant is change. And, if you are a credit or debit card user, you might not have realised that the process of using these card have undergone a significant change in recent years, especially when using these cards online, in other words card-not-present transactions. The changes have been the two-step authentication process: one-time password and verified by Visa or Mastercard secure.
Of course, fraudsters have been one step ahead, but when it comes to beating the fraudster the banking regulator has been pretty proactive with tighter regulations for security and risk mitigation measures for electronic payment transactions in many cases.
In fact, the day the country’s Finance Minister gave his budget speech, the RBI silently put in place its guidelines for banks for risk mitigation for electronic payments, which includes cards as well as net banking transactions. Here’s a quick list of what to expect, and the change you should know about the same.
From June 30, any new card issued by the bank will work only domestically, unless you specifically ask for an international debit or credit card.AFP
1) If you plan to apply for a new credit card or even a debit card, don’t just assume that it’s going to work overseas. From June 30, any new card issued by the bank will work only domestically, unless you specifically ask for an international debit or credit card. In fact, all new cards will be chip- and Pin-based cards. To know more about chip-based cards, read here.
2) If you are an existing international debit/ credit card consumer, be prepared to surrender you existing card and getting a new card form your bank. This means the credit/debit card which has a magnetic strip at the back of the card will be replaced by a new chip-based card. This stands true for all those who have used their cards even once at an international Point of Sale, or those who have done an international e-commerce transaction or used at an international ATM.
3) Also keep in mind that these new international debit/credit cards will have a predetermined limit set for international use. Of course, that limit will be set by the bank based on your individual risk profile and your agreement for the same. This too will come into force by June 30, but until then banks are permitted to set an omnibus threshold limit of not more than $500.
In face, a few banks have already set international POS limit for existing debit cards as Rs0. And they are asking customers to apply for new debit cards if they want the limit to be enhanced. ICICI Bank Spokesperson said,“ICICI Bank cardholders already have the option to set the withdrawal limit on their debit cards. This facility allows debit cardholders to revise (increase or decrease) the withdrawal limits at ATM/POS/E-Com, temporarily or permanently. The limits can be revised as per the type of the card the customer holds. The customer can call up the Bank’s 24-hour Customer Care or visit the nearest branch to revise the limit. The revised limit gets updated within 15 minutes from the time of placing the request.”
4) Banks will soon also set up a system where an additional factor of authentication will be placed for the cards issued in India and used internationally. This step may take a few more seconds for your transactions to go through, but it will decrease the risk of frauds.
5) As of now, if you need to block your card in case it’s stolen, you have to call your bank’s hotline number. This means it takes a few minutes before your call gets through the bank customer service agent or IVR machine. And the fraudster can easily do the intended damage even as you wait on phone to get to the executive. But in the future, you will get a facility where in you can block you card even via an SMS, and also get a confirmation on the same after the card is blocked.
There are a few more guidelines which the RBI has asked banks to enforce regarding net banking and banks’ merchant systems. These measures are taken to ensure that your card transactions are safer. Make sure, you call your bank to know more about chip-based cards. Many banks are offering such cards as of now. Also do read this story to know tips on using you cards for online transactions.
Over the last few years, data put out by the government seemed to be showing a strange phenomenon. The participation of women in the rural labour force was going down.
The 2005 round of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) showed that women made up around 33.3 percent of the rural labour force. By the time the 2010 round came, this number had fallen to 26.5 percent. The labour bureau survey for a period of one year ending on 30 June 2011 also seemed to suggest the same.
The explanations offered for this phenomenon were rather lame.
As Akhilesh Tilotia of Kotak Institutional Equities points out in his latest GameChanger Perspectives report, “Both the NSSO and the Labour Bureau surveys pointed out the low or declining labour force participation of women, especially in rural India…There was no clarity on why women were dropping out of the workforce: Some experts thought women may have started spending more time in education and skill development, or the data collection itself may have been faulty.”
The explanations offered for women moving out of the rural labour force have turned out to be incorrect. The women, it seems, have been moving to work under the National Rural Guarantee Employee Act (NREGA) rather than dropping out of the labour force totally.
With the government guaranteeing work under NREGA, rural wages have been on their way up for some time now TABLE1
The accompanying table shows us exactly that. In 2007, women took on around 40.6 percent of the total persondays of work offered under NREGA. By 2012, this number had gone up to 48.2 percent.
As Tilotia explains, “We note that women form a disproportionately large group in NREGA person-days as compared to their proportion in the rural labour force. This leads us to believe that women who are increasingly being priced out of the agricultural labour market are taking shelter in NREGA work schemes.”
With the government guaranteeing work under NREGA, rural wages have been on their way up for some time now. Another impact because of this has been the narrowing of wages between men and women.
As Tilotia puts it, “Across many agricultural activities, the premium that men used to command over women in terms of per-day wage has shrunk significantly. This is seen most prominently in ploughing, but is also true for sowing, weeding, transplanting and winnowing (as can be seen in the two tables that follow)…Even as mechanisation of agriculture has taken place over the last decade, there is still significant physical labour involved: The labour productivity has not meaningfully increased in many of the occupations noted above. In such a case women, whose wages have gone up much more than men’s, become less profitable to employ for a farm-owner. We hypothesise that the implementation of a minimum wage has meant workers with low productivity have been priced out of the market.”
And as women have been priced out as farm workers, this has led to women moving to working for projects under NREGA.
This may not be a good sign though, given that working for projects under NREGA hardly means any meaningful upgrade of skills for women, something that would help them earn more beyond NREGA. “Ideally the focus should be on improving the productivity of the female workforce via skill development: This would enable them to move beyond the minimum-wage band and command an employment opportunity on merits,” writes Tilotia.
Farmers also seem to be moving towards more mechanisation. A possible explanation for this is that higher farm wages probably are now making mechanisation increasingly financially viable. (though Tilotia doesn’t make that conclusion in his report).
This is borne out by the increasing number of tractors that have been sold since 2007. An ICRA report points out that the number of tractors sold by Indian companies stood at 346,508 units in the year ending 31 March 2008. This was expected to go up to 605,192 units for the financial year ending March 2012.
And these factors have also contributed to an increasing amount of food inflation in the country. The number stood at 11.88 percent for the month of January 2013. These are the unintended consequences of the NREGA.
“The fledgling YSR Congress has not been able to pull up its socks to face the challenges posed by parties opposed to it. Too many internal squabbles among local warlords is pushing the party into a quandary. The party base is eroding even before it is settling down. As opposed to this, the Telugu Desam Party is gaining an upper hand.”
This rhetoric is all pervasive across a large section of vernacular media — irrespective of whether it is print, electronic or digital. Ironically, the too-much-punched YSR Congress, launched by impudent Congress leader and Kadapa MP,YS Jaganmohan Reddy, doesn’t seem to be in a position to effectively counter the tactical offensive campaign, what with the party engrossed in the war of one-upmanship. There are too many aspirants angling for every position on behalf of the YSR Congress. This naturally is resulting in backbiting and internal dissensions.
The biggest problem plaguing the party is Jagan’s incarceration. He may give a broad policy direction, but certainly he cannot run the day-to-day affairs of the party, which wants to spread to every nook and cranny of the State, from the confines of Chanchalguda Central Prison. Though YSR’s son and daughter developed an uncanny knack of drawing huge crowds effortlessly and mastered the art of holding the masses hear them in rapt attention, the Herculean task in front of them is to wipe the shadows casting on their credibility, especially with regard to financial matters.
Unable to combat smear campaign
However, it is almost 10 months since Jagan is put behind bars. This was largely celebrated by his detractors within politics and media, for obvious reasons and is still being celebrated at the drop of a hat. Lending strength and providing legitimacy to their detractors, YSR Congress leaders of all levels are gunning for the heads of one another.
The floor-crossing and public display of internecine feuds, even as Sharmila is touring the place as part of her padayatra, within during the elections to the District Cooperative Central Bank (DCCB) and District Cooperative Marketing Society (DCMS) in Guntur district impaled the original position of the party. Popular surge to public meetings may surely be an endorsement of the party line, but that is not enough for a party sprouted from the throes of serious and nearly-convincing charges of corruption against the first family of the party. And there is no respite, yet. Every passing day, every incident is giving scope for the disparagers to raise a bogie against Jagan, Sharmila, her husband Anil Kumar and Sakshi group.
A recent suicide of a person, Veerabhadra Reddy, in Jaggayyapet mandal of Krishna district is being attributed to one of the family members of YSR clan and it is very obvious, as effortlessly the dots are being projected and it is just that they need to be connected. Going by the trend, it is just a conjecture of time before they go for a final kill.
For, the State support to such things come with much more force than usual. In fact, a few media houses which are working with a known and exposed agenda of working against YSR Congress are overtly and explicitly trying to “somehow convince” the bereaved family to lodge a complaint in the suicide case.
No puritans they?
Of course, the posturing of these persons too never made an attempt to stay clear of any charges. Foisting of false cases or ascribing some charges against popular persons is certainly not a difficult task, especially in the days of social media. Remember the all-too-well known dictum: To kill the dog, call it mad. But, why have they given scope and why aren’t charges of such serious nature are coming against others is a moot question. For instance, the forgery case and the fracas in which P Ravindranath Reddy, Jagan’s maternal uncle, is now embroiled in is surely a murky one.
Why have all the members of the first family of the new political party forgotten the age old adage — Caesar’s wife should be above suspicion — especially after YSR became the Chief Minister? The argument that the YSR clan was being linked to every scandal with a definite political motive is acceptable, only partially.
Whenever a charge comes up, leaders and sympathisers of YSRC raise pointers at Chandrababu Naidu and his governance, almost like a reflex. This seems absolutely ridiculous. The question here is why haven’t their leaders remained puritans.
With too many of those stung by political unemployment are gluing to the new party, considering its strengths. But, they are not joining the party for charity or to fortify the hands of Jaganmohan Reddy who is caught enmeshed in a maze of legal wrangles. Every one wants to become an MLA or MP and most of them want Jagan to fund their election. One of those who entered the party admitted candidly a few reasons for a lot of them considering YSRC as the most-preferred option.
Their expectations include: 1. The election expenses bill would be picked by the party; 2. There is a craze in the public for Jagan and Sharmila; 3. YSR’s popularity would fetch votes; 4. Doubts over victory are less compared to competition, 5. Since it is a new party, “future would be bright”.
They are nearly right because of the 2,3, and 4 reasons. They are almost wrong with regard to point 1 and 5. Even if we assume that the critics’ charges of amassing wealth by Jagan and Co are true for the sake of argument, why will that money be taken out for election expenses? Next, nobody knows who is holding the remote control of the party? While Jagan’s decisions are ultimate in the party, who are taking decision or influencing the same outside? Who is giving commitments to whom and for what? Is it Vijayamma, or YV Subba Reddy or some of the senior leaders or persons close to the YSR family?
This dichotomy and contradictions within are causing confusion at all levels. Recently, a very senior MP almost made up his mind to cross over to YSR Congress. While a party ideologue enticed him into the party fold, the move fizzled out after a month-long confabulations as it did not have sanction from Jagan. Rather, party sources said, Jagan rejected the offer.
Crises surfacing all over
The exit of Sambangi Venkata China Appala Naidu, who crossed over from the TDP, owing to a cut-throat competition with sitting MLA Rajah Sujaya Krishna Ranga Rao in Bobbili constituency should not be taken easy. It is not like Makineni Pedarathaiah of Guntur district leaving the party, sulking. doesn’t have a constituency to contest and he is also relegated to political wilderness by the TDP. Though he expected that he would be treated like a father-figure, he could not scale that height in the YSR Congress.
The entry of sitting MLA Gottipati Ravi Kumar into the party from Addanki Assembly constituency naturally angered and is suffocating former senior MLA Bachina Chenchu Garataiah (who joined the YSRC long ago). While several sitting legislators are waiting in their wings to cross over, some of them are staying back in their respective parties to enhance their bargaining power when they actually “get there”. Barring a few pockets, the party hasn’t consolidated its position in most districts of Telangana, an uphill task, indeed.
Nothing in place for the party
As regards the craze of YSR’s children; we have a question to ask. Though the craze may be widespread, where is the party organisation to convince and escort the voters with precision. The party doesn’t seem to have anything in place with regard to planning and execution. How long would it depend on fluke fortunes? When it called for a bandh, its strengths down the line stood exposed.
The party is still hankering for sitting MPs and MLAs from the Congress and the TDP. It has a very genuine reason for enticing the sitting representatives. They come with their own cadre, supporters and organisation of their own. That they would also come with a baggage, as each one of them would have a past, will of course turn out to be difficult handle. But of such leaders have a past, the party’s supreme leadership has a ‘present’ too.
Differences among leaders in Guntur, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Kadapa, Anantapur, Kurnool, and some Telangana districts reached menacing proportions constraining Vijayamma herself to undertake district tours to address these issues. With Jagan’s enlargement from the prison remaining eternally elusive, sharper daggers of criticism piercing through the party’s fabric, and detractors spewing venom straight into the eyes of the party leadership, it is literally a fight against all odds for the YSR Congress.
Staying away from elections is no politics
Against this background, will the party be able to shore up strength for the upcoming Assembly elections is a big interrogative sentence staring at it. If panchayat raj elections are conducted before hand, will it hit the party below the belt remains yet another poser. Already, it stayed away from cooperative polls and MLC elections.
Another very serious problem that engulfed the party is its spokespersons. A large number of them are inarticulate and don’t do any homework on anything before demonstrating their lung power. This is evident from the TV talk shows in which they relentlessly participate to draw the public attention and project themselves more than explaining the party line on issues.
The party has strategists like M V Mysoora Reddy, Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, Konathala Ramakrishna and a few others. It has economists and analysts like D A Somayajulu and loud-mouths like Ambati Rambabu. But what it lacks is coordination, coherence and a strong joint leadership. If things are not set right and political prophylactic measures are taken right now, it becomes extremely difficult for it to face the elections and remain active in the political arena of the State, leave alone capturing power in the State and playing a pivotal role at the Centre.
After the terror destruction in Dilsukhnagar bomb blasts recently, now, the terror may target the Hyderabad Reservoirs which lacks the security for the complete water supply of twin cities, Hyderabad & Secunderabad. Despite several pleas and recommendations from media and public representations, the government is showing no concern to protect the water from these reservoirs.
Lifeline of the twin cities, Osmansagar and Himyatsagar, which supply water to more than five lakh residents, urgently require security personnel to guard the reservoirs, officials of the Water Board said in the wake of the Dilsukhnagar twin blasts.
The Water Board has written to the government several times seeking armed security guards to protect the reservoirs from possible threat from anti-social elements, officials said. “We do not have men and machine to watch over the reservoirs. Except for the batons, we do not have any weapons with us,” sub-inspector (Water Board) Lingeshwar Rao said. “Theissueof providing adequate security has been brought to the notice of authorities several times. All the representations sent to the Board have been gathering dust for the last five years,” Rao added.
Rao informed that a fresh request has been made to the authorities to provide adequate security at the reservoirs and also the water filter beds. In fact, about six years back, the police department allotted skeletal staff to the Water Board, but they are busy disconnecting illegal water connections in the city. “Except this, we do not attend to any other duties,” one police constable said.
Water Board official said there is no patrolling on the shores of both reservoirs, and in case of any emergency, the
Board seeks help from the local police. In fact, the Board had moved a proposallast year to open a round-the-clock outpost at the two reservoirs, but to no avail, Rao said. “We need around 50 home guards and 10 constables to keep a tight vigil at the two water bodies. In fact, we do not have any vehicles for patrolling along their shores,” another official, who did not wish to be named, said.
There are restrictions on fishing, swimming and using the shore, but the Water Board does not have any mechanism to enforce the rules. The water filter beds too need security. The Mir Alam filter beds located on the main road are easily accessible to everyone. It provides water to most of the areas in Old City. After purifying the water at the filter bed, it is supplied to various localities through mini-reservoirs.
When INN made a visit, nobody either questioned him or tried to prevent him from entering the area. A few youths were also roaming near the filter bed. In fact, the gates to the filter bed can be opened by anyone and there are no security personnel to keep tabs on people sneaking in.
The Asmangadh reservoir has five million litres capacity and is open to all without any proper security. Even at Asif Nagar, which is located in a military area, there is scant security. “For the public, movement near the reservoirs is prohibited,butlocals areseen lounge about on the shores of Osmansagar (popularly known as Gandipet),” a senior Water Board official said. “We cannot say the reservoirs are safe. We had drawn proposals for outsourcing security two years ago. But the Water Board could not do so, due to financial crunch,” he added.
"The 'jaadugar' had tried everything he could - read weird hymns, rubbed ash, made her drink some weird concoctions. Yet Nusrat had remained unmoved, in fact amused. At the first chance she got after that, she ran away to the police station."
For the first time since I met her, Nusrat (name changed) was giggling. After all, a teenager is still very much a child. She was telling me how someone who performs black magic had been brought in to make her change her mind and make her a willing bride. The ‘jaadugar’ (magician) had tried everything he could – read weird hymns, rubbed ash, made her drink some weird concoctions, poured oil, created smoke and dance. Yet she had remained unmoved, in fact amused. At the first chance she got after that, she ran away to the police station to tell them her story and seek protection.
Nusrat’s school certificate says she is not even 16 yet. But her parents decided it is best for her to be married off, even if that was to a 44-year-old man from Sudan. He had agreed to pay a meher (bride price) of one lakh rupees at the time of the nikaah. By the time he would leave in 40 days, he had agreed to pay another one lakh rupees. They were unable to say ‘no’ to that.
Nusrat still can’t believe her parents could do this to her. She says her family is not that poor that they need to do this. Her father dabbles in the real estate business and according to the police, also has connections with a politician from the Old City area, who is also into the media business. Nusrat has a younger sister, 12 years old and two younger brothers.
Nusrat’s aunt Mumtaz Begum had brought the `proposal’. There were a couple of other middlemen. The Qazi (priest), Mohammed Naseeruddin Jehangir said he could write out the nikaahnama only if there was an age certificate to prove she was not a minor. So another person called Mohammed Fazaluallah was brought in to create documents to show she was 24.
It is not as if all this happened in the back of beyond of Hyderabad. Moghulpura where Nusrat lives, is just half a km from the Charminar monument. Moghulpura inspector Vijay Kumar explains that the `groom’ is in fact an engineer from Khartoum, working for an oil company. He is married, with two children back home. He came here inspired by what his friend Ahmed Yahiya had told him – that it is possible to ‘enjoy’ a young, temporary wife in India, for a price.
Osama Ibrahim came to Hyderabad on February 19. Within two days, potential ‘brides’ were lined up for him. Nusrat was waiting along with four other girls when she became the girl Ibrahim chose. Even before she realised what was happening, Nusrat’s ‘kabool’ had been taken.
The only reason she escaped from a ‘first night’ that Thursday night was because twin bomb blasts earlier that evening in Dilsukhnagar area of Hyderabad had increased police surveillance and checks. Sensing danger, the Sudanese had left early for his hotel in Banjara Hills, an upmarket area in the newer part of the city.
No one in Nusrat’s joint family of 16 members objected or supported her. Her mother in fact, beat her along with the others when she refused to play wife and get locked into a room with her `husband’. It was the support of her close friends that encouraged her to run away and report to the police.
Hyderabad has been notorious as a bride bazaar for old Arab Sheikhs for over two decades now. If there was the case of the 11-year-old child bride Ameena who was rescued from her 60-year-old Arab ‘husband’ by an airhostess on a flight out of Hyderabad in 1991 that gained international attention, globalisation has only widened the market base now.
So people from other countries are also now coming in to exploit the vulnerabilities of poor young girls from here. The fig leaf of morality they use as a weapon, either to escape religious criticism or the law, is what they call the Islamic tradition of mut’ah or temporary marriage, because they believe sex without marriage is `haraam’ or a sin.
Most `marriages’ are hush-hush affairs and in only very few cases, someone decides to blow the lid. In 2004, Hyderabad was shocked by the case of the twice-married 73-year-old Mohammed Jaffer Yakub Hasan Al Jorani, a one-eyed resident of Sharjah who married not one but two women within a span of a fortnight in May that year. Jorani who had two wives and eleven children back in Sharjah, married 19-year-old Haseena Begum on May 7 and then deserted her to marry a 16-year-old girl on May 24. Haseena complained about Jorani to the police.
After Nusrat’s complaint, the Sudanese, Osama Ibrahim, her father Yousuf, her aunt, the qazi and two other middlemen have been arrested. But Nusrat’s story does not end there. She does not want to go back home because she doesn’t feel safe. The 8th class dropout who does tailoring odd jobs says hopefully because of what she did, her younger sister would not be subjected to the same fate. She feels guilty that her action sent her father to jail. “But I never thought my parents could do this to me. I needed to do what I did.” I could sense she is telling herself that as much as to me.
The qazis in Hyderabad have standing instructions from the authorities to keep their eyes and ears open and report any such matter to the police. But because they are threatened to fall in line or for a quick buck or fear of ostracisation by the community, many prefer to look the other way.
This brave young girl has shown rare courage to stand up for herself. She can be an inspiration to several others. But that is only if society and the government stand up now and support her, even after the ‘sensation’ of a minor’s marriage farce is over. Nusrat can’t be allowed to become another Ameena. Then we will be failing not just her but ourselves.
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