Pavagada: A land without Safe Drinking Water

Sridhar, Resident of Pavagada says that people climb 4000FT to the Pavagada fort to carry fresh drinking water, free from fluoride for their pregnant wives. This is how acute Fluorosis is in Pavagada, where not a drop of water is free from fluoride and expectant mothers live in constant fear, lest their children are born handicapped.

Pavagada, a land without safe drinking water. With 2,46,255 people and 252 villages, Fluorosis has left 70% of the 500 residents in Thimmapura village in Pavagada taluk, crippled and unable to carry on their daily activities. Joint pain, abnormal growths, spinal cord problems, formations of lumps are some of the problems faced by the victims of Fluorosis.

Fluorosis is primarily caused by excessive presence of floride in water or food. Fluoride exceeding 1.2mg per liter can cause Fluorosis. A test revealed, that 181 villages in Pavagada Taluk, fluoride content is 1.6mg-5mg per litre. Thus, buying water remains only a privileged option to those affluent, while the rest are resigned to their fate.

Medical practitioners say that the foetus and the newborn, who consume breast milk are prone to Fluorosis. Dr Channakeshava, who is the Taluk Health inspector says “They are suffering from DUB dysfunctional uterine bleeding.. Due to weakness they are suffering from severe gynecological problems. We see a lot of fetal abnormalities children in Pavagada… like clubfoot, mentally retarded children. Lot of PPH cases … that is excessive bleeding after delivery more and more cases due to weakness of out body organ.”

Residents complain that neither the political parties nor government have done nothing to deflorinate the water. The State Government had launched the Sachetana scheme to help the people in Pavagada, sira and Bagapalli, where drinking water is causing health hazards. Several tests and experiments have been conducted but all of them have failed to yield any results.

Manjula, a resident of Pavagada says “We don’t have any government people coming here… its just you journalists who came here asking about us… there are no schemes to purify water. Not only children but the elders health is not good. we don’t know what to do.. for children we spend around 150-200 rs on health. We are all suffering from cold and cough. We are fed up with the government.”

Pavagada lives in hope that someday their water problems will be addressed, that somedat they can provide their children a safe life that they deserve. The hope lives on… but the solution is still a long way off…

Defence In Democracy

The word democracy defines a government that provides equal rights and opportunities to its people.

India became a democratic nation after 1951 after the constitution was formally adopted. The Indian constitution extends protection, security, and equal opportunities and fundamental rights to its people. Thus, to ensure that a citizen enjoy all his fundamental rights and freedom the government has set up various institutions, like CRPF, BSF and the police.

Police are a civil authority secondary to the Executive. Under the police there are other organizations like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The Union Ministry for Home Affairs controls the nationwide Police Service. Police is a state subject and is in direct contact with the society. The functions of police are to maintain and enforce law and order in the society.

Article 19, 1a states, that every citizen of India, has a right to settle down anywhere in the country. Raj Thakre of the MNS party violated this fundamental right when he gave hate speeches against the non-Maharashtrians settled in Maharashtra. For this he was arrested several times by the police. If situations go out of control and conflict occurs it is the police who brings the situation under control to maintain harmony within the State.

Another important function of governmental institutions is to bail the country out in times of internal and external strife. During “Kargil War” the army fought valiantly to stop Pakistani infiltrations from entering Indian territories. Moreover during ‘Mumbai Attacks’ the NSG commandos were called in to rescue the hostages in three of Mumbai’s posh hotels.

Governmental institutions also help the citizens to exercise their fundamental rights. During elections, special task forces along with the police are appointed to make sure that free and fair elections are exercised and that there are no rigging or use of coercive methods are used.

During festivities like Durga puja or Dasara or Ganesh Chathurthi there is usually a great turn out of people on the streets, thus to ensure people safety and to preserve harmony the police forces are assigned.

Moreover during emergencies like during Indira Gandhi’s rule, police assumed special role in preserving law and order in the country, as prescribed by the constitution.

Why IIJNM is better than any other J-school

I have always wanted to be a journalist every since i can remember. Way back then all I knew about this field was this fiery lady reporting live, standing fearlessly against a backdrop of war. That is my first impression of Barkha Dutt who inspired me to take up journalism. Cliché? Yea I know but then that’s my story.

Before I go into just why IIJNM is better than any other J schools; what I’d like to highlight is that I had applied to some 5 journalism schools, of which I sat for three entrances and got through two of them in one shot. And yes, IIJNM is one of them. One month and fourteen days into this course. I don’t regret taking up IIJNM and not the other college

Life at IIJNM is hectic and every stressful and that is also the reason why I have come to love it. There are times when I feel my brains will burst with information overload, the stress sometimes becomes too much for me to handle; but I’m loving my life here, its all that i had always dreamt of and more

But these don’t just qualify IIJNM as a great place to be in. what truly sets it apart is the whole 'on-the-job' experience. We are constantly learning and challenging ourselves. We are taught not just my about my field but I am taught how best to deal with the challenges our profession constantly flings at us; newer technologies, better understanding of equipments and mediums. The infrastructure is something that will put the so-called top-notch Journo schools to shame. Its no secret that IIJNM has a curriculum and faculty to boast of. The best thing I like about this place is, that the emphasis is always on how best to learn, to make mistakes and learn from it and now just on emerging successful.

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