Toll in Uttar Pradesh hooch tragedy climbs to 37

Toll in Uttar Pradesh hooch tragedy climbs to 37

With 15 more deaths reported early on Saturday, the toll rose to 37 in the illicit liquor tragedy in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district, making it one of the worst hooch tragedies in the state, police said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav suspended 10 people, including the district excise inspector Om Prakash Singh. The state government also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.

Vishvanath Yadav, the station house officer (SHO) of Mubarakpur, where the incidents took place, was suspended along with beat sub-inspector Rajdev Yadav, constables Pradeep Kumar Yadav, Ramesh Chandra Upadhyaya, Parmanand Yadav and Banke Lal.

Most of the deceased come from lower sections and labour class, officials said.

District Magistrate, Neena Sharma said prima facie the case appeared to be related to the consumption of rectified spirit.

Officials on condition of anonymity said at many local shops, rectified spirit mixed with water was being sold unchecked and at cheap rates.

While moonshine has 42 percent of alcohol, the rectified spirit has intensity varying between 90-95 per cent.

"This is a killer concoction," an official said.

A dozen people had died in Azamgarh in 2008 in a similar hooch tragedy while six people had died in Soyepur village in Varanasi in 2010.

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21st century should belong to India: Modi

21st century should belong to India: Modi

It is the responsibility of people to ensure that the 21 century is the century of India, Gujarat Chief Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, said on Friday.

"It was widely accepted that the present century was going to be the century of Asia. But it should be turned into the century of India," Mr Modi said, delivering the Nani Palkhivala memorial lecture at a function organised here by the Palkhivala Foundation.

Noting that in future, the relationship between India and the rest of the world would be based on give and take, he felt that India had to emerge as a country that had something to offer. "Only then would the world take note of you," he said, interspersing his lecture in English with Hindi.

Emphasising that the economic strength of the country would form part of the foundation of an effective foreign policy and successful security strategies, Mr Modi wanted the potential of the tourism sector to be harnessed fully for creating more jobs.

He criticised the United Progressive Alliance for not being forceful in response when soldiers, manning the border of the country, were killed ruthlessly.

The Chief Minister launched a book – Self Deception: India's China Policies – authored by former Union Minister Arun Shourie.

'Cho' S. Ramaswamy, Editor of 'Thuglak,' said Mr Modi was going to be the issue in the forthcoming election to Parliament. Arvind P. Datar and N.L. Rajah, trustees of the Foundation, spoke.

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BSNL cuts ISD rates by over 75%

BSNL cuts ISD rates by over 75%

State-run BSNL has launched special tariff vouchers (STVs) wherein its customers would get over 75 per cent cheaper rates for making international calls.

The public sector firm has launched STVs in the range for Rs. 23 to Rs. 41 for pre-paid customers whereas post-paid users have to pay a fixed monthly charge (FMC) of Rs. 20 to Rs. 40 to avail the cheaper rates.

"BSNL is providing its customers the cheapest international call rates. It has launched STVs, which are offering ISD rates similar to the normal calls," the company said in a statement.

With a STV of Rs. 41, prepaid customers can call USA, Canada and Singapore for Rs. 1.49 per minute whereas the normal rate is Rs. 6 per minute. Users can call China at Rs. 1.49 per minute against the normal tariff is Rs. 10 per minute.

Post-paid customers too can avail the same rates with a FMC of Rs. 40. The SMS tariff has been reduced to Rs. 3 from Rs. 5 per SMS.

For countries including France, Germany and UK, the rate has been reduced to Rs. 4.49 per minute as against Rs. 6 with a STV of Rs. 38 for pre-paid users and FMC of Rs. 35 for post-paid customers.

BSNL customers can call Bangladesh, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand at Rs. 2.99 per minute with STV of Rs. 27 as against a normal price of Rs. 10.

For calling Australia, the rate has been reduced to Rs. 6.49 per minute with Rs. 23 STV and a FMC of Rs. 23 while SMS can be sent for Rs. 3.

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Dealing with child sex abuse – the legal options

Dealing with child sex abuse – the legal options

I've discussed various aspects of child sex abuse earlier. In this article, I will discuss the legal options of what you should do when your child has been sexually abused. It's very important you do not ignore seeking legal advice or shoving the issue under the rug. You need to stop the perpetrator from abusing other children. Also this could be empowering for the child and help boost their confidence. Do not suppress the issue citing social stigma…other children's lives may be in danger. 

Where do we file a complaint?

The Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act 2012, has made the process of filing a complaint easier for parents and children. It's necessary to know the following telephone numbers and procedures to make sure your complaint is taken seriously and a case is filed.

Any act amounting to abuse of a child can be made to the Police Helpline Number – 100.In case the police fail to register a FIR or do not investigate the case, then the aggrieved party can write an application to the Superintendent of Police under Section 154(3) of CrPC.The parents can write to the Magistrate under Section 156(3) of CrPC, when neither the Superintendent nor Police take any action or file a complaint/FIR. In this case the Magistrate can also monitor the investigation.An online complaint can be made on the website of the National Commission for Protection of Children's Rights by clicking on the following link: A complaint can also be addressed to:

 Chairperson
 National Commission for Protection of Child Rights,
 5th Floor, Chanderlok Building, 36, Janpath,
 New Delhi – 110 001
  (E-Mail: )

 Maharashtra Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR)

3rd Floor, Govt. Transport Service Building,

Sir Pochkhanwali Road,

Worli, Mumbai-400032

 Ph.: 022-24920879

Fax: 022-22014880

Email:

vi.      Online complaint can also be made on the website of the National Commission of Human Rights by clicking on the following link:   

vii.     A call can be made to Childline a 24 hours free telephone helpline service at the number 1098. Childline provides emergency assistance and outreach services to a child in distress and subsequently, based upon the child's need, rescues the child and refers him/her to an appropriate organization for long-term rehabilitation, follow up and care. 

What are the legal options? Know the laws to protect children

Knowledge of the various legal options open to parents and guardians can be extremely helpful, when no help from the Police is forthcoming. In many cases the police officials have refused to file a FIR or conduct an investigation. In some cases the police tell the victim and her family to drop the matter.  Sometimes the victim is unlawfully held in custody so that the victim is forced to withdraw the case. This can be disheartening to the distressed family but knowledge of the laws and courage to approach the higher authorities or Child Care Organisations cited above can be tremendously helpful

The oldest and prevailing laws with regards to CSA were formulated in 1860 by the Indian Penal Code. They are:

I.P.C. (1860) 375- RapeI.P.C. (1860) 354- Outraging the modesty of a womanI.P.C. (1860) 377- Unnatural offencesI.P.C. (1860) 511- AttemptProcurement of minor girls by inducement or by force to seduce or have illicit intercourse (Section 366-A)Selling of girls for prostitution (Section 372)Buying of girls for prostitution (Section 373)

 The Parliament of India passed the 'Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act regarding child sexual abuse on May 22, 2012 after years of people and Child Rights groups lobbying for stricter laws for sexual offences. The Act defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years and provides protection to all children under the age of 18 years from the offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography. According to the Act, an offence is termed as 'Aggravated' when committed by a person in a position of trust or authority of child such as a member of security forces, police officer, public servant, etc.   

Punishments for Offences covered in the Act are:

i. Penetrative Sexual Assault (Section 3) – Not less than seven years which may extend to imprisonment for life, and fine (Section 4)

ii. Aggravated Penetrative Sexual Assault (Section 5) – Not less than ten years which may extend to imprisonment for life, and fine (Section 6)

iii. Sexual Assault (Section 7) – Not less than three years which may extend to five years, and fine (Section 8)

iv. Aggravated Sexual Assault (Section 9) – Not less than five years which may extend to seven years, and fine (Section 10)

v. Sexual Harassment of the Child (Section 11) – Three years and fine (Section 12)

vi. Use of Child for Pornographic Purposes (Section 13) -  Five years and fine and in the event of subsequent conviction, seven years and fine (Section 14 (1))

The ACT states that there should be Special Courts for the trial of CSA offences and the child's best interest is of paramount importance at all stages of the judicial process. The trials have to be completed within a year. The Act states that intent to commit or attempt to commit a sexual offence is also punishable by law. The Act states punishment for abetment (aiding) of the offence, which is considered same as committing the crime. This would cover trafficking of children for sexual purposes. Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) was created to provide immediate help to the child and make arrangements for rehabilitation of the child while also reporting to Child Welfare Committee. 

I will reiterate that do not lose hope when authorities show insensitivity in listening and acting on your complaint. Knowledge of the laws and whom to approach helps tremendously.

Now, software that helps blind do yoga

Now, software that helps blind do yoga

Now, software that helps blind do yoga

A team of computer scientists have developed a software program that watches a user's movements and gives spoken feedback on what to change to accurately complete a yoga pose.

The program, called Eyes-Free Yoga, uses Microsoft Kinect software to track body movements and offer auditory feedback in real time for six yoga poses, including Warrior I and II, Tree and Chair poses.

Project lead Kyle Rector, a UW doctoral student in computer science and engineering wrote programming code that instructs the Kinect to read a user's body angles, then gives verbal feedback on how to adjust his or her arms, legs, neck or back to complete the pose.

The result is an accessible yoga "exergame" - a video game used for exercise - that allows people without sight to interact verbally with a simulated yoga instructor.

Rector and collaborators Julie Kientz, a University of Washington assistant professor in Human Centered Design and Engineering, and Cynthia Bennett, a research assistant in computer science and engineering, believe this can transform a typically visual activity into something that blind people can also enjoy.

Each of the six poses has about 30 different commands for improvement based on a dozen rules deemed essential for each yoga position. Rector worked with a number of yoga instructors to put together the criteria for reaching the correct alignment in each pose.

The Kinect first checks a person's core and suggests alignment changes, then moves to the head and neck area, and finally the arms and legs. It also gives positive feedback when a person is holding a pose correctly.

The technology uses simple geometry and the law of cosines to calculate angles created during yoga.

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TN police arrest crew of US vessel, seize weapons

The Tamil Nadu police on Friday morning arrested 25 private security guards and 8 crew members who were on board 'Seaman Guard Ohio', the U.S. vessel that was detained by the Indian Coast Guard off the Tuticorin coast last week.

Investigators seized 35 arms and 5,680 rounds of ammunition from the vessel. Two of the 10-member crew, including the Captain, were not arrested to facilitate maintenance of the vessel berthed in the VOC Chidambaranar Port.

According to police sources, a case was registered by the Tharuvaikulam Marine Police on October 13 against crew and guard on board the vessel owned by AdvanFort, a U.S.-based company that provides anti-piracy services. A case under the provisions of the Arms Act 1959, Essential Commodities Act 1955 and Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Prevention of Malpractices in Supply and Distribution) order 1990 was registered and transferred to the 'Q' Branch CiD police.

Investigation revealed that the vessel was found in the territorial water of India and was in possession of arms and ammunition, without valid documents. Also, the vessel had drawn about 1,500 litres of diesel from private sources in the country by violating the established procedures, police confirmed in a statement. The transfer of the fuel is also alleged to have taken place within the Customs Waters, which investigators said, amounted to smuggling.

The accused persons, most of whom are claimed to be former members of the US, UK and NATO Special Forces, will be produced in a court and remanded in judicial custody. They would be moved to a Chennai and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison. Since the suspects included some British, Estonian and Ukranian nationals, steps were taken to inform the respective embassies through diplomatic channels, police sources added.

Bengali diet and healthy? Possible!

Bengali diet and healthy? Possible!

by Editorial Team
My inches.

When we decided to write this article and asked Bengalis in our office about their diet and the fact that we want to make it healthy, they laughed out loud saying that there is no such thing as a 'healthy' Bengali diet. Their day begins with luchi aaloo (a roll of maida roti filled with fried potato stuffing) and ends with traditional sweets, with endless cups of tea throughout the day and some more fried dishes, not to forget rice and fish.

Taking up the challenge, we decided to bring the healthy back in a Bengali diet, without taking away their favourites. Rather, modifying it a little to make it tasty as well as nutritious. Here is the diet plan. (Read: Healthy Bengali khichdi recipe)

Start your day with 10 pieces of almonds soaked in water overnight and a cup of green tea. For breakfast, have two rice/besan/oats cheela with vegetables and one katori of sprouts curd. Or, you can even opt for two wholewheat phulko luchi with one katori aaloo and sprouts subzi each.

Calorie count:

Cheela + veggies + curd – 320

Phulko luchi + aaloo + subzi – 328

As a mid-morning snack, have a fruit and a glass of buttermilk. This will keep you full till lunch.

Calorie count:

Buttermilk – 151

Fruit – 100

Start your lunch with a side of salad and along with it, have a bowl of vegetable chicken (remember, add less oil), a piece of baked karela with paneer filling and one katori of destarched rice or two rotis.

Another good option for lunch is two multigrain rolls of chilly chicken with hung curd vegetable dip.

Calorie count:

Salad – 30

Chicken – 150

Karela – 80

Rice/roti – 173/89

Rolls – 350

Curd dip – 50

You can opt for a cup of tea with digestive biscuits a while after lunch.

Calorie count:

Tea – 80

Biscuits – 44

If you crave for a snack in the evening, opt for a healthy one like a bowl of jhal muri/kala chana chat/steamed corn chat with veggies or a wheat paneer roll. And if you crave for something sweet, have one baked rasgulla or a small katori of mishit doi.

Calorie count:

Chats – 150

Roll – 200

Desserts – 80 to 150

Begin your dinner with a bowl of salad again and grilled fish curry. Choose fresh-water fishes such as salmon, tuna, and sardines as they are healthier. With this, have a bowl of home-made soup. If you aren't too fond of soup, have a katori of green, leafy vegetable and two rotis.

Calorie count:

Salad – 90

Grilled fish curry – 200

Soup – 60

Green vegetable – 100

Rotis – 89

A healthy tip is to always eat desserts as a mid-morning or evening snack instead of the night! By making a few dietary changes, any kind of meal can be made healthy. Here are the recipes of phulko luchi and baked karela. (Read: A healthy south Indian meal plan for you)

Sample meal plan provided by HealthifyMe, the world's first Indian nutrition tracker.

 

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