Capturing currents

What is the point of bail after conviction that too in a wildlife crime? The black buck is listed as Schedule 1 species in India's Wildlife Protection Act 1972 - highlighting its critical conservation status © Pixabay By Malini Shankar, Digital Discourse Foundation April 22 nd 2018 22 nd April every year is being marked as World Earth Day for the past two decades or so. Some would argue that it is another day for cynical lip service to causes like the Environment. The ground reality hardly ever changes despite the unparalleled reach and impact of electronic media that wires the entire world today. Indian actor Salman Khan was convicted on 4 th April 2018 for hunting and killing two black bucks back in 1998. But he secured bail barely 48 hours after conviction on 6 th April 2018. Conservationists fear that it sets a very bad precedent as it is a manifestation of the lack of political will for execution of the stringent provisions of the Wildlife Protect...

In this concluding piece in this series journalist Malini Shankar makes a series of constructive suggestions hoping these will be incorporated by the Indian Railways. After reaching your train car, finding your seat and settling in for the journey, often you have to pull down the bunkers for the night’s journey. But think of the PH passenger who might not be able to pull down the sleeper / couch for the night’s sleep. Computerised reservations means PH passengers do not always get the lower berth.  Differently abled passengers have to depend on co passengers (if they are unaccompanied single travellers) for help to pull down the iron ropes that keep the sleep couch in place and also to exchange upper berths. It might be better for cabin attendants of the Railways to be trained to cater to the needs of the PH passengers whose needs vary depending on the nature of the disability. Thus it helps to have one train car solely for the use of PH passengers. Such a car should have tr...

Indian Railways Incompatibility to terminally ill patients and PH passengers article - Part 3 Apart from physically challenged persons there are passengers with other kinds of disabilities who need special treatment on Indian Railways. As of now mentally retarded persons with escort are eligible for concessions on both seasons’ tickets and 1st and 2nd class tickets in passenger trains in both mail and express trains; these concessions are also available on the elite Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains. They also get 25% concession in 3rd AC and AC chair car in all inclusive fares of Shatabdi and Rajdhani trains – except Durantho and Garib Rath trains. “In Durantho and Garib Rath trains concessions are not available because the fares are low in any case” F. R. Michael Senior PRO South Central Railway Vijayawada Division clarified.  Concessions are also available for Thalassemia, cancer patients, TB patients, heart patients who get 75 % concession in 1st class and 75 % in sleeper ...

European railways are compatible to physically challenged passengers In Europe and North America train travel is made a lot more comfortable for passengers with special needs. This service is a courtesy extended by the railway authorities. According to the Passenger rights Rail - legislation in force in the EU from December 2009 “Railway companies shall provide disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility with assistance on board a train and during boarding and disembarking from a train free of charge”. ( http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/passengers/rail/index_en.htm )  Railway stations in Europe and North America have : ·          Automated doorways with scanners that facilitate easy transit for wheelchair bound quadriplegics. ·          Ramps, escalators, elevators, luggage escalators are all easy to use and widely distributed in railway   stations. ·  ...

Indian Railways remains incompatible to physically challenged passengers  Part 1 The Indian Railways, touted as the world’s largest employer, and the world’s biggest organisation is also reputed for optimum usage of resources and space. It is perhaps the most cost effective means of cross continental travel for the masses in reasonable comfort. Its logistics are the stuff management studies’ syllabus is made of. Yet it falls short of compatibility to the needs of physically challenged persons. Albeit offering 50% concession to PH (physically handicapped / challenged) passengers accompanied by an adult, - if the person has at least 50% disability - the Indian Railways is hardly the benchmark for the comfort of PH passengers.  Swank new cars with shining steel wheels, AC cars, spic and span floors, clean toilets with installed soap dispensers, water faucets, no more leaking taps .... they are all impressive; but consider the wheelchair bound passenger who has no ra...