<p>The Rowghat area in Chhattisgarh, apart from being under thick forest cover, is also a Naxal stronghold. The area has been identified as having huge reserves of iron ore. The government is trying to build a railway line here which will enter the Maoist zone into the hidden jungle camps and the mineral-rich southern part of the state.</p>

<p>The Rowghat project is critical to the government's Bhilai steel plant and the construction of the railway line will facilitate transportation of iron ore to Bhilai and other steel plants that currently depend on the almost-saturated Dalli-Rajhara mines. Five new mines will be auctioned here to steel companies.</p>

<p>On travelling almost 1400 kilometres south of the Indian capital, into the heart of Chhattisgarh, dense and impenetrable forests welcome you to the tribal villages. This remote forest houses armed border forces popularly known as Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) which is at war with the Maoists for over four years for the construction of the ambitious Rowghat rail project.</p>

<p>The proposed Dalli-Rajhara to Jagdalpur rail line exists on paper for almost three decades now. Once completed, it will connect state capital Raipur to mineral-rich Jagdalpur by rail via Bhilai, finally connecting the infamous red corridor to the Indian capital after several decades of Indian Independence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For now, it is only connected by a single lane road built by the paramilitary forces who have multiplied their camps during several years in the forests to combat Naxals. An alternate rail route between the two cities (Raipur and Jagdalpur) is much longer, around 600 kilometres long, and hence takes a lot of time to transport goods. The proposed rail line aims to cut the distance by nearly half.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Deputy commandant of SSB, Priyadarshini Niharika Sinha, has more than 140 troops under her command with an objective to secure the construction sites of the railways and maintain peace in the area. The security of those involved in the rail project is her prime objective. She is optimistic of the rail project and feels it would bring progress and job opportunities to the villagers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sinha is also aware that the construction of this railway project, covering 235 kilometres, would allow transportation of iron ore from the Naxal-affected area of North Bastar.</p>

<p>"The forces guarding the project face regular threats. We face daily threats of attack from Naxals. They use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on routes adopted by forces. Stealth and surprise attacks in market areas, firing in conjunction with IED blast, sometimes they even fire on campus. Many troops have had stand-off attacks on isolated locations, firing from moving vehicles and the troops are targeted while returning to their camps too," Sinha explained.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, the locals wrangle over the topic of train reaching to the tribal villages. They fear the connectivity may bring unwelcome changes into the village space.</p>

<p>"I am a villager and have never been to a city. I am not aware of the benefits of this project for me. All I know is that this train line will help the steel companies transport ores from the mines they will build on the hills. Soon, they are going to cut more jungles and make more mines in the area," GS Darro, a tribal man from the village said.</p>

<p>Some progress has been made in the preliminary railway work, particularly in the construction of the embankment which is over 20 kilometres of the proposed 95-km rail line passing through the area. A small distance can be travelled under this rail project line which has reached till Bhanupratappur, a gateway to the Naxal belt.</p>

<p>A 69-year-old man from the village of Pondgaon says he has never seen a train in his life. From the last active station in the Naxal zone, Bhanupratappur, Dev Sai Anchala boarded his first train in December this year. His district contains some of India’s most underdeveloped lands and the poorest people. He described his first train journey as "overwhelming".</p>

<p>"This tribal area is still under the impact of Naxals. It's time to make a choice - should we choose a train along with invaders in the jungle looking for ores or stay stuck with Naxals. What can we really do?" said Anchala.</p>

<p>The locals still live in jungles and don't have enough to maintain a lifestyle, they aren't even aware of the options available to improve their quality of living. The issue of providing jobs to those evicted from the land acquired for the project seems to have been causing concern. The railway ministry has provided jobs to over 200 people with an indication of absorbing a few more, subject to eligibility. But the locals demand more, along with a change in the eligibility criteria of a senior secondary school certificate.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The challenge for the government will be to convince people that the project will benefit them and will not exploit the lands and the jungles which have belonged to them for centuries. A perfect balance of attaining development along with keeping the local sentiments in mind would go a long way in upliftment of one of the most under-developed and ignored parts of India's heartland.</p>


The Rowghat area in Chhattisgarh, apart from being under thick forest cover, is also a Naxal stronghold. The area has been identified as having huge reserves of iron ore.

The Rowghat area in Chhattisgarh, apart from being under thick forest cover, is also a Naxal stronghold. The area has been identified as having huge reserves of iron ore. The government is trying to build a railway line here which will enter the Maoist zone into the hidden jungle camps and the mineral-rich southern part of the state. The Rowghat project is critical to the government's Bhilai steel plant and the construction of the railway line will facilitate transportation of iron ore to Bhilai and other steel plants that currently depend on the almost-saturated Dalli-Rajhara mines. Five new mines will be auctioned here to steel companies. On travelling almost 1400 kilometres south of the Indian capital, into the heart of Chhattisgarh, dense and impenetrable forests welcome you to the tribal villages. This remote forest houses armed border forces popularly known as Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) which is at war with the Maoists for over four years for the construction of the ambitious Rowghat rail project. The proposed Dalli-Rajhara to Jagdalpur rail line exists on paper for almost three decades now. Once completed, it will connect state capital Raipur to mineral-rich Jagdalpur by rail via Bhilai, finally connecting the infamous red corridor to the Indian capital after several decades of Indian Independence. For now, it is only connected by a single lane road built by the paramilitary forces who have multiplied their camps during several years in the forests to combat Naxals. An alternate rail route between the two cities (Raipur and Jagdalpur) is much longer, around 600 kilometres long, and hence takes a lot of time to transport goods. The proposed rail line aims to cut the distance by nearly half. Deputy commandant of SSB, Priyadarshini Niharika Sinha, has more than 140 troops under her command with an objective to secure the construction sites of the railways and maintain peace in the area. The security of those involved in the rail project is her prime objective. She is optimistic of the rail project and feels it would bring progress and job opportunities to the villagers. Sinha is also aware that the construction of this railway project, covering 235 kilometres, would allow transportation of iron ore from the Naxal-affected area of North Bastar. "The forces guarding the project face regular threats. We face daily threats of attack from Naxals. They use improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on routes adopted by forces. Stealth and surprise attacks in market areas, firing in conjunction with IED blast, sometimes they even fire on campus. Many troops have had stand-off attacks on isolated locations, firing from moving vehicles and the troops are targeted while returning to their camps too," Sinha explained. Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, the locals wrangle over the topic of train reaching to the tribal villages. They fear the connectivity may bring unwelcome changes into the village space. "I am a villager and have never been to a city. I am not aware of the benefits of this project for me. All I know is that this train line will help the steel companies transport ores from the mines they will build on the hills. Soon, they are going to cut more jungles and make more mines in the area," GS Darro, a tribal man from the village said. Some progress has been made in the preliminary railway work, particularly in the construction of the embankment which is over 20 kilometres of the proposed 95-km rail line passing through the area. A small distance can be travelled under this rail project line which has reached till Bhanupratappur, a gateway to the Naxal belt. A 69-year-old man from the village of Pondgaon says he has never seen a train in his life. From the last active station in the Naxal zone, Bhanupratappur, Dev Sai Anchala boarded his first train in December this year. His district contains some of India’s most underdeveloped lands and the poorest people. He described his first train journey as "overwhelming". "This tribal area is still under the impact of Naxals. It's time to make a choice - should we choose a train along with invaders in the jungle looking for ores or stay stuck with Naxals. What can we really do?" said Anchala. The locals still live in jungles and don't have enough to maintain a lifestyle, they aren't even aware of the options available to improve their quality of living. The issue of providing jobs to those evicted from the land acquired for the project seems to have been causing concern. The railway ministry has provided jobs to over 200 people with an indication of absorbing a few more, subject to eligibility. But the locals demand more, along with a change in the eligibility criteria of a senior secondary school certificate. The challenge for the government will be to convince people that the project will benefit them and will not exploit the lands and the jungles which have belonged to them for centuries. A perfect balance of attaining development along with keeping the local sentiments in mind would go a long way in upliftment of one of the most under-developed and ignored parts of India's heartland.

Rowghat rail project: Train through Naxal heartland hopes to bring change

<p>When I travelled to Southern Lebanon, I had certain assumptions and projections about the country. While travelling with the United Nations peacekeeping forces, I wanted to utilise my time in a way that I could capture maximum stories from the villages bordering Israel near the blue line.</p>

<p>I had heard about the huge influx of Syrian refugees to Lebanon because of the tormenting civil war of Syria. We wanted to cover how night patrol is done with huge SISU vehicles. The vehicle integrates robust design technologies with an armoured military platform.</p>

<p>While we sat in the heavily armoured vehicle with Indian and Spanish soldiers and took a tour of the terrains the battalions patrolled the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The main aim of the battalions is to sanitise the area of Chebba villages which lies on the blue line. The surveillance of 120 km stretch is the blue helmets primary role. The blue line guaranteed complete removal of Israeli forces following the 1992 invasion. During the patrol...The Indian battalion makes regular stops. It gives them the opportunity to take a stock of the security situation.</p>

<p>It is a mountainous region where you will find beautiful cedar trees around, also the national tree of Lebanon. On these difficult terrains Indian army patrols day and night under the banner of united nations interim peacekeeping force (UNIFIL). With a new resolution of united nations, it is the prime duty of the United Nation's peacekeepers to maintain the balance of soldiers, tanks, posts of the armies of Israel and Lebanon. Lebanese government asked UN to intervene near the blue line so that the Israeli forces could be stopped from accelerating their movement in the area.</p>

<p>Between all this, we saw a group of children who came to us when the vehicles stopped for soldiers to come down and begin their foot patrol. The children appeared out of nowhere on that road. We didn’t see any habitation around and I wondered why these children are roaming alone on these dangerous roads. A peacekeeper comes to us and informs they are children of Syrian refugees staying in the region. More than 800 families are staying in the area. Sheeba is broadly a Sunni village with 95% in the majority. That is another reason that many Syrian chose to flee to these areas instead of mainland Beirut, which has more opportunities for survival than living in these enormous terrains.</p>

<p>The girl asked for a bottle of water pointing towards the bottle kept in the vehicle, a soldier replied by asking them to stay away from their armoured vehicles. It was an overwhelming feeling of sadness to see those vulnerable toddlers in the middle of nowhere. The Syrian refugee girl, without her parents, traipse all over the mountain looking for water in the so-called no mans land. I tried asking her name, which was replied back with a smile again. She didn’t have water but she had eyes with pride. Maybe the pride was of a survivor. The survival which has been uneasy for millions of Syrians who feared death every day in their own house.</p>

<p>Her pale, inquisitive face, showed a calm determination as she tried to speak with us during this unforgettable short interaction. A short pink top on her with Minnie Mouse face seemed like a mockery the superpowers have made of these Syrian children. She is one of those five million Syrian children who has been displaced over seven years of conflict. Like many of them, this unknown unnamed girl had witnessed too much, too early for her age. An entire generation of Syrians has lost the opportunity of a normal child’s life because of the war.</p>

<p>With all my questions to her, it was only the smile that I received as an answer. I could smile back and offer some water. In the mean, while I wondered if its the protocol that the soldiers follow when they patrol around the blue line. What is the dilemma of a peacekeeper to see the children of war on these unfriendly terrains in the most disputed lands of West Asia. By the end of August, the UN estimated 6.5 million people had been displaced within Syria, while more than 3 million had fled to countries such as Lebanon (1.1 million), Jordan (600,000) and Turkey (800,000).</p>

<p>The mayor of Chebba Mohammad Saab who lived in the valley for almost all his life shares the same pain what the Syrian child has been going through.</p>

<p>“In 2006 Israel invaded Lebanese territory and bombarded most parts of the country. We suffered a lot. Not just villages close to the border but the entire country suffered. They didn't differentiate between civilians and the military. The Israeli occupation took place in 1967. Our children were born during the war. We feel that peace won't be restored anytime soon,” said Mayor.</p>

<p>A new generation of children has been introduced to the world. The girls and boys travelling aimlessly places to places are part of a new generation of Syrians whose parents fled war and destruction in their millions but who themselves are too young to remember their homeland.<br />
​​​​​​​<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


When I travelled to Southern Lebanon, I had certain assumptions and projections about the country. While travelling with the United Nations peacekeeping forces, I wanted to utilise my time in a way that I could capture maximum stories from the villages bordering Israel near the blue line.

When I travelled to Southern Lebanon, I had certain assumptions and projections about the country. While travelling with the United Nations peacekeeping forces, I wanted to utilise my time in a way that I could capture maximum stories from the villages bordering Israel near the blue line. I had heard about the huge influx of Syrian refugees to Lebanon because of the tormenting civil war of Syria. We wanted to cover how night patrol is done with huge SISU vehicles. The vehicle integrates robust design technologies with an armoured military platform. While we sat in the heavily armoured vehicle with Indian and Spanish soldiers and took a tour of the terrains the battalions patrolled the area. The main aim of the battalions is to sanitise the area of Chebba villages which lies on the blue line. The surveillance of 120 km stretch is the blue helmets primary role. The blue line guaranteed complete removal of Israeli forces following the 1992 invasion. During the patrol...The Indian battalion makes regular stops. It gives them the opportunity to take a stock of the security situation. It is a mountainous region where you will find beautiful cedar trees around, also the national tree of Lebanon. On these difficult terrains Indian army patrols day and night under the banner of united nations interim peacekeeping force (UNIFIL). With a new resolution of united nations, it is the prime duty of the United Nation's peacekeepers to maintain the balance of soldiers, tanks, posts of the armies of Israel and Lebanon. Lebanese government asked UN to intervene near the blue line so that the Israeli forces could be stopped from accelerating their movement in the area. Between all this, we saw a group of children who came to us when the vehicles stopped for soldiers to come down and begin their foot patrol. The children appeared out of nowhere on that road. We didn’t see any habitation around and I wondered why these children are roaming alone on these dangerous roads. A peacekeeper comes to us and informs they are children of Syrian refugees staying in the region. More than 800 families are staying in the area. Sheeba is broadly a Sunni village with 95% in the majority. That is another reason that many Syrian chose to flee to these areas instead of mainland Beirut, which has more opportunities for survival than living in these enormous terrains. The girl asked for a bottle of water pointing towards the bottle kept in the vehicle, a soldier replied by asking them to stay away from their armoured vehicles. It was an overwhelming feeling of sadness to see those vulnerable toddlers in the middle of nowhere. The Syrian refugee girl, without her parents, traipse all over the mountain looking for water in the so-called no mans land. I tried asking her name, which was replied back with a smile again. She didn’t have water but she had eyes with pride. Maybe the pride was of a survivor. The survival which has been uneasy for millions of Syrians who feared death every day in their own house. Her pale, inquisitive face, showed a calm determination as she tried to speak with us during this unforgettable short interaction. A short pink top on her with Minnie Mouse face seemed like a mockery the superpowers have made of these Syrian children. She is one of those five million Syrian children who has been displaced over seven years of conflict. Like many of them, this unknown unnamed girl had witnessed too much, too early for her age. An entire generation of Syrians has lost the opportunity of a normal child’s life because of the war. With all my questions to her, it was only the smile that I received as an answer. I could smile back and offer some water. In the mean, while I wondered if its the protocol that the soldiers follow when they patrol around the blue line. What is the dilemma of a peacekeeper to see the children of war on these unfriendly terrains in the most disputed lands of West Asia. By the end of August, the UN estimated 6.5 million people had been displaced within Syria, while more than 3 million had fled to countries such as Lebanon (1.1 million), Jordan (600,000) and Turkey (800,000). The mayor of Chebba Mohammad Saab who lived in the valley for almost all his life shares the same pain what the Syrian child has been going through. “In 2006 Israel invaded Lebanese territory and bombarded most parts of the country. We suffered a lot. Not just villages close to the border but the entire country suffered. They didn't differentiate between civilians and the military. The Israeli occupation took place in 1967. Our children were born during the war. We feel that peace won't be restored anytime soon,” said Mayor. A new generation of children has been introduced to the world. The girls and boys travelling aimlessly places to places are part of a new generation of Syrians whose parents fled war and destruction in their millions but who themselves are too young to remember their homeland. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Blog: A Syrian girl's dawdle to nowhere 

<p>The Indian Army has been serving as peacekeepers under United Nations interim force in Lebanon for decades in the conflict-affected area of Golan Heights and historically important Cheeba village.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian troops and their presence in the village is one of the reasons villagers feel secure and consider Indian forces as their own.</p>

<p>Aiming to promote Gandhi's principle of non-violence among the youths of war-ravaged Lebanon, the Indian contingent of the United Nations interim force, with the help of local municipality in Lebanon, has built a park in his memory.</p>

<p>Samih Al Bekai is the mayor of Ebel es saqi. He has been a teacher for 40 years and used to teach his students about Mahatma Gandhi. Moved by the&nbsp;unwavering cooperation of Indian men in blue helmets, he offered the land for Mahatma Gandhi park.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said, now he is experiencing the teachings of Gandhi after seeing the Indian peacekeepers risking their lives to sustain peace in the conflicted area of southern Lebanon.</p>

<p>"India has a very positive impact in Ebel es saqi and the villagers see Indians with great respect. All the Indian battalions have shown the same teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and are spreading his teachings… They are the peacekeepers and are sacrificing their lives to maintain peace for years," he continued.</p>

<p>In Southern Lebanon, due to an unending conflict in the area of Golan Heights, several people lost their lives when Israel attacked and occupied the area near Ebel es saqi, perhaps Mahatma Gandhi's teachings of austerity, peace and non-violence are even more important than before in parts of southern Lebanon.</p>

<p>The park, in Ebel es saqi, is the symbol of friendship between India and Lebanon and their common dream of ever-lasting peace for Lebanon.</p>

<p>The Indian contingent has been celebrating Gandhi Jayanti in South Lebanon for the past few years where a series of programmes are organised to make the locals aware of his teachings.</p>

<p>The message of peace, non-violence and co-existence that Gandhi spread throughout the world has inspired not just India but even those countries which have been the victim of unending battles.</p>


The Indian Army has been serving as peacekeepers under United Nations interim force in Lebanon for decades in the conflict-affected area of Golan Heights and historically important Cheeba village.

The Indian Army has been serving as peacekeepers under United Nations interim force in Lebanon for decades in the conflict-affected area of Golan Heights and historically important Cheeba village. The Indian troops and their presence in the village is one of the reasons villagers feel secure and consider Indian forces as their own. Aiming to promote Gandhi's principle of non-violence among the youths of war-ravaged Lebanon, the Indian contingent of the United Nations interim force, with the help of local municipality in Lebanon, has built a park in his memory. Samih Al Bekai is the mayor of Ebel es saqi. He has been a teacher for 40 years and used to teach his students about Mahatma Gandhi. Moved by the unwavering cooperation of Indian men in blue helmets, he offered the land for Mahatma Gandhi park. He said, now he is experiencing the teachings of Gandhi after seeing the Indian peacekeepers risking their lives to sustain peace in the conflicted area of southern Lebanon. "India has a very positive impact in Ebel es saqi and the villagers see Indians with great respect. All the Indian battalions have shown the same teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and are spreading his teachings… They are the peacekeepers and are sacrificing their lives to maintain peace for years," he continued. In Southern Lebanon, due to an unending conflict in the area of Golan Heights, several people lost their lives when Israel attacked and occupied the area near Ebel es saqi, perhaps Mahatma Gandhi's teachings of austerity, peace and non-violence are even more important than before in parts of southern Lebanon. The park, in Ebel es saqi, is the symbol of friendship between India and Lebanon and their common dream of ever-lasting peace for Lebanon. The Indian contingent has been celebrating Gandhi Jayanti in South Lebanon for the past few years where a series of programmes are organised to make the locals aware of his teachings. The message of peace, non-violence and co-existence that Gandhi spread throughout the world has inspired not just India but even those countries which have been the victim of unending battles.

Gandhi park opens in southern Lebanon, carries forward Gandhian legacy

<p>Million of migrants come with a dream to make a living in New Delhi. They live in rented single rooms of Delhi's villages for decades&nbsp;in a hope that they will be able to save enough to buy a small house one day. Small time builders are offering houses on compromised rates, which is much lesser than what established builders offer. Thousands of aspiring homeowners have invested in the Shahberi area are yet to shift in.</p>

<p>People working in the Indian capital look for an affordable housing using all their savings or by taking loans on hefty interests to finally make the dream of home ownership come true. But their dreams of owning a home on the outskirts of Indian capital have proven to be life-threatening.</p>

<p>If you cross about 5 kilometers&nbsp;of Delhi towards Greater Noida, it won't take long to see big hoardings and lucrative advertisements of houses, plots and apartments on sale which are available in&nbsp;unbelievable rates, luring a common man dreaming for his own home for years. But are these unbelievable offers serving the purpose or inviting death for those who wish to a house in Delhi or its outskirts?</p>

<p>In the recent twin building collapse at Greater Noida's Shahberi village, 9 people lost their lives. The tragedy occurred when an illegal under construction building collapsed, however despite such fatal episode of building collapse illegal constructions are still in full swing in most areas of the national capital region of India.</p>

<p>The collapse of two buildings at Shahberi village in Greater Noida last week has put the spotlight on nonstop unauthorised illegal construction across Indian national capital region. Official data show that unauthorised construction is present in around 150 hectares of land at Shahberi village alone. Following this, the farmers either sold the land to builders or built illegal structures of their own without following building codes or obtaining mandatory approvals.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"There is no data available on illegal constructions taking place around the country including in Delhi, is maintained centrally. Several illegal buildings like these are located across Noida and Greater Noida and disaster awaits if preventive measures are not taken right now. They are building heavily on farmlands," says the president of architect association of Noida, Atul Gupta.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"The land is rarely notified by any authority, the owners of the land have the right so they sell and purchase land as per their will and construct six or eight storey buildings or whatever they want. They do require several documents, which have to be passed by the authority, but these local builders pay heavy bribes to the authorities to get all sorts of approvals," informs a local resident Ram Babu.</p>

<p>In 2009-10, the Greater Noida authority had acquired 3,635 hectares of land from about a dozen villages to form the Noida extension area. Around 161 hectares of this land came from Shahberi village. Later, following a supreme court order in October 2011, the land was returned to the farmers.</p>

<p>Interestingly, the apex court had already passed orders in 2004 not to allow construction in illegal colonies but this was not enforced by civic authorities in the last 14 years, which resulted in mushrooming of illegal construction resulting in the death of innocent home buyers.</p>


In the recent twin building collapse at Greater Noida's Shahberi village, 9 people lost their lives. The tragedy occurred when an illegal under construction building collapsed.

Million of migrants come with a dream to make a living in New Delhi. They live in rented single rooms of Delhi's villages for decades in a hope that they will be able to save enough to buy a small house one day. Small time builders are offering houses on compromised rates, which is much lesser than what established builders offer. Thousands of aspiring homeowners have invested in the Shahberi area are yet to shift in. People working in the Indian capital look for an affordable housing using all their savings or by taking loans on hefty interests to finally make the dream of home ownership come true. But their dreams of owning a home on the outskirts of Indian capital have proven to be life-threatening. If you cross about 5 kilometers of Delhi towards Greater Noida, it won't take long to see big hoardings and lucrative advertisements of houses, plots and apartments on sale which are available in unbelievable rates, luring a common man dreaming for his own home for years. But are these unbelievable offers serving the purpose or inviting death for those who wish to a house in Delhi or its outskirts? In the recent twin building collapse at Greater Noida's Shahberi village, 9 people lost their lives. The tragedy occurred when an illegal under construction building collapsed, however despite such fatal episode of building collapse illegal constructions are still in full swing in most areas of the national capital region of India. The collapse of two buildings at Shahberi village in Greater Noida last week has put the spotlight on nonstop unauthorised illegal construction across Indian national capital region. Official data show that unauthorised construction is present in around 150 hectares of land at Shahberi village alone. Following this, the farmers either sold the land to builders or built illegal structures of their own without following building codes or obtaining mandatory approvals. "There is no data available on illegal constructions taking place around the country including in Delhi, is maintained centrally. Several illegal buildings like these are located across Noida and Greater Noida and disaster awaits if preventive measures are not taken right now. They are building heavily on farmlands," says the president of architect association of Noida, Atul Gupta. "The land is rarely notified by any authority, the owners of the land have the right so they sell and purchase land as per their will and construct six or eight storey buildings or whatever they want. They do require several documents, which have to be passed by the authority, but these local builders pay heavy bribes to the authorities to get all sorts of approvals," informs a local resident Ram Babu. In 2009-10, the Greater Noida authority had acquired 3,635 hectares of land from about a dozen villages to form the Noida extension area. Around 161 hectares of this land came from Shahberi village. Later, following a supreme court order in October 2011, the land was returned to the farmers. Interestingly, the apex court had already passed orders in 2004 not to allow construction in illegal colonies but this was not enforced by civic authorities in the last 14 years, which resulted in mushrooming of illegal construction resulting in the death of innocent home buyers.

Greater Noida building collapse: How builders play with lives of people

<p>Sinhauli village in Uttar Pradesh had been a site of interest for Indian archaeologists for more than a decade now. When the officials of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) had unearthed around 116 ancient burials sites and mortal remains, it confirmed the existence of an ancient civilization in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the small, nondescript village, ASI recently found a 4000-year-old chariot for the first time in the history of the Indian subcontinent. The chariot has been found near a burial ground which also contained a coffin placed between the chariots.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The findings are extremely significant to understand the new cultural horizon of the region and its relationship with Indus valley civilization. However, unlike Indus valley civilization, archaeologists have discovered chariots engraved with copper, which also symbolizes royalty and technical perfections of the era," says S K Manjul, Director, Institute of Archeology (ASI).</p>

<p>‌Mujal further explained that these remains clearly showcased the sophistication of the culture, &nbsp;casting techniques, weaving art and a craft certainty so improved that even woodcraft is a meticulous and beautifully made coffin.</p>

<p>ASI started the excavation at the site in April 2018. Extensive exploration work was undertaken along with the excavation work at Barnawa for a better understanding of settlement pattern of the prehistoric period of this region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The copper-plated wooden coffin recovered at the site clearly indicated the vast progress made by the ancient Indians in the metallurgy. There were engravings of anthropomorphic figures on the coffin. The casket itself was of unique design with legs on its 4 corners.</p>

<p>Small copper articles resembling nails and rivets were also recovered from the site. The recovery puts the Indian civilization in line with that of Greece and Mesopotamia.</p>

<p>Officials working at the site observed that the recovery of ornaments, weapons and combs near the coffin indicated the ancient Indians believed in an afterlife. Burying the departed along with their personal belongings is a distinct feature of the Egyptian civilization.</p>

<p>Shiv Lal, the owner of the excavated land, says that they are not at a loss even if they have to give away their lands as the name of their village will be written in history books. There have been several excavations in the area, however, this site has reported some outstanding discoveries such as wooden legged cot like coffins with copper plating and decorations, eight anthropomorphic figures having two horned and peepal leafed crown decorated on the cover of the coffin and the remains of chariots along with burial goods and coffin.</p>


The chariot has been found near a burial ground which also contained a coffin placed between the chariots

Sinhauli village in Uttar Pradesh had been a site of interest for Indian archaeologists for more than a decade now. When the officials of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) had unearthed around 116 ancient burials sites and mortal remains, it confirmed the existence of an ancient civilization in the region. In the small, nondescript village, ASI recently found a 4000-year-old chariot for the first time in the history of the Indian subcontinent. The chariot has been found near a burial ground which also contained a coffin placed between the chariots. "The findings are extremely significant to understand the new cultural horizon of the region and its relationship with Indus valley civilization. However, unlike Indus valley civilization, archaeologists have discovered chariots engraved with copper, which also symbolizes royalty and technical perfections of the era," says S K Manjul, Director, Institute of Archeology (ASI). ‌Mujal further explained that these remains clearly showcased the sophistication of the culture, casting techniques, weaving art and a craft certainty so improved that even woodcraft is a meticulous and beautifully made coffin. ASI started the excavation at the site in April 2018. Extensive exploration work was undertaken along with the excavation work at Barnawa for a better understanding of settlement pattern of the prehistoric period of this region. The copper-plated wooden coffin recovered at the site clearly indicated the vast progress made by the ancient Indians in the metallurgy. There were engravings of anthropomorphic figures on the coffin. The casket itself was of unique design with legs on its 4 corners. Small copper articles resembling nails and rivets were also recovered from the site. The recovery puts the Indian civilization in line with that of Greece and Mesopotamia. Officials working at the site observed that the recovery of ornaments, weapons and combs near the coffin indicated the ancient Indians believed in an afterlife. Burying the departed along with their personal belongings is a distinct feature of the Egyptian civilization. Shiv Lal, the owner of the excavated land, says that they are not at a loss even if they have to give away their lands as the name of their village will be written in history books. There have been several excavations in the area, however, this site has reported some outstanding discoveries such as wooden legged cot like coffins with copper plating and decorations, eight anthropomorphic figures having two horned and peepal leafed crown decorated on the cover of the coffin and the remains of chariots along with burial goods and coffin.

4000-year-old chariot found in Uttar Pradesh Village

<p>As the Goods and Services Tax (GST) becomes a reality in India after a long wait of 17 years, laptops and desktops are set to become costlier when the landmark tax reform comes into effect.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The GST council has kept laptops and desktops in the 18 per cent slab, compared to the current levy of 14-15%. However, products such as monitors and printers will be taxed at 28%.</p>

<p>Mobile phones, which fall in the 12 per cent&nbsp;slab, may get costlier by four to five per cent. Basic phone prices may increase while&nbsp;imported smart phones are likely to get cheaper.</p>

<p>Though taxes have been simplified with service tax, excise duty and VAT subsumed under a single tax bracket of 12 per cent, the domestic industry (Make in India) can be an area of concern.</p>

<p>To counter this, a 10 per cent differential customs duty may be levied on imported phones. A final decision in this regard is yet to be taken.</p>

<p>&quot;The prices of desktops or laptops are going to be fairly neutral. Currently India has an excise duty which is nearly 12% of the retail prices, 5% VAT and 2% central sales tax which applies on transaction between importer and distributor. The total tax comes to roughly about 17% on laptops and desktops, the government has made it 18%. However, taxes on the multi functional printer and monitor will go up to around 28% which is currently 24%.&quot; says Priyajit Ghosh, partner at KPMG, India.</p>

<p>Priya Suman owns two electronic stores in Nehru Place (Asia&#39;s second largest IT market). She explains, &quot;The fear in the mind is unknown because it is happening for<br />
the first time and the fact that some people anticipate that the prices might go up. It&#39;s lack of knowledge I would say, especially about products such as laptop and mobile phones.&quot;</p>

<p>These reforms will also provide a level playing field to online and offline retailers of products. Till now, the brick and mortar stores incur a lot of services and end up<br />
paying VAT and service tax which they couldn&#39;t cut off earlier.</p>

<p>Many consumers are participating in pre-GST sales as they believe the prices would go up after GST is rolled out in the country. &ldquo;I have not been able to understand the whole concept of GST so far, everybody explains it differently. However, most of the shops and online retaliers are claiming that they are providing upto 50% discount on laptops so I am here to buy one before July 1.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Indian industry is concerned that the inverted duty structure that made it cheaper to import than manufacture domestically may return post GST regime.</p>

<p>Clarity is awaited on GST in services and treatment of area-based exemptions. Clarity is also required on differential duty on imports and local manufacturing to see the full impact of GST.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Computers will be taxed at 18% under GST. Peripherals such as monitors and printers will be taxed at 28%

As the Goods and Services Tax (GST) becomes a reality in India after a long wait of 17 years, laptops and desktops are set to become costlier when the landmark tax reform comes into effect. The GST council has kept laptops and desktops in the 18 per cent slab, compared to the current levy of 14-15%. However, products such as monitors and printers will be taxed at 28%. Mobile phones, which fall in the 12 per cent slab, may get costlier by four to five per cent. Basic phone prices may increase while imported smart phones are likely to get cheaper. Though taxes have been simplified with service tax, excise duty and VAT subsumed under a single tax bracket of 12 per cent, the domestic industry (Make in India) can be an area of concern. To counter this, a 10 per cent differential customs duty may be levied on imported phones. A final decision in this regard is yet to be taken. "The prices of desktops or laptops are going to be fairly neutral. Currently India has an excise duty which is nearly 12% of the retail prices, 5% VAT and 2% central sales tax which applies on transaction between importer and distributor. The total tax comes to roughly about 17% on laptops and desktops, the government has made it 18%. However, taxes on the multi functional printer and monitor will go up to around 28% which is currently 24%." says Priyajit Ghosh, partner at KPMG, India. Priya Suman owns two electronic stores in Nehru Place (Asia's second largest IT market). She explains, "The fear in the mind is unknown because it is happening for the first time and the fact that some people anticipate that the prices might go up. It's lack of knowledge I would say, especially about products such as laptop and mobile phones." These reforms will also provide a level playing field to online and offline retailers of products. Till now, the brick and mortar stores incur a lot of services and end up paying VAT and service tax which they couldn't cut off earlier. Many consumers are participating in pre-GST sales as they believe the prices would go up after GST is rolled out in the country. “I have not been able to understand the whole concept of GST so far, everybody explains it differently. However, most of the shops and online retaliers are claiming that they are providing upto 50% discount on laptops so I am here to buy one before July 1.” Indian industry is concerned that the inverted duty structure that made it cheaper to import than manufacture domestically may return post GST regime. Clarity is awaited on GST in services and treatment of area-based exemptions. Clarity is also required on differential duty on imports and local manufacturing to see the full impact of GST.

GST fall-out: Laptops, computers set to become costlier

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{134}" paraid="100684559">Delhi&#39;s population of 10 million&nbsp;is served by 38&nbsp;state-run&nbsp;hospitals.&nbsp;&nbsp;The job they do is admirable given the workload --&nbsp;India&#39;s doctor to patient ratio is 1:1,700 -- a&nbsp;visit to one is not always a pleasant experience. Government-run&nbsp;hospitals tend to be&nbsp;a&nbsp;messy, chaotic affair.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{215}" paraid="365142878">Madhuri,&nbsp;therefore,&nbsp;is fortunate. She has a fever and has been feeling nauseous but she will not have to make the trek to the nearest government hospital.&nbsp;She&nbsp;will&nbsp;instead&nbsp;go&nbsp;to her&nbsp;mohalla&nbsp;or&nbsp;neighbourhood&nbsp;clinic&nbsp;the first of which was set up by Delhi&#39;s&nbsp;Aam&nbsp;Aadmi&nbsp;Party (common&nbsp;man&nbsp;party) government in July 2015.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{222}" paraid="1477063622">At the clinic,&nbsp;Madhuri&nbsp;is taken to a doctor who gives her a&nbsp;physical check-up&nbsp;and then takes a blood sample to test for dengue fever.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{226}" paraid="756363643">Madhuri&#39;s&nbsp;results come back in under a minute.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{229}" paraid="12864790">In under a minute! How can that be possible?&nbsp;Even a private laboratory&nbsp;in Delhi takes at least a day to return test results.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{237}" paraid="1948929865">The miracle worker in this little two-room clinic in the Indian capital&#39;s&nbsp;Peeragarhi&nbsp;area is&nbsp;Swasthya&nbsp;Slate, a compact, 8x12-inch&nbsp;portable device that hooks up to Android phones and tablet computers and allows doctors to conduct as many as 33 diagnostic tests &ndash; including for&nbsp;malaria, dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid, and HIV. A blood or urine sample is placed on a disposable strip, inserted into the Slate, and in less than a minute the results show up on the doctor&#39;s tablet or phone.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{241}" paraid="1181462168">The Slate can also do an ECG&nbsp;and check blood pressure and heart rates.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{9fd84d5c-04e8-4ea1-91ba-ec51a0e20ba0}{246}" paraid="1949557041">((insert picture here of the&nbsp;Swasthya&nbsp;Slate)&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{28}" paraid="2020582874">The&nbsp;Swasthya&nbsp;(means health in Hindi)&nbsp;Slate has been a hit so far with both doctors and patients.&nbsp;Each unit costs about&nbsp;Rs&nbsp;40,000 or&nbsp;US$&nbsp;600.&nbsp;Aided&nbsp;by the Slate, a doctor is able to see and diagnose about 50&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;more patients than he did before. &ldquo;As many as 300 patients come to us a day. Earlier, I could diagnose about&nbsp;100 of them. Today,&nbsp;over an eight-hour shift and with the help of the Slate, I can diagnose as many as 150,&quot; says Rather&nbsp;Basit&nbsp;Nazir, the government doctor who&nbsp;has been manning the&nbsp;Peeragarhi&nbsp;clinic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{35}" paraid="1791850438">The next time those 150 patients come in,&nbsp;Nazir&nbsp;will have their medical history handy,&nbsp;for the Slate stores it in the cloud.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{40}" paraid="424907524">&ldquo;I have all his information handy before a patient gets to me. I don&rsquo;t have to call him back with his test reports. That helps both us and the patient save time,&rdquo; says&nbsp;Nazir.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{55}" paraid="1980413343">Which was exactly why&nbsp;Dr&nbsp;Kanav&nbsp;Kahol, a biomedical engineer and researcher at Arizona State University, invented the Slate &ndash; to speed up testing and to cut costs. The Slate also recommends what treatment and medication can be given to patients, says&nbsp;Dr&nbsp;Vijender&nbsp;Jeph, who heads business development for the Slate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{61}" paraid="322069114">Madhuri&#39;s&nbsp;test comes back positive. She does have&nbsp;dengue&nbsp;fever.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{77}" paraid="1960217798">Dr&nbsp;Basit&nbsp;checks his phone &ndash; to see what the Slate tells him about treatment &ndash; and writes out a prescription. As an added precaution, he also tests&nbsp;Madhuri&#39;s&nbsp;four-year-old son.&nbsp;His test&nbsp;has a&nbsp;negative&nbsp;report.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{102}" paraid="929087681">The&nbsp;mohalla&nbsp;clinics have themselves been revolutionary. They were set up to pare down the overcrowding that government hospitals in India, especially in the bigger cities, are&nbsp;synonymous&nbsp;with and,&nbsp;of course,&nbsp;to provide affordable healthcare&nbsp;to people closer to their homes. Private hospitals in India tend to be good but expensive. The Delhi government had promised that a 100 clinics would come up by July.&nbsp;So far they&nbsp;have set up 22.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{f9893b57-de3e-46bf-984c-e6a3b871b3ef}{121}" paraid="499288928">Which means they will probably miss their deadlines,&nbsp;but the clinics&nbsp;which will be staffed by doctors from government hospitals and will also function as&nbsp;immunisation&nbsp;centres&nbsp;for children, have certainly found a fan in&nbsp;Madhuri. Going to a government hospital earlier&nbsp;would take up almost two days,&nbsp;she says. One day to get there, wait in line, and then go back the next day to collect her reports. &quot;Plus, I never got free medicine there. Here I do. And the tests are so quick. I certainly hope my&nbsp;mohalla&nbsp;clinic stays. In fact, I hope they build all 100.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>


The 8x12-inch Swasthya Slate hooks up to Android phones and tablets, and is able to conduct 33 medical tests, including those for dengue, malaria, HIV, and even ECGs, in under a minute

Delhi's population of 10 million is served by 38 state-run hospitals. The job they do is admirable given the workload -- India's doctor to patient ratio is 1:1,700 -- a visit to one is not always a pleasant experience. Government-run hospitals tend to be a messy, chaotic affair. Madhuri, therefore, is fortunate. She has a fever and has been feeling nauseous but she will not have to make the trek to the nearest government hospital. She will instead go to her mohalla or neighbourhood clinic the first of which was set up by Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party (common man party) government in July 2015. At the clinic, Madhuri is taken to a doctor who gives her a physical check-up and then takes a blood sample to test for dengue fever. Madhuri's results come back in under a minute. In under a minute! How can that be possible? Even a private laboratory in Delhi takes at least a day to return test results. The miracle worker in this little two-room clinic in the Indian capital's Peeragarhi area is Swasthya Slate, a compact, 8x12-inch portable device that hooks up to Android phones and tablet computers and allows doctors to conduct as many as 33 diagnostic tests – including for malaria, dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid, and HIV. A blood or urine sample is placed on a disposable strip, inserted into the Slate, and in less than a minute the results show up on the doctor's tablet or phone. The Slate can also do an ECG and check blood pressure and heart rates. ((insert picture here of the Swasthya Slate) The Swasthya (means health in Hindi) Slate has been a hit so far with both doctors and patients. Each unit costs about Rs 40,000 or US$ 600. Aided by the Slate, a doctor is able to see and diagnose about 50 per cent more patients than he did before. “As many as 300 patients come to us a day. Earlier, I could diagnose about 100 of them. Today, over an eight-hour shift and with the help of the Slate, I can diagnose as many as 150," says Rather Basit Nazir, the government doctor who has been manning the Peeragarhi clinic. The next time those 150 patients come in, Nazir will have their medical history handy, for the Slate stores it in the cloud. “I have all his information handy before a patient gets to me. I don’t have to call him back with his test reports. That helps both us and the patient save time,” says Nazir. Which was exactly why Dr Kanav Kahol, a biomedical engineer and researcher at Arizona State University, invented the Slate – to speed up testing and to cut costs. The Slate also recommends what treatment and medication can be given to patients, says Dr Vijender Jeph, who heads business development for the Slate. Madhuri's test comes back positive. She does have dengue fever. Dr Basit checks his phone – to see what the Slate tells him about treatment – and writes out a prescription. As an added precaution, he also tests Madhuri's four-year-old son. His test has a negative report. The mohalla clinics have themselves been revolutionary. They were set up to pare down the overcrowding that government hospitals in India, especially in the bigger cities, are synonymous with and, of course, to provide affordable healthcare to people closer to their homes. Private hospitals in India tend to be good but expensive. The Delhi government had promised that a 100 clinics would come up by July. So far they have set up 22. Which means they will probably miss their deadlines, but the clinics which will be staffed by doctors from government hospitals and will also function as immunisation centres for children, have certainly found a fan in Madhuri. Going to a government hospital earlier would take up almost two days, she says. One day to get there, wait in line, and then go back the next day to collect her reports. "Plus, I never got free medicine there. Here I do. And the tests are so quick. I certainly hope my mohalla clinic stays. In fact, I hope they build all 100."

Delhi makes health check-ups easy with Swasthya Slate ? its one-stop medical test kit

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{182}" paraid="1662290056">A few months after he was voted into office in May 2014, Indian&nbsp;Prime&nbsp;Minister Narendra Modi launched the&nbsp;Swachh&nbsp;Bharat&nbsp;Abhiyan&nbsp;or the Clean India Mission.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{189}" paraid="962584056">The campaign aims to clean up India&#39;s cities by the time Mahatma Gandhi&#39;s&nbsp;150th birth anniversary comes round&nbsp;on October 2,&nbsp;2019.&nbsp;Gandhi was big on cleanliness. &ldquo;We can no more gain God&rsquo;s blessing with an unclean body than with an unclean mind. A clean body cannot reside in an unclean city,&rdquo; he wrote in the journal Young India in 1925.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{192}" paraid="1084963738">The Clean India Mission also wants to put a stop to open defecation.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{213}" paraid="1292518957">A&nbsp;billion people defecate in the open&nbsp;the world over. South Asia is among&nbsp;the worst offenders.&nbsp;In India&nbsp;597 million people &ndash; or half the country &ndash; defecate in the open, 41 million do so in Pakistan, as do 15 million (that&#39;s more than half the country) in Nepal. Diseases&nbsp;like&nbsp;cholera,&nbsp;diarrhoea&nbsp;and typhoid,&nbsp;for example, is a natural outcome.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{218}" paraid="384175414">Prime Minister Modi kicked off his mission by picking up a broom and sweeping the road near Gandhi&#39;s memorial in Delhi. It is thought of as being one of his pet projects,&nbsp;but he is not going to find the going easy, as a short walk would tell him.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{220}" paraid="1907312861">((insert picture of Modi with broom at&nbsp;Rajghat))&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{242}" paraid="154697890">A&nbsp;stone&#39;s throw from&nbsp;his&nbsp;official&nbsp;residence, 7, Race Course Road,&nbsp;lies the&nbsp;Bhaiya&nbsp;Ram Camp slum. Of the 5,000 people who live here, 90&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;do not have toilets in their homes and have to make do&nbsp;with 16 communal toilets. There are no sewer lines, open drains run through the camp&nbsp;and as many as 90 households share one tap.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{8f4f7417-4c1c-4dc3-aa39-dba586701abe}{244}" paraid="45645244">The lack of sanitation is frustrating, says&nbsp;Jyoti, who lives in the slum. &quot;The government claims that they have built a million toilets across India but I think the Clean India Mission is active only near their bungalows and not in our slums.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{17}" paraid="1744240119">Jyoti&nbsp;begins each morning with a 400-metre walk to the communal toilets. The toilets do not have running water&nbsp;so&nbsp;she carries a small bucket with her. There is no polite way to say this,&nbsp;but the toilets&nbsp;which&nbsp;Jyoti&nbsp;shows us, are filthy. And they smell.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{23}" paraid="2007065508">Jyoti&nbsp;has had&nbsp;diarrhoea&nbsp;three times since last December.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{30}" paraid="1133764903">That&#39;s not all. &ldquo;The situation worsens at night. Women have been assaulted at night in the communal toilets. So if we need the bathroom after dark we go near the drains behind our homes,&rdquo; says&nbsp;Jyoti. And adds, &ldquo;We have to risk our dignity every time we want to go to the toilet. Why does nobody care about our dignity?&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{56}" paraid="1890053748">Ministry of&nbsp;drinking&nbsp;water and&nbsp;sanitation&nbsp;secretary&nbsp;Parmeshwaran&nbsp;Iyer&nbsp;told WION that the government had&nbsp;built 13 million toilets since the start of the mission.&nbsp;&quot;It&nbsp;is not a number&#39;s game. More important is to look at the shift in&nbsp;behaviour&nbsp;and mindsets.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{65}" paraid="597236208">What he means is that the government might build toilets, but you&nbsp;still&nbsp;have&nbsp;to convince people to use them. That,&nbsp;he says, is going to be the difficult part of the Clean India Mission. &ldquo;Today we have only 13 districts which are open defecation-free.&rdquo; (India has a total of 688 districts.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{74}" paraid="2097714748">Mr&nbsp;Modi&nbsp;could still manage to pull off what even the Mahatma (the honorific means great soul) was not able to. But for that he will have to look for inspiration to his country&#39;s smaller&nbsp;neighbour&nbsp;to the east, Bangladesh, which in the&nbsp;past 15 years has virtually wiped out open defecation from its soil.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{99}" paraid="450883143">Only&nbsp;1&nbsp;per cent of Bangladesh&#39;s population today does not have access to toilets &ndash; the number was 42&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in 2003. Bangladesh did it by focusing intensively on education, information, and interpersonal communication,&nbsp;which means that they&nbsp;did&nbsp;not&nbsp;just build a toilet in every home,&nbsp;but also talked to and educated their populace on why they should be using toilets.&nbsp;They got non-governmental and other&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;like the World Bank, WHO&nbsp;(World Health&nbsp;Organisation), and UNICEF&nbsp;(United Nations International Children&#39;s Emergency&nbsp;Fund)&nbsp;to help. Somewhat more coercively, the government also encouraged the creation of social pressure and got it to bear on people to get them to change their toilet etiquette.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{111}" paraid="1247452205">Iyer&nbsp;says they&nbsp;are doing the same thing in India. That all hands are needed on deck&nbsp;and that NGOs&nbsp;(non-governmental&nbsp;organisations)&nbsp;and civil society are being roped in.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{122}" paraid="873859267">Jyoti&nbsp;and her fellow residents&nbsp;at&nbsp;BR Camp say thank you and remind&nbsp;Iyer,&nbsp;and Prime Minister Modi,&nbsp;that not only will they have to build toilets but also maintain them. (They are somewhat upset that they seem to have been ignored while the rest of the country undergoes massive change.)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>

<div paraeid="{0285b3de-2e3d-4ab6-8b55-70cbb4708ed8}{128}" paraid="623064894">Less euphemistically and pointing to the overflowing toilets, the heaps of garbage lying around&nbsp;and the blocked sewers,&nbsp;Jyoti&nbsp;says: &ldquo;The stench is unbearable, children have to walk through this everyday and our health remains at risk.&rdquo;&nbsp;</div>


Half of India still defecates in the open including those in the slum on the other side of the road from the PM

A few months after he was voted into office in May 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or the Clean India Mission. The campaign aims to clean up India's cities by the time Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary comes round on October 2, 2019. Gandhi was big on cleanliness. “We can no more gain God’s blessing with an unclean body than with an unclean mind. A clean body cannot reside in an unclean city,” he wrote in the journal Young India in 1925. The Clean India Mission also wants to put a stop to open defecation. A billion people defecate in the open the world over. South Asia is among the worst offenders. In India 597 million people – or half the country – defecate in the open, 41 million do so in Pakistan, as do 15 million (that's more than half the country) in Nepal. Diseases like cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid, for example, is a natural outcome. Prime Minister Modi kicked off his mission by picking up a broom and sweeping the road near Gandhi's memorial in Delhi. It is thought of as being one of his pet projects, but he is not going to find the going easy, as a short walk would tell him. ((insert picture of Modi with broom at Rajghat)) A stone's throw from his official residence, 7, Race Course Road, lies the Bhaiya Ram Camp slum. Of the 5,000 people who live here, 90 per cent do not have toilets in their homes and have to make do with 16 communal toilets. There are no sewer lines, open drains run through the camp and as many as 90 households share one tap. The lack of sanitation is frustrating, says Jyoti, who lives in the slum. "The government claims that they have built a million toilets across India but I think the Clean India Mission is active only near their bungalows and not in our slums.” Jyoti begins each morning with a 400-metre walk to the communal toilets. The toilets do not have running water so she carries a small bucket with her. There is no polite way to say this, but the toilets which Jyoti shows us, are filthy. And they smell. Jyoti has had diarrhoea three times since last December. That's not all. “The situation worsens at night. Women have been assaulted at night in the communal toilets. So if we need the bathroom after dark we go near the drains behind our homes,” says Jyoti. And adds, “We have to risk our dignity every time we want to go to the toilet. Why does nobody care about our dignity?” Ministry of drinking water and sanitation secretary Parmeshwaran Iyer told WION that the government had built 13 million toilets since the start of the mission. "It is not a number's game. More important is to look at the shift in behaviour and mindsets.” What he means is that the government might build toilets, but you still have to convince people to use them. That, he says, is going to be the difficult part of the Clean India Mission. “Today we have only 13 districts which are open defecation-free.” (India has a total of 688 districts.) Mr Modi could still manage to pull off what even the Mahatma (the honorific means great soul) was not able to. But for that he will have to look for inspiration to his country's smaller neighbour to the east, Bangladesh, which in the past 15 years has virtually wiped out open defecation from its soil. Only 1 per cent of Bangladesh's population today does not have access to toilets – the number was 42 per cent in 2003. Bangladesh did it by focusing intensively on education, information, and interpersonal communication, which means that they did not just build a toilet in every home, but also talked to and educated their populace on why they should be using toilets. They got non-governmental and other organisations like the World Bank, WHO (World Health Organisation), and UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) to help. Somewhat more coercively, the government also encouraged the creation of social pressure and got it to bear on people to get them to change their toilet etiquette. Iyer says they are doing the same thing in India. That all hands are needed on deck and that NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and civil society are being roped in. Jyoti and her fellow residents at BR Camp say thank you and remind Iyer, and Prime Minister Modi, that not only will they have to build toilets but also maintain them. (They are somewhat upset that they seem to have been ignored while the rest of the country undergoes massive change.) Less euphemistically and pointing to the overflowing toilets, the heaps of garbage lying around and the blocked sewers, Jyoti says: “The stench is unbearable, children have to walk through this everyday and our health remains at risk.”

Prime Minister Modi says clean India but his voice does not carry across the street from his official residence

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Nagen Singh

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