Hijab, a badge of freedom or chauvinism?

New Zealand President Jacinda Ardern. (Image Credit: Reuters)

With the recent move of New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of wearing hijab to express her solidarity with the grieving family of the terror attack victims in Mosque, the discussion on her gesture of wearing Head Scarf is considered of more importance than that of her audacity to stand firm against the idea of victimising Muslims when most other countries including India is talking about punishing them reasoning the rise in terror activities across the world.

People, especially the so-called ‘Liberals’ are leaving no stone unturned in connecting the human right (Right to Clothing) with their self-defined liberalisation.

This ideology begets a larger question that demands a logical reasoning for certifying a woman ‘not liberal’ if she supports or wear hijab. Regardless of this unjustifiable logic, the rationale suggests that a woman who wears hijab is actually far more ‘Liberal’ than those who call themselves a practising Muslim but criticises the act of wearing hijab.

The general psychology behind choosing not to wear hijab of practicing-Muslim is that they will be ‘judged’. They believe that covering their head with a piece of cloth will question their recognition as a ‘Liberal’. They fear that people may change their perception, behaviour and attitude towards them. They may find it difficult to avail of their civil rights.

The fear of being judged and desperation to join the cluster of so-called-liberals push them to wear the mask of pseudo-liberalism and compromise with the authentic ideologies. What is this craving for?

At least those who opted to wear hijab are not coward as these pseudo-liberals and are daring enough to establish their identity as who they actually are. They don’t fear being judged. They are neither insecure about people’s perception or behaviour, nor being stereotyped as either bigoted or orthodox.

They strongly believe that people around them will accept them the way they are. They are confident that they can freely enjoy all the rights which the constitution offers them irrespective of their difference in clothing style. They are courageous enough to convey the message that this is a type of dressing; shariyat demands a Muslim lady to carry out.

The discussion on whether wearing a headscarf is a compulsion or a choice is the same as discussing whether practising the religion you follow is a compulsion or a choice.

A headscarf that is merely a part of women clothing cannot be associated with the woman’s freedom, right or liberalisation. Liberalisation is about economic, psychological and social freedom. Unless a woman is free to enjoy her civil rights, she is ‘Not Liberated’. So even if their right to wear Hijab is curtailed, judged or prejudiced, they are not liberated. Similarly, how can a woman (irrespective of her choice to wear or not a hijab) defending the practice of wearing hijab be termed as ‘not liberal’?

There is no reasonable justification for calling Hijab wearers an unprogressive woman. There is a huge need to understand and clear this preconceived notion of Hijab’s connection with liberalisation. And there is a humble request to stop judging ‘women in hijab’ or people defending ‘practice of wearing hijab’ as ‘not liberal’ in your bewilderedness.

Could treatment be unhealthy?

Rajiv had an unknown type of Gastric Headache for which he consulted a local doctor and got temporary relief. Later for permanent treatment he visited Fortis Malar hospital to see Doctor Jimmy. There he got a list of tests and scans including MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), two tires blood test, Lipid test and some other tests. But the doctors could not find out the problem with the test results. He was prescribed some medicines also, which he took for two months continuously though he never got any relief from it.

By this time, he had spent Rs 18,000 on doctor’s fees, medicines, tests and scans without any redressal. After being exasperated and disappointed, he took an appointment with a local doctor who practices in a small clinic. There he hardly spent Rs 500 to get temporary relief from the pain which doctors of Fortis Malar Hospital could not provide even after such a large expense.

“Other than good infrastructure, parking lots and various facilities with highly equipped and latest technological machines, treatment in Fortis Malar is way too expensive. Most of the staffs are also rude and not friendly with the patients or their guardians,” said Rajiv.

Apart from big issues and cheatings in renowned private hospitals, small private clinics, and even the lab test centers are earning their fortunes by cheating on patients irrespective of their financial status. For the past few years, it has become a convention for the doctors to write most of the tests to patients even if it is not required. Tests like MRI and CT Scans emits radiations which are harmful to a body. If it is done repeatedly on a human body, it shows its side effects on the health of the patient.

“C T Scans, MRIs, and X-Rays emit radiations which are harmful to body and brains. It is better to avoid these tests if possible. The doctors do not stop asking their patients go for such tests because they make money out of it. For the doctors who are employed in some renowned private hospitals it is difficult to avoid it because of the target they have got to meet,” said an Orthopedics in Chennai.

In private hospitals, the doctors are demanded to recommend their patients for these tests by the hospital management. This is compulsory for the doctors to send the expected number of patients for the tests as it generates revenue for the hospital. When a doctor refers a patient to some particular Test Lab for the tests and scans, he gets a large amount of commission which is sophistically called ‘Interpretation Charge’. Interpretation Charges are direct cut from the amount paid by the patient, to the doctor who refers his patient to some particular test center.

Usually, a patient has to pay a total amount of Rs 8,000 to 9,000 for a normal CT scan. The actual price for a normal CT Scan is Rs 3,500 which is also the price which is kept by the Test and Scan centers. The rest of the amount from the total charge of Rs 8 – 9,000 is given back to the doctor who has recommended the particular patient there. The test and scan centers pay back the money as commission to the doctors in the name of Interpretation Charges so that the doctors could keep recommending their patients to them.

Shadma and her brother Baquir have some neurological problem. Baquir went to see Doctor S.K. Verma with his mother. Doctor asked him about his father’s profession. Knowing that he is a son of a father who works for Railways, he handed him a test list which demanded to be conducted to the particular place recommended by the doctor. He went for MRI which costed him around Rs 2,000. Two weeks later when Shadma went to the same doctor with her father, the doctor asked the profession of her father.

Her father who was there present with her told the doctor that he is a primary school teacher in some private school. The doctor gave her also a list of test which again demanded to be conducted to some particular test center. This test was different from the test center her brother was prescribed. And not just the test center, even the expenses were different. Her test was done only in Rs 800.

“India’s private healthcare sector largely treats patients as mere revenue generators. Irrational drug prescribing, kickbacks for referrals and unnecessary tests and surgical procedures are widespread in the private healthcare system,” said Doctor Joseph, Head of the department of Cadaver Transplant Unit in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital.

Jayaram, whose grandfather had cough problem two years back was admitted to Fortis Malar Hospital. He had pain in his chest and was having difficulty in respiration. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. The doctors conducted some tests and then gave some medicines and injections to him. By evening, he looked, quite better and relieved. Suddenly the doctor came asking us to sign the form because they want to put his grandfather on ventilation.

Jayaram’s father clearly denied and asked doctors to not to do that unless he or his family members allow to put his father on a ventilator. Since the patient was admitted to ICU, Jayaram, and his father decided to go back and spend the night at home. Next day, when they came back, they found their patient dead.

The autopsy report mentioned infection in the lungs of the patient as the cause of his death. Despite the denial of the patient’s guardian, the doctors put the patient on a ventilator. Later the doctors explained that soon after they left the hospital, patient’s condition became critical which forced them to put him on the ventilation. This infection was surpassed from the ventilator’s pipe which became the cause of patient’s death.

There are few doctors who still practices the ethical way of treatment. But a lot of investigative reports and studies has proved it clearly that the majority of doctors basically in private hospitals are indulged in unethical and irrational practices. They are not even affected by the increasing commercialization of the medical sector. After all these, it can be said that not even paying large amount of money can guarantee good health care.

Mute struggle for right to survival; even before learning to speak

1.45 million children dies before their fifth birthday. Photo Courtesy: usatoday.com

The economic growth of a country determines the rate of development of a country. India has now rapid economic growth with GDP of 1500 billion $ but still 9,00,000 newborn children die every year in India. Almost one child dies every minute in the country.

Every year, 1.45 million children do not live to celebrate their 5^th birthday and 55,000 women die during and after childbirth in India. Of every 100 children born in India, 4.4 of them die before their first birthday. 48 of them are stunned, 43 are underweight, and 39 are not fully immunized. Those who win over all these difficulties, 49 of them live without adequate sanitation.

Infant mortality is even higher than maternal mortality. Photo Courtesy: Mint.com

Globally, more than one-third of child deaths are attributed to the cause of undernutrition. The major causes of deaths in children under 5 years are prematurity, birth asphyxia, sepsis, pneumonia, diarrhea. The biggest among these is malnutrition. These cases are more prevalent in rural India and the poor section of society. Early marriage and then early childbearing is very common in rural areas and among the poor. This has a serious effect on the child which is borne by young girls who are too young to carry this whole process from pregnancy to delivery.

Due to poverty, most girls start working from their young age. Since, they have no educational qualification or any other skill; usually they end up doing labour work. They can’t afford to stop working even after their pregnancy. In such cases, the peril of physical stress and depletion results into unsafe motherhood.

Undernutrition, respiratory infections, lack of immunization and health facilities are the underlying causes of newborn deaths. However, most of these deaths are preventable if the government makes the proper arrangements of health centers and qualified doctors at the centers. Children are said to be the future of a country. If the health of a child remains so threatened right from their childhood, what can we expect for their future? Right to survival is their basic right, and if it is no fulfilled, then it is a violation of their right.

Autistic children: Outcasts of society

Autistic children with beautiful colours participated in the painting competition. Photo Courtesy: The Hindu

Tears tumbled down Maria Josephine’s face when her 31-year-old daughter Priya asked, “When am I going to get married? Why don’t you marry me off too?”

Like every other girl, Priya also has dreams. She wants to get married. It was during her younger brother’s marriage ceremony that she asked her mother why she is not getting married. Her mother could never explain to her that her lovely adorable daughter is autistic and no one wanted to marry her.

In a bid to do her bit for children with such special needs, Maria has for many years been running a school called V Excel Education Trust for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Chennai.

Most people are not even aware of this neurological disorder. Autism is seen as a taboo in society. Maria was once asked by her neighbour, what sin she had committed that made her give birth to an autistic child.

“All we want is just a proper educational system for our children where only trained professionals can teach them. I have seen teachers and school staff resorting to corporal punishment to discipline autistic children and that is pathetic,” says Maria.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2010, the number of people with ASD was only 1.7million in India which increased to 10 million in 2012. The CDC report has found that in every 88 children, one child is born with autism disorder.

Most of the autistic children are not even diagnosed, depriving them of their fundamental rights to education. Survival itself is a big challenge for these children.

Often parents find it too hard to cope with the condition of their children, leading to family discords and marriage breakdowns. The cost of treatment and care is often beyond the reach of parents who are then left with no other option but to keep their wards shackled and hidden from the world.

Rahul (name changed) was six years old when Maria met him at his home in Tondiarpet, Chennai. The forlorn look in his eyes was heart-rending. His shrunken face and shivering body, which had grown thin without food, revealed the trauma he was undergoing after being abandoned by his parents.

It was his second week without food when Maria, who was working in Shishu Bhawan, got a letter from a doctor who was treating Rahul. The letter mentioned that the six-year-old with ASD is spastic and the parents of the child had planned euthanasia for him. She went to see the child and warned the parents to bring the child to the school if they wanted to avoid getting into trouble with the law enforcement authorities.

“The first thought that comes to the mind when you meet an autistic child is that he is mad. They often get scared of my little nine-year-old son. What harm can he do? I try convincing people to try and accept him and not look down upon him. I ask them, what if your child had this disorder. How would you have expected him to be treated?” asks Fareeda, a mother of nine-year-old Fardeen with ASD.

India doesn’t have enough facilities for children with special needs. Even therapy centres have made it a business.
“We don’t even know what these centres do with our children. We have requested a lot, but they never allowed us to visit the centers,” says Fareeda.

Children with ASD also lack facilities for recreation. When they try to mingle with other children, they are not accepted. Even if they manage to make friends, the parents of the other children restrict their wards from playing with them. Surely, these children deserve better.

Shameful cheating scandal in Bihar

Parents and guardians climbing up on the school building to pass the chit papers with answers written on them of the questions that has been asked in exam. Picture Courtesy: Prashant Ravi

Are the parents and examinees solely responsible?

For a few days now, the bizarre photo of people climbing on a school building wall has become a subject of mockery, anger, pity and disgrace. The picture shows the loopholes in the administrative system in Bihar. The photograph, with dozens of guardians of examinees, clinging to the wall of Vidya Niketan School in Mahnar of Vaishali district in Bihar, went viral on twitter.

But that is not the only school where reports of mass copying and cheating was witnessed. The condition of almost all the other examination centres in the state is more or less the same as Vidya Niketan.  This illegal practice is nothing new and is exercised every year during the state board exams of class 10^th and 12^th. This year in 2015, around 1.43 million students appeared for class 10^th board exam, only for state board (Bihar School Examination Board). Total 1,217 schools were allotted as examination centres for the 1.43 million students appearing for the 10^th board exam this year. Most of these centres do not have  adequate infrastructure facilities and more than required numer of students are accommodated in the little space available.

Girls writing their papers of board exam with the help of chit papers open on the table. Picture Courtesy: Prashant Ravi

Parents and relatives of the examinees climbed up on second and third floor of the examination centres to pass chits with answers written on them through windows to their children. Old people wearing lungi, dhoti and pyjama can also be seen in some of the pictures climbing up, showing that cheating was irrespective of age. Some of them even used bamboo poles and ropes to pass chits through windows. Once the chit reaches to the examinees sitting in the examination hall, it is exchanged with several other students with other chits of their own.

“These people should be in police or fire brigade department. Look, how easily they climb without much assistance and how innovative they get using ropes to carry chits to the desired rooms,” a lathi wielding cop said to HT.

Around 750 students were caught copying and were expelled in just two days after the commencement of the examinations. According to Board’s Special Examinaton Cell, seven parents, indulged in helping their wards were also arrested during these two day period of state board matriculation examination. Here, there is no fear of being caught as cheating seems completly normal. It doesn’t stop there. There are other cases wher parents employ the impersonators to write the exam on behalf of their children.

“My son cannot even write but I wanted him to at least complete his matriculation,” said the father of a student to Hindustan Times after he was arrested on the very first day of exam from R B Jalan College centre along with five other proxy examinees.

Scene of a high school in Saharsa which is also a center for 10th board examination of Bihar School Examination Board. Picture Courtesy: Express Photo File

On 19^th March 2015, Education Minister of Bihar, P K Shahi said, “Cheating-free examination is not possible in State without the cooperation of student’s parents. It is also the responsibility of society to ensure a cheating-free exam”.  He added that the other day, during a raid at just one school, the authorities seized chit-papers with answers that filled up nine sacks. He admitted that holding free and fair exams was a big challenge for the Bihar Government.

Although it proves the inability of the government and the hypocrisy on having any control on such unethical practices. There lies the root of corruption where the young students succeed without any hard work and knowledge. There are times when the students who wrote the exams with the help of chits gets better marks compared to the students who wrote the exams honestly without any help. This is injustice to the students who passed the exam without the help of cheating.

School education system especially in Bihar is on the brink of collapse. Even the minister expressed government’s helplessness to hold a cheating-free and fair exam in the state. It’s a matter of concern that what values are children inculcating when cheating and using unfair means is an accepted norm? Parents and teachers who are supposed to preach them the difference between right and wrong are promoting the use of these unfair means. Why would a child concentrate over his/her studies and work hard to prepare for the board exams when he/she knows that passing the exam is not a big deal for them? If this remains the situation, what is the need of examinations which qualifies the efficiency of a student?

Most of the time children are forced to earn for the family and instead of going to school they are sent to work. Even the parents are not concerned about their education. All they need is just a piece of paper known as mark sheet which certifies that now their child is 10^th pass or 12^th pass. This helps them to get better jobs from government’s employment schemes like MGNREGA which needs minimum qualification of 12^th grade. Exams in Bihar is more about showing proficiency and smartness in cheating and copying rather than proving how well educated.

A boy at the left corner, first bench sits with his legs stretched out leaning on a bench in front of him while the middle row front bencher peeps into others copy not even caring about camera. Picture Courtesy: IBN live

“After all, unless they are taught in schools, how can they be expected to answer? Just passing the test should not be the goal, but unfortunately that is the mindset,” said former board chairperson Rajmani Prasad Sinha. Almost similar was the remarks of some students. “I don’t find anything wrong in using unfair means. It is nothing new, my elder brothers and even my father has passed their exams with the help of chit papers,” said Rashmi Prasad a student of Social Science in Jamuni Lal College, Hajipur.

Infrastructure and facilities like,  teachers, books, regular classes, proper class rooms etc play an important role in the education of students. Education system in Bihar lacks all these facilities. Children are not educated properly. Government’s slogans like ‘Sab Padhein, Sab Badhein’ are just for name sake. But the qualification criteria remain same for all the students of country. In such situations the students and their parents can’t see any other way to pass the exam and to get certificates.

This trend of cheating is so prevalent in Bihar that children who get proper education in private schools with expensive fees also resort to these unfair means. Even the parents help them employ these methods to fetch better marks and score higher than others. There are many other reasons behind this trend and its rootedness in education system. But the question remains the same that; Are we doing justice with our new generation by providing them such an environment where inadequate knowledge is rewarded more than skills and civic values?

Education, healthcare and dignity remain a distant dream in Thiruvallur

This is a bathroom made up of palm leaves, used only for bathing without any water outlet

Are the rights mentioned in the Constitution designed solely for the elite sections of society? What about the country’s poor? Do they not have a right to education, dignity, sanitation and health? While exploring the undeveloped villages of Thiruvallur in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, I wondered how insecure is the future of children, who don’t have proper facilities for education. Then I sensed a pair of eyes staring at me from a distance. I turned around to find a little boy, whose name I learned later was Vinod, standing at a distance playing with a tyre tube and a stick, probably waiting for someone to pay attention to his antics.

Curious Vinod with his tyre toy, listens eagerly to our talks

Vinod, who lives in a tribal village called Ellappanaidu in Thiruvallur district, is a student of class 2 and is six years old. A smile and a brief conversation later, he works up the courage to ask me if I have come from the rehabilitation committee that has been working towards building pucca houses for the villagers.

Chennai roads not safe for school kids, witnesses second highest road deaths

When the students come out of the schools after dismissal, such is the scene on road. Photographed by- Bhanu Pratap

Chennai stands second in the number of road accidents among the cities in India with 68,438 people dead in 2013. While Maharashtra lies at the top in this list, where children and young people are worst affected. In India everyday 20 children of below 14 years die in road mishap. According to UNICEF and WHO road crashes takes lives of 2,60,000 children and almost 10 million kids annually get injured.

According to a report published in Times of India, India leads the record of worst road accidents and it is mostly the school children who pay the price for the carelessness in safety. In an RTI based study it is found that the death rate of school going kids has increased by 39.25% in the year 2012.

School crossing patrol team has traffic police to help children to cross the roads on school days. But still they are neither regular nor at the every road which crosses a school. School children have to cross the busy running road, which often leads to accident. More risks are associated with the children going by bicycle. There are no separate cycle tracks made for cyclists. Children have to either take risks on road, or to ride on the pedestrian path for safety.

In government schools more children use to come alone as there are no school buses or school vans facilities provided by government schools. While in Private schools also the trend of school buses is declining and the new trend of privatized school transportation authority is favored and accepted by the parents.

Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sri A. Shashi said, “We don’t want to keep children pampered. So we admit students only living in the 4 km radius of the school and don’t provide them any van. We teach them the rules of roads to help them develop safe road behaviors. While principal of P.S. Higher Secondary School (Mylapore) says, “We have 3 buses and 4 school vans to carry students from home to school and back to their home. We provide facilities, but still if parents want to drop their kids on their own or by private school transportations, they are free to do so. But we cannot let specially the younger children to travel alone on the road. As the kids, in spite of teaching road-safety-education in schools and at homes forget to follow them as soon as they are out especially after the dismissal. And out of excitement and in hurry to reach home they often override their caution in traffic”.

On the other hand parents are quite worried about the safety of their kids. A father of Chetnat Vidya Mandir (Raja Annamalaypuram) said, “There are many other options for us but, I cannot rely on any rather than dropping my child on my own. I drop and pick my child from school every day. Children are physically smaller and may not see vehicles or seen by the drivers of vehicles, which makes them more vulnerable to serious injuries”.

Chennai celebrates Vinayaka Chaturthi

Idol of Lal Bagh ka raja, credits: 

Chennai celebrated Vinayaka Chaturthi today with the same great zeal as always. Half of the town was closed, with the shutters down of the market shops. Schools, Colleges and offices were also closed marking the day as religious holiday. The whole town tuned into

Pullaiyar Pullaiyar Shivan son Pullaiyar!!
Ellarukkum Vinayakar Chathurthi Vazhthukkal!!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sent his greetings to the people on this occasion  and sought the blessings of Lord Ganesha. “Ganpati Bappa Maurya…. Greeting on ganesh Chaturthi. On Ganesh Chaturthi, we bow to Lord Ganesh. May Lord Ganesh shower his blessings on us and enrich our lives with peace, joy and wisdom.” The Prime Minister said in a message released by his office.

Vinayaka during Visarjan

Chennai witnessed huge rush in all the temples and Pandals of Lord Vinayaka. Outside the temples vendors were aligned with the flower garlands and bhog for prasadam for the devotees to devote it to God. “This festival is celebrated for rain prosperity, peace and happiness. We celebrate it again on 14^th January, for better crops. The festival continues to 10 days and then the idol is submerged into the river” said a devotee Mr. Janardhan.

Sino India relationship

The relation between India and China has never been static. It is always defined as sweet and sour. The two countries became neighbor after 1950. They have been enjoying everlasting cultural bond of brotherhood  and amity as Buddhism have played a prominent role for these two. Before independence both the countries fought against imperialism and colonialism.

 

Although the bilateral relationship between the two countries are not ideal, hence it is important to understand the interaction between the two countries as well as some other parameters like:

1. Unresolved territorial issues

2. Compulsion of geo-politics

3. The quest for resources and markets

4. Aspiration of the two countries for global influence and power and

5. Inter connected dreams of the two countries

The aforesaid are some of the factors which gives us hope for a stronger relationship in future. Though the two countries follow different political paths, India a democratic while China a communist path, these two Asian super powers share a dynamic relationship due to cultural and historical past.

 

Geographical structure of India and China

India’s foreign policy and defense policy faces major challenges due to China.  China is India’s largest neighbor with whom India shares 4338km of border, and there is an unsettled border dispute between the two countries. Chinese soldiers have entered into Indian Territory 37 times in the last five years.

Sewages play spoilsport to water of cooum

Cooum is an important but extremely polluted river running inside Chennai city emanating odious smell. The mighty Kooum, considered a path for survival is itself fighting for its existence today. As the river flows through the city, a continuous deterioration in the quality of water can be seen.

 

Flowing river turned into sewage

Conjusted slum on the bank of Cooum

Cooum is presently the most polluted river of India, spoiled by filth and dirt of the town, and the water quality is considered to be highly toxic and completely non-potable. According to scientists, in the 1950 there were around 49 species of fish. This was reduced to 21 species by 1970. And now the disposal of untreated water and waste has made them completely extinct from the whole 65 kilometer long river. Even after diluting the sample water, fish can survive only for 3 to 4 hours.

Catering the need of almost 46,810,87 percent of population the river bears the aggregation of huge amount of dirt and filth being thrown into it. The pace of development and rising urbanization is striding parallel to the increasing contamination of the river. A major chunk of sewage, untreated industrial effluents and huge quantities of solid waste are dumped into the river. Thousands of animals and human corpses are thrown into the river every day, contributing to the pollution load.

The aquatic life is also not exempted. Whereas the health of the people living near the bank of the river are adversely affected. Due to discharge of heavy metals like copper and pesticides like endosulphan and lindane in the river skin diseases have become common. A resident of the slum, East Namachivayapuram 3^rd street, Sarla of Nungambakkam says, “The government officials came to see but after that there was no response from them. We use metro water even for drinking, and not boring water, which is also not regular and frequent.  There are just 2 bore wells here in this whole area. We are suffering from skin problems in our legs and hands due to this polluted river water.”

Krishna Kumar a resident of Nungambakkam says, “The condition of Cooum is pitiable near this area and water is badly exploited. Dead bodies are flown into the river and there is no restriction in it. The water smells so bad and is the home for mosquito breeding.” He added, “All this water is water is finally flown into the Marina beach and this AIDMK government don’t seem interested enough to work on the cleaning projects.” Whereas while talking to ward counselor of Nungambakkam, Chairman Mr. Shaakti said, “The sewages are flown separately. It is only in the last when the sewage is connected to the river and flown away into the sea with it.”

In 2010 more than 130 sewage outfalls in the Cooum were identified. And a majority of them were in between Aminjikarai and Nungambakkam. In places like Maduravoyal, everyday more than 7 tonnes of municipal solid waste is being dumped in the river. 60 percent of the estimated 55 million litres of untreated sewage is let into the water daily.

However, the sand bars near Napier Bridge is the chief problem most of the times, as it blocks the river mouth preventing the river water from draining into the sea. This has elongated the river water further upto 18 km stretch. In 2004, tasunami cleaned the mouth nevertheless the river returned back to its usual polluted self within a short period. The report says, that stopping discharge of sewage water is important to safeguard the environment which might cause irrevocable harm to biodiversity.