Elder people need attention

With the breakdown of joint family system and increase in life expectancy the cases of elder abuse has also increased rapidly. Loneliness, negligence and less importance, illness due to ageing and against lack of treatment are the most of the treacherous conditions which elderly are facing today, and most of the times they face abusive behaviour from their children and loved ones. Aging is a natural process and elderly are an integral part of a population of any country and abusive behaviour towards elderly is a serious issue which needs to be addressed by Government and society. UN designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to voice the sufferings of old people

Every other day, we see news of parents being beaten up by their children, parents and in-laws being forced to do the household chores, being made to live in small dungeon-like rooms, their property being forcefully taken over by over ambitious children, says social worker Anamika Sharma.

“I feel disgusted when I visit old age home and find old parents with long tales of sufferings which they received from their children and close relatives. I think that the time has come that Government should focus on the issue and at least give a helpline number for them.” Misra says.

The cases in police stations of Gorakhpur district has increased many folds in the past few years, SO Kotwali, Vijai Raj Singh, says,” Whenever we get information we put all our efforts to save an elderly person from family abuse and other difficulties but most of the time people avoid to make complaints .”

On the issue Sunita Mehta,40,  a resident of Mohaddipur, says, “ It is true that elder people hesitate in sharing abusive behaviour of their children.  Two-three months back I met one of mother’s friends outside a spectacles shop. I noticed bruises on her face and hands and just to help her I went inside the shop with her. She came there with her broken spectacles and after asking about the payment she came out. I forcefully took her glasses and gave the shopkeeper for repairing and took her to my house. I served he lunch, I asked her about his son. She said in a low voice that he is a doctor and started weeping. I pressed some money in her hands and asked her to make frequent visits to my house.”

There are 69 women in Chanakyapuri Vndhyavasini old age home. Once they use to run their families and busy n bringing up their children are living in alone. Vidyawati Devi, 75, is wife of Lt Gulab Chandra Agrahari says,” After the death of my husband I started living with my younger son Pramod at my house in Rajghat area. In an accident my legs and hp bones became fractured and my son along with his family shifted in another house and left me alone. My neighbours informed daughter and she left me here. She rarely comes to meet me and Pramod never comes.”

Subhawati Jaiswal , 72, is not biological mother but brought up two children of her relatives, she shares, “ I loved both of them as my own sons. I woke whole night for them and also sacrificed a lot to full fill their desires and when they grew up they demanded property and house in their names to start a business and I signed without any hesitation as after my husband demise I had no one except them. Few moths later they started hitting me on my small mistakes and one day kicked me out my house. I went to my sister’s house but her son left me here in old age home.”

The wife of Lt Ganesh Kumar Maddhesia of Pipiganj, Indrawati Maddhesia , 80 has three sons but they left her in old age home when she became sick, Indrawati says,” After death of my husband I never asked about property or bank balance as I felt that these things has no meaning. I started playing with my grand sons and daughters and happily accepted a role of loving grandparent and I also use to help my daughter in laws in kitchen. But after 10 years of my husband’s death, my sons divided the property in three parts and left me in old age home. They brought me here on the pretext doctor’s clinic. In fact I became a burden on them as my health was deteriorating fast.”

Ram Singari Devi, 70 of Gagha area was once a rich woman, she says,” I had no children but I adopted my sister’s children as my sister died very early. After the death of my husband I worked hard and brought my sister’s two sons and two daughters.  10 years back they sold my hose and property and told me that they will be shifting to Gorakhpur city soon.  They locked me in a house in Gagha for three months and after that they left me here. I don’t understand when and where I lacked and what my fault was.”

Ashok Saxena, former head Psychology department, DDU Gorakhpur University, describes the causes of the menace and also give suggestions, “Today people face time pressure and live stressful life. Parents leave children in crèche and play schools and children leave their parents in old age home. Social pressures are decreasing day by day as we have started living self cantered life and prefer virtual world of what’s app and facebook to real world relations as it suits our life style. In the era of selfie culture it is difficult to think of others. “I want to appeal Government through you to develop community centers for elderly people in each area (plus 60 clubs) on the lines of Chaupal in villages. The center should have counsellors and also a help line number. When people will discuss their problems with each other they’ll feel secure and they’ll help each other.”

Women is Durga, don’t disrespect her

Women are the symbol of power and during Navratra all the nine faces of woman is worshiped. On the ninth day of Navratra even priests wash the feet of nine girls and worship them. The Indian culture and tradition teaches to respect women in all her forms but in contrast women face violence of all forms in the country including physical, mental and emotional. Even so-called educated people don’t leave a chance to ridicule her efforts to win the odds. Recently four youth brutally killed three girls in Deoria near to Gorakhpur because one of the girls refused to accept love proposal.

Gorakhpur city has witnessed many victims of polio. The sufferings of children were heartbreaking but the sincere collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), WHO’s National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP), UNICEF, Rotary International, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has changed the scenario not only in the city and around but all over the country. The success of the polio eradication program has become a milestone for other projects.

With the successful drives the polio awareness has enhanced and the participation of each sector of society in ‘two drops of life’ campaign has taken us away from the pain and sorrow polio victims. Dr. RN Mishra, CMO, Gorakhpur shares, “The crippling disease that held the world to ransom before 1995 has almost been eliminated with those two tiny drops of oral polio vaccine, a well thought out strategy, large financial resources and the dedication and commitment of thousands of devoted volunteers and international health agencies. Now only one case has been detected in the country since April 2010. The involvement of local people proved to be great help in running of the campaign. A team of coordinators along with adept supervision reached to each house. In the yester years we ran several campaigns but this year only two polio drives are in the agenda.”

Shahre Qazi, Mufti, Maulana Waliullah who accompanied administrative officers and campaigners in almost all the polio drives of the region avers, “I’m happy that now only one case of polio has been detected so far. In 2009, 66 per cent of polio cases nationally occurred in children under two years of age. About 230,000 children are born each month in Bihar, and in U.P., over 400,000 children are born each month. Earlier some families especially of Muslim cult believed that the polio vaccine drops could have harmful effects on the health of their children and affect their fertility. As soon as vaccinators arrived at their doorstep, families would hide their children and some women would even run away with their children. We urged the families to accept the vaccines, as these were safe and important for their children. I gave them the reference of Holy Quran that being healthy is very important in Islam and there is nothing in the vaccine that could harm their children’s fertility.”

Prof. Shiraz Wajih, president, GEAG says, “Polio drive is an example of excellence in India. We are at verge of eradication of the deadly disease. I remember we got the opportunity to train UNICEF people for polio drive as in those days giving polio drops to children was not easy. People use to hide their children from vaccinators. We trained them in reaching to each houses. Religious leaders played a vital role in making the program success.”

Jatashankar Tripathi a social activist says, “I am the part of the drive and always try to give my feeble support to the great campaign. It is good that we have almost won the battle but we should be very careful for importation of the polio virus from neighboring countries as China and Pakistan have had a spurt in polio cases this year. Indo- Nepal border should also be treated well to make the region safe from polio.” 

Gorakhpur weavers are trapped in vicious cycle of poverty

Gorakhpur is known as the land of Kabir and posses a huge population of weaver’s community. 400 years old weaving art was once flourishing business and provided employment to many is facing slow death in the region. Closed cotton mills, destroyed Handloom Corporation, electricity bills, exploitation of traders and middlemen have ruined the prosperity of poor weavers and compelled them to either migrate from their place or to take up menial work in other professions.

Poor weavers are facing a tough time as an artisan Karemunnisa, 35, Gorakhnath resident laments, “I and my two small children work hard to manage two time meal. Sending children to school is a dream that seems too far to be real in adverse condition of my life. I lead a different life in my childhood but now the things are changed. I only earn 90 rupees a day which is insufficient to cover my basic requirements. Most of my relatives have either left the profession and pulling rickshaw or left the city and work in places like Nepal. My husband died 4 years ago with TB and my father also died 5 years back. So I am living here as I don’t have any options left.”

The story of Kareemunnisa is not rare in the city as the weavers are bound to work at very low wage in lack of availability of yarn and organized finished good market. Haji Asrar Ahmed Ansari, wholesaler, Afghan Hata avers,” we are passing through a difficult phase of life as poor weaver can’t buy expensive yarn and even if he manages he is bound to sell at low rate to the traders in the absence of organized and government regulated market. He works hard and earn loss survives with the aid of government loans and get trapped in never ending cycle of poverty.”

On the recent announcement of government policy regarding loans Meraj, renowned social activist and wholesaler at Sharmaroof market says, “It’s good that Government has announced a relief package for the weavers but it is not enough for the community as the loans were distributed to the poor weavers through society and unfortunately the portion of the loan that was given to the poor weaver was very less. Societies deceived them and their illiteracy destroyed them.  They were poor, they are poor and they will be poor if reforms are not done within time in the entire system. Very soon we will lose the age old art of weaving from the region if the condition in the state continues.”

Ditto Hafiz Asadullah(Renowned business man of the city), “Reforms are required in the system. At present, the handloom industry is under the grip of local moneylenders. The local workers suffer exploitation following absence of any government support for them to arrange cotton. There is no place for weavers to get yarn easily at cheap rates and there is no place for them to sell their product. They sell their product to the handful of traders and middlemen at lower rates. Mills are closed and corporation is not in working mode. The situation is tough as many of the weavers left the profession and few cases of suicide also came into light few years back.”

Chowdhary Najmuddin , renowned businessman and community leader speaks about the history of mills and corporations, “ We agitated in 1972 and it was then decided that Government will run cotton mills and Handloom corporation in the state. We had 14 mills in the region out of 23 cotton mills in the state and various centers of UP Handloom Corporation all over the state. You won’t believe that the trade on the centers was in millions but due to the careless attitude of the Government all the mills closed one after one and so as the Handloom centers. Now yarn comes mostly from south and traders exploit the poor weavers.”

Kamruzzama Ansari, leader, weaver’s association says, “20 -25 years back the community was in different shape. Earlier UP Handloom Corporation used to provide yarn to the weavers and purchase goods at fair price on which weavers was left with 30% savings. The business was running well as yearly purchase of corporation was around Rs. 11-12 crore. Corporation is at the verge of closure now as 111 employees are ousted from the Corporation with VRS scheme and only 4 employees are left with pending salary of 5-6 years. A weaver is getting around Rs.2500 in a month after working hard for 14 hours a day. We talked to almost all big leaders of the state but nothing came out except their empty visits to the region. An Rs.6732 crore package is announced from the center after our joint efforts but it is insufficient as we want running cotton mills and corporation in the state.”

Arjumand Bano

Gorakhpurites hit by delay in construction of three over bridges in the city




Due to slow rate of construction three over bridges are under construction since three years and causing great inconvenience to commuters and residents around the area. No leader or administrator has any answer to Gorakhpurites. The heavy traffic on the under construction bridges causing traffic snarls most of the time. People are apprehensive about more inconvenience in rainy season while commuting and feel there is no end to their woes.
The under construction bridges are very important for traffic management in the overloaded area and construction of the over-bridge will immensely help the commuters especially office goers and school children but slow rate of construction is making obvious that administration is least concerned to the issue. When the work started government promised the city for the completion of construction work within two years but promises are proved as only kid rattles.
Nitesh Rai a resident of Mohaddipur faces problems as he crosses Char Phatak daily, “Only some work is remaining in the construction of Char Phatak over bridge but no one seems to be worried of its completion it shows the heights of careless attitude of the system. Commuters in northern area in Gorakhpur are facing real problems and I am sure we will have tuff time in rainy season. Administration should speedup the process.”
Construction work is stopped at rest of the two over bridges at Tarang and Surajkund crossing due to local politics and inactive role of administration as they are not exhibiting their interest to resolve the matter. Vishal Singh a resident of Durgabadi says,”I don’t know when the work will begin. I always get late as I have to cross Tarang Crossing. We all are bugged with daily traffic jam around the area. I pray to God for the completion of the construction but he has also become like our system”
People are really disappointed and losing their patience on the issue the ager against the corruption and careless attitude of the system is obvious now. Radhika Gupta a counselor in a leading institute says sarcastically,” Suraj kund over bridge is stuck between the games of political parties and we are stuck in traffic jam lets see when the game gets over and we get relirved.” Gaurav Sinha an English faculty is worried for the coming rainy season as the problems will aggravate at that time,” The construction work has become an unsolved mystery. Dozens of time the railway crossing gets closed as this is the only way for trains going to western direction and all the time commuters face heavy traffic. Vehicles have to be maneuvered with great difficulty on the damaged road. I am worried for the coming season as damaged road and path hole will be logged with water and mud.”
The over bridges that were supposed to balance the load of the traffic are causing hazards and great discomfort. Foundation stone laying of all the three over bridges were done by CM in Lucknow on 15^th Jan 2008. 691 meter long Char -Phatak bridge construction cost is 11.50crore while construction cost of 730 meter long Tarang over bridge and Surajkund overbridge is determined as 20-20 crore. Surajkund over bridge is stuck in various objections while Tarang over bridge is a victim of changes in design and carelessness of construction agencies.
After lots of noise popular MP of the area is in action now and all set to agitate against the delay in construction work of the over-bridges.




Arjumand bano

Success mantras of happy marriage

Marriage is the oldest and most beautiful institution of mankind where two people owing each other nothing; decide to owe each other everything. To spend their lives paying a debt they never incurred, because a marital relationship is the one interaction between two people with the greatest degree of intimacy, bonding, sacrifice and exposure. Successful marriages lay the foundation of successful society. In India marriages are celebrated for the whole life with magical rituals and tradition like Karvachouth and Teej.  With the increasing cases of divorce GP tried to explore the secrets of happy marriage life.

Faith and cooperation is the lifeline of conjugal relations. Aruna Agarwal, social activist opines, “Husband and wife are the wheels of a vehicle so coordination and cooperation are very much required for smooth running of life. Without faith, cooperation and tolerance marriage can’t sustain for long. I manage my house and family whereas my husband manages the business. We both try to focus our area of domain. I believe focus is very much required. Fulfilling your part of responsibility honestly and with the sense of making the life of your life partner easy and comfortable makes the relation healthy and strong. My husband is a busy businessman so I made a point to take the responsibility of the family. House is the unit of the country and as Aristotle said-“good mother makes a good country.” If the family is happy and husband is satisfied the marriage will be a happy marriage forever.”

Ditto Sarita Tekriwal, housewife, “faith is the foundation of marital relations. I’m lucky that my husband is very cooperating and he understands the value of relations. He always manages to takeout time for me and children out of his tough schedule. I think it is very important for the relation to give time to each other as it enhances the understanding and clears the confusion. We both take things lightly and try to fill our moments with humor and laughter. After several years of our marriage I still feel freshness in our relations. Willingness to make the spouse happy works like magic as instead of demanding we should try to be giving in nature. I enjoy my role in my life.”

Ego spoils any relation and it hampers the process of coordination and cooperation. Vandana Saraf, housewife  is against of blasted ego and finds joint family as a catalyst in beautiful conjugal relation, “I live in joint family and I feel that living together is better than living alone. In joint family responsibilities are shared and one always gets easily a strong shoulder to shed tears and share laughter. Adjustment is the success mantra of life. My husband is a busy person and I understand my part of responsibility so I just try to make a balance in the family by living up my role honestly. Marriage is like a vintage wine the older it gets the better it becomes. With the passage of time two people become soul mates. Ego soils the beauty of the relation so it should be never written in capital letters on the page of life. Life is the name of adjustment so why to hesitate in making adjustments in conjugal life.”   

Ditto Sadhna Agarwal, housewife “Ego spoils the relations of husband and wife. Flexibility rejuvenates relations and rigidity makes it stale. There should be always some space in life for adjustments. Seeking cooperation without fulfilling responsibilities of family makes the relation week. I live in a joined family and I think that comforts are more in joint family. It gives you spare time to spend with your husband. In the midst of many relations the relation with spouse flourishes as plants grow better in a garden. Cooperation is the key to success of life. We should be responsible and accountable for our part in the family and life. Managing life is easy if it is away from confusion and selfishness.”

Terrorism a threat to humanity and society

From news paper to news channels and from internet to social discussions the presence of the word ‘terrorism’ couldn’t be denied. In the past 10-11 years terrorism has stretched its noxious tentacles all through the world. Terrorism is a criminal act that influences an audience beyond the immediate victim. It is difficult to point out causes of terrorism but there are certain conditions and circumstances under which terrorism take place and also some psychological factors that work as catalyst for terrorism. Terrorism not only affects the present state of society but also endangers the future of the civilized society. It is flame that destroys the balance of society and also the destroyer.

Jatashankar , social activist found environment and deprivation are the most dominant factors behind the making of a terrorist, “ In 2004 I made a survey with Lt. Babban Misra, Prof. psychology, DDU of street children dwelling at and around railway station. The children either ran from their houses or very poor and orphan. Both the categories of children were deprived of basic necessities and facing ill environment. We kept them in a shelter that has no rules and regulation that could force them to stay there but we tried to provide them a healthy environment and all things of basic necessities. 60% children who ran from their houses went back their home and 40% of the rest opted legal and honest way of living. The conclusion of the research and survey revealed the fact that environment and deprivation drags an innocent person to the dangerous easy of criminalization and terrorism.”

Student leader, Shyam Singh, opines, “Most of the terrorist and criminals are selfish and greedy. The youth is being used by organized terrorist and criminal organizations. They attract youth on the basis of material gains and wash their brains in the name of religion, faith and superior goals .In present scenario when a student comes out of the protective walls of school and step into college he gets attracted towards money, position and power. In the greed and haste of getting everything they are victimized by terrorist groups or criminals. I have seen many people destroying their life in the greed of material gains.”

Prof. Ashok Pandey, Psychology, analyses the psychology of terrorists, “Deprivation and frustration drags a person on the path of terrorism and crime. The deprivation could be either due to economic reasons or it may be emotional due to the environment of family and relations of parents. Frustration takes place when unrealistic aims are set by a person without weighing the capabilities and need of efforts. For example if a student with less capabilities set an aim of civil services ,certainly he is going to face frustration and that could drag him on wrong ways. Another factor that is promoting terrorism and crime in the society is the love for money and degradation in moral standards of the society on a whole.”

Prof. SM Tripathi, Political Science, DDU, throws light on terrorism in India, “Terrorism comes out form the womb of either religious fanaticism or from economic reasons. In India cross border terrorism and by organized gangs of criminals are prevalent. Moral degradation of the society is another reason. In recent times contractors and property dealers are hugely indulged in to illicit activities. We require corruption free system for enforcement of law to handle the situation. Moral upbringing, Justice and employment opportunities could also curb the wide spreading terror and muscle power phenomenon of today’s youth.”

Prof. Sanjay Baijal, DDU differentiate between criminals and terrorists, “Terrorists and criminals both first destroy the system and society and then destroy themselves.  Terrorist is often well trained and state-supported with specific goal in mind, often more symbolic than opportunistic. On the other hand criminal is one who seeks opportunistic targets, has little backing, is selfish, lacks discipline and may be deterred relatively easily. Parents, teachers, society and government have to jointly put efforts to sow the seeds of morality in the minds of children and develop hatred for terrorism and crime to save the society form the dangerous evil.”

Arjumand Bano