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16 hindustantimes HINDUSTAN TIMES, NEW D ELHI

THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018

e sta b l i s h e d i n 1 9 24
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citysmart

Education needs SWATI RAMANATHAN

a total upgrade Revive, build third spaces in cities


Not much will be achieved by These are in­between retreats that provide ing third places in India’s cities? The starting
point is for governments to recognise that
‘infrastructure’ is not all that our cities need.
scrapping the no detention rule people with active and passive recreation Public spaces are important community
assets that need a separate allocation of

T K
umara Park opposite my child- old towns ofDelhi, Kolkata, Gwalior, Mysuru funds. In the US, the 1993 Community Enter-
he end of May is time for board results in India. hood home is a vividmemory. It and Hyderabad. The temple towns of Thanja- prise and Empowerment Act allocated a sig-
While it is an occasion to celebrate individual bril- was where I met up with other vur, Kashi, Puri are examples of large third nificant federal budget to support communi-
kids in the neighbourhood, places where people prayed, socialised, ties in improving their neighbourhoods. In
liance and success, this is also an opportunity to where my brothers and I enjoyed festivals and festivities. addition, many states adopted a variety of
see how the State school system is faring. While walked endless “rounds” with Since Independence, India’s urban popu- financing innovations that allowed localised
my mother while she grilled us on our maths lation has grown from 62 million to 320 mil- revenue generation towards localised
Delhi’s State-run schools did well in the Central and chemistry. It was also my retreat when lion. With the mushrooming population improvement expenditure. Second, govern-
Board of Secondary I was unhappy, or just wanted to read a book many old towns metamorphosed into cities, ments need to create space for community

Education Class 12 examinations this ourtake under my favourite tree. It was my third
place — away from home or school.
In 1989, the sociologist, Ray Oldenberg,
and new cities and towns were created. But
with the emergence of the State apparatus,
India’s communities lost ownership over
ownership in making decisions on local capi-
tal expenditure, operations, and mainte-
nance of neighbourhood public assets. This
year, the dismal results of State-run
coined a phrase for a social hangout, which is their civic spaces. Poorly equipped munici- will enable a decentralised model that is
school students in the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Educa- neither a workplace, nor home, but is a third palities took over the maintenance of third truly collaborative with citizens. Third,
place (or third space). He defined it as a neu- places from communities, while newer selected projects must be equitable and
tion (HPBoSE) are a stark reminder that there are severe flaws tral place for leisure and recreation, for con- urban settlements grew without the same n The temple towns of Thanjavur, Kashi, Puri ensure that the benefits accrue to the largest
in the education system. Out of 3,000 government schools across necting with friends and the local commu- allocation to civic spaces. Sadly, the old are examples of large third places where number of residents across the socio-eco-
nity. Third places are in-between spaces that towns, streets,chowks, tanks and riverfronts people prayed and enjoyed festivities nomic spectrum.
the state, not a single student has passed the Class 10 and Class 12 provide people with active and passive recre- continue to deteriorate, with most of them Is catalysing third places easy to do? Yes
board examination in 55 government schools. Result such as ation — something to do, somewhere to go to, filthy, in disrepair, crowded with illegal con- Successful third places directly impact the and no. The hardest part is moving from con-
friends to connect with. Parks, libraries, structions and congested with vehicular traf- health of local businesses, livelihood, hous- ception to reality. But once successfully
these should lead to serious introspection. Instead, the call for community halls, cafes, bazaars all qualify. fic. ing market, thereby increasing the tax base implemented and showcased, viral demand
scrapping the no-detention policy will only become shriller. The Why are some neighbourhoods more vibrant Different cities around the world have of the city. Families are more likely to set from other communities will follow, pushing
than others? Current urban studies point developed their natural and cultural assets roots in vibrant and safe neighbourhoods, the scale and spread of innovation. Many of
bring-back-examination group will not lose time in linking such unambiguously to the presence of strong to build strong third places. Singapore has young people are more willing to come out of us will need to invest sweat and equity in
communities. And strong communities are recently reclaimed its shoreline to build their homes to hang out with friends in the envisioning, designing, and implementing
results to the fact that these students moved up to Class 10 and
built through social contact. Marina Bay, San Francisco has its Embar- real world rather than the virtual world, peo- third places. Progressive governments will
Class 12 without being tested, thanks to the Right to Education India has a rich history of vibrant third cadero, Sydney its Bay. Museums,exhibition ple are more willing to leave their couches for learn and respond to such energy.
places evidenced in lively main streets, spaces, and cafes have proliferated as active recreation. The smallest unit of any Swati Ramanathan is chairperson, Jana Urban Space
Act that currently does not allow schools to detain students chowks, tanks and riverfronts, temple curated cultural third space across eastern urban settlement is the neighbourhood. Foundation, and co­founder, Jana Group
between classes 5 and 8, and consequently their failure to cross squares, churches, mosques, bazaars in the and western Europe and the Americas. Where do we begin with reviving or build- The views expressed are personal
the final hurdle. In fact, the Centre is planning to introduce a bill
in the Parliament soon to scrap the no-detention clause.
By scrapping the no-detention policy, the State will deliver a
body blow to the RTE. It will also mean that the State is blaming
S U B S I DY P O L I T I C S
Cancer can be defeated
students for their failure to learn in class. But the State needs to
answer important questions: Did it provide the right resources
only if we work together
for a child to learn? Did it invest enough in teacher training, ped- Maharashtra has used and continues to use the full
agogy, textbooks, learning materials to make education a “joyful
exercise”, as the Act states? Was a rational deployment of teach-
force of regulatory powers for cancer prevention
ner through the Public Health and Medical
ers done and a specified pupil-teacher ratio maintained in DEVENDRA Education Departments with the NCG and
schools? The other point to note is that CCE does not mean no FADNAVIS Tata Trusts to develop a comprehensive
cancer control plan. Maharashtra estab-
evaluation. It’s an evaluation of a different kind from the tradi- lished the first state chapter of NCG, under
tional system of examinations. which all Government Medical Colleges
(GMC) are partnering with TMH to create
The debate on the no-detention policy takes away the focus trainedhumanresourcesthroughafellow-
ship programme for doctors, nurses and
from the larger challenges that plague the education system, the

M
aharashtra witnesses approxi- technicians. Maharashtra also became the
critical one being an acceptance that there is a fundamental dif- mately1.3lakhnewcancercases first state where all GMCs receive weekly
annually, and ranks second trainingthroughatechnology-enabledVir-
ference between effective teaching and rote teaching. Bringing nationally in incidence, behind tualTumour Board(VTB). VTBisaunique
back school examinations for children will not fix the problem. n An LPG subsidy is supposed to make sure that the poor can afford clean cooking fuel. UttarPradesh.TheTataMemorialHospital solution, comprising a team of oncology
However, this policy cost the government ₹22,000 crore in 2016­2017 JS GREWAL/HT (TMH)alonereceives40,000newcasesevery professionals, providing expert opinion on
yearfromacrossIndia.Further,themortal- complicated cancer cases.
§

Let local leadership take Why cancelling the LPG ity due to cancer remains excessively high
with deaths in up to half of the reported
cases.ThegovernmentofMaharashtrahas
madeitaprioritytodevelopandimplement
TMH has also reached out to its former
studentsworkingacrossMaharashtra,who
have formed a voluntary group of doctors
called Maharashtra Cancer Warriors

the lead in local disputes subsidy is a poor option a comprehensive cancer control plan with
several partners such as the National Can-
cer Grid (NCG), the TMH and Tata Trusts.
The prevention and early diagnosis of
(MCW). In the past two years, these 52
MCWshaveprovidedfreeservicesthrough
the district hospitals to more than 16,000
OPDand5,500IPDcasesaswellashaveper-

TheGurugrammahapanchayatexercise Shifting from biomass to cleaner fuels is the only cancer remains the key, as the National formed1,150cancersurgeriesin29districts.
HealthPolicy2016alsoidentifies.Realising This is a truly a shining example of profes-
long­term way to neutralise indoor air pollution this, in December 2017, Maharashtra sional social responsibility.
couldbeatemplateforotherareas launched an ambitious month-long oral At the same time, to support such dedi-
However,studyingtheeffectinRajasthanand cancer detection programme which cated human resources, Maharashtra is

I
n a remarkable blend of pragmatism and social conscience, BJORN Andhra Pradesh, Larsen finds that there involvedtrainingdoctors,creatingmassive investing in developing infrastructure for
LOMBORG would be a significant increase in indoor air awareness and engaging partners such as cancercare.Theeffortsincludeestablishing
an all-religion mahapanchayat under the banner of the
pollutionhealthproblems,whichwouldmore RotaryClubandLion’sInternationalaswell the State Cancer Institute at Aurangabad
Sarva Khap Sarva Dharma Bhaichara and Samrashta Pan- than wipe out the benefits. asIndianMedicalandDentalAssociations. and Nagpur.
The new research uses benefit-cost analy- Screening 20 million citizens, 300,000 indi- Whileeffortstocreateinfrastructureand
chayat was held in Gurugram recently to reiterate communal sis which captures social, environmental, vidualswerediagnosedwithpre-malignant humanresourcesthrough thepublicfacili-
harmony and peace following the recent disruptions of namaz in health and financial costs and benefits of dif- conditionsandreferredtodistricthospitals ties continue, the financial burden due to
ferent policies. In this case, when the health for further management. out-of-pocketexpensesforcancertreatment
open areas. Over 360 villages participated in a rare show of soli-

A
ir pollution kills more than 1.6 mil- effects are also included, Larsen finds that Headandneckcancerarethecommonest remains astronomical. Hence, the critical
darity among Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Part of lionpeopleinIndiaeveryyear.While cancelling the LPG subsidy is a poor deal. A in Maharashtra, with tobacco products roleofMahatmaJyotibaPhuleJanArogya
outdoor air pollution rightly gets a smarterapproach,theresearchfinds,istotar- beingthemostimportantriskfactor.Infact, Yojana, the state health insurance scheme
this was to ensure that Gurugram’s reputation as a leading hub lot of attention, indoor air pollution get poor households with free LPG connec- tobaccoinoneformortheotherremainsthe whichfunctions throughitsapproximately
for commerce remained intact. The panchayat leaders have fromhouseholdcookingandheatingwithbio- tions — effectively the Pradhan Mantri risk factor in 30-40% of all cancer cases. 500 empanelled hospitals including in the
massfuelskillsalmostasmany,orabouteight UjjwalaYojana.Itturnsoutthatafreeconnec- Hence using the full force of the regulatory private sector. In these facilities, the
rightly concluded that incidents such as the namaz disruption lakh people, every year. A majority of rural tion does not make most households perma- powersforcancerprevention,Maharashtra patientsfromtheeconomicallyweakersec-
households continue to use biomass as their nentlyswitch.SincetheLPGstoveisaboutas became one of the first states to ban gutka tionsofthesocietyareentitledtoavailcash-
would affect business and reduce employment. In other areas
primarycookingfuel.Variousmeasureshave costly as the connection, and the fuel several products as well as selling tobacco and lessservicesuptoalimit₹1.5lakhperfamily
where communal tensions have gone out of control, like Muzaf- promoted cooking with LPG, a cleaner fossil times costlier per year, almost two-thirds of FMCGproductsunderoneroof.Theresults peryear.Consideringthatcancersurgeries
fuel.AnLPGsubsidyissupposedtomakesure all households given a connection will con- are encouraging as the Global Adult are the most availed service under this
farnagar in Uttar Pradesh and Bhiwandi in Maharashtra, local that the poor can afford clean cooking fuel. tinuetouseorsoonreverttomostlyusingpol- Tobacco Survey 2 shows. scheme, the government continues to
industry has suffered. In addition to the practicality of maintain- However, this policy cost the government lutingwood.Nevertheless,switchingthelast Butwhataboutthetreatmentofpatients? exploretheinclusionofothercancer-related
₹22,000crorein2016-2017.Subsidiesareexpen- third of households to cleaner fuels will help Especially in the rural parts of the state? I procedures in this. The Chief’s Minister
ing public peace and harmony is a determination on the part of sive and blunt, and the prime minister has save 5,000 lives every year in Rajasthan. The am delighted to declare that Maharashtra Relief Fund remains one of the key sources
the mahapanchayat to prevent politicians from creating narra- called on citizens to give up the LPG subsidy. totalannualcostforRajasthanisestimatedat becamethefirststateinthecountrytopart- for providing emergency financial assist-
As of 2016, more than 10 million citizens had ₹1,450 crore to reach 1.8 million households, ancetopatientsinneedofcancertreatment.
tives to suit their own ends. done so. The governmentthenannounced — buteachrupeespentwillgeneratemorethan These experiences have convinced me
This mahapanchayat exercise could be a template for other and later shelved — a plan to cancel the LPG three rupees’ worth of benefits. MAHARASHTRA IS INVESTING IN thatcancercanonlybedefeatedthroughthe
subsidy altogether. New research suggests Shiftingfrombiomasstocleanerfuelsisthe THE DEVELOPMENT OF collectiveforcesofallthestakeholders.Ifeel
areas where minor incidents often snowball into major confla- that the U-turn was the right move. Environ- only longer-term way of resolving indoor air privileged to lead this movement which
mental economist Bjorn Larsen studied the pollution. Butas astopgap measure,promot-
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CANCER demonstratesthatwiththepooledstrength
grations. In most cases, it is the police and not the panchayats
effects of halving the LPG subsidy from its ing improved biomass cook-stoves that CARE. THE EFFORTS INCLUDE of science and indefatigable human spirit,
which step in to contain the problem. Here we see a case of the April2018level.LPGfuelretailpricesinIndia reduce the indoor air pollution can play an
ESTABLISHING THE STATE wecaneliminate cancerfortoday’sandthe
remain substantially below the market, as important role. generations to come.
mahapanchayat working to contain the problem before it flares determined by world prices and transporta- Bjorn Lomborg is president, Copenhagen CANCER INSTITUTE AT Devendra Fadnavis is the chief minister
up again. The Khattar government had earlier struck a concilia- tionanddistributioncost.Halvingthesubsidy
would,ofcourse,savethegovernmentmoney.
Consensus Center
The views expressed are personal
AURANGABAD AND NAGPUR of Maharashtra
The views expressed are personal
tory note when it said that the district administration would try
and find suitable places for the namaz since most of the Muslims
themselves were amenable to not holding it in public spaces. SC Khungar churches, and mosques. At these placespeo- absence of the divine. That is why Ego
The administration should encourage local leaders to find ple are free from their normal activities and means: Edging God out. The practice of
What is this ego? Of what does it consists? they calm down. We submerge our con- breaking the coconut in front of God only
such inclusive solutions at a time when, under the guise of reli-
innervoice How does it arise? Man is a divine self. When
he forgets that he is just a soul and identifies
scious mind, which temporarily dissolves
our ego and the inner divine layer emerges,
indicates breaking your ego. Just as sweet
water comes out from the broken coconut:
gious sentiment, lumpen elements have been running amok and
himself with the body, ego or I originate. experiencing bliss. The bliss is not coming joy emerges when ego is surrendered. Lord
creating communal disturbances, and tarnishing India’s image.
Once they realise that they have no popular or political support,
THE INNER SPACE THAT IS With the birth of ego, the transcendental
nature is forgotten. When in meditation, the
from outside. It is not coming from the hills
or from the rising sun or from the beautiful
Jesus had said, “Empty thy self and I will fill
thee”. Destroy your egoism to be filled with

they are likely to fold up their tents and vanish. This is a positive CREATED BY THE ABSENCE I drops temporarily and emptiness is cre-
ated within. The inner space which is cre-
flowers. Nothing comes from outside. The
outside things are only creating an opportu-
divinity.
Inner Voice comprises contributions
development as much for Gurugram as for the spirit of inclusion. OF EGO IS THE DIVINE ated by the absence of ego is the divine. We
are going to various meditation centres,
nity. And, at any moment, if we are absent,
God is present. Our absence is the presence
from our readers
The views expressed are personal
religious places, temple, guruwaras, of the divine, and our presence is the n Innervoice@hindustantimes.com

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