Friday 27 July 2012

Man kicks wife to death allegedly for delivering baby girl


Man kicks wife to death allegedly for delivering baby girl

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Man kicks wife to death allegedly for delivering baby girl
Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu): In what appears to be a case of gender bias, a young woman in Coimbatore was killed by her husband allegedly for giving birth to a baby girl for the second time. 

According to the victim's family members, twenty-year-old Nagadevi delivered a girl baby 40 days ago. This allegedly resulted in her daily harassment by her husband, Pandiarajan, a driver. 

The couple, who reportedly fell in love and married, already have a one-year-old girl child; but the man wanted a baby boy. On Wednesday, the husband, who is known to be an alcoholic, allegedly kicked the young mother in her stomach. The injury resulted in bleeding and she died in hospital yesterday. 

Police have arrested her husband of murder and her mother-in-law on charges of abetting murder. The new born girl and her sister Aishwarya are now under the care of their aunt Manjula Devi. 

The family says they would fight for justice. Manjula says, "This has happened when Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has launched the cradle baby scheme to save the girl child. We need justice". 
  

Sunday 22 July 2012

Study finds Lead in Patancheru battery units affect male fertility

U Sudhakar Reddy
Toxicology lab of Osmania University College for Women study on the 
semen mobility of workers at Patancheru battery manufacturing units found that lead is 
causing infertility among them. Researchers say Lead compound interferes with the 
testicular function, inducing its activity and also by exerting its effect on sperm DNA, 
leading to fragmentation. Study also found that antioxidant treatment with Vitamin C may 
offer   protection against the DNA damage, which is a major cause of male infertility.
The research paper was titled ”Clinical Relevance of Vitamin C Among Lead-Exposed 
Infertile Men” Ms K Vani , M Kurakula , Syed R and Alharbi K was published by National 
Centre for Biotechnology Information of US.


In the study the researchers targeted 120 male workers occupationally exposed to lead 
from a battery-manufacturing industry situated at the Patancheru industrial area in the 
city outskirts to to see the impact of lead on testicular dysfunction with reference to 
infertility.
“Further, the study was designed to see effect of an antioxidant in the form of vitamin 
C, administered at the dose of 1000 mg per day for five consecutive days in a week for 3 
months,”

Researchers collected the blood samples and semen samples were collected from 120 men in 
the study group exposed to lead, and 120 healthy human beings, who have no history of 
exposures to chemicals, with their consent. The workers are aged from 25 to 55 years. The 
conventional semen analysis and the measure of sperm DNA fragmentation were done. After 
vitamin C administration industrial workers showed increased in sperm mobility and total 
count and decreased in abnormal sperms.

Deccani Breed sheep 'Gongodi's are back, locals act as gene keepers

U Sudhakar Reddy
The threatened species of Deccani breed sheep conservation is taken 
up as a community initiative on scientific basis in the State where local shepherds are 
acting as gene keepers. Deccani Breed was known for its black wool and its gene pool has 
been affected by cross breeding with various other indigenous.  With the revival efforts 
of the pure breed in Medak district in the State and in Maharasthra the  making of 
traditional 'gongadi'(blanket) with the deccani sheep wool is again catching up and city  
residents showing interest to buy the small size Gognadis.
The deccan breed is found in four states in AP, Karnataka, Maharasthra and parts of North 
Tamilnadu in the Deccan plateau. Ms. S Ashalatha a conservationist from an organization 
Anthra working in Medak says ,”shepherds selected the breed over the years for its 
tolerance to drought, fodder and water shortages, capacity to migrate long distances and 
ability to endure large variations in diurnal temperatures. The wool has traditionally 
been spun into yarn by women and woven by men into blankets known as gongadi. Now with 
city residents are asking for small sized Gongadis so that they can use them 
conveniently. The market for the special wool blankets of Deccani sheep is now showing a 
positive sign,”
The Deccani breed was losing its traits as it was rapidly out-crossed with other 
non-wool, primarily, meat-sheep breeds like the Red Nellore. The coarse wool was out the 
market after it was flooded with cheaper imported wool products. AP has been loosing 
several indigenous live stock like Ongole bull which is now popular as Brahman bull in 
America and Europe and Malaysia.
 According veterinary scientist and Anthra director Ms Sagari R Ramdas the collapse of 
the local wool market was a consequence of imports of cheap wool from Australia and 
Europe. This has also resulted in loss of Deccani breed.,
The shepherds are trained to identify the best breed among the local livestock and they 
use them for  breeding purpose. Breeding festivals are also conducted for Deccan breed 
sheep to bring back the pure breed again.
 Ms. Sagari Ramdas says,” we are mobilising local communities to conserve the local 
Deccani sheep breed and Osmanabadi goat breed, native to the Deccan plateau. In Andhra 
Pradesh, about 400 pastoralist and agro-pastoralist families spread across 24 villages in 
Hathnura, Jinnaram, Narasapur, Narayankhed and Shivampet mandals of Medak district are 
involved in the project.  It revealed that Hathnura, Jinnaram, Narasapur, Shivampet along 
with Veldurthy in Medak district are amongst the handful of remaining geographic 
locations in the state which continue to have significant numbers  of the total sheep 
population of ‘pure Deccani breed population’.
Special exhibitions are being conducted in the city to ensure that a market is available 
for the sale of gongodis. K Rajini a lecturer resident of Banjara Hills says ,"these wool 
blankets are good and keep warm. The imported ones and those available now are not that 
efficient,"

Friday 20 July 2012

Baby for Sale : Woman 'repents' says she wants baby back

U Sudhakar Reddy
 The woman who sold her baby boy for Rs 30,000 asked the women and 
child welfare department officials to give back her child. However officials who 
counseled her on Wednesday wanted to double check her credentials and takes action 
regarding it.
Medak district women and child welfare officer Ms Y Shailaja says,”we counseled the 
biological mother of the boy Nagesh and as well as the couple who brought her. The infant 
is in our safe custody at our Sisugruha and he is being taken care well. During the 
counseling mother Yasodha alias Yesamma told us that she wants to take back the boy. 
However we are inquiring with the locals to find out the genuineness of her claim. We 
will take decision after we get the report,”
She added,”the woman was divorced and due to poverty she couldn’t raise the two children. 
She is living with her parents,” The woman also claimed that she sold the child for the 
medical expenses of her father.
Intrestingly the officials do not know whether the mother and baby are enrolled with the 
Anganwadi centre of ICDS( Integrated Child Development Services) project which provides 
nutritious food.
“I have to check whether she is enrolled with Anganwadi centre,” said Shailaja. n the 
bond executed on Rs 10 stamp one of the clause is that Yasodha shall repay Rs 1.5 lakh 
cash to buyer K Venati if she demands the son back.
 Medak district Child Welfare Committee convenor Ms K Shiva Kumar says ,”there is no role 
of men in this episode. Yasodha is actually not staying in Kowdipally she is there at 
Armoor. The buyer family was staying that they lose money if they hand over the boy back. 
They are rural woman and do not have legal awareness. It’s a crime to sell or buy the 
babies”
She added that this is the second incident in Kowdipally area . “ This is a very 
unfortunate incident. Earlier a similar transaction took place among the relatives in the 
same mandal. We intervened at right time and stopped it. There is a need to conduct a 
special drive in this area to create awareness,” She said ,”It is a fit case to book FIR 
as per law but both are ignorant illiterates and we have to take a decision after getting 
a report,”
Meanwhile local MP Ms Vijaya Shanti blamed the local officials for the episode and asked 
the government to take measures.

Baby for sale: Woman sells her male baby for Rs 30,000( 600 US dollars)

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
The woman Yasodhamma and he 11 months boy Nagesh
A woman has sold her 11 months old male baby for Rs 30,000 to a 
childless couple in Kowdipally of Medak district in the city fringes. The woman 
identified K Yasodha alias Yesamma 25 and the buyer Mr. K Venkati of a neighboring 
village struck a sale consideration agreement on stamp paper regarding the transaction.
The issue came into limelight when Yasodha demanded Rs 20,000 more from Venkati after a 
week on Tuesday and village elders intervened to resolve it amicably. As they failed to 
do so one of the village elders informed the Kowdipaly police of Toopran sub division.
Kowdipally sub inspector of police Mr. T Kiran Kumar said ,”the sale of the boy, Nagesh, 
took place a week ago. After we came to know about the incident we visited the village 
and conducting inquiry. The infant was handed over to Women and Child welfare officials 
and was shifted to child care centre at Sanga Reddy on Tuesday,” Yasodha was called to 
the police station and cops questioned her regarding the sale.
Police said Yasodha separated from her husband four years ago and second child is 11 
months old. “We are trying to trace out the child’s father.  She is staying with her 
parents. In the written agreement with buyers she told that she is selling her child as 
she is unable to raise him.  The buyer Venkati had brought us some documents where he 
claimed that he was trying to legally adopt some other child from State women and child 
welfare department. He also paid Rs 100 as Demand draft. As the process is on Yasodha 
approached him and offered to sell the infant Nagesh. Unaware of legal consequence he 
agreed as it is a quick process,” said SI Kiran Kumar.
Yasodha and as well as Venkati of Velamakanne village are daily workers and also depend 
on NREG scheme. Venkati also owns a small piece of land which he cultivates.
The woman Yasodha claimed,” I sold the baby for my father’s medical expenditure. My 
father is suffering with sever throat ulcers. With the money I have spent Rs 10,000 on 
the medicines of my father and remaining amount of Rs 20,000 is with my brother,”
The SI of police said,”Yasodha is not giving answers properly. We are yet to cross check 
her version on treatment. We don’t know whether the family has an Arogyasri insurance 
card. But her family is poor and work as laborers in fields,”
He added,”In the past few years we haven’t heard this kind of incident of sale of the 
baby in this part of Medak,”

Tuesday 17 July 2012

Paracetamol overdose a major clinical problem


CDSCO to restrict Paracetamol prescription
By U Sudhakar Reddy
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has decided to curtail the prescription of paracetamol, which causes liver failure. The state drug control authorities have been directed by the Centre to reduce the paracetamol content in the prescription of drugs with a rider that it could be phased out in a period of next three years. Paracetamol overdose is a major clinical problem, causing a sudden hepatic failure. In its directive, the CDSCO has stated that the state licensing authorities may permit the lowering of the contents of paracetamol to 325 mg in the already approved formulations. A warning will be provided on the label of all products containing paracetamol.
However, Dr G.N. Singh, Drug Controller-General of India, said the renewals of product permission on the existing formulations mi-ght continue to be granted while ensuring that the manufacturers complied with the requirements. R. Uday Bhaskar, All India Drug Controllers Fe-deration secretary-general, explained: “The paracetamol tablets sold separately are up to limit of 650mg and in combination it is up to 400mg. In the circular issued, it is mentioned that the limiting of contents of paracetamol to 325mg can be done over the next three years. The irony here is why is so much time being given to the pharmaceutical companies to limit the contents?”
The Centre has exempted the fixed-dose combination containing paracetamol manufactured for export. Dr Ramesh Reddy, ex-vice-chairman of AP Medical Council, said a prolonged usage would cause liver damage. He said: “It is generally taken to relieve pain.”

Cops release manual on Maoist Guerrilla tactics


By Sudhakar Reddy Udumula
Maoists have added to chilly powder, snares, bamboo sticks, camouflaged pits and traditional weapons in their arsenal to set booby traps to defend themselves against attacks by police parties and other pro-police groups, such as the Salwa Judum. This has been highlighted in the Central Military Commission of Maoists’ book on guerrilla tactics that was republished recently by AP police for distribution to security forces across the country.
An intelligence official from the state police said, “Police forces from other states and Central paramilitary forces do not have much knowledge about the booby traps laid by the Maoists. The AP police has seized their documents regarding guerrilla warfare from various encounter sites and formulated a manual. The Maoists are using simple techniques and also teaching these to people’s militia and tribals on the Andhra-Odisha Border, Dandakaranya in Chhattisgarh and other infested areas.”
One of the techniques involves keeping chilly powder packets on the roofs of the house and in clothes. When security forces burn down the houses, the pungent smoke leaves their eyes burning, driving them away. Bamboo sticks placed on the roof emit a sound like gun powder exploding and the police, suspecting that the enemy has opened fire, tend to retreat.
“The snare and noose, put for wild animals in the tribal areas, can be set up on the tracks used by police forces. A big pit can be dug up in the centre of the village entry points and it has to be camouflaged to make it look like any other place. When vehicles or police personnel enter the village, they will fall in it. They should be filled with thorns and other sharp objects. Small pits should also be dug up. To prevent cattle and children walking into these pits, they should place obstacles, which should be removed when they receive information about the enemy approaching,” said the Maoists’ documents.
The police manual, published on the basis of the Maoists’ documents, contains ambush techniques and how to carry out a mine-proof vehicle explosion.

South India tops in suicides : NCRB


By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
Four southern states — Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra — account for 50.2 per cent of suicides reported in the country in 2011.
AP accounted for 11.1 per cent of overall suicides. The suicide rate for men is almost double that for women.
The National Crime Records Bureau suicide data for India reveals that at least 13 people end their lives every day due to failure of love affairs and 7 people end their lives due to failure in examinations. Most suicides are due to family problems, illness, poverty, and dowry disputes.
In AP it is bankruptcy and sudden change in the economic condition that is driving large numbers of people to end their lives. The most disturbing is the finding that a large number of those who chose to end their lives are below the age of 29.
S. Suresh Reddy, a child rights activist says, “There is tremendous pressure on children and youth from both schools and parents to perform very well in exams. This is driving them to end their lives if they fail. Youngsters also tend to end their lives if a love affair fails.” He says counselling centres must be set up in colleges and schools.
The suicide clock released by NCRB reveals that for every hour, 16 suicides are reported in the country and every day, 372 suicides are reported, out of which 242 are of males and 131 are of female.
In Andhra Pradesh, around 15,077 persons ended their lives in 2011 due to various reasons. There were 1.35 lakh suicides countrywide.