sentinelgroup@gmail.com
Women’s safety in public spaces
In cities and towns across the globe, women continue to face disproportionate threats to their safety in public spaces. Whether it’s walking down a busy street, using public transport, or simply waiting at a bus stop, the risk of harassment, assault, and violence looms large. As a society, we need to confront this issue head-on and take the neces-sary steps to ensure that women feel safe and protected in every public space. Recent statistics paint a troubling picture of the state of women’s safety in public spaces. In many countries, surveys have shown that an overwhelming number of women have experienced some form of harassment, from unwanted comments and gestures to more serious forms of violence. According to a 2021 UN Women report, 81% of women worldwide have reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime. This includes not only physical acts but also verbal abuse and the constant fear that their personal safety may be at risk. This violence doesn’t discriminate—it affects women across different socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, and ages. However, women in vulnerable groups, including those from marginalized communities, often experience heightened risks, facing multiple layers of discrimination and harassment in public spaces. The fear and reality of not being safe in public spaces have far-reaching consequences for women’s lives. Beyond physical harm, the emotional and psychological toll is immense. Many women begin to self-police their behaviour and limit their movements to avoid dangerous situations. This leads to a restricted sense of freedom and independence, which should be a fundamental right for everyone. A woman may choose not to walk home at night, avoid certain areas of her city, or even decide against taking public transport due to the possibility of harassment or assault. This type of mental and emotional burden affects women’s ability to thrive in their communities and their workplaces. As we push for safer public spaces, let us remember that the fight for women’s safety is a fight for a safer, fairer, and more just society for everyone. It’s time to act—not just to protect women, but to create spaces that promote respect, equality, and shared responsibility. The road ahead may be long, but together, we can make our public spaces safer for all.
Dhritismita Neog
Nagaon.
Assam tea: the state’s economic backbone
The March 27 news headline of your esteemed daily, 'Assam tea is the backbone of the state's economy: Neog,' has drawn the attention of the people of the state, who with great pride have been able to witness the great eras of the tea industry steadily for the last 200 years, since the discovery of the tea plants in 1823 AD. The state's Finance Minister Ajanta Neog's speech during the distribution ceremony of benefits under the Assam Tea Industry Special Incentive Scheme (ATISIS), which states that the state government has taken several comprehensive measures to support the tea sector, including improvement of healthcare, education and infrastructure in the state's tea garden areas, has attached great significance. Today, the state's tea contribution to India's total tea production is over fifty per cent, which has made it clear that the state plays a crucial role in the country's tea industry. The doyen of the industry, which has been passing through a very critical phase at present, must come out with a concrete plan and vision, as the prospects of profitability of the tea industry depend on all social costs, maintenance of over one million families to meet their needs and other fixed costs, etc., which are to be counted for despite having to maintain the properties in a proper way to be on par in the competitive markets. There have been attacks of pests and diseases which appear to be a major challenge in protecting crops and tea bushes. The indiscriminate use of chemicals and fertilizers for the production of tea by the majority of big and small tea growers needs to be checked, as it is causing a major threat to all consumers as far as the MRL (maximum residue level) is concerned. The state government and Tea Board need to pay serious attention to curbing this menace by establishing laboratories to check pesticide residue levels frequently throughout the year. The escalating cost of production per kg of tea has been gradually found to be much higher than the selling price of tea per kg in the markets, which renders the tea business most unremunerative. The introduction of a GI tag is a must, which will definitely help to secure the future of Assam tea and tea producers who, after sacrificing their sentiments for their own belongings, preferred shifting to other businesses in search of profitability and mental peace of mind. Encouraging small tea growers in the form of cottage industries is the need of the hour for promoting them in their self-development process of enriching socio-economic conditions with the production of healthy and safe tea products.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati.
Encourage accommodative politics
Firebrand senior Karnataka BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal's expulsion from the party should be viewed from both angles. The leader has a history of breaching the party line quite often and was expelled twice from the BJP earlier only to return back to its fold. His spewing venom against state party president and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa's son BY Vijayendra bordered on hate. It looked more like a fight for Lingayat domination of the party than any real ideological issues, as both Yatnal and Vijayendra belong to the powerful caste. It is common knowledge that the BJP High Command bowed to the pressure of Yediyurappa to make his son the state president.
So, by all means, Yatnal was taking potshots at the party's highest leadership.
That said, the expelled leader has a commanding mass base in north Karnataka, especially his bastion, Vijayapura, formerly Bijapur. Known as the "Hindu tiger" for his unflinching Hindutva ideology, Yatnal's outspokenness, clean image and exemplary oratory skills laced with subtle humour should not have outrightly been snubbed by the top party leaders. As an MP and now an MLA, the charismatic leader, at 60 years, has still plenty to offer to the party. 35 years in politics is no joke. BJP has to exhibit accommodative politics if it has to win Karnataka back. Leaders like Yatnal cannot be summarily expelled.
Dr Ganapathi Bhat
(gbhat13@gmail.com)
Opening a savings account online
It has been observed that, currently, many individuals prefer to open a savings account online without physically going to the bank. It is fast and convenient and can be done from anywhere in the world. However, one question that may be asked is whether it is as safe to open an account online as it is to do it in person. Banks take steps to ensure that your information and accounts are safe when you open a savings account online. Banks employ end-to-end encryption to ensure that your information and your financial details are safe. The data security is so robust that even if the data is intercepted, it cannot be read by the wrong people. Banks put into practice many ways to confirm the identity of users who wish to use their accounts. This process requires users to provide two or more verification factors to access an account or application. For example, users are required to type in a One-Time Password that is received on their registered mobile number or email ID apart from the regular password to access their accounts. Banks operate through websites and mobile applications that use HTTPS-secured encryption. These platforms operate through secure connections to ensure the data is protected from unauthorized access. Do not open links from emails or messages that claim to be from a bank. One should always type the URL directly into the browser to get to the company's official website. First of all, do not enter any of your personal details without ensuring that the site begins with "https" and has a lock icon. This makes the site secure and encrypted. Do not use public or open Wi-Fi networks when inputting your banking information. One should also note that hackers can easily intercept and capture all the information that is transmitted through insecure channels, and finally, it is safe to open a savings account online, provided you are dealing with secure banking sites and following the security measures. Banks ensure that online banking is just as secure, if not more secure, than visiting a bank in person.
Bhagwan Thadani
(bhagwan_thadani@yahoo.co.in)