Street Vendors Dialogue with Political Leaders and Civil Society Representatives to Convert Street Vendors Livelihood Protection Bill into the Act

New Delhi, 1 May: Thousands of street vendors’ representatives gathered on  International Labour Day at the” Street Vendors Dialogue with Political Leaders and Civil Society Representatives’ at the Kamani Auditorium, with the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Ajay Maken, sending a message to the National association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) that the much awaited Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill had been approved by the Union Cabinet.

The main purpose of organizing the dialogue was to build momentum on getting effective central law in the current session of parliament through bringing key stakeholders together in support of early enactment of Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act. The national dialogue was organized by the NASVI with support from Centre for Civil Society. Besides several street vendor leaders of Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Congress leader and Delhi MP JP Agrawal, former director general of Labour and Welfare S.K. Das, FSSAI functionary Suniti Kumar Gupta and CCS associate director Shantanu Gupta also addressed the convention. Mr. Maken, who was to address the street vendors’ convention, could not turn up because of his presence in the Cabinet meeting. However, his office sent message of the development related to the Bill.

The Bill vetted by the cabinet incorporates the issue of inclusion of vendors doing their business on railway lands.  Earlier version of the Bill had excluded the railway vendors and the NASVI had strongly objected to the exclusion.  The revised Bill also has greatly empowered the Town Vending Committee (TVC) and given it power to decide ultimately on almost all issues of determining the vending zones. The Bill does also have strong grievance redressal mechanisms.

Describing an inclusive and effective central law as a critical social-political imperative of urbanizing India, NASVI coordinator – Mr. Arbind Singh said, “Once enacted by the parliament, the Act would go a long way in protecting the rights and entitlements of street vendors who earn their livelihood in tough and harsh conditions in cities and towns across India”.

Akriti Gupta

This is probably the first public interaction that the VC will be holding, ahead of a hasty introduction and implementation of the new Four Year Undergraduate Programme from July 2013. The letter goes on to state that the “Vice Chancellor is keen to address and meet school students who are seeking admission to the colleges of the University of Delhi.”

Each school has been invited to nominate three teachers and up to 100 students “to hear and meet the Vice Chancellor and his colleagues” at Multi-Purpose Hall, University Stadium, North Campus at 10 AM. This address comes in after the University has been severely criticized for lack of clarity regarding course and admission guidelines, and this address seems to be a unique opportunity for all students to get first hand and clear orientation on all aspects related to admissions and courses under the new undergraduate programme.

Being a pet detective looked cool in the movie Ace Ventura but to think that it is actually a real job is hard to comprehend. Then there’s a professional whistler. Yes, a person who gets paid to whistle. Being a snake milker or a mascot or a rodeo clown, there’s just so much to do!

In casinos abroad, there is a special person who is just employed to check if the dice that you’re playing with is perfectly proportioned or not. Then there’s a vomit collector, someone who is employed in theme parks specifically to mop up puke near rides that tend to inspire motion sickness. A professional queuer on the other hand, stands in queue for tickets and all for a small commission.

People don’t actually eat worms just to get 10 minutes of fame on TV; they get paid for the gross stunt too. A fart sniffer gets paid to smell gas given off by cows in order to determine their diet, hormonal balance, and overall health. There are just no words to describe the absurdity of some jobs.

Some of us love to sleep all day. Did you know you can actually make money out of that? Doctors and scientists need these ‘professional sleepers’ to research more about insomnia and other sleeping disorders. And did you know that there’s a livestock masturbator? Similar to the animal inseminator, they are individuals who masturbate cows and other barnyard animals in order to acquire the body fluids necessary for conception. Again; no comments.

The world is full of so many odd jobs. Why worry about being unemployed then? There definitely must be something out there for you too!
Surbhi Grover
surbhig@dubeat.com 

“Hello Sex Amma,

Me and my GF have been in a relationship for a year. In the last one year we almost lived like a Live-in at her place and we used to have sex very often , almost daily ,sometimes , twice in a day (with some days exception) , But as of now we live apart due to studies, and I miss everything so badly, I cannot have control over ‘things’ . Please suggest how should I control and what to do..”

My dear lost little lobster of the Southern seas! You two have been very naughty fishes, frying in coconut oil! You lucky lad and lady! Amma went to the beach when people asked her to get a room. You’ve had one for a year. But, the wind and the waves of joy. Ah! Anyway, high-five for the awesome ex-sex life!

My lovely lobster, nothing is permanent, is it?  Study, and study hard so that you two can end up together! But, Amma understands, so I’d suggest you to throw away your pen every once in a while and use your hand for other activities, eh? The Americans have made sure that nobody goes sex-less when alone. Tune into their ‘artsy’ movies and let things fall in their place (do clean up afterwards!!). Graham Bell might not have thought of it, but his invention can work wonders for your deprived, er, soul. Let her oohs and aahs over the phone send you into a frenzy! And if you can’t talk over the phone, geniuses of the world have created texting, and other geniuses who have gone the extra mile have created sexting. Try it, my boy!

I’ll pray that you somehow get your hands on the Anywhere Door from Doraemon. How easy it’d be! Besides, you’re a male macchi, visuals can turn you on. Think about your poor female macchi who needs to get touchy-feely for her dose. So, ride high and solo for a while on crashing waves and breaking thunder! Do let Amma know how it’s working for you. Cheers!

Have a query? But don’t know who to ask? Mail  your queries to Sex Amma at sexamma@dubeat.com.

The Good

1.       Bring Up the Bodies – Hilary Mantel

After already winning the Booker prize for her first book in the Cromwell trilogy, Wolf Hall, Mantel made it two-in-two by bagging the Booker Prize for 2012 with its sequel. With bookies going all out on her winning an unprecedented three in a row when the last part comes out next year, this is one author that comes well recommended from everywhere. Grand tales of grand people with a language generously sprinkled with quips and wisecracks, Mantel is probably the best of the best.

 2.       The Yips –Nicola Barker

Also on the shortlist for the Booker prize this year was this latest of Barker’s yummy novels after her earlier nominated Darkmans and the more recent Burley Cross Postbox Theft. Her odd-ball sense of using language and interesting plotlines together mingle to tingle your sensory nerve endings to delight. Barker doesn’t ever to fail to amuse a reader and if you haven’t discovered this brilliant author, who unfortunately isn’t the most well-publicised of writers, now is your chance.

3.       NW -Zadie Smith

The much acclaimed author of White Teeth has come out with a novel after what would seem ages and is stirring interest among literary circles everywhere. This tragicomedy tells the tale of four Londoners and by extension of London itself. Get your copy nowand it’ll be one the better decisions you make after reading this newspaper.

 4.       Narcopolis – Jeet Thayil

Shortlisted for the Booker and winner of the DSC Award at Jaipur Literature Festival, Thayil has been the name on the lips of many. Marketing his material better, he even visited DU’s own IP College for Women. His story about opium, intoxication and other effects, set in Bombay, which has provided an immaculate location for novels like Midnight’s Children before, will make your rack look all the better. Book-rack, that is.

5.       Em and the Big Hoom – Jerry Pinto.

It’s once in a long time only that someone from this oh-so-great nation of ours ventures to write uninspired by Chetan Bhagat. Pinto creates a story of a household in turmoil, with a mentally unstable and ill mother in charge of the house, bidi in one hand. Refreshing and rejuvenating, it’s a sign of good things to come from the debut author.

The Bad

1.       The Casual Vacancy- J. K. Rowling

As most of the Potterheads would have been, your humble reviewer too was tempted to pre-order this latest offering from the magical Rowling who gave us The Boy Who Lived. Damnation and despair is all this temptation brought. Rowling tries too hard to write an “adult” novel, as she claimed her next would be after Hogwarts’ tales, and in the end falls flat on her face with book. Unexciting and reeking of desperation for recognition as an author who could do more than write fantasy fiction,  unexpectedly albeit, Rowling is a foremost disappointment that 2012-13 had for readers.

2.       The Shiva Trilogy – Amish

Contrary to popular perception, I refuse to see merit in this trilogy and would say that if this is what’sinitiating so many in India into reading, given Chetan Bhagat was the first to do so, it tells a sad tale for the readers here. What this set off was a series of bad fiction from people like Ashwin Sanghi,who then spewed trash like The Krishna Key and the Chanakya’s Chant and one more which I refuse to remember the title of even.

3.       What Young India Wants – Chetan Bhagat

Thankfully, this wart didn’t publish fiction this year, but equally horrible are his attempts at writing essays and his view of, as the title unimaginatively says, what young India wants. I would say we would like you to stop writing, much obliged. And maybe try doing what you went to IIT and IIM for, Mr. Bhagat, instead of polluting the literature scene of this country which rarely sees bright days after the legacy that actual greats like R. K. Narayan left for us.

The Ugly

While there could be a possible million titles in this usually most-populated segment, I thankfully didn’t witness them all too much, for various reasons. However on obnoxious presence was that of E.L. James’s Fifty Shades series, which go from one horror show to another. What’s more, her fansite even advertises the various, ahem, “toys”, her novels make oh-so-generous use of. Inspired from Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series and originally written as fan-fiction, the story of Anastasia Steele is also slated for a movie version, which Mila Kunis seems too eager to be a part of. Then came the numerous pieces of trash which were spawned by James’s “mommy-porn” novels, making it the bestselling genre this past year, to which I wonder how the protagonists from Anthony Burgess’s classic A Clockwork Orange, with their ultra-violence, might have responded. Alas they’re fictional too. Maybe Apocalypse 2012 would have been appreciated?

If the yellow door isn’t enough to grab your attention, the insanely long queue in front of it will surely do the trick!

The Big Yellow Door is a cozy little café located near North Campus (in Vijay Nagar to be precise) which has been successful in creating a loyal fan following in just over a month after its great launch. The café offers a very interesting menu which boasts of a variety of mouthwatering dishes starting from cheese fries and salads to The Flying Chicken Pizza. Their creativity in terms of inventing something fresh and amusing doesn’t stop there, The Big Yellow Door gives customers a chance to choose from an innovative list of milk shakes, like The Chocolate Oreo Shake, The Kit-Kat Shake and The Black Forest Shake to name a few. These yummy cold beverages are blended to such perfection that they will succeed in transporting you to a food paradise! The best part is that your wallet doesn’t have to shell out a lot of big bucks; the café has priced all its products very reasonably which makes it even more popular with the students.

Apart from the fabulous food, the décor of the café leaves a mark on the customers. The walls are sprinkled with artistic imagination and therefore, it does not come as a surprise that almost everybody who comes to dine here takes out their cell phones to click a photograph or two. The Big Yellow also came up with a wonderful idea to hand out post it notes with the bill for feedback, which are later pinned up on the graffiti wall. The staff is extremely friendly and they try their level best to strike up a conversation with you while you enjoy your meal, giving the café a homely touch.

Charvi Jain
Guest Writer

Picture source: www.facebook.com/BigYellowDoor

With barely a month left for the final exams to begin, our third year comrades prepare their resumes and compile their academic transcripts together in the race to get into the next phase of this never-ending journey. Some choose to fill out innumerable applications and sit for overwhelming entrances, while others run around hoping to get their professors to write letters of recommendation, smoothing the obstacle course set by foreign universities. Yet another set of aspiring adults choose to begin their budding careers, and a significant bunch take a year or two off to brainstorm on where to channel their passion.

Not all of us have enjoyed these three years. Many wait for those dreaded exams to end, the close of an old chapter and an eager turn to the next page. DU is a waste of three years, the education system is below average, many of the professors can’t speak properly, and the infrastructure is pathetic. Warnings have always rained on the years of the delusional juniors. However, what we don’t realise is that behind the dilapidated, rusted exterior, we still have special moments. Moments when we run out of our class to visit the momo or bhel puri wala before he leaves, a quick snack between classes. Moments when we take part in a competition with our friends at a popular college’s fest and come back penniless due to all the food we ate for lack of anything to do. In other cases, when we outshine everyone else and hold the trophy in our hands, a reminder that no matter how big the stage is, school, college or life, the things we’re passionate about never leave us feeling less than satisfied. All the friends you make, the parts of your college that you cherish the most, the teachers that made classes memorable for you thanks to their teaching, or even their mispronunciations.

Growing up is never easy. It’s a constant headache as you wonder what’s in store for you. Yet the day you graduate, think of it as the time to let go of the past, and look ahead to your future. Cherish the memories you have created over the past three years, as these moments never come back.

Image Credits: Swadha Singh

On the 2nd History Department held their elections, whereas other departments like Political Science, Statistics, Philosophy, Economics, etc. held their elections the next day. All candidates needed a third year and a second year to nominate them, and one could see frantic first years running around asking seniors to nominate them and read their agenda. According to a first year candidate running for the post of Department Treasurer, ‘contesting the elections has been a whole new experience for me altogether. I have learnt through my research about so many problems that the students are facing, especially when it comes to accounts, and I hope I can create a more transparent accounts system for my department in case I get elected.’

The following candidates were declared Presidents of their respective department Unions:

Amanjit Kaur: Sociology
Vaishnavi Singh: History
Srujana Yadav: Political Science
Prerna Kannan: Statistics
Charvi Kain: Economics
Gurman Bhatia: Journalism

Image: Sapna Mathur (sapna@dubeat.com) 

Together for a Cause(TFAC),

This Flash Mob was in regard to their project called ‘Nadaan Parindey’ which will be launched on 26th April at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg. Trough ‘Nadaan Parindey’ TFAC plans to confer vocational training to school students of all sections, so that they can peruse their hobbies as a career.

The event on 26th will see a special performace by the students of Teach For India classrooms in Seelampur, who will be given special focus in the whole project.

Meanwhile the promotional Flash Mob saw the participation of more than 80 dancers and thousand plus spectators in four different locations of Delhi, namely Kamala Nagar Market, Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station, Hauz Khas Village and Select City Walk, Saket. People were seen enthusiastic in the whole project as they joined in the dance.

Delhi University student Jasraj Bhinder from Sri Venkateswara College has been awarded the prestigious Golden Key International Honour Society’s INDIA HIGH ACHEIVER AWARD of Rs 2.5 Lakhs. The India High Achiever award is instituted by Golden Key to assist Golden Key members to further their education in India. “Jasraj Bhinder has demonstrated excellence in Academics and related academic activities during his undergraduate study. Jasraj also demonstrated how Golden Key’s Commitment to Academics Leadership and Service will be furthered by his Postgraduate study, Golden Key will award more such scholarships to deserving individuals in India” said Dr Abhiram Prabhu Golden Key’s University Relations Office For India.

“It is indeed a great honour to have received this prize and I would like to thank Golden Key for that. It is always nice to have your efforts in life to be recognised and appreciated and this award does exactly that. More importantly, it urges me to put in even more hard work in my endeavours in the future. The scholarship award will be very useful in covering the costs of my current postgraduate education and in funding my studies further in the future”.