INDIA RISK TRACKER 16 TH SEPTEMBER 2017

Transcription

1 INDIA RISK TRACKER 16 TH SEPTEMBER 2017 Haryana Maharashtra Tamil Nadu National National National Security heightened in Panchkula ahead of Dera chief s court hearing in murder case today (September 16 th ) Ban on heavy vehicles in south Mumbai during the day; private bus owners to go on strike next week Auto drivers in Chennai under scanner after Finnish woman molested Delhi government issues advisory to schools on swine flu; Swine flu and dengue cases continue to prevail across India Rains lash Telangana, Met issues heavy rain alert for some areas of the country Congress to launch nationwide protest against high tax on petrol from September 20 th Regional Snapshot Bangladesh: Nationwide protests continue against the persecution of Rohingyas in Myanmar Nepal: Government announces public holiday in Province 2 on September 18th Sri Lanka: Met Department warns of bad weather during weekend Pakistan: Pakistani court sentences Christian man to death for blasphemy HARYANA: SECURITY HEIGHTENED IN PANCHKULA AHEAD OF DERA CHIEF S COURT HEARING IN MURDER CASE TODAY (SEPTEMBER 16TH) The security has been stepped up around the Panchkula District Court's complex ahead of the hearing in two separate murder cases against the Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, scheduled for today (September 16 th ). The police stated yesterday (September 15 th ) that Haryana police personnel and paramilitary staff had been deployed in and around the Panchkula district court's complex to ensure law and order, where the hearing will be held at the special Central Bureau of India (CBI) court. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has not physically been produced in the CBI special court and the hearing is taking place through video conferencing as the Dera Sacha Sauda Chief is lodged in the District Jail in Sunaria near Rohtak. Analysis: The cases, related to the murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, allegedly by functionaries and followers of the sect is being held in the court of special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had in November 2003 ordered a CBI probe into the murder of Chhatrapati and Ranjit Singh after the families of both the victims approached the court. The same court had, on August 25 th, convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on two counts of rape of female disciples. On August 28 th, CBI Court sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh for 20 years in imprisonment for raping two women in Several parts of Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan had witnessed large-scale violence following his conviction in the two rape cases on August 25 th. While 41 people were killed in Haryana in the violence, no deaths were reported from Punjab and Rajasthan. Recommendations Due diligence is to be taken if travel is planned within the region. India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 1

2 Avoid large crowds as they possess a risk to personal safety. Ensure that the mobile GPS has been activated and ensure communication of ground movement. Cater for increased security; co-operate with the police during security checks. Monitor the local developments to stay abreast of the ground situation MAHARASHTRA: BAN ON HEAVY VEHICLES IN SOUTH MUMBAI DURING THE DAY; PRIVATE BUS OWNERS TO GO ON STRIKE NEXT WEEK An association of private bus owners informed that it will continue with the two-day strike call next week and demand a written assurance from the traffic police that the ban on movement of heavy vehicles in south Mumbai during the day would be lifted. Despite holding talks with the Mumbai Commissioner of Police (CP) on Friday, the organisation, Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana, said it would stick to the strike call until their demand is met. The traffic department, earlier this week, ordered a ban on the movement of all heavy vehicles and private buses in south Mumbai from 7 am till midnight. On Thursday, the organisation proclaimed that as many as 3,300 buses would remain off roads on September 19 th and 20 th as the ban affects their operations. As per the authorities, the ban is meant to be temporary, to test its role in decongesting the area. Suggestions of commuters are going to be evaluated after the two-month ban period. Since there has been heavy traffic in south Mumbai due to work on mega projects, the police have come up with the idea on implementing the ban on buses. Recommendations Cater for unavailability of tourist and school buses if the strike go as per planned. If out-station bus travel is planned on the days of protest, check for the bus status with the company operating the services. Cater for possible localised traffic congestion if the protestors hold any demonstrations. Monitor the local developments to stay updated on the ground situation TAMIL NADU: AUTO DRIVERS IN CHENNAI UNDER SCANNER AFTER FINNISH WOMAN MOLESTED After a Finnish woman was molested by a share autorickshaw driver on September 8 th, police have prepared a list of people who drive share autorickshaws on the stretch from Kelambakkam to Mamallapuram. With no solid clue about the suspect, police are also scanning the CCTV footages collected from nearby locations. The Finnish woman, who is a volunteer in an NGO, had come to India two months ago. She was alone in the autorickshaw after all other passengers had disembarked, when the driver reportedly stopped the veh icle in a secluded place and tried to molest her. Since the woman knew martial arts, she managed free herself from his clutches and escape. Later, she lodged a complaint at the Mamallapuram police station. Women and men should be provided awareness on gender-based violence. Stay alert while travelling alone in taxis. Avoid letting out information to drivers Avoid taking unauthorised/unregistered shared taxis and autos; practice of operating shared autos are common in the city Keep a friend or family member informed about your trip route India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 2

3 Frequent attacks on women emphasize the need for women to be formally trained in safety awareness. Both genders are encouraged to report any form of assault, molestation, violence by filing an FIR. Important to individuals to understand complaint handling procedures, individual rights and ways to ensure that the police must promptly record complaints, register a report and conduct an investigation. Pepper-sprays and emergency mobile apps could come in useful in cases of an emergency. National Helpline Number for Women in Distress: NATIONAL: DELHI GOVERNMENT ISSUES ADVISORY TO SCHOOLS ON SWINE FLU; SWINE FLU AND DENGUE CASES CONTINUE TO PREVAIL ACROSS INDIA Delhi: The Delhi government has issued an advisory to schools asking them to spread awareness among students about the symptoms of swine flu and preventive measures. According to the Delhi health ministry data, swine flu has claimed over 1,586 lives so far this year, which is almost six times more than the deaths recorded last year. Telangana: Dengue cases have witnessed a spike in Hyderabad in the month of September. Over a span of 10 days, between September 1 st and September 11 th, Telangana recorded 269 cases. As per the official reports of the state health department, on September 11 th alone, 44 new cases of dengue were reported from various parts of the state. Of them, 23 cases were from Hyderabad, 10 from Khammam, six from Karimnagar and five from Kothagudem. The total number of cases recorded in 2017 is 993. Meanwhile, the case of Malaria has also seen a rise with over 1,667 cases reported. Jammu and Kashmir: The outbreak of dengue and swine flu has created panic in Jammu as 14 more cases of dengue and one case of H1N1 flu were found positive in the past 24 hours (September 15 th ) in the region. According to the health department, the toll has reached to 59 cases of dengue and nine cases of H1N1. Two deaths due to swine flu have also been reported in the region. The Health Department of Jammu has conducted 550 tests for dengue till yesterday (September 15 th ) out of which 59 cases were found positive, 283 were negative and reports of 208 tests are pending. However, 52 tests were conducted for H1N1 flu till date out of which nine were found positive, 40 were negative and reports of four are pending. Chandigarh: Eight more cases of dengue were reported in the Chandigarh. According to reports, two patients have also died. However, the nodal health officer of the department stated that there was no evidence to suggest that the death of two persons was due to dengue. Mumbai: Post heavy rainfall in Mumbai on August 29 th, around 102 dengue and 271 malaria cases detected in 11 days. Between September 1 st and September 11 th, 1,974 mosquito breeding spots have been found by insecticide department officers. According to doctors, this season there are more young people seeking treatment for dengue and the number of men is higher than women. The most common age bracket is 14 to 35 years. In the first 11 days of September, 102 dengue cases were confirmed in contrast to 93 recorded in all of August. According to civic officials, there has been an increase in the number of viral fever cases, with 4,000 patients admitted to various civic hospitals in the city. Meanwhile, the BMC can issue notices under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act s Section 381 for not maintaining mosquito-proof premises. Since January 11 th, the BMC has issued 11,237 notices to those found responsible for mosquito breeding. Of them, 637 have been prosecuted and a fine of Rs 22 lakh has been collected. Kolkata: With the number of dengue patients rising, the demand for platelet has gone up. Adding to the crisis is lower number of blood donation camps due to the approaching Durga Puja festival. Blood banks across Kolkata are struggling to meet the demand for platelet units. According to reports, over 120 new cases of dengue, and over 13 deaths have been attributed to the killer infection. While last year over 6000 cases of India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 3

4 dengue were recorded in Kolkata alone, this year the number of those infected with Dengue has already crossed Dengue: The larva of aides mosquito grow in clean water, usually found in flower pots, open overhead tanks, small quantity rain water accumulated in waste tyres, utensils, broken pots etc. There is no specific treatment for dengue fever and most people recover within two weeks. The most effective way of preventing dengue fever is by taking precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Use commercially available mosquito repellents, aerosols, and mosquito coils to repel mosquitoes. Cover water containers in the house to prevent egg laying by mosquitoes. Change water in air coolers regularly. The overhead water tanks should also be cleaned form time to time. Prevent accumulation of stagnant water in surrounding areas, which are a breeding space for mosquitoes. To help with recovery, general measures include: Getting plenty of bed rest. Drinking lots of fluids. Taking medicine to reduce fever. Avoid aspirin but paracetamol is considered safe. For severe dengue symptoms including shock and coma, hospitalisation and aggressive emergency treatment with fluid and electrolyte replacement may be necessary to save lives. Swine Flu Symptoms High fever Unexpected cough, body aches and chill Headache and fatigue Cough and cold Muscle twist and sore problems Sneezing and running nose is common Lack of appetite Short of breath Diarrhea and vomiting Precautions For mild swine flu, it is better to take appropriate rest. Drinking plenty of water is recommended. At the serious cases, consult your physicians and start taking antiviral medication. Spread by direct contact, so keep away from such people. Sneezing droplets of may accumulate on doorknob, drinking glass, towel, etc., clean it properly. India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 4

5 Anti-flu medications should start after consultation with the doctor. Covering the mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing. Used mask while going close to the infected person. Maintaining high level of hygiene is utmost important. Surface sanitization is also important. Fever medicine may be taken after consultation of your doctor. Malaria: The following precautions can be taken by local health authorities: Undertake fogging in the area, and putting abate, a chemical, in breeding places. Carry out entomological surveillance to find out if there are more mosquitoes of this type. Spray indoor residual insecticides. Health authorities have requested the people in Mannar to assist them in preventing the spread of the mosquito. Advised to diagnose the disease; it is necessary to get a blood film and test for malaria parasites NATIONAL: RAINS LASH TELANGANA, MET ISSUES HEAVY RAIN ALERT FOR SOME AREAS OF THE COUNTRY Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms occurred at isolated places in Telangana during the last 24 hours ending at 8.30 am yesterday (September 15 th ). While there was seven cm of rainfall in Maganoor, in Mahbubnagar district, five cm of rain each occurred in Adilabad, Kondurg and Makthal (both in Mahbubnagar). There were heavy showers in Adilabad, Mahbubnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad, Khammam and Ranga Reddy districts. Further, there was chaos at Sardar Vallabhbhai International Airport of Ahmedabad yesterday evening after several domestic and international flights were delayed due to bad weather. Poor visibility was reported in Ahmedabad after moderate rains lashed the city in the evening. Most flights were delayed by at lea st 25 minutes to two hours. Some six flights arriving at the domestic terminal were delayed. The Met has predicted heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in all the districts of coastal Andhra Pradesh. Light to moderate rain or thundershowers is very likely to occur at many places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and at a few places over Rayalaseema today (September 16 th ). Elsewhere, the meteorological centre has predicted heavy rain and thundershower in Odisha. The possible development of a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal in the next 48 hours is likely to trigger shower in Bhubaneswar. Such weather condition will continue till September 18 th and is likely to increase thereafter. The rainfall will spread across the state after September 19 th and is most likely to continue till September 22 nd. In Chennai, there is forecast for rain or thundershowers towards afternoon or evening today and tomorrow. Interior and southern districts of Tamil Nadu received above normal rainfall this month, but districts including Chennai in north Tamil Nadu have remained relatively dry. For today, the met has forecast a maximum and minimum temperature of 34 Degree Celsius and 27 Degree Celsius. Analysis: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast an improvement in the monsoon over most parts of the country from September 22nd. This indicates a possible delay in the withdrawal of the monsoon from parts of northwest India. The formation of a system over the Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast around 22 September is a positive sign, especially for Central India, including Maharashtra, and is expected to bring above India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 5

6 normal or normal rain over most parts of the country. In addition, above normal rainfall is expected over all the four homogeneous regions, especially northwest India and central India, the forecasts based on the IMD's models indicate. Till September 21st, monsoon activity will be mainly concentrated over the southern peninsula and adjoining central India (towards the western coastal region). There will be chances of above normal rain over the western coastal Met sub-divisions (except Saurashtra), Maharashtra, Telangana and north interior Karnataka. Normal rainfall is likely over the north-eastern states, the central belt of India over Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat till September 21st. In the meantime, the rest of central India, north-western India and northern India may witness subdued rain. Follow all the precautions from the weather department and the administration. Keep time at hand if travelling on the roads, as heavy traffic congestions are likely if the heavy rains continue. Power failure is likely due to waterlogging; keep mobile, laptop, power bank charged. Avoid walking on flooded roads as it is risky. Inform your family about your whereabouts. If stuck in your car and if it is automatic then open its glasses before shutting it down. Keep the supply of food and water stocked. Stock adequate quantities of candles and match sticks NATIONAL: CONGRESS TO LAUNCH NATIONWIDE PROTEST AGAINST HIGH TAX ON PETROL FROM SEPTEMBER 20TH The Congress announced that it would launch a nationwide protest from September 20 th against the increase in central excise duty on petrol and diesel, leading to a steep hike in their prices. The party demanded a white paper on taxes imposed on fuels and the gains made by the government and said the party would agitate across the country. The agitation would start from Delhi. The Congress would start a signature campaign at petrol pumps from September 17 th and launch a major protest at Jantar Mantar on September 20 th. Meanwhile, the Congress s Mumbai wing and NCP protested against the hike outside Mantralaya in Mumbai yesterday (September 15 th ) and raised slogans against Modi government. They also placed a two-wheeler on a cart and stated that they would stage a protest across 60 fuel stations across Mumbai on September 19 th. Cater for increased security around Parliament and Sansad Marg (route from Jantar Mantar to Parliament) in Delhi during the protest on September 20 th. Traffic diversions may be put in place, if there are a large number of protesters. Follow the local traffic advisories for route closures and diversions. Recommended to stay away from the protest site to avoid incidental risks; minor level of police action has been witnessed in the past on the protests by Congress. Monitor the local developments closely to stay updated on the situation. India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 6

7 REGIONAL SNAPSHOT BANGLADESH: NATIONWIDE PROTESTS CONTINUE AGAINST THE PERSECUTION OF ROHINGYAS IN MYANMAR Thousands of supporters of Islamist groups staged protests after weekly prayers on Friday, urging the government to go to war against Myanmar over the genocide of Rohingya Muslims. Police said at least 15,000 followers of five Islamist groups, including the hardline Hefazat-e-Islam, joined a demonstration in front of the country s largest mosque in Dhaka. Similar protests by Islamists have been held in other cities across the Muslim majority country. The protesters slammed Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's de facto leader, for failing to condemn the violence against the minority group of her country. Cater for increased security and possible traffic disruptions along the rally routes, especially around Myanmar Embassy in Dhaka. Advised to stay away from the rally site to avoid incidental risks. Follow the local traffic advisories for any route closures or diversions. Monitor the local developments to stay abreast on the ground situation NEPAL: GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN PROVINCE 2 ON SEPTEMBER 18TH The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced a public holiday in eight districts of Province 2 for the third phase of local level polls slated on September 18th. The Council of Ministers on September 11th had decided to announce public holiday in the eight districts of the Tarai on the Election Day. A notice issued by the Ministry stated that a decision has been made to give a public holiday at the government and semi-government offices as well as public corporations in those districts. The third phase local level elections is being held in Siraha, Saptari, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa districts of Province 2. Analysis: After successful first and second rounds of elections in six provinces, the EC is conducting the third and final round of elections in Province 2. There is one metropolitan city, three sub-metropolitan cities, 73 municipalities and 59 rural municipalities are in the province. Meanwhile, despite the decision of Madhesibased parties, including Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, to participate in the elections, threat from CK Raut group, CPN-Maoist and other armed groups like Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (Jwala Singh and Goit) cannot be ruled out. As in the first two phase of elections, per the security plan, Nepal Police personnel will be deployed inside the polling centres while NA and APF personnel will man the second and the outermost ring respectively. Enhanced security and traffic check points may lead to travel delays, particularly on election days. Refer to local traffic police advisories for route congestions diversions. Carry valid ID cards to avoid inconvenience during security checks. Be aware of security considerations in and around government installations and sensitive areas on the day of polling. Cater for increased security on Election Day of that constituency. India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 7

8 SRI LANKA: MET DEPARTMENT WARNS OF BAD WEATHER DURING WEEKEND The Department of Meteorology announced yesterday (15 September) that the monsoon weather is likely to intensify over the weekend in the South-Western parts of the country and in the North-Western Province. They stated that strong winds would be experienced across the island particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Uva and North-Western Provinces and the Hambantota District. Showers or thundershowers could occur at several places in the Uva Province and in the Ampara and Batticaloa Districts after 2 p.m. The Department of Meteorology also said that humidity levels would be between 95 and 75 per cent in the Colombo, Galle and Nuwara-Eliya Districts. Follow all the precautions from the weather department and the administration. Keep time at hand if travelling on the roads, as heavy traffic congestions are likely if the heavy rains continue. Avoid walking on flooded roads as it is risky. Inform your family about your whereabouts. If stuck in your car and if it is automatic then open its glasses before shutting it down. Keep the supply of food and water stocked. Stock adequate quantities of candles and match sticks PAKISTAN: PAKISTANI COURT SENTENCES CHRISTIAN MAN TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY A Christian man in Pakistan was sentenced to death for blasphemy after he allegedly sent a WhatsApp message to a friend that insulted Islam. Nadeem James Masih was charged in July after his friend Yasir Bashir told the police that he sent him a poem on the messaging service that was insulting to Islam. Following the incident, Masih fled from his home in Sara-e-Alamgir town in Punjab province to escape an angry mob that had gathered there, but later surrendered to the police. Masih has also been fined Rs 300,000. Analysis: Blasphemy is a criminal offence in Muslim-majority Pakistan, and insults against the Prophet Mohammad are punishable by death. Most cases are filed against members of minority communities. There was widespread outrage across Pakistan last April when student Mashal Khan was beaten to death at his university in Mardan following a dorm debate about religion. Police arrested over 20 students and some faculty members in connection with the killing. Since then, parliament has considered adding safeguards to the blasphemy laws, but given the emotive nature of the issue authorities have stayed away from making an strict laws regarding the use of blasphemy laws Disclaimer: This advisory is based on analysis of open source information. Recipients must monitor local environmental conditions to ensure security and business continuity. To subscribe to a daily risk update of India and neighbouring regions, please click here Visit us at Follow Us On India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 8

9 MUMBAI DELHI NCR BENGALURU SINGAPORE 511, ASCOT CENTRE, 9, 4TH FLOOR, 127, 2ND CROSS 101 CECIL STREET, OFF SAHAR ROAD, TIME SQUARE, 6TH BLOCK, TONG ENG BUILDING, NEAR HYATT REGENCY, SUSHANT LOK 1 KORAMANGALA, SINGAPORE ANDHERI (EAST), GURGAON BENGALURU MUMBAI India Risk Tracker 16 TH September 2017 Page 9