Sex workers use tech to beat pandemic blues

Sex workers use tech to beat pandemic blues

Petlee.Peter@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru: 19.09.2020

Mallika (31), who also has the street name Rani, has had a regular spot near the Majestic bus terminal for the past six years. She would ply her trade with travellers and locals and used her earnings to feed her two children. But the Covid crisis and lockdown left her out of work and penniless. She’s one of the many commercial sex workers who lost their livelihood due to the pandemic after social distancing and avoiding physical contact became a norm.

Well-paid, English-speaking sex workers made the shift to remote technology early during the lockdown. Conventional workers, those on the streets, have not been so lucky and almost driven into starvation. Now, they too are taking the tech route to make ends meet and some NGOs in the city are training them to handle smartphones for sex work, not just to attract clients but also stay vigilant with its safety features and tracking technology.

With Covid-19 keeping away clients, sex workers in city have started using online options and host one-on-ones through apps

Most women cover faces during sessions; recording not allowed

Kurian George is a Kochi-based spice trader who used to frequent Bengaluru with his friends. He usually stays at a posh hotel in the CBD. They are friends with a courtesan who goes by the name Laila and her friends who meet George and his friends at his hotel suite for parties often. “It was monthly entertainment for me and my friends but the pandemic nixed all our travel plans,” he said.

He and his friends started engaging with Laila via with video-telephony app Zoom. She said: “This is my business and I need to hold on to my regulars or they’ll look for other options. During the lockdown, I began a Zoom session and sent invites to clients for single and group sessions.”

According to Laila, many co-workers also started online options and oneon-ones are often through Whatspp, Telegram or Kik Messenger while group meets are hosted on Zoom, Skype and Google Teams. The steamy sessions unfold often with women covering their faces with strict no-no to recording by the receiver. She accepts payment in advance through e-wallet options.

Elsewhere, a transgender person from Ulsoor (street name Saroja) is an active member on gay dating apps. “I used to stand on MG Road but Covid completely killed my livelihood. Then, one of my regulars introduced me to video chatting and helped me open an account on Paytm,” says the 36-year-old who has been meeting clients online through Whatsapp video. Saroja introduced three friends to online interactions and receiving payments through e-wallets in advance.

Survey among workers

Solidarity foundation, a Bengalurubased NGO, conducted a survey among women sex workers on cellphones they own and their knowledge on smartphone usage. “We did among 100 workers, mostly from the lower sections of the society, and found many aren’t very savvy with smartphones but most received demands from clients to use it for online interactions,” said executive director Shubha Chacko. Her team has been training them to use smartphones not just for work but also safety through apps to send location information to peers. “They’re often secretive about their profession and use of smartphones is a double-edged sword. We teach them pros and cons and to remain vigilant and not fall for recordings or photography,” she adds. Nisha Gulur, coordinator, Karnataka Sex Workers Union, an initiative to tutor workers on smartphone usage to protect their livelihood has been planned.

Row erupts as Google drops Paytm from app store, then brings it back

Row erupts as Google drops Paytm from app store, then brings it back

Digbijay.Mishra@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:19.09.2020

High drama unfolded on Friday afternoon as Google removed mobile payment app Paytm from its Play Store, citing breach of its gambling restrictions, before bringing it back again by evening. Paytm’s fantasy gaming application was also removed ahead of the start of the IPL on Saturday, and was not back till the filing of this report.

The removal of Paytm, which takes away the ability to get new users, elicited widespread disapproval among India’s startup ecosystem as the tech giant’s unit Google Pay competes with it in India.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, who said Google was acting like “judge, jury and executioner”, told TOI it was notified in the morning that app was being taken down due to a cricket sticker promo on payments it was running. In the promo, a user who collects five stickers gets a cashback.

‘Google misusing its influence on internet eco’

Many such schemes run across other payment platforms as well. It had also received warnings for promoting Paytm First Games, a sports fantasy platform, on its main application thrice. As Paytm’s app was taken down, Google, without naming Paytm, said in a blog post that it doesn’t allow online casinos or support any unregulated gambling apps that facilitate sports betting. “This includes if an app leads consumers to an external website that allows them to participate in paid tournaments to win real money or cash prizes, it is a violation of our policies,” the US-based internet search giant said. Other online fantasy platforms like Dream11, MPL and My11Circle have also not been available on Google’s Play Store for the last couple of years due to its policy.

Sources said Google’s action was led by Paytm promoting its fantasy gaming unit though its main app. “They (Paytm) were promoting links of Paytm First Games within the main Paytm app. If you click on it, it will take you to the fantasy gaming platform of Paytm, which includes betting. That’s not allowed as per Play Store policy. That's why the app had to be taken down," a person close to the development said. While betting is not allowed in India, various state high courts have called fantasy sports a game of “skill” and not of “chance”, making it legal as of now.

But even as Google does not allow fantasy gaming apps on its app store, these platforms are allowed to advertise on its search engine, which several experts have pointed out as contradictory policy.

The development for Paytm First Games came at a critical time as it has outlined a Rs 300-crore marketing and advertising budget for the next 12 months, starting with IPL. Removal from Google Play Store blocks its main channel to acquire new customers.

Many in the startup ecosystem have questioned if Google’s moves are indicative of misusing its influence on India’s internet economy. Unlike markets like the US where Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS have equal market share, in India the former rules with 90-95% share of smartphones.

No pay for mths, man leaves two toddlers on road

No pay for mths, man leaves two toddlers on road

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  19.09.2020

A 35-year-old man left his two toddlers on the road after he did not receive his salary for the last three months. A heart-wrenching video of the two toddlers crawling on the road in Civil Lines went viral on social media. Police said they brought the children to the police station and traced the family after which they were restored.

The man, Mukesh (name changed), works as a clerk for a cooperative society in Delhi.

Speaking to TOI, Mukesh said: “I had been regularly going to the administrative head’s office demanding my wages. I do not have money to buy milk for my children and today when I could not meet him again, I left the kids outside his house and left. I don’t know how the kids reached the road.”

“A call was received around 3pm informing police about two male infants on the road. A team reached the spot and the children were brought to the police station. With the help of woman constables, they were fed,” said a senior police officer.

Schools won’t reopen at least till Oct 5

 Schools won’t reopen at least till Oct 5

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:19.09.2020

Schools in Delhi will remain closed till October 5, the government announced on Friday. Hence, under Unlock 4.0, even students of classes IX to XII will not be called to school for consultation from September 21, as suggested by the Centre’s guidelines.

The directorate of education earlier sent a communication to the schools following the central guidelines, but education minister Manish Sisodia had said the final decision would be taken closer to the date.

According to a DoE order issued to all schools on Friday, “Online classes and teaching-learning activities will continue as usual and the heads of schools are authorised to call teachers/staff for smooth conduct” of any work. The institutes have been asked to inform guardians through school management committee members, text messages and phone calls.

Ameeta Mulla Wattal, principal of Springdales School, Pusa Road, said she would call teachers to schools. “The CBSE registration for classes X and XII will have to be completed,” said Wattal.

Following the previous communication, many private schools had conducted a survey among parents and most of them had said they were not in favour of children returning to school. Most institutes wanted students who will appear for the Boards next year to come for one-to-one interaction with teachers and practical classes.

“The order has been changing from time to time on the basis of Covid-19. The cases are still on the rise, parents are not comfortable about sending children,” said S K Bhattacharya, chairman of the action committee, an umbrella body of private schools.

It will be a welcome step by private schools if physical classes resume after October 5, Bhattacharya said. “During this period, the government should work on formulating practical SOPs for schools — regular checking, whether buses should be allowed.”

DOE ORDER ON FRIDAY SAYS

Online classes and teaching and learning activities will continue and the heads of schools are authorised to call teachers or staff for smooth conduct of any work

 Govt permits mutual, request transfers

Chennai:19.09.2020

After putting on hold general transfers of its staff in the present fiscal year to minimise expenditure on transfer travel expenses, the Tamil Nadu government has allowed mutual transfers and request transfers of its staff, subject to certain conditions.

Facing a huge shortfall in receipts due to Covid-19, the state ordered a series of measures to curtail avoidable items of expenditure during the current fiscal. “However, appropriate authorities have been allowed to consider mutual transfers and request transfers, subject to the condition that this shall not pave way for administrative exigencies later,” said an order. TNN

Land sharks circle unwary owners along OMR, ECR

Land sharks circle unwary owners along OMR, ECR

Gangs Work In Connivance With Officials, Politicians

Yogesh.Kabirdoss@timesgroup.com  19.09.2020

People who own land along East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) are a worried lot as there has been a spate of attempts since November 2019 to usurp their holdings by organised gangs with political connections.

These gangs connive with officials to create fake land titles to sell off land without the actual owners’ knowledge or, in some cases, use strongarm tactics to force land owners to sell.

Data sourced by TOI revealed that the Tiruporur sub registrar office (SRO) got at least 25 complaints about fraudulent property registrations in the past one year. Worryingly, multiple sources and stakeholders pointed fingers at officials at the SRO, which has jurisdiction over most of ECR and OMR, saying deals with forged documents are not possible without official connivance.

Officers in police stations along the two stretches admit that 90% of all complaints and crimes pertains to land disputes of different sizes.

Recently, the Chengalpet district police wrote to the antiland grabbing cell to investigate two cases. One was a fraudulent registration at the Tiruporur SRO and the other a case of threats to a landowner to usurp two acres at Thaiyur on OMR, a couple of months ago.

Most of the vacant land parcels along ECR and OMR are owned by people who live in the city as also outside. Such absentee landlords are the prime prey of the land sharks.

A city-based businessman with a huge land parcel near a beach near Kovalam says a phone call from a security guard of a neighbouring property alerted him to a bid to grab his property recently. “The gang, which had political connections, went to the extent of measuring the land for construction three months ago. My land was saved from the encroachers thanks to timely intervention by police,” said the man, who wanted to be anonymous.

This landowner says the real danger is that the mafia is able to access details of the land parcels it targets from the registration department.

Police say there are at least 10 large organised gangs based in Kannagi Nagar, Chengalpet, Kalpakkam, Maduranthakam and Sriperumbudur. They have stepped up their activity as the Covid pandemic lockdown has hit other sources of income.

These gangs also instigate local residents who had sold their land cheap years ago to outsiders to demand more money now that property prices have shot up along ECR and OMR. If the present owners refuse, they are threatened by gangsters.

“One such case was reported and it has been transferred to anti-land grabbing cell for investigation. In another case, fake Aadhaar cards were used to create a fake power of attorney to facilitate sale of a property on OMR,” said a senior police officer in Chengalpet district.

Pandemic-weary Chennaiites now eager to fly out

 Pandemic-weary Chennaiites now eager to fly out

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:19.09.2020

As expectations are high on resuming scheduled international services next month or in November, travel and tour companies have started getting requests for advance booking for November, December and January from people who want to travel for business and trade and also for honeymoon.

People are ready to travel after getting stuck at home for five months and the preference is for destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and to countries in the Middle East when restrictions are removed. Airlines and travel agents believe that there will be more flights and fewer restrictions in November. Initial passengers will be traders and those traveling for business, social visits. It may take longer for leisure travel and MICE to resume.

Only Maldives and Dubai are now open for leisure travel. But only those who are returning for work or to join with family are travelling.

Sriharan Balan of Madura Travels said, “People are ready to travel and have started to make enquiries to make advance booking. A few wanted to travel for honeymoon for weddings planned in December and January. We have got bookings but they have asked us for time to pay because they want to see if there will be further lifting of restrictions.”

An airport official said that airlines also feel that restrictions may be lifted by foreign countries by mid next month and that travelling will be back to normal by November or December. “Airlines are pushing the government to resume scheduled flights as countries are moving towards reopening travel with precautions. Online portals have started to display fares from October onwards but airlines are expecting advance booking for November, December and January”, he added.

And probably to cash in on the trend, one-way fares are high. Tickets are in the range of ₹8,500 to ₹13,000 to Kuala Lumpur ₹8,700 to ₹12,000 to Bangkok, ₹7,000 to Singapore.

Basheer Ahmed of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) “People, mostly traders, are ready to travel but need for quarantine and need to pay for institutional quarantine upfront during booking of the trip is a stumbling block. Countries like Singapore insist that quarantine charges should be paid which is not viable for advance booking. Many countries are going to ask for a certificate. Leisure travellers may not like these rules.”

Travel and tour companies have started getting requests for advance booking for November, December and January