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Hi-tech autowallahs hack digital meters!

The digital meters were supposed to be tamper-proof. However, it has come to light that they can be cleverly tampered by auto wallahs. This means you always end up paying more than what you should according to the meter charge. It came to light after Legal Metrology department officials revealed they have booked 923 cases in 2010-11 against errant auto drivers using tampered meters. They had booked 681 cases last year.Recently, the department along with city traffic police decided to crack the whip on auto-drivers. In a special drive, they booked a total of 7,865 cases. Out of them, 335 cases were registered for extra fare demand and 250 for refusal to carry passengers. It is no secret that a road corner mechanic or motor spare parts store worker can tamper with the meter, whether it is digital or mechanical, at a charge of just Rs 200 to 250. When Expresso approached a mechanic near Balanagar crossroads, he explained how meters can be tampered with.  He charged Rs 250 for doing the smart but simple job. “Tampering of a meter is very simple which auto drivers can even do on their own. The gear-box housing just requires a replacement to show double meter-reading. It costs about Rs 150 and gears inside it can be manipulated to show twice the distance travelled,’’ he explained. A number of mechanics situated in Khairatabad, Koti, Punjagutta, a few places in Secunderabad and Balanagar are reportedly well-versed with the process. Controller of Legal Metrology, SA Huda said auto drivers can tamper with the meters easily. “No one shows interest in complaining about meter tampering. If we receive a compliant, we will be ready to check and book cases, if it can be proved. One can send their complaint directly to SA Huda on his mobile 9848032375 or send an online complaint at sahuda1@rediffmail.com. 

By Mouli Mareedu

moulimareedu@gmail.com

Drunkards using 108 ambulance to reach home

It is around midnight, when a 40-year old calls up 108 and ‘’informs’’ that an accident has taken place near RTC crossroads. He pleads with the staff to send an ambulance post-haste. As the vehicle reaches the spot, the man tells them he is a ‘’patient’’ and needs to go to the Gandhi Hospital. But he gets down smugly at a little distance from the hospital and vanishes into the dark. It is here that the driver realises the man was drunk and just wanted a ‘lift’’. Of late, the emergency ambulance service 108, is being used by drunkards to go home. Even as hoax calls to the 108 service of the Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) has gradually gone down, the staff members are perplexed whether to provide their service to the needy callers as drunkards are misusing the service and giving false information.VNS Prasad, regional manager (Operations), EMRI told Expresso that though hoax calls have gradually gone down, a number of calls are being received by the 108 call centre from drunkards who seem to be misusing the service. “We are not able to attend to real emergencies due to these fake calls. This has affected on our average response time as the services are badly affected by drunkards repeatedly making false calls,’’ he added.These fake calls are reportedly being made by drunkards, mostly residing near the Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and other localities. They frequently make calls to the 108 emergency service call centre giving false information about the place and incident. As soon as the 108 ambulance reaches the spot, they get in the vehicle and direct staff members to go to a hospital near their house. As the vehicle reaches near the hospital, they ask staff member to stop the vehicle and simply walk out. Prasad said they are planning to implement a ‘Dynamic Positioning’ system in an attempt to combat potentially life-threatening problems. He said hoax calls could cost lives as they tie up vital resources and hinder response times to real emergencies.There are quite a few numbers which can be seen from the graphic given, which have been making regular fake emergency calls to the 108 emergency ambulance service.

EMRI, 108 Emergency service vehicle

By Mouli Mareedu

Probe team suspects Amrita was on mobile

Was Amrita Roy, the Air Asia employee, who died in a freak mishap on Sunday, busy in conversation on her mobile when the operator started retracting the aerobridge no 55 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA)? A three-member team of airport officials who began a probe on the mishap have just this suspicion.Sources at the airport told Express that Amrita had been alerted by her colleagues, while they were coming down after finishing their work inside the aircraft.They said she was standing near the edge of the aerobridge. “Perhaps, she was talking on her mobile and was so engrossed in the conversation, that she failed to take notice of it,” they said.Amrita Roy, a 25-year-old guest service officer (GSO) of Air Asia was crushed to death on Sunday under the retracting aerobridge, after passengers had boarded the Air Asia AK-224 Kuala Lumpur-bound aircraft.As a matter of routine, four to six aircraft employees wish all the passengers after they board the aircraft and check all their ticket details. After the verification, they submit the check report to the air hostess. Then, the aerobridge operator retracts the aerobridge after a siren signal is given by the concerned authorities.The three-member team comprising RGIA deputy executive officer Vikram Jaisinghania, Delhi Airport chief operating officer Peter Noyce and RGIA chief security secretary Uma Ganapathi started their probe by meeting various Air Asia employees and hearing their versions.The team also enquired with local police about the information gathered by them.They collected Amrita’s mobile phone to track the details to ascertain till what point of time she was talking on her mobile.Meanwhile, autopsy reports of Amrita have ascertained that she died on the spot due to ‘numerological shock’ rather than injuries. It revealed that her right arm was completely damaged as it got trapped in the retracting aerobridge.RGIA authorities said the investigation team would reveal the details of the probe within three days, after collecting information from the police, RGIA authority, other airline companies and employees of Air Asia.

Its a file photo of Aerobridge at Rajive Gandhi International Airport

By Mouli Mareedu

Air Asia employee dies in freak mishap

Just a few minutes after she wished bon voyage to all the passengers who had boarded the Air Asia AK 224, 25-year-old, Amrita Roy, Guest Service Officer of the airline, bid farewell to the world. She died on the spot after she was caught in a retracting aerobridge at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) here this morning.Amrita had promised her mother Sudheekha Roy that she would return home early from work. But, it was not to be.Amrita’s right arm got trapped in the aerobridge, which retracted after passengers had boarded the flight.The accident took place around 9:30 am when Amrita got down from the Kualalumpur-bound flight, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Station Inspector R Sanjay Kumar told Express. She was noting down a few points on duty book when the retracting aerobridge swept her and crushed her to death. She was rushed to the Apollo Medical Centre at the airport but doctors declared her dead at 10.40 am.“The circumstances in which the tragedy took place were bizarre. We are very upset. We are praying that the family would be able to cope with the tragedy with fortitude. A committee headed by Deputy CEO has been immediately formed, comprising the Chief Operating Officer of Delhi Airport and Chief Security Officer at Hyderabad Airport to investigate the incident,” said P Sripathy, CEO, Hyderabad Airport.Amrita Roy was from Kolkata. She had been living at Attapur with her mother Sudheekha for the past few years.

Amrita Roy, Air Asia employee

By Mouli Mareedu

Varalakshmi Vratam hopes submerged in rain water

They wake up early in the morning, clean their homes before smearing themselves with turmeric paste and kumkum to perform Varalakshmi Vratam at the temple every year on this day.But this year, a grim reality awaited them. The locality of Madinaguda was submerged in flood water forcing its residents to stay indoors. “As I went down from my flat to visit the temple around 6 am, I saw rain water had reached the first floor of the apartment. I was unable to go out,’’ added N Santhakumari, a home-maker living in the Vaishnavi Apartments at Madinaguda.Similarly, 70 families staying in 20 apartments were forced to stay indoors in Madinaguda, Deepti Sree Nagar, Hafeezpet, and surrounding localities of Miyapur, as they were totally inundated with rain water with nearby tanks overflowing. As tank bunds have been breached by heavy rains since the past three days, overflowing water submerged the colonies since early morning on Friday.PV Krishna Rao, a resident of Yasodha Pearl told Expresso that as he went down to the basement to take out his car at 6.30 a.m, he found it overflowing with rain water.“I went out swimming on rain water to get a milk packet. After a few minutes, the entire locality was completely under water. I could not return home as the water force increased and I was unable to swim,” he said, as he sat near his apartment holding a milk packet.Most two-wheelers and fourwheelers parked in the basements of apartments were submerged.Residents in the localities had to call up their friends and relatives to know about the prevailing situation.“I came to know about it as my uncle called up in the morning and asked me to inform GHMC officials and police. After informing the local police, they refused to do anything so early in the morning. This is the first time I ahve seen a deluge totally inundating the locality,” complained S Kiran Kumar, busy enquiring about his relatives standing on the national highway at Deepti Sree Nagar.As soon as news broke out, electricity officials stopped power supply to at least 10 localities. GHMC officials also brought two proclainers to clear rain water by repairing underground drainage. They assured the locals they would bring back normalcy within two days.Meanwhile, a private cab in which five IT employees were travelling was washed away at Madhapur MMTS railway station bridge due to heavy rain water force coming from the nearby tanks. Kukatpally traffic police blocked the Kukatpally JNTU- HiTec city stretch as rain water overflowed on the streets near the Madhapur local train station. Traffic was diverted towards Hafeezpet.

Me, wading through the flood water at Deepti Shree colony in Madinaguda in the city as part my visit to cover the news

By Mouli Mareedu

Look before you buy that mask

Do you think all swine flu masks available in the market are medicated? Can they prevent you from the dreaded swine flu? With swine flu deaths increasing in the twin cities and in other districts of the state, the demand for swine flu masks is increasing and many prefer to wear them for protection against the H1N1 virus. However, all masks are not original and doctors warn against using fake masks which might create a new health hazard.It is believed the light-blue coloured masks available in the market are fake and cannot prevent from the flu virus. When Expresso visited various pharmacy shops located near the Gandhi General Hospital and Osmania General Hospital,  they had the fake swine flu masks on sale, which were not medicated and certified by authorities concerned. They were priced between Rs 60 and Rs120. “We have been selling swine flu masks since one year. We don’t know whether the masks are medicated or not. As there is a huge demand, we ordered more masks. We sell at least 200 to 400 masks per day for Rs 50 each,” said Ch Narasimha Rao, a medical store staff near the Gandhi Hospital.“There is no need for every one to wear the masks. If someone wants to wear them regularly, they have to change them every day. The N95 masks are medicated and expensive. Only the government provides these masks to doctors, nurses and para-medical staff working in various hospital departments, especially in isolation swine flu wards,” said Dr SV Prasad, superintendent of AP Government Chest Hospital. He advised people to wear masks certified by IS 2000 and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). But the masks would not be effective if one wears them for more than six hours. If you wear the same mask regularly, it would cause breathing problems. Dr Prasad urged people to be wary about fraudulent products for H1N1 flu prevention and treatment.He said the N95 masks, technically called respirators, work better than surgical masks which are certified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The masks are deemed to provide specific levels of protection from body fluid and blood penetration. NIOSH has also certified that the N95 masks work against swine flu. The NIOSH has approved the Type N95 respirator to meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements and CDC guidelines for tuberculosis exposure control. Prasad said the mask, when properly used can filter germs from the breath and prevent spread of flu.Hyderabad district medical and health officer,  Dr Ch Jayakumari told Expresso they would look into the matter and alert staff to make thorough checks at medical stores.  “However, the selling of fake swine flu masks in pharmacies would come under the jurisdiction of the drug control administration and they have to take action,” she adds. 

 By Mouli Mareedu