Consumer

Consumers again in the receiving end

Despite nose diving inflation, prices of essential goods remains high. But consumers now have to deal with another problem. Most producers of consumer goods retain old prices of commodities, but reduce the weight without consumers’ knowledge. Weight of a soap is reduced by 13 grams and the weight of edible oil from a well known company has been reduced from 910 to 850 grams. Most of the time, consumer pay little attention to these details. An amendment to the Act of Weight and Measurement allows producers to decide on weight of the product. ( Vijaya Karnataka , Monday, May 25 )

Education

New code introduced in colleges

Some of the colleges in the city have introduced new regulations to bring discipline among students. ‘Separation code’ is one of them. This bars girls and boys sitting together in classes. Some colleges even restrict boys and girls mingling inside the campus. Even as colleges such as Jain College have separate entrances for boys and girls, some have barred girls wearing high heels, others have banned girls from wearing footwear that produces loud noises! ( Vijaya Karnataka , Friday, May 22 )

MLC propagates new movement

Medium of language in primary classes has been the subject of a tug of war between the government and private school managements. MLC, deputy speaker Puttanna is known for supporting private managements. Recently in a meeting, he openly called upon the school managements to beat ‘troublesome’ education officers. He also asked them not to allow any government officers inside the school premises. However, there are a very few takers for MLC’s violent ways of handling the issue. ( Kannada Prabha , Monday, May 25 )

Arts and Culture

Varadachar Kalakshetra will get a face lift

The Varadachar Kalakshetra auditorium will get a face lift, thanks to the effort of its trustees. Renovation work is in its last stage. The auditorium was used for shooting of films, television serials and programmes. However, the auditorium lacked good facilities. The Sheshadripuram auditorium is named after A V Varadachar, one of the pioneers of Kannada theatre. ( Prajavani , Thursday, May 21 )

Government

Nemmadi centres stopped working

About 800 ‘Nemmadi’ centers meant to provide various certificates to the public, have stopped functioning from last week due to a technical snag. The centres issue birth and death certificates, caste and income certificates et cetera. Reports say that the public have been affected. As part of the government’s initiative towards e-governance, Nemmadi centres have also been set up at the hobli levels. ( Vijaya Karnataka , Thursday, May 21 )

Channel makes disappearance act

Whenever storm water floods, there has been talk of removing encroachment over the drainage and channel. Ditto is Raja channel. Raja channel was the source of water for agriculture in olden and golden days of Bangalore. Slowly channel was converted into drainage way. However encroachers did not let it also. Hoysalanagara in Ramamurthynagar in Bangalore east is good example for this. Here Raja channel abruptly ends in 11th cross in 3rd main. This water gushes into houses in 8, 9 and 10th crosses during rain. BBMP has no answer for many petitions submitted by the residents. ( Prajavani , Monday, May 25 )

Infrastructure

Toll fee in 52 roads from 2012

Vehicle owners will have to pay toll fee in 52 roads from 2012. Toll collection will continue for the next 20 years. The state government has identified the roads longer than 10 kilometres for this. These roads will be developed with private participation. The government has already invited applications. It claims that the toll fee will be less that what National Highways Authority is currently charging. ( Kannada Prabha , Thursday, May 21 )

Top cop asked people to go for two wheeler pooling

The city police commissioner Shankar Bidari opined that four wheeler pooling should be extended to two wheelers. Speaking to journalists, he appreciated the success of car pooling in Bangalore. He said that a similar system can be extended to two wheelers to reduce environmental pollution as well as traffic in the city. Bangalore has higher number of two wheelers than four wheelers and in most cases only a single person is riding the bike. Pooling may save costs and fuel, he noted. Prajavani , Friday, May 22 )

Pre paid auto centres lack power back up

Pre-paid auto centers are facing a ‘power’ problem. The centres do not function when there is no power, as there is no power backup. Traffic police say that they are forced to ask the auto drivers to use their metres. Pre-paid auto centres charge Re.1 per booking. Officials say this charge is too little to take care of maintenance. ( Vijaya Karnataka , Saturday, May 23 )

Power consumption slumps

Thanks to the recent spate of rains, the level of power consumption has reduced. On May 22, people have used just 88 million units, which is the lowest in recent years. On April 3, 141 million units was used. Thunderstorms reduced the mercury level and provided water for irrigation. The reduction in consumption has relieved KPC officials as storage of water in various dams is sufficient to produce power till September. ( Kannada Prabha , Sunday, May 24 )

Talks on to acquire 20 acres from Binny Mill

Railway department is in negotiation with the management of Binny Mill for acquisition of 20 acres of land. This is to extend the Central Railway station. Binny Mill had been closed long ago. So railways sources are confident of getting land from the company. The department has already prepared a blueprint of the expanded railway station. It wants to have one more entrance from Magadi road, where Metro rail passes through too. ( Vijaya Karnataka , Monday, May 25 )

Rat menace in Sampangiramanagar

People here literally fight with rats for food. This is not somewhere in the corner of the state, but right in the heart of Bangalore. Come to Kalyani slum in Sampangiramanar. Residents have many tales narrating their hardships. BBMP promised them with new houses before evacuating their homes in 2007 under a basic infrastructure development project. Though the houses are ready to be occupied, they have not been distributed. They are staying in sheds now. Rats are making life miserable for residents. They said though they have complained to BBMP several times, no action has been taken. ` Prajavani , Tuesday, May 26 )

People

Idols to get freedom soon

The public’s demand for the installation of Sarvajna idol in Chennai and Tiruvalluvar idol in Bangalore will be met soon. Chennai is speeding up the process of installation of Sarvajna idol. In Bangalore, Tiruvalluvar idol has already been installed but it has not been unveiled. Both the idols are expected to be inaugurated soon thus bringing curtains down to decades long controversy. ( Kannada Prabha , Friday, May 22 )

Court takes retired justice to task

The High court took to task former Lokayukta, retired justice N. Venkatachala in connection with a land dispute.High court in its 75 pages verdict, indicted former Lokayukta. Venkatachala during his tenure as Lokayukta had issued an order against land belonging to the erstwhile Mysore kings. The court noticed that the order was beyond the powers of Lokayukta. Lokayukta is meant to look into corruption charges against those who are in public service. ( Prajavani , Thursday, May 21 )

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