Steps to streamline projects
Revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda met World Bank representatives to discuss funds for a plan to end flooding in the city. The scheme is being worked out by the State Disaster Management Department, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to redevelop stormwater drains, expand the capacity of lakes, increase underground sewage network and treatment plants.
Meanwhile, poor budget allocations and lack of a water tariff revision for almost a decade have put many BWSSB projects on hold. The body is dependent on loans for its projects. Even the Cauvery Stage V project to give water for 110 new BBMP villages were funded by loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The state is mulling probing some works, which are irregular, to replace multiple committees that find faults with the BBMP projects.
Source: Indian Express, Deccan Herald
Read more: Mahadevapura Cong candidate H Nagesh: Traffic, floods can be fixed by proper administration
Call to decentralise task force
City-based NGO Environment Support Group (ESG) asked Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to announce a task force for an inclusive and democratic governing process, instead of trusting task forces that had members from the IT/BT sector, film and entertainment industry and real estate developers. It should deeply decentralise urban administration and genuinely devolve power to the local government, said ESG.
Shivakumar has roped in the elite to create many forums, which is undemocratic and unconstitutional, according to the NGO.
Source: Indian Express, The New Indian Express
No to public cattle slaughter
Before the Eid-Al-Adah (Bakrid) festivities, BBMP announced a ban on sacrifices of animals at public places such as roads, hospitals, schools, colleges, parks and inside or outside places of worship. Only authorised abattoirs will be allowed to slaughter animals. Violators will be prosecuted under Karnataka State Animal Sacrifices Act 1959 Section 3 and the Indian Penal Code Section 429.
Dr K P Ravikumar, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, BBMP, said that violators will be punished as per sections of IPC and the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act 2020.
Source: Indian Express
Right to protest
Many civil society groups are demanding that protests should not be limited only to Freedom Park. Earlier, retired teachers from aided schools, demanding to be added to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), protested at Freedom Park for 142 days. But no government functionary visited them to get a memorandum.
Two teachers even ended their lives, forcing people to abandon the protest. But even after the two deaths, nobody responded. Karibasappa, President, Aided Schools and College Teachers’ Federation said that sitting at Freedom Park is ineffective.
Source: The Hindu
Read more: Court cases, campaigns, protests: All that Bengalureans have done to save Cubbon Park
BLR Pulse – digital travel buddy
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) Bengaluru, recently created a personalised digital travel buddy for flyers, called BLR Pulse, an omnichannel platform, in collaboration with GrayMatter Software Services.
The buddy can help passengers to navigate the terminal buildings and offer information about the airport in real time. There is even an interactive chatbot feature in the app to enable a self-sufficient mode of finding answers. BLR Pulse offers real-time updates on various passenger processing touch points, including entry gates, check-in counters, and security check areas, and delivers flight timings and status updates on passengers’ mobile phones or email inboxes. Another ‘WayFinder’ feature allows passengers to easily navigate through the airport and get real-time information on queues at various touch points.
.Source: Indian Express
[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]