BBMP ups security deposit for road cutting 

Roads that are dug up by various agencies are often restored poorly, due to the lack of coordination between agencies. To address this issue, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is increasing the security deposit that agencies – including private telecoms and internet service providers – have to pay when they take permission for road cutting.

The security deposit should be enhanced to 100 percent of the road restoration cost, as per a circular issued by the BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar to the Palike’s chief engineers. So far, the civic body was collecting just 25 percent of the road restoration cost as security deposit. BBMP has taken the onus of repairing roads too since the agencies are doing a poor job.

Recently, the High Court, while hearing a writ petition on potholes, had asked BBMP to consider whether agencies can deposit the entire estimated cost. Hence BBMP’s decision to increase the deposit and to get into the act of road restoration.

Kumar has also directed ward committees to check roads in their respective localities, and to assess if any repairs are required. The committees also have to check if the agencies that are digging roads are complying with conditions. They should submit reports on the condition of roads and footpaths to the Commissioner’s office by the 25th of every month.

Source: The Hindu

Traffic fines may be reduced

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa asked Transport Department officials on Wednesday to check and follow the Gujarat government’s recent order to reduce fines for traffic violations. He directed officials to immediately reduce the penalties in the state. There has been public outcry after the revised fines under the amended Motor Vehicles Act came into effect on September 1st.

Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who handles the transport portfolio, clarified that his ministry would take a decision to reduce the penalties in three to four days .

However, the traffic police will continue enforcing the fines till the government issues a revised notification. On Thursday, Bengaluru Traffic Police slapped a fine of Rs 2000 on a traffic police inspector who had held up traffic by parking his jeep at a busy junction.

Source: The Hindu | Deccan Herald

Action against restaurants violating plastic ban: Mayor

Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun has directed restaurants and hotels to use only sugarcane fibre containers to parcel food for customers. If they continue to use plastic, their licenses would be seized and heavy penalties would be slapped on them. Later, in the second phase of BBMP’s efforts to make the city plastic-free, plastic packaging will be banned, she said.

The mayor was speaking at a special mela organised by the BBMP, where over 50 substitutes to plastic items were exhibited. These included paper and cloth bags, beetle nut trays, cups and tumblers made out of banana leaves and sugarcane fibre, wooden and steel scoops.

The fair, which had about 70 stalls, was held at Freedom Park from September 12 to 14. Entry was free though BBMP’s budget for the event was around Rs 20 lakhs.

Source: Deccan Herald | Bangalore Mirror

Garment workers seek minimum wages

More than a thousand women garment employees held a huge protest on Thursday, demanding minimum wages on par with other workers in the state. In February 2018, state government had fixed minimum monthly wages of Rs 11,557 for 73 of the 82 scheduled employment categories, including garment workers. But a month later, government withdrew the revised minimum wages notification for garments workers. Currently, most workers get only Rs 7000 in hand.

The wages, which should be revised once after every three to five years, have remained stagnant even after six years. There are more than 1200 garment factories that employ 4.5 lakh people in Bengaluru. Most workers here are migrants from nearby rural areas. Recently, eastern and central Indian migrants have also joined the factories. The clothes they manufacture are exported to foreign countries.

Source: The Hindu | NewsClick | The News Minute

[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]