Articles by Akshatha M

Bathymetric study conducted by Madras Engineering Group division of the Indian Army and scientists from IISc. Pic: Akshatha M April 12th, 2016 A team of active citizens of Bengaluru representing community groups - Whitefield Rising and Save Bellandur Lake Group - assemble on the fringes of Bellandur lake to address the media. They are accompanied by a team of researchers from Indian Institute of Science and army personnel from Madras Engineering Group (MEG). The reason: To brief the media about a community-funded survey to evaluate the condition of Varthur and Bellandur lakes. April 13th, 2016 Another set of active citizens…

“Mistakes happen deliberately or unwittingly. Sometimes convicts may not be the real culprits. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?” asks Honnegowda, who spent 15 years in jail. Ten years post-release, he now stands as a testimony to how one can lead a dignified life even after serving life sentence. But, to what extent do society and the government support and help prisoners lead their lives post-release? For a just-released prisoner, reintegration with the world is the most important and challenging aspect. The Karnataka government may have taken a significant step by releasing 633 convicts who had served over 14 years…

“Mistakes happen deliberately or unwittingly. Sometimes convicts may not be the real culprits. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?” asks Honnegowda, who spent 15 years in jail. Ten years post-release, he now stands as a testimony to how one can lead a dignified life even after serving life sentence. But, to what extent do society and the government support and help prisoners lead their lives post-release? For a just-released prisoner, reintegration with the world is the most important and challenging aspect. The Karnataka government may have taken a significant step by releasing 633 convicts who had served over 14 years…

Mandur - closed in November 2014. Bingipura - closed in  November 2015. Laxmipura - closed in November 2015. Mavallipura - closed in July 2012, reopened in July 2014, ready to close again! That is the story of landfills that help Bengaluru live in peace. With the closure of Terra Firma waste processing unit in Doddaballapur, the garbage crisis has started worsening in Bengaluru. According to BBMP officials, the waste which used to be transported to Terra Firma, is now being diverted to various processing units and to a new quarry at Bettahalli in North Bengaluru. “Around 500-600 tonnes of garbage…

Nobody wants to take mixed waste, yet Bengaluru is sitting on quite a huge quantity of it. Pic: Shree D N Heaps of unsegregated waste mixed with reject waste such as styrofoam plates and low value plastic lie unattended in the infamous backyard of Malleshwaram, that is 11th main. Some residents raised a hue and cry against Malleshwaram turning into a mini Mandur, even as the BBMP officials and contractors were figuring out how to handle the situation. This was the scene on 9th April, in Malleshwaram. It has been little over three months since the BBMP announced strict penalty…

Malleshwaram market. Pic: Manu H S Heggodu Following the success of green festival celebrations like Ugadi and Bakrid in Yelahanka zone last year, the BBMP along with citizen groups has this year given a call for Green Ugadi celebrations across the city. The idea is to ensure that the wet waste generated during Ugadi does not get mixed up with dry waste and is collected and composted separately. To make this work, citizen volunteers are deployed in each ward who will take up the work of supervising and collecting wet waste in their respective wards. Interested to be a volunteer?…

Lawrence, in his late 30s, is seeing the world with the curious eyes of a child. As he looks around, he wonders how the world has changed and how different it looks. “The value of money is no more the same. In 1990s, I used to spend a good whole week with just Rs 100 in the pocket. Now everyone talks in thousands and lakhs. Strange!” he exclaims. In the last 19 years of his life, Lawrence was completely cut off from society — he had spent nearly two decades of his life languishing behind bars. Convicted in a murder…

Lawrence, in his late 30s, is seeing the world with the curious eyes of a child. As he looks around, he wonders how the world has changed and how different it looks. “The value of money is no more the same. In 1990s, I used to spend a good whole week with just Rs 100 in the pocket. Now everyone talks in thousands and lakhs. Strange!” he exclaims. In the last 19 years of his life, Lawrence was completely cut off from society — he had spent nearly two decades of his life languishing behind bars. Convicted in a murder…

Karnataka High Court. Pic: Akshatha M The Karnataka High Court has dismissed the petition filed by plastic manufacturers and traders challenging the State government’s decision to ban single use and non-recyclable plastic products across the State, based on technical grounds. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath dismissed the plastic manufacturers plea to grant a stay on the plastic ban. The court cited that an alternative legal remedy lies before the petitioners to question the government notification banning the manufacture, supply, sale and use of plastic products. The alternative remedy lies in the form…

Chairman of Taxation Committee M Shivaraj presenting the BBMP Budget. Pic: BBMP The ruling party in BBMP, Indian National Congress which used to criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party till last year for presenting unrealistic budgets, faced the same allegation this time, from the BJP which now sits in the opposition. The BBMP council floor witnessed a heated exchange between Congress and BJP leaders even as the Mayor opened the floor for presenting the budget. BJP corporators who wore black ribbons around their necks, protested against the Council’s decision to hike the property tax. Opposition party leader Padmanabha Reddy, former Mayor…