Articles by Navya P K

After Bangalore being named the top third international tourist destination by BBC's travel guide publisher Lonely Planet recently, the state tourism department is now taking steps to establish Bangalore as the gateway to South India. Launch of the Kaapi Trail with Mr. Janardhan Reddy, Mr. Anil Bhandari, Mr. Jawaid Akhtar and the officials of BIAL Pic: BIAL Tourism department in association with Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) is holding a 10-day coffee festival at BIAL for passengers from December 6-15. Passengers will be treated to different coffee breeds from nine coffee growing areas in South India. Of these, five points -…

On 8 November, some apartment associations around Cubbon Park had domestic workers in their apartments profiled. Photographs, fingerprints and detailed information of the workers were recorded by a private agency. The profiling was organised by Cubbon Park police station. Domestic workers Protest Pic: Navya P K The private agency Hamari Suraksha in its website says that it is ‘rooting out domestic terror' through this procedure. This is supposed to prevent crimes committed by domestic workers and help the police track workers when there is a crime. We are not criminals The event sparked off a protest on 10 November by…

Bengaluru was about to have its first Slut Walk - rechristened 'Gejje Hejje' - on Sunday, December 4. The walk was to protest against victim blaming in cases of sexual assault, wherein women are held responsible for inviting assault by "dressing provocatively", travelling at night etc.But not only were they not allowed to hold the walk, a few who had dared to assemble at the venue were arrested by the Bengaluru police. Police had given permission for the walk earlier, but cancelled it on short notice - on Saturday night, bowing to threats from right wing groups. Pic: Navya P…

For BBMP, even developing lakes mean building more concrete structures. In this year's budget plans, BBMP has included the plan to install a 32-feet bronze Vivekananda statue in Yediyur lake in Jayanagar. Rs 1.5 cr is set aside for this.BBMP is yet to call tenders for the project, but on November 22nd Yediyur Corporator N R Ramesh attempted to drain out water from the lake. He was stopped by about 20 local residents who were also members of environmental organisations Hasiru Usiru (HU) and ESG.The workers with Ramesh had already destroyed the RCC concrete structure in a corner of the…

State education department has initiated a project to identify the prevalence of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) among school children. ADHD is a disorder that causes hyperactivity, inattention and behaviour problems in children.The department has given Malleswaram-based Sattvam Homeopathic Speciality Clinic the go-ahead to screen children in 10 Malleshwaram schools in the first stage. It is expected to start off in a few weeks.The department may make policy decisions on treating children with ADHD based on the data, says Tushar Girinath, Commissioner at the Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Sattvam Clinic, a 27-year-old establishment, currently specialises in treating children with…

In the Sankey road widening case, the High Court ruled in favour of BBMP on Wednesday, November 30th. BBMP's contention that it had the authority to cut off scores of old growth trees on Sankey Road was upheld.The petitioners - five individuals and residents' associationMalleswaram Swabhimana Initiative - had argued that BDA had not indicated widening of the road in its draft Revised Master Plan 2015 (RMP) and hence public had no chance to object to the widening. BDA's lawyers however argued that widening of the road to 30 metres was indicated in the 1984 and 1995 master plans and…

On November 1st, KSPCB released a guide on Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). In this exclusive interview with Citizen Matters, KSPCB Chairman A S Sadashivaiah talks about how the guide will help, and clears the air on many issues that resident associations have been raising on STP maintenance. Most apartment complexes today have their own Sewage Treatment Plant(STP). According to KSPCB rules, any large apartment (more than 5,000 sq m in the outskirts or more than 20000 sq m in core areas) need to have STPs. The new guide has illustrated explanation about the working and engineering features of STP, and…

A week after Bengaluru's police department said that the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) for Karnataka did not exist, the Home Department says that the authority does exist. It turns out that in December last year, the state government quietly setup the body through a government order. The PCA is meant to be a state-level independent authority to inquire into public complaints against police officers. On November 11, civil society group IAC (India Against Corruption), Bengaluru, had submitted a petition to the city Police Commissioner's office, demanding setting up of a PCA. Additional Commissioner of Police Suneel Kumar, who had accepted…

BMRCL has always been notorious for its lack of transparency. Even being a government entity, the company is reluctant to share information to the media, citizens or activists. The entry into BMRCL head office is restricted compared to other government offices.When I had asked the BMRCL PRO for a sketch of the stations last year, it was denied citing security reasons. I was also stopped from taking pictures, even from outside, of Metro stations under construction, about six months back.Now the strictures have extended to public spaces too - Metro employees in stations stop media persons from taking pictures or…

If you know someone who has done exemplary work for Bangalore, now may be the time to give them credit. Namma Bengaluru Awards, intended to honour unsung heroes of the city, have opened its nominations for this year.Nominations were launched on October 31st and will close on November 30th.T he awards are instituted by Namma Bengaluru Foundation, founded by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar. Started in 2009, this is the third edition of the awards. A person can nominate oneself or others here. Supporting documents on the nominee's work can be loaded online itself. This year the awards are for…