Articles by News Desk

Bypoll voter turnout only around 50% A large number of Bengalureans, true to tradition, failed to vote in the by-election to the four assembly constituencies - Shivaji Nagar, Mahalakshmi Layout, Yeshvanthapura and KR Puram - on Thursday. The voter turnout was lower than that in the 2018 assembly elections and that in the other 11 constituencies polled on Thursday, as per Election Commission figures. The constituencies in Bengaluru recorded an average turnout of more than 50 per cent. Yeshwanthpur, at 59 percent, showed the highest polling. Mahalakshmi Layout had a turnout of only 51 percent; Shivajinagar turnout was lower at…

Bengaluru is at a historic juncture today. The State Government has recently made some big-ticket announcements as far as the bus is concerned, announcements which if followed up with their implementation as announced, will change the face of Bangalore. This Saturday, December 7, will see a discussion on what all is needed to transform Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (BMTC) public service into one which serves all and serves well.    Bengaluru's transformation from the laid back garden city with a pleasant climate into a massively built up concrete megapolis of people and vehicles infamous for its traffic happened to a…

Most Indian cities have a distinct historic past, rooted in the natural, social, economic and cultural contexts of different times. A strong relationship with nature and its processes is the most significant aspect of these cities’ development and survival. Landscape Foundation, India initiated the pilot study of the city of Delhi (Delhi – Hills, Forests and a River, 2017) in this context. This was followed by the study of Pune (The City of Hills and Rivers, 2018). This year, the study of Bengaluru was undertaken. The research, in each case, is produced in English and the regional language, as to…

Bengaluru's drinking water highly polluted Most Bengalureans are consuming highly contaminated water due to pathogens in BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) supply, borewells and sumps, according to a study by the Ramaiah Advanced Testing Laboratory (RATL). Besides, heavy metals and toxic chemicals have contaminated groundwater, the study found. RATL analysed water samples from BWSSB taps, borewells and sumps from 100 residential areas for over a year. One-third of these samples showed traces of E. coli bacteria, which can lead to bloody diarrhoea and even kidney failure. All 80 samples collected from BWSSB taps showed some form of contamination…

Constituency Shivajinagar Constituency K R Puram Constituency Mahalakshmi Layout Constituency Yeshvanthapura Constituency Data Find your constituency Search by EPIC card details How to vote Find your polling station Explainers What you can do when politicians try to influence votes with freebies What is your MLA allowed to spend local area development funds on? Illegal banners and buntings during elections: what can you do about it? https://citizenmatters.in/karnataka-legislative-assembly-mla-roles-responsibility-24290 https://citizenmatters.in/bangalore-101-december-2019-byelection-yeshwanthpur-mahalakshmi-layout-shivaji-nagar-kr-puram-constituencies-disqualified-mlas-39069 Voter guide: All you need to know before you cast your vote https://citizenmatters.in/all-you-need-to-know-before-casting-your-vote-this-lok-sabha-elections-11190/embed In countdown to 2019, here’s all you wanted to know about EVMs https://citizenmatters.in/electronic-voting-machines-evm-vvpat-controversy-politics-elections-2019-9649/embed

Toll plazas on ECR and OMR to be FASTag-ged The state highways department is planning to introduce the NHAI's RFID-based FASTag in all the toll plazas, including OMR and ECR. With the rise in vehicle traffic along the IT corridor, authorities are planning to double the local tag lanes which can be later turned into FASTag lanes. The authorities are planning to issue RFID- based tags that can be fitted to the windshield of the vehicles, to ensure ease of traffic. Source: The Times of India 798 buildings along ECR unauthorized The posh Olive Beach bungalows along the Muttukadu coastline,…

The second edition of Keetavismaya, an exhibition on insects is being organised on 29, 30 November & 1 December (9.30 AM to 6.00 PM) at the Dr Babu Rajendra Prasad Convention Center, UAS GKVK Campus, Bengaluru. Insects are the oldest and most diverse group of land animals. Their long association with plants have influenced the evolution of flowers, pollination, complex plant biochemistry, the shapes and textures of all plant parts and have a significant impact on human activities such as agriculture. A few insects annoy us and can spread serious diseases like dengue. Honeybees provide a significant source of food…

Repair Café Bengaluru is the first Indian member of this worldwide network, and has adapted the Repair Café model to the Indian context. Apart from repairs of common articles of use such as clothes, shoes, bags, toys, appliances, electronics, bicycles, and computers, Repair Café Bengaluru also conducts workshops on repair/up cycling skills. Their current modus operandi is to hold half-day events on weekends among interested groups (such as schools/colleges, NGOs, and resident associations) in different parts of Bengaluru. Though Repair Café Bengaluru has been able to attract a long list of able repairers and tinkerers, the challenge has always been…

Nov 30 deadline for Kannada signboards The BBMP has extended the deadline for commercial establishments to ensure that 60 percent of their signage is in Kannada. Establishments now have till November 30th to comply with the rule. If they don't comply, their trade licences will be cancelled or not renewed. The previous deadline was November 1, Karnataka Rajyotsava Day. Businesses were asked to have signages with 60 percent lettering in Kannada while the remaining 40 percent could be in any other language. So far, more than 8500 establishments have complied with the rule, says Vijayendra, Chief Health Officer, BBMP. After…

Property tax revision put on hold Property owners in Chennai can continue to pay the old rates until further notification, as the Government has withheld the revision in property tax rates. It has also constituted a committee to examine representations from various quarters on the revised property tax rates. The four-member committee comprises the Principal Secretary to Government, Finance (Expenditure) Department, as its Chairman; Commissioner of Municipal Administration as its Member/Convener; Director of Town Panchayats and Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation as members. Source: The New Indian Express Madras HC directs Corporation to remove vehicles on pavements The Madras High…