Articles by News Desk

On Monday, October 21st, Maharashtra will be voting to elect the members to its Legislative Assembly. Take a look at the profiles of candidates in the fray in the four key constituencies of Borivali, Dahisar, Magathane and Mulund. Constituency: Borivali Incumbent MLA: Vinod Tawde, BJP Name, Education, Profession Party Assets Pending court case rating * Agenda Rajesh Mallah, SSC, Labourer BSP 20.01 thousand 15 Did not share Sunil Rane, B.Com, Secretary BJP 1.7 crore None Did not share Kumar Khilare, B.A. Business Indian National Congress 31.45 lakh None Did not share Dhirubhai Gohil, 7th standard, embroidery work Sardar Vallabhai Patel…

On Monday, October 21st, Maharashtra will be voting to elect the members to its Legislative Assembly. Take a look at the profiles of candidates in the fray in the four key constituencies of Borivali, Dahisar, Magathane and Mulund. Constituency: Borivali Incumbent MLA: Vinod Tawde, BJP Name, Education, Profession Party Assets Pending court case rating * Agenda Rajesh Mallah, SSC, Labourer BSP 20.01 thousand 15 Did not share Sunil Rane, B.Com, Secretary BJP 1.7 crore None Did not share Kumar Khilare, B.A. Business Indian National Congress 31.45 lakh None Did not share Dhirubhai Gohil, 7th standard, embroidery work Sardar Vallabhai Patel…

Heavy rains breach lake, flood homes in north Bengaluru Heavy rains breached the corner bund of Doddabidarakallu lake, leading to overflow and inundation of about 500 houses, early on Thursday morning. Residents of Bhavani Nagar, Annapurneshwari Layout, Anandappa Layout and Muneshwara Layout were horrified as water levels rose up to almost six feet. Power cuts worsened the situation, leaving residents groping in the dark for their belongings. The lake bund was breached at about 2 am, as it received a huge volume of water from a stormwater drain (SWD) upstream. Police came to the spot at about 3 am with…

Many small and startup organic farms struggle because new farmers face a steep learning curve in a variety of areas - including growing skills, farm management and marketing their produce. In this 2-day workshop in Bangalore, organised by New Farmer, Karan Manral and Yogita Mehra will share experiences and best practices derived from hands-on management of organic farms. The workshop will cover a variety of topics and share practical solutions that contribute significantly to success on small organic farms. Where should I start? For a generation that knows little about agriculture, we discuss things that should be considered before getting…

Thanks to Mahabalipuram summit, it is advantage Koneri tank From the elaborate arrangements to the traffic diversion, Modi-Xi summit has been the talking point for many Chennaites. The area around Mahabalipuram has been getting a facelift, and a significant one is the hitherto neglected Koneri tank now sports a new look. Spread over 7 acres, it is the largest waterbody in Mahabalipuram and was once a source of drinking water for residents. Residents of the locality and volunteers from the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI) restored the lake, which had a thick cover of Karuvelam or Prosopis juliflora and was used as…

Dengue outbreak in north Chennai Over 350 cases of dengue were reported in the city in September, with a particular spike in areas like Royapuram and Tondiarpet in north Chennai. Officially, the highest number of cases -- 25 --were reported in Tondiarpet. However, the government has been criticised for under-reporting dengue cases and classifying many such as undiagnosed fevers. Officials attribute the rise in incidence to intermittent episodes of rain in the city, but inadequate garbage clearance and gaps in civic infrastructure in the densely populated regions of northern Chennai have also had a role to play. However, health officials…

Govt considers zonal committees in B'luru State government is considering promoting zonal meetings at BBMP, to further decentralise the powers of BBMP Commissioner. The zonal committee will involve special commissioners, engineer-in-chief, ward officials, officials from all civic agencies, MLAs, nominated representatives from citizen groups, and ward committee members of the respective zones. As per a draft brought out by the government, the committee should clear proposals and works in the zone, before these are sent to the BBMP Council for approval. The draft also recommends including the committees in finalising the zonal budget for 2020. As per a recent government…

Daan Utsav, one of the largest volunteer driven philanthropic initiatives across the country is back this week between October 2 - 8. With events, drives and activities helmed by NGOs, individuals and corporate houses, the week-long effort brings together people from all walks and provides an opportunity to improve the lives of the less fortunate.  Chennai will see a variety of activities as part of Daan Utsav, where citizens can contribute their time through volunteering or provide financial support for various causes. Gift a meal No Food Waste, an NGO working to address the twin issues of hunger and food…

Groundwater table rises in the city The city has witnessed a healthy rise of 2 to 4 metres in groundwater level since August, thanks to the rainfall during recent days. According to the Regional Meteorological Centre, from June 1st to September 11th, the city has received 416 mm against the normal 356 mm. The rise has not been uniform, however. While localities along the beach in Adyar, Injambakkam, Akkarai and Besant Nagar saw negligible rise in the level, Korattur and Ambattur have seen a steep rise of 5 metres in the groundwater level over the period mentioned. Source: The New…

BBMP action plan to restore 630 km of roads BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) Commissioner B H Anil Kumar tweeted that the civic body has drawn up an action plan to restore 630 km out of 3000 km roads in the city once the BWSSB finishes laying drinking water and underground drainage (UGD) pipelines. Citizens had expressed dismay over the condition of their roads, especially in the five outer zones -Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, Mahadevapura, Rajarajeshwarinagar and Yelahanka. BWSSB has taken up works in the 110 villages that fall in these zones, and heavy rains worsened road conditions here. Action will be…