Articles by News Desk

Waste pickers of Bengaluru working with Hasiru Dala, a nongovernmental organisation working on empowering waste pickers, submitted a memorandum to U T Khader, Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Karnataka, R. Sampath Raj, Mayor of Bengaluru; Sowmya Reddy, Member of Legislative Assembly, Karnataka, representing Jayanagara and Manjunath Prasad, Commissioner of Bengaluru. This was done on the occasion of Hasiru Habba, an annual gathering of waste-pickers in Karnataka, where more than 1000 waste-pickers participated. The gathering was organised to celebrate the work done by waste-pickers and informal waste collectors to keep our cities clean and healthy. The memorandum shared by Hasirudala…

On the occasion of World Environment Day 2018 that had the theme Beat Plastic Pollution, environmental groups led by the Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT), Bengaluru, got together to conduct Waste and Brand Audit in eight locations in Bengaluru. The audit was part of a pan-India activity coordinated by GAIA India, where ten member organisations and partners conducted clean up and waste and brand audits in 18 states of India. In Bengaluru, the Waste and Brand Audit took place on 20th to 22nd May 2018, with over 120 volunteers worked in partnership with groups like HasiruDala, Bangalore Eco Team,…

Chennai Corporation to acquire lands to widen roads The Chennai Corporation will acquire land worth ₹2,829 crore from residents for widening of roads in congested parts of the city. The land to be acquired is estimated at 18.8 lakh sq ft, which is around 786 grounds. Meanwhile, the Chennai Smart City Limited has put on hold a proposal to develop two bridges across Anna Salai. At a board meeting on Tuesday, the proposal to develop a bridge connecting Thyagaraya Road and Eldams Road was not cleared. Another bridge connecting Thanikachalam Road and Chamiers Road (Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Salai) was also…

Manjunatha Prasad re-posted as BBMP Commissioner: He was removed from his position in May by the Election Commission and was awaiting a transfer ever since, but he was unexpectedly given the job back on June 28, 2018. The government transferred M Maheshwara Rao who was holding the position, to the position of Secretary in the Department of Agriculture, additionally managing Horticulture and Sericulture. Source: The Deccan Herald BMRCL revises six-coach train route:  Based on a pattern of commuting identified by BMRCL, certain revisions in timing and routes have been made for the six-coach train. The six-coach train for Purple Line…

Delhi citizens force Centre to rethink tree cutting The vehement and continuing protests of citizens against the proposed felling of trees to make way for redevelopment of seven government colonies has succeeded in forcing the Centre to reconsider their plan. The construction agencies of the government will now rework the design of the layouts in a manner that will not require any trees to be cut. Earlier, the High Court had imposed a stay till July 4th on the cutting of trees for developing the residential colonies, questioning the Centre’s decision. The court asked NBCC (India) Ltd, the state-owned real…

Madivala lake to developed into biodiversity park: Madiwala lake in BTM layout is going to be transformed into a biodiversity park with ground water retention, an open butterfly park, and an ecosystem with equal importance given to both flaura and fauna. The renovation of the 272-acre lake into biodiversity park was largely due to the proposal by Karnataka Knowledge Commission. Professor CR Babu, Centre for Environment Management of Degraded Ecosystems, DU, is heading the project, which also includes a conservatory and a herbal garden. Source: The Hindu 3500 garbage transport auto-rickshaws untraceable - a Rs 252 crore scam? : It…

Prepare to pay if you litter or spit! Chennai Corporation has framed solid waste management bylaws under Section 349 of the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act of 1919 to collect fines ranging from ₹100 to ₹25,000 for littering. The bylaws apply to domestic, institutional, commercial and any other non-residential solid waste generators, as well as individuals who dump solid waste in stormwater drains, underground sewage systems and waterbodies in the city. For example, any resident who dumps garbage on the street will have to pay a fine of ₹1,000 to the Chennai Corporation. Those who burn solid waste in public spaces will also…

Chennai Volunteers is organizing a blood donation drive and stem cell donation registration in partnership with the Madras Voluntary Blood Bureau & Jeevan Stem Cell Foundation on Saturday, June 23 2018, between 10 am and 2 pm  at Mecheri Center, Eldams Road, Teynampet. The proceeds of this camp will be used for deserving children being treated for Thalassemia at VHS Hospital. A facility to register interest to donate stem cells will also be available at the venue. Donors who express interest in stem cell donation will be contacted when a requirement arises. Why stem cell donation? Every year over 1,20,000 Indians…

With Urban India alone generating a gigantic 1.5 lakh metric tonnes per day of Municipal Solid Waste, waste management has grown to become a huge burden in urban India. Despite the existence of strong laws -- Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 -- cities are stuck at the implementation level. Now, a new report shows that while smaller cities have done a good job of complying with the major clauses of key environmental legislation, larger cities including Bengaluru and New Delhi are yet to satisfy the basic mandate of waste management: source segregation, or in…

Most of the city’s minor canals are choked with plastic The city's minor waterways, meant to carry rainwater, have become sewage feeder canals that convey domestic sewage into Adyar and Cooum. Indiscriminate garbage dumping by residents and alleged diversion of untreated sewage by Metrowater have contributed to the mess since the waterways were cleaned up last year. Chennai Corporation, which maintains the waterways, is set to complete desilting the canals before the northeast monsoon begins in October. Source: Times of India Road relaying work to begin on 2000 stretches across Chennai The Greater Chennai Corporation has received a go-ahead to relay roads…