Articles by News Desk

Oorvani Foundation and Datameet are happy to announce the launch of OpenCity.in - an urban public data portal. In cities across India, there is a lack of accessible and robust public data. Citizens often do not have access to quantitative information that helps them understand the state of their neighborhood and their city, as well as support their demands of the local government. Data when available is often lost within the hard disks of government or non-governmental organisations, documents hard disks or in individual silos. OpenCity.in is a repository of city-related public data from government sources, via RTI or open…

  Bengaluru this week April  7th 2016     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     We’re glad to report that our Journalism Workshop went well. Around 40 citizens came forward to understand city issues and learn to use journalism to share their ideas and experiences. We also managed to raise some funds for the journalism published on Citizen Matters. But what really has us over the moon is that there are so many active citizens keen on doing their bit for a better Bengaluru. A big thanks to all the participants. Click here for…

On 31st March 2016, a 40-year-old African Tuilip tree in Indiranagar 1st stage, home to hundreds of parakteets and scores of nests nurturing young ones, was brutally felled by the BBMP. The reason: it was dried up and a possible threat to passers by. Only a stump of the tree remains now. Pic: Arzu Mistry A view of the tree stump from a house it provided shade to. Pic: Arzu Mistry This variety of tree sheds its leaves and looks barren in the summer months – but it's not dead! And considering that Bengaluru is in the midst of one…

Government of India has kept a major step towards sustainable waste management, by making it mandatory to segregate waste at source. According to a Press Information Bureau press note, the new waste management rules are stricter than the rules notified in the year 2000. Exerpts from the press note: The Environment Ministry has revised Solid Waste Management Rules after 16 years. Addressing a press conference to announce the revised Rules on April 5, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar said that the Rules are now applicable beyond municipal areas and will extend to…

  Bengaluru this week April  1st 2016     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     We are very excited to be hosting the Journalism for Citizens workshop tomorrow at IIM Bangalore as part of our Summer Fundraiser. A big shoutout to all the folks who have registered for the workshop; not only because you are supporting independent community media, but also to appreciate your involvement as an active citizen working for a better Bengaluru! This week’s highlight: BBMP’s bloated budget for 2016-17 The Chairman of the Taxation Committee, M Shivaraj, presenting the BBMP Budget.…

Works taken up under SFC & 14th Finance Commission Grants for 2016-17   Sl.No. Name of works Amount INR Lakhs 1 Establishment of ABC Centres 250.00 2 Construction of Hospital at Sudhamanagar in Ward No.118 200.00 3 Construction of Referral Hospital in Ward No.165 200.00 4 Construction of Hospital building at ward 11 300.00 5 Construction of Hospital building at Ward No.2 300.00 6 Construction of Hospital building at ward No.31 300.00 7 Construction of dialisis centre at ward No.52 200.00 8 Construction of Maternity Hospital in Kanakanapalya 500.00 9 Providing CC Camara in each wards @ Rs.10.00 Lakh per…

Pic: BBMP   Full text of the BBMP budget speech 2016-17 presented by M Shivaraju, CHAIRMAN, TAXATION AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, BBMP, BENGALURU I heartily welcome all who are present in the Kempegowda Council Hall and I request your permission to present the Bruhath Bangaluru Managanagara Palike‟s Budget for the year 2016-17. Remembering with high gratitude, the great personality, the social reformer Sri. Basavanna, who was in the court of Bijjala during 12th century A.D. and made revolutions in Kalyana with his social justice, welfare of all. Transparency in his all walks, religious insight, with the greater responsibility of bringing in…

Here is a quick guide to all that you might want to know as you prepare to cast your vote. Find your constituency details and information on candidates: 11    Dr.Radhakrishnan Nagar Incumbent: J Jayalalithaa, AIADMK » Candidates: J Jayalalithaa, AIADMK M N Raja, BJP Shimla Muthuchozhan, DMK Agnes F, PMK Vasanthi Devi, VCK More info » 20 Thousand Lights Incumbent: B. Valarmathi, AIADMK » Candidates: B Valarmathi AIADMK Selvam Ku Ka DMK Shivalingam M BJP Ambigapathy C MDMK Rangan V PMK More info » 12 Perambur Incumbent: SoundaraRajan. A, CPI M » Candidates: A SoundaraRajan, CPI-M P Vetrivel AIADMK R Prakash BJP N R Dhanapalan DMK M Venkatesa Perumal PMK More…

  Bengaluru this week March 24th 2016     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     You must have got our earlier mail with reason #2 to support Citizen Matters. If you missed that mail with the details of the Journalism Workshop for citizens on April 2nd, click here. This week’s highlight: How we can help farmers on the outskirts Chemical-free farming needs more efforts, hence costs more for a farmer. Pic: Shree D N At a time that we city dwellers in Bengaluru are getting affected by water problems, farmers on the city outskirts…