Articles by News Desk

Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) conducted an interaction programme on e-waste management in Peenya Industrial Area, in association with M/s.Auma India Pvt Ltd. A press note from KSPCB says that the programme was organised in order to create an awareness, among the industrial stakeholders, to practice reuse, recycling and recovering of e-waste, without damaging the environment. 80 participants from various industries of Peenya Industrial Area participated in the event. Lakshman, Chairman of KSPCB inagurated the event and delivered an inaugural address. He explained that all advancement in information technology and communications’ has stimulated the economy and improved the living…

  Bengaluru this week February 11th 2016     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     Mobility is our theme for the week; we have several articles covering various aspects of commuting in Bengaluru, from why BMTC and BMRCL should not be allowed to monopolise, to shuttle aggregator ZipGo’s ongoing tussle with the Transport Department. Also, in light of the recent incident at Vibgyor school in Whitefield, we tell you what precautions you can take and what you should do when you come into contact with wildlife in the city. All this and more… This…

We have seen a multitude of opinions about Bengaluru’s transport — from introducing commuter rail, to allowing private players to creating a proper Unified Transport Authority to Bengaluru's city transport issues. Each argument has its own merit, but it is for the government to act in responsible, planned manner, to provide efficient transport solutions. Have your say, with a quick survey. And share your views on the matter with the government, by taking action, with the views that you support. Ask the govt to allow private shuttle aggregators The Government and BMTC feel that ZipGo will rob BMTC’s business, because…

The ZipGo app says no services are operating at the moment. On demand AC shuttle maxicab aggregator ZipGo has launched a change.org petition asking people to support its services, which have been suspended citing the lack of licence due to technical reasons. Citizen Matters had earlier reported that the ZipGo has started plying its maxicabs in some routes. Through the ZipGo app, users could search for routes, book seats, pay beforehand, spot the location of the bus etc. We had also reported that the Transport Department was not in favour of ZipGo’s operations, as the rules of the government do…

  Bengaluru this week February 4th 2016     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     We have lots in store for you this week! No more gas cylinders? GAIL’s plans for Bengaluru will get piped gas to your kitchen as they plan to connect the entire city, over the next few years. Do check out two important campaigns that you can easily get involved in - Green Spot Challenge and My City My Budget. We also have the first article in our series on Disappearing Professions. All this and more. This week’s highlight: GAIL…

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reached out to Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu and MPs from Bengaluru in order to garner support for commuter railway in Bengaluru, by means of various letters, ahead of Railway Budget 2016-17. A letter dated January 6th, 2016, draws the attention of the Railway Minister towards the importance of commuter railway network for the city of Bengaluru. It says the process of preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the phase - I of the commuter railway is underway, and points to an earlier letter from the government of Karnataka to…

Many government officials invited to attend the state’s first ever public discussion on slum evictions chose not to attend the event. The Karnataka Slum Janara Sanghatanegala Okkoota, a federation of slum resident organisations, organised the hearing in light of the increasing number of slum evictions in Bengaluru. The federation invited officials from the departments of Housing Urban Development, Revenue, Women and Child Welfare, SC/ST Commission, Backward Classes Commission, Minorities Commission, Child Rights Commission and the Karnataka Slum Board. The discussion was held to examine citizenship, urban deprivation and future policy direction. A jury of eight was present to preside over…

“Compost, grow and cook” is the new slogan of Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT). The voluntary organisation from Bengaluru has invited people to take a pledge to keep one week’s wet waste away from the landfills by taking part in Green spot challenge. To be a part of the campaign, all you have to do is simple. Start a green spot in the house premises and compost the wet waste generated at home. A website swachagraha.in was launched on the Republic Day, January 26th, 2016, to share information with people who are interested to take up the initiative. The…

High Court Order on Segregation and Penalties 17 Dec 2015 Text version of 2 bin- 1bag court order: These writ petitions are filed in public interest, complaining of inefficient Solid Waste Management by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP for short). We have already issued several directions for proper solid waste management in Bengaluru City. We have been monitoring the same. In the course of this monitoring, we have noticed that the garbage crisis in Bengaluru was caused due to indiscriminate dumping of mixed waste to the landfill with no processing or any treatment of the leachate to prevent ground…

  Bengaluru this week January 28th 2016     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     This week, we present to you several stories that will make you think about the time we spend on the road - What is the toll that bad roads take on the economy? Should Bengaluru adopt the odd-even policy? Does the city really need dedicated lanes for cyclists? How a new railway track to Tirupathi could possibly decongest traffic on Old Madras Road. We also invite you to collaborate with us to document Bengaluru for a new series. This…