Articles by News Desk

The News Desk at Citizen Matters puts out Press Releases, notifications and curated information useful to the urban reader.

Editor's note: A press note from Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) informs that a unique bus festival, Janasnehi Bussigagi, is being organised across November and December 2014. Here are edited excerpts from the press note.  A large population of the city, more than 50 lakh people, travels by BMTC for their daily needs. These include women, senior citizens, school and college going children and youth, people with special needs, migrant workers, transgenders and many other urban communities. Many of these groups use buses regularly and yet experience safety, access and affordability issues. 'Janasnehi Bussigagi—towards people friendly buses' Towards making BMTC a more…

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Transport Minister, Ramalinga Reddy and BMTC MD, Ekroop Caur flag off BMTC's month long awareness campaign on diabetes. Editor's note: On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, BMTC launches an awareness campaign on diabetes prevention, detection and management. The campsign will target 35,000 bus drivers and conductors across Bengaluru. A special 'Changing Diabetes' bus will also travel through the city to create awareness about diabetes. Driving on Bengaluru roads can be stressful, often leading to major and minor accidents in the city, more so if you are hypoglycemic and ignoring symptoms such as hunger, sweating, dizziness and others. While the city’s…

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  Bengaluru this week November 13th 2014     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!    City news that mattters And before our Bengaluru This Week roundup, here’s the curation of latest city news. BDA had called for a public hearing today at Yavanika, prior to the preparation of master plan for Bengaluru. However, the meeting has been postponed. Meanwhile, Environment Support Group points out that it is unconstitutional for the BDA to plan Bengaluru. Bangalore gets new guidance value which will come into effect from today, November 13th. Government submitted the ward committee rules…

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A press note from Environment Support Group (ESG) calls out citizens to ask Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) not to plan Bengaluru, in the wake of BDA notification of public hearing related to Revised Master Plan - 2031.   This small advertisement of extraordinary significance appeared in the papers a couple of weeks ago. It does not say much. Notice that no document or map is made available as a basis for debate and feedback. And if you review the BDA website, all you find about the 2031 Master plan is the minutes of a meeting soliciting consultants to prepare the…

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Child sexual abuse. When one such incident came to light in July this year, in a popular Bangalore school, Bangalore simmered with anger. Quickly safety rules were issued. But sadly, it was only the beginning of a slew of similar horrific incidents on a daily basis. We have never felt so vulnerable. What can we do as parents? How can we turn this anger in to a productive energy with a purpose and direction?  Maithreyi Nadapana, a volunteer with Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness, called for a protest cum way-forward meet for the Parents of Bangalore, in Freedom Park on November…

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  Bengaluru this week November 6th 2014     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!    Rajyotsava greetings to all of you! Do write to us about your plans to celebrate Kannada Rajyotsava, or upload them here as an event. Let us celebrate the birthday of the State of Karnataka! City news that mattters And before our Bengaluru This Week roundup, here’s the curation of latest city news. Bangalore is now officially Bengaluru! In addition to Bengaluru, 11 other cities in Karnataka, including Mysore (Mysuru), Hubli (Hubballi) and Tumkur (Tumkuru), have undergone the name change.…

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Bannerghatta Biological Park is happy to announce the addition of three new species of animals into its inventory that is kept for the public display. These animals have been received from Nandankanan Biological Park, Bhubaneswar in exchange for two pairs of lions from Bannerghatta Biological Park on November 5th 2014, through the Animal Exchange Program which was approved by the Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi. Four Horned Antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis) Three (One male, two females) The four-horned antelope or Chousingha, is a species of small antelope found in the open forest in India and Nepal. The most distinctive feature of…

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Managing Director of BMTC, Dr Ekroop Caur travels on Bus Day. Pic: BMTC Providing efficient, reliable, safe and comfortable transport to the citizens of Bangalore city has been the sole motto of BMTC. In addition to this task, BMTC has initiated other important steps aimed at improved mobility and reduction in air pollution in the metropolis, through decongestion of traffic by marginalisation of personalised mode of transport, by observing Bus Day on the 4th of every month since February 2010. BMTC has so far successfully completed four years of Bus Day and is on the verge of completing the fifth…

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