Articles by News Desk

    Bengaluru this week  August 8th 2014       CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!   Award for Citizen Matters Citizen Matters is the winner of the Manthan South West award for e-news and journalism. Your own community newsmagazine has won the Manthan South West award in the e-news and journalism category. This is the 5th award for the team, in 6 years. Ganga Madappa, our Community Manager and Staff Journalist received the award in Pune yesterday. Read more. This award is dedicated to all of you, our readers, supporters and critics! Thank you…

And we do it yet again. Your own community magazine for Bengaluru has got another award. Citizen Matters has won the Manthan South West award in the e-news and journalism category. This is the 5th award for the team, in six years.  In a packed award function at Pune on August 7th, Ganga Madappa, Citizen Matters’ Staff Journalist and Community Manager, received the trophy. The event was organised by Digital Empowerment Foundation, which has instituted the award, and Your Public Interest Registry. Ganga Madappa from Citizen Matters receiving the Manthan Award South West India - Winner, e-News & Journalism Category…

  Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), UDD, Government of Karnataka which is part of Bangalore Coalition for Open Streets (BCOS) along with local partner Yelahanka United Environment Association (YUVA) conducted the second edition of the  ‘Cycle Day’ event in Yelahanka New Town next to the Allalasandra lake. Yelahanka United Environment Association (YUVA) is the local partner in this initiative and have come forward to take this event to their local community. Sunday August 3rd, saw 13A Main Road in Yelahanka New Town, temporarily closed to motorised traffic, and transformed into an “open, people-friendly street” to promote cycling, walking, fitness and…

"This time, every street, every lane of Bangalore will demand nothing less than complete justice. We have identified 23 centres in Bangalore. You need to step out this Saturday, 2nd of August between 8-9pm, take your friends, relatives, neighbours, everyone you know to your nearest Candle March centre and light a candle and demand justice. This time WE would be the ones giving out deadlines to give out the TRUE version of the case and arrest all the culprits within that date. They miss the deadline, one more march. WE won't stop." This is the introduction of the Candle March…

    Bengaluru this week  July 31st 2014       CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!   City news that matters >> Pro-Kannada activists have called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh today, to protest against the recent spate of sexual crimes against women and children. >> Strongholds of pro-Kannada activism like Malleshwaram and Gandhibazar are witnessing heavy protests. >> BMTC bus services did not suffer in the morning though passengers were few. Essential services did not suffer. >> Home Minister has ordered that strict action be taken against those who damage public/private property and disturb the harmony. >> Two more…

This is a sign that citizens are beginning to use IT Act section 66A to hit back people posting hurtful and offensive remarks online, in response to their own articulations. V R Bhat, a Kannada columnist in Bengaluru, and active user of Facebook found himself on the receiving end of 66A this week, when someone he offended used the infamous IT Act’s 66A clause on him. The above comment in Kannada, put on Facebook by V R Bhat has attracted a complaint against him under section 66A of IT Act. when the tagged person and others filed a complaint under…

It's raining now and then, and in all likelihood you have forgotten how difficult was to get water during last dry summer, in Bengaluru. However, those days are not to be forgotten, as Bengaluru is already drawing excess water from Cauvery river, and problems are bound to be there even in future. Every drop you save today will help you tomorrow. Here are 21 ways to conserve water at home/ apartment. These tips have been shared by our reader, Anup Jose A. 1. Fix the leaks. Whether you do it yourself or hire a plumber, fixing leaky faucets can mean…

The inaugural TEDxBangalore event will take place on August 3rd 2014, under the theme ‘Challenge_____’, at the MLR Convention Centre. TEDxBangalore is poised to be India's largest TEDx event with over 1500 ardent TEDx aficionados, leading thinkers, visionaries and doers coming together in Bangalore to find inspiration and celebrate dialogue. “We are fortunate that we live in an era of change and abundance, and that we have everything we need to build something far bigger than ourselves”, said Sartaj Singh Anand, TEDxBangalore curator.It was with this belief that TEDxBangalore was conceived. The event will be hosted in three thematic sessions…

    Bengaluru this week  July 24th 2014       CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!   City news that matters >> As Bangalore fights to bring justice to its rape victims, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked, ‘Is this the only news you have?’ This triggered national-level debates on primetime television and the government is currently under fire. >> While the entire city is enraged, 27 BBMP councillors, including the deputy mayor are on a trip to Russia. >> Chief Minister will visit Mandur this weekend. Meanwhile, High Court has ordered that Mavallipura facility leased to Ramky…

In an effort to tackle the waste management crisis that Bangalore is buckling under, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has considered dealing with organic waste by converting it into biogas.  BBMP has plans to setup 16 biomethanation plants across the city, some of which are complete and some in progress. The contracts have been awarded to Mailhem Engineers for four plants and to Ashoka Biogreen for 12 plants. Illustrative picture of Bio-methanation plant. Pic source: cmdachennai.gov.in On 22-Jun-2014, the biomethanation plant  at KR Market was inaugurated. According to reports, Mayor B.S. Sathyanarayana said the plant would convert biodegradable waste into energy, and…