Articles by News Desk

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

A dying lake in the city. File pic. In a significant decision, a Division Bench of the High Court of Karnataka constituted by Justice Mohan Shantanagoudar and Justice B. Sreenivase Gowda ordered notice on Thursday (29/08/2013) to the state government.  The High Court bench asked S V Ranganath, IAS, Chief Secretary of the Government of Karnataka, as to why action should not be initiated as per Contempt of Court Act, 1971 for not complying with the directions of the Court in WP. 817/2008 (Environment Support Group and anr. vs. State of Karnataka represented by Chief Secretary and others), more than…

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Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike seems to be serious this time, in taking steps towards implementing the waste segregation and management compulsorily in the city. For the second time in this week, the BBMP has issued an advertisement that announces fines for various offenses, in accordance with the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Act - 1976. The BBMP advertisement signed by the Commissioner states: "lt has been noticed that even after repeated notices the guidelines given are not being followed. BBMP will henceforth strictly enforce the rules and regulations and defaulters will be fined as detailed below."1) Littering, spitting, urinating, open defecating,…

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Help Survey Efficiency of Garbage Management in Bangalore   In light of the massive solid waste (garbage) management crisis in Bengaluru last year, the High Court of Karnataka in response to Public Interest Litigations by Environment Support Group and various individuals, directed the City and State authorities to adopt various clean up measures. In simple terms, the directions involved instituting a public education campaign to ensure segregation of waste at source became mandatory, that biodegradable waste would be locally composted, recyclable waste recovered, and only inert waste sent to landfills. In addition, the whole process was decentralised and Ward Committees…

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PRESS RELEASE Officials of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation(BMTC) held a meeting with representatives of the Bangalore Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) at its Head Office in Shanthi Nagar on August 17, 2013. This followed many weeks of agitations, demonstrations and letters sent to BMTC officials following the recent steep increase in bus fares. It was unfortunate that BMTC officials had sought police protection during the meeting. Policemen were present throughout the meeting. From BMTC’s side, Prakash G ‐ General Manager (Traffic) (In Charge) and Veeregowda GN ‐ Chief Traffic Manager (Commercial) took part. From BBPV side, there were ten members…

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Rangoli Metro Art Center (RMAC) MG Road Bangalore in association with Anupama Hoskere, Director, Dhaatu Puppet Theatre will exhibit a curated show of 'World of Puppets' at Vismaya art gallery for one month from 28 August to 30 September 2013. Apart from the exhibits, there are also puppet plays and puppet workshop. There are variety of puppets specific to different cultures and nations will be displayed in the exhibition. They are made of a wide range of materials, depending on their form and intended performance. They can be extremely complex or very simple in their construction. All these features of…

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Garden City Farmers (GCF), Bengaluru, is delighted to celebrate World Kitchen Garden Day with the 8th edition of Oota From Your Thota, Bangalore's only urban organic gardening fair. The one-day event will be held on Sunday, 25 August 2013, from 10am to 5pm at the Durga Parameshwari grounds, Opposite Rangashankara, JP Nagar. Over the past few years, while Bangalore has lost countless trees, the patches of green in its houses are growing, slowly, yet steadily. Bangaloreans have begun turning their spaces, however small, into lush gardens and the kind that provides food. The number of vegetable terrace gardens in the city have grown to…

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For PublicationSub: Intermittent Power Supply on Friday, 16th August 2013. With reference to the above subject, please find below the details of interruption on Friday, 16th August 2013. Consumers are requested t0 cooperate. SLN Areas Affected Duration Reasons for interruption 1 LR.Bandde, D0ddannanagar, Mahalaxmi, flourmill, Yarabnagaraß] haHi Market Road, and AB cable charging, DI halli police station, KG halli,Modi Road, Goa Garden, TippuCircle, Slum board quarters. 10am-5pm AB cable laying-20() Mtr and AB cable charging 200 mtr. 2 Part 0f VV Layout, Vasanthapura, Pipeline, Palm Spring L/O, Raguvanhalli, Doddakalasandra 10am-4pm AB cable laying-300 Mtr, PSC pole erection-SNOS. 3 Arehalli, ISR()…

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Number of Bengaluru-based citizens groups and NGOs have filed a writ petition in the High Court of Karnataka against government authorities and private firms over the Bellandur-Agara Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project. The SEZ project, which is being built in a sensiive area between Bellandur and Agara lake, has been in the news recently on questions over environmental and water clearances.  Citizen Matters is awaiting further details regarding first proceedings of the case. We will run a detailed report when we get more details.   

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The Stamps and Registration Department, as an annual exercise, is in the process of revising the guidance values of all commercial and residential units in Bangalore Urban, Rural and Ramanagara district. Latest update: Look upwards; pay more!How has the new guidance value affected the realty market in Bangalore? What is the new guidance value criteria for apartment? Click here to read. Last year, the Department received 19 lakh property registrations from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013, in all 47 sub registrar offices and realised an amount of Rs 5.265 crore. Of this, 17% of the applications were from…

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Muniratna interacting with SNNA members Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA Muniratna met more than 350 property owners of the Sachidananda Nagara Lay Out in Rajarajeshwari Nagara, on August 4th 2013, Sunday morning. The meeting was arranged by Sachidnanada Nagara Nyayapara Andolana, (SNNA), a registered society, that is fighting to get khatas, building plans and layout facilities without paying a single penny as bribe to any of the public officials. SNNA movement started almost three years ago by a group of determined site owners who opposed paying bribes, and got the khatas and all other statutory papers from BBMP through Lokayukta, RTI and…

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