From new year parties to short-lived hopes on metro trains to medical strike, it has been an eventful week!
New Year pulls in with a peaceful bang: This year’s New Year Eve stood out for its high-security leash on the celebrations. One man wanted to file an FIR against his wife’s molestation and 60 were arrested for creating some ruckus. But no major bawdy, lewd or rowdy scenes marred the noise and pomp like last year.
The city’s security teams seem to have pulled out all plugs to preempt bad news. A special 16,000-plus policeman squad, 3,000 home guards, 100 CCTV cameras, 10 high-rise platforms, explosive detection, sniffer dog squads and restricted vehicular traffic were amassed mostly around the high-revel areas of M.G. Road, Brigade Road and Church Street. Special metro trains and buses were extended till the cut-off time of 2 a.m. Police cars even dropped a 100 commuters to Whitefield.
Metro proposes more trains, power glitch disposes it: On January 1, the BMRCL announced an increase in frequency during peak commuting hours to 3.5 minutes on the Purple Line and six minutes on the Green Line, and operating an additional 13 trips on both lines. The happiness of commuters was short-lived, as on January 2, Metro train services were halted twice, for about 36 minutes, due to a glitch and overload on power consumption. The BMRCL has suspended the changes and reverted to old schedule. (The Hindu)
Pre-poll surveys: It’s a massive preparations time for the Karnataka assembly elections, with a high-grunt cyber war to put out the bait for young voters. It is also a time for pre-poll surveys attributed to many reputed sources and private agencies. Apart from their own polling surveys, the ruling parties have roped in private agencies to collate information such as recent election verdicts and voters’ details based on caste and education. Through booth level surveys, the agencies will analyse and submit the results in a month. Real governance issues do not figure in this. (Vijaya Karnataka / TOI)
Fire alarm rings in city’s restaurants: Post the complaints from Indira Nagar residents, the BBMP officials have issued notices to almost 40 rooftop pubs and bars across the city that had no building plans or fire-safety norms. These eateries were endangering the lives of consumers. In just Indiranagar, notices have been issued to 17 rooftop pubs. (Deccan Herald)
#BengaluruFireAudit Similar notices have been issued to illegal high rise buildings housing the following pubs/bars in Koramangala area:
1. Barbeque Nation
2. Basil Monarch
3. Tubey Bar
4. RN Square
5. Barleyz Bar
6. Equinox Indraprastha— M.N.Reddi, IPS (@DGP_FIRE) December 30, 2017
As inspecting officials from the food and health departments are hand in glove, they have issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) to the eateries, without caring to demand explanations or take action. BBMP has assured that it will take some steps to pull up the senior health officers too.
Medical fraternity protests against bill: There was a cool response to the nationwide call by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to shut down outpatient departments (OPD) on January 2. The protest against the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, got only partial support from some hospitals. (The Hindu)
The bill proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines like homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a bridge course. The NMC Bill has been opposed for giving membership into NMC for states on a rotation basis, which would make them wait for a long time. There is also a plan to allow non-allopathic doctors to practice allopathy following a bridge course. (The New Indian Express)