Activists skeptic about Waste-to-Energy plants

The waste processing area in Chikkanagamangala will soon get a waste-to-energy plant. The MoU for this was signed early this year. Solid Waste Management Activists from the city have upped their ante against the proposal. They say lower calorific value of the waste will make the plant unviable and would lead to its failure. They fear that the push being given to segregation at source would be derailed. However, BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad says it can be adopted to Indian conditions, and segregation of waste at source will not be stopped.

Meanwhile in a written reply to the question on public protests against waste processing plants, raised by Yelahanka MLA ST Somashekhar, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Incharge Dr G Parameshwar said that Bengaluru’s waste is 6000 tonnes per day, and the Waste-to-energy plants could be a solution to control the stench.

Source: The Hindu | Deccan Herald | The Week

Defence unwilling to give land to BBMP?

BBMP officials are concerned about the delay in getting defence land for various infrastructure projects in Bengaluru. The BBMP needs 45,165.84 square metres of defence land valued at ₹282.09 crore for road projects, including a road from Ejipura Inner Ring Road to Sarjapura Main Road, a road connecting NH-7 up to Sanjivinagara in Byatarayanapura and another connecting NH-7 to Hebbal Sarovara Layout via AMCO Layout in Kodigehalli. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a meeting held in August had assured of sorting out land issues, but there has been no progress.

Source: The Hindu

State to appeal against buffer zone rule

State government is likely to file an appeal with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking the review of the recent NGT order that asked the State to deposit Rs 500 crores. The State will will also ask for review of buffer zone rule imposed by the NGT.

Retrospective applicability of the buffer zone rule had put people in soup, while real estate sector wasn’t too happy about the rule either. NGT’s order dated December 6 led to more panic among buyers, when the orders barred under-construction buildings in areas up to 75 metres from rajakaluves from continuing construction without permission of the tribunal. It also recommended the withdrawal of permission, sanction and environment clearance issued to structures falling within 75 metres of rajakaluves, if the construction was below 25% of the total built-up area as on May 7, 2015.

Source: Deccan Herald | Economic Times

Enrol for Aadhaar without documents

Now it is possible to enrol for Aadhaar card even without supporting documents, by submitting a Certificate of Identity/Address along with a photo’ issued by a gazetted officer or a Tahsildar on the official letterhead. For address proof, it can be done by an MLA or MP. Officials say that enrolment centres don’t take up such registration for people without documents, and this is possible only at the Race Course Road office of Centre for E-Governance.

Source: The New India Express

When husband rules the corporator

Shivajinagar’s corporator Farida’s husband became a headline material when he attended a co-ordination committee meeting in his wife’s absence and started ordering officials. He justified it by saying: “I can accompany my wife wherever she goes. Farida was late and I attended the meeting. By the time she reached the venue, it was over. I’m a member of the ward committee and I can attend any meeting.” however, the corporator seemed unaware of any meeting scheduled.

Source: Times of India

Demand for egg, onion and garlic in midday meal

Civil society mounted pressure on the Karnataka government for severing ties with ISKCON, for refusing to accept the demand of eggs, onion and garlic in midday meal supplied to schools by Akshaya Patra. ISKCON had refused to provide them based on religious beliefs. The Bengaluru-based Right to Food Campaign and the Jan Swasthya Abhiyan noted that according to the mid-day meal scheme guidelines, food provided should be locally prepared and culturally relevant. They argued that the meal should not be provided through a centralised agency that applies restrictions on the food based on religious beliefs, and eggs should be provided to kids who want it. Orissa has recently decided to add fish in its midday meals for children, for providing adequate nutrition.

Source: Scroll | Deccan Herald

Illegal hoarding: Court pulls up BBMP

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday questioned BBMP’s action of registering a criminal case against a hotel for not removing an alleged illegal hoarding, as there was a stay order granted by the court in 2016. In another hearing, the court directed the BBMP officials not to remove the metal frames on which hoardings were erected. In yet another hearing, BBMP was pulled up by the court for not completing the investigations on pending 258 cases, and the court ordered that all the 258 cases have to be completed by December 17.

Source: Hindu | Bangalore Mirror

Honeycomb in Metro leads to major changes

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has swung into action, to address the problems seen in pillor number 155 near Trinity Circle in the form of ‘honeycomb formation’. The safety of metro pillar designs came to be questioned last week, with the BMRCL noticing the fault developing in the pillar during a routine maintenance work and slowing down the trains. This led to commuters getting stranded in stations due to reduced number of trains between MG Road and Byappanahalli stations. As a remedial measure, BMRCL is taking up the maintenance work of pillar number 155 during nights, of which some part is already completed. Experts from Delhi Metro are in Bengaluru to inspect and address the problem, and the Metro operations are expected to be shut down for an entire day. BMRCL Managing Director Ajay Seth told the media that pillar designs for existing and future phases of metro will be improved to address the problem.

Source: Bangalore Mirror | Times of India | The News Minute

(Compiled by Shree D N, Sharathkumar)