Ward delimitation before civic polls
State government has taken up the delimitation of wards based on a proposal by the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), in the run up to the civic polls in 2020. After delimitation, the number of wards will remain the same, but the core city will have fewer wards compared to the outer zones.
The goal is to reduce the disparity in ward population, which ranges from 21,171 in Marenahalli to 95,368 in Horamavu. The plan now is to have 198 wards with an average population of 42,645. The exercise will be done on the basis of the 2011 census.
Many core city wards will be merged to form a single, large ward, while some wards in the outer zones will be split. The core city is to have 83 wards with total population of 35.25 lakh, and outer zones will have 115 wards with population of 49.18 lakh.
Currently, wards with large populations, mostly in the outer zones, are not adequately represented in the council. Because of this, civic spending is tilted in favour of the core city, a councillor from the outer zone said. Delimitation is expected to rectify this imbalance.
The exercise is in line with Supreme Court and Election Commission guidelines. BBMP has already consulted the Urban Development Department, and come up with a draft on redrawing ward boundaries.
Source: The Hindu | Deccan Herald
HC to state: Submit details on noise pollution control
High Court has directed the state government to specify whether areas in the city have been categorised as industrial, commercial, residential or silence zones as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. The court said it was important to maintain the prescribed noise levels for each of these zones. It also asked authorities to indicate steps taken to declare silent zones as per the Rules.
State government should also specify the procedures to be adopted when police receive noise pollution complaints through the toll-free number 100. It should also outline steps to create public awareness about the option to lodge noise pollution complaints, the court said.
The division bench was hearing a PIL filed by residents’ associations in Indiranagar against legal violations by pubs and inaction by authorities.
Source: The Hindu | The Times of India
BBMP undecided on separate contractors for wet, dry waste collection
Though the city’s garbage problem is worsening, BBMP has still not taken a decision about having separate contractors for wet and dry waste collection. Many councillors have opposed the BBMP administration’s decision to engage separate contractors. A meeting was held on Wednesday to decide on the issue, but there was no consensus and the discussion was postponed.
Source: Bangalore Mirror
Rate your councillor, ward
The citizens’ movement CfB (Citizens for Bengaluru) has come up with an initiative to allow people to rate their councillors and wards. The group has put up promotional posters in social media on the assessment: “Why not rate your area on: footpaths, garbage, water supply, roads, public toilets?” The CfB survey will also allow citizens to rate councillors, especially on their efficacy in organising and holding ward committee meetings. The best-performing councillors will get the Councillor No 1 Award or ‘Namma Samithi Puraskara’.
Source: The Hindu
[Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar]
