Proposed amendment to Tree Act cancelled: The proposed amendment to the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act of 1976 has been cancelled, as the state government withdrew the bill last Wednesday. It was a victory for the earnest citizens who had been on a non-stop campaign against the plan. The government had been slammed for proposing a plan that would make it legal for authorities to cut down trees.
Hence, on Wednesday, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra, clarified to the House that the government was going to take back the proposed amendment. He admitted that the amendment might have led to illegal tree-cutting across the state. The plan had been cancelled due to the dedicated efforts of concerned citizens in the city as well as across the state. (Bangalore Mirror)
Helitaxi service soon: A new helitaxi service will soon begin in the city, although the exact dates haven’t been mentioned yet. Thumby Aviation is the company that will operate the taxis. Two Bell 407 helicopters are ready to fly passengers from Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport to Electronic City, Phase 1 and to HAL Airport. Hence, a journey that usually takes two hours by road can be undertaken in just 15 minutes. (The Hindu)
First public electric vehicle charging station: A new, green drive taken up by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) has created the first public electric vehicle charging station in in its K.R Circle office. The charging station can be leveraged by citizens at a nominal fee. Electric vehicles are the future of the country. New companies have joined the initiative. The latest joiner is BESCOM. (TOI)
BBMP’s revenue lost: A new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the State Legislature last Thursday showed that the BBMP could not realise its revenue potential that went upto Rs 100 crore. The main reasons were that the BBMP did not take its transportation cess and enrolment fee, even as it did not correctly assess the ground rent for bus shelters. Hence, according to the CAG report, the BBMP could not collect its lost revenue of Rs 95.63 crore. (Bangalore Mirror)