We’re happy to inform you that Citizen Matters was one of three finalists in the first ever #innovationforgood award, instituted by the Centre for Work, Technology and Social Change in collaboration with SASNET at Lund University, Sweden. We received the honorary prize at the Media and Innovation Days Conference on December 9th 2015, at New Delhi.

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Priya Ramasubban, an active citizen involved in looking after Kaikondrahalli lake, explains how we have helped develop a robust system of looking after Bengaluru’s lakes. 

This week’s highlight: Decoding an urban flood disaster

Floods in Bengaluru during October 2005, in Bommanahalli area. Pic: Champaka Rajagopal

While Bengaluru hasn’t seen floods like Chennai (yet), the reasons behind Chennai’s flood are familiar to us too. Malini Ranganathan examines why Bengaluru is not immune to floods.

We have also updated our article on the relief work for the flood-affected in Chennai. Read: How Bengaluru is helping Chennai.

The story of waste

The concept of dry waste collection centers (DWCCs) is not new for Bengaluru. Here’s how it all started, and was formalised by the government. Read: From waste wise projects to dry waste centres.

BBMP hits the road to push the concept of waste segregation: Mobile vans, streets plays to help in binning it right.

While the plastic industry predicted a job loss because of plastic ban, the reality might be different. Read: Plastic ban won’t affect jobs, say govt and analysts.

Study on citizen journalism

Subin Paul, a doctoral student at the University of Iowa is conducting a research study to understand Indian citizen journalists’ motivation for producing online content. If you have contributed to Citizen Matters as a citizen journalist, do take the survey! Participants who complete the survey are eligible to enter a raffle – 30 Flipkart gift cards worth Rs 300 are up for grabs.

Click here to take the survey.

Child safety

A new initiative encourages school children to be active, and in turn be more aware about their neighbourhood by walking to school. Read how 1500 students stepped out on the streets of Sanjay Nagar.

Experts shared the recommended protocols and systems to be followed by schools as per the CPP and POCSO Act at a panel discussion on CSA organised by Enfold India. Read: Child sexual abuse in schools – what should be done?

Living by the lake

The 2016 calendar from Puttenahalli Lake Neighbourhood Improved Trust features the many wonders of nature around the lake. You may want to pick up a copy.

Culturati

The Bangalore Literature Festival ended up sparking a debate on intolerance, even before it started. So how did the debates go? BLF – Nothing intolerable about it.

Throwback Thursday

One of the more common labels – Cheeta Fight. Pic: pinterest.com

Before television and other gadgets took over the lives of children, trading matchboxes for the artwork on the labels was a way of life. Read: Life pre-TV.

The week that was

• BBMP has decided to contribute Rs 3 crore to the Chennai relief fund. The Palike has already pooled 2.5 crore by deducting a day’s salary from staff, and entitlements of elected corporators, Mayor B N Manjunath Reddy said.
• Following the controversy surrounding the misuse of the Lokayukta office, Y Bhaskar Rao resigned from his post this week. Rao who was on leave from his office since July 27th, sent in his resignation to the Governor.
• For the first time after Metro underground tunneling works started, a house that developed cracks due to Tunnel Boring Machine in Balepet will be demolished. BBMP officials have deemed the one four-storeyed residential complex as unsafe.
• The BWSSB has submitted to the High Court bench hearing a petition by Citizen Action Group, that 45 lakes that were recently included under BBMP would be cleaned by March 2016.
• A model of an Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has been newly installed at Minsk Square this week. When the metro rail work began, a model of the Ajeet single seater interceptor which was at Minsk Square for long time was removed.

Events this week

• Attend a talk by textile scholar Rta Kapur Chisti on Revival of Traditional Handloom at Bangalore International Centre on December 11th.
• Artist Krishnaraj Chonat’s exhibition Lotus Eaters is on display at Galleryske till December 11th.
• You can choose to walk through Cubbon Park, or through the temples of Basavanagudi on December 12th.
• Watch Rent-a-Christmas, a play about a man who decides to rent a family just in time for Christmas, at Rangoli Metro Art Centre on December 12th and 13th.
• Vijay Padaki will be reading Choma’s tale, a play based on the book by Shivram Karanth at Alliance Francaise on December 13th.
• Professor and political scholar, Dr. Ashutosh Varshney is hosting a discussion on India’s Democracy – Resilience and Inadequacies at Bangalore International Centre on December 14th.
• Print and Silence, a discussion on whether the meaning of a text has been lost because of silent reading is happening at Bangalore International Centre on December 15th.
• Pianist Natallia K Kapylova will be performing the works of Robert Schumann at Love Story in Music and Letters at Alliance Francaise on December 17th.
• Former Director of National AIDS Control Organisation will be speaking on the topic, Three Decades of National Response to AIDS at Bangalore International Centre on December 18th.

To know more about events in Bengaluru, click here

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