Bengaluru this week
October 15th 2015
CITIZEN MATTERS
In this edition, read the second story in our new series, Insights into Bengaluru: Why bank loans aren’t meant for the poor. Following the two sexual assault cases last week we have a feature on what companies need to do to keep their night-shift employees safe, and an open letter to working women in the city from the CEO of ELCITA. We also have several guides: how you can retrieve stolen items from the police after a theft, how you can switch to solar power, and what you should do if you purchase medicines that have been tampered with. Finally, read about why the dry waste collection centre in RR Nagar was allegedly forcibly shut down by local goons. All this and more… This week’s highlight: Here’s why bank loans aren’t meant for Bengaluru’s poor The poor in Bengaluru are trapped in the vicious circle of money-lending, unable to get bank loans. Structurally, they are designed to be left out of the banking system, as banks cannot determine either their ability or intent to repay loans. Here’s Part 2 of our new series, Insights Into Bengaluru: Why bank loans aren’t meant for Bengaluru’s poor. Guides to living in Bengaluru Once an item stolen by thieves is recovered, it has to undergo a process in the court to prove its ownership, before reaching the rightful owner. Even then, one can be considered lucky to get back the lost item in its original shape, especially when it is gold. Read: Procedure for reclaiming stolen items. Wondering if it makes sense for you to tap into solar power? Here’s our guide to installing a rooftop solar power plant in your home, featuring the various types of solar set up, costs involved, selling power to BESCOM and other related issues. Read: Installing solar power in your home. Ever bought medicines from a pharmacy, only to find the bottle empty or the package tampered with? Here’s what you can do in such a situation. Read: Customer protection while purchasing medicines. Warring over waste Less than a year after the dry waste collection centre (DWCC) in Rajarajeshwari Nagar ward became operational, it was forcibly shut down last week. Read: Goons encroach BBMP land, shut dry waste collection centre. Making Bengaluru safer Providing transportation is a must for all companies that employ women in night shifts, according to government rules. Do these rules cover men too? Here’s an overview of the existing rules and regulations: What companies should do to ensure safety of night-shift staff. What will it take for women to feel safe in Bengaluru, especially late at night? While the authorities certainly need to improve systems and processes to make lives safer, women must also take necessary precautions and look out for themselves says Rama NS. Read: An open letter to working women in Bengaluru. Groundwater stories Renuka School near Kaikondrahalli lake stopped using borewells and tankers two years back, all thanks to an open well and rainwater harvesting. Read: A lesson in how rainwater harvesting helps. Voices from the road Akshayanagar Layout near Bannerghatta Road sees a fair amount of traffic. However, the current infrastructure is not only inadequate, but also unsafe for commuters. Read: An upcoming locality without asphalted roads. Inadequate pavements, builders dumping construction material on the road, encroachments by street vendors – all this is compromising pedestrian safety in Indira Nagar 2nd stage. Read about it on I Change Indira Nagar, our newest blog. A trip back in time Chandra Shekhar Balachandran reminisces about booking railway tickets in the 1960s, joyrides in the engine compartment, and an unfortunate train accident. Read: Buffered memories. The week that was
Events this week
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