Dear Reader,

Hello again from Citizen Matters team! We’re back with our newsletter, to bring you news and analysis from this week. Before you get into the main newsletter, do read this piece by a citizen activist and a writer Srinivas Alavilli from J P Nagar, where he describes his learnings from a hands on experience of clearing the storm water drains in his area.

The highlight: Bengaluru needs more athletic training centres

Yet another athletics coach trains kids at Kanteerava Stadium. Pic: Akshatha M

It’s a city that has 1/6th of the state’s population, yet Bengaluru cannot produce high performing athletic talents. Why? What are the underlying complications? First part of the series.

No end to traffic violations

How many of you have become the victims of jay riders on pavements? Have you ever been hit or about to be hit by those rule violating riders on pavements? Freelance writer Marianne D Nazarath pens down her horrible experience of being hit by jay riders when she was walking on the pavement that is strictly meant for pedestrians. Here is her experience.

Here’s a hilarious take on footpaths in Bengaluru: Everything else is possible on footpaths, other than walking! The multiple uses of footpaths

Tracking Bengaluru’s changes

Bengaluru, once known as garden city has now gained the status of garbage city. The city has drastically changed over last two decades, with the invasion of IT population. What makes people predict that the city be dead in next 5 years? Ranjeet Menon writes.

Help for homebuyers

Home buying in Bengaluru is a challenging task. To help the buyers by improving the legal framework and its implementation, RERA for Karnataka, a public group is actively working in Bengaluru. Home buyers and apartment owners associations can be a part of the group and join the movement. Read: New group to help home buyers in Bengaluru.

Issues in Aadhar centres

Can there be held for old and handicapped people in Aadhar centres? Can these enrollment centres be equipped with more staff and infrastructure? Read: This Aadhar centre has neither power nor manpower.

Keeping dry waste away

BBMP is back with the garbage bin system in the city after a gap of 15 years. But is garbage bin the only system solve the waste issue? Another working model to keep dry waste away: Here’s how you can eliminate dry waste from littering commercial areas.

Story of nature

In the concrete jungle Bengaluru lies a school campus Prakriya-Bhoomi,with a mini-forest. There are over 108 species of trees and uncounted number of herbs, shrubs and medicinal plants. Read the story: What happens when you keep the promise made to the land.

News you can use

• BBMP seized movable property from the Manyata Tech Park main office at Nagavara on Monday, since the Tech Park has failed to pay property tax due of Rs 84 crore to Palike
• Though the Chief Minister of Karnataka has approved the BDA’s proposal to construct a 6.7 km long steel flyover between Hebbal and Chalukya Circle, the least bidder for the tender has quoted 40% above the estimates 1350 crores, leading to speculations of delay in the project.
• After holding charge for four long years as the Commissioner of Bangalore Development Authority, T Sham Bhat has moved out of BDA, to take over as the Principal Secretary, Department of Co-operation. IAS officer Rajkumar Khatri has been appointed as the BDA Commissioner.
• Even as the illegalities in advertising hoardings in BBMP has been making noise in the last few months, Lokayukta sleuths raided the office of 10 advertising agencies on Saturday. The police were acting on a suo-moto complaint filed by Lokayukta Inspector Suresh Kumar in 2015.
• As many as 14 ministers were ousted and 13 were inducted during the State government’s cabinet reshuffle. K J George continues to be the Bengaluru Development Minister.
• With the villagers often staging protest in the waste processing units of BBMP, the civic officials have sought the help of police. Section 144 (unlawful assembly) has been clamped for 15 days in the seven waste processing units, from Tuesday.

Events:

• 23 June: Hayavadana Kannada play at Rangashankara
• 25 June: Ramzan Iftar in Frazer town

Take a look at the other upcoming events in the city here.

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Until next week,

Shree D N

Associate Editor

Citizen Matters