When it gets really hot, rains invariably come to redeem Bengaluru’s reputation. Our weather may be something to boast about, but not our local government. This week we start a new series that analyses all that went wrong in the city’s garbage mess. There are lessons to learn as a new BBMP council is due to be elected.

Even as the Election Commission readies for BBMP election as per the High Court’s orders, and citizen groups ask the state government to not delay it, corporators are now going to court. They are opposed to the new ward reservation roster, as many of them cannot contest from their ward due to changes in reservation category.

Reminder: Kannada groups have called for a Karnataka bandh on Saturday. Offices and shops will remain closed. Only ambulances and medical stores can operate. Read: Karnataka bandh on April 18th.

Here is the latest news from Bengaluru, before we get into our stories:

• Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Department has launched 30 bike ambulances in an effort to reduce deaths due to accidents. The bikes which hit the roads yesterday, will carry medical equipment and reach accident spots within 10 minutes of receiving a call.
• The State government has commenced the social and educational survey, also called the caste census. The 20-day exercise intends to collect data about those are backward, both socially and educationally. Read: Caste Census? What for?
• Bengaluru city witnessed unexpected rainfall this week. Uprooting of trees and waterlogging were reported from across the city.
• The Central government has given its nod for the CBI inquiry into IAS officer D K Ravi’s death. It was made official after the State government agreed not to frame a timeline for the CBI probe.
• After a four-year long legal battle, the revenue department has commenced the clearing of encroachments from Sarakki lake. According to studies, 34 acres of 84 acres has been encroached by private parties.
• BESCOM power consumers are likely to face regular power cuts for next next six months with KPTCL commencing infrastructure maintenance work. The BESCOM MD stated that Yelahanka and surrounding areas have already experiences power cuts.

This week’s highlight: Hundreds of crores spent on garbage, where did it go?

Graphic: Meera K

The city’s garbage woes have not appeared overnight. What led to this tipping point? Citizen Matters looks back over the past 15 years and the current imbroglio in a new in-depth series. Is there an end in sight?

Read: Hundreds of crores spent on garbage, what does BBMP have to show?

DIY Guide

Worried about what could happen to your plants when you go out of town? Our new intern, Rahul Ravi, shares how you can set up a homemade watering system that works with just gravity. Read: DIY drip irrigation system for your home.

A walk down memory lane

Loyal customers flock to the Murphy Town market every morning. Pic: Pavan Kulkarni

Did you know that the structure that houses the Murphy Town meat market is around a century old? The market may soon be joining the list of over 800 heritage structures in Bengaluru, but BBMP has dropped its plan to redevelop it. Read: Murphy Town market: Past, present and future.

Here are three short stories to take you back in time. Read about a dog named Kiraa, how a burglar may have been dealt with, and a lady who cured cricks in the neck with an iron key. Read: A dog, a burglar and a kind lady.

Living in the city

The state recently introduced a regulation that mandated that apartments be reserved for the poor in all new housing projects. Builders allege this was done without paying heed to their concerns. Read: Builders move court, HC stays govt’s EWS housing plan.

NGO and RWA groups ask for state Government to facilitate speedy BBMP elections, better administration and active citizen participation in the selection of urban local bodies. Read: Citizen groups ask state to not delay BBMP elections.

Also read: A background on Bengaluru’s elections.

In February 2015 we collected data from citizens on how much they were paying for tanker water. Here are the results. Read: Tanker water rates across Bengaluru.

Citizens speak

A resident of Manjunatha Layout writes a letter to the city officials about the pathetic condition of the public amenities in the area, after calls to the local corporator failed to yield any results. Read: Dear Mayor, Thanisandra Main Road needs your urgent attention.

A domestic worker wrote her name on the specimen signature card at the time of opening a savings account with a nationalised bank. When she returned to change the signature to a thumbprint, the bank officials cite rules and give her options that are not feasible. Read: Blind adherence to rules leads to inappropriate suggestions.

All things bright and beautiful

The lake’s beauty is beyond compare and we must protect it – this is all that the folks at the habba were trying to say. Pic: Rahul Ravi

The Madiwala Kere Habba on April 11th truly was a celebration of the abundance in nature. In case you missed it, here’s a peek into all that transpired. Read: In pictures – Madiwala Kere Habba.

Residents of Yelahanka came together on Sunday April 12th to celebrate yet another edition of Cycle Day. Read: Glimpses of Cycle Day.

Theatre reviews

Copenhagen: A play that speculates on what transpired when Nobel laureates Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg met in September 1941.

Dragon: A political satire written in 1944, that looks at totalitarianism in all forms.

Food for thought

Do you realise that driving through a stop sign makes you a potential killer? Indeed! Some food for thought that will make you think twice before you break a law. Read: Are you a potential killer?

Events this week

• Head to Alliance Francaise this evening for Songs from Stage and Screen, a selection of popular numbers from Broadway, West End and film musicals, presented by the Kiara Silver Chorale.
• Short+Sweet continues; watch the third round set of the qualifying rounds of the theatre festival at Alliance Francaise on April 17th and 19th.
• The second edition of the Litmus Festival will be held on April 18th and 19th, across multiple venues on 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar.
• Spend April 19th, World Heritage Day 2015 at Bengaluru Fort for a day of musical performances or make your way to one of the interesting parichays.
• Attend Net Zero Waste, a workshop that will teach you how to kick-start the solid waste management process in your community at the Alila Hotel on April 19th.
• Rotary Club of Bangalore Lakeside invites you to burn some calories and help save someone’s life at a Blood Donation Camp at Shoba Lake View Club House on April 19th.
• Μετά, an exhibition of yong artist Prakash KV’s work will be showcased at Alliance Francaise from April 22nd.
• Bangalore International Centre is hosting a talk on Surrogate motherhood – Social, Legal & Ethical Perspectives with Gita Aravamudan and Sonali Kusum on April 23rd.
• Parents with children on summer vacation, here’s are the summer camps lined up in the city across April and May.

Click here for the complete list of events happening in Bengaluru.

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