City: Bengaluru

  Garbage crisis in city as dumpsite fills up The city seems to be slipping into a garbage crisis, as the Bellahalli quarry has filled up and there are no other options to dispose of the mounds of waste in the city. Due to sporadic rains, garbage piles are turning into breeding grounds for mosquito armies as well. This could add to the increasing cases of dengue and chikungunya in the city. Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said that garbage could be dumped in the Bellahalli landfill for another month, but muddy roads were preventing garbage trucks from reaching the landfill. The…

A short walk in any part of Bengaluru will reveal that any available surface space has been turned into parking space for cars and motorcycles - be it footpaths, area by the curb along roads, or vacant plots. Last October, the head of Bengaluru Traffic Police warned that the iconic Cubbon Park in the heart of the city was turning into a parking lot. But motorists around the city invariably complain about the difficulty in finding space for parking. Does that mean enough parking space isn’t available? Proposal for paid parking This March, the Kumaraswamy government approved the Draft Management…

Bengaluru's waste problem is worsening by the day. According the to city's draft Master Plan (RMP 2031), over 10,500 tonnes of waste will be generated everyday within BBMP limits, by 2031. But each of us can easily reduce waste if we purchase consciously. This was the concept behind a flea market organised by the volunteer group Second to None, in collaboration with Citizen Matters, last Saturday. Second to None is an online community that helps connect citizens across Bengaluru to buy and sell used, recycled and upcycled products. They also organise flea markets where you can buy these products in…

Just like many students, I switched schools after 10th standard, and in the first week at my new school, I experienced a culture shock of sorts. Till 10th standard, I went to Prakriya Green Wisdom School, which had a very strict health-food-only policy. All the students ate in the school canteen that prepared simple meals from organic, minimally-processed material – some of which was even grown on campus.  The menu included dosa, idli, or poha for snack, roti or rice with sambar, a salad, a vegetable dish, buttermilk and payasam for lunch. Birthdays were celebrated with chikkis; chocolates or any…

On July 23rd, Lok Sabha passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2019 during the budget session of parliament. Speaker Om Birla declared the bill passed, based on a voice vote in the house. The Bill, tabled by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. It introduces stringent norms for acquiring a driving license, and strict penalties for traffic violations, in an effort to reduce road mishaps and deaths in the country. Once the Bill is considered and passed by the Rajya Sabha, and signed by the President, it would become…

BBMP to battle UDD move to allow ad hoardings The BBMP is gearing up to battle the Urban Development Department's (UDD) plan to allow advertisement hoardings in the city again. On July 15th, UDD had notified the draft BBMP Advertisement Rules, 2019, but BBMP officials say they were not consulted beforehand. The BBMP Council had decided to ban hoardings in the city about a year back. The UDD notification came just three days after the High Court stayed the BBMP's resolution to ban hoardings. UDD has also invited objections and suggestions on its draft notification. On Monday, the BBMP Council…

Recently, the citizens' movement CfB (Citizens for Bengaluru) presented the Corporator #1 awards to the BBMP councillors who had attended the most ward committee meetings. If you are convinced that ward committee is an effective mechanism to engage with the government, this articles gives some pointers for you to get started. Bengaluru's governance is what it is due to decades of apathy and lack of active citizen participation. There are no instant fixes, but things can be improved if committed citizens come together and work on the ground with a clear action plan. The good news is, there are many…

After a long hiatus, Second to None (220) brings their flagship event - a second-hand santhe or open flea market to help us reuse and conserve material which we might be throwing away without giving a thought. Second to None is a community for used,  recycled and upcycled goods. In collaboration with Citizen Matters, this event is designed to be Annual 220 Fundraiser and will be held this Saturday 27th July at Rangoli Art Centre, Metro station, MG Road. You can expect upcycled and recycled home decor, bags, accessories, small utilitarian products from upcycled wood, textiles, and a collection of…

If you are a parent, you’d know how challenging it is to keep a young child still for more than a few minutes. From constant requests for loo breaks and a gazillion questions about everything, to (god forbid) fights if there is another child, it is not for nothing parents learn referring skills early on. A child’s development is a fluid, dynamic process. Nature, nurture and culture/arts are among the factors that help a child grow to be a well-rounded individual. The first two accommodate, and even encourage, a child’s need to explore and be restless. But how do you…

Everyone has a role to play in reducing the amount of waste Bengaluru generates. But when bigger entities like businesses commit themselves to the cause, the impact may be greater. Take Bengaluru’s teenage-led initiative to reduce water use in restaurants. Garvita Gulhati, a 19-year-old student, had started the 'Why Waste?' campaign in July 2015, calling on restaurants to only half-fill water glasses and to ask customers if they needed water at all. The campaign has reached out to over one lakh restaurants by partnering with organisations like the National Restaurant Association of India. 'Why Waste?' estimates they've saved two lakh…