City: Bengaluru

Much of the waste we produce need not go straight to the landfill. With proper management, plastic crisp packets are recycled and repurposed, while banana peels and eggshells become soil. Hygiene waste items, such as used menstrual products, however, are destined for the dump or incinerator. This represents a significant environmental challenge. That's where concerted community efforts can make a big difference. A group in Kannamangala transformed their waste management practices through the support of Stone Soup, an organisation based in Bengaluru. Founded by Malini Parmar, Stone Soup is dedicated to sustainable waste management and menstrual hygiene initiatives, and it…

The extension of 3rd Cross road in Vijayanagar is like any emerging neighbourhood in Bengaluru, with houses packed like boxes on either side. This led us to explore the role of regulations in shaping our buildings, streets and city at large. We presented our findings at the ‘Bengaluru Design Jam’, organised by organised by OpenCity, and held on July 6th. The participants collaborated to analyse and interpret different aspects of BBMP’s construction bye-laws.  The changes and growth of cities are often guided by economic activities. But the development of cities needs to be managed and regulated to ensure liveability. This…

Bengaluru has numerous parks and lakes, where we all love to walk and run. However, the city lacks proper walking, cycling, and running infrastructure. Daily walking for errands is nearly impossible due to broken sidewalks, exposed wires, and construction debris everywhere. Attempting to use a bicycle or run on the roads puts one at risk from heavy vehicles, cars, and other traffic.  Sheela Sahi, a commuter, on her way to work on her cycle. Pic: Sheela Sahi Climate change and oft-repeated solutions While the weather has traditionally been good, in recent years, due to climate change, it has been worsening.…

Amidst the chaos and controversy that has rocked the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, six bills were passed without any discussion. One such Bill was the Government Parks (Preservation) Amendment Bill, 2024, passed to “ease” the implementation of the ropeway project at Nandi Hills.  What the Bill mentions Amendment of section 5: In the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975 (Karnataka Act 23 of 1975) in section 5, after clause (f), the following shall be inserted namely:-  "(g) two acres of land in survey no.3 at Nandi Hills for the purpose of Upper Terminal Point (UTP) under Nandi Hills Ropeway Project on…

“Police are asking us to give a list of foreigners in our block. Did you all get a similar question? I find it strange and uncomfortable. They went to one of our resident's houses, who are Australians, and asked them to share their Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) details to a Whatsapp number. This includes Indians with foreign passports. Please let me know how you are tackling this issue." — This was a message posted by an RWA member on the Koramangala group last week. The reason behind the police asking for OCI details can be traced to an unfortunate incident…

Bengaluru has had the Outer Ring Road (ORR) for decades. While it was initially a road around the city, now it is estimated that more people live outside the ORR than inside. Along with the movement of people, traffic has also grown by leaps and bounds and sections of the ORR are in the news regularly for large pile-ups. Outside of the ORR, the NICE road covers a large section of the city from the North-west to the South. There have been talks of other ring-roads to ease the traffic in the city. The premise is that a lot of traffic in…

Part 1 in this two-part series explored what inspired me to start gardening on my rooftop and my journey from being a consumer to becoming an avid terrace gardener. It also covered the basics for getting started with gardening. In Part 2, I will outline a detailed guide about Square Foot Gardening. The method Square Foot Gardening is a method where you divide your growing space into blocks of 1 square feet  Divide your space: In square foot gardening, you divide your growing space into 1-square-foot blocks. Each block is dedicated to a specific crop Plant density: Depending on the…

(This article is part 1 of a two part series) I was in Rajasthan when I first started gardening. It was with Shankar Singh—co-founder of the rights- based organisation Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)—that I started my gardening journey. It was in October 2019, before the onset of winter, that we decided we needed a kitchen garden and what better thing to grow than green peas. We set out to dig the soil to a foot and a half, remove the stones and sieve it, mix in some vermicompost and hybrid seeds that we got from the nearest seed retailer.…

“Thubarahalli Extension Road consists of various apartment complexes and residential units with a total population of approximately 2,000+ residents currently. The number of residents is going to go up beyond 3,000 with newer housing projects coming up very soon. We are hereby communicating to provide you (with) a comprehensive representation of the various issues faced by our area residents, as well as suggestions for improvements that will help to enhance our living conditions and overall quality of life.” Thus begins an open letter, dated February 15, 2024, addressed to The Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister. It is…

Part 1 of the two-part series outlined how Bengaluru is leading in ESG practices and India’s commitment to its compliance. Part 2 looks at the current situation of ESG implementation, its adoption in education and governance, and future outlook. Current situation Although still in its early stages, the adoption of environmental initiatives and social programmes by companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Asian Paints is gaining traction. Social initiatives: Organisations like the Environment Support Group (ESG) work on social justice and environmental issues, advocating for sustainable practices and community well-being. ESG in governance and education: The Indian Institute of…