City: Bengaluru

Bengaluru grapples with a dengue crisis yet again and it is worth asking why. What about the city makes it ripe for a dengue epidemic? Dengue is a tropical disease caused by the dengue virus, which is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. Most dengue transmissions are caused by one mosquito species, Aedes aegypti. This species also transmits Chikungunya, Zika, and Yellow fever. Aedes breeding behaviour Dengue mosquitoes are large, slow fliers and have distinctive white markings on their legs, making them easy to spot. As with most mosquito species, only the females bite and drink blood, usually just before…

“We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see our true selves,” goes a Taoist proverb. The still waters of Doddanekundi lake allowed me to see who I was. This article is as much the story of one of the largest lakes in Bengaluru as it is my story. An experience to remember It all started for me in 2016 when my middle school science teacher took the nature club- Bird watching. All I remember is seeing hundreds of birds. From the near-threatened painted stork to the magnificent spot-billed pelican, we…

60 accident black spots The Bengaluru Traffic Police have identified 60 accident-prone locations or “accident black spots” in the city and have outlined some measures to enhance safety. The list will be submitted to the civic agencies. The black spots have been identified on the State Highway, National Highway, Ring Road, and other roads. Remedial measures include installation of accident zone signboards, construction of skywalks, placement of cat eyes and blinkers, CCTV cameras, rumbler strips, road markings, road humps, street lights, raised centre medians and speed limit signage boards. The report showed that over the past three years, the number…

The article aims to study a one square kilometer area of Jayanagar in different aspects. It is intended to be a comprehensive essay of the area for planners, designers, sociologists, and residents. It is an analysis of the current scenario of Jayanagar through four different aspects that include setting up historical and spatial context with the city, evolution, street network and land and built use. It provides analyses and inferences to comprehend the growing demand and redevelopment of Jayanagar and how it would further evolve in the coming years. The article draws information from primary surveys, documentation and secondary data…

Bengaluru has a dengue problem. According to BBMP data, the city has recorded over 4,000 cases since June this year, making it one of the hotspots in the country. Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans by females of the mosquito species Aedes aegypti. It is a predominantly tropical disease that affects over 5 million people in the world. Symptoms According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people infected with the dengue virus are asymptomatic or show mild symptoms. For the rest, symptoms usually begin 4–10 days after infection and last for 2–7 days. Symptoms may include high…

She made us laugh. She made us cry. She made us get angry. She made all of us at Ranga Shankara rise as one at the end, speechless after what we had just witnessed. After the standing ovation, I looked around only to find the person next to me looking back at me with bloodshot eyes. The half a dozen early teenagers I had gone with were gushing, thoroughly in awe. For, we all sat on the stage, getting a ringside view of the powerhouse performance. We had just finished watching We Push the Sky, presented by Qabila Collective. The…

This three part series examines rainfall patterns in Bengaluru and the lessons we can learn about water resilience. Part 1: Over 100 years of Bengaluru rains decodedPart 2: Can a little boy affect Bengaluru's rains?Part 3: Deluge or drought: Water researchers explain how Bengaluru can build resilience So far, the rainy season of 2023 is breaking all sorts of records. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), in Bengaluru, April had a 54.3% rainfall deficit while May had 102% surplus rainfall. May 2023 was the wettest May in 66 years. Meanwhile, June was in deficit, July had 6% excess rainfall…

BWSSB: Set aside city's share of Cauvery waters The level in the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir has come down due to low rainfall this year. However, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) Chairperson N Jayaram, on September 8th, wrote to Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) requesting to keep aside the city's share of water in Kabini and KRS reservoirs. The sharing was asked to be done on a 'priority' basis reserve'. BWSSB, which supplies Cauvery water to almost 70-80% of the 1.3 crore population in various phases, sources the required Cauvery water from Shiva anicut in Malavalli…

The Karnataka government launched the Gruha Lakshmi Scheme on August 30th in Mysuru. Under this scheme, Rs 2,000 will be transferred every month to the bank accounts of the woman head of every eligible family. The state government claims that this scheme will benefit nearly 1.28 crore women across Karnataka, making it one of the largest monetary transfer schemes in India. The scheme is part of the five guarantees by the Congress government. The five welfare schemes include: 200 units of free power to all households under Gruha Jyothi 10 kilograms of rice free to every member of a below…

Bengaluru has a culture of active citizenry. Groups working on various issues, such as waste, water, and other civic matters, have mostly been working in silos. Whilst a lot is being said and done on infrastructure, governance etc. the focus on climate change at a grassroots level is still missing. Now, prominent social impact networks and individuals have joined forces. Citizens, civil society practitioners, and academia have come together to launch ‘Ellara Bengaluru’, a community-driven coalition to create initiatives to make Bengaluru climate-resilient and inclusive. The coalition will work on enabling people across all wards to be fully equipped to…