City: Bengaluru

I am a teacher. I should teach all my subjects with equal vigor and ensure that all my students understand what I am trying to convey. I try my level best to be honest. However, one subject that always poses a challenge to me is - environmental studies. Yes, it is the easiest of all the subjects, but do try teaching ecosystem and different types of pollution to the undergraduate students in technical streams, you will end up with a room full of dozers! My first challenge hence was undoubtedly to see that students do not doze away while I…

Prema, a resident Richmond town, who feeds street dogs everyday. Pic : Albert Arul Prakash Rajendran Murderers, rapists, racists, eve-teasers, corrupt traffic police, misbehaving auto-drivers and obnoxious bus-conductors of Bengaluru are all well-documented by the media. Media chooses to chase only a few faces of the society, leaving people in a crisis of faith about the humanity and hospitality left in the city. However there are hundred unseen faces in the society which need exposure. Working as a Senior Engineering manager in a multinational company during weekdays, 34-year-old Albert Arul Prakash Rajendran is a passionate photographer, roaming the city streets…

“Grandma, I am here to tell you why you should be separating wet waste from dry waste. Do you know how many problems we are creating by not segregating?” And on it went from the mouth of a really animated Kavya, a 9th standard Doddanekundi Government School student. Government school students encouraging their neighbors to segregate waste. Pic: Yamini Chandrasekaran She was one among the 36 boys and girls who wandered around Doddanekundi village (in Bengaluru) on a Saturday morning (January 24th) urging shop keepers and fruit vendors, and all their neighbors to take care of their “Kasa” or garbage,…

A Jacaranda tree in bloom. Pic: Deepa Mohan The second edition of Neralu, a citizen-led Urban Tree Festival is being organised on February 7th, 8th and 14th February 2015 at multiple venues across Bengaluru. In the month of February, the city’s trees burst into spectacular blooms, and the play of colors continues through the year. Neralu, which translates to ‘shade’ in Kannada, has been planned to coincide with the blooming season in the city. It will bring citizens together to celebrate the garden city’s glorious natural heritage. Bound by a common love for trees Naturalists, ecologists, artists, technologists, storytellers, homemakers,…

Managing all the facilities in an apartment, from water supply to garbage to electricity, is the job of a facility manager, which requires expertise. File pic. Picture this. An apartment complex at the heart of Bengaluru, that has 40 units. The Management Committee for the apartment has three members, all of whom have their own day jobs. One fine summer morning, the motor that supplies water to the complex breaks down. There is a need to purchase a replacement motor quickly. Add to it, the members who do not see eye to eye on anything. By the time they have…

  Neralu invites all schools to engage in an exciting project to explore the world of trees and connect with nature. These trees, stand tall as our silent neighbours, and bear within them endless stories to share. From measuring trees to painting a wall with trees, this could be a fun and informal way of learning about our city’s rich natural heritage.   We encourage each and every school in the city to register, pick a suitable activity from the list provided, execute it with the help of students, teachers and parents; document it, and share it back with us.…

Hundreds of people representing various civil society groups participated in the State-level Public Consultation on Social Security issues related to pension held on January 29th at Jain University, Palace Road, Bengaluru. V Srinivas Prasad, Minister for Revenue, Government of Karnataka, said that the state government has been disbursing pension to about 47 lakh people in the state. The pension schemes cover widows, differently-abled persons, the elderly and unmarried single women from the marginalised communities in the state. The State government is contemplating to increase the minimum pension from Rs 200 to Rs 500. Apart from this, the State government is…

  Bengaluru this week January 29th 2015     CITIZEN MATTERS Bangalore's own interactive newsmagazine Speak up, it's your city!     City news that matters Before we get into our stories, here is a short summary of what happened in the city. BBMP has begun the construction of an open air theatre under Domlur flyover at a cost of 40 lakhs. The theatre can accommodate up to 500 people and will also have a Bangalore One centre. BMRCL is in talks with the Forest Department to acquire 4.97 hectares of forest land near Devika Rani Roerich estate on Kanakpura Road…

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) passed a resolution in its Council meeting on Wednesday, January 28th, 2015, demanding that the State government extend the term of the Council for six more months, if at all the Karnataka government has plans to postpone the BBMP election. BJP Councillor Padmanabha Reddy moved a private resolution in the Council expressing his displeasure over the state government trying to postpone the BBMP polls citing Palike restructuring as the reason. "The term of the present Council ends on April 22nd, 2015. As per the 74th amendment to the Constitution, election should be held to…

Koramangala residents were a relieved lot after the elevated road project from Ejipura to Kendriya Sadan got approval last year, under JNNURM scheme. The joy did not last long, as the project now has been taken off the JNNURM scheme, and will not get funds from the Centre. Basavaraj Kabade, the executive engineer of BBMP, confirmed to Citizen Matters that this project, expected to reduce traffic congestion in Sony world Junction in Koramangala and speed up the journey to Hosur road through inner ring road, has now been cancelled by the Central government. “About 15-20 days ago, in a letter…