City: Bengaluru

Pic: Nikita Malusare Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), in association with Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), conducted its second Rashtriya Lok Adalat at BDA headquarters in Bengaluru, aiming to clear cases pertaining to Arkavathy layout. Matters related to other layouts remained unheard. The aim of the Lok Adalat was to resolve allotment or possession cases of BDA sites. Such an adalat would also minimise the need for citizens to approach courts and spend money on lawyers and face never-ending litigation. At the inaugural function, Justice N K Patil, the judge of Karnataka High court pressed on the need to evolve…

The essential characteristic of the world of the Blind or visually impaired is darkness in varied degrees. How well do we, the sighted, comprehend this world? What is it like to dance, sing, laugh, eat and cry in the dark? Prevention of Blindness Week, observed during the first week of April, highlights the key needs and efforts to address the challenges confronting visual impairment in the country. Activities as part of Prevention of Blindness Week The Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled and The Eye Foundation’s planned activities during the forthcoming week, however, promise a lot more and are a cause…

The General Elections 2014 have begun. In the first phase reports suggest 80 - 85% polling in Tripura and 75% voter turnout in Assam. Voter turnout in phase two, in the other four North Eastern states of Arunachal, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland began on a low note till noon. But picked up by end of day with Nagaland and Manipur recording around 80% and Arunachal a 55% The national BJP Manifesto and the JD(S) manifesto for Bangalore city were released this week. The CPI (M), Congress and AAP termed aspects of the BJP manifesto as communal and the Congress went…

The election madness hasn’t perturbed her one bit. She seems to have seen it all, right from the time she started extensively campaigning for numerous elections post her marriage to politician Dr Jeevraj Alva, when she was no more than 16 years old! Being a danseuse, businesswoman, socialite and homemaker, she did not fear adding more to her juggling act. Today, Nandini Alva, all of 52, sounds very articulate when we speak to her about her entry into politics. She has been chosen to contest as a JD(S) candidate from Bangalore Central for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Nandini Alva…

The city of Bengaluru has been festooned with banners, posters and hoardings urging us to vote. The fence facing the BBMP head office was, earlier this week, covered with pennants in Kannada and English, reminding us all that it was our duty to vote. Newspapers carried prominent ads and announcements, reiterating  the same message. Many of us who wanted very much to vote, however, found a wide chasm between what the administration urged and its intentions to facilitate what it wanted citizens to do. I have been a voter for some decades, and exercised my franchise at every election. As…

I have been working closely with the door-to-door collection in our ward, with the residents on the one hand, the garbage collectors and the BBMP officials on the other hand. There is one question that always comes up within a few minutes of interaction. Who do we call, if the auto guy does not turn up for collection? If a house in our street is not segregating? if somebody is found dumping? If the sweeper is burning leaves? If the black spot near my house is not cleared? A dump in Malleshwaram Pic: Ramesh Sreekantan A simple enough question —…

Here goes the list of growth of Assets of candidates for Bangalore Urban constituencies, who have contested earlier.  The list is a mere compilation from their affidavits. Ananthkumar   Movable Asset (Rs) Immovable Asset (Rs)  Liability (Rs)  Total Asset (Rs) 2009 99,82,432 68,85,163 0 1,68,67,595 2014 1,23,59,969 3,60,41,192 28,83,233 4,84,01,161     P C Mohan   Movable Asset (Rs) Immovable Asset (Rs) Liability (Rs) Total Asset (Rs) 2009 (LS Election) 3,83,88,000 1,84,41,000 3,28,87,000 5,37,29.000 2013 (Assembly Election) 18,15,81,650 12,31,02,400 17,69,36,948 30,46,84,050 2014 (LS Election) 26,45,16,699 21,12,79,600 26,11,11,284 47,57,96,299   C  Narayanaswamy   Movable Asset (Rs) Immovable Asset (Rs) Liability (Rs)…

The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan premises in the heart of Bengaluru looked like a fortress on Sunday, April 6 2014. While cops were on vigil and the main gate was closed to unauthorised people, a team of volunteers was busy verifying the entrants with the RSVP list. After the Bangalore South candidate meet fiasco which was hijacked by language debate, Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC) became extra-cautious on who should be let in. Even the seating was properly arranged, with volunteers guiding people where to sit depending upon who they were. This did not go well with all. Some TV reporters…

These days, news reports in Bengaluru regularly talk of some good work done by or statements from the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka. He is getting excellent coverage for right reasons. He has been strict and vigilant about malpractices in light of electoral code of conduct. He is acting boldly, befitting his position. I admire this. In Bangalore alone 8.08 lakh new voters were enrolled in about 45 days, since February 1. This is laudable. On National Voters Day (25 Jan 2014) President of India honoured him for achieving the highest Elector to Population ratio. When we bask in these…

Traffic at the Marathahalli - Sarjapur Outer Ring Road   Consider these recent headlines from our local newspapers...  March 2 2014:  A 37-year-old architect and urban planner was killed when a BMTC bus collided head-on with her car March 16 2014:  Two people were killed after a speeding truck rammed into the motorbike they were riding on Kundalahalli Main Road April 8 2014: A 30-year-old call centre employee died on the spot when he sustained serious head injuries in a hit-and-run accident on Hosur Road In the past 3 months alone, Bangalore has been witness to 1309 accidents which have…