City: Bengaluru

As a part of my work with SadaZero, I was to accompany the pourakarmikas on their Saturday dry-waste collection routine. I had to note down the houses who weren’t following the segregation protocol, and subsequently make an attempt to “convert” them, the latter being a herculean task as mindsets are extremely difficult to change. Sadazero is a voluntary, community organisation, aiming at 100% waste segregation, and making Sadashivanagar a model neighbourhood for the rest of Bengaluru, with whom I have intermittently worked with over the past three years. We rendezvoused at the collection point at 11 am and the drive…

Namma Bengaluru Foundation has submitted its objections and suggestions to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Draft Rules (Ward Committee). This was done after an extensive study undertaken by the foundation. Despite the right of representations in the development of the local neighbourhood as guaranteed by the Community Participation Bill, true spirit of community participation has not been followed by the corporators.  The existing selection of the ward committee members is not democratic and involves selective nominations from the corporators. The concept of Ward Committee (WC) is a novel addition in examples of people-centric governance. The ward committee is intended to create…

Remote sensing authority has put the height of Raheja Vivarea at 892 metres, as opposed to the claim of 870 metres made by the builder. Pic: Nikita Malusare Contrary to the claims made by M/s Chalet Hotels while getting No Objection Certificate from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the residential apartment project  Raheja Vivarea in Bengaluru's Koramangala area, Karnataka State Remote Sensing Application Centre(KSRSAC) has estimated the height of the construction spot of Raheja Vivarea to be 892 metres Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL). The immediate implication of this is that Raheja Vivarea can not construct any of the blocks…

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. - Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi in prayer. Pic courtesy: Newsweek / Oldindianphotos.in On the eve of the Joy of Giving Week, don’t be surprised if you find a few hundred people sleeping outdoors in Whitefield. Under the Stars, an event on the October 1, is happening for the first time. It involves the participants spending the entire night outdoors from 7 pm up until 6am the next day. Activities include live music acts and food stalls to keep you entertained through the night. “There are…

Who doesn’t love Eric Carle’s super illustrated bug book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar?” You haven’t read it? Shame! Then go read it now! It was my initiation into a wonderful world of insects, and caterpillars in particular.  When my little one first showed interest in bugs, I figured this book would be a fun way to introduce insects to him in a non-threatening way. There was no stopping him after. Stop! Don’t click over to the next post! This is not a book review about Carle’s book. This post is about the delightful world of insects that abound around us.…

The residents of Puttenahalli in J P Nagar 7th phase are worried about the increasing noise pollution in the vicinity and the lethargic attitude of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board officials. They are also living in fear, not willing to come out of their safe closets and complain openly. A resident who doesn’t want to be named says that repeated complaints made to the board, forced KSPCB officials to conduct a spot inspection and issue a show cause notice to the erring Pallavi Engineering company. The resident, through his email to Citizen Matters, says that nothing has changed since then…

When I was driving home one night recently with my family in Bangalore, I met with a minor accident. It was raining heavily, street lights were off, roads deserted and I could not see the road ahead. Before I knew what was happening, my car came to an abrupt halt with a couple of thundering noises. Did I hit somebody, I wondered with a thudding heart. I got down and realised that the car had climbed up a road divider. Luckily, everyone was safe. Later, when the Maruti Service Centre people came and got the car down, I was told…

Buying a car can be a harrowing experience. With all the various models and makes that are currently available on the Bangalore market, it is not always the easiest of tasks selecting what you want. One of the key point to be looked at while choosing a car is to look at your routine. For example, if the primary use of your car would be to get to work and back and not much else, you might consider getting a smaller car like the Maruti Alto 800. If you need the car to haul a large amount of cargo, consider…

I bought a resale apartment from an individual who had not taken possession of the flat from the builder (The Confident Group) and had a loan going. The builder was my point of contact for this purchase and I had absolutely no interaction with the seller. In fact, the senior executive from The Confident Group, refused to share the seller’s contact details. The builder helped me in getting the housing loan through Axis bank and ensured that all the documents related to the apartment were handed over to the bank executive for verification. The builder demanded that I pay Rs.30,000…

All the herbivorous animals have the chance of contracting Foot and Mouth disease, and need to be vaccinated. Pic: Shree D N Here is a news for those who want to visit Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP). Reason: Herbivorous Safari will be closed for at least next seven weeks as Foot and Mouth Disease has broken out. On Monday, September 23, 2013, four animals - three Spotted Deer and one Neelgai were reported to have died due to this. The Park officials spotted the symptoms in the animals on Sunday and thus as a precautionary measure cancelled all safaris from Sunday…