City: Bengaluru

Eczema in children, is a condition typically characterised by skin lesions associated with itching, sometimes watery discharges,  often complicated by infections, and noted for relapses. The condition has shown a spurt in number of cases recently. In 1972, a  Bihar study revealed prevalence of eczema to be 0.38% of all skin diseases.  38 % of them were reported to be Infantile AD (atopic Dermatitis), a medical term for eczema. Two decades later another study showed the incidence of AD to be 28.46% of total paediatric skin diseases. The reasons for this spurt are not very clear. Some of the causes…

Starting the grade separator works at Koramangala for the contested Sirsi-Agara signal free corridor has landed BDA in trouble. The High Court on May 29th ordered that emergent notices be sent to BDA and its Commissioner Bharat Lal Meena. Emergent notices are issued only in serious conditions and have to be responded to immediately.Justice Shylendra Kumar and Justice B Srinivasa Gowda passed this order on a contempt case filed by Bengaluru-based civic organisation CAF (Citizen's Action Forum) and Kuvempu Nagar RWA. These petitioners said that BDA started electrical works for the project, by violating the court's previous orders. They had…

Sixteen candidates will battle it out in the Bangalore graduate constituency MLC election on June 10th. The candidates include those from five political parties - BJP, Congress, JD(S), Lok Satta and CPI(M) - and 11 independents. Unlike the last election in 2006, more voters also have been enrolled this time. While there were around 60,000 graduate voters last time, it has gone over 1.1 lakh this time, with over 51,000 new enrollments. In graduate constituency election, the votes a candidate gets depends on the number of voters he has gotten enrolled. And even less voters actually come to vote on…

As always, this year’s Kala Madhyam Mela at the Chitrakala Parishath has a vast array of handmade handicrafts, terracotta work, fabrics, jewellery, antique display items, and much more. With over a hundred stalls spread out right from the entrance of the Chitrakala Parishath, the mela features artisans from all over India, selling and displaying their work.The atmosphere at the venue is energetic and lively, and the weather now is perfect for an outdoor mela.Colourful ceramic crockery. Pic: Maitreyi AnanthChappals, jhoothis and more. Pic: Maitreyi Ananth Jewellery (one of the many kinds!) Pic: Maitreyi AnanthShow pieces. Pic: Maitreyi AnanthFrom laundry baskets…

Born in Kochi , Muralidhar Rao has been a Bangalorean since 1959 and a resident of Koramangala since 2005. He is a former industrialist himself. He married his passion for writing and civic mindedness and in 2006 co-founded praja.in. It is an online platform to engage in discussions on civic issues. He is also a member of the citizens group ‘Koramangala Initiative ' His wife, Priya Rao, works as a Associate Director-Technical for Indian Spastics Society in Karnataka region. He has a son and a daughter. Excerpts from his interview. You are a regular commentator on civic and commentator issues.…

Over 100 residents of Ejipura EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quarters staged a protest at BBMP head office on May 29th, demanding that shopping mall should not be built in the quarters land. The quarters is spread over 15.64 acres and houses over 1500 families. In January, BBMP made an agreement with a private company Maverick Holdings to develop almost half the area for a shopping mall and the remaining area for EWS quarters. Residents of Ejipura EWS quarters protesting at BBMP head office, NR Square, on May 29th. Pic: Navya P K “It is illegal for EWS land to be…

Amidst all the talk to a Bharat Bandh tomorrow, May 31st, on the face of it, Bangalore seems to be little affected. Conspicious in its absence though is the lack of a single coordinated response by all city authorities together. The top brass of the city bus system, municipality, police, and traffic police are not speaking in one voice about whether citizens must stay home or not. On 21st January 2011, BJP supporters being arrested by Bangalore City Police. File pic: Prabhu M Citizen Matters spoke to a number of officials to put this brief together. BMTC has decided to…

The recent state budget has funding for projects including five signal-free corridors (Rs 426 crore), upgradation of 45 roads (Rs 200 crore) and Metro Corridor Reach-1 from Bypanahalli to Kumble Circle (Rs 65 crore). The first two are to be funded by the state government and the latter to be funded equally by BBMP & BMRCL. DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) are getting ready. I hope the tendering process gets underway in June/July. A BBMP underpass in JP Nagar. File pic: Yograj Mudalgi Pilots for each of these projects is to be ready soon for the public to suggest improvements -1.…

Two years ago, she spoke to Citizen Matters about the legal battle she fought for the Meistripalya lake. It was her determination to protect and preserve open spaces in Koramangala that saw her through. Citizen Matters caught up with Laila Ollapally, now 57, after two years to hear more from her. She has now moved on to being a mediator at the Bangalore Mediation Centre (BMC). Mediation provides a platform for dialogue and cases can be solved through conversations outside court. Laila Olapally - Mediator at BMC. Pic: Laila Olapally Residents are coming together and supporting revival of a lot…

IAC Karnataka had organised a protest rally on May 25th, Saturday at Chamrajpet. The meeting was addressed by H S Doraiswamy, senior freedom fighter. This was followed by candle light vigil at traffic signal  junction, Chamrajpet. For over a year now, IAC has been protesting the unfortunate killing of honest officers and whistle blowers. In spite of the continued killings, starting from the Satyendra Dubey, Sheila Masood to the recent killing of Narendra Kumar, Madan Naik, SP Mahantesh in different parts of the country,  governments both at Centre and States have done nothing to offer protection to the whistleblowers. This…