Bellandur Buzz… Issue #14
July 17th 2014
Shared fortnightly by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com
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Ibblur Lake – Buffer zone violation
Earlier in March this year, a demolition drive by the Tehsildaar cleared away encroachments around Ibblur lake. One of the encroachers was operating a commercial borewell which was stopped. But after a few days it resumed operations. Now it has run dry and in blatant and continuing violation of the buffer zone surrounding the lake, a new borewell is being dug at the same location. This is the systemic malaise that sadly plagues whole of Bangalore. While the BWSSB applies its rules strictly with Resident Welfare Associations and force them to register their existing borewells, most of which are dry, new illegal ones are springing in open land with no authorization. Residents staying nearby are trying to get in touch with BDA officials to have the borewell digging work stopped.
Further, a huge billboard was erected on the same encroached land even as the eviction drive was underway. Are companies advertising on these billboards aware that they are perpetuating buffer zone violations and paying huge rentals to illegal land grabbers? Jago corporates jago!!
Borewell being dug near Ibblur lake
Billboard on encroached land
Ecospace Spotfix
Team Intuit transformed 30ft of an open drain in front of Ecospace Tech Park on ORR into this beautiful bus stop.
Photo courtesy: The Ugly Indian
Kasa Muktha Bellandur – Call for Volunteers
2 Corporates have committed funds to sponsor various inititaives under Kasa Muktha Bellandur Initiaive. Now, KMB needs volunteers to reach out to apartments, layouts and all other waste generators, who can spare atleast two hrs on weekdays and little more time on the weekends. We also request you to help connect KMB volunteers with their company CSR department to help support swm efforts. Mail to Kasamuktha150@gmail.com.
SWM Volunteer of the month – Prabha Mohan
KMB Volunteer: Prabha Mohan
In this day and age, it is not rare to be environmentally conscious. But how many of us can walk the talk, literally? Such as walking more than 15 kms a day, just to reduce the carbon footprint? How many of us are moved by the sight of unsegregated garbage so much that we go door to door in our neighbourhood, carrying the message of segregation, week after week? How many of us believe so absolutely in the destination that we are ready to put our money where the mouth is and buy segregation kits in advance for distribution, so people can start segregating a day sooner?
Here is the young lady who has been a role model doing all of this without much ado and making a world of difference with her efforts. Meet Prabha Mohan, works at EMC2 by day and multitasks as supergirl at all other times. She has singlehandedly reached out to more than 20 apartment complexes in Green Glen Layout and has started them all of on the 2-bin-1-bag segregation model. Kudos to you Prabha! May your tribe increase!
Plastic free challenge
The Plastic free month long challenge
Can you make it through the month of July without using disposable plastic? We posed this question to you in the last issue of Bellandur Buzz. If you gave it a try, write to us about your attempts at plastic free existence. If you are failing miserably at it, never mind! Write to us about it. Mail your response to bellandur.forum@gmail.com
Water meters in Labour colony Haralur road by Biome
Not many builders have come forward with installation of water meters in new buildings nor have many apartments been able to retrofit this in older apartments. It is quite interesting to see water meters installed and in use for bill generation and collection in a small and low income settlement adjacent to Parappana Agrahara Kere.
Read more on this topic at http://biometrust.blogspot.in/2014/07/water-meters-in-labour-colony-in.html
Random happenings
Vodafone digging graves on Sarjapur main road? All this haphazard digging has created eye sores and traffic issues on the main road.
Pic Courtesy: Malini Parmar.
BBMP lacking trash pushcarts. Citizens be vigilant about where the swept street waste is getting dumped. It could be in your front yard as Springfields residents discover every now and then.
Pic Courtesy: Malini Parmar.
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