BBMP

Efforts to mobilise citizens to apply for ward committee membership have gained splendid traction in the last few weeks. Citizens’ groups such as Lanchamukta Karnataka Nirmana Vedike (LMKNV), Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) and B.PAC have motivated more than 500 citizens to apply for ward committee membership. A team of LMKNV met almost all BBMP officials connected to the formation of WCs, including Zonal JCs, Council Secretariat officials and Mr. Sarfaraz Khan, Special Commissioner (Health and SWM), stressing the point that it is the “Corporation” that nominates WC members and NOT the “Corporator”. Several Joint Commissioners of zones of BBMP, who…

The BBMP, after a rap from the Karnataka High Court in April, decided to constitute ward committees as per the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976. We welcome this decision of the BBMP to constitute ward committees. This will ensure that decentralized governance takes place and that citizens have more say in the development of their wards. A press meet demanding inclusivity in constituting ward committees was organised by several groups and organisations on June 15th, 2017 (Thursday) at the Press Club. • BBMP should ensure that urban poor, slum residents and workers are part of ward committees • Working class…

Did you notice that someone fixed that black spot on your way to work and it now looks nice with a little bench and simple art that makes the place walkable and pleasant on the eyes? Did you come across pictures on social media of people sweating it out and cleaning lakes on a Sunday morning? Do you know someone that teaches and helps out in the local government school? Did you notice there was a massive protest to save trees on Jayamahal road and a thousand people got on the streets? Did you know local residents were filing RTIs,…

The city and municipal corporation civic workers who were on an indefinite strike demanding for regularisation of contract workers and payment of salaries, called off their protest on the second day. The BBMP Guttige Pourakarmikara Sangha, along with Karnataka Rajya Nagarapalike, Nagarasabhe, Purasabhe Pourakarmikara Mahasangha and the Safaikaramchari Kavalu Samiti had staged an indefinite strike starting June 12th, 2017. The strike was called off on June 13th , after the Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare H Anjaneya and Minister for Municipalities and Local Bodies Department and Public Enterprises Ishwar Khandre, along with Bengaluru Mayor Padmavathi G, assured…

Remember the plans to divide BBMP into five different city corporations? A committee formed by the Karnataka State government had proposed dividing BBMP into five smaller  corporations and redraw the zones. This was meant to facilitate better administration. The city corporation has not been divided yet, but the Karnataka government has now geared up to implement the other proposal of redesigning the zones. In a notification issued on June 12th, the Urban Development Department has officially divided Bengaluru into 10 zones, from the existing eight zones. The notification says the decision to reclassify zones has been taken to give good…

25 years after the 74th Constitutional Amendment (Nagarapalika Act) prescribed effective citizen participation through ward committees, to bring in accountability of the local councillor to the community, an opportunity is at last being given to citizens to get into ward committees.  Till now, if at all the ward committees were constituted; councillors were themselves nominating the individual members and registered associations who would sit on ward committees.  It was not surprising that the ward committees used to be filled with the councillors’ own party-men and cronies, defeating the purpose of the ward committees. The two seats for registered associations used…

Water flooded through an open footpath near Shivananda Circle, during the rain that lashed the city in May 3rd week. Pic: Shree D N The heavy rains that lashed Bengaluru in last two weeks caused havoc in the city. The flooded homes, waterlogged streets, uprooted trees, deaths, only reflected the unpreparedness of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to handle the rains. The rain on May 14th claimed the lives of two due to a wall collapse in Johnson Market. The following week, heavy rains flooded several areas including three slum pockets in Bommanahalli. Roads in Hosakerehalli were flooded due to…

Bellandur residents have had a see-saw of joys and sorrows, good news and bad news. When I moved here two years ago, I’d look out of my window and feast my eyes on that vast peaceful expanse of water, with flocks of white egrets hovering above. Kingfishers, coucals and green barbets visited daily, the water being a magnet for uncommon birds. The setting sun on the water was a sight to behold, peaceful and awe-inspiring. We were privileged to live overlooking this beautiful lake. A scene from Bellandur lake area. Pic: Shikha Balakrishnan Slowly, that feast for our eyes became…

Today (May 30th) is the last day for citizens owning properties in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits to file their property tax with five per cent tax rebate. But even after two months of BBMP making the property tax payment system open, citizens have continued to complain of issues with tax payment. Earlier this month, one of our readers and property tax expert D R Prakash (who is also the founder-president of Osborne Road Area Residents Welfare Association) wrote an article about the glitches in property tax payment portal. Last week he again wrote an e-mail to Citizen Matters,…

BBMP has announced a Vanamahotsav walkathon tomorrow, Sunday May 21st, to encourage the public to plant 10 lakh saplings in the city in order to increase green cover. It is seeking active public participation to make the drive successful. Just as #CitizensForBengaluru object and protest when trees are sacrificed unnecessarily, we will support and participate tomorrow, when the BBMP wants to re-afforest and build a sustainable Bengaluru. Citizen participation is key to ensure that the public money (₹5Cr) is well utilized. It should be noted that such planting of saplings is not a substitute for existing trees. Due to the…