BCity

The Right to Education Act has to be amended, to have any chance of succeeding. In fact, almost certainly, without amendments it will do more harm than good, and there is enough evidence of this happening already. Four common-sense steps will help. (a) The regulation of the education sector has to be separated from the Education departments of states. The regulator should be able to oversee the functioning of both public schools and private schools. (b) Unaided schools should be exempt from this law, and instead be brought under a new voluntary-mandatory mix like has been done for CSR in…

I have enjoyed my transition back to Bengaluru, the city I carry very close to my heart. As I start meeting people and understanding local surgery referral patterns, the irregularities are glaring. I have been blatantly asked by doctors how much I would be willing to pay the referring doctor for a patient. Take for example a patient who is referred for an advanced procedure that costs 10 lakhs. The referring doctor in Bengaluru asks for a percentage, commonly referred to as a "cut". In plain words, a bribe. This is completely unethical and against the standards that doctors agree…

A brief summary of some news you might have missed out in the last few days. Applications for jobs, awards and other important stuff that happened in the capital city! Clear 50% or no salary increments BBMP Administrator Vijayabhaskar held a meeting of principals of all government schools and college in BBMP limits on July 6th 2015. He asked them to improve the pass percentage in the schools and colleges, by marking the low-scoring students and giving extra attention to them. If the trend of scoring below 50% continues, the administrator warned that the salary increments of the principals will…

I am keying in these words while commuting to office in a bus. As is the norm with most buses, the big vehicle stopped ahead of the shelter at Whitefield’s oldest stop, impeding movement at the T-junction, and causing hardship to waiting passengers. As it is, with the raised platform razed during the recent repair works, pedestrians find it tough to cross the busy street. Dozens of photos and emails, meetings and training sessions later, there is no visible change: BMTC personnel refuse to fall in line. Of buses and fares With a monthly bus pass in pocket, I am…

A week has gone by since I last wrote and about six days have gone by since I last heard from BBMP. BBMP called me several times last Friday asking me if the work was done — and in spite of numerous assurances — no work has been done.  The BBMP Sahaaya complaint number is 10506777 and the last SMS communication I received, informing me that the complaint has been 'assigned' was on June 23rd. I also have a Malleshwaram Sahaaya complaint number - 2760084. However, in this case, the SMS only says that the complaint has been created.  It is…

It was any other quite Sunday morning in Malleshwaram. However, for us it was a big day that had dawned. Malleshwaram Parisara, our annual ecofair by Malleshwaram Swabhimanaa Initiative (MSI) was to take place at Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peeta on June 28th 2015. This time it was a lot bigger than last year, there was a huge turnout which included a larger number of eco-friendly stalls. The fair was inaugurated by our MLA Aswathnarayan, Principal of Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peetha BVA Rao, Vijayakumar and MSI president Sumathi Rao. There were 30+ stalls in all. Most of the stalls were by…

A few days ago I noticed that the streetlights and new LED streetlamps on 15th Cross, Malleshwaram, were not working properly. I thought I should complain and I did so on several fronts. 1. I complained to the BBMP Assistant Officer for Malleshwaram by email and `WhatsApp' 2. I wrote to the MLA - Ashwath Narayan 3. I also filed a complaint on 'malleshwaram.sahaaya.in' I got a call from someone a few days later but it so happened that the LED lights were working at that point. The streetlights were still not working. A few days later, on Monday, June…

How hard it is to make a manhole cover that is LEVEL with the road? Not very hard, but no matter how many times this is pointed out, BWSSB never does this. I spent some time trying to figure this out, and learned three things. A. BWSSB assumes that BBMP will keep raising the level of the road each time tar is added, so, the drain cover will be eventually level for a brief period However, any further raise in the road makes cover sink, and that too is visible in many places. BBMP could easily mill each road's old…

Public urination is common in Bengaluru. However, some people have no qualms about open defecation too. Pic: Ganga Madappa “What happens in the bathroom stays in the bathroom” was the general consensus at my childhood household. Unless there was a health concern, no one discussed their bowel movements. Ever! It wasn’t until I moved away to college, at 18-years-old, and had to share three bathroom stalls with 40 other girls on my dorm floor that bathroom habits became public knowledge. And then I arrived in Bengaluru. I cannot remember the first time I encountered public urination in India. Perhaps I…

Come Saturday and Kaikondarahalli Lake in Harlur will witness the first Kere Habba event on its two-kilo metres long trail. Kere Habba is an innovative initiative by Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF) to bring public to the lake side and create an awareness to protect and preserve dwindling lakes of Bengaluru. The day-long programme organised by NBF in association with MAPSAS and United Way, Bengaluru, intends to host a bunch of community events which is open for all. In the first of its series, Kere Habba at Kaikondarahalli Lake will feature a whole lot of events such as informative green workshops,…