Bellandur

Answers to the questions sent by residents from Bellandur ForumBy: Nandini Alva (Candidate for Bangalore Central from JDS)   1.If you get elected, what will you do, to prove to voters that you are honest and communicate to us about your work transparently? Will you commit to a monthly communication - email/website and/or public meeting? How can we residents send you our concerns and how will you act on those concerns? Nandini Alva: I will be launching a CitizensConnect platform shortly specifically to hear Citizen concerns and issues. This platform will have an office in each of the Assembly constituenciesunder…

Bellandur residents had posed a series of questions to all the candidates contesting from Bangalore Central for Lok Sabha Elections 2014. This is the email response we received from INC candidate, Rizwan Arshad.   1.If you get elected, what will you do, to prove to voters that you are honest and communicate to us about your work transparently? Will you commit to a monthly communication - email/website and/or public meeting? How can we residents send you our concerns and how will you act on those concerns?   There will be monthly updates on my official site and associated social networks.…

The residents of Bellandur, Koramangala and HSR Layout in Bengaluru, who have been fighting over the months to get the government to stop the mega project coming up on the wetland lying between Agara and Bellandur lakes, finally are resorting to a massive protest, to make their voices heard louder. The protest will be held on Sunday, March 23, 2014, at 10.30 am. The project is said to be violating the conditions set by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, namely not altering the sloping pattern, not encroaching the drains etc. Despite this, the project developers Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd…

"Kasa Muktha Bellandur" campaign (earlier called Clean Bell and renamed to align with city level initiative) has taken off to a very positive start. This campaign aims to achieve responsible, end-to-end solid waste management in the Bellandur ward. The main objectives of phase-1 of Kasa Muktha Bellandur are as follows: Standardise waste segregation process for all residential communities (using colour coded bins) in the ward. Accomplish 100% segregation and eliminate usage of plastic bags for garbage disposal.  Segregation pamphlet outlining the waste categorisation followed by Kasa Muktha Bellandur. Key accomplishments in last four weeks: Around 30 apartments adopted and implemented this…

In Feb 2011, The Hindu newspaper carried a news article “Lakes that no one can visit”, based on ATREE’s Mahadevapura Constituency Lakes Report . One of the lakes mentioned in the article was the 4.64 hectare Devarabisanahalli Lake, near Intel office and Adarsh Palm Retreat apartments in Bellandur Ward (south-east Bangalore). ATREE’s report described the lake as “Shrinking water body. Currently completely dry lake, but this is a small lake and can be easily recharged with rain water precipitation if proper dredging is undertaken.” It was also observed that the lake was surrounded by private property with no public access,…

This newsletter is shared by the citizen group, Bellandur Forum (bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com)Trinity Acres and Woods, a 280-unit residential complex started segregation in September 2013. Prior to that, most of their waste (85%) was mixed and little dry waste was being recovered. Within 4 months of starting segregation, the amount of reject waste has dropped below 20% of the total waste volume. Waste classification by weight and Waste pick up expenses per month (in Rs). Courtesy: Rajaram Raghunathan Earlier, the RWA paid nearly Rs 100 a month per unit for garbage pick up. Now with segregation in place, their costs are down…

The State Ministry of Forests, Ecology and Environment has assured that the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority will be reconstituted within a month and clearances given to the mixed development project coming up between the Bellandur and Agara lakes would be reviewed. The assurance was given in the meeting conducted by Upa Lokayukta, Subhash Adi on Friday January 17th 2014. The Member Secretary of Ministry of Forests, Ecology and Environment, Ramachandran who was also a part of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, was summoned to the meeting, to investigate the alleged irregularities by Mantri Developers on the land between…

Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board has issued an order instructing M/s Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd / M/s Manipal ETA Infotech Ltd to stop the construction of the Special Economic Zone, residential and commercial buildings coming up on 72 acres of land that lies between Bellandur and Agara lakes, in South Bengaluru. Post the Upa Lokayukta’s comments on Mantri SEZ in a meeting held on December 20, 2013, KIADB’s 327th Board Meeting discussed the matter and passed an order directing Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd to stop the construction with immediate effect. According to the minutes of the KIADB Board meeting, the…

While aiming for the sun high up in the sky, we tend to stamp on the flowers at our feet. - Anonymous We continue to mix waste, violate laws and lead 'respectable' lives. But these people, who help reduce the trash in our mega-city Bengaluru, are looked down upon for being migrant and poor. Be it ragpickers, sweepers or garbage collectors, they are part of the system too. But their stories are never told. Mohammad Khan (name changed on request) has a long and grey beard that seems to represent his 60 years of experience. Dressed usually in ragged trousers…

Last Friday, on Rajyotsava, Karnataka High Court justices N Kumar and B V Nagarathna, visited Bellandur Ward apartments Divyashree Elan and Springfields. This was part of a tour of various Solid Waste Management facilities in the city, including Koramangala's Kasa Rasa, Dry Waste Segregation Centre, Karnataka State Composting Corporation (KCDC) etc. They were accompanied by BBMP Commissioner Lakshminarayana, former BBMP chief Siddhaiah and many other officials. Judges Kumar and Nagarathna inspecting a composting facility. Pic: Meera K This visit was related to the SWM PIL currently underway, so the learned judges could understand the situation on the ground and get…