Blogs

Bellandur Buzz Issue #21 Date: 22nd October 2014 This fornightly newsletter is published by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com   Lake activists meet with Upa Lokayukta A meeting presided by Upa Lokayukta Justice Adi Subhash was held on 17th October to discuss lake rejuvenation and preservation. Attendance was hearteningly high, with representatives from various lakes including Kaikondrahalli, Kasavanahalli, Halanayakanahalli, Ibblur, Saul Kere, Puttanahalli, and Chikkanasandra adding their voice to the discussions. Representatives from the BBMP, the DC’s office and villagers from Halanayakanahalli village were present as well. Where officials were not available, the Justice made notes to follow up with them…

Yesterday (20th October 2014), the BBMP, Revenue Department and BMTF with support from local Police cleared around 20% of the encroachments around the Allalasandra Lake.    Around 4.1 acres of the 44 acres of lake was encroached. During this demolition drive over six illegal houses and compounds were demolished and close to 1 acre of lake area was recovered.    Yelahanka United Environment Association (YUVA) had taken the lead by submitting complaint letters to Deputy Commissioner, BBMP and BMTF. BBMP and the Revenue Department had conducted a joint survey of the lake two months back and marked the lake area and BBMP had issued notice…

In the past few months, I've been looking at how people continue to worship trees in Bangalore and how this can generate community space for a neighbourhood. I have been specifically looking at the Peepul tree and its ability to create places of memory and cultural value. The Peepul tree, also known as the Ashvattha in Sanskrit literature is a type of Fig tree (Ficus Religiosa) and the platform around it is locally called ashwath katte. While my research focus has been on how the practice of tree worship contributes to the territorial production of urban space, I have also been…

Javalis are lyrical compositions with Shringara rasa or romantic love being the central theme of the composition. Veteran musician Neela Ramgopal gave a lecture demonstration on Javalis at the morning session of the 46th annual conference of the Bangalore Gayana Samaja on 14th October 2014. A frequent performer in the Bangalore concert circuit, Neela Ramgopal is a much sought after teacher and is the recipient of numerous state and sabha awards such as the Sangitha Kala Acharya and Sangeetha Kala Rathna. Her lec-dem delivered in a very accessible manner, brought to life what could have otherwise easily been a dry…

Ajit Lakshmiratan writes:"Long long ago...precisely in 1977..when 27, I had parked my bike (Jawa MYM 2877) in front of Prince Hotel in Brigade Rd extn.Bangalore for a short time (No Parking zone).When I returned, a constable asked me to come to the nearby Police Station (Shoolay PS, now renamed as Ashoknagar PS). Shoolay PS was at that time known for the strict rule book, no nonsense Inspector. My father was there with me and I was sure that he would bail me out at the Station like all fathers do when sons are in trouble. But at the station, my…

A surge of promotions by e-retailers brought out the brick and mortal merchants in full force. They are demanding that the government should do something to make sure that the deep discounts from e-commerce companies are not life-threatening to the old retailers. There is a concern that some of the discounts from deep-pocketed web sites are 'below cost' sales, which are anti-competitive. (a) Direct intervention by government would be wrong. There is a Competition Commission of India, which is the appropriate body to look into unfair trade practices, and it should be left to the CCI to deal with this…

From: angarika@maraa.in 2 manhole cleaners suffocated to death in Bangalore recentlyArmed with a bottle and a stick, a man descends: into the dark sulfurous depths of the city. Vanishing acts, made possible by the labour of workers who live and die below the surface. This man, we call the “scavenger”.Join us on 11th Oct for a walk, along the Chambers of Ward 88. To lift the lid and see who lurks beneath. The walk is olfactory. The walk is a provocation. The walk is a call to introspect. This walk will be guided by Angarika Guha and Ekta Mittal as part of Horaata,…

Bellandur Buzz…Issue # 20October 10th 2014 Shared fortnightly by: bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com   Celebrate cracker-free Diwali Seven year old Nurba isn’t playing, she’s working because YOU want to buy crackers. Source As Deepawali approaches we would like to remind everyone about why we shouldn’t burst crackers. Besides the obvious side-effect, that is, air pollution (Did you know air pollution increases by almost 30% during Diwali?), noise pollution, injuries and various health hazards, there are several other negatives of firecrackers. Did you know that there are millions of underage kids that are exploited by the firecracker industry, and that many of them get killed in…

 Tree Felling in Kanataka is governed by the Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act, 1976. Section 8 (1) of the act states: With effect on and from the appointed day, notwithstanding any custom, usage, contract or law for the time being in force, no person shall fell any tree or cause any tree to be felled in any land, whether in his ownership or occupancy or otherwise, except with the previous permission of the Tree Officer Thus, whether the tree is in private land or government land, the permission of the Tree Officer is essential before a tree is cut. On what grounds can…