CITIZEN JOURNALISM

My journey with gardening started about three years ago, when I brought home the Kambha from Daily Dump and started composting my kitchen waste. The feeling of empowerment that I got from doing my bit soon translated to a conscious decision to move towards organic foods. This then led to starting my own kitchen garden that first began with five containers of tomato and brinjal plants. Brinjal grown in kitchen garden I cannot quite describe the feeling of joy from a first harvest, but I can assure you that once you experience it you will be hooked to growing your…

I was taking my cycle to the ‘Fitness Through Travel’ to get it lubed properly for the race on Sunday. As I passed the playground near 19th Main (BTM Layout), I noticed a young woman in filthy clothes lying unconscious near the grills of the ground. A lot of young men were playing in the ground, paying no attention to her. Everyone was just glancing at her and moving away with the assumption that she was drunk. I too started moving away, but then I noticed dried blood around her foot. I felt bad, went near her and woke her…

Apartment associations that received their water bills for June 2013 were in for a shock. Their water bills were two to three times more than what they had been paying! Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had increased the charges for bulk consumers as per a notification in the Karnataka Gazette dated 23rd May 2013, but most apartment association representatives and residents were not aware of either the new charges, or of the impact of the amendment in tariff, till they received the bills.  According to the new tariff rules, for Bulk Domestic Consumers i.e. High-rise/Multistoried Buildings/ Apartments/ Central and…

Bangaloreans will definitely recall those dangerous days of 1999, when Pakistan Army clandestinely occupied some extremely sensitive areas in Kargil region of Ladakh, overlooking the strategic Srinagar-Leh road, threatening to choke the Army garrisons in Ladakh and Siachin sector into surrendering/ vacating those areas.  The country thereafter watched with bated breath, as TV reporters brought the valiant counterattacks by our valiant soldiers into our homes through extensive TV coverage. Precariously working their way up along steep slopes, well-covered by murderous machine gun fire, our soldiers did not let down their countrymen's expectations. Slowly, but surely, the operations progressed till the…

Whitefield Rising, a voluntary, non profit organisation focussing on transforming Whitefield, is making efforts to better the lives of the residents of Whitefield. As part of the effort, Sangeeta Venkatesh, one of the leaders from Whitefield Rising, along with her team, has forged an agreement with BBMP with the corporator’s support, to create a ‘Model Street’ in Whitefield, that can be free of garbage within three months, starting July. The Model Street with no garbage A 4-km stretch between Hope Farm and Varthur Kodi on Whitefield Main Road is being cleaned up to showcase as a model street. The road,…

Dear Sir, Let me introduce myself. I am one of those estimated 48 Lakh commuters who use public transport to get to work. I travel, on average, 50 kms both ways in a day. It takes me 3 to 3.5 hours to do the same. I buy monthly passes every month and I have seen my spending go from Rs. 1350 per month just two years ago to Rs.1800 now. During this time, the cost of diesel has gone from Rs. 46.21 to Rs. 54.82. An 18% hike in fuel has meant a 33% hike in the pass rates. There…

To T Sham Bhat, BDA Commissioner Subir Hari Singh, BDA Chairman Town Planning Chairman                            Subject: Construct pedestrian subways in Bangalore This is to bring to your notice that there is urgent requirement of pedestrian subways at areas such as: • Vasanthnagar - Cantonment • Mekhri Circle • Jayamahal – Fun World • Indian Express • Mantri mall area • Belundoor • Yeshwanthpur,  etc It has indeed become a pain trying to cross roads in Bangalore as one has to literally put a risk to his life to cross a road. If he is not a good sprinter, heaven will…

If there is one politician who is most qualified to present a Budget for Karnataka, it is the Chief Minister himself - Siddaramaiah. While he has shown his ability to do the fine balance with not antagonising the public with more taxes, he has played to the gallery as far as keeping multiple vote banks in good humour is concerned. What should the budget aim to do? What are the key measures that should have been dealt with differently in the budget? Creation of more jobs across agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors should be the fundamental objective for the moment.…

Several years of efforts by Koramangala citizens bore fruit on Friday, 12-July-2013 when a Bhoomi Puja was held to mark the start of re-development work on Meistripalya Lake in Koramangala. Bhoomi puja for Meistripalya Lake re-development, by BTM Layout MLA Ramalinga Reddy, Koramangala corporator Kokila Radhakrishna and other officials. Pic: Srinivas The work, estimated to cost Rs 175 lakhs, is based on a  Detailed Project Report (DPR), developed by the BDA and Lake Development Authority using inputs furnished by Koramangala citizens. Over the years, a number of elected representatives and officials have played a major role in bringing the project…

After almost a 40 minutes run from Bangalore city, the train 16732 bound to Tuticorin comes to a halt. Half-asleep passengers peek out assuming the stop to be Hosur, as the train comes to a halt on platform 1 of the station just outside Bangalore limits. However it is not Hosur - welcome to Carmelram. An unassuming country side station, it is almost a let thorugh for Bangalore city trains - but for a major part of North Bangaloreans, this is an important station, especially for trains from Yeshvantapur as they do not have to waste time in traffic jams…