CITIZEN JOURNALISM

October 2 brings the annual ritual obeisance to the Father of the Nation, but in the last six decades we have not had a repetition of the kind of protests against injustice on the scale that Gandhiji undertook during his salt march or Quit India movement. However, this time around, there is talk of a satyagraha, no less, by citizens of Bengaluru, because judging from the meetings I have been witness to over the last three months, patience is running thin. It is, many residents are now saying, time to undertake collective action, to make our voices heard. Not against…

Carry a charged cell phone always, as a dead mobile is of no use. File pic. Our country is witnessing the worst times for women. That is how we are feeling now. But the truth is women have been continually harassed, teased, attacked, ill-treated for centuries. We are coming to know of all the atrocities as women victims come forward and report the incidents to the law. As a result people have started talking about safety of women, laws protecting women and educating women to protect themselves against the evils prevailing around them. This is a definitely good progress. People…

Last May, the common Bangalorean voted for a change in the hope that this would be a change for the better. Basic needs such as commutable roads and better civic amenities are turning into luxuries for people living in Bangalore. Even after four months, the new administration is unable to make any real progress. Nothing has changed. While we painfully negotiate and move from gutter to gutter, all the while suffering bumpy rides, life-size posters of political leaders smile at us, ridiculing our plight. Previously, the poster boys were all from the rank and file of the BJP. Now it’s…

When segregating the wet waste from the dry becomes a habit (to the extent that soiled boxes, plastic packets and tetra packs also are cleaned/ rinsed and dried before going into the dry bin), it becomes difficult to put all the waste into one dustbin, while visiting hotels and other homes. Often I’m tempted to carry my trash back to ensure it is handled appropriately. During a recent visit to Pune though, there was no such temptation. The friends we visited live in a large apartment complex called Camellia on the Baner-Pashan Link Road (about 300 apartments), and here segregation…

Were you among those who frequently complained during summer- “Oh! This is the hottest summer I have ever seen..”? True. Rain gods weren’t kind on the city last summer. The increased demand for water had shot up the water price in the market. Now it is a great relief that our water problem is gone. Rains have brought down the temperature and we, until the next summer, tend to forget all the inconveniences we had during the last summer. It is essential to wake up before the situation goes out of control again and a severe water crisis arises in…

I guess today every soul in the city is happy after the much-awaited rains; sitting by the window I quickly messaged my hubby to look at sky outside, the sounds of frequent thunders gave signs of hope. Suddenly a song came to my mind – ‘This town’ by Frank Sinatra. Songs have been written on different cities on the globe. As a dweller of the city, I also would love to have a song for the erstwhile ‘city of gardens.’ Instantly, I started juggling so many thoughts in my mind; not that I possess the expertise to compose a song…

Yelahanka Satellite Town was once a very peaceful little town. But the boom in the land prices due to the opening of the International Airport is turning this town into another messy metropolis centre.  Every other road is being converted into a commercial road and every vacant site is being filled with huge complexes at jet speed.  What is hurting is that the Karnataka Housing Board, which designed this beautiful township, themselves are causing this sudden spurt of construction activities.  A huge piece of land with nearly 70-80 trees is now being turned into a concrete structure of some commercial…

On the sidelines of a press conference of the Bangalore Bus Prayaanikara Vedike (commuters’ forum), a survivor of sexual harassment narrated her recent experience on the city’s Metro. She’d complained to the police, who hauled in the perpetrators – white collar employees of a prestigious global brand. She got them to the police station with some difficulty. A staff member of the Metro had resented having to help her by locating the CCTV tapes and so on. The now chastened young men pleaded with her, saying one of them had to head back to his job in the Middle East…

I was recently having a very interesting conversation on the differece between Native dogs and Aboriginal dogs. I felt this would be a nice post for the Desi-themed month. So, here it is. I was given to understand that Aboriginal dogs are different from Native dogs in that they are bred with no human interference. So our little Naaty that we have been discussing the last two blogs is an Aboriginal breed. This little Naaty of ours is gaining popularity by the day, not just in India but across the globe. But we have other native breeds as well, that…

Our beloved lake is now fully functional and teeming with vibrant flora and fauna. The lake is brimming with water thanks to bountiful rains and water flowing in from Kasavanahalli lake clean up work. BBMP's role in renovating and rejuvenating the lake is mostly complete except for a few jobs like building sewage diversion pipes, getting the toilets functional and finishing the security cabins. The lake is teeming with vibrant flora and fauna now, courtesy bountiful monsoon rains. Pic: Kaikondrahalli Lake Facebook page From now on, the task of maintaining the lake and its environs is entirely the community's responsibility…