CITIZEN JOURNALISM

In 2011, the United Nations launched the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) and urged all countries to organise programmes in the name of "UN Road Safety Week" from 6th-12th May. The theme selected for this year’s campaign is "pedestrian safety" with the aim of creating awareness around the world for the safety of youth on the road. It is dedicated to the memory of Zenani Mandela, the great granddaughter of Winnie Madzikela and Nelson Mandela who was killed in a road accident on 11th June 2010. This campaign aims to spread awareness on pedestrian rights and safety which…

"Affordable homes with Smart Spaces and Community living" -- so goes oft seen copy in real estate advertisements and marketing brochures. Pic courtesy: Wikimedia Commons, Amol Gaitonde. First, let us clear the misconception that affordable homes are related to the lower income group. The word affordability has been misused by many in residential real estate market today. Affordability in its true sense means what is affordable for people living in that locality and it is very contextual. A two crore 2 BHK in Lavelle road is affordable for people who are living in Lavelle road and the same two crore…

It is well known that cancer is one of the worst diseases in the world that takes away precious lives. It belongs to a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 100 different types of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected. Cancer mortality is mainly due to metastatic tumours, that grow from cells that have travelled from their original site to another part of the body. RELATEDMy mother’s second home Continuous improvements are taking place in the discovery of new drugs with the objective of curing or slowing…

A library is a place where a child learns on his/her own and grows. But most government run schools and other low income institutions in the country lack a library, thereby denying children an essential part of education. Pratham Books, a Bangalore based non-profit trust, that has been publishing low cost yet high quality story books for children in multiple Indian languages since 2004, hopes to make the magical world of a library a little more accessible to children. For this, it invites applications from NGOs interested in receiving a unique product called 'Library-in-a-classroom'. The 'Library-in-a-classroom' is a wall-mounted library…

Metro Phase-I has not completed, but the plans for Phase-II have already begun. File Pic. The new alignment near Jayadeva Hospital has caused panic among residents that many residential properties and commercial buildings on Bannerghatta Road would be demolished. Here are some thoughts on this. Why public consultation with residents, experts,users ,metro officials and elected representatives is not being held on pros and cons, alternative routes etc, like the public consultation held by Additional Chief Secretary regarding Signal-free corridor of Koramangala? The project was scrapped unanimously by all stakeholders on direction of the High Court, based on the PIL filed…

Disclaimer : Some autos are rented by the driver hence some of the logic explained below may not apply. However it is always the combination of these factors. These guidelines are for me and my type of folks, rest need to customize it or discard it. Obviously this isn't a scientific study and many are stereotypes created with my biases. But these are empirical observations which have worked for me. This is written with a need of self-preservation, of peace of mind and dignity and not to offend anyone. Finally this writing assumes the driver to be a male as…

It is said that Bangalore had more than 250 lakes and tanks. With the rapid expansion of the city, lakes have been disappearing at an alarming rate. However the story of Kaikondrahalli Kere is quite different. In the year 2009, Kaikondrahalli Kere situated on Sarjapur Road was practically dry and reduced to a swamp with some birdlife and a reasonable biodiversity. If it had been left as it was, it was just a matter of time before the lake died and all the bird life would have disappeared. In order to save the lake, a rejuvenation project was taken up…

Satish Reddy has a lot of unfinished jobs in his constituency, particular in HSR Layout. Lot of hopes are pinned on him that he will fulfill all his promises made during the campaign and work with total commitment and focus. He must-• Be extremely honest, transparent and fair in all his dealings with his electorate. • Work with full responsibility, be accountable to his constituency and ensure that development is uniform throughout his constituency. • Ensure that our corporator and the civic agencies work towards providing basic infrastructure in the Layout. • Ensure that corporators are open and transparent in…

The Greek word Oligarchy means 'Government of a few rich people for their own advantage'. It was coined by the philosopher Aristotle 2300 years ago (he also coined the word Democracy). An Oligarch is a very rich businessman or businesswoman with a great deal of political influence. For convenience, we'll shorten the word to Olly.Karnataka politics has traditionally been funded by various lobbies of Ollys like the liquor lobby, the mining lobby, real estate lobby, and the contractors' lobby (in urban bodies elections). When a politician needs money to fight an election, an Olly funds him, and the Olly in…

Amarjyothi layout, Domlur is supposed to be a very posh locality situated in one of the most busy parts of Bengaluru. There are over 500 sites spread almost equally on either side of the intermediate Ring Road from Indira Nagar to Koramangala south of the old Airport Road. Both the east and west wings of the layout are also neighbouring some of the most sought after landmarks in Bangalore. The east wing is surrounded by the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) and Royal Orchid hotel on one side and the Embassy Golf Links Business Park that houses some of the world's…