CITIZEN JOURNALISM

There is no area in Bangalore today where rainwater directly seeps into the ground except a few parks like Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. Almost all roads are cemented or tarred.  Natural lakes and ponds have become foundations for huge residential apartments and commercial complexes. Rain harvesting pit in JayanagarBBMP has miserably failed in managing rainwater. The idea of having a 12 feet deep pits reinforced with concrete rings in storm water drains is good but is shabbily executed in Jayanagar.BBMP officials should have ensured that the rainwater enters the drain and reaches the rainwater harvesting pit.  If this exercise was…

The pipelining work which started in the month of February is finally complete, but now we are deprived of good roads, why are we at the receiving end? why is the concerned authority not doing anything about the dug up roads?I have contacted Bangalore Traffic Police on their FB page - Bangalore Traffic PoliceThey suggested that I contact BBMP control room 080-22660000.I contacted BBMP control room and got the complaint filed. Later I learnt that the issue does not come under Koramangala ward and I was asked to contact Ejipura ward. The concerned authority explained to me that the pipeline…

We, Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative (MSI), a resident's welfare association, have been short listed for Green Star awards. Finally we are being recognized for the work that MSI has done in the field of waste management. The award is being given by TCS during their 10 k run.The award will be partially based on the number of votes that the association gets. Please click on this link for voting:  Green Star awards. The voting closes on May 27, Sunday.For more information on MSI, visit: We Care For Malleswaram .⊕

BBMP has listed control room numbers for disaster management on its official website. Unfortunately these lines either do not work or there is no response. I had lodged a complaint (Complaint no: 197) with BBMP (South Office) on May 11 for clearing the branch of the tree that had fallen due to heavy rain, which was promptly cleared within couple of hours.It has been more than 10 days and the branches cut are thrown across my compound facilitating to make it a dump yard. Irony is that BBMP Porakarmikas who clean the road, dump all the debris in the same…

BBMP unlike BDA is not a development authority, it can be termed as a maintenance authority and provides services, hence it should focus on -Capacity building - Administrative restructuring of BBMP - Roles and responsibilities of departments/officers  to be defined.Computerisation of all BBMP offices, establishment of  citizen help centers in each ward.Adequate and skilled professionals should be hired as required in BBMP.Services of Private consultants/professionals /outsourcing can be utilised as required on a contract basis instead of utilizing engineers from the public works department.Involve registered Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) and civic organizations to monitor projects of the ward and conduct…

Drive across the roads of Bangalore today and see mounds of filth, mud, plastic and stones removed from across the city’s drains and just left in heaps along the drains. It happens day in and day out. Men are hired to manually scavenge and clean the drains which get blocked through the year with dirt and debris either deliberately thrown in by the surrounding houses or swept into them by the sweepers, keeping the area clean. Instead of immediately sending in trucks to cart away the dirt, the mounds are left alongside, to slide right back, from where they initially…

Shut since 2004 with a pledge by the then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike that a refurbished theatre with state-of-the-art facilities in place would be re-opened, the theatre today lies decrepit.During the visit of then Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa  to the damaged site, revival of the theatre in 36 months was promised, but unfortunately the situation remains unchanged and is causing a huge loss to the state exchequer.  The project has been handed over to BDA by BBMP. Concerned authorities must look into the matter at the earliest and accelerate the reconstruction.⊕

On days such as these, when it rained through the night, our cab driver takes a alternative route. A route which traverses through the many hamlets of Bellandur and Doddanekundi villages. This route does not ensure a faster and quicker access to Marathahalli but atleast we get to escape the traffic jam at ORR signals. It really seems like a never ending journey sometimes. So while he drives through lanes and by-lanes for a good 30 minutes, we get to see the real Bangalore that resides behind the glitz and glamor of the shiny software parks. File pic: Vivek M.…

As I wait for the Chennai bound Kaveri Express at Bangalore City station on Platform-5, a train enters Platform 6 at 11:15 pm which is announced as Bangarpet-Bangalore Express. A closer look at it reveals it is only an Express for namesake as it looks more like a passenger train.This Express train leaves Bangarpet at 9:20 PM and crosses through the IT sector stations of Bangalore, the Whitefield and Krishnarajapuram and reaches Bangalore city junction at 11:20 pm.Normally after 10 pm, the bus frequency reduces and people on their way back home from office may be too tired to ride…

An illegal and unauthorised construction of a temple in a civic amenities (CA) site in JP Nagar has started.The CA site is located between 30th A Main Road and 17th A cross road. The Supreme Court mandates that no temple construction should be allowed on a CA site and this is a clear violation of Supreme Court rule.This has been brought to the notice of  MLA B Vijaya Kumar and the Joint Commissioner (South), BBMP Hemachandra. They have promised to look into the matter at the earliest. A glimpse at CA site in JP Nagar where the temple construction has…