CITIZEN JOURNALISM

A few weeks ago, on a Monday morning, while I was  trying to drive away the blues, I saw a few people standing and staring at the railway track near our house. Not another one, I hoped. But when I saw people in the crowd discussing something animatedly and calling up people  from their mobile phones, I could sense uneasiness. Someone who was crossing the railway track earlier that morning or the previous night was critically or fatally injured. I was pained to learn later that evening that the victim  succumbed to his injuries. He had been hit by a…

H-O-N-K...It's still ringing in my head, keeping me awake and goaded; it was all I could hear (especially today) while travelling to work in the evening...It was TRAFFIC and TRAFFIC all the way from home till Whitefield. Now when you are in a jam or in a signal and every "INCH" is covered with vehicles, why is it a few brainless uncivilised people HONK? Can't you see, the vehicle in front of you can't even move an inch?? Grrrr...More...There was a speed breaker in front of us, a two wheeler rider moved slowly, when my intolerant driver starts honking (not…

This morning, Bengaluru put on its running shoes to sprint up to 10 kilometres. There is all the fanfare and hooplah surrounding the 10 kilometre Sunfeast run, most often mistaken for a marathon (a marathon’s distance is about 42.2 kilometres). Runners at the Kanteerava stadium (pic: Naveen Ningaiah) With such hype, one often wonders what goes into organizing and preparing for a mammoth event such as this. Rumors have begun to do rounds - the celebrities who have pledged to raise funds are failing and backing out. People are highly likely to continue with some ever-so-often-heard rants – “The traffic…

"The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing." - Natalie Kocsis The Revised Master Plan 2015 of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) designates playgrounds as, ‘premises used for outdoor games’. Bangalore has many such grounds which are managed by the city’s municipal corporation – Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). These grounds have unrestricted access; open play areas with some play equipment and courts, where multiple groups of youngsters are involved in various sporting activities - cricket, football, basketball and some unique hybrid sports. The Akkithimmanahalli playground before the encroachments in June 2008 (pic Rohan D'Souza) These playgrounds…

It is common for any institution to give away their “best worker” awards. However, most of us think that a common man do not have much to do with it.But Jnanajyothi, the Senior Citizens Forum of Banashankari II Stage, has, from the last 3 years been celebrating May Day in a slightly different manner. On this occasion, they honour one person each from the various civic amenity service providers who have been serving the residents of Banashankari II Stage. According to M R Rangaswamy, President, Jnanajyothi, “Normally, it is the workers at the grass root level who are the first…

On the afternoon of Sunday, 2nd May, a group of citizens came together at a dance auditorium at Jayanagar to discuss one of the city's burning issues: the “Namma Metro” project. Organised by Hasiru Usiru, the discussion  focussed on social, economic and environmental impacts of the construction of the Metro in Jayanagar. The four hour long discussion also included a critique of the current plan, alternative designs, as well as legal issues surrounding the controversial project.  The participants said that they have very little knowledge about the plans of the Metro. While some appreciated the introduction of the Metro in…

What would it be like to witness a bunch of people from all walks of life discussing and debating passionately on matters that matter? This was what happened at the lush green campus of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru on 9th May, when around 170 people from over 60 different organisations got together for the 'Unconference' on Green and Sustainability. (Unconferences as opposed to regular conferences, are organized, structured and led by the people attending it.) People from start up companies, large firms, educational institutions, governmental bodies and freelancers held a collective brain storming at a full day…

‘An early morning run at Lalbagh. Yippee!' That was my spouse displaying objectionable amounts of enthusiasm at a time one should still be curled up in bed. Propping my bleary eyes open with my fingertips, I cautiously allowed the daylight in. Only to find there wasn't really much of it out there yet. Would have dropped off again, but could't go back to sleep. Reluctantly popping out of bed, I proceeded to soothe my jangled nerves with a refreshing cup of tea.The milk delivery was more than an hour away. No second cup of tea till then. The newspapers were…

We, the members of Apartments Owners Association of Aradhana Apartments in ST Bed Layout, Koramangala are concerned regarding developments leading to an unauthorized construction of a planned new road side temple structure alongside our apartment. The planned location for the unauthorized temple structure (pic courtsey: SV Krishnan) The construction is being planned by a group of people and the implications if this is allowed are:1.    The road is connecting the 80 feet road and the ring road through ST Bed Layout. Any structure which would result in attracting people would result in traffic congestion through these narrow roads.2.    There are…

My family and I always squabble when it comes to deciding where the weekend is to be spent. In a family of four, each person wants to go to four different places and no one ever agrees. That's why this weekend I have announced that only “My Will Be Done” -- it's Mother's Day after all, I deserve a break. In an attmept at keeping the family peace, however, I've decided to lunch at Kaati Zone this Sunday. I absolutely love their rolls -- they make for such a healthy meal and taste delicious! It's one place everyone agrees on.…