CITIZEN JOURNALISM

CIVIC, an NGO working for participative democracy, in conjunction with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), conducted a pilot study on slum and urban homelessness in Bengaluru and an event was organized at Institute of Agricultural Technologists, Queens Cross Road on 28th February, 2009 to release the report and highlight some of the findings. BBMP had commissioned the study to understand the effectiveness of the services they provide to urban poor in the city. The study itself was conducted over two months in 19 habitations, through Focus Group Discussions and the use of secondary data. Some of the findings highlighted at…

Here is a spreadsheet for calculating tax payable for self occupied/tenanted apartments that gives you step by step calculation for entry in the appropriate columns in the application form once you fill up the basic data needed. Click here to download the MS Excel spreadsheet tool with calculations for property tax for 2008-2009 for apartments. Note: It has two tabs …one for self occupied and the other for tenant occupied. Rows 11 to 16 (highlighted in yellow) are for data entries. Insert appropriate values in column B. Refer to hand book, area help center or website to find out the…

The garbage truck that visits the 5 blocks of JP Nagar’s Brigade Millennium community every morning usually leaves overflowing, and often with things that could be reused or recycled. Mayflower Block, 15 floors high, with about 220 families is a major contributor to this. Some of us were already aware of ITC's (paperboards) efforts at garbage segregation in Yelahanka, where their team goes door-to-door regularly to buy recyclable/reusable garbage. Taking a cue from that, and with the end objective of reducing the quantity of garbage that travels several kilometers to the landfill, the ‘Blue Drum Campaign’ was launched by the…

All our politicians in the state are now busy mustering POWER to rule us, with promises. On the contrary, there is untimely load shedding ( especially in the evenings between 6 PM to 11 PM and early mornings 5 AM to 7 AM).This has caused problems to exam going children. They have to revise the syllabus of the entire year. Although, the government provides mid-day meals,free books and other facilities, the students cannot revise in the last few hours before the exam. What would be the impact on the psychology of the children? We hope our government and energy department…

Our ring roads have been functioning for quite a while. Why can't the service roads be made motorable too. A few places where it can be used is in a bad shape. I think our city fathers and authorities should ride these roads and see the inconvenience it causes to the public. The city buses are the terrorists of our city - why do the police not check them and book them for the offences which happen right in front of them. Are they scared of the bus drivers? Unless these public bus drivers follow the traffic rules, the chaos…

The BBMP has recently decided and communicated its method and metrics for property tax collection from Bangaloreans. The reclassification of tax zones has led to an increase of at least 33 per cent for all properties whose zonal classification has changed. And the new tax policy keeps revising once every 3 years, with a mandatory 15 per cent increase. The Citizens Action Forum of Bangalore is taking objection to the new scheme.BackgroundProperty Tax has been bothering the citizens of Bengaluru for more than a year now. And even after a year the confusion has not lessened. Probably what has changed…

Just as I rued missing a January evening of South and West Asian folk music, thanks to my inertia, I was delighted to hear of the Kabir Festival, from 23rd February to 1st March, at various venues across Bengaluru. It promised to be a week of films, music and enjoyment. And so it was... A photo of Shabnam Virmani and her friends during a spontaneous singing session at the festival (Pic: T.B. Dinesh) An exciting and enchanting journey that began with the thought provoking and soulful 'Kabir ke dohe' (Kabir’s couplets), the festival offered an opportunity to interact with Shabnam…

'Anti Terror Awareness to Students, Bangalore' witnessed a huge rally by the ruling government for the above subject and the life of the common man was put to inconvenience to a certain extent. Is it the correct way of spreading the subject matter? At whose cost is this being done? Are we paying the taxes for the government to spend lavishly on such unwanted issues? Will this put a barricade to the terrorists? Will this create a fear amongst the terrorists? Will the terrorists omit Bangalore OR Karnataka from their attack lists? Don't you all agree, that the correct way…

Here below is the simple, safe and sure declaration of paying property tax.1. Purchase an application at the area Revenue office, priced at Rs.5/- one each for different properties (In case of more properties - one for each corporation number)2. Purchase one Hand Book priced at Rs.20/-3. Demand an Appendix to hand book (Zone Classifications) of your area.4. Go through the same calmly and understand the columns.5. Measure your property in British system (Feet / Inches) - Note down the dimensions.6. Differentiate the area as per year of construction, if constructed at different periods.7. Differentiate the area as per the…

All footpath slabs uprooted. Sewage water over flowing on the road. Dozens of school children and IT employees have to wait beside this health and acident trap every morning. This is NH209! There is a tussle between the BBMP and the Highways department ever since the Kanakapura road has scaled up as NH209.My photograph of the problematic area was published in the Times of India on 18th December, 2008, followed by a mail to the chief minister, the commissioner of BBMP and the Director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Delhi. If you would like to volunteer to…