CITIZEN JOURNALISM

It was a huge argument allowed to run riot, while the ban over smoking in the public place was coming towards its implementation date, 2nd October, 2008. We could read and hear a lot spoken about it; all sorts of arguments supporting and disregarding it.It’s more than a week since the imposing of the ban and all the 'chimneys' have been relocated from office balconies, roof-tops, walking areas around the building and parking lots; to the roadsides, middle and not so middle of the road.I was surprised to notice that while the ban imposed would mean a lot of discomfort…

What happens if you don’t see light at the end of the tunnel? You don’t see the tunnel; you only see darkness. You reach around only to clutch at thin air. You seek help and you only see smiling faces that don’t really listen, friendly eyes that don’t really see. You see people around you who seem to be concerned, but don’t know how deep your anguish is; and the deeper you go, the lonelier you feel. You don’t know which way to head; you don’t know if the next step forward, is forward. You’re hopelessly lost, with no hope,…

While we saw a reasonable response in supporting the Bihar flood relief (in terms of cloths and money), there has been far less effort to reach out to the flood-affected in Orissa. Bihar was, by most accounts, the bigger of the two disasters, but Orissa is not far behind. According to a report from our volunteers in Orissa, nearly 5000 villages and over 30 lakh people have been affected by the flooding in the Mahanadi river and its tributaries.Some of us are collecting (used) clothes and funds to this end. All kinds of garments, including woolen, are useful (Western dresses…

A free reading room and information center, to be maintained by Jayanagar 5th Block Residents' Welfare Association was inaugurated on October 9th, by Jayanagar MLA, B N Vijaya Kumar.The program was attended by former corporators, C K Rama Murthy, B Somasheakar, S K Nataraj, and many residents of Jayanagar 5th block and other citizens. Jayanagar 5th Block Residents Welfare Association119. 7th Main.5th Block Jayanagar,Bangalore -41  Tel-265544155The proposed center will provide information on civic and utility services to residents and also would be equipped with books, newspapers and periodicals. The association would also conduct interactive meetings with officials/elected representatives and conduct…

If you have driven at night in Bangalore, you know what a pain it is. Even if you don't drive in Bangalore, you will know how much night traffic hurts. Your eyes that is.In good old Bharat, we had half blackened headlights. Because a high-beam was painful and it was deemed best to cover the top half of the light in black paint so that everyone's eyes were spared.But for whatever reason (if any of you know, please write in!) the half covered lights have gone! And what we are left with is a city, full of people driving around…

Last week, the Election Commission announced that producing voter identity card is mandatory in all future elections. I talked to a revenue officer from BTM layout. He confirmed it would be mandatory to have photo identity card from next election onwards. Revenue offices in the respective areas have setup facility to get the photo identity cards. This is where one needs to get the cards. List of assembly constituencies and ward numbers are given in: http://www.bangalorevoterid.org/pdf/Delimited%20constituencies.pdfRevenue offices details are available in: http://www.bangalorevoterid.org/pdf/BMP-RV-E-AUG03-P-401.pdf.pdf In the past few elections, one could show any valid identity proof at the polling booth, as long…

Have you ever felt like bashing that driver who is incessantly honking behind you even though there is practically no space for your vehicle to move an inch? Have you ever wanted to have a remote that could mute the honkers of all the vehicles around you when stuck in traffic? Do you leave home during peak traffic hours and arrive at office irritated and mad because of all that infernal noise on the way? Do you feel like smashing those loudspeakers which have been blaring incessantly into the night? If yes, read on.Among pollution concerns of air, water, land,…

I live in one of the bylanes of Indiranagar. You know the one, the reality behind the facade of the pretty houses and trees. The place where most of the domestic help that works in the pretty houses lives. I quite enjoy it, everything is really 5 minutes away. Your local butcher, local greengrocer, local general store, local stationery walah, local phone recharge, local fishmonger. Also every political wannabe, political sycophant, political aspirant. These people who wouldn't dare to raise their little sheds with their blaring loudspeakers on the main road will do it in the bylanes. They have no…

There was a time, not so long ago, when I enjoyed driving in Bangalore (as it was then). The run from J.P. Nagar to Century Club in Cubbon Park was a breeze.No more. Things have changed – as they will. The human population has exploded; the vehicle population has increased even faster. Fuel prices have gone through the roof. Roads are proving inadequate and increasingly unusable. There is mounting recognition that the citizen should use public transport more and more. The Administration is undoubtedly doing its bit – except that it is falling woefully short of needs. The ancient ubiquitous…

From time to time newspapers report that an effort is to be made to improve footpaths (sidewalks, pavements) to benefit pedestrian movement. In 2005 and 2006 such statements came from the office of the Commissioner, BMP. In 2007 the Deccan Herald reported that the Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Security) had announced work on, ‘a policy dedicated to construction and maintenance of footpaths’. There is hardly any evidence on the ground of results from either initiative.Footpath access blocked by Police (Pic: S.G.Narayanamurthy)16th Cross kerb 2007 (Pic: S.G.Narayanamurthy)Bank van customers block Footpath (Pic: S.G.Narayanamurthy)Car equipping work on Footpath (Pic: S.G.Narayanamurthy)Cars…