EDITORS' PICK

It was a day filled with obvious contrasts  - the kind that would ideally help make right decisions about the nightmare that we know as urban transport in Bangalore. The question of mass transit versus private vehicles was never answered more effectively for me. On Friday, the last day of August, I was slated to cover the Rail Yatra that was being organised by Citizens For Bengaluru, to reiterate their demand for a suburban rail service for the city. The 3 pm train was to start from Yeshvanthpur and reach Heelalige, a picturesque little station (reminiscent of R K Narayan’s Malgudi…

Chennai is eyeing significant strides in the coming months in solid waste management and implementation of environmental initiatives such as the plastic ban. Much of the possible success of these efforts hinges on the willingness and commitment of residents to comply with regulations and in some cases, their ability to go beyond the mandate to do their bit. To commend community initiatives of this nature, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has instituted a Green Award for recognized Resident Welfare Associations (RWA). A spokesperson of the PCB said that the initiative seeks to encourage residents to take part in environment-friendly efforts and…

Even as Bengaluru's waste generation has grown by 1,750% in 15 years, collection and management of the same have not kept pace. Meanwhile, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is planning a repeat of last year's trip to Singapore for many of its pourakarmikas in a few months, says Hari Shilpa, Assistant Commissioner of Administration, BBMP. They have issued notices to zonal level officers to send lists of potential candidates for the trip. Like last year, the four-day programme would probably include comprehensive sessions on safety gadgets and equipment, environment, beautification, the 50-year history of Singapore, water conservation, reuse and processing, collection…

A tiny kiosk on the congested DF Road in Mogappair bustles with customers on any week day. R Dakshinamurthy, the owner of the kiosk stall wears a smiling face, as he infuses tea leaves in the aluminum container and lets it brew for a few minutes. His happy face turns anxious whenever a police official walks towards the stall or passes by. Dakshinamurthy is an unauthorized vendor, who has been running the kiosk since three years ago, braving the constant threat of extortion from police and opposition from civil society. He is among the 27,050 vendors waiting for biometric cards…

On August 7th this year, transport workers waged a nation-wide strike in protest against the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was passed by the Lok Sabha and is awaiting passage in the Rajya Sabha. The stir saw support from two state transport corporations of Kerala and Haryana as well as unions across party lines through the country. While the proposed law has largely been welcomed by experts as one that will bring about greater focus on road safety, several proposed changes to the existing Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 do not seem to have gone down well with the opposition parties and transport workers.…

Growing up in Bengaluru is no guarantee that you know the city. Though I have spent all my life here, there are parts of it which are still unfamiliar, and once in a while, I get to experience a facet of the city that I had not seen before. The #ModaluTrainBeku Rail Yatra, organised by Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) on August 31st 2018, allowed me a glimpse into Bengaluru’s local train network. The Yatra, from Yeshwanthpur station to Heelalige station, was organised as part of ongoing campaigns to introduce commuter trains for local commutes. On August 31st, I joined the…

Bengaluru’s water story is full of paradoxes. After all, this is a city where even a lake catches fire. A few hours of rain can wreak havoc on the city. However, come summer, the city faces acute water shortage. It’s not even Bengaluru alone. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Census 2011 numbers indicate that Delhi meets the water requirement of 82% of its households (population: 17 million). However, the same census numbers show that only 51% of slum-households in Delhi have access to water within their premises. The average level of ground water exploitation in Delhi is 137%,…

உறுப்பு தானத்தில் முன்னோடியாக திகழ்கிறது நம் தமிழ்நாடு. இங்கு தான் அதிகமாக உறுப்பு தானம் செய்பவர்கள் உள்ளனர். மருத்துவமனைகள், தன்னார்வ தொண்டு நிறுவனங்களின் கூட்டு முயற்சி மற்றும் மக்களின் விருப்பம் ஆகியவை இதற்கு காரணிகளாக இருக்கலாம். இருப்பினும் நம்மில் பலருக்கு உறுப்பு தானம் பற்றிய பல விஷயங்கள் தெரியாமல் தான் உள்ளது. இதுவே உறுப்பு தானத்திற்காக காத்திருக்க வேண்டிய அவகாசத்தை அதிகரிக்க செய்கிறது. ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் உறுப்பு கிடைக்காததால் கிட்டதிட்ட ஐந்து லட்சம் பேர் இறந்து போவதாக என்டிடிவி-ஃபார்டிஸ் மோர் டூ கிவ் விழிப்புணர்வு பிரச்சாரம் கூறுகிறது. பல்வேறு தவறான புரிதல் காரணமாக உறுப்பு தானம் செய்வதில் மக்களுக்கு தயக்கம் இருப்பதையே இந்த பிரச்சாரம் உணர்த்துகிறது. மருத்துவர்கள் மற்றும் சுகாதார ஆர்வலர்களுடன் உரையாடியதிலிருந்து உறுப்பு தானம் குறித்த விளக்கமும், அது குறித்து பல சந்தேகங்களையும் இங்கே தெளிவு படுத்தியுள்ளோம். மேலும் ஏன் உறுப்பு தானம் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற முக்கிய கேள்விக்கான…

Did you know that the state has a wide range of welfare schemes for all students, including those studying in private schools? The state department has allocated Rs 2,717.34 for the Transport Department, of which  Rs.799.25 crore is spent on subsidy for free bus passes to students and senior citizens. Bus passes can be availed to travel from a student's residence to school and back on all days of the month. Students with passes are permitted to travel in all ordinary, express and deluxe services. Here is an overview of such schemes available. Special Concession for Students To encourage school going…

A whiff of fresh air greets visitors at Kasimedu beach. The relaxing sound of the waves hitting the groynes does a good job of soothing stressed or anxious minds. Even as early as 5 am, the wharf at the Kasimedu harbour bustles with activity: visitors (yes, there are visitors at that hour, trying out fishing ropes) try and snag a fish, youngsters click a round of selfies and men and women take a stroll. A few yards from the wharf is the market, where you can hear the shrill voices of fisherwomen tempting customers with a description of the fish varieties…