EDITORS' PICK

Over the last three decades, the lakes in Bengaluru have been ruined. Several reports list the causes and remedies, and orders were issued by the Karnataka High Court, Lokayukta Court and National Green Tribunal. But no significant action was ever taken, and the situation has only worsened. On 22nd January, citizen groups in Bellandur catchment area met Bengaluru In-charge Minister K J George, to press for time-bound and fast-track implementation of the Expert Committee Report. This was the first round, and does not address all action-points identified in the Expert Committee Report: The remaining points will be taken up in…

For RMP 2031, a group working on heritage, Heritage Beku, with over 80 members, set up by Priya Chetty Rajgopal, has worked over three weeks to come up with a suggestions / objections document that was sent to the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA). Besides response to the BDA's RMP suggestions on heritage, the document also has objections, institutionalising heritage, concerns of urban planners, suggestions from experts etc. Do read the document for details. [embeddoc url="https://citizenmatters.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RMP-2031_heritage-suggestions.pdf" download="all"]

On a humid Sunday afternoon, the lanes of Anakaputhur, an interior suburb of Pallavaram, wear a dim look, with barely any shops open or civilians on the road. But, as one enters Shanmuga Mudaliar Street near the Murugan temple, lively squeaks from the handloom units speak for the glory of this weavers’ town. The squeaks date back to over half-a-century ago, when the erstwhile village started developing as a handicraft centre, exporting the famous ‘Madras Real Handkerchief’ to Nigeria. An eight yard garment, Madras Real Handkerchief was worn by men and women in the African country, until it was stopped…

The decline of Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services over the years does not usually come to the fore unless there are untoward incidents such as the recent Chennai Silks fire.  But whether it is obvious or not, the deterioration in the department coupled with the general lack of fire safety awareness and preparedness in the city has meant that personnel are often incapacitated to save as many lives as could be saved. While the department boasts of having added high end engines including gigantic Bronto Sky lifts, there are too many constraints and demotivators for the personnel. Narrow roads…

In the second week of January, amidst heavy security provided by the local police and the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), Forest Department officials -- along with the Dakshina Kannada district authorities and personnel from Mangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (MESCOM) -- began uprooting and chopped nearly 202 trees at Alake village in Padil in Mangalore city in Karnataka. The 10.09-acre area formerly under Karnataka State Forest Industries Corporation (KSFIC) at Padil - is located on National Highway 75. In 2014, the state government transferred 5.89 acres to the Revenue Department. The Alake area with survey No. 23/6A1B2, 23/4B, 23/12B,…

Two weeks after Sanjay Giri (19) died trying to cross Bellandur-ORR opposite Akme Harmony Apartments, and one week after the citizens around Bellandur’s mass protest, it seems like a ‘Sanjay Skywalk’, as residents are calling the proposed footbridge, will see the light of day. P C Mohan, Member of Parliament for Bangalore Central, called for a meeting on Saturday for a spot survey by Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd to give the green signal for a speedy skywalk construction, heeding to a demand by the residents. At the meeting all the stakeholders in the proposed skywalk were in attendance, including…

A judicial verdict on an altercation between two citizens four years ago is really not a headline material or even a case study for legal students. Four years; five hearings and finally a judgment that levied a fine of Rs 1,500 hardly sounds like a thriller. But the matter of Sneha Nandihal versus Gopi actually serves as an important lesson for all those working in the space of citizen civic activism and more importantly doing it as a woman. Sneha, who is the president of the B M Kaval Resident Welfare Association in Indiranagar, is no stranger to aggressive characters…

What started as a happy celebration ended in a terrible tragedy at ‘1 above’ restaurant located in the reputed Kamala Mills Complex, Mumbai on December 29, 2017. The fire that broke out at the resto-bar claimed the lives of 14 people and left several others injured. Since then, a spate of other fire accidents have been reported from Mumbai and cities across India, highlighting more often than not the alarming and abysmal state of fire safety preparedness in our cities. Fire accidents can happen anytime, anywhere. It was not too long ago that Chennaites witnessed the seven-storeyed building of The…

Chennai airport has been in the news for quite some time now. For those of us who regularly come through its portals, some of the news sounds almost comic. One of the articles in the dailies says Chennai airport is soon going to see Phase II of expansion, after which it will be like Singapore's Changi airport. Another said that there will be a tunnel to connect the passenger and cargo terminals that are proposed in Phase II.  The third report said that the airport is attempting a 10-day trial of operating the cross runway in order to increase the…

An open letter to Ananth Kumar, MP, Bengaluru South Dear Sir, Subject – Suburban Rail Service for Bengaluru I really do not know how to react to the recent press briefing (January 18, 2018) from Railway Minister Shri. Piyush Goyal with yet another announcement on ‘Suburban Rail Service’ for Bengaluru. I am appalled at your endorsement of such announcement with lofty ideas like ‘elevated tracks’, increased FAR etc. Is this announcement any better or unique from previous ones that have been made from time to time? Do you really believe that by this announcement Bengaluru City will be blessed with…