GENRE: Explainers

What is a Master Plan? Many of us complain that Chennai has grown ‘unplanned’. Technically that is not true. Chennai has been having various ‘plans’ guiding the expansion of the city since 1957. The First Master Plan for Chennai was published in 1975. Both the transport terminal and  wholesale market from Central Business District were shifted to the current CMBT and Koyambedu Market as a strategy to decongest the Central Business District then. So the master plan matters. The Second Master Plan was published in 2008 - this plan is a guiding document till 2026, another 8 years from now.…

World Environment Day is here, with the theme Beat Plastic Pollution for 2018. Why do we need to beat plastic pollution? What is plastic pollution? Why is it harmful? What do you know about plastic? Test your knowledge by answering this quiz! You have to say either Yes, or No. You'll score 1 mark for each right answer. 16-20 - Excellent 10-16 - Average 5-10 - Poor <5 - Fail Loading...

Come June 5 and all eyes across the world will be on India, the global host of World Environment Day, 2018. A country with a recycling economy predominantly driven by informal waste-pickers, India has imposed a complete ban on plastic in several states so far, setting the stage for this year’s theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution”. In March 2016, the erstwhile Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011 were replaced by the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC). This provides a regulatory framework for management of plastic waste by urban…

Citizen Matters in the past has explained how khata can be transferred without paying bribe. This post explains the experience of khata bifurcation/transfer done for a newly built apartment by a few of the residents, after following old examples. March 2017: We initially heard that Khata transfer can’t be done without paying bribe. Many of the fellow owners of the apartments were under the same impression. Initially around 15-18 owners got it done with the help of builder by paying huge amount of bribe. Their khata was done in 2 months only. We, the rest of the owners, thought we…

Fed up of viral WhatsApp posts regarding an eerie, deadly viral fever that spreads through fruits? Maybe. But don’t stop reading about it. Knowing is the first step to manage the virus and the disease it brings. This virus has the strange name of ‘Nipah’, quite a nippy character that is getting into all the open fruits and vegetables you are supposed to consume to keep yourself healthy. Why is Nipah in news now? Nipah hit the headlines because of recent deaths in Kerala, due to brain fever caused by this virus. Also called Henipavirus in the medical world, NiV…

Amid incessant protests by the fishermen community against the draft Tamil Nadu Coastal Zone Management Plan (TNCZMP), the state government had organised a public hearing a month ago.  The hearing, which was organised at Chennai Port during the last week of April was nothing but a waste of taxpayers' money, say environmentalists.  What is CZMP The Government of India has issued a direction to all the coastal states and union territories to prepare a plan for protection of zones with rich marine biodiversity, from developmental activities. The plan should be drafted, based on the rules prescribed in the Coastal Regulatory…

26 constituencies in Bengaluru went to poll on May 12th, and here are the winners. First, some data on the trends: There are no women.Kelachandra Joseph George, 68, from Sarvagnanagar is the oldest MLA.Zameer Ahmed Khan, 51, an 8th pass and six other candidates who have mentioned schooling in their education qualification have an average net asset of 80 crores. Five other MLA's (Shivanna B, Ravi Subramanya LA, Krishna Byre Gowda, Dinesh Gundu Rao and N A Harris) with post graduate degrees have an average net worth of 43 crores. The average net assets of all the 26 MLAs is 53 crore, and the…

Incumbent MLA Profile Aravinda Bellad, first term MLA,  BE mechanical, PGDM, represents the Hubli - Dharawad WEST constituency from BJP. http://www.kla.kar.nic.in/assembly/member/14thWhoSwho/46.pdf http://arvindbellad.com In the news Jul 06, 2015:  ತಮ್ಮ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಜನರ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಗಳನ್ನು ನೇರವಾಗಿ ಆಲಿಸಲು ಮತ್ತು ಪರಿಹಾರ ಒದಗಿಸಲು ಅನುಕೂಲ ಆಗುವಂತೆ ಶಾಸಕ ಅರವಿಂದ ಬೆಲ್ಲದ ಅವರು ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಅಪ್ಲಿಕೇಶನ್ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. 'ನಮ್ಮ ಬೆಲ್ಲದ' ಹೆಸರಿನ ಅಪ್ಲಿಕೇಷನ್‌ಗೆ ಭಾನುವಾರ ಚಾಲನೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದೆ. Aug 21, 2015 : Vice-president of Akhila Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha Gururaj Hunasimarad has alleged that Hubli-Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad was trying to create hurdles in implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project between Hubli and Dharwad for selfish motives. Mar 29, 2016: In…

Incumbent MLA Profile: Prasad Abbayya, first term MLA,  he has passed PUC 2nd year, represents the Hubli - Dharawad East constituency from Congress. http://www.kla.kar.nic.in/assembly/member/14thWhoSwho/43.pdf Abbayya Prasad in the news June 19, 2015 : ಈ ಮೊತ್ತ ಫಲಾನುಭವಿಗಳಿಗೆ ‘ಭಾರ’ ಆಗಬಹುದು ಎಂಬ ಕಾರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಶಾಸಕ (ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿ– ಧಾರವಾಡ ಪೂರ್ವ ವಿಧಾನಸಭಾ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ) ಪ್ರಸಾದ್‌ ಅಬಯ್ಯ ಅವರು ಅಂದಾಜು ವೆಚ್ಚವನ್ನು ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಕಡಿಮೆಗೊಳಿಸುವ ನಿಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿ­ಗಳ ಜೊತೆ ಮಾತುಕತೆ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳ ಜೊತೆ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಿದ ಬಳಿಕ ಈ ಮೊತ್ತವನ್ನು ₨ 3.20 ಲಕ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ­ಗೊಳಿಸಿ ನಿಗದಿಪಡಿಸಲು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿ­ಸಲಾ­ಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಪಾಲಿಕೆಯ ಆಶ್ರಯ­ಯೋಜನೆ ವಿಭಾಗದ ಸಿಬ್ಬಂದಿ ತಿಳಿಸಿದರು. Aug 21, 2015 : Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday in the wake of a report about his role the cricket betting…

Incumbent MLA: Jagadish Shettar https://www.karnataka.com/personalities/jagadish-shettar/ http://www.thehindu.com/elections/karnataka-2018/bjp-will-sweep-bombay-karnataka/article23702121.ece Candidates Jagadish Shettar     BJP Education: Graduate Professional     Age:62 Assets: 12 Crore+ Liabilities: 2 Crore+ Mahesh Nalwad    INC Post Graduate     54    9 Crore+ 2 Crore+ Mallikarjun Koravi     JD(S) Graduate     49     6 Crore+ 61 Lacs+ Full list of candidates [embeddoc url="http://data.opencity.in/Documents/Recent/Karnataka-Assembly-Elections-2018-Candidates-AC-73.pdf" width="100%"  download="all"] Previous Results 2013 Candidate Sex Party Votes Age 1 JAGADISH SHETTAR M BJP 58201 57 2 DR. MAHESH NALWAD M INC 40447 49 3 SHAMS TABREZ SAMSI M JD(S) 7898 51   2008 Candidate Sex Party Votes Age 1 JAGADISH SHETTAR M BJP 58747 52 2 MUNAVALLI…