GENRE: Explainers

Bengaluru has trees that flower through the year. Many a time one wonders how they can be a part of that whole system. How easy is it to plant trees and watch it grow? What are the requirements from departments involved? How are plant species selected? How did other citizens and groups go about tree planting? Tree planting is a big step that needs planning and dedication, the Tree Planting Guide simplifies the process and you could add to one of the city’s trees. How do we begin tree planting? Planning is an integral part of tree planting, though the…

  Alright. We all know lakes are vanishing fast in Bengaluru. Many groups are fighting to save some lakes. However the mission hits the dead end when complaints to stop the encroachment yield no results. We also have heard about a District Lake Committee which is supposed to protect lakes. However, we don’t see this committee active. So what’s wrong? What is this committee supposed to do? In December 2013, the Karnataka High Court passed a revolutionary judgment in response to a PIL filed by Environment Support Group (ESG), directing the State Government to set up Lake Protection Committees to…

What do you do when you see a garbage dump near your home or slabs misplaced from the footpath drains, and don’t see any civic agency going anything to solve the problem? Just go out and do it yourself! This is the motto behind a Bangalorean movement called The Ugly Indian. Citizens inspired by The Ugly Indian movement working to fix a drain. Pic: The Ugly Indian The Ugly Indian is an apolitical, anonymous group of citizens who feel strongly about the visible filth in Indian cities. The movement, aimed at solving problems at public spaces with direct action and…

The primary reason for the stench generated by the KCDC like units, I feel, is simply because they are trying to handle more than the unit is designed to handle. Every unit has an optimal capacity that it can handle. But either due to bad planning or prestige issues one tries to go over the capacity and then the whole system eventually comes to a grinding halt. It will not even be able to handle what it was capable of. The second (and important) reason for the stench is because so much plastic is mixed up in the wet waste.…

Looking to move into a new house in Bengaluru? Then you need to apply for an electricity connection with BESCOM. This guide will take you through the steps that you need to follow to get a domestic LT connection (applicable for less than 25 KW or less than 500 square metres of built-up area). BESCOM or the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company is in charge of distribution of power to the districts of Bangalore Urban/Rural, Kolar, Tumkur, Ramanagar, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga and Davanagere. So if you have moved into a new house in any of these areas or you are shifting house, you…

Salt is the most underrated ingredient, but by far the most important when you think of food. Important enough to be worshipped by the Greeks, to have battles fought over it, to be used as currency and to make international headlines- thanks to Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Salt Satyagraha’! Used widely to give the ‘salty’ flavor to dishes, it is said that a pinch of salt added to sweet dishes tends to make the dish sweeter! Pic: http://bharatcs.blogspot.in It is one of the most precious natural compound and found naturally in saltwater and in the mineral halite. Salt or ‘table salt’ is…

Only one more day left to go to the voting booth and cast your vote. All the leading parties have presented their manifesto. Their candidates have toured the city of Bengaluru trying to sell their ideas for the city and nation by large. Now it’s your turn. Step out and vote. For many who are still in a dilemma about which Parliamentary constituency you belong to, here is where you can figure it out: Which Parliament Constituency does your ward fall in? Who are the candidates? Once you know to which parliamentary assembly constituency you belong to, check out who…

It is that time of the year when people in Bengaluru start rushing to pay property tax to avail discounts. All of us would have paid the taxes for all the previous years (2008-14) by filling the appropriate form (Form I-for properties with PID no./ Form II-for  properties having only Khatha no./ Form III-for properties with neither PID nor Khatha no.) and have come to the stage of paying the taxes for the current year. Here’s a guide on how to do it.  This time, there are of two different types – White (form IV) in bilingual and Blue (Form…

General Observer of 24-Bangalore North S K Agarwal, I.A.S. General Observer is staying at the Executive Development Center, Institute of Hotel Atria, Palace Road, Bangalore. He is available on landline number: 080-22211292. His local Mobile Number is 9845983381. General Observer of 25-Bangalore Central Alok Nigam, I.A.S. General Observer is staying at the Executive Development Center, Institute of Hotel Management, SJP Campus, Sheshadri Road, Bangalore-560001, Karnataka, India. He is available onlandline number: 080-61265555. His local Mobile Number is 94806-83057. He will also be available at Room No. 111, 1st Floor, BBMP Head Office, Main Building, N.R. Square, Bangalore-560002. Office: 080-22975534 between…

You live in Yelahanka and always thought you belong to Bengaluru - but no, you can’t vote for any candidate from Bangalore - your area falls under Chikballapur constituency! There are many areas like this in Bangalore. Knowing the boundaries of the Parliamentary constituencies is important - because some of the wards that fall in BBMP limits actually belong to Bangalore Rural or Chikballlapur when it comes to Parliamentary voting, which is totally different when we consider the profile of the urban and rural areas. https://opencity.in/explainer/how-to-find-your-constituency-in-bengaluru/ Here’s a list of the Assembly constituencies and wards that fall in each Parliamentary…