GENRE: In Focus

A huge illegal hoarding near Ejipura Signal. Pic: Shree D N This huge IPL hoarding looms above the building next to Ejipura Signal. It’s not one hoarding - they are in plenty. There are no visible license tags or numbers on the hoarding. One such hoarding in a premium location like this costs about Rs 2 lakhs per month to advertise. As we capture it on our mobile, a person sitting in the shop below stands up, alarmed. He asks, “why are you taking the photo?” He sits back satisfied upon hearing from us that the IPL imagery on the…

The newly formed Bengaluru Blue Print Action Group (BBPAG) has ruffled several feathers within the civil society. People from various quarters have denounced the new Action Group as “exclusively elitist,” full of elected representatives, bureaucrats and corporate honchos, with none to represent common citizens. The citizens who have seen several such independent or government-led groups or task forces in the past, are wary of the functioning of BBPAG. Task forces and committees are not at all new to Bengaluru. There have been several of them, including Bangalore Agenda Task Force, ABIDe, Kasturirangan Committee, BBMP Restructuring Committee. Each of them worked…

We have seen many vision groups earlier. Now it's time for an action group! While the Assembly election is just two years away, the State government has constituted Bengaluru Blue Print Action Group (BBPAG). Here is a quick look into the various vision groups/task forces that were formed in the past, why were they formed, what have they achieved and couldn’t. Also is the list of bigwigs who have made it to more than two groups. Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF) was formed in 1999, when S M Krishna was the Chief Minister. It was…

To view map, see: http://bl.ocks.org/d/de408678254813d7f62068c3cf19b381 Saidapet occupies an important place in the political history of Tamil Nadu. DMK president M. Karunanidhi was elected from here in 1967, and in 1971 when he became the Chief Minister. This constituency was a DMK bastion till early 1980s, but AIADMK emerged victorious in 1984. The ruling power has emerged victorious in the last two elections. Rival parties DMK and AIADMK are campaigning hard to win back this constituency. There are 2,79,207 voters in the constituency, which includes: West Saidapet, CIT Nagar, Jaffarkhanpet, Ekkaduthangal, IIT, Raj Bhavan quarters, Maduvankarai, Surya Nagar, Srinagar Colony and…

Virugambakkam is a new constituency formed in 2009 which was carved out of Villivakkam and Alandur constituencies. B Parthasarathy of DMDK became the first MLA from here in 2011 by winning 71524 votes.  It is a residential neighbourhood which also houses famous movie studios and one of the largest fruits and vegetable market in Asia. The constituency consists of Virugambakkam (North), Virugambakkam (South),Saligramam, Kodambakkam (North), and Kodambakkam (South). CANDIDATES B. Parthasarathy- DMDK (Incumbent MLA) Tamilisai Soundararajan - BJP K Dhanasekaran – DMK V.N. Ravi- AIADMK Media scan of candidates Incumbent MLA: B. Parthasarathy- DMDK B.Parthasarathy, started out as a district secretary…

City planning authorities who often come under fire for their decisions, are facing yet another accusation this time, for sanctioning a mega development project in an ecologically sensitive area. BDA has approved a private residential project in an area comprising valley and buffer zones in Varthur Hobli, while State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) have issued the environmental clearances. The residential project - Shriram Chirping Woods by Shrivision Homes Pvt Ltd - is under construction in an ecologically sensitive area between Kasavanahalli (Harlur) and Kaikondarahalli lakes in Varthur hobli. The area is a…

Citizen Matters had earlier reported that dengue cases in Bengaluru are severely under-reported, that the official dengue figures are only a fraction of the actual numbers. But when it comes to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, heart diseases, respiratory diseases etc., the situation is worse - these diseases are not tracked at all in the city. NCDs are now emerging as the leading cause of deaths in India, since communicable diseases like malaria and TB are under better control. But in Bengaluru, like in the rest of the country, no one is tracking them. Without data on these diseases, policy-making…

Pic: Mayur Channagere If you are someone who rides a bike for more than four hours in Bengaluru every day, there’s a significant chance that you will develop Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD, which makes breathing difficult, is a leading cause of disability and death globally; it is irreversible and worsens over time. The conclusion is from a study on 100 non-smokers in Bengaluru aged 25-40 years, who commute to work by bike. Given the worsening traffic jams in the city, the number of people riding bikes for over four hours per day could be quite high. But respiratory…

“Mistakes happen deliberately or unwittingly. Sometimes convicts may not be the real culprits. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?” asks Honnegowda, who spent 15 years in jail. Ten years post-release, he now stands as a testimony to how one can lead a dignified life even after serving life sentence. But, to what extent do society and the government support and help prisoners lead their lives post-release? For a just-released prisoner, reintegration with the world is the most important and challenging aspect. The Karnataka government may have taken a significant step by releasing 633 convicts who had served over 14 years…

“Mistakes happen deliberately or unwittingly. Sometimes convicts may not be the real culprits. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance?” asks Honnegowda, who spent 15 years in jail. Ten years post-release, he now stands as a testimony to how one can lead a dignified life even after serving life sentence. But, to what extent do society and the government support and help prisoners lead their lives post-release? For a just-released prisoner, reintegration with the world is the most important and challenging aspect. The Karnataka government may have taken a significant step by releasing 633 convicts who had served over 14 years…