GENRE: In Focus

It was August 25th, 2013. The last council meeting under the mayorship of Venkateshmurthy was underway. The media representatives coming out from the council meeting were distributed a press kit. The press release with no sign of any authorities highlighted the continued payment by BBMP to works tendered by its Forest Cell, which can never be scrutinised and ascertained if they were really done in the way they should be. The documents indicated that BBMP Forest Cell continues to make payments against 2923 job codes assigned four years ago. In addition to this, Forest Cell Chief Conservator Brijesh Kumar is…

At the beginning of the year, BBMP finally started the process of formation of ward committees (WC). But many WCs remained only on papers. High Court intervened again on 27 August and asked the government to finalise rules for the committee soon. The state Urban Development Department (UDD) has issued draft rules. Environment Support Group (ESG), an NGO that has, for many years, campaigned to establish local government or 'Nagar Palike,' organised a discussion to suggest revisions to the draft rules formulated by the state government for the formation and functioning of WC. An open discussion was held on 4…

Sale in properties across Bangalore has dipped in last one month. File Pic. Before the new guidance value was announced, brokers across Bangalore seemed to be in hurry to close various property deals. June 2013 saw highest real estate transactions, says a recent report by the real estate services firm, Jones Lang LaSalle India. However, after the new guidance values came into effect, the realty market has slowed down, in an effort to achieve an equilibrium between market value and guidance value. Builders and realtors are not at all happy with the new guidance value system. They point that the…

Enter most restaurants and chances are you’ll see most kids above the age of five (or even lesser) entertaining themselves with the help of electronic gadgets like smart phones and tablets. Ditto for flights, airports or any other ‘adult’ space that requires some amount of waiting and isn’t exactly big on the appeal factor for kids. Gadgets have become an integral part of our lives, be it smart phones, laptops, iPods or iPads. Children even have their own toys that mimic these gadgets well, like Leapfrog products or Made in China copies of iPad style toys. They do save our…

The collapse of a five-storeyed building under construction in Someshwara Nagar behind NIMHANS, on 19 August, 2013, has raised several questions. Three people died in the incident, while eight workers were injured. As the Fire and Emergency Department is searching for bodies of the labourers who could have been buried under the debris, citizens are worried if the property they are investing in is safe or not. This is only a recent example. There have been six such incidents in Bangalore in last two months. The series of incidents, if not anything else, has forced the BBMP to undertake a…

Citizen Matters had published an article on the death of Meghala, a girl aged six and weighing 12 kg, at D J Halli. This article throws light on the extent of malnutrition in Karnataka and how various recommendations to combat the same were ignored by the government, resulting in a death that could have otherwise been prevented. Meghala's death and the subsequent reaction in the media and political corridors is reminiscent of the furore after the death of five-year-old Anjaneya from Raichur in late 2011. Anjaneya was diagnosed as being severely malnourished in 2010 and yet, thanks in no small…

On 1 August 2013, within a month of state budget being presented, tenders have been called for five signal-free corridors. It has stirred a hornet’s nest again with speculations about land acquisition and traffic problems while the work is on. The last date for submission of tenders is 4 September 2013. These five corridors cover approximately 55 km inside the city. They are: 1) Identified stretches of Hosur Road, including Central Silk Board Junction to Vellara Junction2) Identified stretches of Outer Ring Road (ORR), from Mysore Road Junction to Central Silk Board Junction (13.4 Km);3) From Government Soap Factory junction…

With increased demand for Aadhaar cards and the urgency among people to get the card, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has taken initiative to provide the cards electronically. Now you can get e-Aadhaar card, without having to wait for the UIDAI to send the card to you. Though this service was introduced a year ago, not many know about it. Sources in the E-governance Department which has been entrusted with the task of providing this service say that they do not have numbers available on how many e-Aadhaar cards have been issued. Why e-Aadhaar card? E-Aadhaar is a…

Monsoon is at its best this year. Rivers and reservoirs are in spate, enhancing the beauty of waterfalls across the state manifold. Weekends are your chance to revel in the lap of nature and water, more so if the weekend is long. Citizen Matters lists some destinations that are not very far from Bangalore, where you can spend your weekends this monsoon. Google maps or GPS navigation would be your best friend for all these journeys, if you are driving on your own. A trip to Shivanasamudra will ensure you enjoy the beauty of the twin falls -Gaganachukki and Bharachukki…

Haseena was attacked with acid in 1999. She lost her eyes forever, her body suffered severe damage, which stole her right to live like all of us. Her attacker spent only five years in jail, and has faded away from public memory. However, Haseena refused to go down in life. She took up a computer course and learnt to stand on her won feet. Now she’s employed, and helping other visually impaired become self-reliant. Haseena narrates her story to Citizen Matters. Over to Haseena. I was born and brought up in this beautiful city of Bangalore, where my parents and…