GENRE: In Focus

BBMP's plan to clear encroachments and de-silt Storm Water Drains (SWDs) and install Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) in big properties, will launch soon, say officials. The Commissioner's action plan, intended to combat flooding during monsoon, is supposed to get completed within 2-3 months. The works are de-centralised - EEs in each zone are responsible for doing this in areas under their jurisdiction. Officials should submit a daily action plan to the Commissioner and update him of each day's work, says documents from the Commissioner's office. If accidents continue during monsoon despite these actions, the concerned officials will be held responsible,…

On Friday, April 29, by 10 am, BBMP Council had decided its next Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Sharadamma Ramanjaneya (45) and S Harish (42) were the only candidates who had filed their nominations. BJP activists were in a celebratory mood soon after. But the events that followed showed the constraints that the new Mayor will likely face. Sharadamma and Harish were nominated this year as the Mayor's post was reserved for SC-woman and Deputy Mayor's post for Backward Class A category.  'Minister will be consulted' Mayor Sharadamma and Deputy Mayor Harish at a press conference after they officially took charge…

In the Cauvery Phase II, stage IV project, 500 MLD (million litres per day) will be supplied to the entire city. This will be divided among ten reservoirs, which will supply water to areas surrounding them. The project is expected to be complete in March 2012. Reservoir construction work is in progress and about 50% of pipeline work is complete, say BWSSB officials. Reservoirs are being built in GKVK campus in Vidyaranyapura (which will be allocated 151 MLD), Hegenahalli reservoir near Peenya (98 MLD), Jambu Savari Gudda in JP Nagar (27 MLD), Central Jail in Bilekahalli ward (43 MLD), Hoodi,…

In the last ten years, Bangalore (urban) district's population density has increased by about 147%, according to provisional data from the Census 2011. While the population density - number of people per sq km for the district - was 2,985 in 2001, now it is 4,378. Compare this with Dakshin Kannada, the second most densely populated district. DK's population density is only 457, about one-tenth that of Bangalore. Though population density has increased to a small extent in almost all districts, the average population density for the state itself is only 319. Kodagu has the lowest population density at 135.…

In November 2010, 15 families of survey number 27 in 4th main, OMBR layout, had their houses demolished by the BDA. While the residents had plan sanction copies from village panchayat and a CMC khata, the layout was illegal. They did not own either a BDA or BBMP khata. The residents, mostly senior citizens, had invested their life's savings in the property. BDA recovered the land saying it was under its jurisdiction.  Citizen Matters came to know about this through a letter from the residents. Times of India also reported on this late last year. This land was a revenue…

Birdwatching, or birding, as it is referred to, seems to have become a very popular pastime in Bangalore. In this context, it's interesting to find out just how it's organized and carried out in the city...and I decided to talk to several people who've had more than thirty years of experience in this activity A team at the HSBC Bird Race. Pic: Deepa Mohan. There are no "professional" ornithologists, as far as  I can gather, in the city. Most of the experienced birders of Bangalore are those who pursue birding as a weekend or holiday activity. Their professions might or…

The digital SLR and her obsession with it is what came to Koramangala resident Chitra Aiyer's  succour about a year and a half ago. Chitra tragically lost her father to an illness and in her own words, photography helped her cope. "I found that when I was looking through the viewfinder and clicking, it helped me deal with the whole thing a lot," says the photographer and blogger. Like Aiyer, who specialises in wedding, children and family photography, the camera opened several avenues for many in the city. Farmers of Bellandur. Pic: Vivek M Bangalore Photography Club's (BPC) Mayur Channagere…

Even after winning a court case against the builder for misappropriation of open spaces in their layout, residents of Reliaable Tranquil layout near HSR layout, off Haralur Road, are a long way away from getting any justice. Residents had found that a park and a Civic Amenity (CA) site, which were originally part of the layout plan, was actually someone else's property. Reliaable Developers (RD) is the builder of the layout, with offices at Museum Road, Bengaluru. (Civic Amenity sites as per town planning rules are meant for public utilities like banks or recreation centres, and are open to public)  …

In a desperate bid to provide a playground for more than 700 children living in L&T South City, residents of the apartment complex in Mico-Arakere Layout on 19th March hired a bulldozer to level a part of the 5.5 acre land that was meant to be developed as a playground. The layout is located off Bannerghatta Road roughly opposite IIM-Bengaluru.  No cricket match, this one. Hulimavu Police had a brush with residents of L&T South City on Mar 19. Pic: SUGRUHA. The event witnessed high drama as Hulimavu police, BDA officials and officials from even the BBMP were at the…

Garbage contractor S Ramachandra Reddy is in charge of Bellandur ward (150) since December 2009. Bellandur is in the south-eastern outskirts of Bengaluru, and falls under BBMP's Mahadevapura Zone. Reddy's track record has been extremely poor and yet he stays on, and even talks of the new contract coming up this year. Contract workers shifting garbage from autos to tipper lorry at Haralur road, near Kaikondanahalli lake. Pic Navya P K. Mamatha, Environment Engineer, BBMP (Mahadevpura zone) says that there have been many complaints about this contractor. "When public complain to us about specific instances, we attend to those promptly.…