GENRE: In Focus

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is set to take on the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on yet another case of lake pollution. The severe pollution of the DRDO lake near Bagmane Tech Park in CV Raman Nagar came to the notice of KSPCB officials during one of their routine inspections. One part of the lake seems close to perfect - a look at the lush greenery, the clear blue sky, and the ripples that disturb the calm waters when a bird fancies a swim occasionally, can make your day. Meanwhile, the other part of the…

"I don't want my daughter to make the same mistakes I made", says 35-year-old Selvi P, a domestic worker who married at the early age of 19 to Pazhani, who then used to work at a petrol bunk. Against her family's wishes, Selvi married the man she was determined to spend the rest of her life with. On a recent trip to Mysore, Selvi saw the campus of IT major Infosys. Since then it is her dream that her daughter Savita works there. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal But her happiness was short-lived as her husband soon took to alcohol and beat…

Twenty-two year old Gayathri S says she has done it all. From marketing to promotions to driving an auto rickshaw and even a stint as a model, she has taken up all kinds of odd jobs to support herself and her family of three. It shows on her frail, skinny frame. Gayathri completed her four-year Bachelor's degree in information sciences engineering course just last month. A resident of Vyalikaval in north Bengaluru, she lives with her mother, her school-dropout brother Purushotham G and younger sister Usha G, an eighth standard student. Gayathri's father Srinivas passed away when her mother was…

The Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) has received a high rating in a survey carried out by the Airport Councils International (ACI), an international association of the world's airports. On a scale of five, BIA has received a score of 4.2 in the first quarter of 2010 alone.The 24/7 Airport Operations Control Center plays a crucial role in coordinating between various departments to ensure smooth operations. Pic courtesy: BIAL The survey is carried out by speaking to passengers every month of the year.Bengaluru International Airport Limited's (BIAL) Director (Operations) Hari Marar says that airports generally score around 3.5 in their first…

It has been two years and the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) attracts some unusual visitors - sparrows. They flutter about in the domestic lounge as passengers read the newspaper, work on their laptop or grab a bite. Bangalore-based ornithologist Dr Krishna M B says that it is because Devanahalli is an agricultural area. "Sparrows are grain-eaters but they are not field-oriented. Today they are found more in the outskirts and are not widely distributed", he says, explaining the possible reasons for this sudden influx in Bangalore's swanky airport.Sparrows at an eatery in the domestic lounge of the Bengaluru Airport. Pic:…

Residents of Bengaluru are now hiring private surveyors to measure their property, which is marked for road widening by BBMP. This is because the BBMP's Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) notices do not provide detailed information on how much land will be required for acquisition.In April this year, residents of Golden Corner Apartments on Sarjapur Road received a notice from the BBMP, informing them about acquisition of a portion of their property for road widening. The notice says the road is to be widened by 45 feet and that the Apartment Association should submit land records using the Transfer of…

The Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition against the proposed national military memorial to be constructed at the Indira Gandhi musical fountain park. The verdict, pronounced by a division bench comprising of Justices Manjula Chellur and Mohan Shantagoudar, on June 4th, said that the proposed war memorial is in the interest of the public and a matter of pride for the citizens of Bengaluru. The bench also said that the National Military Memorial Trust, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, will take care of the project. Work at the war memorial site was halted in May this year, after…

In the special BBMP council session on water more than two weeks ago, Chickpet corporator A N Shivkumar (BJP) complained about the number of unauthorised water connections in his ward. He requested Mayor S K Nataraj (BJP) and BWSSB Chairman P B Ramamurthy to look into the matter. Is the Cauvery water you use metered? Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal This complaint comes well in time as just last month on April 16th 2010, the state assembly* passed an amendment to the BWSSB Act, 1964. Section 108 (a) of this Act is with regard to theft of water which is a punishable…

Sixteen-year-old Hasina Begum, a student of Magadi Government Girls High School in Bengaluru is entering a crucial year in school, the tenth standard. This is just her third year in school. Hasina used to work as a domestic help before she was rescued by the Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA), a Bangalore-based grassroots community development organisation. Underprivileged children who study at APSA's Kanasina Shale, located in LB Shastri Nagar. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal Hasina studied and prepared for her seventh standard exams at APSA's Dream School or Kanasina Shale, where formal education is imparted to child labourers and children from…

The Karnataka High Court's order with regard to the state government's proposed war memorial project is likely to be pronounced during this week. Just last week, the BDA had begun work at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park, where the memorial is proposed to come up. This was, however, stalled following several media reports that suggested that going ahead with construction work amounted to contempt of court as the case is subjudice. Last week, the BDA had started construction work at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park. This was later stalled after objections from the public. Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal The…