GENRE: LN

Tracing the truth behind the claims made by the previous government that "47 lakes had been developed under the Nava Nagarothana scheme at the cost of Rs 317.25 crore”, the author of this series, in a ground report, examines the state of Bengaluru's lakes. In the first part, he provides a detailed insight into the actual condition of three lakes, where rejuvenation was supposedly carried out. These were: Doddakallasandra lake, Kothanur Lake, Chunchaghatta lake, and Yelachenahalli lake. In the second part, the author--who is a birdwatcher, a naturalist, and a passionate conservationist--gives detailed reports on the status of two other lakes: Gowdanapalya…

Editor's Note: The previous BJP government had announced its Bengaluru Mission 2022, under which 25 lakes were identified and funds were granted by the BBMP and CM’s Nava Nagarothana scheme in December 2020. Three years after the announcement, with an eye on the Karnataka Elections 2023 on January 25th, the BJP government claimed in an advertisement that “47 lakes had been developed under the Nava Nagarothana scheme at the cost of 317.25 crores.” The reality, however, is in contrast to the claims, as a citizen found out. The author, a birdwatcher, a naturalist, and a passionate conservationist did the rounds…

Of the total Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs), both residential and commercial buildings, across Chennai, only 43.86% follow the Solid Waste Management bye-laws and dispose of their waste through empanelled vendors. Commercial establishments, in this case, refers to include large restaurants, educational institutions, government buildings, offices and IT parks, shops and malls and cinemas, stadiums and wedding halls.  The bulk waste generators have been mandated to engage vendors to process waste on-site and dispose of the wet and dry waste. The waste collection from BWGs does not involve the civic body and the waste generated by them is not to be…

Bengaluru is now increasingly witnessing the combined effects of climate change and rapid urbanisation in varied forms. Be it the heat island effect, or increased intensity of rainfall over a shorter duration of time, flooding different city areas. Yet, climate responsive strategies largely remain obscured in developmental strategies as well as governance models. Impact on informal settlements The harshest brunt of this situation is borne by people living in informal settlements across Bengaluru. The city has almost 2000+ slums spread across, with only 25% of these slums having access to some basic services. These settlements are constructed using heat-absorbing materials…

Imagine working hard, saving up all your life and finally, investing all of your life savings on your dream home, only to be cheated on and deprived of that dream. This nightmare has become a reality for homebuyers in over 30 Nirmal Lifestyle Housing Projects in Mulund. The Mumbai police arrested Dharmesh Jain and Rajiv Jain, directors of Nirmal, a few weeks ago for cheating homebuyers. The firm went into insolvency in 2022 after failing to repay crores of debt. What is the case against Nirmal Lifestyle Ltd.? The authorities arrested the two accused on charges of allegedly duping 34…

As Chennai attempts to decentralise its waste management system and looks to reduce the quantum of waste that is landfilled, facilities that handle wet and dry waste play a key role in the process. Any lapse in the functioning of the Micro Composting Centres (MCC) in handling wet waste and the Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) in processing dry waste would defeat the purpose of decentralisation. "After we collect the segregated waste, we deposit the dry waste in the Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) or Resource Recovery Centres (RRC). Plastic, paper, thermocol, clothes, old mattresses and pillows and even coconut shells are…

Like many suburban areas of Chennai, Chitlapakkam has seen tremendous growth but the civic amenities and services have failed to keep up with the needs of the people. Residents of the area have banded together to fight for their rights and ensure that they are able to enjoy a better quality of life.  It is because of the spirit of the residents that the connectivity in the area has improved in recent times. Our campaign has brought back the S3 minibus to Chitlapakkam, along with the introduction of another minibus, the S100.  Buoyed by this success, residents have begun to…

Do you remember the last time you took a closer look at your neighbourhood? During the last weekend of April, I strolled through my neighbourhood in Mumbai, my eyes attuned to the subtlest motions of nature - a butterfly fluttering in the distance, and birds and bats foraging on love apples in a roadside tree. A sea of golden-yellow copper pod blooms filled some roads while others, seemingly bare, had fig trees sprouting through concrete walls. I particularly made it a point to visit parts of Mumbai’s coastline, each of which was bustling with intertidal activity. As I peered eagerly…

In 2022, the authorities announced the plan for the introduction of electric buses with impressive reactions from the public. While Mumbai and Pune have their fair share of electric bus fleets,this was new for the residents of Thane. TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation) soon started the service in small numbers. With global warming on the rise, Mumbai is witnessing one of the hottest summers this year. It has only increased the need for a cool, yet sustainable commute option for locals. Electric Buses are the perfect solution for this. Comfortable and cost effective With sleek interiors, the buses are capable of…

The Urban Revamp Design Challenge – conceived by Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) and Sensing Local, under the Sustainable Mobility Network, in partnership with the Institute of Urban Designers India (IUDI), Curiosity Alliance Foundation, and Kasturi Nagar Residents Welfare Association – is back in 2023. They are inviting proposals for reimagining two newly-identified public spaces in Bengaluru: CV Raman Nagar (Ward 117) and Padarayanapura (Ward 168). This initiative aims to blend technical expertise with citizen participation to transform certain parts of the city. About the second and first editions A common scenario experienced by rapidly urbanising Indian cities today…