GENRE: LN

Vinay Sreenivasa of BBMP Contract Pourakarmika Union, talks to Radio Active 90.4Mhz on the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike not revising the payment of contract labourers, despite the hike in minimum wages that took place three months ago. You would all remember our numerous protests over the past two years demanding increase in wages. Presently we receive little above Rs 7,000/- with which we are to pay our rent, food, education, health, etc. These abysmally low wages have forced us into a cycle of poverty and debt, which is never ending. It is to address this that our Union took up…

The no-vote collection drive secured 41848 votes against the flyover from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal. Pic: Shree D N In a first, Bengaluru saw a movement for sustainable transport, that resulted in a no-vote campaign. The no-vote collection drive conducted by the team Citizens for Bengaluru secured 41848 votes against the flyover planned on Bellary Road in Bengaluru, from Chalukya Circle to Esteem Mall. The event conducted on Sunday, October 23, 2016, also showcased how the issues related to sustainable development or the lack of it were deep-rooted in political will. Clarifying why there were no 'yes' votes in the…

“And through this having and giving and sharing and receiving, we too can share and love and have... and receive.”– Joey Tribbiani, in “Friends”. Funny that this quote, part of Joey’s intended speech at the wedding of his friends Monica and Chandler, would be apt for a nationwide festival of giving! Daan Utsav is not just about the receiving, we know, it is about the giving. A festival that turns the lens on to itself, like a particularly gorgeous selfie. When I began volunteering for Daan Utsav, I had not seen it up close. I had read about it in…

October 2nd was Gandhi’s birth anniversary and a reminder of his vision of Clean India. Our Prime Minister Modi revived the dream two years back on this day by launching Swacch Bharat Mission. We at Bellandur ward were fortunate to have passionate citizens to form Kasa Muktha Bellandur who introduced the 2bin1bag concept in 2012. Later, with the support of hundreds of volunteers across the city and solid waste managment round table, it became a law in December 2015 by the Karnataka high court. I am a new kid on the block in Waste management and had the privilege of diving deep…

  With just a day left for Gandhi Jayanti, various citizen led groups have planned to organise cleanliness programmes in various locations of Bengaluru on October 2nd. Here are the list of cleanliness programmes to be organised across the city as part of the Bengaluru Swachh Utsav 2016. The programme is organised by the Solid Waste Management Round Table in association with BBMP and KSPCB. The campaign which will be kicked off on the day of Gandhi Jayanti, will continue for the next one year, to create awareness about waste management among citizens. It includes, emphasising on door-to-door waste collection,…

As I was sitting in my drawing room, binge-watching a TV show, my mother sat right across the couch focused on her (almost full time) hobby – scrolling through Facebook. She announced, “Hey! there is a photo of you celebrating Diwali at Chitra aunty’s place. You are in that cute paavadai that you loathed back then, Look at your scorn”. I hate them, true! My mom had this stern belief that I would grow tall every single day and hence she would religiously buy dresses at least three sizes ahead of my actual one.  I ended up having frocks that…

Whitefield Rising hosted an enlightening session on Sunday, September 26, with eminent environmentalist A.N. Yellappa Reddy, who connected the dots among environmental consciousness, waste management, sewage treatment, lake purification, biodiversity promotion, and reconnection with nature. Held at the serene campus of Ecumenical Christian Centre, the session titled ‘Increasing Urban Greenery to Promote Healthy Living’ was attended by more than 60 citizens of all ages from different parts of the city. Yellappa Reddy addressing the residents of Whitefield Mr Reddy explained the various ways in which citizens could make a difference—through the choices they made and by questioning the administration. He told…

With consumerism at its peak and humans wasting more than utilising, it’s time to relook, to reflect, to repair. Repair Café is based on the very idea of sustainable living, to promote the judicious use of natural and personal resources in a bid to save this planet. Thanks to Whitefield Rising, the concept came alive recently near Hope Farm, set in the lap of the serene The Ant's Store– a perfect venue bathed in natural charm. People learning to repair electronic equipment at Repair Cafe event in Whitefield. A team of volunteers comprising a teenager, a banker, a techie, a homemaker,…

That the State government may have to release water to Tamilnadu has been a cause of concern for many Bengalureans. While the Union government of India has been asked to set up a Cauvery Water Management Board, the nation itself is facing another water conflict - with the government deciding to take more water from the river Indus. Welcome to the new era of overpopulation and urbanisation, where public commons are going to be the cause of wars. Water conflicts are going to be common in the future. In Bengaluru, the reality is that according to BWSSB, out of 22…

Newly elected Mayor G Padmavathi is congratulated by fellow-corporators after she was elected as the Mayor. Pic: Akshatha M The BBMP council elected its 50th Mayor and Deputy Mayor amidst high-drama on September 28, 2016. (Wednesday). G Padmavathi (56), Congress corporator from Prakash Nagar ward was elected as the Mayor of Bengaluru and JD(S) corporator M Anand (53) from Radhakrishna Temple ward was unanimously elected as the Deputy Mayor. With it, the Congress and JD(S) coalition continues to rule the BBMP for one more year. In the backdrop of coalition of the two parties that continued in this election, it…