GENRE: LN

Difference between the topography of the land between Kasavanahalli and Kaikondrahalli lakes, in 2002 and 2016, as seen on Google Earth. The Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal has dismissed the petition of Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF) and Mahadevpura Parisara Samrakshane Mattu Abhivrudhi Samiti (MAPSAS) related to a residential project coming up between Kasavanahalli and Kaikondarahalli lakes. Stating that the case on the grounds that the developer has a valid Environmental Clearance, the NGT dismissed the petition and allowed the developer of Shriram Chirping Woods to continue with the project.In an order delivered on April 26th, NGT bench comprising Dr…

Kaikondrahalli and Kasavanahalli lakes have been in the news for disturbing reasons lately - the rampant real estate developments in the valley zone that may lead to drying up of the downstream lakes and massive flooding in the next rainy season. There is an ongoing petition to raise awareness on this issue. However, it is business as usual at the government offices. Authorities seem to have been quietly sanctioning one project after another. While there is Shriram Chirping Woods project that has been sanctioned in the valley zone, there is also Bren Imperia that has partly been built on the valley…

If you are a resident of Hagadoor, Muneshwara Nagar, Kumaraswamy Layout or a few other wards, it’s better you verify your name in the final electoral roll published by the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka. There are chances that you might have been “disqualified” from voting! Higher the chances of disqualification if your ward comes under Mahadevapura Assembly Constituency. Like every year, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer published the final electoral roll for the year 2016, on January 11th. Most of them might not have checked their names in the electoral roll after it was published, as election…

Bathymetric study conducted by Madras Engineering Group division of the Indian Army and scientists from IISc. Pic: Akshatha M April 12th, 2016 A team of active citizens of Bengaluru representing community groups - Whitefield Rising and Save Bellandur Lake Group - assemble on the fringes of Bellandur lake to address the media. They are accompanied by a team of researchers from Indian Institute of Science and army personnel from Madras Engineering Group (MEG). The reason: To brief the media about a community-funded survey to evaluate the condition of Varthur and Bellandur lakes. April 13th, 2016 Another set of active citizens…

Oorvani Foundation and Datameet are happy to announce the launch of OpenCity.in - an urban public data portal. In cities across India, there is a lack of accessible and robust public data. Citizens often do not have access to quantitative information that helps them understand the state of their neighborhood and their city, as well as support their demands of the local government. Data when available is often lost within the hard disks of government or non-governmental organisations, documents hard disks or in individual silos. OpenCity.in is a repository of city-related public data from government sources, via RTI or open…

Mandur - closed in November 2014. Bingipura - closed in  November 2015. Laxmipura - closed in November 2015. Mavallipura - closed in July 2012, reopened in July 2014, ready to close again! That is the story of landfills that help Bengaluru live in peace. With the closure of Terra Firma waste processing unit in Doddaballapur, the garbage crisis has started worsening in Bengaluru. According to BBMP officials, the waste which used to be transported to Terra Firma, is now being diverted to various processing units and to a new quarry at Bettahalli in North Bengaluru. “Around 500-600 tonnes of garbage…

Pic: Rajesh Shah Varthur and Bellandur lakes have been in the news over the past one year due to froth and fire. These lakes were last desilted in 1970. As part of the rejuvenation efforts, scientists from Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and other experts have been recommending wet dredging to remove the silt and sludge. To estimate the amount of silt and sludge that have accumulated over the years, Prof. Ramachandra of IISc recommended a bathymetric survey. IISc and MEG Teams at KK English School Citizens who took into consideration the recommendations of teh scientists seriously, joined their hands…

Malleshwaram market. Pic: Manu H S Heggodu Following the success of green festival celebrations like Ugadi and Bakrid in Yelahanka zone last year, the BBMP along with citizen groups has this year given a call for Green Ugadi celebrations across the city. The idea is to ensure that the wet waste generated during Ugadi does not get mixed up with dry waste and is collected and composted separately. To make this work, citizen volunteers are deployed in each ward who will take up the work of supervising and collecting wet waste in their respective wards. Interested to be a volunteer?…

Government of India has kept a major step towards sustainable waste management, by making it mandatory to segregate waste at source. According to a Press Information Bureau press note, the new waste management rules are stricter than the rules notified in the year 2000. Exerpts from the press note: The Environment Ministry has revised Solid Waste Management Rules after 16 years. Addressing a press conference to announce the revised Rules on April 5, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar said that the Rules are now applicable beyond municipal areas and will extend to…

Recently, we visited Arthipura near Kokkare Bellur to visit the archeological excavation site of ancient Jaina vestiges. I read news reports about this site so thought of visiting. I was sure that my family would not get bored, because they had really enjoyed our last visit to Keeladi, another archaeological site near Madurai, Tamil Nadu, where ASI unearthed remains of 2,200 to 2,300 year old houses and artifacts. Arthipura is a small village near Maddur in Mandya district. It is located 5 km south of Kokkare Bellur. It has two small hillocks, Shravanabetta and Chikkabetta or Kanakagiri.  Last year, archaeologists from ASI Bangalore…