GENRE: LN

With BMTC and KSRTC buses off the road, city commuters had a tough time today. Though BMTC said there will be adequate bus services, the scene on the ground was quite different. Nagaraj C, Chief Traffic Manager (Operations) BMTC, said, "The drivers are protesting to get their list of around 40 demands fulfilled including a hike in salary. The strike will be on for the whole day. But there are a few other drivers who are loyal and carrying on with their routine services so a few buses are functioning." Autos dominate the roads in absence of BMTC. Pic: Anisha…

Justice Santosh Hegde, former Lokayukta and retired Supreme Court Judge, talked about the book - ‘Living in Bengaluru’ at the book release function. He said that though he has never endorsed any product so far, he will go ahead and recommend this book to every Bangalorean as it is a holistic book and every Bangalorean must have it. He was at the book release at Whitefield Club on 12th September, 2012. Living in Bengaluru book launch from left - Justice Santosh Hegde, Subbu Vincent and Sanjay Vijayaraghavan. Pic: Anisha Nair Sanjay Vijayaraghavan, a resident of Doddenakundi, has also written a…

The recent exodus of northeast citizens from Bangalore still remains fresh in the minds of Bangaloreans even as scores of those who left have started coming back. Everyone acknowledges that SMS messages with murder threats triggered the panic. Going deeper, several analyses have appeared in the media about underlying reasons for a distinctive minority community such as the NE citizens to flee. From a media standpoint, the exodus has resulted in a closer look at the power of people-to-people communications technologies like SMS, as well as social media such as Facebook. The nature of people-people communication with SMS and social…

Two photo contests are open for all enthusiastic shutterbugs. One is focussed on city-nature interaction and other is for photographs of Kaikondrahalli lake.The contests are open to all and there is no entry fee. Selected photographs from both contests will also be exhibited in Hyderabad during the second week of October, at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The pictures get a chance to be seen and discussed by the hundreds of government officials, policy makers and other delegates from around the world who will attend…

“I feel like relocating to a different place. I will probably sell my house,” said a depressed, rather scared 70-year-old H N Pattabhiraman, a resident of  BTM I Stage, 9th Main, since 1992. Like Pattabhiraman, the other residents too live in fear. They feel helpless in the face of deteriorating law and order situation, they do not have much confidence in the police either.   The reason for this fear is the constant trouble created by miscreants and police inaction. The residents have to bear the brunt of motor-bikers drag racing with modified silencers at night, theft cases and rampant…

The scene is almost identical each time. Whenever anyone sees me at the lake -- and if they know that I am part of the team responsible for the lake being rejuvenated the way it is -- they come to thank me first and then quickly proceed to offer me advice on the BBMP and the government. “Don’t trust them”… “they are a bunch of crooks,”… “Don’t get further involved with the government.” Fencing around kaikondrahalli lake. Pic: Shilpi Sahu I tell these people that this lake could not have and would not have been rejuvenated the way it has,…

The residents of Bank of Baroda Colony in JP Nagar VII Phase can now sleep peacefully, the three stone cutting units have finally shut down.  I would like to sincerely thank all those who supported this cause and a special thanks to Meera (Co-founder Citizen Matters) and Abhishek (journalist from Citizen Matters) for their continued and invaluable support in this cause - Rahul Rai The three units had been functioning from 1988. After continuous follow ups with KSPCB officials, for over a year, the residents of Brigade Palm Springs, an apartment complex behind stone cutting units have won the battle.…

Shashi Kumar, Assistant Executive Engineer, BBMP, filed an FIR against a Chandramouli Reddy on August 4th, for illegally dumping the silt and debris on survey no. 69/1, Haralukunte, 15th B Main, 21st cross of Sector III, HSR layout. Silt and debris being dumped in an open site. Pic: Anisha Nair Kumar says, “Earlier, when the residents complained, we went and filed a complaint in the police station. But the same dumping event happened again and that’s when I went and filed an FIR against the accused.” When the residents went and asked Reddy to stop dumping, he responded with abusive…

My last few visits to a local plant nursery have acquired new meaning, thanks to an elderly lady working there. She now effortlessly guides me – helping me choose not just the most appropriate plant but the most healthy ones too. Having benefited from her advice, I thought it might be useful to share a few such tips here. These pointers are primarily for choosing evergreens, annuals/perennials and other flowering plants. Plants with lush green leaves. Pic: Vinita First look at the leaves and stems for signs of pests and diseases. At the first sign of tears/holes/thread like patterns/ black…

About two years ago, we came up with a simple idea of collecting old newspapers from the apartments in this community, and sell them to the local kabadiwala. The money thus collected would be donated to local orphanages and old-age homes. Many residents, some as young as three, formed an army of enthusiastic volunteers that went around door to door collecting old newspapers. Young volunteers at work. Pic: Shree Rekha With this initiative we have raised Rs 1,02,000 in the last two years and we have been able to help 13 local charity institutions, which includes schools, orphanages and old-age…