GENRE: LN

No to crematorium in landfill The BBMP’s proposal to create an ‘open crematorium’ at Mavallipura land-fill has angered many in the village and surrounding areas. Villagers have started a dharna at the landfill site, even as work started to create a temporary cremation ground for COVID victims for the next two months. On Wednesday afternoon, police and revenue officials visited the landfill site in Mavallipura, on the city outskirts, to inspect and start preparations. Clearly, appeals by villagers did not deter the site-visit. Activists of the Environment Support Group said that the Karnataka High Court has ordered the BBMP to…

In Part 1 of this series, we saw how BMTC's ridership is affected by the corporation's slashing of services post COVID. In this part, we explore how BMTC can sustain services in these difficult times, despite its severe losses. Across the world, public transport corporations are reeling under losses during COVID. There is hardly a corporation that is recovering without government support, say transport experts. Dr Ashish Verma, Associate Professor, Transportation Systems Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, has been reviewing case studies on the topic from across the world. "The experience is similar everywhere. As long as there…

Afeena, a domestic worker, does not commute by BMTC bus anymore. Ever since COVID's onset, bus services to her workplace has reduced so much that she is forced to either walk nearly 4 km or hire an autorickshaw every day. The recent BMTC staff strike cut off public transport in the city, but even before this, many loyal BMTC commuters had been affected after the corporation reduced its services due to COVID-induced revenue losses. According to the data BMTC shared with this reporter, in March end (before the staff strike), BMTC was running only 5,320 buses out of its fleet…

Covid deaths spike On Thursday, Bengaluru's Covid fatalities shot up to 66. Such high daily fatality was reported the last time on October 20, 2020. Official sources said deaths were increasing as patients were arriving at hospitals in the later stages of the disease. The cumulative Covid caseload surpassed the five-lakh-mark on Wednesday. On Thursday, there were 10,497 new cases from Bengaluru Urban. Source: Deccan Herald, Indian Express, The Hindu Shortage of hospital beds, drugs, vaccines Private hospitals, mainly small and medium-size ones, are reporting an acute shortage of Remdesivir which is used to treat Covid patients. PHANA (Private Hospitals…

In view of rising COVID cases, on April 2, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issued an order imposing restrictions in public spaces. The situation of COVID in Karnataka has been reviewed and it has been observed that there has been a persistent rise in the number of COVID cases in the State during the last month, the order said. Further, a large number of social, religious and public gatherings like marriages, political rallies are being witnessed in which COVID appropriate behaviour is not being followed which may cause a setback in the appreciable gains made in the suppression…

Cases surge; Govt imposes restrictions Over 470 children below 10 have been infected with COVID-19, since the beginning of this month. A total of 244 boys and 228 girls have been infected from March 1 to 26. The cases among children were limited to eight to nine daily during the early days of this month but they steadily rose to 46 on March 26. The cases are different from the trends seen last year, as the state reported most new cases among people aged 40 or less. Contrary to the advice from the Technical Advisory Committee, the government ruled out…

The Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike has urged the government to make ‘affordable service for all’ a key goal in its bus rejuvenation plan for the city. In a petition addressed to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, the BBPV elaborated the impact of pandemic on the public transport corporation and made suggestions for the government's proposed rejuvenation plan for the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. Over the past year Bengaluru saw diminished bus operations. People struggled with long wait times, crowded buses and costly commutes during the pandemic. BMTC struggled with low revenues and was unable to provide timely benefits and social…

NIMHANS finds 34 lineages of virus The genomic sequencing of 197 COVID-19 samples from foreign fliers showed up 34 different lineages of the original Sars-CoV-2. This is up from the seven found in May 2020, but a majority of viruses come from a lineage characterised by different mutations, which allow the virus to evade a response from the human immune system. At the same time, scientists found that there is no evidence to suggest that the much-feared UK variant of the virus was present in Karnataka until the arrival of foreign fliers in the third week of December. The finding…

The upcoming Assembly polls will be a watershed moment in Tamil Nadu, as this is the first MLA elections after the death of the two political stalwarts -- M Karunanidhi (DMK) and J Jayalalithaa (AIADMK). In their absence, the next generation of politicians -- MK Stalin and Edappadi K Palaniswami -- have taken the lead to steer the respective parties. On the third front of the battle is actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party.   The two Dravidian parties have released their manifestos for the upcoming State Assembly elections. From freebies to waiving education loans to reducing the price…

The residents of Ward 70, Zone 6 in Perambur have banded together under the banner of Community Welfare Brigade to release the following charter of demands to candidates contesting from the Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar Constituency. Charter of Demands 1) Remove the cluster of TASMAC bars near the Perambur Railway Station. Portion of the bars cannot be operated in open air. Get the bars to provide sufficient number of clean toilets and large designated parking lots within their property. Curb drinking, smoking or urinating in public. Push the administration on our behalf to enforce the available rules and regulations with earnest. Residents…