GENRE: Voices

Finally, the first phase of Bengaluru Metro is going to be fully functional on June 18th 2017, with the inauguration of final leg running from Swastik station to Yelachenahalli to be done on June 17th, by the President of India. That’s a major relief for many people, including me! I'm a new entrant to the Metro User Club, and a skeptic-turned-admirer. It all started with me waiting in the bus stop in front of Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic College, for a BMTC bus to take me to Kempegowda Bus Station, and not seeing a single bus for 10 minutes. Spending more than…

தூய்மை இந்தியாவின் முதல் படி கழிப்பறை. இன்று இந்தியாவில், படித்தவர்களும் பொது இடங்களில் மலம் கழிக்கிறார்கள். அது எத்தனை அருவருக்கத் தக்க செயல்!, அதனால் இடம் அசிங்கமாகின்றது, துர்நாற்றம் வீசுகின்றது, அதில் உட்க்காரும் ஈக்கள் பின்னர் நாம் உண்ணும் உணவுகளிலும் உட்கார்ந்து நோய்களை பரப்பு கின்றன. சுவரைப் பார்த்து மலம் கழித்தால் யாரும் பார்க்க மாட்டார்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறார்கள். பூனை கண்ணை மூடிக் கொண்டு விட்டால் உலகம் இருண்டு போகுமா? அவர்களைப் பார்த்து எத்தனை பேர் அருவருப்பில் முகம் சுளிக்கிறார்கள் என்று யோசித்துக் கூட பார்ப்பதில்லை. இது தவறென்று தெரிந்து செய்கின்றார்களோ தெரியாமல் செய்கின்றார்களோ என்றுபுரியவில்லை. அவர்கள் ஈட்டும் பணம் எல்லாம் அவர்களது இச் செயகைகளால் மருந்துக்கும், மருத்துவருக்கும் தான் போகப் போகிறது என்பதை ஏனோ புரிந்து கொள்ளாது இருக்கிறார்கள். சுத்தமே ஆரோக்கியமான வாழ்விற்கு ஆதாரம் என்பதை தெரிந்தும், அதை நடைமுறைக்கு கொண்டு வர மறுக்கிறார்கள். அரசாங்கம் வீட்டுக்கு ஒரு கழிப்பறை கட்ட உதவுகின்றது . பொது கழிப்பிடங்களும் கட்டி வருகிறார்கள். ஆனால் மக்கள் இன்னும் அதன் முக்கியதுவத்தை உணரவில்லை.…

If you happened to pass by the State Archaeological Museum in Bengaluru on any day between May 18th and 21st, you would probably have been in for a pleasant surprise. In observance of International Museum Day (May 18th), the venue was host to a variety of informative and interactive events and activities over the weekend--from story-telling sessions to creative writing workshops, bringing together a diverse audience and fostering new connections and relationships not often associated with the Indian museum space. These events were funded by Karnataka Tourism and organised by city-based organisation ReReeti, which seeks to revitalize museums, enabling them…

Bellandur residents have had a see-saw of joys and sorrows, good news and bad news. When I moved here two years ago, I’d look out of my window and feast my eyes on that vast peaceful expanse of water, with flocks of white egrets hovering above. Kingfishers, coucals and green barbets visited daily, the water being a magnet for uncommon birds. The setting sun on the water was a sight to behold, peaceful and awe-inspiring. We were privileged to live overlooking this beautiful lake. A scene from Bellandur lake area. Pic: Shikha Balakrishnan Slowly, that feast for our eyes became…

Coffee: Rs.12, bus fare to the coffee store < 1km away: Rs.5 each way. On a hot day like today, count on us and you won't miss your coffee. — BMTC (@BMTC_Bangalore) May 26, 2017 Finally Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is doing everything it can, to show citizens in Bengaluru that they really care about the city transport. New buses, free wifi in non-AC buses, reduced fare and double-decker buses are only a few of the measures. The recently concluded GovJam event is an example of BMTC’s proactive approach to the citizen participation model that’s becoming popular in Bengaluru.…

The Karnataka government passed an order on May 2, 2017 capping prices of movie tickets at Rs 200, based on the proposal made in the 2017 budget. A lot of Bengalureans whine about the exorbitant prices of movie tickets in multiplexes, and were happy with this move. Prices of movies tickets were quite high in Bengaluru, sometimes reaching 700-800 rupees for a blockbuster release on a weekend. Though, more commonly, one would have to pay Rs 300-400 for a movie ticket in a multiplex. Many people found this unaffordable as they could not make as many visits to the multiplex…

Ajay Gopi greets you with a shy, heart-warming smile. As is usual, the now twenty-year-old is accompanied by his camera – photography is one of his greatest passions. As he happily chats away, one is hardly likely to suspect that he is quietly working to revolutionise Indian farming systems. In fact, Ajay is the founder of “Hands on Agriculture”, which aims to establish aquaponics as a less water-dependent alternative to conventional farming. His journey began with countering his parents’ explicit will. Ajay recounts that his father wanted to make him an electrician, but he had other ideas. “My wish was…

“The city is both natural and contrived, a transformation of "wild" nature to serve human needs, and an evolving entity shaped by both natural and cultural processes."  - Anne Whiston Spirn I’m standing in a vacant lot in the periphery of Bengaluru. It’s a slightly hazy spring morning and it’s already sweltering. The muted stillness of the neighbourhood is occasionally pierced by the clamour of nearby construction and the distant screeching of regional passenger trains. The heavily disturbed terracotta colored earth below radiates a slightly sour odor and is punctuated by a scrappy patchwork of discarded plastic debris and scrubby spontaneous…

May 30th is the last date for paying your property tax in advance, if you want to avail discount. But the problems in your account have not been fixed in the BBMP portal to collect taxes, in spite of having a complete year at their (BBMP) disposal. So in all probability, you will end up paying inaccurate amount this year as well, if your account had a problem last year. The wrong calculations of last year are being carried forward this year as well. Those who paid as ‘early birds’ with highertaxes due to revision in tax as well as…

The ongoing case at the National Green Tribunal (and the frequent fires!) has helped keep the Bellandur lake in the news. The hearings on the petition filed by D Kupendra Reddy and another suo moto case when the fires happened some months ago, have resulted in a number of directions to the respondents including the state, and agencies like KSPCB and KLCDA. In its latest order on April 19, 2017, the NGT said: “All local authorities shall ensure that no untreated sewage water is permitted to enter into Bellandur Lake” - sounds familiar? Here is the chronological summary of developments…