GENRE: Voices

We, Malleswaram Swabhimana Initiative (MSI), a resident's welfare association, have been short listed for Green Star awards. Finally we are being recognized for the work that MSI has done in the field of waste management. The award is being given by TCS during their 10 k run.The award will be partially based on the number of votes that the association gets. Please click on this link for voting:  Green Star awards. The voting closes on May 27, Sunday.For more information on MSI, visit: We Care For Malleswaram .⊕

BBMP has listed control room numbers for disaster management on its official website. Unfortunately these lines either do not work or there is no response. I had lodged a complaint (Complaint no: 197) with BBMP (South Office) on May 11 for clearing the branch of the tree that had fallen due to heavy rain, which was promptly cleared within couple of hours.It has been more than 10 days and the branches cut are thrown across my compound facilitating to make it a dump yard. Irony is that BBMP Porakarmikas who clean the road, dump all the debris in the same…

BBMP unlike BDA is not a development authority, it can be termed as a maintenance authority and provides services, hence it should focus on -Capacity building - Administrative restructuring of BBMP - Roles and responsibilities of departments/officers  to be defined.Computerisation of all BBMP offices, establishment of  citizen help centers in each ward.Adequate and skilled professionals should be hired as required in BBMP.Services of Private consultants/professionals /outsourcing can be utilised as required on a contract basis instead of utilizing engineers from the public works department.Involve registered Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) and civic organizations to monitor projects of the ward and conduct…

Dr Prathibha Vinay is a doctorate in botany, and resident of JP Nagar since 1997. From 2002 onwards she has dedicated herself to promoting medicinal plants. She even planted them at JP Nagar's Dhanwantari park. In 2002, she founded TULSI (Treasure and Utilise the Life Sustaining Ingredients of Nature) an NGO that promotes medicinal plants for health and raises awareness on conservation of such plants. Dr Pratibha Vinay at her residence. Pratibha earned her doctorate degree in Palynology-a super speciality in Botany in 1972. Later she was awarded Post Doctoral Fellowship at Bangalore University -Department of Botany in 1973. In…

Shut since 2004 with a pledge by the then Bangalore Mahanagara Palike that a refurbished theatre with state-of-the-art facilities in place would be re-opened, the theatre today lies decrepit.During the visit of then Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa  to the damaged site, revival of the theatre in 36 months was promised, but unfortunately the situation remains unchanged and is causing a huge loss to the state exchequer.  The project has been handed over to BDA by BBMP. Concerned authorities must look into the matter at the earliest and accelerate the reconstruction.⊕

In 19th Century, King George V asked “If preventable why not prevented”, when informed that Tuberculosis is a preventable disease. In 21st century, the question still remains unanswered. The impact in terms of death and disability it causes worldwide is significant. Sample this:Globally,     8.8 million infected with Tuberculosis and 1.2 million deaths in     2010,Over     95% of deaths occur in low and middle income countriesEvery     3rd     person in world carries the infection with him/her. The risk of     developing active TB is 10 % but increases if immunity is compromised due to Diabetes, HIV, or smoking…

“I always knew I would be a writer,” she says sipping her tea. She believes that writing keeps her alive and kicking. By the age of 36, Christina Daniels has authored books like ‘Ginger lemon soda pop’ and ‘I’ll do it my way’. She has worked in Print and Online media. A movie reviewer, and a corporate communicator by profession, she is currently working on a book dedicated to the city that she has seen grow, Bangalore. Christina Daniels holds a BA in communicative english from the Bangalore University and MSc in New Media from London School of Economics and…

On days such as these, when it rained through the night, our cab driver takes a alternative route. A route which traverses through the many hamlets of Bellandur and Doddanekundi villages. This route does not ensure a faster and quicker access to Marathahalli but atleast we get to escape the traffic jam at ORR signals. It really seems like a never ending journey sometimes. So while he drives through lanes and by-lanes for a good 30 minutes, we get to see the real Bangalore that resides behind the glitz and glamor of the shiny software parks. File pic: Vivek M.…

I am a mom. I don’t do me time. Except when I am reading Good Housekeeping or Femina  or one of those million women’s magazines that go blue in the face extolling the virtues of leaving the children behind in the able care of your husband/mother/mother in law/maid and snatching a cup of coffee in the cafe or a massage in the spa. It all sounds quite delicious, having the children out of your hair at least for a while and having some divine smelling promises-to-make-hair-great concoction in it instead.Sounds good? Certainly! Sounds doable? Well it depends on how well…

Good morning and welcome to the Mummy Pick Up & Drop Off service. I'm the chief operating officer cum chief pick up girl here. The job description fits me to the tee as I am always picking up things -- clothes from the laundry, toys from the floor, soap from the bathroom basin, child from swimming class, bus stop, playdate, skating class and so on. Mother and kid on bike. file pic: Raghavan Kandala We welcome all sorts of applicants as long as they have spawned at least one offspring, possess a reasonable ability to be on their toes for…