INFORMATIVE

Bengaluru has much to offer. That much is clear even to someone who is new to the city. Normally, if you plan to visit all of the major sightseeing locales available, it would take several trips. The Bangalore Rounds bus service makes it easy to condense a planned excursion into a single day-trip for those without much time. It’s the equivalent of marathoning a favorite TV show on Netflix, but instead you can experience sunshine, learn more about the history of the city, and revel in the amazing architectural designs. Although it’s unlikely you’ll be able to visit every landmark…

You are in a newly constructed large apartment community or in an individual house, and you don’t know where to send your garbage. Throwing it on to the streets is illegal, and you are a nice person who wouldn’t do it. You have a solution now : igotgarbage.com (IGG). An initiative of Information Technology company Mindtree, in association with Hasirudala, Saahas Zero Waste, Daily Dump and other stakeholders who manage IT city’s waste, IGG connects the waste collectors who dispose it responsibly, to waste generators who want to see their waste managed responsibly. Prashant Mehra, project manager of IGG does…

The Karnataka government introduced provision for self declaration in many services by various departments recently. The scheme is expected to be implemented in most departments by mid-July. However, here is the hitch: the mechanism to check the truthfulness of the statement made in the declaration is not foolproof yet. This calls for more transparency from the government, in order to prevent corruption. The first department to fall in line is the Revenue Department. An official from the Department of Administrative Reforms says, “Revenue department has already introduced this initiative with citizens getting most of the certificates (caste, income, profession etc),…

Bengaluru has trees that flower through the year. Many a time one wonders how they can be a part of that whole system. How easy is it to plant trees and watch it grow? What are the requirements from departments involved? How are plant species selected? How did other citizens and groups go about tree planting? Tree planting is a big step that needs planning and dedication, the Tree Planting Guide simplifies the process and you could add to one of the city’s trees. How do we begin tree planting? Planning is an integral part of tree planting, though the…

  Alright. We all know lakes are vanishing fast in Bengaluru. Many groups are fighting to save some lakes. However the mission hits the dead end when complaints to stop the encroachment yield no results. We also have heard about a District Lake Committee which is supposed to protect lakes. However, we don’t see this committee active. So what’s wrong? What is this committee supposed to do? In December 2013, the Karnataka High Court passed a revolutionary judgment in response to a PIL filed by Environment Support Group (ESG), directing the State Government to set up Lake Protection Committees to…

What do you do when you see a garbage dump near your home or slabs misplaced from the footpath drains, and don’t see any civic agency going anything to solve the problem? Just go out and do it yourself! This is the motto behind a Bangalorean movement called The Ugly Indian. Citizens inspired by The Ugly Indian movement working to fix a drain. Pic: The Ugly Indian The Ugly Indian is an apolitical, anonymous group of citizens who feel strongly about the visible filth in Indian cities. The movement, aimed at solving problems at public spaces with direct action and…

The primary reason for the stench generated by the KCDC like units, I feel, is simply because they are trying to handle more than the unit is designed to handle. Every unit has an optimal capacity that it can handle. But either due to bad planning or prestige issues one tries to go over the capacity and then the whole system eventually comes to a grinding halt. It will not even be able to handle what it was capable of. The second (and important) reason for the stench is because so much plastic is mixed up in the wet waste.…

Looking to move into a new house in Bengaluru? Then you need to apply for an electricity connection with BESCOM. This guide will take you through the steps that you need to follow to get a domestic LT connection (applicable for less than 25 KW or less than 500 square metres of built-up area). BESCOM or the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company is in charge of distribution of power to the districts of Bangalore Urban/Rural, Kolar, Tumkur, Ramanagar, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga and Davanagere. So if you have moved into a new house in any of these areas or you are shifting house, you…

Only one more day left to go to the voting booth and cast your vote. All the leading parties have presented their manifesto. Their candidates have toured the city of Bengaluru trying to sell their ideas for the city and nation by large. Now it’s your turn. Step out and vote. For many who are still in a dilemma about which Parliamentary constituency you belong to, here is where you can figure it out: Which Parliament Constituency does your ward fall in? Who are the candidates? Once you know to which parliamentary assembly constituency you belong to, check out who…

It is that time of the year when people in Bengaluru start rushing to pay property tax to avail discounts. All of us would have paid the taxes for all the previous years (2008-14) by filling the appropriate form (Form I-for properties with PID no./ Form II-for  properties having only Khatha no./ Form III-for properties with neither PID nor Khatha no.) and have come to the stage of paying the taxes for the current year. Here’s a guide on how to do it.  This time, there are of two different types – White (form IV) in bilingual and Blue (Form…