PRESS RELEASE

Seven corporators from Bengaluru have welcomed Greenpeace India’s campaign on composting and growing food. They have agreed to take forward the message of segregating, composting and using this compost to grow food. Joining them are more than 14,000 individuals who have pledged to do the same. The initiatives are part of Greenpeace India’s campaign ‘Waste To Food’. The campaign's objective is to ensure that solid waste that the city produces is segregated, composted and sent to farmers to use as fertiliser. This can reduce dependence on agro-chemicals for farmers, improve soil health and also comes back as safer food for…

Bangalore Literature Festival (BLF), Bengaluru’s flagship community-funded literary event on the cultural calendar of the city, is all set for a sixth edition on October 28 and 29 at the Hotel Lalit Ashok lawns in Kumara Krupa High Grounds, Bengaluru. Building on the success of over the past five years, this year Bangalore Literature Festival (#blrlitfest) has a “Speak Up, Speak Out” theme and will feature a host of distinguished authors, speakers and artistes including Ramachandra Guha, Perumal Murugan, Paul Zacharia, Ambai, Hardeep Singh Puri, Suketu Mehta, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, NS Madhavan, Girish Karnad, Sonal Mansingh, Gideon Haigh, Twinkle…

The #SteelFlyoverBeda movement inspired citizens to come together and exercise their right to actively participate in governance.  #BekuBedaSanthe is being organized on Oct 15th 2017 by a large number of organizations, civic and social as a mark of one year anniversary. #BekuBedaSanthe  will serve as a platform for citizens across Bengaluru to express what they want for their area and city (ಬೇಕು) and what they do not want for their area and city (ಬೇಡ.) The Santhe is unique due to the broad and diverse set of  RWAs, NGOs, slum rights groups, unorganized sector representatives, civic groups, think tanks  and many others  joining…

Over the last few decades, we are witnessing how in the name of development our communities are being destroyed and our neighbourhoods transformed. This stems from the negligence and continued apathy of public officials and crippling of government institutions. Cities exist for its citizens, and all modern cities work on that fundamental principle. It is thus imperative that we, citizens of Bengaluru, have to take up on ourselves; to fight against massive corruption and institutional failure, misuse of public assets, deeply entrenched vested interests and the nexus of builders with public officials. Swarajya in association with Namma Bengaluru Foundation and…

“I cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples” - Mother Teresa We “Swachh Elita Swachh Bharat” volunteers are working for good environment from 2014. We have completed our 1000 days in month of August 2017. Elita Promenade Apartment is prime complex in J P Nagar 7th Phase, South Bengaluru with 1573 apartments. All the residents’ and Owners Association's participation and co-operation made the programme a great success. Our main initiatives are “Two Bin+One Bag – waste segregation with colour code bins” , “PLASTIC FREE ELITA” and “SWASTHA elita (Healthy elita)”.…

In 1942, it was ‘Vellayane Veliyeru’. In 2017, it is ‘Kollayane Veliyeru’ “Kollaiyane Veliyeru”, a large anti-corruption campaign movement to bring together all those who are against corruption is set to be launched at a public meeting this weekend on October 8th  at 4.30 Pm at Mylapore Mangollai. The event is facilitated by Arappor Iyakkam and is co-organized by citizens and various other organizations. Corruption affects all of us. Every day, from the traffic cop on the roads, to sand mining on our river beds, from RTOs issuing licenses to 2G spectrum, from stretcher charges in government hospitals to illegal…

The survey of street vendors in south zone was to have taken place in the south zone between 25th September and 28th September. The survey has started in several wards but is not complete and in fact has been called off. Additionally there are several issues in how it has been done. In Some wards like ward 170, it has happened as per guidelines however in a lot of other places its not done. Here are some issues: 1) Not enough forms: In ward 123 and 168, there have not been enough forms. We are not sure if the forms…

United Bengaluru in association with Let’s Be The Change (LBTC) under the leadership of MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, is launching ‘Mega Cleanathon’. Responding to a letter from the MP, various organizations, NGOS, RWAs, Citizen Activists will be joining this fight and as a process to clean Bengaluru, the kick-start of the Mega Cleanathon will be with cleaning garbage and lakes in Bengaluru on October 2nd, 2017 across Bengaluru (in about 72 wards). These Spots will be cleaned by the volunteers, followed by painting of walls in their respective areas.  Beautiful paintings will encourage citizens to keep the area clean. City based…

A large number of civic and social organizations of Bengaluru are coming together to organize a unique ‘Beku Beda Santhe’ on October 15th, 2017 to commemorate the first anniversary of the Human Chain for the #steelflyoverbeda. That campaign saw a  saw massive outpouring of citizens, democratically expressing their demand. The #SteelFlyoverBeda movement inspired citizens to come together and exercise their right to actively participate in governance. The “Beku Beda Santhe” will serve as a platform for citizens from across Bengaluru to express what they want for their area and city (ಬೆೇಕು) and what they do not want for their area…

As per the directions of the High Court of Karnataka during the hearing of the case WP 24739-740/2012 on 4th September 2017, we are herewith submitting our objections to the manner of selection of ward committee members: Violation of the spirit and objects of the 74th Constitutional Amendment:  The purpose of the 74th Constitutional Amendment as per the Union Government, in its primer on JNNURM, was to empower Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with many more powers and functions to operate as independent levels of government. But, it says, “such increase in autonomy also needs to be complemented by appropriate accountability.…