Civic

Dear BBMP, How are you doing? Hope all is well with you. Things haven't been going so great with me for a month now, as I have been bedridden after being injured on a faulty footpath. But that's another conversation for another time. I write to you today because of a tweet by the BBMP Commissioner that caught my eye about a week ago. B H Anil Kumar tweeted that the Palike had identified 35 junctions in the city for "beautification" to raise the standards of Bengaluru. The Mayor of Bengaluru, Gautam Kumar, then elucidated that the idea was to…

Of all the headlines made by the state visit of US President, Donald Trump, the one that caught my attention was a news report about five langurs being included in his security detail during his visit to Agra to deal with the monkey menace. It provided great fodder to social media and meme makers as the jokes wrote themselves. But now that the noise has died down after the return of the President, it is time we looked at the magnitude of the problem, because as the residents of these cities will tell you, it is no laughing matter. So,…

BBMP moots controversial Pet Dog Licensing Bylaw again BBMP has again drafted the Pet Dog Licensing Bylaw, which had been withdrawn in 2018 following opposition from dog lovers. According to the draft Pet Dog Licensing Bylaws 2020, a flat-owner can rear only one dog, and a person living in an independent house can keep only three. Owners need to fix a microchip and sterilise their pets. But the rules have been relaxed for those who rear abandoned, rescued and local breeds after getting the necessary certification. Dog owners who don't have license will have to pay a fine of Rs…

North East Delhi Riots: Death toll reaches 42; situation normal now The death toll touched 42 in the violent North East Delhi riots that began on the night of  February 23rd in Jaffrabad and neighboring areas of North East Delhi. It was reported that more than 500 women were sitting on silent protests against the CAA-NRC on the Seelampur-Jaffrabad stretch blocking the entry and exit of Seelampur Metro Station. There had been incendiary comments by local political leader Kapil Mishra, urging the police to evict them, failing which things could get chaotic. Days later, communal clashes -- labeled as clashes…

Officials warned for not sealing groundwater tapping units properly A Madras High Court bench led by Justices Vineeth Kothari and R Suresh Kumar expressed disappointment over officials not complying with the rule that mandates sealing firms that illegally draw groundwater. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by M V Sivamuthu of Neat India organisation against firms that misuse groundwater resources without obtaining license under the Chennai Metropolitan Ground Water Regulation Act, 1987, especially drinking water manufacturers in Chennai. The bench further warned that it intends to take contempt action against the authorities in-charge in Tamil Nadu…

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users amongst all the others. In fact, studies on pedestrianization by Wilbur Smith Associates for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) found that 28% of the population was estimated to be walking population. Yet, Indian cities have become quite unsafe for this walking population.  In a survey carried out by Central Road Research Institute, 9 out 10 pedestrians felt unsafe while crossing roads. The Law Commission Report on "Legal Reforms to Combat Road Accidents" has also stated that 53% of road deaths are among pedestrians. Indian cities are struggling constantly to provide…

The Central Finance Commission is a constitutionally mandated commission that has the key function of recommending how financial resources will be shared between the central governments and state governments, and between individual state governments.  It is constituted every five years, generally for a two year term, and is also required to make recommendations on strengthening financial resources of panchayats and municipalities (also known as urban local bodies). The Finance Commission’s terms of reference are drawn up by the central government, but its report is required to be tabled in Parliament. Generally the Finance Commission submits a single report sometime during Oct-Dec for five…

Kaikondrahalli Kere Habba entered its 6th edition this year. The Kere Habba has typically been a day long series of events from sunrise to sunset. It celebrates the gorgeous Kaikondrahalli Lake that is spread over 48 acres, 23 guntas on Sarjapur Road. Once a dumpyard, this lake has been a bio-diverse ecosystem for the last few years. The lake's rejuvenation was taken up by BBMP few years back with the help and efforts of local citizens. The lake has become home to myriad species of resident and migratory birds and other creatures.  To celebrate the lake, this year, a variety…

Shaheen Bagh: Mediation ends with Road 9 opened Following talks between Supreme Court appointed interlocutors and anti-CAA protesters at Shaheen Bagh, road number 9, a one-way route connecting Noida with Kalindi Kunj, was opened to allow one-way traffic from the Shaheen Bagh-Jamia Nagar locality and Ashram towards Noida through the Kalindi Kunj bridge. While it may not completely resolve traffic problems, it’s being considered a positive start. Hearing pleas against the blockade of roads for protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act at Shaheen Bagh, on February 17th, a Supreme Court Bench had appointed Senior Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hegde, advocate…

HC cracks a whip on illegal buildings along ECR in CRZ-1 and II A Madras High Court bench comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and R Hemalatha have instructed the State Coastal Zone Management Authority (SCZMA) to carry out a detailed survey and identify the total count of unapproved buildings on ECR from Uthandi to Mahabalipuram. The bench had issued lock and seal notices to over 700 building owners a few years ago for violating the norms. Chennai Corporation has been directed to submit a report detailing the action taken against the owners. Further, the Justices ruled that GCC should develop a…