Civic

Do you know how much of the pollution in the world is caused by cars? Some studies put that at 40%. As a result, some across the globe have chosen to observe 22nd September as World Car Free Day. ESAF, a Bangalore based not-for-profit organization that is campaigning to make the city a child friendly one, decided to do its bit to create awareness on the advantage of not using cars. On the 21st, the NGO has planned to distribute handbills along with 2 English and 1 Kannada newspapers to persuade car users to consider taking public transport. "Some friends…

Have you or someone you know filed an RTI application in public interest or are eager to do so? Or do you want to learn about applying the RTI Act for the greater common good? If yes, you could approach the Karnataka RTI Federation, a recently formed network of seasoned and emerging RTI users from all over the state. "It is a forum for RTI users from Karnataka who want to get organized and strengthen their association", said Vikram Simha, an experienced RTI user and campaigner based in Bangalore. He is one of the persons who conceptualized the Karnataka RTI…

Many Bellandur residents have been enthused by the anti-corruption campaign. They are organising small and large local rallies, candle light vigils and protests.It started earlier this week itself - Aug 16th saw a human chain and singing of the National Anthem on ORR.One of the organisers of a protest on 19th August, Geetha Arvind, shared this on our federation mailing group, "Started at around 9am with one person and kept growing with time and by 11am there were more than 60-70 people... Cab drivers joined, auto drivers joined... Many junta from softzone companies were present". Another march from Iblur Junction…

BBMP demolished the disputed 400-metre-long compound wall of L&T South City in Mico-Arekere layout on Thursday morning (9 June) and threw open the 60-feet road going through the compound to the public, amidst protests from residents. This, even as cases are pending in the court between residents, builder L&T and original land owner Dinesh Ranka. Residents had alleged in the court cases that the builder and Ranka had relinquished the 60-feet road and area including the compound wall to the BDA, without their consent . BBMP had earlier made markings on the compound wall to acquire 30 feet of land…

I waited. And he waited. I waited some more and he too waited some more. Impasse. Flustered and confused, I looked at him -- and waited again. He too stared at me, with a hint of impatience and bafflement. My first day at Cambridge, UK, on a pleasant May morning. I had stepped out and while making my way along the pavement saw a cyclist coming down the same way (cyclists and pedestrians share the same pathways skirting the roads). Used to Bangalore's "get-out-of-my-way" culture, I assumed he had right of way, and waited, while he, following the local road…

The Richards Town Residents Association (RTRA) held an Appreciation Ceremony for the Civil Defence at Richards Park recently to launch a campaign of greening Richards Town with five hundred free saplings from the Civil Defence Division 40. Maj Gen John planting the first sapling. The 40th and 41st Civil Defence divisions were formally inaugurated under the Directorate of Home Guards, Civil Defence and Fire and Emergency Service in October 2009. Area 40 includes Fraser Town and D J Halli, The campaign was launched by Jija Madhavan Hari Singh, DGP, Home Guards and Fire Services; Major General T M John (retired),…

The Richards Town Residents Association (RTRA) invited all the residents of Richards Town to join hands in cleaning up Richards Park, one of the most prominent landmarks of the area. Young and old (the oldest being 86 years old) gathered on a Sunday morning armed with gloves, brooms and garbage bags to clean the park and lead by example. Richards Park was set up in the late 1800's to decongest the South Parade Area. Named after Richard, a British Civil Services Officer, the park is the highest point of Richards Town. This beautiful park with a bandstand where the British…

Seven months after their first ‘Gandhigiri' protest, residents of Sachidananda Nagara layout in Rajarajeshwari Nagar held a second protest at the BBMP Commissioner's office on 25th April for the same reason - non-issuance of Khatas. In September last year, a group formed by residents named Sachidananda Nagara Nyayapara Andolana (SNNA) had presented roses to the Commissioner saying that they should be provided khatas without having to give bribes. But despite an order from the Commissioner in November, only 120 residents have got khatas so far. There are nearly 800 residents in the layout. Another set of 120 khata applications have…

It has taken just about 2 months to flood National Games Village (NGV) after the initial protest on 25th February from the residents for opening up the storm water drains. The trauma has just started with the first few summer showers. We had water overflow from the drains reach areas near the centre court in Tungabhadra, NGV on 22 April. Water overflowing from open drains into the residential area. Pic: Meera Rajesh There was no way to cross between the towers without stepping into the dirty water from the drain! BBMP had earlier taken an on the spot decision to…

In November 2010, 15 families of survey number 27 in 4th main, OMBR layout, had their houses demolished by the BDA. While the residents had plan sanction copies from village panchayat and a CMC khata, the layout was illegal. They did not own either a BDA or BBMP khata. The residents, mostly senior citizens, had invested their life's savings in the property. BDA recovered the land saying it was under its jurisdiction.  Citizen Matters came to know about this through a letter from the residents. Times of India also reported on this late last year. This land was a revenue…