Civic

Students in city protest against NEP At a convention in Freedom Park on Wednesday, AIDSO (All India Democratic Students Organisation) said that about 40,000 students have collected and will send almost 35 lakh signatures to the Prime Minister and the state Chief Minister, demanding the scrapping of the NEP (National Education Policy), 2020 . AIDSO opposed many NEP features, including four-year degree courses and students simultaneously studying two degree courses, saying it would commercialise education. Experts slammed the government for rolling out the NEP without consulting stakeholders. They added that instead of focusing on developing infrastructure and addressing dropout rates in…

3,000 sq m of potholes filled this year, says the BMC In response to the numerous complaints about the state of Mumbai's roads, the BMC claimed it has filled 3,000 sq metres of potholes with rapid hardening concrete this monsoon. Prior to the monsoon, each ward is given Rs 1.5 crore to fix bad patches of roads. The BMC then gives them Rs 50 lakh for filling holes that appear during the rains with cold mix. The wards had asked for 3,004 metric tonnes of the mix earlier in March, but falling short of need, an additional Rs 5 lakh…

Korattur canal in Chennai choked by encroachment Restaurants, tea stalls and car wash garages are encroaching the Korattur Canal that runs from Korattur to Puzhal along the Water Canal Road in Chennai. Activists complain that the encroachments and garbage have polluted the canal such that it cannot be seen anymore.  They have urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to join hands with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) and restore the canal instead of constructing stormwater drains in the location.  However, Corporation officials state that the canal in Korattur is a temporary storage structure, and there is a necessity…

The Kannada movie, 777 Charlie, not only beautifully showcased the relationship between dog and man, but also highlighted the perils of indiscriminate breeding. The film also stressed the essential narrative of ‘adopt, don't shop’. The reality is that dogs are bred indiscriminately, pups and dogs do get abandoned, and there are still many dogs looking for homes.  An abandoned St Bernard. Pic courtesy: Voice of Voiceless Dog Breeding and Marketing (DBM) rules, 2017, and Pet Shop rules, 2018, lay out the broad structure,  regulations and controls to ensure responsible breeding and to avoid cruelty. While the framework exists, does it…

On September 22nd, a one-storied building built over a stormwater drain (SWD) or rajakaluves at Shanti Niketan Layout near Munnenakolalu was demolished. The residents were served notice by the tehsildar of the Revenue Department to vacate the house immediately, following which, the structure was razed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the drains cleared of the debris. BBMP zonal officials oversee the demolition of encroachments. Pic: BBMP PRO The city's collective anger over the recent flooding of residential layouts and damage to property finally led to the municipal body scrambling to clear all constructions that encroached the rajakaluves.…

Government tables Language Bill The government, on September 22nd tabled the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, 2022 to provide for reservation to Kannadigas in industries and other establishments as per the state industrial policy. A non-complying company will not be eligible for any government concessions. The proposed legislation will also make Kannada mandatory for employees of banks and other financial institutions. Failure in using Kannada for official and administrative transactions would be considered as dereliction of duty. Source: The Indian Express 57% dissatisfied with government: Survey The Bengaluru Citizens’ Perception Survey, released by the B.PAC (Bangalore Political Action Committee) on…

Greater Chennai Corporation urges residents to pay property tax Only 6.88 lakh (52%) of the total 13 lakh assessees in the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limit have paid property tax for the first half of the financial year 2022-23. The deadline for remitting the tax without penalty is September 30th, beyond which the civic body would levy fines. A sum of around Rs 570 crore has been collected so far, with the civic body expecting a collection of Rs 650 crore by the end of the month. Notably, around 63% of those who have paid the taxes so far are…

Vadhawan Port in Palghar will impact 20,809 fisherfolk According to a previously undisclosed survey by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), the proposed Vadhawan Port in Palghar district’s eco-sensitive Dahanu taluka, adjacent to Mumbai will impact the livelihoods of at least 20,809 fisherfolk living in 16 fishing villages within the 10 km radius of the port. The port will render approximately 72 sq kms of current fishing area inaccessible to fisherfolk during the construction phase and once the operations are underway, states the CMFRI report. The report also points out that only the area outside the harbour of the…

Sri, a youngster, who comes from Trichy to Chennai for an interview for a BPO job, loses his original certificates after an incident of physical assault. In order to keep the job offer, he finds himself having to arrange for copies of his certificate in a matter of days. In a similar incident, Kamali, a young graduate visits Chennai from Kotagiri in search of a job. She misplaces her bag on the train and ends up losing her academic certificates. Do these stories sound familiar to you? These incidents are from the famous Tamil movies Managaram (2017) and Kadhal Kottai…

It’s 6:30 am on a quiet street in Nutan Society, Vadodara and a vehicle comes by. Three people wearing green T-shirts alight and start moving about, calling out to the street dogs, petting and then catching them by hand. A woman moves towards them, shouting at them, unsure of their intent. Calmly, one of the members stops to explain about the animal birth control programme, assuring her they will sterilise, vaccinate the dogs and drop them back in a few days. They provide her the facility’s details and invite her to see the work first hand. She visits the place…