Governance

Mandur - closed in November 2014. Bingipura - closed in  November 2015. Laxmipura - closed in November 2015. Mavallipura - closed in July 2012, reopened in July 2014, ready to close again! That is the story of landfills that help Bengaluru live in peace. With the closure of Terra Firma waste processing unit in Doddaballapur, the garbage crisis has started worsening in Bengaluru. According to BBMP officials, the waste which used to be transported to Terra Firma, is now being diverted to various processing units and to a new quarry at Bettahalli in North Bengaluru. “Around 500-600 tonnes of garbage…

Nobody wants to take mixed waste, yet Bengaluru is sitting on quite a huge quantity of it. Pic: Shree D N Heaps of unsegregated waste mixed with reject waste such as styrofoam plates and low value plastic lie unattended in the infamous backyard of Malleshwaram, that is 11th main. Some residents raised a hue and cry against Malleshwaram turning into a mini Mandur, even as the BBMP officials and contractors were figuring out how to handle the situation. This was the scene on 9th April, in Malleshwaram. It has been little over three months since the BBMP announced strict penalty…

As Bangaloreans, if there is one thing that we love talking about, it is our traffic problems and lack of good infrastructure. The problem has become so bad, that we the citizens of Bangalore took to the streets in protest via Whitefield Rising and ORR-Sarjapur Rising. The result? The authorities took notice — small step, yes, but it worked. It is about time that the authorities fix these problems and work with the citizens who have come forward to collaborate with them... This is an opportunity not to be missed. At the same time, it is up to us as…

Lawrence, in his late 30s, is seeing the world with the curious eyes of a child. As he looks around, he wonders how the world has changed and how different it looks. “The value of money is no more the same. In 1990s, I used to spend a good whole week with just Rs 100 in the pocket. Now everyone talks in thousands and lakhs. Strange!” he exclaims. In the last 19 years of his life, Lawrence was completely cut off from society — he had spent nearly two decades of his life languishing behind bars. Convicted in a murder…

Lawrence, in his late 30s, is seeing the world with the curious eyes of a child. As he looks around, he wonders how the world has changed and how different it looks. “The value of money is no more the same. In 1990s, I used to spend a good whole week with just Rs 100 in the pocket. Now everyone talks in thousands and lakhs. Strange!” he exclaims. In the last 19 years of his life, Lawrence was completely cut off from society — he had spent nearly two decades of his life languishing behind bars. Convicted in a murder…

It’s that time of the year when you can start paying property tax for the next year. Now that the increase in tariff and other changes are settled, one can actually calculate how much property tax has to be paid and be done with it. This year, there are changes in two respects : Change in tariff Change in zonal classifications The first one is a regular hike, which had to be done after expiry of every blockperiod of fiveyears. But there is also a controversy of the block period to make it to threeyears, but the actual effect is…

112 – is the new number India is set to adopt as its common emergency call-in number. Any person is distress or in need of services of the police, fire department or ambulance, can soon call this number at any point of time. Given the state (or lack) of public safety in India, this number will, in all probability, be used very frequently. But will it cover all the services needed by the public? For, after all, public safety is about ensuring the general welfare and protection of the public, isn’t it? Quoting from the article ‘How to transform public…

Chairman of Taxation Committee M Shivaraj presenting the BBMP Budget. Pic: BBMP The ruling party in BBMP, Indian National Congress which used to criticise the Bharatiya Janata Party till last year for presenting unrealistic budgets, faced the same allegation this time, from the BJP which now sits in the opposition. The BBMP council floor witnessed a heated exchange between Congress and BJP leaders even as the Mayor opened the floor for presenting the budget. BJP corporators who wore black ribbons around their necks, protested against the Council’s decision to hike the property tax. Opposition party leader Padmanabha Reddy, former Mayor…

Works taken up under SFC & 14th Finance Commission Grants for 2016-17   Sl.No. Name of works Amount INR Lakhs 1 Establishment of ABC Centres 250.00 2 Construction of Hospital at Sudhamanagar in Ward No.118 200.00 3 Construction of Referral Hospital in Ward No.165 200.00 4 Construction of Hospital building at ward 11 300.00 5 Construction of Hospital building at Ward No.2 300.00 6 Construction of Hospital building at ward No.31 300.00 7 Construction of dialisis centre at ward No.52 200.00 8 Construction of Maternity Hospital in Kanakanapalya 500.00 9 Providing CC Camara in each wards @ Rs.10.00 Lakh per…