Governance

As usual, property tax payment procedures have run into problems this year too. Collection started on April 1; those who pay before April 30 will get a rebate of 5% on the tax. But with poorly organised collection procedures, tax payment is getting delayed for many. For one, adequate number of forms was not available in the Citizen Service Centres (CSCs) where tax has to be paid. Many people, including senior citizens, had to make repeated visits to procure forms. Though Bangalore One centres were supposed to collect taxes, this has not been arranged yet. Currently tax can be paid…

I submitted my property tax returns at the JP Nagar BBMP Citizen Service Center, on 2nd April making the payment with a cheque. They asked me to wait as the server was slow to generate the receipt. They then asked to come on the next working day and the receipt was ready. I collected it on 5th April after showing the acknowledgement.I went to Gottigere BBMP office on 6th April to remit the tax for my daughter's property situated in JP Nagar 9th phase.The server was down and there was no debit/credit card m/c to collect the payment. The person…

I had never heard of Anna Hazare before; Or the Lok Janpal Bill; I was in awe. I asked around and was explained what an icon that man is. Built not of skin and bones, this man is made of Principles and Values. There had to be something that I can do to support his movement. I got an sms the following day from my friend, Dr. Mateen that there is a meeting for the campaign 'India Against Corruption' at Freedom Park. Freedom Park? Where's that. No one has heard of Freedom Park. Well, pretty soon, the World got to…

Anna Hazare's anti-corruption hunger strike of last week resulted in sparking off involvement from around the country. But for Bengaluru, this was not the first major opportunity to hit out  The Saaku campaign of December 2010 was an attempt to send a message to the state government. Santosh Hegde's resignation of June 2010 also sparked an outcry of demonstrations and marches against the government. So much so that Justice Hegde decided to remain is office till the end of his term. Freedom Park on April 9th. The crowd rose up and broke into cheers on news of Anna Hazare breaking…

On the third day of the fast in Bengaluru, more than one thousand citizens gathered at the Freedom Park. The candle light vigil today (April 8th) is expected to bring close to ten thousand people. Veteran theatre personality Bhargavi Narayan extending her support to the movement, on the third day. Pic: Navya P K From April 5th, eminent individuals led by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare have been campaigning from New Delhi for a powerful and undiluted Lok Pal Bill to deter rampant corruption. In Bangalore, eight citizens went on an indefinite fast at Freedom Park during the week, joining tens…

Starting April 5, citizens in different parts of the country will fast for five days demanding implementation of Jan Lokpal Bill, to fight corruption. The campaign is organised by India Against Corruption, a coalition of NGOs, activists and other social organizations. In Bengaluru, 51-year-old Mahendra Kumar Gandhi, a marketing professional, has gone a step ahead - he plans to go on an indefinite fast until the Bill is implemented. He has decided not to consume water also during the fast.Jan Lokpal Bill is a modified version of the draft Lokpal Bill 2010 mooted by anti-corruption activists. The amended version gives…

From 26th March onwards, thousands of citizens in Karnataka and lakhs all over India under the banner of ‘India Against Corruption (IAC)' will hold a series of campaigns that will converge into a final ultimatum to the Central govt. on April 5th in the form of a fast unto death by revered social activist Shri Anna Hazare. In Bengaluru, on 26th March, citizens will come together to launch Dandi March II, a non-violent protest against lack of willingness of Central Govt. to ACT against CORRUPTION. Acknowledging Loksatta party's strong support to this patriotic movement, Karnataka Loksatta party President, N S…

Bengalureans have come to expect that at every corner they turn, they will be met with a wide heap of garbage.  They have also come to accept that Pourakarmikas themselves will dump their melange of garbage on the ground. What Bengalureans are not aware of is that this manner of collecting unsegregated garbage and transferring it manually, with the garbage exposed to the environment, is in total violation of the Ministry of Environment & Forests' Municipal Solid Waste Handling Rules of 2000.  What Bengalureans also do not know is that behind this ‘gawd-awful' system of collecting garbage lurks one more…

Load shedding, the most dreaded word in summer isn't always because of power shortage. Most of it has got to do with overloaded distribution and supply lines. Here are some areas where BESCOM has identified issues and proposed solutions. This might help reduce power cuts in Bengaluru.BESCOM North ♦ There is load shedding in Platinum City, Yelahanka and Sahakaranagara as the cable size is small. The cables are overloaded and they can take maximum power of 40 MW only. The cable size has to be increased from these areas up to the sub-stations ♦ Byadarahalli MUSS and its lines are…

"When we broke open the doors and rescued, the people inside offices, told us that we had come like angels amidst the thick smoke to rescue them," says Mudaseer Hussain, one of the firemen from the Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services (KSFES). To hundreds of people stuck in the Carlton Tower fire on 23 February 2010, they came as angels to save their lives. Firemen from the KSFES acted swiftly to rescue hundreds of people stranded at the high-rise and prevented further loss of lives. Mudaseer Hussain, 36, Venkatesha T, 25, K T Prakash, 48, were three of the…