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All footpath slabs uprooted. Sewage water over owing on the road. All we
ask is just repair the foot path. Is that too much?
- TK Jagannathan, resident of kanakapura road
ON THE MOVE
BMTC WOMEN
CONDUCTORS
Citizen
Matters
BENGALURU
BENGALURUS OWN COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE
VOL 1 ISSUE 2
FEB 13 - 26, 2009
SPEAK UP, ITS YOUR CITY ! FREE
GUIDE TO
PROPERTY TAX
INFOCUS
MAPS AND DIRECTIONS
HERITAGE
AGRAM CEMETRY
HOME GARDEN
GROW ORGANIC
PROPERTY TAX
TIME
JP NAGAR
PEDESTRIAN
PAINED
Bangalore - South Residential
Rs./Sq.ft
Commercial
Rs./Sq.ft
Yediyur 1500 2500
Basavangudi 6000 8000
Kumarswamy Layout 2500 5000
Thyagarajnagar 2000 4500
Banashankari 3500 5500
Padmanabhnagar 3500 5500
Hanumantnagar 3500 5500
Timber Yard Layout 2500
Kempegowda Nagar 1500 3000
Bull Temple Rd 5000 8000
Gandhi Bazar 5000 8000
RV Rd 5000 10000
Shantinagar 8000
Mission Rd 7000 8000
Adugodi 6000
LAND PRICES IN BENGALURU:
RATES AND RANGES
2 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
GUIDES AND PRIMERS
REAL ESTATE
Bangalore - South Residential
Rs./Sq.ft
Commercial
Rs./Sq.ft
Wilson Garden 6000 8000
Hosur Rd 8000
Siddapura Rd 8000
Bannerghatta Rd 2500 5000
V V puram 5000 7000
Lal Bagh Rd 6000 8000
Jayanagar Shopping
Complex
10000 20000
Jayanagar South End Rd 6000 8000
JP Nagar 6000 10000
Puttenahalli 4000 7000
Avlahalli 2000 3500
BTM Layout 5000 8000
Bomanahalli 2000 4000
Hulimavu 1500 3000
Manish Gurnani | Meenakshi
Bharath | Mridula Diwakar |
Muralidhar Rao | N Mukund |
Narasimha Vedala | Naveen |
Palahalli Vishwanath | Poorva
Agarwal | Promod Kapur |
Pulkit Parikh | Pushpa Achanta
| Rajangam | Rajeev Rajago-
palan | Rajesh Golani | Ram
Subramanian | Ramamurthy
M S | Ranga Shankara Theatre
| Ranjith P | Ravi Vattipalli | S G
Narayanamurthy | S Nityananda
| Sanjuktha Mukund | Santo K
Joseph | Sattva ezine | Satya
Kumar Kolluru | Saurabh Mittal
| Shruti Ramesh | Shyamnath
Janardhanan | Siby Kuriakose
| Sindhu S Chandran | Sreejith
G S | Srijaya N Char | Srinand
Piedpet | Srinivas | Sudhir Tiwari
| T L Prasanna Venkatesan | Usha
Srinath | Vaishali Khandekar |
Vatsala Dhananjay | Vinita Kurup
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INSIDE MATTERS
LOCAL MATTERS
IN FOCUS
FIRMS VIE TO GIVE
DIRECTIONS 6
CONVERSATIONS
FEATURES
TERRACE GARDENING 10
BLOGS & COLUMNS
OFF ROAD ISSUES 11
HERITAGE
TOO STEEP AN INCREASE
IN PROPERTY TAXES 9
PUSHING FOR PEDAL
POWER 5
more online
www.citizenmatters .in
VOL 1 ISSUE 2, 13 - 26 FEB 2009
WAGING A WAR FOR THE
DEAD SOLDIER 12
CITIZEN CONCERNS
Vaishnavi Vittal
Vaishnavi Vittal
Vinita
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 13
Supriya Khandekar
CLINICAL
OVERACHIEVEMENT 14
SEE AND DO
BREATHER FOR PROPERTY
TAX PAYERS 8
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLES ONLINE WITH Go to Article#
NAMMA OORU 11
Ashwin Mahesh
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Pickup Points
Cover: T K Jagannathan at Kanakapura ring
road junction (Pic: Arvind Shenoy)
HOP ON AND HOP OFF IN BANGALORE, COURTESY
BMTC
Public transport in the central business district of Bengaluru,
as well as along the big 10 arterial roads is likely to improve
soon.
GOING TO A PLAY AT CHOWDIAH
Driving across the city on a weekday evening to catch the
most popular play in recent times
BANGALOREANS OPPOSE MORAL POLICING
Bangaloreans take part in peace marches against
moral policing and plan initiatives like Bengaluru
Unites and Pink Chaddi campaigns.
PELICANS SEEN IN PLENTY
Not long ago, they were an endangered species;
now, they throng the water bodies around the city.
Hail the revival of the pelican!
775 GO TO ARTICLE
800
GO TO ARTICLE
790 GO TO ARTICLE
752 GO TO ARTICLE
KANAKAPURA-RING ROAD
JUNCTION WOES 9
N Mukund
T K Jagannathan
Siri Srinivas
4 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
Citizen Matters
EDITORS
Subramaniam Vincent
Meera K
STAFF JOURNALISTS
Supriya Khandekar
Vaishnavi Vittal
RECENT CONTRIBUTORS
Deepa Mohan
Gopal M S
Narasimha Vedala
Poonam J
Poornima Dasharathi
Purnima Coontor
Sharath Bhat
Siri Srinivas
Sudha Narasimhachar
DISTRIBUTION
Mahendra Loganathan
DESIGN
The Other Design Studio
ADVT SALES
Anjan Kumar
Vol 1 Issue 2
13 - 26 Feb 2009
(C) Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd.
No part of this publication
can be reproduced
without the permission of
the publisher.
Email: contact@
oorvani.in
Ph: 9740918300,
41737584
www.citizenmatters
.in
Dear Purnima, I just happened to go
through your piece on Vijay Cavale. Great
read. Its given only to a few of us to give
up everything that one holds dear (money,
status,security, etc.) to venture into a new
territory -- just for the love of it. Vijay
Cavale surely seems to be one of them. I
truly envy him... maybe Im not the only
one either.
Raghavan Natarajan
Embarking on a journey of joy
FEEDBACK
www.citizenmatters.in
IVE GOT
SOMETHING
TO SAY!
SMS 97409-18300 WITH YOUR OPINIONS
FRONT DESK
Dear Readers,
This second issue of the Citizen Matters
print fortnightly will hit your homes at a
time of change, worry and resurgence
in Bengaluru.
First, intolerant sections of society are
taking the law into their own hands
to stife their fellow citizens openness
to diverse traditions. Many freedom-
loving Bangaloreans are reacting, with
protests, campaigns and peace marches,
against the backdrop of the upcoming
Valentines Day. Second, citizens and
citizens groups are continuing to both
engage and confront government in various platforms.
Many young Bangaloreans are more involved now, and this
is more visible than earlier. Bicyclists are working with the
Bangalore Metropolitan Land Transport Authority to make
your city friendlier, NGOs are working to thwart attempts
by the state government to push though expensive
infrastructure at any cost, and in the meantime the chief
ministers own ABIDe committee has released a number of
reports on reforms for Bengaluru.
Amidst all this, a major concern now for those of you owning
your own houses was BBMPs long awaited property tax
announcement. BBMP has fnally struck a note of clarity,
and even provided handbooks and tools in their website to
help citizens. But anomalies remain.
Newly demarcated ward maps are not yet available, but the
zone classifcations are based on the new ward numbers.
Citizens especially pensioners are concerned that tax zone
reshufing has sometimes resulted in large -- upto 40 per
cent increase in the property tax amounts.
And just in case you are wondering, a quick recap about
Citizen Matters.
On 31 January 2009, nine months after Oorvani Media
launched citizenmatters.in, Bangalores frst online
community e-newsmagazine, we launched the Citizen
Matters print fortnightly. This free, sleek, 16-page magazine
is currently being distributed in the south Bangalore
localities of JP Nagar and BTM Layout II Stage. You can also
pickup copies from select stores (See previous page for the
pickup points).
We encourage you to send us your responses and feedback
as we grow to cover other areas of the city. Citizen Matters
is published by Oorvani Media, a local media frm founded
by Bangaloreans, Subramaniam Vincent and Meera K. For
more about our founding, please read our launch editorial,
article #112. Use the Goto Article box on the website to put
the article number. No need to type out long URLs!
EDITORS
NOTE
Wah what a place to walk through.
Excellent picturisation of township life by
Sudha Narasimhachar. Let not the life on
the other side of the city alone be GREEN.
Let us strive to have THIS LIFE on our side
of the society too.
Gopus
Sylvan simple and ideal
Stop calling those goons moral police! That is like
calling car thieves trafc optimization consultants.
Ashokan Pichai
Bangaloreans oppose moral policing
Alert us Submit Article
Add Events Comment/Discuss
PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS
LOCAL MATTERS
YES OR NO TO
PLASTIC BAGS?
Worldwide, a staggering four to fve trillion plastic shopping bags are used every year. Most
are discarded after a single use. Like all other plastics, the bags too are made from fossil fuels and are popular because
they are durable, cheap, strong and lightweight. But these very characteristics are also what make them a problem. Plastic
bags take extremely long to degrade: estimates range from 100 to 1000 years. Which means that all the plastic bags ever
manufactured are potentially still around in the environment.
And that is a problem.
When improperly discarded, plastic bags are more than just
eyesores. They wreak havoc. Bangalores fooding problems
are exacerbated by plastic bags choking our storm water
drains. They can be fatal to animals if ingested. They provide
a breeding ground for mosquitoes. They accumulate in the
soil, and potentially release toxins that can eventually pollute
groundwater. When properly discarded, they overwhelm
garbage dumps with their sheer volumes.
Reducing the plastic footprint
The desire to be environment-friendly prompted Nilgiris Dairy
Farm to provide biodegradable plastic bags to participants at the
Tour of Nilgiris (TFN) event that it recently sponsored. Pragyata
Ranjan, Brand Manager at Nilgiris and the person behind the
TFN, says though they would like to introduce these bags in
their stores, as of now, Nilgiris has no concrete plans to do so.
Another Bangalore chain, Total Hypermarket, introduced
degradable bags in their stores in January this year. A senior
ofcial at Total explains, We introduced the degradable bags
because we wanted to reduce our plastic footprint and did
not want to contribute to killing the planet. The bags come in
two sizes and Total charges its customers a nominal fee of Re
1 for either size. Each bag proudly proclaims that it is 100%
biodegradable. Large posters about the bags are put up at the
entrances to the stores, and inside, little fyers advertise that you
can save the planet for a rupee. Frequent announcements are also made about how you can return the used bags, in any
form, and get a new bag for no charge the next time you shop.
Both, ofcials and tellers, at Total say the bags have been very popular. A smiling Devraj N, teller at the Total store in
Madivala, recounts how some customers shouted at the idea of having to pay for the shopping bag, but adds, 90% accept
it because they know it is good. Only 10% shout. Devraj and other store employees were also quite enthusiastic about the
bags, explaining how it could be composted by mixing it with soil. One young shopper, Anurag Gogoi, a software engineer,
exemplifed the attitude to the new item when he said he was quite willing to pay a rupee for the bags because although
they are plastic bags, in one way, they are good. They are not polluting.
Unfortunately, both Devraj and Gogoi may be wrong.
Biodegradablity
LOCAL RETAILS CHAINS ARE ADOPTING BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC
BAGS. ARE THESE REALLY ECO-FRIENDLY? MEANWHILE, ONE LOCAL
TRADER SHOWS THERE ARE SIMPLER ALTERNATIVES.
13 - 26 Feb 2009 CITIZEN MATTERS 5
DEAR READERS,
WHATS YOUR TAKE?
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO
MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR
BYCYCLISTS
COMMENT ONLINE!
www.citizenmatters
.in
VAISHNAVI VITTAL
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE 783
Cycling workshop attendees negotiating trafc (Pic: Pramod Kumar)
FIRMS VIE TO GIVE
DIRECTIONS
LOST IN BENGALURU? NO PROBLEM, WEB TOOLS AND SMS BASED SERVICES ARE HERE TO
HELP THE DIRECTIONALLY-CHALLENGED AMONG US FIND OUR WAY ABOUT TOWN.
6 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
How many times have you asked for directions in
namma Bengaluru and ended up going in circles? Whether
its the roadside vendor or the autorickshaw driver taking
you for a ride, we have all been in that spot, lost in a city that
we have called home! Coming to your rescue, are location-
based services on your mobile phone, the Internet or even
maps for that matter. Have they made it easier to commute
through this clogging city? Yes and no.
With a population of over 6.5 million, Bangalore is a
fast growing city. And in a city this big, fnding your way
can be an arduous task. It isnt surprising if a resident of
Basavangudi has no clue about how to get to HRBR layout!
And asking for directions is not always advisable.
Traditionally, a map may have answered your question.
But today, the scene is quite diferent. In order to help the
lost Bangalorean and the innumerable outsiders, various
companies have started location-based services which can
be used to navigate your way through the city. Be it through
the World Wide Web or the very handy mobile phone, these
services help you. And most of them even help you avoid
the ever-changing one-ways.
Ravinder, an engineering student, uses a service called
Latlong to help him with routes to areas he has never been
to before. He says, It tells me which is the best route to take
and it is very accurate. Developed by ONZE Technology
India Private Ltd. in November 2007, Latlong is one of the
many services in the city that helps you with routes to any
location in Bangalore. All you need to do is log on to their
website or send an SMS. The SMS cost is as per your mobile
phone service plan. The service also tells you the distance
between two locations.
Says Sudarshan H S, co-founder, ONZE, Bangalore has
grown over the years. Someone living in south Bangalore
doesnt know how to get to the other end. We knew this
need existed. ONZE believes that asking for directions
from passers-by helps for nearby locations but is not the
case for faraway places. This service also helps in locating
ATMs, restaurants and even the nearest Nirmala Swachcha
Shauchalaya! Ravinder has one complaint though, he
says his college, which is located on Mysore Road, doesnt
feature in the service.
A similar service called the Bangalore Trafc Information
System or BTIS was launched in 2007. Started jointly by
the Bangalore Trafc Police, Airtel and Mapunity, a social
entrepreneurship venture, to help commuters in the city,
this service is available both on the Internet and via SMS.
You can use this service to fnd out what the trafc situation
is like in a particular area, the route to a certain location and
even how the trafc is likely to be on your commute.
Pradeep B V, co-founder, Mapunity, says, There was very
little information about the trafc situation in Bangalore.
We wanted to track the trafc in the city and the trafc
police joined in to help us. The website also features a
map which gives you step-by-step directions to get to a
place. They even give you the auto fare for the same. BTIS
specifes area codes in order to get accurate information.
The website even broadcasts live streams from about 62
junctions across the city where cameras have been ftted.
The SMS is free of cost for Airtel users. But if you are using a
service provider other than Airtel, dont be surprised if your
SMS doesnt go through!
For software professional Raghunandan B R, services like
these replace dads! Yes, we all have banked on our fathers
to tell us how to get to a place. These services help me
fnd specifc locations like a particular electronic store in
Gandhinagar, says Raghunandan. But they dont always
help with the one-ways, he adds. Consultant Raghunath
DN fnds these services diferent. He says that such services
will eventually replace asking people on the street for
directions. It is fantastic. You may know an area but you
wouldnt know how to get to an exact place. These services
help you, he says.
IN FOCUS
MAPS AND DIRECTIONS SERVICES
Getting directions over sms is possible with btis.in and latlong.in
(pic: Meera K)
13 - 26 Feb 2009 CITIZEN MATTERS 7
Praveen kumar uses an online map from iCiti. For a person who moved back to the city after living in the United States, the
one-ways and new areas in the city were a matter of concern. Thats when he came upon this website which is developed
by Profcio GeoTechnologies, a GIS-based business solutions company focused on map-based solution. Says Shashidhar S
Joshi, VP, Corporate Development, Profcio GeoTechnologies, We are the frst company to provide landmark routing. We
havent marketed the service intensively but are currently in the process of remodifying the system. Though their services
are available only online, Joshi says that they are likely to start the SMS service by March this year. Their services give you
driving directions, bus routes and auto fares. Praveen says that this service has a lot of nice features even as there is scope
for improvement.
Another service ofered by MapmyIndia provides step by step
directions on how to go to reach a particular place. Though you need
to download specifc software for the mobile phone service, the map
on the site is quite detailed and shows the smaller streets also. Their
driving instructions are quite clear and also give you the distance
covered along the way. A unique feature of this service is that they tell
you the approximate time you would take to get to your destination.
Journalist and poet Prathibha Nandakumar says she has never used
a mobile service or a map to fnd her way through the city. I fnd it
convenient to ask people around. I ask autodrivers most of the time
because they tend to be right, she says. Her travails through the city
has even inspired her to write a poem, which explains how people give
directions based on their reference point.
Some like it mapped
For Design Engineer Ashok Vasudevan, using a mobile phone to tell
you which route to take is a nuisance. Ashok prefers using a map. Yes, how can one forget the good ol map? How many
of us have even used a map apart from our geography classes in school? Ashok says, Im crazy about maps. I use the
Eicher map. Its easy to use as it frst provides a complete map of Bangalore in two pages which is then divided into several
numbered parts. These parts are then magnifed in subsequent pages. Its a handy tool to fnd your way through the city.
Usage of this map has substantially improved my sense of direction during my travel within the city. Ashok maybe among
the small section of people who would rather use a map to fnd their way through the city rather than an SMS service.
Companies like Eicher make maps which are extensive and give details like house numbers, building names and landmark
points. But it isnt just maps on paper. Companies like Google and Yahoo! have developed their own mapping services, in
turn increasing the number of people using such services.
Yahoo! India Maps provide driving, biking or walking directions with landmark and turn based assistance. Says Shivkumar
Ganesan, Product Manager, Yahoo! India Maps, Yahoo! India Maps is a maps and directions service built specifcally to cater
to the travel and commute needs of Yahoo!s users in India. Travelers/visitors from abroad are also potential users. You can
even receive the information on your mobile phone. Their services also cater to the Kannadiga. Ganesan says, One can see
these maps by clicking the Vernacular or Kannada button.
We also have a few exciting features planned for Bangalore,
but cant divulge any information on them now.
Google maps are also used by people to access information
like addresses and directions to diferent locations. Manik
Gupta, Product Manager, Google, says their focus is on
innovative solutions to meet user requirements. Google
Maps for Mobile (GMM) is a downloadable application for
the cell phone and has all the features available in the web-
based maps product. It also has the ability to show the user
his/her location regardless of the availability of GPS on the
users cell phone, he says.
You may have lived in this city for decades but it is highly unlikely that you know every part of Bengaluru. And services like
these only reiterate the fact that this city is growing and we need help fnding our way.
VAISHNAVI VITTAL
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE, ALONG WITH A
COMPARISON OF THESE TOOLS 753
The Hanuman temple street is one way now
come from the old pond side, its right opposite
the big Banyan tree
It was not the old familiar place any more
In less than two kilometer I had lost my way
four times. Asking for directions is
a womans preoccupation they say
The auto driver was quick
`oh its right next to the next road hump,
just slow down and you will hit it
I missed it...
Directions, Prathibha Nandakumar
...The trafc police was more helpful
`just go back and its at the frst signals
It was the same one I had passed...
...The post man, I thought would lead
`I am going on the other beat, this is the old number,
now all that has changed,88 comes after 97, ask any one...
...I just stood there wondering which way to turn
Directions, Prathibha Nandakumar
BREATHER FOR
PROPERTY TAX PAYERS
THE LIST OF HELP CENTERS AND HANDBOOK ARE AVAILABLE ON THE BBMP WEBSITE, THE DATE OF
PAYING TAXES IS HERE BUT CITIZENS STILL NOT HAPPY WITH THE AMOUNTS THEY WILL BE PAYING
The recently declared property tax rate
calculation method by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar
Palike (BBMP) has added some clarity to the matter. The
BBMP has has decided to retain the old Self Assessment (SAS)
values for the calculation of taxes. Also, the earlier declared
20 per cent increase in the rate has been terminated, leaving
citizens with a sigh of relief.
Calculate Tax
To know exactly how much you have to pay as property tax,
you can use the BBMPs property tax calculator given in its
website.
First, you need to know your ward number. If you dont,
use BBMPs ward map, Note: This still has the old ward
numbers however the tax rates are based on the new ward
classifcation.
In BBMPs zone classifcation page, use your ward number
to locate the ARO ofce. Each PDF lists the streets in your
ward. Note the tax zone (A-F) for your street.
Now use the calculator: Fill in details about the type of
house, tax zone, year of construction, area (in square feet),
self occupied and tenanted. After all this is put, the calculator
will give you results of how much tax you need to pay.
How and where to pay tax
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike(BBMP) website
now has the handbook of property tax at and list of helpline
centers, and banks where one can pay the taxes.
The forms are available only with the Revenue Ofcers in
various wards for a payment of fve rupees. The payment of
taxes has started from 10 Feb and the last date is 31 March.
You can get a rebate in the property tax if you pay it on time,
that is, before 30 days from the date of notifcation.
Calculations done, but problems remain
For the calculation of the Unit Area Value of a building
(residential/ non-residential), the BBMP had divided the
whole city into six major zones (A-F) depending upon the
development level in that area and accordingly the rates of
properties in that area.
As there are no changes in the SAS values, tax rates remain
the same. But, due to the zone shufing, many properties
have been reclassifed so the new rates can be much
higher.
According to some experts in the city, the reshufing of
zones has brought almost 50 per cent of the total properties
at least one zone higher than it was earlier.
What is the use of retaining SAS values if the zones are
shufed? The BBMP has not yet given any reasoning behind
the reshufing of the zones, complains NS Mukunda,
convener of Citizens Action Forum. The forum has been
active in getting the property tax rates declared by the
BBMP.
IN FOCUS
TAXMAN COMETH
8 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
SUPRIYA KHANDEKAR
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE
805
IMPORTANT LINKS
BBMPs property tax system with zone details and tax
calculator: http://stg1.kar.nic.in/bbmp
Handbook of property tax: http://stg1.kar.nic.in/
bbmp/Hand%20Book%20Final.pdf
List of helpline centers: http://stg1.kar.nic.in/bbmp/
Help%20Points%20List.pdf
Revenue ofces location (where forms are available):
http://www.bmponline.org/forms-pubs/rev-dept-
forms-pubs.shtml
Banks accepting payment: http://www.bmponline.
org/forms-pubs/PUBs/BMP-RV-E-MAR04-P-406.pdf
Ward map: http://www.bmponline.org/eng-dept/
ward-map.shtml
Illustration: Narasimha Vedala
TOO STEEP AN INCREASE
IN PROPERTY TAXES
The property tax collection by BBMP for the
year 2008- 2009 has caused much confusion. It started from
changing to CVS from SAS, than to UAV and latest being UAV
with old SAS rate.
Now, if one calculate there is not much change in the revised
tax if the building is used for residential purposes comes
under the same zone, but there are instances of increase of
nearly 45 per cent if there is a jump to next higher zone (E
to D).
We from the Citizen Action Forum and Jayanagar 5th Block
Residents Welfare Association request the government
to notify that irrespective of calculation, the maximum
increased tax to be paid by a citizen who resides in his/her
own building should amount to a maximum of 20 per cent.
This will help nearly 10 lakh pensioners of Bangalore.
When the property is upgraded by one zone:
Zone change Rate Amount Rate Amount
From E to D 2.4 2400 3.2 3200
Depreciation 20 480 12 384
Tax 1920 2816
% diference 46.67
When the property remains in the same zone:
Zone change Rate Amount Rate Amount
Same zone 2.4 2400 2.4 2400
Depreciation 20 480 12 288
Tax 1920 2112
% diference 10.00
LOCAL VOCAL
13 - 26 Feb 2009 CITIZEN MATTERS 9
CITIZEN CONCERNS
A COMPARISON OF SAS AND UAV METHODS OF PROPERTY TAX CALCULATION
SHOWS INSTANCES OF UNAFFORDABLE INCREASES.
T K JAGANNATHAN is a resident of Kanakpura road
and Executive Committee Member of Federation of
Senior Citizens Forums of Karnataka
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MUKUND N is a resident of Jayanagar 5th block
and a member of the RWA.
KANAKAPURA-RING ROAD
JUNCTION WOES
THE FOOT PATH AT THE KANAKPURA-RING ROAD JUNCTION IS
NEGLECTED AND UNUSABLE.
All footpath slabs uprooted. Sewage
water over fowing on the road. Dozens of school children
and IT employees have to wait beside this health and
accident trap every morning. This is NH 209!
There is a tussle between the BBMP and the Highways
department ever since the Kanakapura road has scaled up
as NH209.
My photograph of the problematic area was published in
Times of India on 18-Dec, followed by a mail to the Chief
Minister and the commissioner of BBMP and the director of
NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) in Delhi.
The CM
forwarded my
mail to the Chief
Secy for his
action and reply.
There lies the
matter.
Walking and crossing the signal to catch a bus or to shop is
a nightmare for all especially senior citizens.
All we ask is just repair the foot path. Is that too much?
If you would like to volunteer to help resolve this issue,
please contact T K Jagannathan at 9880040101.
Keep Citizen Matters updated on your involvement.
Pic: T K Jagannathan
10 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
FEATURE
TERRACE GARDENING
HAVE ONLY A SMALL SPACE? ORGANIC TERRACE GARDEN MAY SUIT YOUR NEEDS.
Here I was merrily plucking tomatoes
from my garden as and when i needed them in the kitchen,
till S our domestic help - told me that she had just bought
it for 40 rupees a kilo in Russell Market?! FORTY?! I resolved
to tend to my garden with greater care and gratitude!
My east facing terrace is about 900 sq ft large and gets
sunlight through the day. Some of you may have smaller
terraces or just miniscule balconies. As long as you can
accommodate a few pots you can get started with container
gardening. It is ideal if the plants get atleast 4-6 hours of
sunlight a day. Vegetables and fruits can do with and need
direct sunlight whereas medicinal plants need a little shade
so a slight covering with the nursery nets is useful. If you
are thinking of putting soil on the terrace, then ensure
waterproofng is done frst.
If you are trying to raise bigger plants, plant them to the
west so that they do not cut out the light for the smaller
plants.
I experimented with various methods in trying to make my
garden as organic as possible. I had attended a day-long
workshop on urban organic terrace gardening by Dr B N
Viswanath (a retired Botany professor from UAS), hosted by
the AME Foundation. He has also written a book thats ideal
for beginners - A Handbook of Organic Terrace Gardening.
I then went pot-shopping to Pottery Town (beyond
Cantonment Station), seed shopping to Gandhi Nagar (near
Sapna Book House), manure shopping to Green Channel
and bought potting mix/soil at the APD Nursery. I could
have settled for the local nurseries but like I said, I am keen
to keep the garden organic in all possible respects.
So far I have planted beans, carrots, spinach, bhindi,
tomatoes, sapota,
drumstick, pudina
(mint), dantu soppu
( a ma r a n t h u s ) ,
green chillies, curry
leaf and coriander.
Our garden also
includes a small set
of medicinal plants
aloe vera, omum,
tulsi, hibiscus,
adsoge, jasmine,
amruthavalli. I use
these mainly for my
daughters cold-cough episodes and to favour our tea but
I hope to soon enhance my understanding of these herbs
and their use in daily cooking.
Recently, I used bagasse
(sugarcane waste) in old cement
poly woven bags or plastic drums
for my drumstick and sapota
plants, I fnd that bagasse retains
moisture and the amount of
water required by the plants is
therefore reduced.
My garden has also seen its
share of pests which have been
dealt with using home-made
pesticides. For instance, blend
50g of garlic/ginger/green chilli/
onion (any 3) and mix it in 150ml
of water; then make a solution
adding 350 ml more of water.
Filter this and dilute it to 1 litre.
Pour in a spray bottle and use on
plants, as necessary. Similarly, sprinkling turmeric powder
or red chilli powder works well to keep away ants.
Of course, my eforts are still at the elementary stage but
I dream of the day when my garden will fulfl most of our
eating and medicinal needs, while also actively contributing
to a cleaner environment more compost, less pollution.
DO IT YOURSELF
VINITA, a resident of Frazer Town is trying to adopt environmentally-
sensitive alternatives in her day-to-day activities and realises it
doesnt need to be complex.
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE
696
Beans (pic: Vinita)
Dantu (pic: Vinita)
Soil mix: APD Nursery (Association for People
with Disability) Horticulture Training Unit,
Jeevan Bima Nagar, Tel: 25288672
Compost bins: DailyDump, HAL 2nd Stage
Tel: 41152288/9916426661
Manure: Green Channel, Ali Asker Road.
Tel: 41235739
Medicinal plants: FRLHT (Foundation for
Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions)
Tel: 28568000/1/2/7926
Workshop on urban organic terrace
gardening: Dr Viswanath, +91-98564 27217
or contact Shoba/Prasad, AME Foundation,
#204, 100 ft Ring Road, Banashankari.
Tel: 2669 9512/22
OFF ROAD ISSUES
Posted By Ashwin Mahesh
BLOGGER
One of the things that strikes me repeatedly, as Ive been
looking at trafc issues, is how there are some things that
would simply not be apparent to the regular road user.
Getting those things fxed will be critical, going forward.
And a good deal of our investment of attention and efort
should focus on such things. Here are just two challenges
that BMTC, our bus service provider has to contend with,
that I would not have imagined before I starting looking at
their operations.
1. An under supply of depots: For many layouts that have
come up in the last 15 years, there is no bus depot yet. Even
relatively established neighbourhoods like J P Nagar sufer
from this. This means that the buses plying on routes that
operate in such layouts have to be parked elsewhere, and
there is an un-necessary amount of dead mileage to bring
them to the route each morning, and take them back to
the depot each night. It is estimated that with a few more
depots alone, BMTC could improve its operational efciency
by 6 or 7 per cent. Thats the equivalent of adding 300 buses
to the current feet!
2. While BMTC runs
the buses, the bus
stops are owned
by BBMP. And so
are the roads, or in
some cases they
are owned by BDA
(fyovers), or the
PWD. The NHAI is
also getting into
the mix, in the
outskirts of the city.
The construction
of bus shelters, and the information put up at these
shelters, has to be clearly coordinated with the bus services
themselves. But this becomes very difcult when diferent
agencies own the diferent assets to be managed. Theres
also a fair bit of advertising money to be earned from the
shelters, which creates some distracting issues as well.
When Bangalore came under terrrorist attacks, police
announced that they would collect information on
people who live in rented houses. Commissioner Bidari
even promised to put a mechanism in place to carry out
this operation. Lodges too were asked to furnish details
of their occupants, with the police promising to provide
them forms to furnish details. However nothing has come
into efect so far. Shankar Bidari says that the proposal is
lying with the government, and the police seem to have
lost interest. (Prajavani, Monday, 1 February)
INFORMATION COLLECTION DRIVE BY POLICE IN
COLD STORAGE
The Kadirenahalli junction and JP Nagar underpasses
should be completed by March, 2009. However if one
goes by the progress made so far there is likelihood of
delay. Works have already thrown trafc out of gear here.
The JP Nagar underpass is 466 meter long and has four
paths, and BWSSB is yet to shift its pipelines. The fate of
Kadirenahalli junction is no diferent. Works are delayed
as police have denied permission to blast rocks using
dynamites. (Prajavani, Saturday, 31 January)
JP NAGAR AND KADIRENAHALLI JUNCTION
UNDERPASSES ON SLOW MODE
They have returned to haunt vehicle owners in Bangalore.
Tyre thieves were active once upon a time, stealing tyres
of parked vehicles and make money out of it. The demand
for used tyres dropped for while, and these theives
looked for other spare parts to steal. Now with used
tyres getting a get good price in market, vehicles have
started losing their wheels again. Many such incidents
have surfaced in Bangalore, and the police have urged
owners to take care of their vehicles. (Vijaya Karnataka,
Tuesday, 2 February)
TYRE THIEVES STRIKE BANGALORE AGAIN
NAMMA
OORU
RECENT SCAN OF BANGALORES KANNADA
DAILIES.
13 - 26 Feb 2009 CITIZEN MATTERS 11
HEADLINERS
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Beans (pic: Vinita)
Pic: Meera K
HERITAGE
Entering Admiral Dawsons residence
generates a feeling of stepping into another era. The high wooden
gate opens to a driveway, lined on either side by huge trees
and colourful hedges. A vintage car stands at the entrance. The
bungalow itself is straight out of history - tiled roof, monkey-tops
and a small veranda leading to the inner rooms. The antique teak
furniture - a small wooden table, a couple of chairs and a pair of
sofas - add to the beauty of the place. Plaques and photographs
from the Admirals long and outstanding career in Indian Navy
decorate the walls.
The Admiral is fghting another battle after retiring as the Chief of
Indian Navy - that of restoring old war cemeteries like Agram (Army
Grounds Royal Artillery Maidan) Cemetery in Bengaluru. Every
soldier fghts for the country, for you; he saves your life by giving
his and the least we can do is to remember him for his deeds - the
Admirals words rang in my mind for a long time.
There are many war cemeteries in India. Except for the two
cemeteries in Delhi and Kohima Palel that receive substantial funds
from War Graves Commission, the rest are not up to the international
standards. What we dont realise is that these cemeteries, apart
from honouring the dead, refect the events, society and architecture of those times. In Agram, for example, apart from the
military, there are graves of entire families who sadly succumbed during the cholera and plague epidemics that hit the city
during the 1820s. The cemetery has graves that are almost
200 years old, he says.
About Agram
Agram Cemetery is situated behind the ASC Ofcers Mess,
of Trinity Road. It is an L shaped plot covering an area of 4.8
acres and located in the triangle created by Richmond Road,
Trinity Road and Lower Agram Road.
An old map from the Admirals dossiers, however, has
landmarks of the cantonment era.The ASC Ofcers Mess was
a riding school back then and the KSRP is shown as D&S Club.
This land was used as a Protestants Cemetery until 1870 and
is a part of the earliest cantonment base in the city. It contains
graves with numerous architectural and sculptural features.
The most striking of them are two 40 feet Ionic pillars that
stand out as sentinels to this place. Under one of them, amid
the thick vegetation, is an inscription that reads, Beneath
a tomb close to this pillar rests the mortal remains of Lieut.
John Pott, HM. 13th Dragoons, who died on 31st January
1822. The cemetery has a total of 824 graves, out of which
only 380 can be identifed. Most of the names are Anglican
- British Military and their families.
The oldest grave is dated as far back as 1808. The tomb
inscriptions reveal some interesting tales of the past era.
THE RETIRED CHIEF OF INDIAN NAVY BATTLES ALONE TO RESTORE AND CONSERVE A
WAR CEMETERY IN BENGALURU.
AGRAM CEMETRY
12 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
WAGING A WAR FOR
THE DEAD SOLDIER
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE
757
POORNIMA DASHARATHI is a freelance writer and travel
enthusiast. photographer and blogger.
Ionic columns (pic: Poornima Dasharathi)
Adm Dawson and David Bernard at entrance (pic: PD)
ATTAKKALARI
INDIA BIENNIAL
Pushed
Padmini Chettur Dance Company
presents a journey of anger, pain,
pleasure, happiness, sorrow, love, lust.
A long and linear non-narrative.
Ranga Shankara, Feb 13, 7:30 pm
Could I just draw your attention
to the brevity of life?
Padmini Chettur Dance Company
presents a journey of anger, pain,
pleasure, happiness, sorrow, love, lust.
A long and linear non-narrative..
Chowdiah Memorial Hall
Feb 13, 4:30 pm
FRIDAY
BHARATANATYAM
& KATHAK RECITAL
Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira has
organised a weeklong series of
concerts and performances.
The festival will culminate with
a Bharatanatyam and Kathak
recital by Nirupama Rajendra and
Rajendra on 14th Feb.
Admission is free, seating would
be on a frst come basis.
Mangala Mantapa, NMKRV
College, Jayanagar
Feb 14, 5:45 pm
SATURDAY SUNDAY
The 7th edition brings with it
innovations, new technology and
new players.
A platform for showcasing the
aerospace industrys potential, it
will also showcase new entrants
in the sector both from India and
overseas.
Air Force Station, Yelahanka
General visitors: Feb 14-15, 10 am
- 5 pm
Air show: Twice a day
SEE AND DO
DANCE
HERITAGE EXHIBITION
MAHUA: BEHIND
THE LENS
A photography exhibition by six
artists.
Feb 7 to 20, 11 am to 7 pm.
At 344/8, I Floor, IV Main Road,
Sadashivnagar.
SAMIR AKIKA
E.T.E. Extended Teenage Era:
This dance theatre piece.
Feb 15, 6:30 pm
At Chowdiah Memorial Hall
RUN YOUR RESTAURANT
WORKSHOP
A workshop from iReboot to fulfll
your dream of running your own
restaurant. At Shiok Indranagar-
Koramangla Inner Ring Road.
Contact: 9886295353. Fee: Rs 4500.
RK LAXMAN
CARTOON EXHIBITION
An exhibition of cartoons by car-
toonist RK Laxman Till February
21.
At No.1, Midford Garden, Of MG
Road.
MATRIOSKA
A performance for children above
8 years
Feb 14, 7:30 pm
At Ranga Shankara
RANGA GEETHEGALU
Prakruthi presents B.Jayashree &
Troupe.
Feb 15, 5-7 pm
Band Stand, Cubbon Park
MORE
13 - 26 Feb 2009 CITIZEN MATTERS 13
AERO INDIA
2009
EXHIBITION & WORKSHOPS
PERFORMANCES
Adm Dawson and David Bernard at entrance (pic: PD)
CONVERSATIONS
14 CITIZEN MATTERS 13 - 26 Feb 2009
SENSE OF PURPOSE
CLINICAL OVERACHIEVEMENT
BTM LAYOUT RESIDENT, MEDICAL STUDENT, RHODES SCHOLAR, RAKESH SHARMA.
As a matter of principle, we dont like over-achievers around
here. But some, we let pass. Rakesh Sharma is currently
interning at St. Johns Medical College. He will head to Oxford
to pursue a D.Phil in Clinical Neurology as one of this years
Rhodes Scholars. Like that were not enough, he manages
his own show on WorldSpace Satellite Radio. He talks to me
about pulling of studgiri so efortlessly.
Tell us about yourself.
Regular Jack, with none of the bildungsroman melodrama.
Grew up mostly in and around Bangalore. Went to
Sudarshan Vidya Mandir, Jayanagar. Chose to make study-
hard-get-into-NCJ my mantra. Didnt study hard, got into
NCJ nonetheless. Then got into St. Johns, which has been
fun until now if not mirthful.
Interests have been many and varied. Like most South
Bangalore Brahmin Boys, I have done something classical
- music in my case. Did Carnatic as a child, and Hindustani
much later. But then, I havent been able to pursue them
with as much vigour as I would
have liked. Writing is a much loved
interest, but one that requires efort
and I have been historically known to
not put in any. Films I thrive on, and
I read about 12 books at a time. And
yes, radio! I am with WorldSpace, a
job not so much a job as a pleasant
musical weekly diversion.
Why medicine?
Now that you should ask, I really
have no answer. Seemed like the
only viable option that would keep
me from the noose. I get bored very
easily. The mundane-ness of things
gets to me far quicker (and much
stronger) than it does most people,
I guess. To not be a keyboard-
clunking-cubicle-animal was thus a foregone conclusion.
Medicine, on the other hand, seemed so hands-on, so
inter-personal, and at times full of instant satisfaction. It is
true that I have vacillated in extremes about this particular
choice given how medicine excites and exasperates in as
little time as seconds, but no other profession could boast of
doing social good while also challenging one academically,
and giving you a strong sense of purpose.
When did you frst give the Rhodes Scholarship a
thought?
Erm, I had heard of the scholarship, but thought it to be one
of those urban myths until when I went to St. Johns. During
my frst year, one of my seniors won it. And three years later,
one more senior (Amal Isaiah) won it. So thats probably
when I frst thought of it.
The Rhodes is without doubt the most prestigious award
there is in the world for undergraduates, and the many
others that have followed in the same mold pale in
comparison. What attracted me to it were the selection
criteria. I was gladdened beyond belief that the scholarship
looked beyond ones marks cards. Coming as I do from a
frustratingly marks-oriented academic system, it seemed
like there was hope yet for people who chose to be well-
rounded individuals as opposed to academic automatons.
How has studying at St. Johns helped in the run-up?
Immensely. Being one of the few medical colleges in the
country that lays emphasis as much on clinical medicine
as research, a Johns undergraduate is exposed to a whole
range of options very early on. Our research centre (IPHCR)
is doing a great job, the hospital believes in ethical and
afordable medical care, naturally making it one of the best
in the state, and the college, with its added emphasis on
ethics, rural health care, student research etc, is with good
reason consistently among the top ten in the country.
Besides, St.Johns has the highest number of Rhodes
Scholars for any medical college. Dr. Christoper Mathias
and Dr. Salim Yusuf are stalwarts in their chosen felds. Dr.
Anoop Sebastian and Dr. Amal Isaiah, our recent Scholars
are also doing great. So, the reception to Johnites by the
Rhodes Committee is overwhelmingly nice.
So what happened at the interviews?
My nails got shorter.
And when you were told that youd won?
Right after the interviews. They took about half an hour after
all the interviews. Called us in. Said they would announce it
in alphabetical order (of surnames). And mine was the last
name. I near died.
So what clinched it?
Id like to say cheerful disposition, but that would be lying.
I dont know, honestly. The panel is a smart set of people,
and to narrow down their choice of a person to a couple
of reasons would be to question their smartness. But, as a
blanket statement, honesty would be it. They can see right
through pfafy answers.
Your folks must be really proud!
Yeah, they are. And honestly, a lot of the credit must go to
them for letting me be and putting up with all the craziness
thats me.
SIRI SRINIVAS is a student of Engineering with an
alter-ego who thinks she is a journalist.
READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE ONLINE
730
13 - 26 Feb 2009 CITIZEN MATTERS 15
CITY LENS
ASHY PRINIA AT
MADIWALA LAKE
KARENG03601/10/1/2007-TC. RNI registration pending
Published and owned by Meera K on behalf of Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd.
c/o Sana group, #702 Prem Complex, Koramangala III block Bangalore-34.
Editor: Subramaniam Vincent.
Printed by G.Gopal krishna at Lavanya Mudrana,
19, 15th cross, Vidyapeeta Circle, Banashankari I Stage, Bangalore-60.
Ashy Prinia (Prinia socialis)
Characteristics and identifcation:
Smaller in size than the regular sparrow, this
bird has a short bill. It gets its name from
its ash-coloured top body. An interesting
characteristic of this bird is the constant
shaking of its tail. There are no diferences
between the sexes. It is usually seen in pairs
around grasslands and gardens. It has a sharp
call, which gets shriller as it fies higher.
Areas to sight it around Bangalore:
It is fond of well watered areas. So the best
places to sight it are Lalbagh, Cubbon park,
Hebbal and Madivala lakes. The bird frequents
localities with lots of green cover and marshy
surroundings. Its small size helps it go
unnoticed, even at close quarters.
I shot this picture at Madivala lake. I spotted
the bird in the midst of some undergrowth on
the lake side. I had to wait for some 15 minutes
to get a good view, as it moves around quite
fast. The photo clearly shows its strong legs,
red eyes, and ashy upper body.
SAURABH MITTAL is an avid reader, writer and
hobby photographer
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726