Saaku, a campaign aiming to end corruption in Bangalore

Sunday, 12 December 2010 - 8:31am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Over 500 people walked from Vittal Mallya Road to the Hockey Stadium, which was part of the larger four-day anti-corruption campaign. As a nation at the threshold of fundamental change, there is bound to be frustration, scepticism and cynicism in society. But when we overcome those with will, it will change and we being at the tipping point cant take it anymore, said Jayprakash Narayan speaking at the Saaku campaign held at the Shanthinagar grounds here on Saturday. For those who thought this was yet another campaign and nothing substantial coming out of it, he said: Dont be a mute spectator when society is being plundered. If not participating in campaigns, then act responsibly in small ways and initiate a change in your own way. Registering yourselves as voters, voting with common sense and showing courage occasionally are some of them. He also expressed the need for protecting the judiciary from incumbency and asserted that only stringent institutional mechanisms can change the way people behave and not morality. In the face of increasing cynicism among citizens because of the galactically piled up scams hitting the country every day, a glimmer of hope was seen as the city echoed with the voices of Saaku (enough) to corruption. Over 500 people walked from Vittal Mallya Road to the Hockey Stadium, which was part of the larger four-day anti-corruption campaign. Former international athlete Ashwini Nachappa flagged off the march. This is perhaps the first time a metro has woken up to its besmirched reputation and has come together to protest, asking for change. The rally saw the coming together of 20 NGOs to condemn the corrupt administration and governance of the state. I paid a bribe, Loksatta, Forward 150, Praja, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, Daksh, Empowered Bengaluru, Smart Vote, Anti-Corruption Committee, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement Mysore, World Alliance for Youth Empowerment and Yuva Bengaluru took part. The Saaku idea was planned and conceived, in the backdrop of World Anti-Corruption Day (December 9), within a span of two weeks. The Saaku team visited top colleges in the city and addressed students there. Dr R Balasubramaniam, founder of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, and renowned RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal attended the event.

Yellasandra farmers water fields while the sun shines

Monday, 14 June 2010 - 9:47am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P KPCL will tap solar energy in Belgaum, Kolar districts. Bangaloreans may be squirming with power cuts every alternate hour. But farmers of a village in neighbouring Kolar district are all set to realise the benefits of alternative sources of energy. Beginning from June 17, Yellasandra in Bangarpet taluk of Kolar district will receive uninterrupted power during the day, what with the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) setting up a facility to tap solar energy. The 3mw solar photo voltaic modular crystalline power plant, part of the Arunodaya project that aims to provide solar power to villages, will supply electricity to Yellasandra and 20 other surrounding villages. This will help irrigate about 1,200 acres through 400 pump sets of 10hp each, benefiting at least 1,000 farmers. The plant, which has been set up on 15 acres, was built at a cost of Rs19.75 crore, and in a record time of nine months. Also, the modular crystalline technology used in the project has a shelf life of 25-30 years, and is equipped with a computerised SCADA (Simulated Control and Data Acquisition) system, which enables monitoring of the plant 24 hours online. It is equipped with emergency systems like surge arresters to control power surges, lightening and wind speeds of up to 150kmph. Narayana Swamy, state convener, SPJ (Samajika Parivarthana Janandolana), an NGO, said, Farmers at Yellasandra say they have not received even half an hour of continuous power supply until now. We hope this plant will ensure uninterrupted power supply to them.

Protestors adamant, will appeal to Supreme Court against war memorial

Saturday, 12 June 2010 - 10:52am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P

Despite construction of the memorial having begun, protesters have not been persuaded that this is the best way to remember martyrs. The construction should stop, they say. Even as construction of the controversial war memorial at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park began on Friday, the vociferous opposition to the project from residents of the area and others in the city continued unabated. Civic experts, nature lovers and environmentalists stuck to their guns on Friday, saying that after the unseemly controversy around the proposal, the very idea of having a war memorial at the site appeared less appealing. Leo Saldanha of the Environment Support Group said, In public memory, the war memorial will be strongly connected to the aggressive promotion of the project by certain individuals. The projects proponents strenuously struggled to win judicial support, despite the widespread opposition to the idea from the general public. Sudhir Pai, secretary of the Krishna Apartments Association that went to court questioning the construction of the memorial, said, What quiet remembrance of martyrs is now possible in such a place? Power was blatantly abused to clear a park of trees of great agethose would have stood in reverence to departed and brave souls. Pai added that the matter was no longer one of chopping four trees. People keep reiterating the idea that this is a matter that concerns only four trees; but thats not true. A memorial stone will be erected, and a 11,000-sq ft underground motivation hall will be constructed. Initially, the trust formed for setting up the memorial said that a landscaped garden would come up. But look at the current status, and you will see that its much more. At the recently-concluded Global Investors Meet in the city, the Bangalore Development Authority claimed that allocating Rs12-15 crore for the memorial was one of its achievements. That, even as the issue was still in court. I cannot understand how this is possible. There is every possibility now that the park will get commercialised, as there may be the need for funds for the construction, and money might need to be raised. The entire park could be lost to this expensive and unnecessary project. Vinay Sreenivas of Hasiru Usiru said, To put it straight and simple, the state government has failed us. It has violated the Karnataka Parks Preservation Act, and thus set a bad precedent. He added that his group would be approaching the Supreme Court, now that the high court has already given the project its nod. Kathyayini Chamraj, executive trustee, CIVIC, said, They should be building the memorial on the army grounds, where the true spirit of the martyrs could be honoured.

Three Bangalore hospitals cured of waste, three more to go

Friday, 11 June 2010 - 10:38am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P The Lok Adalat will hear cases on effluent treatment plants in hospitals today. With just 24 hours more for the judgment day, three hospitals on Thursday commissioned effluent treatment plants (ETPs) to treat solid and liquid waste. The General Hospital, Jayanagar, KC General Hospital, Malleswaram, and Ghousia Hospital, Shivajinagar, were the three hospitals among six to establish ETPs to escape closure. The Lok Adalat, which directed the construction of effluent treatment plants, would take up the hearing of ETP cases on Friday. Status reports on ETPs in private and government hospitals will be submitted before the adalat for further action. We were given the responsibility of constructing ETPs at five hospitals, out of which three have been completed. The work is in full swing in Victoria Hospital, and Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, and will be completed in a months time, said a BWSSB official. The ETP at Kidwai Institute of Oncology is almost ready. All thehospitals will be represented at the Lok Adalat hearing. The decision on whether to extend the deadlines rests with the adalat, said AS Sadashivaiah, chairman of the Karnataka state pollution control board. At its previous hearing, the Lok Adalat headed by justice KL Manjunath had directed the state government to file an undertaking that it would ensure construction by February 13, 2010, and close down the hospitals that failed to comply with the directive. The Lok Adalat articulated its apprehension over the lead content in water samples across the four river valleys in the city. Even tender coconuts contain lead because of contamination. We have read reports saying breast milk of mothers also contain lead. The situation is serious, the Lok Adalat had observed.

Nine fall ill after drinking water in Bangalore

Thursday, 10 June 2010 - 12:55pm IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Jakkarayanakere residents said worms were found in water supplied to them. Nine persons residing in Jakkarayanakere were admitted to Sri Maruthi Nursing Home after they complained of severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

Five patients have already been discharged. The reason for their illness can either be consumption of polluted water or food poisoning, Dr Anjanaiah of the nursing home said. The residents, meanwhile, complained of being supplied with contaminated dark water which even contained worms. I was unwell for the past two days and then got admitted. We have complained about the quality of water, Harish P, 20, who was ill for the past two days, said. Harishs sister Sandhya P, 10, was discharged a day ago. They all have similar symptoms of fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, Dr Venkatesh Murthy, Surgeon, who treated the patients, said. Another patient, Kasturi RS, 55, who was suffering for a week, said they had been staying at Jakkarayanakere for the past 45 years. She had not faced any problem with the water. However, she was also admitted to the hospital. The hospital sources said the condition of those remaining in the nursing home was stable.

Bangalore hospital frees six-year-old from clutches of a parasitic twin

Wednesday, 9 June 2010 - 11:08am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P The boy was separated from his parasitic twin at Fortis Hospital. Six-year-old Deepak Kumar Paswan, who hails from Bhelhari, a village located 125 km from Patna, got a new lease of life after his parasitic twin (an asymmetrical conjoined twin) attached to his abdomen was separated at Fortis Hospital in a four-hour-long surgery on Friday last. An elated Viresh Paswan, Deepak's father, said, There will be a huge crowd in front of my house when I reach my village. But this time round to see my normal kid, who had earlier been pelted with stones as the villagers considered him a devil. Paswan is a construction worker. Deepak is like any other boy of his age now, except for some neurological problems. It is the result of the trauma and social ostracising he has been through since his birth. The villagers even discouraged his parents from bringing him to the hospital, because they thought that he would not live long, said doctors in the hospital. They were confident that Deepak would overcome his troubles soon. For us, it was more of a social challenge than a medical challenge. We wanted the boy to come out of the operation theatre alive to prove that he is normal like any other child. We are extremely happy to see him play with his little sister now, said Vishal Bali, chief executive officer, Fortis Hospital.

The parasite twin which was attached to the lower part of Deepak's chest had two legs, a pelvis, abdomen and two poorly formed upper arms.

Outsiders will probe wall crash in Bangalore

Tuesday, 8 June 2010 - 9:25am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Rohith BR Suraksha P Quality assessment report of the civic work was submitted to BBMP on Monday. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) seems to have finally understood the gravity of the issue after 17-year-old Sanjana Singh died when a wall collapsed on her after heavy rains lashed the city on Tuesday last. Speaking to DNA, Bangalore mayor SK Nataraj said that an expert committee would be constituted to probe the issue. A three-member expert committee headed by the BBMP chief engineer and comprising two civic experts from outside the Palike will probe into the wall collapse case, he said, adding that he would visit the girls family on Tuesday and ensure that justice was done to them. Nataraj said that the committee would not only examine the technical aspects of the mishap, but also probe into the projects history. We do not want such incidents to be repeated in future, he said. In the mean time, city-based quality assessment firm, Civil Aid, submitted its report on the stability of the wall to the BBMP on Monday evening. Dr CS Vishwanath of Civil Aid told DNA that the contents of the report would be divulged only on Tuesday. The results of the probe could throw light on the gaping holes in the contract that resulted in the collapse of the wall that was constructed only three months ago. Colonel Mathew Thomas, secretary of the Citizens Action Forum, opined that the entire contracting system needed a revamp. Works are assigned to small contractors to encourage them, without assessing their financial standing and technical expertise. In the end, citizens bear the brunt of their inefficiency. At times, contracts are awarded to relatives of councillors, and there is no record of them whatsoever available to the public. When a civic work is under way, details of the project like the cost, time period for completion, and contractors details with contact information should be put up at the work site and made

available at the ward office. But lack of such a practice makes these contractors callous, and they go scot-free, Col Thomas said. He added that several contractors also provided fictitious information during inspection for the mobilisation of advances, while in reality, the money was not used properly to execute the civic work. Laxity in the system can be fixed only when the entire system is reworked and revamped with a diligent monitoring mechanism, he said.

World No Tobacco Day in Bangalore

Tuesday, 1 June 2010 - 8:34am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P It appears cool, and many women think it aids conviviality. but is smoking stylish? On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, May 31, DNA spoke with women campaigners who have been spreading the message of No Tobacco. The day is observed to encourage people to kick the addiction to tobacco. Many young women seek parity with men by taking to the smoking habit. However, Deepa Mukherjee (name changed) said, I dont buy that argument that stress makes people take to smoking. There are other ways to deal with stress. And it is not as if non-smokers do not experience stress. Yoga, exercise, even something as simple as a walk in a park or listening to music could help deal with stress. I have talked many friends out of the habit. Some young girls, however, asserted that smoking was cool. It helped you belong in a group, they opined, and it served to generate conviviality. However, Rekha Kande, a non-smoker, said, I think there are numerous ways to break the ice. There are several things one can talk about; there are passions and aspirations that make people attractive. Why do something so harmful as smoke? Far from popular perception, smoking is so uncool! Nayna Ramesh (name changed), a media professional, says, There was a time when I smoked quite a lot. One pack of cigarettes would last me just a day. One fine day, I just made up my mind that enough was enough, and I have never touched a cigarette since. Its a matter of will power. A firm resolution and the will to resist peer pressure are necessary for those wishing to quit the habit. Stimulating conversation and being with the people you care about go a long way in reducing the urge to smoke.

These RTI warriors in Bangalore have been at it for a year now

Wednesday, 26 May 2010 - 8:53am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Juwairia Mekhri On May 29 2009, a coalition of civil society organisations in the city decided to get together and help ordinary citizens file RTI petitions to seek redressal of their grievances. The Right to Information Act can be a potent weapon. It can make some practical concerns so much easier to deal with. Ask Vinolin Caleb, who did not receive his annual statement for the provident fund (PF). He filed an RTI petition. One month later, he got his annual PF statement. On May 29 2009, a coalition of civil society organisations in the city decided to get together and help ordinary citizens file RTI petitions to seek redressal of their grievances. The organisations would meet on the last Saturday of each month at Cubbon Park, opposite the press club. Anyone interested in learning about the RTI was welcome to the meetings; and all those who needed assistance found help. In the year since the RTI clinic as these meetings were called, started, more than 350 people have lined up for help. And several of these people have returned with success stories. Land encroachment, loss of property to road widening, lack of proper road connectivity or bus servicesall these have cropped up. Among the most common complaints, however, are those that relate to land. A range of expertise is available at the RTI clinics: activists and experts, financial advisors, advocates, those specialising in labour issues, family counsellors and education experts offer assistance. The services are voluntary, so the assistance comes at no cost whatsoever. Most of the people who approach us are unaware of the appropriate department to which they should turn. Under the rules, a single application must contain only one question, and it must deal with only one grievance. The question should not be longer than 150 words, said R Manohar, one of those assisting in the RTI clinic, who also works with the NGO South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM). Vikram Simha, a trustee at the RTI study centre, revealed that the Information Commission comprises 17 departments; each of them declares the position of different applications on October 12 each year.

Refurbished Carlton all set to be one big draw

Tuesday, 25 May 2010 - 10:38am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Arun Dev Suraksha P The February 23 fire at the Carlton Towers on Airport Road had claimed nine lives. A fire tragedy three months old makes no dent in the prestige of this commercial address. Former tenants of Carlton Towers are keen to return, and await the restoration of electricity supply and communication lines: Carlton is a well known address. It would be nice to return, said the human resources manager of Tehflow, one of the firms that shifted out of Carlton temporarily. The February 23 fire at the Carlton Towers on Airport Road claimed nine lives. On Monday, assistant commissioner of police, Ulsoor sub-division, GV Manjunath, said that investigations into the case were nearly complete, and a chargesheet would soon be filed. Meanwhile, the Carlton Towers Owners Association (CTOA) has been re-constituted. Jayashankar, one of the owners, replaces Anurag Jain as president, while Hemanth Kumar takes over as secretary from Rafeeq-ur-Rehman. Both new officials could not be contacted for comment. A member of the association who sought anonymity indicated that the association was working towards getting the building up and running again, with all safety precautions taken care of. Glaziers construction professionals skilled in handling glass have been seen at work on the building. Renovation work has begun, and the jagged glass that dangled from the window panes of the first floor long after the tragedy has been cleared. Some regular commuters on the stretch, however, contended that the glass just fell off in the heavy winds. Painters were seen hard at work on Monday, wiping out all trace of tragedy. The towers were given the sheen of fresh paint. There were 90 units housed within the premises prior to the fire on February 23. Many of these units are yet to file reports of loss of property sustained in the tragedy.

New B-school will focus on integrity

Thursday, 20 May 2010 - 9:35am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P

The Enrich Management Academy will be the first Indian B-School to be part of Harvard Business Schools MBA Oath Project, which seeks to inculcate high standards of responsibility and ethics among budding business leaders. The Enrich Management Academy (EMA), which was launched here on Wednesday, will be the first Indian B-School to be part of Harvard Business Schools MBA Oath Project, which seeks to inculcate high standards of responsibility and ethics among budding business leaders. Prof NS Ramaswamy, chief mentor, EMA, and founder director of IIM-B, and Suhas Gopinath, CEO Globals Inc, Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum, were present during the occasion. The academy is a part of the Enrich Educational Trust. Those with low scores may perhaps have better attitude; so the amalgamation of the right attitude, learning, and discipline is what is important for creating job-ready professionals, said Prof Amit Gupta, executive director, EMA. The B-schools intake would be 60 students, with an annual fee structure of Rs1.95 lakh. The admissions will begin this July. The Centre for Business Leadership will be housed within EMA as a special leadership course, aided by John Kotter, Leadership Guru, Harvard Business School. We want to transform managers into leaders for the industry, Gupta asserted.

Walk n talk trees at IISc campus in Bangalore

Sunday, 16 May 2010 - 9:30am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Trees will be pulled down to make way for Metro Rail construction. But fans and concrete structures cannot substitute for nature. Did you know that the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has over 800 species of plants and trees and the campus by-lanes are named Silver Oak Marg, Nilgiri Marg, Javanica Marg, among others? Now, to preserve the rich flora, the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) at IISc has begun an initiative to afix name-boards on to trees and create awareness. Since April 10, weekly Tree Walks are being held to educate students about flowering plants on the campus. Professor K Sankara Rao, Distinguished Fellow at CES and author of Indian Institute of Science Campus: A Botanists Delight, takes a group of 20-30 people, mostly youngsters and students, on Tree Walks across the campus and informs them about the scientific names of various exotic and native trees, their common names and uses, exclusive features of trees, etc. All along, the group listens in rapt attention and peppers him with questions when in doubt.

Rao says summer is the best time to see flowers in full bloom. However, the Tree Walk comes with a tinge of sadness. Rao says some trees will be pulled down to make way for Metro Rail construction. Nothing can substitute Nature and fresh air generated by it. Fans and massive concrete structures cannot substitute this naturally-obtained luxury, adds Rao. The flowers of the white meranti are highly fragrant and attract many honeybees. We have only one tree on campus and can savour its smell even if we are several blocks away during the flowering season, says a student.

Animated about real issues

Sunday, 9 May 2010 - 11:12am IST | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Animation artists spread awareness about rag-pickers and the ecology using a stop-motion animation movie. Animated characters that highlight the plight of rag-pickers, especially children. That is the dream-come-true story of aspiring animation artists who have used their skill to spread awareness about underprivileged children in a 12-minute movie, The Rag-pickers. The film made by Arena Animation Centre students also focuses on safe disposal of plastic. With the aim to create awareness at the grass-roots, the film was produced with a budget of Rs40,000-Rs50,000. We visited the BBMP office and obtained statistics about garbage in the city and the BBMPs collection and disposal methods. We found that the condition of rag-pickers is appalling. Furthermore, animals die due to consumption of plastic littered on roads. This is when we conceived the film idea, said Nayna Shet, an animator. Though this project was not a part of their course, we encouraged the students as we sensed that stop-motion animation gives a realistic feel and drives home the point, unlike other forms of animation that are artificial, fictional and lacks a real-life appeal. If our students succeed in spreading awareness about safe and appropriate garbage disposal and educate people about the plight of rag-pickers, it is a major achievement as their skills are being put to use, said Indira Gupta, centre head, Arena Animation Centre. On a lighter note, Vinod Kumar and Vishwas K recall their experience during filming. We used to reach the spot by 6.30am and wait for the garbage to pile up and before the BBMP vans cleared it. We also had to train our pet dog and its puppies to portray stray dogs, and it was not

an easy job. At times, they would become violent and cranky and we had to put up with all that, they chuckle. The other members of the group are Kareem Meppadi, Parikshith BA, Radhakanth Barik, Ravi Chavan, and Nagarjun BS.

Ward 60 draws up its own agenda, budget

Saturday, 8 May 2010 - 10:07am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Anusha Ravi Suraksha P Tired of waiting for assistance, residents take the initiative in identifying the problems that need to be fixed, and estimating a budget for works proposed. Heres an instance of grassroots planning reaching out to higher levels for implementation. On Friday, residents of the Sagayapura ward presented a list of priorities and a budget for the works planned to the executive engineer, BBMP, responsible for their area, Somesh M. The priority list drawn up by the residents will act as a guideline for us, so we can prioritise our work. Suggestions from the public are welcome, Somesh said. He added that some of the works listed were already ongoing and offered an assurance that all the suggestions would be looked into. All it takes to make this ward a model one is the civic sense of residents. If RWAs can educate residents about proper waste management, the ward would go a long way in becoming a model one, he said. It all started with the need to get over being dependent on someone else to attend to the neverending problems of the ward. Residents of Sagayapura, ward number 60, came together in an effort to make theirs a model ward. Residents welfare associations across different areas in the ward got together. We want to make ward 60 one unit, rather than small pockets of excellence. We will be working in cooperation, as residents join hands with RWAs, the BBMP and the government, said A Sivasankaran, president of Jaago Federation, a conglomeration of resident welfare associations. The RWAs, and the NGO Citizens Voluntary Initiative for the City (CIVIC), conducted a survey of Bagalur Layout, Sagayapura, Richards Town and Lazar Layout, an area of about 0.77 sq km, in collaboration with residents. They studied the problems relating to storm water drains, garbage disposal, the stray dog menace, lack of street lights playgrounds and parks. To solve these problems, it was estimated that a budget of Rs20 crore would suffice.

A plan was drawn up, keeping in mind the priorities for each area. Six months of diligent planning and discussion yielded priority lists with the estimated budgets. These were then presented to the executive engineer of the BBMP responsible for the area, Somesh M on Friday. Snehalatha Naidu, editor, In and Around Richards Town, a newsletter, said, There should be accountability in how public money is spent. Work undertaken should be of a good quality; only then will we achieve the status of a model ward. Corporator Palani Ammal said that grassroots involvement in planning had precedents elsewhere in the world, in Brazil and Puerto Rico, as well as in neighbouring Kerala. The priority lists drawn up by residents put work that impacts the poor, like the construction of permanent houses for them, right at the top.

Yeddyurappa asks high-rises to conform to safety norms within 45 days

Wednesday, 5 May 2010 - 9:29am IST | Place: Bangalore Arun Dev Suraksha P The standard operating procedures followed during emergency situation would also be reviewed to ensure better coordination among fire, police and other departments. The government plans to review and amend the Fire Force Act, authorising the department to inspect buildings to see if they conform to safety norms, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa said on Tuesday. The standard operating procedures followed during emergency situation would also be reviewed to ensure better coordination among fire, police and other departments. Strict action would be initiated against three or more-storeyed buildings, if they failed to follow standard safety measures within 45 days, the chief minister said. Mandatory checks would be conducted in all buildings. This process will be coordinated by authorities such as the BBMP, BDA, fire and emergency services and police. Strict action will be taken against violators, Yeddyurappa said in a meeting with the relatives of victims of Carlton Towers tragedy. The chief minister discussed the future course of action on the Carlton tragedy with the families of victims. He assured the families that the compensation offered would be handed over to them in two days.

There will be a review of the Fire Force Act. The department will be provided with the necessary power to inspect and seize buildings if safety norms are violated, he said. Yeddyurappa also warned of stern action against those owners who make structural changes to buildings without the approval of authorities concerned. Uday Vijay, father of Carlton victim Akhil Uday, termed the meeting with the chief minister as comforting. Our primary aim was to demand speedy justice. Carlton tragedy is manmade, and we want all those involved to be brought to the book. We have also submitted a memorandum with certain recommendation, he said. The memorandum mooted the setting up of an independent committee to inspect the safety regulation of buildings in the city. It also demanded that no blanket approval was given to buildings under the akrama-sakrama scheme. The meeting was attended by home minister VS Acharya, chief secretary SV Ranganath, director-general of police (fire and emergency department) Jija Madhavan Hari Singh, city police commissioner Shankar M Bidari and other senior state officials.

Bus Day? What is that? ask some new corporators of Bangalore

Wednesday, 5 May 2010 - 9:18am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Shwetha S Suraksha P Bus Day is a concept promoted by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation to popularise public transport among city residents. Transport minister R Ashoka had exhorted the newly elected corporators to travel by bus on Bus Day on Tuesday, little realising that many corporators were not even aware of the concept. Some were hesitant to travel by bus. Bus Day is a concept promoted by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation to popularise public transport among city residents. It is observed on the fourth of every month; it is now a four-month-old practice in the city. Hebbal corporator Jayappa Reddy and his Kormangala counterpart Kokila flatly refused to use public transport. Kokila did not even know what Bus Day was. Dasarahalli corporator Puttamma Tammanna had to be informed that the transport minister had, in fact, requested all corporators

to use bus on Bus Day. We dont use public transport often. We use our own vehicles, Tammanna said. However, it was just another day for some other corporators: Today, I travelled by bus as on any other day, Kempegowda corporator Y Ashwath said. I have been travelling by bus for years. I used public transport before coming to power, and I continue to use it even after coming to power. Mayor SK Natraj did not use public transport on Bus Day. He used the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) vehicle. The mayor had plans to travel by bus, said a senior BBMP official. But since he had many engagements, he had to use the corporations vehicle. In contrast to the general attitude of the corporators to public transport, a large number of employees from IT companies willingly embraced the concept of Bus Day. Compared to the previous Bus Days, there was an increase in the number of commuters using bus services on Tuesday, Vishwanath Sitaram, general secretary of the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORCCA) said. There were more buses on all the five corridors in the city,a senior BMTC official said. Transport minister R Ashoka took a bus from his Jayanagar residence to Vidhana Soudha, the official said.

Wheres the water? Bangalore citizens ask their mayor

Tuesday, 4 May 2010 - 9:56am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Odeal D'Souza Shwetha S Suraksha P Promise falls flat. SK Natarajs 72-hour deadline ends but citys water woes continue Mayor SK Natarajs big promise to rid the city of its water woes within 72 hours seems to have fallen flat. The 72-hour deadline got over on Monday but the citys water supply is still dry. The mayor, however, believes he has kept his promise. I have not received any complaint from any part of the city about water problems. DNA did a spot survey and found exactly the opposite. The water supply in many areas was as bad as it was before Natarajs big April 30 assurance. Even the pressure of the water is less and the problem continues as before, said V Kumar, a resident of Vittal Nagar, where water comes once in two days from 10.30am and 6.30pm. For Xciba Angel of Kammanahalli, the drinking

water supply from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) happens just once a week. We used to get water twice or thrice a week before, she said. We spend nearly Rs250 to Rs750 per water tank. In this area, we have a system of advanced booking for water; if we fail to book in advance, the tanker owners refuse to supply. They say they dont have any water to supply. The water comes on alternate days. That has been happening for long. It is the same as before, said Capt K Bhaskaran of Civic Amenities and Cultural Association, HAL 2nd stage. Its bad in Indiranagar too. Cauvery water supply to our area is yet to be set right, said Padmavathi KS, a housewife. Its the same story in Nagarbhavi, Mallathahalli and Papireddypalya.

No jobs for animation artists

Thursday, 29 April 2010 - 5:13pm IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P After its time in the sun in 2006, when it was hailed as the sunrise industry along with other flourishing sectors such as the BPOs and KPOs, the animation industry is now experiencing a dip. Alls not well with the animation industry in the state. After its time in the sun in 2006, when it was hailed as the sunrise industry along with other flourishing sectors such as the BPOs and KPOs, the animation industry is now experiencing a dip. The biggest problem? There are just not enough jobs for animators. Numbers best tell the story. There are 10,000 aspiring animation artists and game developers pursuing specialisation courses in the 35 government art colleges in Karnataka. When they complete the course, they might not find a place in the 25 creative animation studios in the state. These studios currently hire 15,300 animation artists and 2,300 game developers and theres no place for more just yet. This huge demand-supply gap was the main concern discussed at the Karnataka Animation, Visual Effects and Gaming Summit (KAVG) 2010 organised by the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI) in Bangalore recently. There are a number of students from rural areas and from North Karnataka districts, from Davnagere and Dharwad, for instance, who are highly talented and have great potential, but their awareness levels are low and they cannot always afford such courses.

We help them get sponsorships, says Joshi Mark, creative director AIGA, a professional association for design. But a job is something they cannot guarantee, Mark says. Another important barrier to growth of this industry is the fact that banks do not give educational loans for these courses. Banks do not recognise gaming and animation as an industry. As a result, students who acquire loans under the personal category end up paying high interest rates of about 14%, almost double that of the 7-8% for educational loans, says Rajesh Turakhia, MD, Framebox Animations VFX. Here, the government can step in and facilitate the process in favour of such aspiring students, he says. The industry ails from other issues too. Its largely unorganised with no structured accreditation system. Theres no standardisation of the diplomas, graduate and post-graduate degrees and other certificate courses. Experts suggest that the faculty be accredited as professionally qualified trainers.

Harvest rainwater its the law

Sunday, 25 April 2010 - 9:49am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory, and those failing to comply will not receive a water connection. The state government may have made rainwater harvesting mandatory for buildings in the city, but citizens seem to be unaware. The measures taken by the government to popularise the eco-friendly concept among residents appear to be inadequate as people are unaware about the act passed in August 2009. Rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory after amending the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) laws in the previous legislature session. The law states that citizens failing to adopt this practice by May 27, 2010, will not be provided with a water connection. The act was passed in August 2009, and states that existing houses built on 40x60 sites, and all houses being built on 30x40 sites and above, are required to adopt rainwater harvesting, failing which they will not be provided water connections, said one senior BWSSB official. He added: A gazette notification was issued to 54,000 houses identified as 40x60 site-owners and a period of nine months was given to the residents to comply. According to our information, so far, only 13,000 houses have implemented this system.

However, when DNA contacted some of these residents, they denied receiving any such notice. When told of the lack of awareness, the BWSSB official said: We have been conducting street plays explaining the significance of rainwater harvesting and also have mobile information units in action. The BWSSB and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have trained 630 plumbers to implement this task. The BWSSB and Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) are creating awareness among the public by providing technical guidance on rainwater harvesting practices. One such initiative was put forward on Saturday in Richards Town by Jaago Association, Richards Town Residents Association (RTRA) and Citizens Voluntary Initiative for the City (CIVIC), Bangalore. They hosted an orientation programme on rainwater harvesting. Starting by familiarising citizens with the contour and topography of the city, AR Shivakumar, principal inspector, RWH, explained the benefits of rainwater harvesting, the need for it, and its stages, which include collection, channelisation and filtration. This is further divided into storage and groundwater recharge, and the types of rainwater harvesting, like the rooftop method and groundwater recharge through barrel system. As per the law, rainwater is said to be harvested when one square metre of the roof area multiplied by 20 litres of water is saved; and in the case of open spaces, 10 litres of water is saved per square metre, said Shivakumar: Existing open wells or sumps can be used as storage facilities and the minimum size of the well for those residents opting to build it should be 3ft in diameter and 10ft in depth. He assured residents that the measures were cost effective and feasible. As of now, there are no subsidies, but we are requesting the government to take the necessary steps. He also pointed out that it is not compulsory to employ licensed plumbers for this job and that they have a help desk which can facilitate the process of training BWSSB plumbers to implement it in buildings. We are extremely sensitised with this presentation. It is practical and we even became familiar with the contours of the city. We will definitely make a start, said Usha Kumar, a resident of Clark Road. With the citys growing water woes, depleting groundwater levels and paucity of safe drinking water in rural areas, rainwater harvesting seems to be inevitable and this can be successful only by sheer commitment and cooperation on the part of citizens.

Young turks seize the moment in Bangalore

Friday, 23 April 2010 - 10:52am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P

Gen Ys small acts of green awareness left Bangalore city in no doubt that it is in good and safe hands. Bangalore, heres some heartening news for you. On Thursday, the 40th Earth Day, a cadre of mostly young activists were seen spreading the message of environmental protection across the city. Young, aware and passionate about the eco cause, Gen Ys small acts of green awareness left the city in no doubt that it is in good hands. Ram Krishna, a working professional and a self-confessed eco-freak, was seen volunteering to spread awareness on the need to preserve natural resources. The initiative primarily aims at motivating the youth and drawing more youngsters into it. He said preaching just wouldnt do; each of us had to practice random acts of kindness towards nature. To catch the typically urbane crowd, green volunteers from various NGOs and other environment awareness groups targeted the citys malls, high streets and main shopping areas. Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) set up e-waste recycling stalls. They also distributed cloth bags in association with Saahas, an NGO that works on waste management, and EParisaraa, an agency that recycles e-waste. The takeaway is clear. The next time you want to chuck a useless CD into the bin, think again. Put it, instead, in your bag, and when youre at the Forum or Garuda Mall, head to the e-waste recycling centre and ensure it is recycled. Same goes for old batteries, computer accessories, old mobile phones and more. Those shopping at Garuda Mall were given the option of posting messages on environmental awareness on a board. People do not follow what they write on the message board, says Priyanka Lal, a PUC student of Venus International School, with some pessimism. She does hope, however, that people start to practise what they preach. Go Green Initiative, an eco-awareness cycling group, set out on a rally at noon from JP Nagar to celebrate Earth Day. A REVA car, Indias first electric car and a symbol of no-pollution and quiet mobility, was seen zipping through the city carrying the green message. It was painted green, too! Arun Patre, a volunteer with IYCN says: We met people who were unaware of the relevance or even the existence of Earth Day. He said the REVA was making a quiet statement by being seen in different parts of the city. At least this way, many people got to know it is Earth Day. But small acts of conservation are all we need to make the Earth a greener place to live in. Use cloth bags, turn off the lights while stepping out of a room, switch off the engine at the traffic signal, etc. Its doable.