I would say the reality regarding LPG is far more grave.

Many would not be having the public sector gas connections, like us. We depend on the private gas. Last change of cylinder I gave Rs. 1050/- for the domestic gas cylinder. It was some Rs.750-800 till last year and now it has gone up.

Getting public sector gas connection is not easy, you need to have ‘Ration Card’ here. Getting Ration Card is also cumbersome affair. First you have to cancel the name in the Ration card in your home state, get NOC, and the give it here. Most would not get time for all those sarkari affairs, plus communication issues. Majority of the migrants would be young, so they may not have connections back in their home town to transfer also.

Other costly things are Fuel (esp Petrol), Road Tax etc. Infact the gap is so wide with other states. Now it is said that the business of the fuel stations in Karwar (Northern Karnataka) have plummeted as Goa sells Petrol Rs. 20/- cheaper. (Around Rs. 54/- against Rs.74/- in KA). Road Tax is around 13% to 16% whereas in Kerala it is 6%. When you buy a 10 lakh car, you need to spend additional 1 lakh as tax and registration.

I have to spend here Rs. 80/- for a strong beer in a local retail liqour shop while it is Rs. 55/- in Kerala. It is Rs. 375/- in an upmarket pub like TGI Friday's while it cost me only Rs. 200/-in a Taj Vivanta in Trivandrum.

Anyway no complaints, what we earn extra here, goes as expenditure.:) (Also as flight tickets to home) You always have a choice, whether to live here or not!

You can employ middlemen for sarkari works like ration cards, driving licence, pan card etc. Outsourcing is the future :cheers:

And when you pay 375 for beer in a pub, base price being 55 instead of 80 would have made its cost 350. That is not much of a difference. And goa is duty free like dubai no point comparing.

Big bazaar inside Jurassic Park

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Prison Chronicles: In this kingdom of walls and bars, every move is watched by baton-wielding wardens and supervisors

A former convict remembers how money could buy some joys, or even freedom, in prison

Vinod Sharma and his wife Kalyani faced their six-year sentence for embezzlement with remarkable acceptance. “We did something wrong, we had to live with it,” says Vinod candidly.

However, the transition from suits and business lunches in glass-façade buildings to the drab prison uniform in the soul-crushing confines of Bangalore Central Jail was not an easy one.

Vinod found himself sharing a room with 40 other people, with only three toilets between them. “For a bath, we had one big tank from where we had to draw water,” he says.

Even though Vinod and Kalyani were less than a few hundred metres from each other, for six years, the two talked only through a meshed wall that separated the men's and women's division.

“I could only see her hands, but we would talk every day, and that got me through the day,” he says.

Forgotten by time

Banished into the kingdom of walls and bars — which Vinod refers to as “Jurassic Park”, a place abandoned by time even — every move is watched by baton-wielding wardens and supervisors.

“There have been times when an inmate is virtually crippled by illness. He still has to pay the doctors or wardens in the jail to get treatment,” Vinod says.

Where there's a will…

Money, he explains, could buy some joys or even freedom, albeit within the prison. Wardens control a whole black market of mobiles, cigarettes, drugs, electronics, and even food.

“In one cell block, there are noodles, vegetables, bread, all supplied by the wardens at exorbitant prices, or stolen from the prison kitchen. We call this the ‘big bazaar',” he says.

With some prisoners managing small induction cookers, he talks of little group parties and ‘barbeques'.

For a fee, some prisoners take a walk outside. “Some go to the main roads and comment on how the city has changed. They eat in a bakery and return a couple of hours later,” he says.

All for a recharge

He says that more than 700 mobiles could be found in the jail, some sneaked in and some bought directly from the wardens; a handset costing Rs. 1,000 outside would be sold for Rs. 2,500 inside.

However, with no standard plug points in the cell, charging it posed a seemingly insurmountable problem. This necessity, however, fuelled innovation that would have impressed any technophile.

According to Vinod, the plastic of the charger is stripped off and a tape put between the input plugs. A wire is drawn from the metal rim of the bulb connection and connected to this.

“We would have a guy on the lookout, while at least eight mobiles get charged simultaneously.”

Release

After the six-year sentence, Kalyani, unable to pay the fine amount, spent an additional year in the prison. A well-wisher offered to help, but the price of her release was quoted as Rs. 93,000, which was Rs. 24,000 more than what was due at that time. “Prison officials told the court that Kalyani had paid Rs. 69,000 and pocketed the rest,” says Vinod.

The stigma has not left the couple, even affecting their three little children.

“Jobs are difficult to get. And, if in school they find out that the children's parents were in jail, they would be discriminated against,” he says.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3352945.ece

Finding dark humour in pathos

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The Pillowman handles serious issues with sensitivity and wit

Despite its dark motifs of child abuse and state censorship, Renegade Arts and Theatre Society's rendition of The Pillowman in the city recently left one in high spirits.

How can a play with such a theme of pathos possibly make you laugh? With sarcasm reigning high, the audience at Alliance Française de Bangalore was often in splits during the two and a half hour performance of this dark comedy.

Written by Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, the play received the 2004 Olivier Award for Best New Play and two Tony Awards for production.

The Pillowman tells the story of Katurian K. Katurian, a writer in an unnamed police state who is arrested for a series of child murders, which strangely mirror his grisly short stories. The play starts and ends in a police interrogation room but meanders through Katurian's troubled childhood and his twisted stories, telling a story within a story, often creating a haze of imagination and reality.

OPENING THE CLOSET

With a cast of seven members, the production was directed by Siddarth Selvaraj. Siddarth has dealt with the issue of child abuse poignantly . He executed some difficult scenes of torture and even one in which a young girl is crucified and buried alive with a great deal of sensitivity and ingenuity. All through the play, skeletons popped out of the closet, giving a new spin to the story.

Shyju Varkey who plays Katurian carries the play on his shoulders. He voices monologues and animatedly tells his short stories. His tall frame and loud, booming voice with just the right intonations is far from tiring. Shyju, with his bleeding heart, dwarfs most other characters in the play and wins over the audience.

PHLEGMATIC CHARM

Mario Jerome as Detective Topolski sums up the play quite well when he says, “I'm fed up of people doing stuff just because they had a miserable childhood. My father was an alcoholic and so am I.”

He combines his witty sarcasm with a phlegmatic charm.

The costumes and make up left much to be desired. In fact the lady police officer Ariel played by Naomi Menon was dressed more like a college student in a tight pair of jeans and a purple shirt, which she kept fidgeting with, making matters worse.

These are minor flaws; the play must be lauded for tackling serious issues with sensitivity and wit .

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3352928.ece

A little bit of Goa in Bangalore

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Something from the sea: Chef Ranjeet Pandey of Fisherman’s Wharf on Harlur Road experiments with ingredients in his kitchen as if it were his laboratory

It is obviously the seafood lovers who can best enjoy Fisherman's Wharf

What Fisherman's Wharf tries to recreate on the dusty Harlur Road connecting the completely prosaic and bustling highways to Sarjapur and Hosur, is the idyllic ambience of the Goan coast, with the spice of its exotic cuisine.

Evidently borrowing its name from the famous pier in California, the restaurant welcomes you with beach sand, an open bar, live music and open dining areas.

Goan cuisine is a rich mix of flavours from the west coast, Maharashtra, Uttara Kannada and Portugal. While the Portuguese contributed the rich ingredients for filling, the Indian regions tempered it with fiery spices and local oils. The Italian dishes at this multi-cuisine restaurant are extremely simple, characterised by just four to eight ingredients.

EXPERIMENTING WITH FOOD

Every dish has a hint of Xacutti, made from raw peanuts, egg yolk, red chillies and grated coconut. Chorizo, a Spanish sausage made with pork and paprika and comes in many varieties, is coloured by Goan chilli and Toddy vinegar, a preparation unique to the west coast of India. The restaurant has identified a Konkani in Bangalore, who makes this vinegar at home.

The Caesar salad here is an olive interpretation of the classic with romaine lettuce, a creamy Parmesan dressing, and garlic croutons with options of chicken and shrimp. It is a favourite starter with the regulars here.

“We encourage customers to experiment with different dishes the same way that we do with ingredients in the kitchen,” said Ranjeet Pandey, director and chef of the restaurant. His kitchen is his laboratory. “Being a science student, I put in lot of my chemistry into my cooking,” he smiled.

EXOTIC SPREAD

It is obviously the seafood lovers who can enjoy this restaurant the best. Prawns and squid come ‘as you like it' — fried with Peri Peri, rawa or butter garlic. Pomfret, king fish, the red snapper, crab and king crab are cooked in recheado masala, stir fried or on a tandoor. The Arabian catch of the day offers lobsters, crab, fish and prawns.

Vegetarians are not let down either. The pinwheel delight — mushroom stuffed with cheese and crumb fried, and wok tossed broccoli are simply delightful.

Puritans can always go for the zafrani paneer tikka, chicken tikka and chicken kebabs.

The restaurant also has a separate Goan menu with just the traditional Goan dishes.

Bebinca, the speciality of Goa, served with vanilla ice cream is a perfect end to the meal.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3352914.ece

You can employ middlemen for sarkari works like ration cards, driving licence, pan card etc. Outsourcing is the future :cheers:


Yes, I am like a Roman when in Rome, had got the Ration card sometime back. I was commenting on a general note.

I have not used it for getting the gas connection so far, basically for want of time. BTW we have very less usage of cooking gas, we spend much in dining out/ getting home delivered food most of the days, so not much bothered about the difference in price for gas. Thats why I said, no complaints.

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0005/7531/Children_with_their_volunteer_teachers_portal_cover.JPG http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/pics/0005/7539/Children_learning_computer_with_Volunteer_pic_article.JPG
Pic: Anisha Nair


It is Saturday afternoon and the community welfare centre at Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Koramangala 5th block is abuzz with a bunch of excited 8 to 15 year olds. Today is the day the children of this slum get to learn computers and maths from volunteers of Bhoomi, an NGO.

Just as this reporter stepped in, she heard cries for Andrew. No class ever starts without Andrew she was told. He is a student of class VIII in Sacred Heart high school, Richmond road. His eyes sparkle with dreams and his smiling face brims with confidence. Andrews S, wants to become a software engineer when he grows up. His father is an electrician and his mother, a homemaker. "My mother always wanted me to become a software engineer. Slowly, I too started believing in becoming a software engineer as I want to earn a lot of money," he says.

Andrew's enthusiasm and eagerness makes him the favourite among the children and the volunteers.

Volunteers from Bhoomi centre, an NGO, come together on weekends to teach subjects like Maths and Computers to children in slum areas and orphanage homes. These classes in areas like Koramangala, Jayanagar, JP Nagar and Adugodi every Saturday and Sunday. The children are taught these subjects for free. People donate their old computers to such centres for children to learn. The classes are carried out in community welfare centers of these areas.

Jensi Brinda, a 11-year-old is a class six student. Her father abandoned her family when she was very young. She has two older brothers and her mother is a domestic worker. She is confident that learning computers is the ticket to good job. She says, "I like computers and want to learn it because it will get me a good job." She is in class VIII. Her dream is to become an engineer.

Delphina Mary, another child from the slum wants to become a nun or a teacher. She wants to teach people all the good things she knows. Studying in class IV in Missionary school, she knows how to operate the computer well.

24-year-old, Engineer, Aarthi Shubha, who volunteers here, believes that weekends are fun filled evenings with these children. The moment her bike enters Ambedkar Nagar, children start running after her shouting Akka... akka... She teaches computers here but says they want to learn a lot more than just computers. "The ideas that they come up with are really unusual. In fact, there is a lot that we are learning from them." she adds.

She shares that these children are very enthusiastic and take initiatives on their own once they know about certain things. They just need an opportunity.

Another volunteer, Prosenjit Das, Engineer, 28, says, "I believe in making learning a fun process so that the children can remember it for a long time."

The children have learnt to make some animation clips on Adobe Flash and everyone is really proud of it. They flaunt it like their trophies to anybody who comes to visit them.

:cheers:

Good work NGO , keep it up :applause:

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/4082-ambedkar-nagar-slum

Finding dark humour in pathos

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01064/26BG-NHTB-PILLOWMA_1064234f.jpg

The Pillowman handles serious issues with sensitivity and wit



source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3352928.ece


Mario was my classmate :). the one standing

Yes, I am like a Roman when in Rome, had got the Ration card sometime back. I was commenting on a general note.

I have not used it for getting the gas connection so far, basically for want of time. BTW we have very less usage of cooking gas, we spend much in dining out/ getting home delivered food most of the days, so not much bothered about the difference in price for gas. Thats why I said, no complaints.

Sudheesh the problem is- Our generation only blames/cribs about the govt for everything but would never want to walk an extra mile to get things done. Like the gas or ration card or works@RTO . They want it to be home delivered as they do their delivery at IT Workstations :-) India is not so advanced and come on everyone wants their pie of growth happening & easy target these lazy fellas ( I am not saying i am out of it)
And about the taxes I would say the state gets peanuts for its infra so it has to generate income somewhere - check drought this year has a loss 4500Cr for the state . Bangalore is just a city which needs to feed other backward cities of the state.

Voila some comparison to Silicon Valley of the World.

I guess its more like this. IT folks need to deliver on time. So when a project is assigned, its made sure the target is achieved. Its the same across all industry.

So when such folks go to a public office(knowing the guy at the counter is being paid to help you, and you being the very reason for his job) and apply for ration card/ LPG or whatever it might be, and then to be told to come back another day and then another and then pushed from pillar to post. Doesn't make a good reading, does it? In today's dog eat dog world, there is just no come tomorrow or swalpa adjust madi attitude, cos our generation has come into working in such Environments and delivering on time, across all industries.

Half of these lazy fellas are lazy for a reason, they know the hassle. But having said that, the only way to change this is to use the law to our advantage.
To be relentless and not to give up soo easily and to give the lazy public servants some pasting(No physical or mental abuse).

Bring hundred guys, give them 1000 each, give them the option of applying for LPG or get it in black market.

The latter seems more easy and less time consuming and actually less of money consuming.

A little bit of Goa in Bangalore

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01064/26BG-NHTB-WHARF_1064230f.jpg
Something from the sea: Chef Ranjeet Pandey of Fisherman’s Wharf on Harlur Road experiments with ingredients in his kitchen as if it were his laboratory

It is obviously the seafood lovers who can best enjoy Fisherman's Wharf



source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3352914.ece


I appreciate your efforts in collecting news from all across the net and posting it here :)

^^ With "Sakaala" hope the waiting and running from pillar to post will end :cheers:

Bangalur alli yall adhru malaey barthidae na?

Namma uttara kannada/north canara district :) Bangalur alli e thara nimma hudugi naa hudak bahuda? Nimma vicharavana haeli illi :)

XC2W0WX3Duc

^^btw forgot to add,given a chance of that sort in bangalur,we sscians like gays would make the best use of the ride by clicking aerial shots defeating the purpose of that opportunity given to us...:D yava hudgi bartharae? :lol:

One good news is Choppers can land on banglur roof terrace safely,tested and approved by HAL

BMTC to add 975 buses to its fleet

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will purchase as many as 975 buses to add to the City bus fleet, said BMTC Managing Director K R Srinivas, on Thursday.

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Speaking after the inauguration of an airconditioned lounge for airport passengers in Shantinagar bus terminal, Srinivas said of the newly-purchased buses, 175 buses are luxury buses.

Speaking on the occasion, Transport Department Principal Secretary P B Ramamurthy said internet browsing facility which is now available in seven Vayu Vajra buses will be extended to all Vayu Vajra buses.

When compared to bus services in various other cities in the country, the BMTC is far ahead, he said.

Lounge

Passengers heading towards the airport will have to show their flight ticket to rest in the 18-seat lounge, at the Shantinagar bus terminal, till their bus to the airport arrives.

The airconditioned lounge is constructed on an area of 562 sqft and has a television, racks for luggage, drinking water facility and rooms to freshen up. The lounge has been constructed at a cost of Rs five lakh, said P B Ramamurthy.

The BMTC Central office located at Shantinagar TTMC was also inaugurated on the occasion.

The office is equipped with a meeting hall, boardroom, GPS control room, lift facility for physically challenged persons etc.

From Monday, all official work will be carried out at the new Central office.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245158/bmtc-add-975-buses-its.html

New Mayor, dy: Are they ‘clean’?

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On a day when the city has elected a new Mayor and a Deputy Mayor ostensibly for the development of the city,

On a day when the city has elected a new Mayor and a Deputy Mayor ostensibly for the development of the city, Namma Bengaluru may have the misfortune of having its first citizens reflecting a taint that has already tarred its political class —both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are allegedly accused of encroaching Civic Amenity (CA) sites by the A.T. Ramaswamy report.

D. Venkatesh Murthy has been alleged to have encroached upon the Civic Amenity site earmarked for a park at Radhakrishna Layout, site number 50/A, while his deputy Mr Srinivas is alleged to have built a house which has encroached upon Chikkakallasandra lake in Bengaluru South taluk, the report states.

The name of Mr Srinivas has been listed in the joint house committee report on encroachment in Bengaluru city and the urban district. The inquiry was headed by former legislator A. T. Ramaswamy. Highly placed sources on condition of anonymity said that Mr Srinivas vacated the house which has been built at Chikkakallasandra lake and shifted to another house to avoid any controversy in his bid to win the Deputy Mayor’s post.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/new-mayor-dy-are-they-%E2%80%98clean%E2%80%99-216

Double whammy for city writer Barua

It’s quite the double whammy for Jahnavi Barua. Shortlisted for the 2011 Man Asian Literary Prize for her novel Rebirth and now, little more than a month later, shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book and Short Story Prize. “The publisher has to send the book in for the prize, for which they have an internal selection,” says Bengaluru-based Barua, who gave up her medical practice some years ago but states emphatically, “That’s not true. Medicine has nothing to do with my writing.”

Six Indian writers, including Barua and Rahul Bhattacharya, figure in the shortlist of the 2012 Commonwealth Book and Short Story Prizes; Barua, for her novel Rebirth, Bhattacharya for his The Sly Company of People Who Care and C.Y. Gopinath for The Book of Answers in the Commonwealth Book Prize category. Pakistan’s Jamil Ahmad (The Wandering Falcon) and Sri Lankan Shehan Karunatilaka (Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew) among 15 other authors also in the race. Indians in the shortlist for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize are Anushka Jasraj (Radio Story), Poile Sengupta (Ammulu) and Sreejith Sukumaran (Another Dull Day). The overall winner will be announced at the Hay Festival on June 8.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/double-whammy-city-writer-barua-213

‘Oushada Bhavana’ to be inaugurated on Sunday

Seer of Adichunchanagiri mutt Sri Balagangadharanatha Swami would inaugurate ‘Oushada Bhavana’ built by District Pharmacists Association at Harishcandra Circle, Halahalli Extension, in the city on April 29.

Addressing media persons here on Thursday, president of the association B Lokesh said the association office would be inaugurated by deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha K Rehman Khan while ex-chief minister H D Kumaraswamy will inaugurate the stage function. Deputy chairperson of state legislative council Vimala Gowda and MP N Cheluvarayaswamy, will participate.
District in-charge minister R Ashoka will felicitate former MP Ambareesh, MLA M Srinivas and industrialist Dileep Surana.
Speaking about the activities of the association, Lokesh said several free health check-up camps were being organised at various places in the district and free drugs were being distributed.
About future plans, he said a school would be established. Secretary B Rajanna, vice-president M P Lokananda, treasurer S Bheemaraju, Boregowda and K T Ravi Kumar were present at the press conference.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245098/oushada-bhavana-inaugurated-sunday.html

Palike walks the road safety talk

City to have 99 more skywalks fitted with lifts, shelters, webcams

As many as 100 skywalks are set to come up in the City, where crossing the roads is a nightmare for pedestrians.
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Each of the skywalks will have lifts, shelters for the users and six webcams to ensure their security.

The skywalks will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore each, on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. They will come up in three phases.

The first such skywalk, launched by former Mayor Sharadamma on K G Road on Wednesday, will serve as a model for the remaining 99. The second skywalk will come up near Mekhri Circle.

BBMP officials said the K G Road skywalk has been equipped with six security cameras - two on the staircase, two inside the lift and two on the skywalk. The control room for the skywalk cameras will be in the space earmarked for the security guard at the bottom of the ramp.

“The camera footage will be available for both BBMP and the Bangalore Police, in case of any trouble or theft,” said the official. The footage will be available for 60 days, following which it will automatically be erased. This feature will now become standard for all the other 99 skywalks.

In cases of skywalks extending over two or more roads, the number of cameras will increase to cover all possible angles. It is likely that the cameras will be used to monitor activities outside the skywalks too.

The first two phases of the project will add 35 skywalks each to the City, and the third phase will have 40 skywalks.

“BBMP has finalised the Detailed Project Report for all the 99 skywalks and is awaiting a financial feasibility report,”said the official.

As the skywalks are proposed under the PPP model, the costs of these skywalks will be borne by advertising agencies which evince interest in building them. “The skywalks will have advertising space for companies,” said the official.
Under the agreement, BBMP will earn Rs 9.16 lakh per annum apart from Rs 150 to Rs 250 per sq mt as advertising tax.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245147/palike-walks-road-safety-talk.html

Japanese to lend their expertise on bullet train

A team of experts from Japan International Construction Company (JICC) and Japan External Trade Organisation will land in Bangalore during May to study the feasibility of running high-speed trains in the State, including a bullet train service between Mysore and Chennai via Bangalore.

Elaborating on the discussions he held with the Japanese authorities during his road shows in Singapore and Japan for the Global Investor Meet-2012, Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani said the experts will submit a detailed project report (DPR) on the feasibility of setting up high-speed rail corridors.

The project has been conceptualised in three phases between Mysore and Chennai via Bangalore, between Bangalore and Belgaum via Davangere and Hubli, and between Bangalore and Gulbarga.

The high-speed train project will require a dedicated rail link and will cost Rs 200 crore per km.
“We have held only preliminary discussion with the Japanese authorities. We know there is long way to go, but we thought there was nothing wrong in making a beginning,”

Nirani said replying to queries from reporters whether it was practically
possible to implement such extravagant projects.

To a query on the clearance required from the Centre for these projects, especially the bullet train corridor, Nirani said the State government would hold a discussion in this regard soon.

Tunnel road

Japanese highway experts will also explore the possibility of constructing a tunnel road for providing a permanent solution to the problematic Shiradi Ghat stretch, which connects Sakleshpur with Mangalore.

The Japanese have agreed to share their expertise on constructing a peripheral ring road around the State capital during their visit to Bangalore.

On the business model for the projects, Nirani said the venture would be purely Japanese one a BOT (build-operate-transfer) basis. There will be no investment from the State government in the projects, he said.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245140/japanese-lend-their-expertise-bullet.html

Land to Posco: Gowda to decide in a week

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Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda will decide next week whether or not to provide alternative land to POSCO for setting up a steel plant at Halligudi following stiff resistance from farmers, State Industries Minister Murgesh Nirani said today.

"The ball is in Chief Minister's court. He will discuss the issue with Posco and take a decision in this regard in a week's time," Nirani told reporters here.

The proposal to acquire a plot measuring 3,382 acres at Halligudi in Mundargi taluk of Gadag district has met stiff resistance from farmers. Religious leaders have strongly backed the farmers.

The government, however, has not dropped its plans to set up the proposed POSCO steel plant at Halligudi, Nirani said.

"Denotification of land in Mundargi taluk is yet to come in the gazette," he said. The land in Mundargi taluk was notified by Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board to set up the POSCO steel plant.

When asked on whether the government has given an alternative captive site for ArcelorMittal, Nirani indicated that a decision would be taken next month in this regard.

"We are calling a meeting of all companies including ArcelorMittal next month to sort out problems faced by them," he said.

ArcelorMittal had signed an agreement with Karnataka government during the Global Investors' meet in 2010 for setting up the six mtpa steel plant with a 750 MW captive power plant.

The firm, which has proposed to set up the plant at an investment of Rs 30,000 crore in Bellary district, had withdrawn application for captive iron ore mining lease citing poor quality of ore.

The government had identified Donimalai region in Bellary district for allocating iron ore mine to the company.

In a letter to the government, the firm had said it had found poor quality of iron ore in the area earmarked for it through an exploration which established that the ore consists of 30 per cent to 38 per cent Fe (iron) contents and was unfit for making steel

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/244986/land-posco-gowda-decide-week.html

42 machines to clean manholes in city

BANGALORE: With criticism pouring in from all corners against manual cleaning of manholes in the city, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has finally placed orders before Tata Motors, Pune, to procure 42 manhole cleaning machines at a cost of Rs 6 crore.
These machines will be mounted on mini trucks and big vehicles and ready for service by July-end. BWSSB has, at present, 28 such machines.
BWSSB has decided to completely do away with manual labour of cleaning drains and manholes, as there were many instances of workers losing their lives following suffocation, while cleaning the gas-filled manholes.
Based on a PIL filed in this connection, the High Court had, in February, directed both Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board and BWSSB to stop manual cleaning, clearing, unblocking of underground drainage lines, pits and septic tanks across the state.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/42-machines-to-clean-manholes-in-city/386341.html

Investors meet push for Japanese township, bullet trains in B'lore

Bangaloreans could soon see a “mini-Japan” coming up in their neighbourhood if large and medium industries minister Murugesh Nirani has his way.

Bullet trains that will zip at 320km per hour, too, may hit the tracks as the state government prepares to script a success story at the forthcoming Global Investors Meet (GIM) to be held in Bangalore on June 7 and 8.

Nirani, who has returned after participating in road shows in Singapore and Japan to woo investors for the GIM said that talks were held with representatives of the Japanese government and Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) on setting up of a Japanese Industrial Township in Karnataka. About 1,000 acres of land would be needed for the township.

Three potential sites have been identified for the project at Narasapura and Vemagal in Kolar district and Sira in Tumkur district, both very close to Bangalore. The Japanese investors showed keen interest in the project and they preferred to have residential township, Japanese schools, entertainment centres and work places within the township that could provide a homely atmosphere for them here, Nirani said.

Nirani is also optimistic on putting his industrial and high-speed corridors project on the rails. The state delegation held talks with officials of Japan Railways and Nirani even met Diazo Nozawa, who was associated with the first Bullet Train in 1964.

The Union government has already accorded in-principle approval for setting up an industrial and high-speed rail corridor between Chennai and Bangalore. Karnataka wants the Chennai-Bangalore corridor to be extended up to Mysore Via Bangalore. The corridorwould have high industrialisation all along the corridor and also of super-fast rail connectivity on the lines of bullet trains in Japan.

“We have held preliminary talks with Japanese railway engineers. Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda will decide the future course of action to realise the project that would cost about Rs200 crore per km. Japan International Construction Corporation will conduct a feasibility study on the project,” the minister said.

State envisages to take up similar superfast corridor projects from Bangalore to Belgaum via Tumkur and Chitradurga in the second phase and between Bangalore and Bidar in the third phase.

Efforts are on to seek the participation of Japanese companies in the execution of the proposed Peripheral Ring Road around Bangalore.

Talks were also held with banking majors in Japan, Nirani said.

Three major international banks have expressed their interest to set up their India head offices in the Global Financial District coming up at Devanahalli. “We have decided to grant 25 more acres of land for the project for which the state government had earlier allocated 50 acres of land,” he said.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_investors-meet-push-for-japanese-township-bullet-trains-in-b-lore_1681307

Congress to apprise Sonia of drought situation

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01066/27BGPAGE4-1_1066187f.jpg

Party estimates loss at Rs. 5,000 crore

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) will highlight the gravity of the drought in the State during All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi's visit to the State and seek her intervention for more Central assistance to take up relief work.

KPCC president G. Parameshwara told mediapersons here that three teams of the party, which had toured the 123 drought-hit taluks in the State, would submit a report to Ms Gandhi during a meeting of Congress delegates at Siddaganga Institute of Technology (SIT) in Tumkur.

The total loss to the State on account of the drought had been estimated at Rs. 5,000 crore and the farmers, who have lost their crop, have been left with no employment opportunities, he said.

More funds

The State government had submitted a report to the Centre seeking a financial aid of Rs. 2,600 crore. Though the Centre had released Rs 1,100 crore so far, the Congress would impress upon Ms. Gandhi to use her good offices to prevail upon the Manmohan Singh government to release more funds for drought relief works, he said.

In order to highlight the gravity of the drought situation, Dr. Parameshwara said, the Congress had scheduled a visit of the party president to Nagasamudra village in Chitradurga district's Molakalmuru taluk, where the residents are facing acute drinking water shortage after the tank, built more than a 100 years ago, dried up. “We can't possibly take her to all the drought-hit taluks. So, we identified one place for an on-the-spot assessment. She will also interact with the residents there,” he said.

Dr. Parameshwara said there was no politics involved in the Guruvandana Mahotsava of the Veerashaiva community seer. “The Veerashaivas had been with the Congress all along and leaders from the community such as Veerendra Patil had served as Chief Minister,” he said.

However, the Congress leader did not rule out suggestions that the party was using the occasion to launch its campaign for the next Assembly elections. “We are always prepared for elections. When our leader is coming, it may serve as an occasion for her to advise partymen on poll preparedness”, he said.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3359527.ece

River diversion termed unscientific

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01065/26BG-PG8-NETRAVATI_1065540f.jpg

The pros and cons of project has been prepared'

The State government was resorting to “jugglery of words” when speaking about the Netravati diversion project and the Yettinahole project, member of the Western Ghats Task Force B.M. Kumaraswamy said here on Wednesday.

Speaking to The Hindu here on the sidelines of a programme organised by the task force and the Department of Forests, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the government was denying that there was any attempt to divert the Netravati, and instead it was saying that it would supply drinking water to Kolar, Chickballapur, Chitradurga and Bangalore Rural districts from the Yettinahole, a tributary of the Netravati, he said.

‘Wrong assumption'

The flow of the Netravati into the Arabian Sea in Dakshina Kannada “is not a political decision”, he said. He said river diversion was “unscientific and uneconomical” and that “riverine ecology had not been understood fully”. He said that river-linking was premised on the assumption that the water flowing into the sea was a waste. River-linking would also devastate fishing in the region, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said no one knew what would be the ecological cost of such a project. Even the impact of companies such as Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals, and projects such the Mangalore Special Economic Zone had not been studied, he said. The project would be a “disaster” for the people of Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Kumaraswamy added.

Asked for an alternative, he said that arid regions were dependent on tanks “which collected the very last drop of rain”. Tanks needed to be rejuvenated. He said that river diversion should be the last resort to supply drinking water, not the first. He said that the task force had prepared a report on the pros and cons of river- linking and had come to the conclusion that it was not advisable.

Chairman of the task force Anant Hegde Ashisar said the task force was against the Netravati diversion project “in principle”. Unless the task force studied the detailed project report of the Yettinahole project, he could not comment on it, he said.

Rights of tribal people

Mr. Ashisar said there was a need to have a joint meeting of the departments of the Forests and Revenue to sort out the issues that forest-dwellers were facing in national parks. Until all the people living inside the national parks were rehabilitated, the government could facilitate the dwellers' claims on the forest, Mr. Ashisar said. He said that the task force planned to recommend that the Department of Forests amend its working plan at the circle level to ensure that forest-dwellers' rights were protected.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3357575.ece

River diversion termed unscientific

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01065/26BG-PG8-NETRAVATI_1065540f.jpg

The pros and cons of project has been prepared'

The State government was resorting to “jugglery of words” when speaking about the Netravati diversion project and the Yettinahole project, member of the Western Ghats Task Force B.M. Kumaraswamy said here on Wednesday.

Speaking to The Hindu here on the sidelines of a programme organised by the task force and the Department of Forests, Mr. Kumaraswamy said the government was denying that there was any attempt to divert the Netravati, and instead it was saying that it would supply drinking water to Kolar, Chickballapur, Chitradurga and Bangalore Rural districts from the Yettinahole, a tributary of the Netravati, he said.

‘Wrong assumption'

The flow of the Netravati into the Arabian Sea in Dakshina Kannada “is not a political decision”, he said. He said river diversion was “unscientific and uneconomical” and that “riverine ecology had not been understood fully”. He said that river-linking was premised on the assumption that the water flowing into the sea was a waste. River-linking would also devastate fishing in the region, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said no one knew what would be the ecological cost of such a project. Even the impact of companies such as Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals, and projects such the Mangalore Special Economic Zone had not been studied, he said. The project would be a “disaster” for the people of Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Kumaraswamy added.

Asked for an alternative, he said that arid regions were dependent on tanks “which collected the very last drop of rain”. Tanks needed to be rejuvenated. He said that river diversion should be the last resort to supply drinking water, not the first. He said that the task force had prepared a report on the pros and cons of river- linking and had come to the conclusion that it was not advisable.

Chairman of the task force Anant Hegde Ashisar said the task force was against the Netravati diversion project “in principle”. Unless the task force studied the detailed project report of the Yettinahole project, he could not comment on it, he said.

Rights of tribal people

Mr. Ashisar said there was a need to have a joint meeting of the departments of the Forests and Revenue to sort out the issues that forest-dwellers were facing in national parks. Until all the people living inside the national parks were rehabilitated, the government could facilitate the dwellers' claims on the forest, Mr. Ashisar said. He said that the task force planned to recommend that the Department of Forests amend its working plan at the circle level to ensure that forest-dwellers' rights were protected.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3357575.ece

River diversion termed unscientific


The pros and cons of project has been prepared'

Mr. Kumaraswamy said no one knew what would be the ecological cost of such a project. Even the impact of companies such as Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals, and projects such the Mangalore Special Economic Zone had not been studied, he said. The project would be a “disaster” for the people of Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Kumaraswamy added.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3357575.ece

TN is enjoying benefits of diversion of Periyar river from kerala, not just drinking water but also for agriculture.. nothing disastrous happened in kerala because of this :cheers:


GULBARGA, April 7, 2012
Government decides to take up Yettinahole project (http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article3289333.ece)

The State Government has finally decided to take up the Yettinahole diversion project at a cost of Rs. 7,300 crore to find a permanent solution to the drinking water scarcity in Kolar, Chickballapur, Tumkur, Bangalore Rural and Ramanagaram districts and fill up minor irrigation tanks to recharge groundwater.

Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai told presspersons here on Friday that it was basically a project to solve the drinking water problems in these districts by diverting the west-flowing river in the Palar-Pennar Basin. While all the minor irrigation tanks in Kolar and Chickballapur would benefit by the project, a few tanks in Bangalore Rural and Tumkur would also receive water.

He said that 24 tmcft of water would be diverted and stored in a valley identified in an area between Tumkur and Sira. Yettinahole is one of the tributaries of the west-flowing river and as per an estimate, the cost of the project is likely to be Rs. 7,300 crore. The Irrigation Department was preparing a detailed project report.

In another major development, the Government had also decided to strengthen and modernise the “Maharaja Anecuts”, including Chamaraja, Madaramantri Virle, Hemagiri, Nandigiri and Ramaswamy Nale, all more than 300 years old. These irrigation canals were in a bad shape and their water conveyance efficiency had come down drastically.

He said that the Government had allocated Rs. 300 crore for modernising and strengthening these canals. The modernisation of the distributary canals of the Visvesvaraya Canal will be taken up at a cost of Rs. 230 crore. The modernisation and strengthening of the Vivesvaraya Main Canal have been completed.

Mr. Bommai told a questioner that the Government had decided to take up the modernisation of the Narayanpur Left Bank Canal (NLBC) at a cost of Rs. 400 crore and this year, Rs. 230 crore had been earmarked for the work.

He said that this year the work of strengthening select reaches, which reported frequent slippages and seepages, would be taken up. This would help improve the conveyance efficiency of the NLBC. To end the dispute of overdrawal by the different branch canals from the NLBC, the Water Resources Department has decided to install volumetric measurement system near the gates at the distributary levels to measure the release of water from the NLBC into Jewargi, Shahapur, Mudgol and Indi Branch canals.

To a question, Mr. Bommai said that the department has been allocated Rs. 10,500 crore in the budget for this year which was 20 per cent more than the previous year's. Apart from this, the department proposes to spend Rs. 800 crore under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme in Krishna Basin.


Kolar, April 22, 2012
Permanent water project sought for Kolar district (http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article3341238.ece)

Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Saturday faced the wrath of drought-hit people in Kolar district who are facing severe water shortage and scarcity of fodder for cattle.

Later, Mr. Gowda held a meeting with the people's representatives and senior officials of the district on the premises of the zilla panchayat. He said, “For supplying drinking water to Kolar district, Rs. 2 crore has already been released, and Rs. 8 crore will be released in the next two days”. Mr. Sadananda Gowda told the farmers that Yettinahole project would begin in June and would be completed in two years and added that it will help Kolar and Chickballapur districts get 24 tmcft of water.
:banana:

Fantastic news for kolar,that will ease pressure on Arkavathy river.

Cruise and dine on Karnataka's first floating restaurant from Sunday (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangalore/Cruise-and-dine-on-Karnatakas-first-floating-restaurant-from-Sunday/articleshow/12900906.cms)

MANGALORE: If you have been dreaming of a candlelight dinner aboard a floating restaurant in this coastal city, your dreams will become a reality from Sunday.

The state's first 'Cruise n Dine' floating restaurant aboard a 'Dhow' will start its services in the city and will operate in two shifts between 11 am to 3 pm and 7.30 pm to 11 pm.

The venture started by six businessmen, Soniya Bangera, Yogish Karkera, Dinesh Bekal, Philip J Periera, JK Rao and JP Rao, will offer cruise and dining experience to 200 pax on two decks of the 100 feet long and 20 feet wide Dhow. The lower deck is air conditioned. Guests can enjoy a three hour cruise on the Gurupur River from the Old Port plus a sumptuous meal as promoters have tied up with a Bangalore-based catering firm to provide international cuisine aboard the Dhow. Apart from international cuisine, guests can savour local coastal cuisine, barbeque and tandoor at competitive rates as the land based restaurants.

Prices of different items have been kept in a moderate range to suit all pockets. The main objective is to promote the coastal city as the tourist destination, especially for people from hinterland like Mysore, Kodagu and along the coast till Karwar. They can spend a day and have the dhow experience,'' said JP Rao, one of the partner in the venture.

Future plans include promoting the floating restaurant as a corporate venue for meetings. We have been getting inquiries for functions. We will also have sunset cruises if people so demand. The possibilities are endless,'' Rao added. Safety is a priority. There will be enough life jackets to cover all passengers plus life rafts on board,'' said Rao.

Bangalore was supposed to have a floating restaurant on Hebbal Lake way back in 2007 by the Oberoi Group. That proposal did not take off due to opposition from the Green Brigade.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangalore/Cruise-and-dine-on-Karnatakas-first-floating-restaurant-from-Sunday/articleshow/12900906.cms

Hebbal lake would only get dirty,but sea is vast it can accept trash of any magnitude.

^^ we will have full plasma a/c so all that pollution doesn't matter :) recently high court allowed oberoi and lumbini contracts so we r expecting oberoi to make a move now :banana:

Tatra whistleblower attacked thrice

BANGALORE: A whistleblower, who has been working to uncover the alleged fraud in BEML's Tatra truck deals and defence and engineering-related contracts over the past 10 years and the illegal site allotment by BEML Employees Co-operative Society to bigwigs of the PSU, has come under attack from unidentified persons thrice - once in 2005 and twice in 2009.

The former BEML employee first raised the Tatra issue in 2005 and was immediately transferred to Kapurthala in Punjab though the PSU had no facility there. "One day a man travelling from Kapurthala to Delhi was accosted by a gang and beaten up near a bus stop. I learnt that the gang actually intended to attack me. The injured man had my telephone number. That's when the gang realized they'd hit the wrong man. I moved back to Bangalore and luckily I found a suitable posting," he said.

He described the second incident: "I was home with my family one night in August 2009 when we heard a commotion outside. About six persons jumped the compound wall, got in and started banging on the door. They were trying to break it. A few others tried to break the windows. They tried to get in. I managed to collect myself, ran inside and immediately called up a few friends nearby. In a few minutes, about three rushed to my house. As they ran in, the gang saw them and fled."

He goes on: "Later that year in October, I was in Mysore. After finishing work, I headed out in my car. As I was driving, a few people in a Tata Sumo started chasing me. They were driving fast, almost wanting to hit me. Luckily for me, my friends and I always met at a coffee shop on my way home. I drove straight there. All my friends were there. I joined them and the Sumo passed by," he said.

In 2009, he took police protection for about a month. After a month or so, security was discontinued.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Tatra-whistleblower-attacked-thrice/articleshow/12905079.cms

Does bangalore have a nice musical fountain in any of its park?

Now, BEML in trouble for land scam

BANGALORE: BEML, whose supply of Tatra trucks to the Army is being investigated by the CBI, has landed in a fresh controversy as its top officials and their kin have been accused of benefiting from an out-of-turn allotment of 63 sites by the BEML Employees Co-operative Society. The beneficiaries allegedly include a former PMO official's relative.

Three BEML employees - Martin Luther, C Umesh and S Vishwanatha - have moved the Karnataka HC, alleging they were transferred from Bangalore to Kolar Gold Fields as they formally complained to the registrar of co-operative societies against the BEML society's out-of-turn allotment of 63 sites in the city.

A top BEML official, currently facing CBI heat, was allegedly allotted two sites, No. 795 and 796, in Thubarahalli, Varthur, Bangalore South taluk for a sum of Rs 8,58,000. The out-of-turn allottees include 32 non-applicant members, three non-applicant top officials, four non-applicant society directors and 24 outsiders/non-members.

The petitioners have alleged that the allotment of sites to outsiders/non-members or non-applicants was in violation of the society's bye-laws. Only functional directors are eligible to get sites, while directors who are part of the board are not considered to be employees.They said owing to this out-of-turn allotment, many applicants including the petitioners, all genuine members, who had paid the entire sale consideration, were deprived of sites.

The allotments violated bye-law No10 (Clause b) which states that a BEML employee who has put in five years of service would become eligible for allotment of sites.The high court is expected to hear the petition after the summer vacation. Lawyer for the petitioners Subramanya Bhat told TOI: "While the case in the high court is about their arbitrary transfer, we have also noted in the petition that there is a land allotment issue that was the cause of the transfer. The order in this case will have a bearing on the land allotments too and this includes some of the top-most officials of BEML."

Meanwhile, BEML management said they have nothing to do with the society and that the petitioners' claims could be placed before the registrar of co-operative societies that is a quasi-judicial body empowered to deal with co-operative society matters.

BEML Employees Co-operative Society president N Munnagappa said: "Since the society's formation in 1972, not a single site has been given to anyone illegally. Top officials of BEML in the management and board have been given sites under 5% discretionary quota, under which they are eligible. Associate members too have been given sites as associate membership is allowed under the law. We have allotted 8,000 sites in Bangalore so far and that includes sites to directors, and chairmen from 1972 onwards. Some top officials have got sites of 50 ft x 80 ft dimension. We are only continuing a tradition that has been in place."

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Now-BEML-in-trouble-for-land-scam/articleshow/12905175.cms

For a taste of rural Karnataka

If ever you get the craving for an authentic Karnataka meal, then Nagashree is the place to go. Situated just before the flyover on KH Road, it is one of those blink-and-miss places.

Around eight tables walled in by green matting comprise the dining area. Be prepared to wait for a table and/or share a table as there is usually a queue here. There is nothing fancy about the place -- from the decor to the food, everything is functional and wholesome as the focus here is a nofrills meal.

Started in 2007 by Santosh Dhananjaya, Nagashree is a family-run concern. The fare is simple and down-to earth. The USP of this place is a set menu which is not very extensive. There are few choices here and that makes it all the more easier when it comes to placing an order.

Nagashree offers what one doesn't find in many places - ragi mudde. For those not in the know, a mudde is a palm-sized dumpling made from ragi or millet flour. This is traditionally prepared in rural Karnataka. It is served hot and is usually accompanied by a spicy gravy. Bite-sized bits are dunked in gravy just like one would eat an idli. At Nagashree, one can choose from a couple of non-vegetarian gravies to go with the mudde. The popular choice for this dish is mutton pepper chops, as the gravy base goes really well with the mudde, as does the chicken gravy. However, while ragi mudde is available only in the afternoon , it can be made to order for dinner as well. Meatball dishes are also served here.

The not-so-experimental can opt for rotis instead of mudde. All dishes come with a slice of cucumber, onion and lime and are served on leaf-lined plates.

Biryani is served in the usual avatars - vegetarian , egg, chicken and mutton - and is not overly spicy. The flavours are well-blended and complement the rice as well as the meat.

Standard vegetarian meals are also served here and one can opt for a non-vegetarian dish if they wish to upgrade. Fish dishes are subject to availability, as are the desserts. Nagashree also has a take-home option.

Timings: 12noon - 4pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm Open all days No cards or vouchers Meal for 3 - Rs 500 Call 93413 24184 to place orders

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/For-a-taste-of-rural-Karnataka/articleshow/12917821.cms

What’s in store?

When domestic goddess Nigella Lawson whips up one delectable dish after the other, putting together, seemingly effortlessly, a meal that's perfect in every way, a collective sigh of appreciation goes up in India. On the verge of becoming a nation of serious food lovers, TV shows like Lawson's have contributed in a big way to making Indians more adventurous not just in their eating-out choices but in their approach to home cooking as well. Making a simple daal-sabji-chapati meal won't suffice anymore; the home kitchen today must churn out ravioli, laksa and teriyaki chicken with equal elan.

It's natural, then, that food stores are tapping into this growing market by supplying ingredients that a few years ago would be termed exotic. Even the shelves of regular supermarkets today are wellstocked with Thai and Chinese cooking sauces, all kinds of cooking pastes, imported pasta brands and fancy cheeses, while gourmet stores step into the breach for more sophisticated stuff. "But the problem is you often don't find all the ingredients you're looking for to make a meal at one store. Stocking is still a problem, and it's not possible to drive around the city checking out all the stores for that one elusive ingredient," says homemaker Shamita Sinha.

That's just what you could avoid with online gourmet stores such as Yzury.com and Foodforethought.in. "The convenience is unbeatable -- you don't have to drive to ten places looking for everything you need, find parking and worry about things melting by the time you get home," says Mayur Relekar, one of the three techie founders of Foodforethought. "But also, most importantly , you're never dealing with store helpers who aren't informed about their foods. On our website we have published sufficient information about our products, but our blogs provide even more information about their appropriate use and suggest recipes for it. And we can repeat this level of service time and again."

Relekar and his friends Sharan Raja and Shishir Shetty - all from solid IT backgrounds - decided to start Foodforethought because they felt eating adventurously shouldn't be restricted to restaurants. "Given that Bangalore has an excellent night life that encourages everyone to stay home, we had to find better things to broaden our palates with than bad pizzas," says Relekar. Cheeses, pastas, packaged meats and seafood and various kinds of cooking and serving sauces form their basic inventory , and they follow the cash-on-delivery model.

Yzury.com is the other recent addition to the gourmet food scene in Bangalore. Unlike most such stores though, Yzury lays an emphasis on artisanal products rather than supermarket brands. It has been started by entrepreneur Parvati Gianchandani , whose Luxe Corporation has been supplying the hospitality market with European food products. "We noticed the lack of choice consumers face in the supermarket, or even in specialized stores that sell gourmet products. In most stores what you get is the same family of products priced steeply. And the quality is not always very good because the products are standard supermarket brands from big industrial plants," says Gianchandani. While Yzury has a good collection of cheeses, wines, chocolates, pastas and sauces, it also sources more unusual foodstuffs like truffles, terrines and rillettes (types of pate ) from France.

Value for money

If you thought only difficult-tosource gourmet products are selling online, check out websites like towness. com, bigbasket .com and mygraahak. com that retail regular, run-of-themill groceries on the www. Towness.com, or Town Essentials , opened shop nine months ago and retails wet and dry groceries as well as a range of FMCG products . It has been seeing month-on-month growth of 10%-15 %. "We have been suppliers to numerous star hotels in the city for the past 10 years, so going online was just a transition for us from the B2B space to the B2C space. Why not offline?

Well, firstly the space is ve r y crowded , real estate rentals are high, scaling the business model is more difficult, and our strength in the B2B space was managing logistics and supply chain, two things essential in running a successful online business model," says Amar Krishnamurthy, MD, Town Essentials , which usually sees 25-30 orders per day with the average order value being Rs 400, which is also the minimum order value . The online grocery store claims that its pricing is very competitive when compared to supermarkets or even Hopcoms. According to Bannerghatta road resident Kunthavi K, the time-saving factor is the biggest plus in favour of online grocery stores. "They deliver even late at night, and you can order sitting in your office. Frankly, after a full day at work the last thing you want to do is stand at a supermarket checkout counter for 20 minutes ," says the IT executive.

"Also, it imposes a kind of discipline on your shopping . You tend to stick to your list instead of giving in to impulses," she adds. Launched in 2010, online grocery store BigBasket.com catered to select communities in Whitefield such as Palm Meadows and the likes. In December 2011, the company went pan Bangalore offering a range of products including gourmet fruits and vegetables and today prides itself on its fresh produce and quick delivery . "Our model ensures absolute fresh produce. The minute the customer orders, the freshest of produce is hand picked, packed and delivered. Our sourcing model as compared to offline grocers is such that we have been able to bring down the time taken for fresh produce to reach the hands of the customer from the farmers. Typically, in the offline model it takes 2-3 days for fresh produce to reach the customer," says Abhinay Choudhari, cofounder , BigBasket.com. At present fresh fruits and vegetables account for 35% of the online grocer's net sales. At Big Basket the average per day orders are 300 with an average billing price of Rs 1000, "At present we are reporting a month-onmonth growth of 70% to 80%," says Choudhari , who adds that the company recently raised $10 million from Ascent Capital .

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Whats-in-store/articleshow/12917804.cms

4L cases against auto drivers!

For those who think the traffic police do not book enough cases against the autorickshaw drivers, here are the statistics. Last year, over four lakh cases were booked against auto drivers and in the first three months of 2012, nearly a lakh cases were booked against them.

Going a step further, the traffic police are sending autoriskshaw drivers to courts for refusing to take passengers on a particular route, a common phenomenon in the city. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.A. Saleem said that around 150 auto drivers were sent to the courts in the last fortnight and more would be sent in the coming days.

“Auto drivers end up paying 20 times higher fines as compared to spot fines. The courts normally fine Rs 2,000 for such a violation. It is part of the traffic police plan to make policing contact less. In the coming days, we will add other offences as well under the contact-less programme,” Mr Saleem said.

The police have identified gray areas in the city, where “harassment” of auto drivers is rampant. During midnight around Brigade Road or Church Street and mornings around Majestic and Yeshwanthpur Railway stations, auto drivers demand excess fair and travel to places of their choice.

“At some places, we are taking the help of law and order police to manage errant auto drivers. Normally, the traffic police end their duty by 9 pm and we are trying to manage problems faced by the citizens in the night with the help of law and order police,” he said. The police are also trying to educate auto drivers and are organising behaviour improvement sessions. Every week, around 300 auto drivers are trained by police officers and counsellors. “We are planning to provide some incentives to drivers who attend the workshop to cover at least a part of their income which gets affected during training. We are trying to bring a change in the behaviour of some auto drivers,” said a police officer.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/4l-cases-against-auto-drivers-791

All set for rains: BWSSB gets new jetting machines

The BWSSB is getting ready to tackle flashfloods and overflowing manholes as the city has been receiving rains for the last few days. It has purchased 42 jetting machines that will clear the blocked underground drains using a jet of water under high pressure.

Of the 42, four are small machines, which will allow them to move around easily on smaller roads in the heart of the city. But these machines will be available only in July which will not be of much help during the rainy season.

The monsoon usually hits the city by May-end and the machines cannot be used when the rains are on in full swing. As the drains and manholes will be full of water, the machines cannot pull the silt out. The Bangalore Water Services and Sewerage Board has to finish cleaning the sewers and manholes before the monsoon sets in.

The city has a drain network of 3,600 km and 1.2 lakh manholes in the core area. The water board has 28 machines, which are not enough to clean all the manholes and sewers in the city. One jetting machine can clean two to three manholes a day. Cleaning two manholes automatically desilts another four to five manholes downstream. Insufficient number of jetting machines and shortage of labourers were causing sewers and manholes to overflow in the city.

The BWSSB had called for tenders to procure 30 additional jetting machines last year, but did not receive them. The 42 new machines this year will be bought from Tata Motors, Pune at a cost of ` 6 crore. Shortage of jetting machines has led the BWSSB to often opt for manual cleaning of manholes and drains. February, the Karnataka High Court had directed the BWSSB and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board to stop manual cleaning of manholes.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/all-set-rains-bwssb-gets-new-jetting-machines-526

Karnataka steel plant on track, says ArcelorMittal

Rues that progress has been tad slow

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ArcelorMittal today said it has been able to make some inroads for its proposed Rs 30,000 crore Karnataka steel project with the acquisition of a major part of the required land, but rued that the progress has been slow.

"There is some progress in terms of getting land, etc, a lot of approvals are needed but progress is slow," L N Mittal, Chairman, ArcelorMittal, told reporters here.

The world's largest steel maker requires 2,800 acres of land for its six million tonnes per annum (mtpa) steel plant in the southern state. However, so far it has acquired around 1,800 acres.

The company had in its latest annual report said it has completed all necessary steps to acquire the land and was expecting to get the remaining 972 acres by May this year.

"A draft feasibility report for the contemplated steel plant is currently being prepared, and hydrological and environmental impact assessment studies have been initiated," it added.
Along side the steel mill in Karnataka, ArcelorMittal has also proposed to build a 750-MW captive power plant.

ArcelorMittal also plans to build two mega steel mills of 12 million tonne (MT) each in Jharkhand and Odisha. However, both of them are yet to see much progress.

For the Jharkhand project, where it intends to set up three million tonne per annum plant in the first phase, the company has sought "adequate land" under the State Government Consent Award Scheme.

It has also initiated the process to renew its MoU with the Odisha government, which had expired last December.


source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245516/karnataka-steel-plant-track-says.html

Visual treat at Kuppanna park

Musical fountain

Driving all the way to Brindavan Gardens to witness the musical fountain is now passe.


http://www.deccanherald.com/images/editor_images1/2012/04/29/kupanna-park.jpg
The people of the City and the tourists from all over the world will shortly be treated to a musical journey in the form of dancing, twirling waters, right in the heart of the town.

Modelled on the lines of musical fountain at KRS, the newly installed modern musical fountain at Kuppanna Park will be another feather in the cap of the heritage city. It is a visual delight to see the fountain dancing to the tunes of Kannada, English, Hindi and patriotic songs.

Out of the Rs 100 crore chief minister’s grant to the Mysore City Corporation that was given last year, the musical fountain is set up at a cost of Rs 55 lakh. The architect of this fountain is Bangalore’s BNA Technology Consulting Limited’s planning director M J Sridhar.

The musical fountain is three times bigger than the one at KRS and it is spread over 12.6 metres. On the whole it covers an area of 16.8 metres. The fountain starts attracting the people from 6 pm with light music. As the clock strikes 7, the musical fountain starts dancing to the tunes of Kannada and Hindi music. To control the music, colour of the water and the height of the water, a software called ‘Infotainment,’ has been used. 90 kilo watt power has been installed. Two pumpsets of three HP and one pumpset of five HP has been set up.

‘Jai Bharatha Jananiya Tanujaathe...,’ ‘Uluva yogiaya nodalli...,’ ‘Kadu kudure odi banditha...,’ ‘Vishwavinuthana Vidyachetana...,’ ‘My Name is Sheela, Sheela ki jawani...,’ ‘Sare Jahan se Achcha Hindustan hamara...,’ and the latest sensation ‘Pyarge Aagbitaithe...,’ are some of the tunes which will make the visitors tap their feet to the beats.

The musical fountain is three times bigger than the one at KRS and the one at Madikeri’s Raja Seat. The work was completed on September 27, 2011 itself. However, due to various reasons it was not inaugurated.

The power saving is considerable as high technology has been adapted. The songs played will attract all age groups. It is also decided that in the coming days a few more English and Hindi songs will be incorporated. “The tourists who visit Mysore in the future can visit Kuppanna Park and enjoy the musical fountain,” Sridhar told Deccan Herald.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda will switch on the musical fountain on May 4. “The entrance fee is deliberately kept very low. It will be just Rs 10 or Rs 15. This fee is inevitable as it will help the corporation to bear the power bill, the maintenance of the musical fountain and the garden,’ said Mysore City Corporation Commissioner K S Raykar.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245603/visual-treat-kuppanna-park.html

Pools in a muddle

Swimmers in Bangalore are a worried lot. With charges at private swimming pools going beyond their reach, they are forced to go to BBMP-run pools. But only a few of them are in working condition and they too are crowded.

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The April showers might have brought down Bangalore’s soaring temperature marginally, but the swimmers are in no mood to spend their precious minutes in the pool. With only nine pools run by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in the City’s core areas, the die-hard swimmers – whose numbers have swelled phenomenally – are finding it tough to take an affordable dive.

There are plenty of privately-run pools, but most swimmers find the hourly charges beyond their reach. So off they go searching for a Palike-managed pool, only to end up in a crowd of about 200 swimmers, making a mockery of freestyle swimming.

The Palike officials claim they have taken care of the maintenance part. They say they keep a track on quality of water and safety and security of those coming to the pools.

Although the management of these swimming pools has been outsourced, the officials say they keep a tab on the contractors to ensure that they comply with the conditions.

But can a handful of pools meet the needs of a City of 800 sq km, teeming with youngsters? Almost all these BBMP-run swimming pools are in the core areas of the City.

There are no pools in the newly added areas and they are not building new ones either.

The nine pools are located in Mahalakshmipuram, Gavi Guttahalli, National College, Jayanagar, Ulsoor, JP Park, Banashankari, Vijayanagar and Sadashivanagar.

The Palike had undertaken the construction of a swimming pool at Lakkasandra, a few years ago, but could not complete the work till date.

The pool, say local residents, is coming up on a lake which was land-filled many years ago. The lake was spread over eight acres and now it is a civic amenity site. Out of the eight acres, the Palike has developed a tree park with a walk-way on six acres.

Rajesh, Executive Engineer, said at least one acre of land is required for the construction of the pool and one acre for playground.

“Now we are focusing on the construction of a walk-way around the tree-park at an estimated cost of Rs 1.49 lakh. Once the work gets over, we will take up the swimming pool. The pool is estimated to cost Rs four crore,” said Rajesh. The latest to join the list of BBMP-run pools is the Banashankari Swimming Pool at BSK II Stage, which was inaugurated recently. Under the Rs four-crore project, the Palike has constructed two pools here, one for adults and the other for children. Currently, the pool is being maintained by Pooja Agencies.

Challenges before the Palike

Supply of water to the pools is the biggest challenge for the Palike. Almost all the swimming pools draw water from borewells. The swimming pool at BSK has three borewells. However, alarming depletion of ground water may be a cause of concern.

Since the Palike has outsourced the pool maintenance task to private agencies, monitoring them becomes an issue although officials don’t say so. Most of those getting contract for the maintenance have strong political backing, which makes the Palike officials difficult to monitor or supervise the functioning of the pools.

A BBMP assistant executive engineer recalled the horror he had to undergo when he tried to initiate action against an agency found violating the conditions. He said a local politician of the ruling party had threatened him of serious consequences if he went ahead with his action. He said he had no choice but to keep quite and allow the norms to be violated.

GENERAL NORMS FOR THE PALIKE POOLS

* Learners should not be allowed to swim unless they wear yellow cap and safety jacket

* Swimmers should enter the pool after taking bath

* People with contagious diseases should not be allowed in the pool

* There should not be any misconduct

* The pool should be free from water-borne diseases

* Frequent testing of chlorine, alkalinity level, PH value should be conducted

* The water test results must be maintained in a register for verification

* The contractor should strictly maintain hygienic condition of pool, bathroom and toilet

* First aid box should be available at the swimming pool complex

* Ambulance tie-up with nearest hospitals with facilities like oxygen and telephone is mandatory

* Knowledge of Kannada and English is a must for the coach.

* Complaint register on the premises is mandatory

* Issual of printed tickets is a must.

* The pool should remain closed for 30 days a year for maintenance

* The pool should be given 15 days a year to conduct state and national competition

* The contractor is bound to offer minimum wages, allowance, bonus, gratuity and other benefits as per the minimum wage Act.

* Bidders should arrange regular periodical/surprise checks to supervise the performance of the swimming pool.

* BBMP can withdraw the contract without issuing notice.

* BBMP is empowered to change any condition of contract.

* 25 per cent of bid amount should be levied as penalty for any breach of contract.

* Earnest Money Deposit will be forfeited in the event of lapse in performance

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245642/pools-muddle.html

‘No standard guidelines for pool management’

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National swimming coach and Head Coach of Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre (BAC) Pradeep Kumar says, in an interview with Rohith B R, that complaince with international guidelines for pool management and water chemistry goes a long way in ensuring quality service to pool users.

Excerpts

What’s your take on maintenance of public swimming pools in Bangalore?

Almost all public pools in the City have been leased out to private organisations by the government. As far as I know, more or less these pools are being maintained well. There are experienced pool managers in some of these pools. However, each pool has its own guidelines for management and there is no standard set for overall maintenance.

Doesn’t the lease agreements have directives?

Lease agreements do have some guidelines, but they are very general in nature and doesn’t match international standards.

Factors that need to be ensured for maintaining quality of service.

Water chemistry and pool management are two crucial factors. Water chemistry means changing pool water at regular intervals, type and method of chemical usage for cleanliness etc. And effective pool management can only be ensured by qualified operators and pool managers.

What’s your opinion on pools located in private clubs, apartments and establishments?

Starting from design of a pool, there are no set deadlines for monitoring pools inside private establishments. Local authorities like Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) should inspect such pools. There is an urgent need to standardise certain guidelines for their management. In fact, there is no clarity on who has control over these private pools.

What kind of risks are such private pools prone to?

Many. Mainly, responding to situations like drowning and other accidents. Whether there are qualified people deployed to respond to such situations; what parameters are being followed in recruiting pool managers; whether infective materials are being used as chemicals for pools; is there a filtration plant for pool are some of the questions that need answers.

How do you compare the status of public pools in Bangalore with other parts of the country and the world?

As far as other cities in the country is concerned, the situation is no different. There are no standard rules for pool maintenance.


source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245639/no-standard-guidelines-pool-management.html

Overcrowding, the bane of BBMP swimming pools

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike had built nine swimming pools under the medium-term fiscal plan for the period 2009-2013, but not every one of them is functional. A reality check by Deccan Herald revealed that the only few functional pools are also far from satisfactory.


Basavanagudi Aquatic Centre, P M Swim Centre in Jayanagar, Global Swimming Academy in Sadashivanagar and the Banashankari II Phase pool are all built as per Olympic size standards.

The four pools are not adequate for the ever-growing population of the City, and with the onset of summer, they are overcrowded and lack maintenance.

As many as 200 people are accommodated in a batch in all these pools, much more than their capacity. Vijay Krishnan, a regular swimmer at the P M Swim Centre, Jayanagar, said: “The pool was pretty clean, but had more than 50 people swimming in it at a time.

So, the people who had come to exercise in the pool did not have enough room for them.”

For women, the situation is worse. In all the four pools, women are alloted only an hour to swim from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm. At the Jayanagar pool, in summer, this timing is shared with children attending summer camps, leaving only half the space to women.

Nagashree, who swims for exercise, says, “The timing is extremely inconvenient and it is impossible to complete a full workout with all the children in the other half of the pool.” Another issue is the problem of cleanliness and the methods used to treat the water. At Global Swimming Academy, algae were seen at the deep end along cracked tiles. When asked about how they treat the water, a worker at the treatment centre explained that it was a continuous process wherein water was simultaneously let out, treated and let back into the pool. The pool was never completely drained of water, which left the tiles grimy. The washrooms here though, were found to be impeccable.

However, the chlorine in the water could clearly be smelt from a distance. According to National Sports Medicine Institute of the UK, the general rule-of-thumb about an over-chlorinated pool is: “If you can smell the chlorine in the pool environment, it is dangerously high.” This can cause various skin problems like rashes and can increase problems like acne and eczema. It can also make your skin dry and flaky.

B M Nagabhushana, Chemistry professor at M S Ramaiah Institute, says: “Overconcentration of chlorine in pools can cause problems if consumed or inhaled. Inappropriate amounts of bleaching powder can also cause various health problems.”

People are shifting to private pools and club pools for a more comfortable and risk-free swimming experience.

Sant Mote, a student, says: “I would rather pay a little extra and subscribe the membership of a private club instead of risking my health at a public pool.”



source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245638/overcrowding-bane-bbmp-swimming-pools.html

Visual treat at Kuppanna park

Musical fountain

Driving all the way to Brindavan Gardens to witness the musical fountain is now passe.


http://www.deccanherald.com/images/editor_images1/2012/04/29/kupanna-park.jpg
The musical fountain is three times bigger than the one at KRS and it is spread over 12.6 metres. On the whole it covers an area of 16.8 metres.
source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245603/visual-treat-kuppanna-park.html
The Biggest in Karnataka now in Namma Mysore :banana:

It is Kala Bhushana for flautist Anantharam

BANGALORE: Perhaps the only father-son flautist duo of Karnataka, B K Anantharam and Amith Nadig have carved a special niche for themselves in the music industry. Anantharam has been recognised as an able performer, teacher and organiser.
He has Carnatic classic music in his veins. To use a cliche, Anantharam’s musical journey began when he was six. His two brothers, including B K Chandramowli, are adept musicians. Inspired by his famous vocalist-mother Rajamma Keshavamurthy and vocalist-father B M Keshavamurthy, he had a grounding in vocal music which helped him in fashioning his vocal-based flute play. He was fortunate to have C M Madhuranath (a prominent disciple of flute Mali) as his Guru to master the subtleties of flute play. Anantharam also benefited from training under great flautists like B N Suresh and M R Doreswamy. He was also guided by late violinist Anur S Ramakrishna and ace vocalist Dr R K Srikanthan. A short stint with veteran flute maestro Dr Ramani was also rewarding.
He endeared himself to the rasikas with his artistry and scholarship. His concerts within and outside the country have won him a great following. A recognised artiste of Akashwani and ICCR, Anantharam has been performing along with his son Amith for more than a decade. He has brought out many CDs including a unique audio visual CD. He has built a compact and small auditorium on the roof top of his house.
He has been training a good number of students under the banner of Vamshi Sangeetha Academy Trust. Besides performances, he has been teaching music, organising workshops, camps, seminars etc, for the propagation of the Indian classical music. Annual music festivals are being held and deserving artistes are being honoured with titles and awards. He has been actively connected with other music organisations. His ambitious programme of taking music to the people under the banner of ‘Maneyangaladalli Sangeetha Satsanga’ has been a fruitful one.
A multi-faceted music activist, B K Anantharam has been selected to preside over the five-day 41st Sri Shankara Jayanathi music conference of Sri Thyagaraja Gana Sabha, Rajajinagar being held from April 25 to 29 at Sri Vani Vidya Kendra, Rajajinagar. He will be conferred with the title of ‘Kala Bhushana’ at the valedictory programme to be held on Sunday morning. In the same programme other accomplished personalities Usha Ramamurthy (Gotuvadya), Govindaswamy (violin), Shivamurthy (gamaka), Phalachandra Sastry (veda) and H R Usha (Education) are also being felicitated.
drmsuryaprasad@gmail.com

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/It-is-Kala-Bhushana-for-flautist-Anantharam/386455.html

Governor is corrupt, says ABVP

BANGALORE: The Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) has demanded immediate recall of Governor H R Bhardwaj, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, for allegedly ‘safeguarding many corrupt and tainted vice-chancellors and Syndicate members in return for huge monetary gains’.
A press note by ABVP on Friday stated, “Be the appointment of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) VC Dr H Maheshappa or the recent Syndicate appointments at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, his unethical and corrupt practice misusing the high power office, has reached its pinnacle.”
The student body has opposed the nomination of Dr D V Chalapathy, Dr Prashant Marla K and Dr Pradeep Chandra Shetty by Bhardwaj into the Syndicate of RGUHS.
They alleged that they are highly influential, with two of them having backing from liquor barons.
“The Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat strongly condemns this corrupt act of Governor HR Bhardwaj and demands his expulsion immediately,” the press note stated.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Governor-is-corrupt-says-ABVP/386532.html

Governor is corrupt, says ABVP

BANGALORE: The Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat (ABVP) has demanded immediate recall of Governor H R Bhardwaj, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, for allegedly ‘safeguarding many corrupt and tainted vice-chancellors and Syndicate members in return for huge monetary gains’.
A press note by ABVP on Friday stated, “Be the appointment of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) VC Dr H Maheshappa or the recent Syndicate appointments at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, his unethical and corrupt practice misusing the high power office, has reached its pinnacle.”
The student body has opposed the nomination of Dr D V Chalapathy, Dr Prashant Marla K and Dr Pradeep Chandra Shetty by Bhardwaj into the Syndicate of RGUHS.
They alleged that they are highly influential, with two of them having backing from liquor barons.
“The Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat strongly condemns this corrupt act of Governor HR Bhardwaj and demands his expulsion immediately,” the press note stated.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Governor-is-corrupt-says-ABVP/386532.html

High-rise near BIA: BEML gets notice

BANGALORE: The vacation bench of the High Court, on Friday, issued notice to the Central Government, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Airport Authority of India and BEML in connection with the construction of a high-rise building near the Bangalore International Airport.
Advocate G R Ramesh filed a petition stating that BEML was establishing an eight-storey building on the premises of BIA and the construction was in violation of Aviation Act. According to the act, no high-rise building should be built in a radius of 20 km of an airport for security and safety reasons.
The divisional bench comprising of Justice Hulawadi G Ramesh and Justice Narayanaswamy issued notice to the authorities concerned.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/High-rise-near-BIA-BEML-gets-notice/386525.html

Does bangalore have a nice musical fountain in any of its park?

It is there in bugle rock and JP park matthikere which is biggest in karnataka. Maybe more bangalore parks have it i dont know.

Indra Gandhi Fountain Park is also Present . As well as heard works are in progress at Allasandra Lake Near to Golden Palms Resort Yelahanka to have one Fountain Park as well.
Mostly Yelahanka Kere will also get one.

You can customize your bicycles now

BANGALORE:You can now have a bicycle built exactly the way you want it. It's expensive , but you get what you want easily and quickly. From selecting what material to build your bike with, to customizing its height, weight, number of gears, tyres, pedals, handlebars - that's what major Indian bicycle makers are beginning to offer.

Hero Cycles, which has launched the super premium brand Urban Trail, and TI Cycles, which has brought in super premium international cycle brands like Schwinn, Mongoose, Cannondale and Bianchi, are putting up the infrastructure necessary to offer customized bikes.

For bicycle enthusiasts, many of who cycle 500 to 1,000 km a month, the difference between an off-the-shelf bike and a customized one can be like night and day. But till now, if they wanted a customized bike, they had to get components from overseas and put them together themselves. "It's a huge challenge to get all the required components to build a cycle of your liking in India," said Hari Menon, a regular cyclist and amateur racer. "Many others like me shop online from international websites and either import the parts bearing all the customs duties and taxes or get friends and relatives to bring them for us," he said.

Hero Cycles, part of the Hero Group, is opening experience centres, each of about 4,000 sqft, wherein cycling enthusiasts can custom-build cycles. "We plan to open three such centres by the end of this financial year in Delhi, Bangalore, and Pune," said Pravin V Patil, president (strategic initiatives), Hero Cycles. He said the three cities have the biggest concentration of cycling clubs, groups, and enthusiasts. The experience centres are being designed by global designers who have designed showrooms for luxury brands like Audi and BMW.

Rajesh Mani, GM (marketing) in TI Cycles, said the company was in the process of getting into the custom-made cycle market with its own premium brand Montra. "However, this will take some time," he said. The industry estimates that in the next two years, the value of the super premium bicycle segment will touch Rs 400 crore, from Rs 150 crore now. The growth is being spurred by the rising health consciousness amongst a growing section of people.

Wheel Power

Super-premium bicycle segment constitutes just 1% of the Indian bicycle marketBut is surging at a growth rate of over 60% year-on-year The segment comprises cycles priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 4 lakh

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/You-can-customize-your-bicycles-now/articleshow/12930380.cms

BDA does a flip flop on land acquisition

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is scheduled to inaugurate on Monday a BDA project on the improvement of the St John’s Hospital-Koramangala 100 Feet Road junction, which may involve a piece of land that the agency had told the High Court it did not need.

The BDA issued a land acquisition notice to the Indian Institute of Astrophysics for improvement of the St John’s Hospital-Koramangala 100 Feet Road junction, days after submitting before the High Court that the project did not require any land. The Citizen Action Forum had filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the project to construct a signal-free corridor from Sirsi Circle to Agara Junction. The BDA, in its statement of objections filed in March 2012, had stated that the project does not entail land requisition.

“The priority was given to these four junctions for the reason that there is an immediate necessity to decongest traffic in these junctions coupled with the fact that there is no land acquisition for the implementation of the project in respect of these four junctions,” the paragraph 11 of the objection statement says.

The next para of the objection statement enlists the four projects referred to in paragraph 11 and enlists “construction of underpass along Sarjapura Road and flyover along Koramangala 100 feet road at junction of St John’s Hospital Road (Sarjapura Road) and Koramangala 100 Feet Road.”

The matter is being heard by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B V Nagarathna.

However, days later, the BDA issued a notice to the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (notice No. BDA/EE(ID-1)/T-459/2-11-12, dated March 31, 2012), stating that it had proposed to construct an underpass along Sarjapura Road and flyover along Koramangala 100 Feet Road.

“Land belongs to Indian Institute of Astro Physics to an extent of 384.300 sq meter is required for the construction of the above Grade Separator. It is requested to part an extent of 384.300 sqm of land with BDA for the proposed Grade Separator work,” the notice reads, signed by the Executive Engineer, Infrastructure Division-I, BDA.


source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245822/bda-does-flip-flop-land.html

Join mainstream without losing identity, CM tells Banjaras

Banjaras should become part of the mainstream without forgoing the uniqueness of their culture and the State is willing to provide them any support to protect their culture, said Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda.

He was speaking after inaugurating the World Banjara Cultural Meet on Saturday. The event has attracted hundreds of members of the community from all over the country.Retaining culture

“Banjaras have maintained a rich cultural heritage through the centuries. There are about six crore Banjaras in the country. Karnataka has nearly 35 lakh people belonging to the community,” he said.

“The State government set up the Tanda Development Board in 2009-10 for the welfare of Banjaras. It has also confirmed the status of revenue villages for 300 of the 3,000 tandas in the State,” he said. Gowda promised that the rest of the tandas would get the status of revenue villages soon.

“The State has spent Rs one crore on each of the 300 tandas with the status of revenue villages. Computer training has been given to the community members at a cost of Rs 20 crore. A total of 114 Kittur Rani Chennamma schools have been set up for the welfare of Banjaras,” said Gowda.

Actress Hemamalini, who graced the occasion, recollected that she played roles of Banjara women in many movies, including her first movie, Sapnon Ka Saudagar. Her experience had endeared her to the Banjaras a lot. She said, “I will do my best to extend support to people of the community.”

Gopinath Munde, Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra, Revu Naik Belamagi, State Animal Husbandry Minister, Ashok Kheny, industrialist, and others were present on the occasion.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245793/join-mainstream-losing-identity-cm.html

Government okays alternative route linking Mysore to Mananthavadi

Conservation effort

The State government has given its nod for the construction of an alternative road connecting Mysore and Mananthavadi, bypassing the Nagarahole National Park.

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The existing road had led to controversies, as it passes through critical tiger habitat. The government released Rs 18 crore for the alternative road last week. The problem began five years ago when it was proposed to construct a 28.5-km road between Mysore and Mananthavadi to connect Karnataka with Kerala. Fourteen kilometre of the proposed road was to pass through the Nagarahole Park.

The work was awarded to Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project (KSHIP). With the proposed road dissecting the Nagarahole Park, wildlife experts contended that it was possible to construct an alternative road for at least 10 km out of the 14 km through the Park. Accordingly, a request was made to the KSHIP authorities to take up the work on the alternative route.

The KSHIP turned down the request on the ground that it was an expensive proposal and that the land for the alternative stretch was under the control of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department (RDPR).

Meera Saxena, the then Additional Chief Secretary, directed the KSHIP not to go ahead with the work.

After sustained efforts by wildlife expert Sanjay Gubbi and B J Hosmath, Field Director for Project Tiger and others, the RDPR transferred the land required for alternative road to Public Works Department in August 2010. The work has now gained momentum with the government releasing funds. The proposed alternative road, besides helping wildlife conservation in the Park, also provides connectivity to several nearby villages such as Udbur, Gundatthur, Kharapura, Belthur, Malali, Magge, KR Pura, Hosaholalu, Honnammana Katte etc.

These villages were bereft of a road connectivity till now.

Conservationists say the alternative proposal will help curb fragmentation of the sanctuaries. A recent study by Sanjay Gubbi and others has found that the traffic on the Mysore-Mananthavadi stretch has increased manifold.

An environment impact assessment conducted in 2003 recorded 50 vehicles a day and the latest study puts the number of vehicles at 1,150 a day. The Nagarahole National Park, spread over 643 sq km, is home to around 65 tigers and forms part of a larger tiger habitat comprising Bandipur, Mudumalai and Waynad protected areas.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/245790/government-okays-alternative-route-linking.html

Rare bird, snake rescued in city

http://expressbuzz.com/Images/article/2012/4/30/snake_EPS_th.jpg

BANGALORE: BBMP’s forest officials and paramedical staff have rescued rare species of Albino Rat Snake and Night Heron from two different parts of the city.
A paramedical centre was set up by the BBMP’s forest department last year to educate citizens to cooperate and inform officials if animals and birds were found in precarious condition or any other state which needs attention of the experts.
On Saturday, an employee of the centre received two different calls.
One was from Kalisipalayam scrap market. Idris Pasha, a scrap shop owner, found a yellow snake moving when he was clearing debris in his shop and immediately, he informed the BBMP officials.
“We normally get calls from this area, when snakes are found, but before our arrival people kill it out of fear. But Idris Pasha was intelligent enough. He did not inform others, thinking public attention may harm the reptile,” BBMP’s wild life warden Sharat Babu said.
He further said, “We have rescued a rare specious of Rat Snake. In my fifteen years’ career, this is the first time I have come across an Albino Rat Snake in Bangalore. We also rescued a rare bird ‘Night Heron’ from K P Agrahara on Magadi Road.”
He added, “Both creatures are doing well. We will keep them in rehabilitation centre and they will be released in conducive habitats. We are happy that people are getting our message and helping us protect the species before it is too late.”
The Heron rescuer Sriram, a wildlife activist and a BBMP volunteer, picked up the adult bird from a road in K P Agrahara. The bird has become rare in places like Bangalore and mostly found in Ranganathittu near Srirangapatna.
Wildlife activist Sriram spoke about the bird he rescued and said, “The bird will be released in Lalbagh lake once it is properly rehabilitated. These types of birds and snakes were commonly found in Bangalore few years ago, but they migrated and became rare due to rapid construction activities and shrinking of urban forest and lakes.”

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/rare-bird-snake-rescued-in-city/387138.html

‘Put water diversion report on fast track’

BANGALORE: With water crisis looming large across Bangalore, irrigation expert G S Paramashivaiah on Sunday urged the state government to put a detailed project report (DPR) to divert water streams from Western Ghats to supply 12 TMC (of the total 158.90 TMC) water to Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BSSSB) on fast track.
The project report proposes a solution to the irrigation and drinking water problems of Hassan, Mandya, Tumkur, Bangalore Urban and Rural, Chikballapur and Kolar districts. The report gives details about how streams from the Western Ghats, which are flowing into the Arabian Sea, can be tapped and diverted with gravity to fill all the lakes and water tanks on the way.
“There is no political will to implement the project which would bring water to several villages. This proposal will benefit 8,337 villages and Greater Bangalore City which is seeing a rise in population every day,” Paramashivaiah observed.
The total cost of the first phase of the project is estimated to be Rs 16,000 crore, Paramashivaiah added.
“I have identified 139 taluks out of 177 in the state as drought-affected, considering several aspects including rainfall and ground water level. The water would be supplied to the districts using gravitational pull. There would be no destruction of environment,” he said.
“It is not feasible to obtain 12 TMC of water for BWSSB with the existing canal system,” he said, adding that the current Yettinahole project has been ‘politicised’.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/%E2%80%98Put-water-diversion-report-on-fast-track%E2%80%99/387127.html

Basavashree award for Kanavi

BANGALORE: Basava Vedike is organising a programme to mark Basava Jayanti on May 1 at Ravindra Kalakshetra.
Basavashree and Vachana Sahityashree awards will be presented on the occasion. Working president of Basava Vedike and Tumkur DC C Somashekhar told reporters on Saturday that the programme is being held to popularise the knowledge and values championed by Basavanna.
Poet laureate Channaveera Kanavi will be felicitated with Basavashree Award. Veteran singer Kasturi Shankar will be feted with Vachana Sahityashree award, he added.
Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, former chief miniser B S Yeddyurappa, Minister for Kannada and Culture Govinda M Karjol and Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai are expected to participate in the programme, he said.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Basavashree-award-for-Kanavi/387131.html

Digital advertisements raking in moolah

BANGALORE: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), in a study, has concluded that various Indian industries will be investing over Rs 3,535 crore in digital advertising by the end of this year. In the 4th edition of the IAMAI Digital Advertising report, found that travel and automobile industries have invested huge amounts in digital advertising.
“Since March 2010, there has been a growth of around 25 per cent in all the components of digital advertisements. It is expected that this growth will reach Rs 3,535 crore by this year end and Rs 4,391 crore by the next financial year (March 2013),” the report stated.
What is digital advertising?
Digital advertising is an extension of online advertising, including advertising on mobile phones and tablets.
“With these devices becoming a core component of media today, it is necessary to encompass various forms together into a category called digital advertising. In addition, classifieds have also been included as a part of the total digital advertising industry. classified related to matrimonial/dating, jobs and other B2C classified have been included,” said Dr Subho Ray, president, IAMAI.
The report indicates that the Indian market was estimated at Rs 1,623 crore as of March 2010 -comprising display, search and classified. “As per our primary research findings, the industry size has increased to Rs 2,277 crore by March 2011 and to Rs 2,851 crore as of March 2012.”
Travel and BFSI continues to be the main spenders as far as display advertisements are concerned. The display advertisements spent by automotive companies have risen from 9 to 14 per cent in two years.
Why go digital?
Advertisers believe that digital advertising helps them reach users from different demographic areas on single platform.
“Also, measurement is easy. It is simple to track the effectiveness of the advertisement campaign. Besides, its also interactive and engages the audience through various means,” experts claim. Mobile advertisement is an important part of digital advertising. Suresh Kabra, founder-CEO, Clk2C.com says, “Mobile advertisement grew from `90 to `105 crore in 2012. Over 70 per cent people across India use mobile phones. Moreover, the cost of owning a feature-rich and Internet-enabled mobile phone is decreasing day-by-day. A high-end phone is available at Rs 3,000 and monthly internet plan starts from as less as Rs 50. This has resulted in over 4-5 lakh people using mobile phones. As target audience increase, so will advertisers. The industry is set to grow by Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore year on year.”
However, many believe that this is not going to be a competition to conventional forms of advertising.
“This transition has brought about a semblance of order in the industry. The industry is aware that there is a transition amongst the target audience who are tech savvy, as the Internet provides everything that the normal conventional forms of media provides.
Further, with more than 50 per cent of the target audience being youngsters and at the same time 50 per cent forming rural part of the country, the conventional forms of advertising will never take a back seat,” said Debadutta Upadhyaya, VP-India and spokesperson, Vdopia.
Rise in Social media advertising
Social media advertising too has witnessed an increase from last year. While the total amount spent in 2011 on this form was `80 crore, this year it has gone up to `94 crore.
“Four out of the top 20 most visited sites in India are social networking sites. This builds a strong case for advertisers to be where their audience lie. Social media advertising helps customers involve with various brands, rather than just be informed about them,” explained Ian Sequeira, Vice-President (South & West), 20:20 MSL
Advertising gurus however are not very amused. They have vowed to defend conventional forms of advertising under any circumstances.
“It is true that advertisers were willing to experiment with digital marketing. But India still has many years of conventional media. The progress of the new media will be slow. But it should be noted that not everyone has digital access,” said Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather.
“People are very selective about what form of advertising they approve. They will surely ways to skip advertisements online and then firms would look at other ways to put out ads that people can’t avoid, by embedding them. People said SMS advertising would work wonders, but it led many customers to be irritated every time an ad came into their mobile inbox. It is an invasion of space. Indians are still not completely fed up of ads on the internet. Also, people can buy software that help them block ads online,” argued Kakkar.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Digital-advertisements-raking-in-moolah/387140.html

Basavashree award for Kanavi

BANGALORE: Basava Vedike is organising a programme to mark Basava Jayanti on May 1 at Ravindra Kalakshetra.
Basavashree and Vachana Sahityashree awards will be presented on the occasion. Working president of Basava Vedike and Tumkur DC C Somashekhar told reporters on Saturday that the programme is being held to popularise the knowledge and values championed by Basavanna.
Poet laureate Channaveera Kanavi will be felicitated with Basavashree Award. Veteran singer Kasturi Shankar will be feted with Vachana Sahityashree award, he added.
Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, former chief miniser B S Yeddyurappa, Minister for Kannada and Culture Govinda M Karjol and Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai are expected to participate in the programme, he said.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Basavashree-award-for-Kanavi/387131.html

42 Maharashtra hamlets want 'Karnataka' tag

BELGAUM: Nearly 42 villages of Maharashtra located on border demanded their secession to Karnataka as they claimed that Maharashtra government has neglected development in the area.
Maharashtrians from Belgaum, Khanapur and Nippani are fighting to be a part of Maharashtra for about half a century.
“There is no development here and the government officials are not taking any interest in providing us basic facilities,” said president of Agriculture Produce Marketing Society of Sangli Mahadev Ankalagi.
These 42 villages, which are dominated by Kannadigas, are located in Jat taluk adjacent to the Maharashtra-Karnataka border.
Umadi, Madgyal, Umarani, Muchandi, Sonyal, Balgav, Basaragi, Jadarboblav, Utagi, Guddapur, Suslad, Sonalagi, Borgi, Sindhur, Nigadi budruk, Ankalagi, Kudalwadi, Lakadewadi, Hospete, Sordi, Badachi, Rawal gundwadi, Untawadi, Gugwad, Jalihal, Siddanath, Badchitanda, Sankh, Karwadi, Dhul Karewadi, Asangi, Asangiturk, Konbargi and Karjagi, are some of the villages which wish to be a part of Karnataka.
Ankalagi said that next week a meeting with sarpanchs of 42 villages has been convened at Sangli to pressure the government to either give facilities or allow the villages to merge with Karnataka.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/42-maharashtra-hamlets-want-karnataka-tag/387158.html

Without certification, K.G. Road skywalk lifts cannot be used

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01068/30BGSKY_WALK_1068944f.jpg

The skywalk on Kempe Gowda Road in Bangalore.


To put it charitably, pedestrians are not exactly beating a path to the skywalk that was inaugurated on Kempe Gowda Road here recently.

The skywalk has elevators on either side that can accommodate 13 people each, a first for the city.

However, even three days after it opened, the elevators don't work. Why? Because the Electrical Inspectorate has still not certified them.

Only after this is done will the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) provide the power connection to run the lifts, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials said.

An official, who didn't want to be named, told The Hindu that the inauguration was rushed as some work was still pending. He alleged that there was pressure to ready the skywalk before the term of the former Mayor Sharadamma came to an end and that the lifts were made to work only for the inaugural ceremony.

“We have now locked the elevators,” the official said and added that the BBMP was yet to appoint a spot manager and elevator operators.

Limited accessibility

Meanwhile, pedestrians are unimpressed by the skywalk, saying it is accessible only from one direction.

“We have to walk around to get to the flight of stairs. It is much easier to dart across the road when the light is green,” said Vikas Ghosh, a pedestrian.

Curiously, several pedestrians preferred to wait for nearly 10 minutes to walk across the road than use the skywalk.

However, Kanthraj K., who works at Cauvery Bhavan, is thrilled.

“It used to be almost impossible to cross the road, especially during peak hours. The skywalk is a relief for us,” he said.

Jagadish K.N., who works in an office nearby, maintained that once the elevators are operational, the elderly and persons with disabilities would benefit.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3369313.ece

'Implement Paramasivaiya report on fulfilling city's water requirements'

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CPI(M) to stage dharna in front of BBMP headquarters on May 15 in support of report

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will stage a dharna in front of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) headquarters here on May 15 demanding that G.S. Paramasivaiya Committee report on fulfilling drinking water requirements of Bangalore be implemented.

This was announced at a convention organised by the Bangalore north and south district committees of CPI(M) here on Sunday where steps to resolve drinking water scarcity were discussed. The party is also planning to form ward-level struggle committees to campaign for the implementation of the project.

The irrigation expert had submitted a report on diverting excess water from rivers to drought-prone areas of the State during the S.M. Krishna regime in the State. However, the report is yet to get technical and financial approval. Last year, the Government stated that it had begun preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for the project.

K. Prakash, secretary of the south district committee of the party, alleged that the Government, instead of working towards implementing the report, was promoting the Yethinahole project as a diversionary tactic. But this project would not benefit Bangalore (it will cover Kolar and Chickballapur districts), he said.

“It has been predicted that by 2036, there will be a shortage of 1,030 mld of water in Bangalore. Nearby resources will not be able to address this shortage. If the Paramasivaiya report is implemented, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board's resources can be enhanced by 12 tmcft water.

The projects mentioned in the report will cover Bangalore Urban and Rural, including BBMP areas, Tumkur, Kolar and Magadi taluk,” he said.

Among the other demands that the CPI(M) is placing are diversion of sewage water from the city's lakes, as a majority of the lakes that are suffering from direct inflow of sewage have unusable water; curbing the increasing privatisation of water (private tankers), and also the indiscriminate digging up of borewells.

Mr. Paramasivaiya pointed out that there was an “alarming increase in fluoride content in milk from cows and buffaloes, and even in mother's milk, due to the pollution of water”.

He hoped that the Government would start implementing the projects recommended by the committee at least by 2013.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3369315.ece

Without certification, K.G. Road skywalk lifts cannot be used

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01068/30BGSKY_WALK_1068944f.jpg

The skywalk on Kempe Gowda Road in Bangalore.


To put it charitably, pedestrians are not exactly beating a path to the skywalk that was inaugurated on Kempe Gowda Road here recently.

The skywalk has elevators on either side that can accommodate 13 people each, a first for the city.

However, even three days after it opened, the elevators don't work. Why? Because the Electrical Inspectorate has still not certified them.

Only after this is done will the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) provide the power connection to run the lifts, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials said.

An official, who didn't want to be named, told The Hindu that the inauguration was rushed as some work was still pending. He alleged that there was pressure to ready the skywalk before the term of the former Mayor Sharadamma came to an end and that the lifts were made to work only for the inaugural ceremony.

“We have now locked the elevators,” the official said and added that the BBMP was yet to appoint a spot manager and elevator operators.

Limited accessibility

Meanwhile, pedestrians are unimpressed by the skywalk, saying it is accessible only from one direction.

“We have to walk around to get to the flight of stairs. It is much easier to dart across the road when the light is green,” said Vikas Ghosh, a pedestrian.

Curiously, several pedestrians preferred to wait for nearly 10 minutes to walk across the road than use the skywalk.

However, Kanthraj K., who works at Cauvery Bhavan, is thrilled.

“It used to be almost impossible to cross the road, especially during peak hours. The skywalk is a relief for us,” he said.

Jagadish K.N., who works in an office nearby, maintained that once the elevators are operational, the elderly and persons with disabilities would benefit.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3369313.ece

Digital listening facility set up at Gayana Samaja

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01068/30BGBANGALORE_GAYA_1068947f.jpg

N. Murali, president, Madras Music Academy, S.C. Sharma, vice-chancellor, Tumkur University, Pappu Venugopala Rao, musicologist, M.R.V. Prasad, president, Bangalore Gayana Samaja, and R.T. Chari, Managing Director, TAG Corporation, Chennai, at a function in Bangalore on Sunday.


In a move that would go a long way in helping research in classical music and providing an opportunity for classical music lovers to listen to rare and quality music, the TAG Digital Listening Archive was set up at the Bangalore Gayana Samaja on Sunday.

The one-of-its kind archive that provides 6,000 hours of quality music starting from 1930, including the live recordings of maestros, has been set up in association with the Chennai-based TAG Corporation. The free facility that was inaugurated by Madras Music Academy president N. Murali can be used by music lovers and researchers during the samaja office hours (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.).

The facility, which is the brain-child of TAG Corporation Managing Director R.T. Chari, has 10 computers through which one could listen to the music at the click of the mouse with the help of head-phones.

Explaining the efforts behind setting up such an archive, Dr. Chari said that he had personally recorded 1,000 hours of live music in the last 30 years and collected 6,000 hours of music from music collectors.

Pointing out that all the music collectors were against commercialisation of such rare collection, he said the archive had a distinct software that would prevent downloading or copying of music. Such a facility had been set up at The Madras Music Academy, he said. Mr. Murali said that the digital archive would help in passing on the classical music tradition to future generations. Pointing out that there was a demand for allowing downloading facility so that people could listen to the music in the comfort of their homes, he said the academy had not provided that facility in a bid to prevent any possibility of commercialisation of rare collection of classical music.

He stressed the need for musical organisations to share their valuable collections among themselves so that the great tradition of Carnatic music and classical fine arts would not only spread but also flourish. Such a sharing was necessary now as it had become a challenge for classical music to hold its own and attract the attention of youth who had multiplicity of choices and great many distractions.

Musicologist Pappu Venugopal Rao, Tumkur University Vice-Chancellor S.C. Sharma, samaja president M.R.V. Prasad and vice-president Kanaka Swamy and Additional Chief Secretary K. Jairaj were present.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3369317.ece

HMT Link Road in non-motorable condition for four months

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BWSSB executive engineer K.R. Manjunath has said that asphalting of HMT Link Road in Bangalore will be taken up in 20 days.

For more than six months now, the HMT Link Road that connects BEL Circle and National Highway 4 has remained dug up. It has been in a non-motorable state for over four months.

The road is the only access to Tumkur Road for 3,500 residents of Platinum City apartment complex and the National Institute of Design. It was first dug up by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to lay a new sewage line and later by other government agencies. Residents said that besides cutting their apartment complex off, the poor state of the road has also raised a lot of dust, causing health problems.

“This is the only road which connects our apartment to the main road. Getting anywhere has become a nightmare for us. It takes nearly an hour just to reach Tumkur Road,” lamented Ramanand Bellare, president of the Platinum City Residents' Forum.

S. Balasubramanian Pillai, a resident, said that school buses cannot come into the apartment complex due to the bad road condition. Children were beginning to develop allergies and other ailments because of the dust, he said.

“We also suffer on account of drinking water shortage. But, water tankers are unable to deliver water. The poor road condition has also damaged the vehicles of the residents.”

“For nearly a month, the entrance of our institute was almost completely blocked. We had to cancel several lectures and seminars by international guest lecturers, as the institute remains inaccessible,” said Shashikala Satyamoorty, assistant registrar of NID.

Nagaraj Karanth, a software engineer who regularly uses the road, said that the road is the shortest signal free road to Hebbal Junction and other parts of north Bangalore.

He lamented that due to the poor condition of the road, several people going to north Bangalore are forced to take longer routes.

Though the work on laying the sewerage line has been completed, the road condition has not been restored. The deep trenches on the road have only been filled with mud. The movement of heavy vehicles has compounded the problem and the road condition is deteriorating by the day.

“In case of emergencies, neither fire tenders nor ambulances can use the road,” Mr. Bellare added.

When contacted, K.R. Manjunath, executive engineer of BWSSB, said that the road surface would be restored soon. The asphalting of the road would be taken up in 20 days and work will be completed in a month, he said.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3369314.ece

Digital listening facility set up at Gayana Samaja

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01068/30BGBANGALORE_GAYA_1068947f.jpg

N. Murali, president, Madras Music Academy, S.C. Sharma, vice-chancellor, Tumkur University, Pappu Venugopala Rao, musicologist, M.R.V. Prasad, president, Bangalore Gayana Samaja, and R.T. Chari, Managing Director, TAG Corporation, Chennai, at a function in Bangalore on Sunday.


In a move that would go a long way in helping research in classical music and providing an opportunity for classical music lovers to listen to rare and quality music, the TAG Digital Listening Archive was set up at the Bangalore Gayana Samaja on Sunday.

The one-of-its kind archive that provides 6,000 hours of quality music starting from 1930, including the live recordings of maestros, has been set up in association with the Chennai-based TAG Corporation. The free facility that was inaugurated by Madras Music Academy president N. Murali can be used by music lovers and researchers during the samaja office hours (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.).

The facility, which is the brain-child of TAG Corporation Managing Director R.T. Chari, has 10 computers through which one could listen to the music at the click of the mouse with the help of head-phones.

Explaining the efforts behind setting up such an archive, Dr. Chari said that he had personally recorded 1,000 hours of live music in the last 30 years and collected 6,000 hours of music from music collectors.

Pointing out that all the music collectors were against commercialisation of such rare collection, he said the archive had a distinct software that would prevent downloading or copying of music. Such a facility had been set up at The Madras Music Academy, he said. Mr. Murali said that the digital archive would help in passing on the classical music tradition to future generations. Pointing out that there was a demand for allowing downloading facility so that people could listen to the music in the comfort of their homes, he said the academy had not provided that facility in a bid to prevent any possibility of commercialisation of rare collection of classical music.

He stressed the need for musical organisations to share their valuable collections among themselves so that the great tradition of Carnatic music and classical fine arts would not only spread but also flourish. Such a sharing was necessary now as it had become a challenge for classical music to hold its own and attract the attention of youth who had multiplicity of choices and great many distractions.

Musicologist Pappu Venugopal Rao, Tumkur University Vice-Chancellor S.C. Sharma, samaja president M.R.V. Prasad and vice-president Kanaka Swamy and Additional Chief Secretary K. Jairaj were present.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3369317.ece

Music firms join hands against FM stations in Bangalore

About 60 audio and video companies in the state have joined hands to fight for their rightful royalty from FM radio stations for the content supplied by them.

To ensure that they receive more royalty, they have formed the Karnataka Audio & Video Owners’ Association.

They allege that FM radio stations pay a pittance as royalty to the audio companies for content.

“We have been paying lakhs of rupees to Kannada film producers to buy audio rights. The FM radio stations play Kannada film songs supplied by us and earn lot ofrevenue through advertisements but they want to pay only two percent of the net revenue,’’ said Mohan of Anand audio and treasurer of the association.

FM radio stations used to pay a decent amount but now they want to pay only two per cent of advertisement revenue to the audio companies.

“Anand audio company used to get `1.5 lakh per year for supplying audio of a Kannada film to a FM radio station. Now, it will get only Rs10,000 for a year if we agree for two per cent royalty,’’ he said.
Coming down heavily on FM radio stations for not paying a decent amount to audio companies, Velu of Lahari Audio Recording Company and president of the association told the FM radio stations not to ignore audio companies in the state.

“We will stop providing audio content to the FM radio stations if they do not want to pay 60% of the advertisement revenue. It is the audio companies that pay lakhs of rupees to Kannada film producers for audio rights,’’ said Velu. Stating that audio companies have been incurring a loss of Rs300 crore due to piracy, Velu said a delegation led by Tara Venu, chairperson of Kannada Chalanachitra Academy, met chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Sunday and urged him to tell the president of India to give her assent to the Anti-goonda Act to curb the piracy menace in the state.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_music-firms-join-hands-against-fm-stations-in-bangalore_1682489

Bangalore celebrates the infinite expression of dance

Dance has always been considered to be one of the most vivid and vibrant forms of human self- and Bangalore with its salubrious climate and love for everything artsy has always been a city that embraces dancers with arms wide open.

The city is home to one of the oldest dance schools in India — Nrityagram and boasts of famous performers representing every style and form, who now call it home. The love story between Bangalore and its love for dance is indeed an old one, that continues even today.

‘International Dance Day was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), a UNESCO-partnered NGO, and is celebrated on April 29, every year. The date was suggested by the International Dance Committee of ITI to commemorate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet. The goal of International Dance Day is to ‘celebrate’ dance, to revel in the universality of this art form, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and bring people together through the common language of Dance,’ and that’s what Bangalore’s dancers hope to do today as over 40 performers throng the auspices of the Alliance Française de Bangalore for a whole-day of pure dance indulgence.

“The 10am to 10pm dance festival will feature some of the best names in Indian dance, most of them natives of Bangalore, who will present and represent their varied styles in this whole day celebration of in myriad forms,” says Madhulita Mohapatra, one of the organisers of the event.

The day-long festival will also feature an exhibition of The Mohan Khokar Dance Collection of India — one of the most comprehensive compilations on the history and heritage

L Romal M Singh
Dance has always been considered to be one of the most vivid and vibrant forms of human self- and Bangalore with its salubrious climate and love for everything artsy has always been a city that embraces dancers with arms wide open. The city is home to one of the oldest dance schools in India — Nrityagram and boasts of famous performers representing every style and form, who now call it home. The love story between Bangalore and its love for dance is indeed an old one, that continues even today.

‘International Dance Day was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), a UNESCO-partnered NGO, and is celebrated on April 29, every year. The date was suggested by the International Dance Committee of ITI to commemorate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet. The goal of International Dance Day is to ‘celebrate’ dance, to revel in the universality of this art form, to cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers and bring people together through the common language of Dance,’ and that’s what Bangalore’s dancers hope to do today as over 40 performers throng the auspices of the Alliance Française de Bangalore for a whole-day of pure dance indulgence.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_bangalore-celebrates-the-infinite-expression-of-dance_1682319

India and Japan agree to move ahead with the project
India and Japan on Monday agreed to move ahead with the Bangalore-Chennai Industrial Corridor project, with Tokyo pledging to help New Delhi chalk out plans for development of infrastructure in the region.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba discussed the BCIC project, which was conceived last year on the lines of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. They also discussed bilateral cooperation in the railway sector, including possibility of India obtaining high-speed rail technology from Japan and the ongoing Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, which runs through the DMIC.

“We had a preliminary exchange of ideas on the Chennai-Bangalore Corridor which had been initiated by our prime ministers at their meeting last December. We have agreed that Japan will assist in chalking out a Comprehensive Master Plan for the project,” said Krishna. He was addressing a joint news conference with Gemba after the duo had the first minister-level economic dialogue between India and Japan in New Delhi.

Krishna and Gemba also led the sixth India-Japan strategic dialogue on Monday.
During the annual India-Japan summit on December 27-28, 2011, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihiko Noda had decided to replicate the DMIC model to develop “environmentally sustainable, long-lasting and technologically advanced infrastructure” between Chennai and Bangalore.

Tokyo has shown special interests in the Chennai Bangalore Industrial Corridor project, as an increasing number of Japanese companies, including small and medium enterprises, have made direct investments to establish their manufacturing base or other forms of business presence in the region.

The project is likely to include ports, industrial parks and other related infrastructure, which are to be developed by the two countries’ governments and private sectors in a mutually complementary manner.

Gemba is understood to have assured Krishna of Japan’s financial and technical support to India for preparation of the Comprehensive Integrated Master Plan for the region. “Both sides will work together to materialise the master plan on the infrastructure development in the areas between Chennai and Bangalore,” said the Japanese Foreign Minister.

Krishna and Gemba also reviewed the progress of the DMIC, a mega infrastructure project, which is being implemented at an estimated cost of $90 billion with financial and technical aids from Japan. The project covers an overall length of 1,483 km between the political capital and the business capital of India. Tokyo last year expressed its intention to invest $4.5 billion in the project over the next five years.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246055/bangalore-chennai-industrial-corridor-gets.html

Bangaloreans await their Budget

BANGALORE: Would you start spending before you know your income? Would you overshoot your budget? Can you imagine doing these for several years in a row? The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has accomplished these with a chilling consistency. Last year, BBMP presented a Rs 9,200 crore budget (Budget for 2011-12 ) while the estimated receipts were Rs 3,500 crore for the previous year. The budget was presented after a delay of five months. The year before that, BBMP presented a budget for Rs 8,500 crore (Budget for 2010-11 ) when its previous year estimated receipts were again Rs 3,500 crore.


This budget was presented after a delay of six months. This year (2012-2013 ), BBMP budet has been already delayed by over 50 days (first week of March) and Bangaloreans are still waiting. (The budgets for 2011-12 and 2010-11 were subsequently revised upwards by the council to Rs 9,360 crore and Rs 8,848 crore respectively though these have not yet been updated on the BBMP website).

Both the budget estimates and the date when it would be presented have become an annual April Fool's prank on the Bangalorean , with every fiscal year being heralded on April 1 without a city budget.

The city budget is the clue that can lead us to a better quality of life. Better roads, footpaths , litter-free neighbourhoods, clean lakes and parks etc which constitute quality of life primarily depend on allocations in city budgets and not in Union or state budgets.

Equally, the agency that is responsible for a better quality of life in cities is the local self-government , i.e. the municipal corporation and not the Union or state governments.

Granted that Manjunatha and Bhagyamma , the quintessential Bangalore couple, care more about potholes on roads, streetlights and drinking water rather than esoterics of public finance.

However, to find solutions to the issues they care about, it is crucial that they exact accountability of their elected representatives in the city council, namely corporators of their ward. Fund allocations for these daily humdrum cribs come through the city budget and therefore the need for Manjunatha and Bhagyamma to engage with their corporators and with their city's budgets.

The writer is manager, Public record of operations and finance ( PROOF), the public disclosure and accountability initiative of Janaagraha

Viewed against this backdrop, BBMP's leadership, especially on the budget front, has been regressive. Consider the following misses on fundamentals in recent years: Budgets delayed by over five months in two consecutive years and over 50 days in the current year. Neither preventive checks exist nor any penal provisions apply for delays Budget estimates missed by 35 % over the last 5 years (2006-07 to 2010-11 ), 60% being the overestimation in 2010-11 Spill-over works (capital) in 2009-10 and 2010-11 constituted 24% and 22% of the total capital budget estimates of respective years, indicating the extent of delays in completion of infrastructure works, either due to execution delays or lack of funds (leaving aside quality issues) Audit reports and annual accounts not disclosed by BBMP.

In comparison, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai has disclosed four years' annual accounts on its website, updated until March 31, 2010; no internal audit done from 1964.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Bangaloreans-await-their-Budget/articleshow/12945728.cms

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike trips on spillover works every year

BANGALORE: If you are a resident of Rajmahal Guttahalli , have you wondered why the work on a referral hospital never started in your locality? If you live in Hongasandra , you must be wanting to know why the promised concrete roads didn't materialize.

There are hundreds of such works, including construction of healthcare centres , referral hospitals, concrete roads, footpath development, storm water drains, railway over bridge ( ROB) or railway under bridge (RUB) and rejuvenation of lakes, which the BBMP has been planning to do every year and the budgetary allocation for such works have been made in every year's budget. These are called spillover works.

Every year BBMP thinks big and has an ambitious budget. But the economics of the budget are unsound: the big figures projected ride on the confidence of probable ' revenue. Since there is usually a huge gap between expectations and receipts, BBMP is forced to shelve some projects in the budget year. These projects, called spillover works, are taken up in the next budget. The full estimated cost of each such project is added in every year's budget , making the budget inflated.

For example,the construction of a referral hospital in Rajmahal Guttahalli (ward number 64) is a spillover work in 2011-12 . This means that the idea to have this hospital was planned in the budget of 2010-11 but the project did not take off. It is worth Rs1 crore and has been allocated Rs1 crore again in 2011-12 . This results in inflated budget presentation in the consecutive years.

It is also a part of current works, which means that the budget estimation for this project was not done properly and it is worth more. Hypothetically there could be two reasons for such a budget presentation . One being the BBMP was unable to start the project in the year it planned and so it became a spillover work for the next year and the whole amount estimated for it was allocated again in the next year. The second reason could be the cost escalation due to time overrun, which also indicates at the poor estimation of the officials and engineers for any work. BBMP seems to have not learnt any lesson. Instead of plugging revenue leaks, it takes the easy way out: halt works now and take them up next year.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Bruhat-Bengaluru-Mahanagara-Palike-trips-on-spillover-works-every-year/articleshow/12945701.cms

Budgets have become merely wish-lists

BANGALORE: Are budgets mere wish-lists ? That's exactly how BBMP's budgets look like, as projects declared on paper hardly see the light of the day on the ground.

When Greater Bangalore has not been able to generate not more than Rs 1,300 crore of property tax, the major revenue source of the BBMP, the inflated budget has a fancy outlay of Rs 8,498 crore (2010- '11) and Rs 9,316 crore (2011- '12).

What makes BBMP budgets most inflated are the expectations of revenue mopping that is far removed from reality. Though the Akrama Sakrama scheme is gathering dust in the Raj Bhavan as it awaits the governor's clearance, the BBMP budget of 2011-12 also expected Rs 1,000 crore from it. The scheme was envisaged to regularize deviations in building constructions.

Having no real goal is one of the limitations of BBMP budgets. There is not much of projects that were budgeted and completed within the stipulated period, thus leading to scores of spillover works.

In 2010-11 , when the maiden BBMP council was formed, the budget was presented only on August 8, 2010, with a delay of 183 days. For 2011-12 , the budget was presented on August 18, with a delay of 193 days. This year, when all other metropolitan cities have tabled their budgets in February and March, Bangalore is yet to know its financial position for this year. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi presented it on February 8 and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation filed it as early as January 18.

Guess why the BBMP has been pathetically failing in financial management ? One reason is the lack of internal audit. Though as per the KMC Act, an internal audit is a must, it has been ignored since 1964. As a result, there is no check-andbalance system in accounts, no bank reconciliation statement in BBMP and lack of scrutiny leading to revenue loss. BBMP has only recorded its expenditures and not credit-debit statistics of its finances.

Transparency missing

In 2010-11 , though the BBMP budget declared an outlay of Rs 8,498 crore, it was escalated to Rs 8,848 crore when it was sent to the state government approval. In 2011-12 , the budget presented was of Rs 9198 crore but when it was sent to the government approval, it had become Rs 9,316 crore. BBMP has not maintained transparency on how the budget outlay was escalated and what new projects necessitated this increase.

55 % variance between estimated and revised!

The difference between the budget estimate of 2010-11 and the revised payment vary by as high as 55%. The budget estimated income payments for 2010-11 to be Rs 8498 crore, but it is noticed that revised payments the BBMP could make was Rs 3857 crore. Even in terms of financial receipts , the same budget had a variance of 59%, as the revised revenue mopping was of Rs 3517 crore, as against the estimated Rs 8498 crore. However, in the absence of corporators , the budget estimated financial receipts Rs 2842 crore and the revised estimate was Rs 2,789 crore. The difference? A mere 3% and thus comparatively realistic.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Budgets-have-become-merely-wish-lists/articleshow/12945723.cms

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike trips on spillover works every year

BANGALORE: If you are a resident of Rajmahal Guttahalli , have you wondered why the work on a referral hospital never started in your locality? If you live in Hongasandra , you must be wanting to know why the promised concrete roads didn't materialize.

There are hundreds of such works, including construction of healthcare centres , referral hospitals, concrete roads, footpath development, storm water drains, railway over bridge ( ROB) or railway under bridge (RUB) and rejuvenation of lakes, which the BBMP has been planning to do every year and the budgetary allocation for such works have been made in every year's budget. These are called spillover works.

Every year BBMP thinks big and has an ambitious budget. But the economics of the budget are unsound: the big figures projected ride on the confidence of probable ' revenue. Since there is usually a huge gap between expectations and receipts, BBMP is forced to shelve some projects in the budget year. These projects, called spillover works, are taken up in the next budget. The full estimated cost of each such project is added in every year's budget , making the budget inflated.

For example,the construction of a referral hospital in Rajmahal Guttahalli (ward number 64) is a spillover work in 2011-12 . This means that the idea to have this hospital was planned in the budget of 2010-11 but the project did not take off. It is worth Rs1 crore and has been allocated Rs1 crore again in 2011-12 . This results in inflated budget presentation in the consecutive years.

It is also a part of current works, which means that the budget estimation for this project was not done properly and it is worth more. Hypothetically there could be two reasons for such a budget presentation . One being the BBMP was unable to start the project in the year it planned and so it became a spillover work for the next year and the whole amount estimated for it was allocated again in the next year. The second reason could be the cost escalation due to time overrun, which also indicates at the poor estimation of the officials and engineers for any work. BBMP seems to have not learnt any lesson. Instead of plugging revenue leaks, it takes the easy way out: halt works now and take them up next year.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Bruhat-Bengaluru-Mahanagara-Palike-trips-on-spillover-works-every-year/articleshow/12945701.cms

Vijay Mallya in talks to sell UB Tower for Rs 650 cr

BANGALORE/MUMBAI: Beleaguered billionaire Vijay Mallya's UB Holdings Ltd is in talks with Blackstone and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) to unlock the value of its office spaces, including the iconic head office, UB Tower, say banking sources briefed on the matter. One of these two PE investors may acquire Mallya's office real estate, a part of UB City, through a structured equity deal for roughly Rs 650 crore.

UB Holdings is the parent of the debt-laden Kingfisher Airlines. UB Group CFO Ravi Nedungadi offered "no comments" in reply to a texted query. A group spokesperson quoting Mallya denied that UB Tower was for sale. He did not elaborate.

The talks with the competing PE investors are centered around a sale and leaseback model, with UB Holdings having the right to buy back after a fixed period.

"So it may not be sale technically," said one of the sources mentioned earlier.

UB Tower, 123 meters high and one of the tallest buildings in Bangalore, houses all UB Group companies' corporate offices. Some of the other big corporate names occupying the office space in UB City include 3M, Apple, Citibank, Ernst & Young, Kawasaki and Yahoo!

Blackstone declined to comment, while queries to a senior KKR executive remained unanswered at the time of going to press.

"Mallya is offering a 13% return on rental incomes," said a source privy to the ongoing developments, adding that the rental monetization package which Mallya had struck with HDFC would not come in the way of the deal. "The rental monetization package brought only around Rs 100-150 crore for Mallya which can be paid off with the money got from the sale and lease back model he plans to do now," said the source.

PE investors like Blackstone have been on the prowl to buy out rent-yielding office space assets. Investors who have shied away from typical private equity investments in broader real estate market find office space portfolios safer bets. Blackstone clinched two deals recently involving buyouts of IT parks in Bangalore and Pune.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Vijay-Mallya-in-talks-to-sell-UB-Tower-for-Rs-650-cr/articleshow/12944178.cms

CM lays foundation for projects and polls

Three flyovers along ORR in HSR Layout, Iblur, Agara Junction inaugurated

http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2012/05/01/246067_thump.jpg

Preparing the ground for the Assembly elections next year, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Monday went on a tour across the City, laying foundation stones and inaugurating flyovers for the ambitious signal-free corridor along the Outer Ring Road (ORR).

With just a year left, the BJP government has converted the chief minister’s ‘inspection tours’ into a platform to remind voters of their ‘mantra’ of development promised four years ago.

On Monday, Sadananda Gowda along with Lok Sabha MP Ananth Kumar, District In-charge Minister R Ashoka, MLA Dr Ashwath Narayana, Housing Minister V Somanna and others toured along the ORR before ending their journey at Mahadevapura to address people. The foundation stone laying ceremony for the upgrading of St John’s Hospital-Koramangala 100 Feet Road junction grade separator saw hordes of BJP supporters and those opposing the project.

Having submitted to the High Court in writing that there was no need to acquire land for the project, the BDA, nonetheless, went ahead and issued a land acquisition notice to the Indian Institute of Astrophysics on March 31 for the same grade separator. Members of the Citizen Action Forum (CAF), who were present at the venue, met the chief minister to discuss the problems pertaining to the project, that envisages construction of four grade separators at a cost of Rs 119.38 crore as part of the Sirsi Circle to Agara Junction signal-free corridor.

The chief minister is believed to have convened a meeting on May 5 to discuss the issue.Flyovers were also inaugurated along the Outer Ring Road at HSR Layout, Agara Junction and Iblur Junction, at a cost of Rs 133.69 crore.

Speaking at Mahadevpura, Sadananda Gowda promised that the State government will construct a new convention hall-cum-theatre at Doddakenehalli.

Praising the local MLA, Aravind Limbavali, and showering accolades on the government’s rate of success, Member of Parliament from Bangalore South, Ananth Kumar asked the people to ‘bless’ them in the future too. “You are our masters. You need to bless us,” he said.

Hurt by Cong remarks: MP

While saying the Centre had completely sidelined the State while releasing funds for development, MP Ananth Kumar said he was hurt by the statements made against the BJP by the Congress Central leadership in Tumkur.

“When the Centre can spare special packages for Vidarbha in Maharashtra, for Andhra Pradesh and tsunami relief for Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, which is reeling under severe drought, appears to have not warranted any special monetary relief packages,” he said.

He appealed to all the legislators of the State to submit a memorandum for providing relief to the six crore population of the State. “We need at least Rs 4,500-crore for drought relief from the Centre,” he said.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246067/cm-lays-foundation-projects-polls.html

Goldfish, guinea pigs at Lalbagh

BANGALORE: Lalbagh conjures up images of stately trees, pretty flower beds, well laid out lawns, the lake and the hillock. For some others, it's the birds, the Glass House and the walks on its paths. But some years ago, when children were told to dress up to go to Lalbagh, there would be a whoop and a cheer not just at the prospect of romping around the garden and rolling on the grassy slopes or biting into the maize cobs and licking the ice candies, but also to watch the animals there.
Yes, Lalbagh once offered these diversions to visitors too and naturally, were the children's favourite. The family outings to Lalbagh would generally be planned during the annual Republic Day or Independence Day flower shows.
While the rest of the family heads for the Glass House to admire the exhibits, the children, on entering the garden, would insist on heading straight for these enclosures to tease, feed and touch their favourite animals.
Between the West Gate and the Main Gate is an old circular building that houses these enclosures. Metal meshes separate the animals and the visitors and also the different species of animals. The enclosure was not a great big zoo with big cats and elephants but a collection of small creatures. The children minded the size of neither the animals nor the enclosures.
They were even oblivious to the smells and would be engrossed watching the rabbits, Guinea pigs, parakeets and budgerigars in cells. They would move from one cell to another and wouldn't realise they've come to the last enclosure since building is circular structure.
They would then head for the aquarium next door, another circular structure, where they would gawk at the gold fish's large fins and at the cat fish and his big whiskers.
And further afield, after a flight of steps behind the Glass House were the spotted deer, enclosed by a chain-link fence in a large stockade. The deer family, the male with the big antlers, and the female with the fawns with their big, innocent eyes following them, hover around the fence, where visitors feed them with the peanuts that vendors sell in paper cones close to the enclosure. Every time the children try to attract the little fawn to feed it, the big male butts in and extends his big black tongue through the fence and grabs the handful of peanuts. Soon, monkeys appear from nowhere and demand their share too.
And finally, to cap another memorable visit to Lalbagh, visitors turn to the foot of the hillock where another attraction at Lalbagh beckoned. The spacious Lalbagh Restaurant was a favourite for visitors where they savoured its famous paper dosas in the airy interiors or the portico outside.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Goldfish-guinea-pigs-at-Lalbagh/387314.html

Stereotactic Radiosurgery at BGS Hospital

BANGALORE: BGS Global Hospitals has come up with Stereotactic Radiosurgery procedure which takes just four minutes to treat brain tumours.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery is a specialised technology of reaching the tumour that is the focal point in the brain through three dimensional measurements and calculations. This is done by a special instrument called Stereotactic Frame which gives the coordinates to reach the target tumour and radiation is delivered to the tumour without damaging the neighbouring parts. The procedure involves delivery of a single, high-dose of radiation to a small and critically located brain tissue through the intact skull.
Vice-chairman of BGS Global Hospitals Dr N K Venkataramana said, “Stereotactic Radiosurgery offers a great advantage in treating benign tumours as well as brain tumours located in critical areas without an open surgery. This method has become a standard for treatment all over the world for the arteriovenous malformations of the brain wherein surgery is of high risk. In addition, people with multiple medical problems who are otherwise not fit to undergo neurosurgery now have an option of Stereotactic Radiosurgery.”
He added, “This technology has brought down the time of treatment to just four minutes by providing enormous amount of patient comfort. Safety, speed and accuracy are what neurosurgeons can achieve today in Stereotactic neurosurgery through this technology.”
The patient achieves the same result as in open surgery with this non invasive and painless procedure which requires just two days of hospital stay compared to seven to ten days stay in open surgery.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Stereotactic-Radiosurgery-at-BGS-Hospital/387129.html

Free help is just a call away

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In a city where accessibility to affordable healthcare for the poor is a big challenge, the State-run 108 Arogya Kavacha emergency response service is doing its best to reach the needy to hospitals within minutes of receiving a call. But the onus is on the people to dial 108 as soon as they sense an emergency.

Although someone called 108 when Purnima gave birth in a Kamalanagar park before bleeding to death, the call was made an hour late by which time the precious golden hour was lost.

Not many Bangaloreans know that anyone (irrespective of social status) can use this free, first-come first-served service for all kinds of medical emergencies and not just for road traffic accidents and trauma care.

A range of situations

D.V. Badrinath, GVK EMRI's Chief Operating Officer, said that it can be summoned for cardiac problems, respiratory problems, diabetes, pregnancy-related emergencies, stroke/convulsions, suicide attempts, poisoning cases, assault/violence, animal attacks, neonatal emergencies, building collapse, fire, burns and hazardous material ingestion.

Apart from this, individuals can call 108 for police-related cases such as accidents, assault, violence, robbery in progress, gambling, property offences, self-inflicted injuries and threat cases.

Started in Karnataka in November 2008 by the State Health and Family Welfare Department in collaboration with GVK EMRI, the emergency response service caters to all medical, police and fire emergencies, Mr. Badrinath said.

Pre-hospital care

“We also provide pre-hospital care within the ambulance en route to the nearest hospital or to a hospital of the patient's choice. With a fleet of 517 ambulances, including 58 which run in Bangalore, we operate round-the-clock all 365 days,” he said.

Ever since its inception, the service has attended to 1,38,049 calls related to various emergencies in Bangalore as of last weekend. These include 22,107 pregnancy-related calls, 21,67 vehicular accidents and trauma calls, 14,067 gastrointestinal complaints, 13,075 cardiac/cardiovascular complaints, 11,850 calls related to respiratory complaints, 8,366 calls related to non-vehicular accident and trauma and thousands of other calls related to accidental poisoning, fevers and infections, diabetes and burns.

Trained personnel

The ambulances are manned by an emergency medicine trained person (EMT) and first responder-trained driver (pilot). This service is available in all the 30 districts of the State.

Stationed strategically at various locations to reach the destination within the shortest possible time, the service operates through a centralised Emergency Response Centre (ERC) in Bangalore which houses a call centre.

Technology

On reaching the scene, the EMTs are further assisted by on-call Emergency Physicians from the ERC with expert advice in the form of online medical direction. “We have the telemedicine technology wherein an ECG can be taken and transmitted from the ambulance to our ERC en route to hospital for interpretation and guidance on appropriate pre-hospital care to the patients with cardiac illnesses,” he said.

The service has attended to more than 16 lakh emergencies and saved 52,933 lives and also delivered 12,065 babies onboard, Mr. Badrinath added.

Keywords: 108 ambulance service, public health

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3373092.ece

Tracking 400-yr-old family roots in Indian milieu

While tracing one’s genealogical roots is all a rage in the West, it is yet to find traction in India, where tracingone’s ancestral roots is all but impossible. But that did not deter Claudius Pereira, who with help of his six siblings wrote a sprawling saga, Echoes in footprints, that dates all the way back to the 17th century. The book, set to be officially released on May 1, will also be released in the US and London.

The book, which mainly focuses on how Pereira’s father raised seven children as a single parent, starts in 1673, when Pereira’s ancestors were among those who came and settled down in India from France.

“My great great grandfather James Bernard Pereira wanted one of his sons to become a priest in Madras. But my great grandfather was sent back home by Father Superior who saw him play football and figured he should pursue that instead. But James was furious at his son and in his rage chopped his leg off,” said Claudius, who started working on the book in 2006, when he was visiting his siblings, as a way to keep the memory of his father alive.

His great grandfather never became a priest. He instead got married and had four children, one of whom became a priest. In order to trace his family’s at times tragic past, Claudius even went to London, to access the birth and death certificates of his great grandparents. “The British had kept impeccable records, so I found even the marriage certificate signed by my great grandfather,” he beamed. But it was through his grandparents that he got a wealth of information.

“My grandfather’s brother was a priest himself and he set up my grandfather and his wife. He was at that time a railway ticket collector and my father, Clarence Joseph, was one of six children,” added Claudius.

However the book centres on his father, and how his family over several generations merged spirituality with their circumstances. “I was three years old when my mother passed away. My father had to raise seven children by himself. My oldest sister, then 13, had to take up cooking and taking care of us. He had to pawn my grandmother’s jewellery to keep our family going,” he said.
Claudius’ father worked as a telephone operator in a gold mine.

“Due to conditions in the goldmines, he lost his hearing and developed severe asthma and my brother when he got older, joined a gold mine company as well, but by that time the gold mining business started declining,” he adds. The book also chronicles Clarence Joseph’s brief struggle with cancer in the early 90s.

“At that time they didn’t know much about it. Even right now we don’t really know what it was. But his struggle was brief and his death is chronicled in this book by my siblings,” he said. With religious overtones, the booklooks at its historic context and focuses more on familial struggles.

“This is our book about how we came up in life. How we weathered the struggles. Everyone will find some form of inspiration from this book,” he adds. However tracing one’s history in India is close to impossible, says Claudius. “Only few familieshad records. People here can only get pockets of their life history. But my research led me to people who were my cousins, but I didn’t even know existed!” he exclaims.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_tracking-400-yr-old-family-roots-in-indian-milieu_1682946

Manipal lads design off-road vehicle for US race

After successfully showcasing their cars at the international student race tracks in US and Europe, the Team Manipal Racing (TMR) of Manipal Institute of Technology on Monday rolled out TMR V3 off-road vehicle to hit the tracks in Burlington, Wisconsin in US. The off-road competition will be held from June 7-10 and is being organised the US-based Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

“It is an all terrain vehicle and is the third one from this college to take part in an international off-road track event. The students from Manipal Institute will take part in this event. It is a perfect platform to apply engineering knowledge and skills in a real world environment,” said Siddharth Singh team leader and captain at the launch. “We hope to do far better this time with a lot of improvement in our ATV,” he added.

It was at Wisconsin in 2009 that TMR made its first appearance. The team finished 97th out of 115 overall, and 14th in design. At Rochester in 2010, the team finished 62nd out of 94. Incidentally, TMR had been the best Indian team at both these meets. “Past experiences have helped us tremendously in the present venture to improve the vehicle in every way,” the team leader said.

“TMR V3 features various technical advancements over previous designs. It is one of India’s lightest BAJA car and advanced, lightweight materials have been used. It also has better electronics system this year, with the inclusion of an onboard speedometer, various instrumentation gauges permitting real-time monitoring of various vehicle performance parameters from the pit-crew. The incorporation of a Limited Slip Differential has drastically improved turning performance and stability,” said David Furtado, a member of the team.

The team comprises 36 students, divided into six technical and three management departments. The departments include suspension, steering, transmission, chassis, brakes and electronics under technical, while the management team is subdivided into finances, logistics and public relations.

“Preparations for this year’s race began way back in 2010, after the team decided to skip the 2011 event in Illinois, USA. The time was utilised to develop the design and come up with a better vehicle. The final design was completed by mid-2011 and the fabrication began in October 2011,” said Dr Krishnamurthy, the faculty advisor.

The TMR V3 will compete with 115 teams from all over the world. Manipal university chancellor Dr Ramadas M Pai launched the car.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_manipal-lads-design-off-road-vehicle-for-us-race_1682944

Bangalore to get more flyovers

Bangalore may soon emerge as the ‘city of flyovers’.
Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda says 26 flyovers will come up in the city. Eight of them have been completed, 11 are in various stages of completion and the remaining will be taken up soon.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for a grade separator at Kormangala and a BDA housing colony and inaugurating three flyovers at Iblur, Agara and HSR Layout 14th main.

The city will also get more grade separators and signal-free corridors and Rs5,500 crore central aid will be sought to strengthen its infrastructure, he said.

“Besides the core of Bangalore city, greater Bangalore too needs facilities such as good roads, adequate water supply and infrastructure,” he said.

Bangalore South MP Ananth Kumar said the state would submit a memorandum, seeking Rs4,500 crore central aid for the drought-hit districts in the state.

“The Centre has to give us a good package similar to what was given to Andhra Pradesh or West Bengal or for Tsunami,” he said.
He reiterated the state’s commitment to rename B’lore International Airport.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_bangalore-to-get-more-flyovers_1682929

Indra Gandhi Fountain Park is also Present . As well as heard works are in progress at Allasandra Lake Near to Golden Palms Resort Yelahanka to have one Fountain Park as well.
Mostly Yelahanka Kere will also get one.

So Mysore ha the biggest musical fountain in the state

CM lays foundation for projects and polls

Three flyovers along ORR in HSR Layout, Iblur, Agara Junction inaugurated

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Preparing the ground for the Assembly elections next year, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Monday went on a tour across the City, laying foundation stones and inaugurating flyovers for the ambitious signal-free corridor along the Outer Ring Road (ORR).



source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246067/cm-lays-foundation-projects-polls.html

Saw CM sadananda gowda today at Kalakshetra bhavan....:cheers:

State has 231 schooldays, fourth highest in India

BANGALORE: Karnataka has the fourth highest number of working days for schools in the country: 232 in rural schools and 231 in urban schools. On an average, the number of working days in India at the primary school level is 222. At the upper primary level, it is 225 in urban areas and 223 in rural areas. In the US, the norm is 180 days. Experts say more instructional days help students to learn better.

When it comes to the urban schools, Jharkhand has 238 working days, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Bihar 236, and Punjab and Tripura 233. Karnataka and Gujarat share the fourth position with 231 days.

As for rural schools, Tripura has the highest number of working days (241) in a year, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli (238) and Bihar (235). Nagaland has a low of 189. Kerala, India's first fully literate state, has its schools open on 198 days in a year.

The data was compiled and published by the District Information System for Education (DISE). This is the first time that DISE has collected data on the number of instructional days.

"The norm in Karnataka is that lower primary schools should have 220 days and upper primary schools 240 days. The DISE figures show what happens on the ground. It's normal that there is a difference between urban and rural schools," says AS Seetaramu , consultant, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Experts say the Indian numbers are ideal, but emphasize that it's important how school time is utilized.

"Across the world, studies suggest that more instructional days do children good," says Maya Menon, founder of Teachers' Foundation.

Experts feel it's important for children to spend more time in school.

Says Maya Menon, founder of Teachers' Foundation : "This is especially for children from poorer backgrounds where the stimulation at home is far less than that he gets at school. There are studies which have proved that learning levels in children dip after long summer breaks. But the concern should be how much of this time is utilized properly for teaching."

M S Thimmappa, psychologist and former vice-chancellor of Bangalore University agrees: "It's always better to have more days in schools. For the kind of syllabus we have in schools, it requires more days to learn and more contact with teachers. In a city like Bangalore, what constructive work will a child do during non-working days? It's either TV, internet or video games."

"The National Curriculum Framework suggests the number of days should be between 220 and 230. This is ideal for the mental growth of children. There's sufficient time to complete the portions and give children the space to be themselves," says HS Rama Rao, director, department of state education research and training.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/State-has-231-schooldays-fourth-highest-in-India/articleshow/12958752.cms

BDA enhances portal design, forgets content

None of the functional aspects of the website have been updated

The Bangalore Development Authority has given its official website a makeover in a bid to make it more ‘user-friendly’. But like most of its projects, it seems the focus was merely on the aesthetics since none of the functional aspects of the website have been updated.

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Among the features ignored are even the e-mail addresses starting from the commissioner to the executive engineers of the Department.

Citizens who tried to reach the BDA Commissioner, Bharat Lal Meena, through e-mail found that their mails bounced back due to server problems.

One such citizen, Sanjay Marlecha, Secretary of the Arkavathy Layout Allottees’ Association, claimed that the mails sent to the BDA authorities bounced back to his inbox.

Server problems

“I was told that the e-mail IDs were not functioning due to server problems that have cropped up after revamping the website,” he said.

Sources within the BDA said the systems manager who was responsible for the relaunch of the website has been at the receiving end of a lot of criticism. “Despite objections from various departments, the website was relaunched without adding any information on the new projects undertaken by the BDA in the City,” said a BDA official.

What was supposed to be a process to provide more detailed information to citizens, has now turned into a nightmare for those trying to access the website.

No information

The website was relaunched three weeks ago, but it has not been updated yet. From the Engineering Department to the Town Planning section, most links provide little or no information.

For instance, under the Engineering Division, the status of the projects pertaining to the Anand Rao Circle flyover is still mentioned as “an on-going project”, while the project was completed nearly five years ago. Same is the case with the Old Airport Road flyover that was completed in 2006!

Under the Town Planning section, the BDA has failed to provide the recent High Court judgements pertaining to the Comprehensive Development Plan 2015, and has stuck to the orders issued nearly eight years ago.

Similarly, the Finance section gives receipts and expenditure of the year 2003-2004.

Pictures of Vidhana Soudha

“The website belongs to the BDA, but the slideshow on the website’s home page has pictures of the Vidhana Soudha and the High Court. Who is the owner of this website?” asked a BDA official sarcastically.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246336/bda-enhances-portal-design-forgets.html

Some mumbo jumbo that baffles all

A mysterious work of ‘art’ at the busy Vasanthnagar Junction on Millers Road is drawing public attention, not for its aesthetic appeal, but for the sheer incomprehensibility of it.

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The cement model of an elephant carries a large feline and a rhinoceros bearing on its back a tortoise on whose carapace a vulture has landed.

The work is part of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s ambitious project to ‘beautify’ the City landscape. Janardhana Rao, a resident, couldn’t comprehend the message of these animals piled on one another.

“Probably, the work aimed to draw attention to the white elephants in the Palike,” Rao said caustically.

Blame game

None in the civic agencies or the government seemed to know the identity of the ‘artist’ responsible for the incomprehensible statuary. BBMP East Zone engineers said they had no clue, pointing fingers at the Horticulture department for erecting the overburdened elephant.

But, the officers in the Horticulture department denied they had anything to do with it. It was the Palike, they were sure. The mystery continues.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246328/some-mumbo-jumbo-baffles-all.html

Now, a twist in Maharashtra’s tail

Fed up with decades of neglect, 54 border villages want to merge with Karnataka

It is an anti-climax of sorts, one may say. In what come as a surprise to those following the border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra, 54 villages of Jath taluk in Sangli district of the neighbouring state have demanded that they should be merged with Karnataka. Their grouse is that the border villages have been deprived of basic infrastructure all these years.

The demand could not have come at a worse time for Maharashtra, which celebrated its 53rd formation day on Tuesday. The report of the Mahajan Commission - which went into the border dispute - had recommended that these 54 villages should be part of Karnataka.

That has perhaps been the reason for the Maharashtra government to ignore the demands of the people in these villages for basic minimum infrastructure including roads, drinking water, irrigation facilities, besides providing seeds and fodder for livestock in the prevailing drought situation.

The fact that four ministers in the Prithviraj Chavan government - including Home Minister R R Patil - are from Sangli district has not helped matters. There is also a union minister from the region. Not a single minister has visited the villages of Jath taluk.

Migration

The Maharashtra government has failed to provide labour for the people, forcing them to migrate to other places in search of employment, Mahadev Ankalagi, vice president of the Sangli District Agriculture Marketing Committee, told Deccan Herald.

The people are so upset that they are not ready to give up their agitation, even after Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan spoke to them and promised to take a decision in three to four days on splitting Jath taluk to accelerate development works.

The chief minister‘s promise came in the backdrop of the demand from these villages for a merger with Karnataka.

With the Maharashtra government not taking steps to start goshalas for sheltering livestock and providing them fodder, the people are taking their cattle to the goshalas in neighbouring Bijapur district of Karnataka. Veeranagowda Patil of Vajrawada village said they were procuring drinking water from private tankers in the bordering village of Malabad in Athani taluk of Karnataka.

Water is being released from Koyna dam of Maharashtra to Karnataka. Instead, Krishna water can be released to the 54 villages from the Guggawada-Hirepadasalagi canal, to overcome the drinking water problem, besides meeting the irrigation needs. Our plea of several years for a Rs 10-crore project to implement this has not been fulfilled, said Patil.

In majority

People in these villages - where Kannada-speaking people are in a majority - now want resolutions passed in the respective Gram Panchayats that the villages be merged with Karnataka. The drinking water problem in these villages has intensified. No roads has meant no buses to many of these villages.

Adding insult to injury is the irregular power supply. The demand by the people for basic amenities has fallen on deaf ears.

Mahadev Ankalagi said that a meeting of the Gram Panchayat presidents had been called on May 6 at the Danamma Temple in Guddapur, to demand that the 54 villages be merged with Karnataka, as recommended by the Mahajan Commission report. The meeting will take a final decision on the demand for a merger with Karnataka, said Ankalagi, who is spearheading the movement.

These villages include Yakkundi, Vajrawada, Billur, Guggawada, Basaragi, Mendigeri, Shedyala, Sindhura, Umarani, Muchchandi, Madagyala, Sonyala, Siddhanatha, Sanka, Pandojhari, Jadara Babaladi, Utagi and Ankalagi, all in Jath taluk.

Basavaraja Aradoddi, president of the Gadinadu Kannadigara Rakshana Vedike, said a mega convention would be organised at Athani in May to condemn the attitude of the Maharashtra government of not taking up development works in the Kannada-speaking areas.  

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246297/now-twist-maharashtras-tail.html

BBMP builds castles in air

Promises made by state government and BBMP of providing multi-level parking, underpasses, metal flyovers, concrete roads, easing traffic congestion, and similar infrastructural improvements, have remained mere promises. The paralysis in implementation can be attributed to the delay in holding the election for mayor, which delayed formulation of the BBMP budget.

The BBMP budget must be tabled in March or early April. Ever since the elected body took shape, the budget is being delayed having a negative impact on the infrastructure of the city, according to sources. The size of the BBMP budget for the year 2011-12 was a whopping Rs 9,316 crore. But little of it could be used. Had the budget been presented on time, the allocation could have been put to better use, said sources. The state too has not released promised funds to the BBMP, thus causing several infra projects to proceed at snail’s pace.

In the last two years, the BBMP has got only Rs 575 crore of the promised Rs 2,800 crore from state government grants. For the year, 2010-11, the state budget promised Rs 1,300 for infrastructure development of the city, but released only Rs 300 crore or 23 per cent of the promised sum.

For 2011-12 the state budget promised Rs 1,500 crore to BBMP for development activities, but the BBMP received only Rs 375 in two instalments—just a quarter of the sum promised. This put the lid on many major development works. For example, the proposed extension of Sirsi Circle flyover till Kengeri is in limbo for want of funds. And BBMP is heavily in debt, according to sources.

This year, the state government has promised a whopping Rs 2,026 crore for the holistic development of the city, a good sum considering the rapid growth of Bengaluru, but how much of it will materialise remains to be seen. It would be beneficial if the government releases Rs 1,000 crore for the capital investment plan under which major and visible projects like flyovers have been planned, said sources.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/bbmp-builds-castles-air-725

Students can travel longer

Student pass holders have reason to cheer as the travel limit per day on BMTC buses has been extended from 50 to 60 km with no fare revision. Minister for Home and Transport R Ashok also announced a hike of Rs 1,000 per month for trainee employees of state corporations on the occasion of Labour Day. Student passes are smart card based and issued annually. Student pass holders were allowed to travel on BMTC buses for 50 kilometers a day which has been now extended by 10 kilometers.All categories of pass holders can enjoy this additional benefit.

Speaking at the launch of new buses, minister Ashok said, “Students need not pay a penny extra while traveling for ten kilometers beyond 50 kilometers. We would also like to hike the salaries of trainee employees by Rs 12,000 per annum.” Apart from announcing benefits for students and employees, various projects are in the pipeline for improvement of the city too, especially some environment friendly transport projects which will help bring down traffic congestion and pollution levels.

MP Ananth Kumar said that Bengaluru is the only city which lacks a train network within the city. “All metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Kolkotta, Delhi, have a good rail network within the city.We can utilize the existing rail network in the city to run local trains. The cost can be shared between state and the Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise ”. It is said that state is discussing with the Gas Authority of India Ltd to extend the Dabhol to Bidadi gas line to Bengaluru. On the lines of Delhi, state plans to have CNG run public transport vehicles for the city too.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/students-can-travel-longer-724

The King of fruits takes a fall

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BANGALORE: It is this time of the year, when we eagerly wait for the arrival of the King of the fruits. Juicy and succulent, Indian mangoes are arguably one of the best tropical fruits found anywhere in the world. In fact, mangoes account for approximately half of all tropical fruits produced worldwide. However, with the delayed arrival and steep prices of some of the Southern varieties in India, consumers are extremely unhappy with the prevailing situation this year. City Express spoke to a few fruit vendors and merchants to shed some light on the lack of availability of mangoes this year.
The Indian mangoes are usually intolerant of humidity and bear a mono-embryonic fruit of high colour and regular form. They are generally harvested at physiologically mature stage and ripened for optimum quality. In South India, mango usually gives two flushes — from February to June and October to November. However, vendors claim that some of the local varieties are much costlier this year.
Many traders also believe that mango season has been delayed over all due to adverse weather conditions. This has inadvertently led to a massive rise in prices. A push cart vendor at Bilekahalli told City Express that he is selling Banganapalli variety at Rs 70 per half kg and that the mangoes are extremely late this season. He also added , “The demand is high this year. But, customers often come in, smell the mangoes and reject them saying it is not ripe, while the mangoes are golden yellow in colour. Artificial ripening is the culprit here. Now, I do not allow them to smell.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Anjanappa, another vendor at K R Market, said that they aren’t getting any supply from the outskirts of the city. They often find themselves looking at a substandard produce — be it raw or ripe mangoes.They are experiencing a massive dip in sales. Aslam, a salesperson at a retail store in J P Nagar, agreed and said that there is intense competition to procure good quality mangoes as this year’s yield is only trickling in. “We have customers walking in and asking for Rumani and Neelam, but they have not even hit the market yet,” said Aslam.
However, Jayanagar Market is seeing an increase in sale of raw mangoes but the customers are saying the prices are steep. “It is tradition in our family to make three varieties of mangoes pickles — Avvakkai, thokku, and cut mango — during summer vacation. But, this year, one small raw mango costs Rs 17. We are still waiting for the prices to go down,” said Sharadha Ravikumar, a resident of J P Nagar.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/the-king-of-fruits-takes-a-fall/387632.html

City tops with most ‘smart’ tourists

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BANGALORE: In the early 1990’s, TV remotes were replaced with mobile phones and personal computers, and today, gaming devices have been replaced with smartphones. As per a pan India survey conducted by global travel planners, Bangalore has the highest number of smartphone users in the country. The city has 74 per cent smartphone users, while Delhi has 72 per cent and Mumbai 70 per cent.
The survey concludes that due to smart phones, travellers are depending on ‘smart technology’.
“Over 60 per cent Indians use smartphones to plan their travel. Tech savvy Indians consider cell phones as an integral part of their holidays. Starting from pre-trip research on destinations, tourist attractions, hotels to booking accommodation or flights, to location-based services at the destination- the cell phone provides all these facilties on the palm,” says Nikhil Ganju, country manager, TripAdvisor India.
According to the survey, 53 per cent of the total 1,000 respondents use at least one travel application and 37 per cent have used a cell phone to book a flight or accommodation for their travel.
However, Indians are not using their smartphones to plan their travel.
The survey also found that taking/sharing photos, navigation and gaming were the top three things travellers use their cell phones for, while travelling (other than making calls and messaging service).
The survey points out that the top six travel apps are TripAdvisor, Google Maps, Make My Trip, Blackberry travel, IRCTC and Cleartrip.
“As much as 77 per cent smartphone owners are aged under 25 years, while 28 per cent of tablet owners are aged between 18 and 24 years. Interestingly, 55 per cent respondents said that they could not live without their cell phones on a holiday. The new social fad that is catching up amongst all age groups is to ‘check-in’ to places they are travelling to,” the report stated.
The report reveals that for over 60 per cent travellers, poor connectivity and roaming charges are major concerns, followed by small screen size to navigate.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/city-tops-with-most-%E2%80%98smart%E2%80%99-tourists/387745.html

Innovation by city-based entrepreneurs

BANGALORE: A useful tool for health care workers that can be used with minimal training, the ENTraview has been developed by local city entrepreneurs and recently, it was adjudged amongst the top 30 technological innovations in the country.
Under the aegis of the Design Clinics Scheme,Icarus Design’s innovation arm, Icarus Nova developed the Research, Industrial Design, Technology Integration, Engineering and Prototyping of the award winning ENTraview. It is a simple and easy to use interface requiring almost no training for doctors. Considered as the top 30 technological innovations in the country, from over 800 evaluated technologies, it received the DST - Lockheed Martin India Innovation Gold Medal Growth Programme Award for 2012. DST and Lockheed Martin has developed the India Innovation Growth Program to help Indian innovators find markets in the other countries.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Innovation-by-city-based-entrepreneurs/387640.html

Railways proposes new freight corridors

KOLAR: To augment rail transport capacity to meet the growing requirement of movement of freight traffic, the Indian Railways has decided to develop freight corridors along its busy trunk routes, said Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa. A press release from the Minister’s office stated that the freight corridors are being developed or implemented by Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India, a special purpose vehicle and a wholly-owned PSU of the Ministry of Railways formed in October 2006.
The Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor Project is being monitored by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). During the last review, it was decided to formulate a comprehensive integrated master plan for the development of the corridor with all related infrastructure. During the course of deliberations, the Andhra Government had requested for extension of the corridor up to Krishnapatnam Port and the Government of Karnataka had urged for extension up to Chitradurga, apart from Chennai and Bangalore sections, it said.
The Bangalore-Chennai Expressway of 258 km on National H ighway4 is a green field alignment and will be operated with a closed toll system. The alignment has been finalised, he said.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/railways-proposes-new-freight-corridors/387718.html

Student bus pass travel distance limit will be extended to 60 km: Minister

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Premium bus services of the KSRTC were inaugurated in front of the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Home and Transport Minister R. Ashok on Tuesday announced that the 50-km travel limit on student bus passes will be extended to 60 km from the coming academic year for the benefit of students.

Speaking at the launch of several new buses and release of a KSRTC coffee-table book here, Mr. Ashok said the decision to extend the travel limit was taken after learning about difficulties faced by students in reaching their schools/colleges. This decision will apply to services of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West KRTC and North East KRTC.

May Day gesture

As a May Day gesture, Mr. Ashok announced a hike of Rs. 1,000 in the stipend being paid to trainee drivers and conductors of the four RTCs, including Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. This decision will benefit over 26,000 trainee crew in these corporations, he said. The corporations, he said, have set apart Rs. 26 crore for various welfare schemes of employees.

Claiming that the RTCs in Karnataka have become model to other RTCs in the country, Mr. Ashok said BMTC was the first corporation to induct BS4 complaint buses in the country.

“This is to strictly adhere to emission norms prescribed by the Union government,” he said.

Mr. Ashok said that the KSRTC has been using ethanol blended diesel and bio diesel in some of its buses to popularise use of green fuel and to reduce environment pollution. However, it incurs Rs. 2 extra expenditure for every litre of such fuel, he said and urged the government to reimburse the amount.

With the success of city bus services in Tumkur and Hassan towns, the RTCs have planned to introduce similar services in almost all district headquarters, the Minister announced. KSRTC will commence city bus services in Kolar shortly, he said.

On various development works taken up by the RTCs, Mr. Ashok said that the multi-modal transit centre at Peenya in Bangalore will shortly be commissioned to decongest the central business district.

Speaking after launching the coffee table book, Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda assured Mr. Ashok of reimbursing the additional amount spent on green fuel. Complimenting the RTCs of the State, Mr. Sadananda Gowda said that the government will render all help to the RTCs in their endeavour to serve the general public. He flagged off several premium class buses of KSRTC and BMTC.

The coffee table book, brought out to mark 50 years of KSRTC (1961-2011), pictorially features the growth of public transport in Karnataka. The Chief Minister felicitated KSRTC's Public Relation Officer T.S. Latha, who compiled the book, and presented her a reward of Rs. 10,000.

H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP; M. Krishnappa and C.N. Ashwath Narayan, MLAs; Principal Secretary, Transport Department, P.B. Ramamurthy; Managing Directors of KSRTC and BMTC N. Manjunath Prasad; and K.R. Srinivasa were present.

Turkey and Eastern Europe draw Indian tourists

Well-heeled Indian travellers are looking at alternatives to popular destinations abroad.

Though the South East Asian circuit — Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore — continues to remain popular, along with London and Paris, Indians are now looking for newer destinations, Nikhil Ganju, country manager of TripAdvisor India, told mediapersons here on Tuesday.

“A small niche audience is opting for destinations that are not much explored. These include Istanbul in Turkey and cities in Eastern Europe. Interest in Amsterdam is also increasing,” he said, providing details on trends based on travellers' preference.

Interest in newer destinations are developing also due to the marketing initiatives taken up by the respective countries, he said, adding that Turkey and South Africa were ideal examples of how initiatives by the tourism authorities could propel tourist numbers. “South Africa, which was a new destination for Indian travellers a couple of years ago, is now among the mainstream destinations.” Hong Kong, Las Vegas and Mauritius also continue to remain in the top 10 foreign destinations for Indians, he added. For domestic tourists, the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, Guwahati and Shillong in the north-east, and Wayanad in Kerala are the emerging destinations.

The online platform for tour planning and booking is picking up, he said. Without revealing the hits to TripAdvisor, he claimed that they have grown eight times over the last four years.

At a time when the use of smart mobile is set to increase, TripAdvisor has launched several initiatives. “A survey conducted by us has revealed that mobile devices are set to become the new travel essentials,” Mr. Ganju, said.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3374690.ece

3-year deadline set to integrate Class 8 into primary section

One of the toughest aspects in implementing the Right to Education Act in Karnataka from the coming academic year is likely to be re-classification of Class 8 into higher primary schools, with the Ministry of Human Resources Development setting a deadline of three years for the State to complete the transition process.

The State had hoped for at least a five-year window period to achieve this, given the financial and logistical issue involved.

The ministry raised this issue in the Plan Approval Board meeting held in New Delhi on Monday, said Secretary, Primary and Secondary Education, Kumar G. Nayak. The Centre has been insisting on re-categorising Class 8 under the primary section, hitherto part of high school in Karnataka, since the legislation promises eight years of compulsory education to all children and it cannot be broken after Class 7. Though the State has already set up a nine-member committee headed by R. Govinda, Vice-Chancellor of the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), to study how transition can be achieved, completing the transition in three years is a tough call, say officials. One of the big hurdles in achieving the transition is the drastic shift in ratio between primary and high schools within the government-run schools as well as between private and government-run schools, as indicated by the District Information System of Education (DISE) statistics. As on September 30, 2011, the number of higher primary schools run by the Department of Education (up to Class 7) stands at 22,601. The numbers sharply drop in the next phase, with only 4,437 high schools run by the Department of Education. This huge gap means that over 18,000 higher primary schools, which do not have high schools attached, need to be provided Class 8, with additional classrooms, infrastructure and teaching faculty.

“We will have to do a thorough mapping of all the schools before taking up this exercise because the numbers in Class 7 in these schools vary from 70 plus to less than 5,” said Mr. Nayak. In contrast to lower and higher primary schools, private players dominate in high schools. There are 5,523 unaided and 3,335 aided high schools in Karnataka, which add up to more than double of those run by the government. All these schools will have to drop Class 8.

In the meanwhile, MHRD has promised a hike of “between Rs. 250 crore to Rs. 300 crore”, said Mr. Nayak. This will add up to about Rs. 1,700 crore allocated this year to the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which is the primary agency to implement RTE, he added.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3374598.ece

Pay utility bills at your doorstep in Bangalore

If all goes according to plan, the BangaloreOne centres will soon be at your doorstep, thanks to Syndicate Bank that has sponsored two buses costing Rs20 lakh to the city’s e-governance department.

The buses will function as mobile BangaloreOne centres in areas that do not have this facility. This way, residents, who stay in localities where there are no BangaloreOne centres, can save both time and effort, as they need not go all the way to other BangaloreOne centres to pay their bills.

Currently, the e-governance department has been preoccupied with setting up of BangaloreOne mobile services in localities where its centres do not exist.

MN Vidyashankar, principal secretary, department of IT, BT, S&T and e-governance, said, as a first step, two buses will be introduced in areas where BangaloreOne centres are yet to be set up.

“Like the BangaloreOne centres, the buses too will have counters. This is to make BangaloreOne service public-friendly. Mobile service centres will function from 8 am to 7 pm,” he said.

The e-governance department is also planning to increase of the number of BangaloreOne centres within a few months. Currently, there are 79 BangaloreOne centres catering to the needs of the public. “We will set up 21 BangaloreOne centres soon,” he said.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_pay-utility-bills-at-your-doorstep-in-bangalore_1683444

Bangalore weather forecast: Days to be hot ’n’ sweet

Just when dark clouds take over the city, when it seems like a downpour is in the offing and you start looking for shelter to avoid getting drenched in the rain, the clouds suddenly disperse and sun resumes beating mercilessly. That is how the city’s weather has been unfolding for the past few days.

Meteorologists are cautioning against trusting the weather forecast for Bangalore in the coming days—it may say sunny but you may still find yourself caught in a downpour, or vice versa.
Senior agro meteorologist MB Raje Gowda advises that Bangaloreans should carry an umbrella or stay indoors in the afternoon and evening as that is when the skies may open up.

Although the meteorology department has been predicting rains in the city, Bangalore has received only occasional rains at best. The amount of rainfall received in the recent days has been significantly less than what was expected.

Gowda explained that even the occasional showers—called April showers—that the city received were caused because of excess heat. He said these rains are called convectional rains. He explained that this phenomenon takes place when the sun heats the ground immensely, causing warm air to rise. This air rises up in the atmosphere and cools upon reaching a certain height. That is when clouds are formed and it rains.

He said these rains are known to “leave the city bright” with extreme heat condition in the morning followed by downpour in afternoon or evening. He said this condition would continue throughout May, until monsoon sets in. He said some days might be completely dry and some days might see moderate to heavy rain.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_bangalore-weather-forecast-days-to-be-hot-n-sweet_1683414

New Bill opens the ground for investors, corp farming in Karnataka

Farm land usage in the state could see a tectonic shift if the proposed Karnataka Land Reforms (amendment) Bill, 2012, gets the nod of the state legislature.

According to the Bill, any individual or corporate entity can take farm lands on lease from farmers to try their hand at agriculture or for setting up agro-based industries.

With the conflict for land between farmers and investors threatening to derail the industrialisation plans of the state, the state government has redefined the definition of ‘agriculture’ to include agro-based industries, agro-processing industries, post-harvest operations and agri-infrastructure under the ambit of agricultural activities.

The proposed Bill ensures that the farmers will not lose possession of the land. Individuals can take land on lease on mutually agreeable terms.

Umesh V Katti, agriculture minister, said the state government had signed an MoU with 57 companies entailing an investment of Rs61,000 crore.

“Nineteen companies have already submitted their project details to the government, which are pending for approval before a high-powered committee. Once the Bill gets the nod of the assembly, the committee will examine the proposal,” Katti said.

The minister said all the companies which had signed the MoU are of Indian origin.

The company or the individual, who wants to invest below Rs50 crore, has to get the approval from a single-window clearance authority.

“The practice of leasing out farm land has been in practice for many years. Now, the state government is giving legal sanction by imposing certain conditions,” said Katti.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_new-bill-opens-the-ground-for-investors-corp-farming-in-karnataka_1683399

Home is where dreams take wing (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Home-is-where-dreams-take-wing/articleshow/12973245.cms)
TNN | May 3, 2012, 03.04AM IST

BANGALORE: Helplessness transformed into anger as Shumnima Rai, a student from Sikkim, landed up in a Bangalore police station to complain about her missing mobile phone. "The lady cop who was taking down the complaint knew neither Hindi nor English. Since I couldn't speak Kannada, I was finding it difficult to communicate the problem and the cop thought I was being rude to her. I too became uncomfortable by her rudeness, until a male cop came and took control of the situation. The lady cop apologized and I too, simmered down," recounts Shumnima.

Over the past year, living as a student in Bangalore, Shumnima says she is making an attempt to learn Kannada. "It helps me deal with underlying discrimination. Auto drivers know I don't belong to the city and stereotype me as a stupid girl, often taking me on wrong routes and charging more. Ever since I started learning Kannada, I've not been taken for a ride," she says. Shumnima is among the increasing population of residents from the Northeastern states, who are in the city for work and study.

Yuvraj Gurung from Darjeeling, who works as an editor with an online portal, observes that the problem of discrimination and resultant violence is a circumstance of identity and perception. "Over the past 10 years, I've lived in Chennai as a student and now in Bangalore as a professional. Landlords have refused to rent homes to me because of my ethnicity. Over time, I've learnt about the sensibilities of the people here and adapted myself by learning to speak Tamil and Kannada. I've toned down my style of dressing - no flashy hairdo like I sported back home. By adapting myself, life is more peaceful," explains Gurung.

Elizabeth Dangmei, too, is back from Nagaland with a similar attitude. "I first came here in 2010 to work in a call centre but fled because of the attitude of my co-workers. I was the only girl in a team of men, who commented about me in Kannada, making me feel miserable. I have now returned to look for a job and face the challenges. I've also started learning Kannada," says Elizabeth.

Endeavouring to be part of the social system helped Gurung find accommodation in a pretty hostile city. And striding over discriminating situations with a calm demeanour helped fashion stylist Robert Naorem from Manipur create a niche for himself in Bangalore's inner circles. "I've been here a decade. Initially, landlords turned me down, auto drivers charged me double and people called me 'Chinky'. So I learnt Kannada, it makes auto drivers happy; I turn a deaf year to racial comments, and walk free in a city that has given wing to my dreams," smiles Naorem.
:)

Kempambudhi lake to get makeover as tourist spot

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The Kempambudhi lake is all set to be a centre of tourist attraction after two months, if the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has its way.

Desiltation, cleaning of the lake and boating facilities, etc, will provide a new lease of life to the City’s oldest water body.

Choked with weeds, hyacinth and sewage, the lake, at present, is an eyesore to the public.

Constructed by the founder of Bangalore, Kempegowda, the water body served as a catchment area.

It supplied drinking water to the people living in the surrounding areas.

As the City expanded, sewerage began flowing into the lake through the stormwater drains leading to pollution. The sewage inflow could not be halted completely, despite some vain measures implemented by the Palike to divert it elsewhere.

On a request made by the local MLA, Ravi Subramanya and the corporators of the constituency, Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy and BBMP Commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda visited the lake on Wednesday.

After the inspection, they felt that the measures taken so far were inadequate and a lot more required to be done.

Bringing back glory

Speaking to mediapersons, the mayor said that the Palike will take up restoration of the historical Kempambudhi Lake on war-footing and strive its best to bring back its lost glory.

Gowda explained that the flooding in the Gali Anjaneya Temple on Mysore Road was due to Kempambudhi lake.

“Since the Kempambudhi lake serves as “holding tank” or “‘balancing tank” to check flooding in the downstream, the failure of the system resulted in the flooding of Gali Anjaneya Temple. We need to restore the lake to address the flooding of the downstream,” Gowda added.

He said once the action plan for the water body is implemented, the lake will draw fresh water and the marine life in it will flourish. The Palike intends to turn the lake into a tourist hub in two-months’ time, where boating facility will be provided. As far as weeds were concerned, the commissioner said they were necessary for the growth of marine life.

Speaking on encroachment, both Venkatesh Murthy and Shankarlinge Gowda said a temple in the vicinity of the lake had allegedly encroached upon five acres of the lake bed. The matter is pending before the court.

Measures will be taken to clear the encroachment. Further, the Palike will take up rejuvenation of all the 55 lakes which come under its jurisdiction, one by one, he said.


source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246575/kempambudhi-lake-get-makeover-tourist.html

Japan offers 3 courses

The government of Japan has introduced three scholarship programmes for Indian students after Class 12.

The courses offered are ‘Specialised Training College Students Program’, ‘College of Technology Students Programme’ and ‘Undergraduate Students Programme’. Those born between April 2, 1991 and April 1, 1996 with the willingness to undergo one-year intensive training of Japanese language and receive specialisation in a Japanese college or university are eligible.

The selection of students will be based on a written exam for which the application form will be available at the Consulate of Japan, Cubbon Road, Bangalore. The exam will not test the Japanese language skill.The form can also be downloaded from the Japanese Embassy website www.in.emb-japan. go.jp. Last date for submission of applications is June 22.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246549/japan-offers-3-courses.html

Kempambudi lake to be a tourist hub: Mayor

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The 36-acre Kempambudi lake, believed to have been commissioned by Kempe Gowda himself, will be developed into a tourist hub, said Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy.

He inspected the lake along with Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda on Wednesday. Area residents told the Mayor the lake, overrun by weeds, is now a repository for sewage and garbage, and the resultant stench is unbearable.

August deadline

Mr. Murthy directed officials to ensure that the lake is rejuvenated and developed by August. Prior to that, they were tasked with clearing it of silt and weeds before the onset of monsoon in June.

“Once the lake gets filled with rain water, the BBMP will introduce boating. The area around it will be beautified and various entertainment facilities will be available,” the Mayor said.

Commissioner Gowda said efforts were afoot to clear the lake of encroachments.

When it was pointed out that a temple was being constructed on an encroached portion, he said around five acres had been encroached upon.

Flooding of temple

To prevent flooding of the drain near the Gali Anjaneya Swamy temple on Mysore Road, he said outflow from the lake would be regulated to prevent flooding. A sewage treatment plant would be installed at the lake.

About the rain preparedness, the Commissioner said with the city receiving heavy rainfall on Tuesday night, control rooms had been directed to be on alert.

Officials had also been asked to remove silt from roadside and secondary drains so that rain water can flow unhindered.

MLC Ashwath Narayan, Basavanagudi MLA L.V. Ravi Subramanya and BBMP councillors P.N. Sadashiva, B.V. Ganesh and T.V. Krishna were present.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3377844.ece

Why did the Bangalorean not cross the road?

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Even the most hardened Bangalorean breaks into a cold sweat trying to cross the road near the Okalipuram underpass on Vatal Nagaraj Road (Link Road). For seven or eight minutes, vehicles thunder past continuously without respite, leaving pedestrians to fend for themselves on the wide road with no help from traffic signals or pelican lights, leave alone a considerate motorist.

Of course, there is a pedestrian subway. But it is dark, and if it has rained, flooded.

The Okalipuram underpass, constructed as a supposed panacea to the mobility problems in the area in 2005, has already become insufficient for the growing vehicular traffic.

Daily jams

Regulars and residents say it is jammed every morning and evening. “It is much more painful and dangerous not to take your vehicle because the roads are just not safe for walking anymore,” said Bharathi Bai, former NAL employee. “Now, the only place where I walk is inside our apartment campus, for health reasons, like swallowing a pill.”

This road, part of the signal-free corridor, is to be further expanded into an 8-lane freeway at a cost of Rs. 115.5 crore. In the 2012 State Budget, Rs. 426 crore was earmarked for building 51.5 km of signal-free corridors in the city.

“Signal-free corridors are one of the most undemocratic manifestations of urban planning,” said Vinay Sreenivasa of Janaravedike, an organisation that conducts awareness campaigns ahead of urban local body elections, urging better people participation. “Walking is not just a fancy culture; it's a basic right for anyone to be able to walk safely.”

Typically, when a road is built or widened, the tender does not include building of sidewalks. “A street is much more than a road, though. It includes sidewalks, a few roadside establishments, and most importantly, people and their lives,” said Sujaya Rathi, a researcher with Centre for Science, Technology and Policy (CStep), a private organisation working on urban and energy issues.

Walking trips survey

It conducted a study on walking trips made by 1,000 households in 36 slums across Bangalore. “There, walking accounted for 70 per cent of the trips made, as opposed to the city average of less than 20 per cent. These people typically lived near their workplace and took a 30-minute walk to work every day,” Ms. Rathi said. “They don't have a choice.”

“Bangalore was, in fact, built for walking. The roads are not very driving-friendly in design. But today, a rapidly growing fleet of private vehicles has just appropriated that space for itself,” observed Leo Saldanha of the Environment Support Group.

The percentage of people who walk in the city has fallen from 44 in 1980 to 8.3 in 2007, the year in which the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI) had made a study. However, “It is a fallacy that big cities cannot have the space or culture for walking,” pointed out Sudhir Gota, a researcher with the CAI.

According to its walkability surveys, Bangalore falls under the ‘walk at your own risk' category with 45 points out of 100, in contrast to Hong Kong, which falls under the ‘pleasure to walk' category with 70 points. At Okalipuram, residents eagerly await the metro to solve their traffic problems. “Once we have such a modern transportation system, our area would become better to live in,” believes Hari Krishnan, a retired bank employee.

Crucial facility

“We plan for park-and-ride in the metro rail. But one can build sidewalks for 350 km at the cost of building a 5-km metro” Mr. Gota said. “It is important that we build walking facilities at least for a 1-km radius around metro stations so that people can walk and ride.” Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) is building sidewalks for 150 m on either side of each station to encourage commuters to use a combination of metro and walking for their trips.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3377845.ece

Man gets 365 days in jail for taking Rs 250 bribe

BANGALORE: The law has the last laugh, as it proved in Papanna's case. After 12 long years, Papanna, a junior health inspector with Arkalgud Town Municipality, has to undergo a year's imprisonment for accepting a bribe of Rs 250 to inspect and issue a work order for water connection to a house. He will also have to pay a fine of Rs 7,000, failure to pay which could mean more days in jail.

The high court upheld the criminal appeal filed by Lokayukta police, challenging the February 29, 2008, verdict of special judge (Lokayukta cases), Hassan, in acquitting Papanna. Justice V Jagannathan convicted Papanna for offences under Section 7 and Section 13 (1)(d) read with 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Under Section 7, he was sentenced to six months simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2,000 was imposed on him. In case he fails to pay the fine, he has to undergo an additional 15 days' simple imprisonment. Under Section 13 (1)(d) read with 13 (2), the court imposed one year simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. Failure to pay the fine can result in an additional 30 days in prison. Both these sentences would run concurrently, meaning that Papanna would have to spend at least one year in jail.

"The finding of the court is totally perverse in nature, the trial court totally disregarded the convincing evidence of the complainant, resulting in unjustified acquittal," the judge observed in his verdict. "A chemical test (phenolphthalein) itself becomes secondary because the accused himself has accepted receipt of the bribe amount from the complainant."

THE CASE

AN Shivanna had complained to Lokayukta police on March 1, 2000, after Papanna insisted on payment of Rs 250 as bribe for a spot visit to issue a work order for water connection to a house built by his mother, Thimmamma, in Kote Janatha colony.

Lokayukta police laid a trap and with the assistance of a shadow witness, were able to nab Papanna while he accepted the bribe on March 6, 2000, at the office gate. A case was registered and he was prosecuted.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Man-gets-365-days-in-jail-for-taking-Rs-250-bribe/articleshow/12987886.cms

Special services for Bus Day today

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is introducing Volvo air-conditioned vehicle in ‘G’ route on the occasion of Bus Day on Friday.

Route no G-3 from Brigade Road to Electronics City Wipro Gate would run for 30 schedules with 280 one-way trips. In addition to this, BMTC has planned to operate Volvo AC services from Shivajinagar bus station to Electronics City Wipro Gate on Route No AC-3 for six schedules with 36 trips with a frequency of every 20 minutes after every fourth ordinary vehicle. The Corporation is also operating Route No G-4 from Brigade Road to Bannerghatta National Park with 14 schedules of 152 one-way trips.

In addition, there will be Volvo AC services from Shivajinagar Bus Station to Bannerghatta National Park on Route No AC-4 with 36 trips with a frequency of every 30 minutes. From Saturday, ordinary vehicles will take over the services.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246814/special-services-bus-day-today.html

Hi-tech solution to check diversion of food grains

State plans to introduce biometric system at fair price shops

The Food and Civil Supplies Department has decided to install biometric machines at all Fair Price Shops (FPSs) to prevent misuse of food grains supplied under the public distribution system (PDS), Food and Civil Supplies Minister Shobha Karandlaje said on Thursday.

Thumb impressions of ration card holders, both below and above poverty lines, will be recorded in the machine. Card holders will have to register themselves on the machine while obtaining monthly ration at FPSs, the minister told reporters.

The biometric machines have been designed in such a way that they will have a record of the number of ration card holders, opening and closing stock for each day, total quantity of food grains received from the department’s godown at the beginning of the month and the total quantity sold to card holders at the end of the month. All these machines will be connected to the central server located in Bangalore, which will be monitored by the department directly, she explained.

The system will be introduced in phased manner across the State. To begin with, the machines will be installed in 1,000 FPSs in the State in two months’ time. Furnishing thumb impression details is a must for those seeking new ration cards.

Those who already have ration cards will be requested to furnish the details soon. The system is aimed at putting an end to the misuse of food grains by using bogus cards.

There are about 20,000 FPSs in the State.

Streamling transport

Similarly, Shobha said, the department has decided to streamline the system of transporting food grains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns to FPSs. The entire system is being computerised so that transportation can be closely monitored. The system is expected to prevent diversion of food grains.

Subsidised food grains

The department has found that large quantity of subsidised food grains under the PDS is being diverted to black market using loopholes in the existing system. As a result, the government has been incurring heavy losses.

The government spent an estimated Rs 950 crore towards food subsidy in 2011-12 fiscal.

Shobha further said the State had 1.62 crore ration cards against the total 1.10 crore families. The department has so far cancelled 32 lakh bogus ration cards. Now an additional 29 lakh applications have been received seeking new ration cards.

This, in other words, means that there are still a large number of bogus ration cards in the State, she pointed out.

However, the department has initiated the process of issuing new ration cards by conducting a thorough verification. All applications received online for new ration cards will be cleared in three months’ time, she said.

No load shedding

Shobha Karandlaje, who is also the Minister for Energy, said the department will not resort to load shedding in the month of May as the department has sufficient power to meet the demand.

Scattered rainfall that the State received in the last few days has eased the power supply problem. The demand for power came down to about 130 million units (MU) on Wednesday, while the supply was 132 MU. The demand for power had touched a record 170 MU few days ago, she said.

“The State can generate up to 50 MU of hydel power per day for a duration of 30 days with the water available at various hydel reservoirs presently. But we are generating only 12 MU per day. Hence, there will not be any problem in the coming days,” she said.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246807/hi-tech-solution-check-diversion.html

Rules on use of tinted glass in cars soon

Rules related to use of tinted glass in vehicles in City and State will be fine-tuned at a meeting of Transport and other department officials to be convened shortly, according to Transport Minister R Ashoka.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Transport Minister R Ashoka welcomed the Delhi Government’s move on implementing the tinted glass rule from Friday.

Ashoka said soon after the elections to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike standing committee are over, he would initiate the process to form the rules. He further said that the State government had been cautious enough to implement traffic safety rules such as making seat belt compulsory.

Likewise, the tinted glass rule will be implemented on priority soon, he added. M A Salim, Additional Commissioner, Traffic, Bangalore City, also welcomed the Delhi government’s rule.
“However, we are yet to implement the rule in Bangalore. We are awaiting the notification from the Transport department, without which we cannot implement it.

“The State government has to take the initiative and frame the rules as to the percentage of visibility required, penalty and other modalities. Only then we can implement it,” he added.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246804/rules-use-tinted-glass-cars.html

Birth centenary of Prof GV

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BANGALORE: Lexicographer Prof G Venkatasubbaiah (fondly called GV) is completing 100 years on August 23. Sri Jayarama Sevamandali and Nadoja Prof G Venkatasubbaiah Janmashatabdi Swagata Samithi have planned to organise a three-day centenary celebration from August 25.
G Venkatesh, President of the Mandali, said, “Many books are being released to mark the occasion, including ‘GV Nooru Karnataka Nooru’, ‘Ramayana Antaranga’ and also a journal.”.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/birth-centenary-of-prof-gv/388304.html

Prince Andrew to visit Karnataka from Friday

BANGALORE: The Duke of York Prince Andrew, in his scheduled two-day state visit to Karnataka from Friday, would visit the defence major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and also IT bellwether Infosys. According to official sources, the Duke of York would arrive on Friday night and call on Governor H R Bhardwaj on Saturday morning. He will leave for London the same day, the sources added.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/prince-andrew-to-visit-karnataka-from-friday/388347.html

Online applicants to get ration cards in five months

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday said that 29 lakh new online ration card applicants under both ‘above poverty line (APL)' and ‘below poverty line (BPL)' categories will get their cards in about five months.

Speaking to mediapersons, she said the thumb impression of the families were being collected and their information verified before the commencement of issue of new cards.

She said that a new computer, to ensure proper entitlement of foodgrains to a card holder, will be installed at 1,000 fair price shops (FPSs) in five months and later to the remaining 23,000 fair price shops across the State. The machine will announce the quantum of foodgrains weighed before being delivered to the card holder. The amount will also be displayed on the computer. All such information will be simultaneously passed on to the Food Department.

There are 1.25 crore families in the State as per the 2011 Census, but only 1.68 card holding families are on record. If the 29 lakh new online applicants are taken into consideration, the total beneficiaries would add up to around 1.97 crore families.

Ms. Karandlaje said that as per the new Census records, nearly 70 lakh cards are unauthorised. There are also fake BPL and APL cards in circulation.

She said that entire country was looking at Karnataka's reforms and Odisha Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Niranjan Pujari had visited the State to study it. The West Bengal government had written a letter seeking information on the issue.

FOODGRAINS TRANSPORTATION

Continuing her drive, she said that transportation of foodgrains from Food Corporation of India to the State government godowns and from there to the FPSs had been cancelled and had been entrusted to societies such as Stree Shaktri groups.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3381215.ece

some time back their was a debate on getting a Ration card, an identity for applying for Gas connection... May above article help those, in not wasting their time from Pillar to Post.

Three-day music fest begins tomorrow

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Celebrating music in its original form — this was the principal philosophy with which the Carnatic sabha, Aradhana Cultural Forum, was set up in 1997 by violinist T.S. Krishna Murthy, mridangam artiste T.S. Chandrashekar, Sanskrit professor Tirudas, musician C.V. Chandrashekar and vocalist H.N. Meera.

“The five of us wanted to revive temple cutcheris of the yore for today's children, and also to identify and encourage unsung heroes. We showcased the times when electric bulbs or microphones were not used, when oil lamps and full-throated singing made up the ambience,” said Mr. Krishna Murthy who is steering the forum's 15th annual celebrations this year with a three-day music festival from May 4 to 6.

VENUE

The music festival will be held at the Varapradha Lakshmivenkataramana Swamy temple, 1st Main, S.V.K. Layout, Basaveshwaranagar.

The forum successfully followed this traditional practice for the first five years. “We had to address practical problems of musicians who wanted to use electronic tambura or refer to the lyrics,” Mr. Krishna Murthy said.

“For the last few years we have been using lights and microphones, but have retained the temple ambience.”

“Vocalists today work on their voice to suite the microphone. We cannot overlook such present-day needs,” he said.

The forum encourages young talent, organises lec-dems and releases CDs regularly, and presents Kalaradhanashree awards apart from organising annual music festivals.

INAUGURATION

At the 15th annual celebrations will begin with a concert by renowned violinist T.T. Srinivasan at 6.30 p.m. He will be honoured with the Kalaradhanashree award.

Son of virtuoso T.S. Tatachar, vidwan Srinivasan, who has been on the stage from the age of 15, rose to become an ‘A' Grade AIR artiste. He has accompanied stalwarts such as D.K. Pattammal, M. Balamuralikrishna, M.L. Vasanthakumari, Maharajapuram Santhanam, R.K. Srikantan, D.K. Jayaraman and N. Ramani. Vidwan Srinivasan is a retired professor and head of the Department of Physics at MES College, Bangalore.

'DAKSHINOTTARAM'

Shyamala Bhave will present ‘Dakshinottaram', where the vocalist will present Hindustani and Carnatic numbers by choosing a common scale, at 6.30 p.m. on May 5.

On May 6 at 9.30 a.m., there will be Pancharatna Goshti Gayana led by T.S. Satyavathi.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3377703.ece

MBAs, how about opting for rural entrepreneurship?

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If the marketing is right, these eco-friendly toys can find themselves even on supermarket shelves.

Management students usually look at careers in marketing, investment banking and so on. To encourage MBA students to take entrepreneurship to the hinterlands of the State, the R.V. Institute of Management here will hold Prerana Sindhu 2012, a rural entrepreneurship competition, on May 4.

Jyotirmoy Ghosh, assistant professor in the college, told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the competition would see over 150 students and rural entrepreneurs collaborating to design unique business models that would help agricultural and rural industries.

“For example, those who make toys in Channapatna currently cannot sustain themselves because their products are not marketed properly. If these entrepreneurs can find the right channels, then we may be able to market the toys even in supermarkets,” he said.

They will guide

To guide these students and ensure that the projects do not stagnate in the blueprints stage, rural entrepreneurs will be roped in to guide the contestants. Organic farmer Anjanappa from Hoskote, Sampangi Ramayya who used innovation to boost the yield of his carrot farm in Anekal, and sericulture farmer Nanjunda Reddy from Dommasandra are some of those who will inculcate their rural entrepreneurship skills in the students.

Prerana Sindhu 2012 will also feature a workshop on May 4 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the college campus in Jayanagar 4th T Block.

The organisers added that the performance of folk dances and plays would provide a glimpse of rural culture to the participants.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3377700.ece

Fill only 75 p.c. seats, schools told

Even as managements of unaided schools want the implementation of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) put off by a year, the Department of Public Instruction has issued a circular asking them to notify only 75 per cent seats for admissions to standard 1 for the current academic year. As per the RTE, 25 per cent seats have to be reserved for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In the circular dated May 1, the department stated that all unaided schools should declare only 75 per cent seats for admissions to standard 1 in lower primary schools, as well as for pre-primary classes. The circular said that the State Government would issue orders soon on how to fill the remaining 25 per cent seats.

After the rules for the implementation of the RTE were notified by the State government last week, private and unaided schools have objected to several of them, including its implementation from the current academic year. The Karnataka Unaided School Managements Association had declared that it would file a review petition on the recent Supreme Court verdict on the RTE. The association had written to the Chief Secretary appealing for the postponement of RTE implementation till the next academic year.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3377568.ece

From charka to mobile hardware

A multidisciplinary training centre intends to develop rural industry through traditional craftsmanship

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It is fashionable to blame it on the government when things do not go right in society and disregard any government initiative as ineffective. The multidisciplinary training centre (MTDC) set up by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission at Dooravaninagar, existing well below the radar, disproves this notion.

Its work seems to do justice to the picture of Gandhi weaving khadi on his charka that is hung at its entrance.

The centre, for the past six decades, has been providing short-term training at a minimal cost, on a wide range of arts and crafts.

Its courses, running between two to six months, include tailoring and embroidery, beautician training, mobile hardware making and repair, bakery, candle making, agarbatti making, detergent powder making, pottery, paper conversion and leather works.

The fee for these courses range between Rs. 300 and Rs. 1,400, but the courses are free for women, minorities, scheduled castes and tribes and backward communities.

New opportunities

“I can't stand on my feet because of my illness, but through my work I can definitely stand tall,” Mujahid Pasha, a physically challenged student of mobile hardware, said. “This is not just an opportunity for me, but the foundation for my future.”

Renuka P. was in the homemaker's crisis of her work not getting the needed recognition when she stumbled upon the beautician course here. She thinks she would get more satisfaction out of setting that up as her business now.

The commission claims to have helped over 12,000 people get employed.

The centre is located over an area of 18 acres, in what used to be a prison under the British rule. Abandoned and half demolished prison cells still exist along side the classrooms.

Each course runs in a different block, giving the university experience.

Social transformation

“This is intended to develop rural industry through traditional craftsmanship,” said M. Chinnathambi, a lecturer at the MTDC.

“We attempt to make a social transformation by bringing together members of all castes and tribes, and making no distinction in what craft is taught to whom,” Mr. Chinnathambi explained.

The centre also helps you set up your own business once you finish your course.

Earn while you learn

Some of the programmes are also ‘stipendry', meaning the students get paid a stipend — Rs. 500 for non-residential students and Rs. 1,500 for residential ones — to sustain themselves during their training.

Residential students are provided lodging free of cost, either way.

“This way, we can keep people interested in learning a skilled job rather than have to take up unskilled jobs for the sake of wages and short-term survival,” explains Kempa Raju, another lecturer.

According to Zubeda Begum, a teacher and part-time student of hardware, women students feel quite safe on campus.

“We older people socialise with the youngsters and this merging of different ages helps us both,” she said.

Khadi and Village Industries' commission's multi-disciplinary training centre is located at Doorvaninagar, Bangalore 560016. Ph: 080-5650285

source:http://www.thehindu.com/arts/crafts/article3377044.ece

Facing five degrees of separation from water

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01071/03BG-NHTB-WATER1_1071205f.jpg

Tidy and parched: Private tankers source water from deep borewells at many places in Benniganahalli to meet residents’ needs

When water is drawn from the Cauvery in the south, it has to go through five pumping stages to reach east Bangalore

Benniganahalli is a tidily laid out locality. It has pretty little houses with space for their own gardens, neatly arranged roadways that do not go around in a maze of one way streets, schools, supermarkets and boutique stores.

What it doesn't have is water.

With the Cauvery Water Supply Scheme stage IV phase II yet to reach this recently developed area at the far end of Bangalore east, residents depend on water tankers from private operators.

From ground to home

A whole host of such private enterprises — Kalyan, Sabari, E.M.S., Lavanya and Harshitha water supply companies — exist in this area.

“We fill each house once in three or four days,” says the driver of a tanker, who did not want to be named.

He points his finger down the road when asked from where the water is sourced.

After many such fingers pointing down the same road, which tapers to a cluster of houses on a mud road, one comes upon a small clearing, where a bevy of tankers quietly fill up water from a borewell.

“There are many such sourcing points in this area, where we have spent money to sink deep borewells, ensuring regular water supply to residents,” says Gopal, who has been running Harshitha water company for the past three years.

“This part of Bangalore has been using tanker water for the past 20 years,” he informs. “Residents cannot be sure [at what depth] they will hit water if they spend on a borewell themselves.”

Every day, a tanker makes around 15 load deliveries of 4,000 litres each.

Lack of guidelines

“We are yet to decide on guidelines and restrictions on pumping of groundwater for supply by private enterprises, to fill the supply gap,” says T. Venkataraju, chief engineer at Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

“As of now, we haven't given licenses to any private supplier.”

BWSSB supplies water in tankers only in areas where there is absolutely no access to water, which are mostly slums.

Building on lakes

“This area used to be agricultural land till the 80s,” says Arul Mani, a professor living at OMBR Layout nearby.

He remembers that when he first moved to his current residence in the 90s, almost all of what was to become HRBR layout was a lake.

“Those who used to own agricultural lands have sunk borewells in their lands and are supplying water now,” he explains.

According to BWSSB spokesperson Sarala Lakshmi, east Bangalore and the newly developed localities there are the most difficult to supply water to.

Pumping trouble

“When water is drawn from the Cauvery in the south, it has to go through five pumping stages before it reaches the eastern parts of the city,” she explains.

South Bangalore is only three stages away with a pumping station in Thatguni, while the north is getting a pumping station in Yelahanka to make the route shorter for the water.

“Also, the growth rate in east Bangalore has been much more and rapid than in other areas,” she says. “So consumption is higher than expected and growing faster than supply.”

‘Can't be the only source'

“Cauvery is not the only source of water we have that we need to pump it all the way from two districts away,” argues R. Prabhakar, convener of People's Campaign Against Water Privatisation.

“Lakes, that remain ornamental in Bangalore, need to be cleared of silt and used for groundwater recharge,” he says.

“That way, each locality will be self-sufficient with respect to water and that's a responsibility the government needs to take. What it does now will lead to commoditisation of a basic natural resource,” he warns.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3377089.ece

Fiery flavours steal the show

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01071/03BG-NHTB-RAJASTHA_1071201f.jpg

Vegetarian Indulgence: Gulps of water from shiny copper glasses are required to counter the tasty, yet spicy food at Rajasthan ki Rasoi

Two special spices set the cuisine at Rajasthan ki Rasoi apart

My most recent food adventure at Rajasthan ki Rasoi, Kasturinagar taught me this: Rajasthani food is just as hot as the State itself.

While the restaurant was started with the idea of providing pure vegetarian indulgence, it is their fiery flavours that make a mark.

Ker and sangri

Indeed, while any Indian meal is known for the abundant use of spice, there are two spices that set Rajasthani cuisine apart. “Two special ingredients — ker (a bean) and sangri (a fruit) — are dried in the sun before using them as flavouring agents,” says owner of the restaurant Durga Choudhary.

“They are lesser known to the south Indian crowd and are brought directly from Rajasthan into our kitchen.”

“We do not use any kind of sweeteners in our dishes, only spices,” she adds.

A bridal fashion designer by profession, Durga wanted to try her hand at something different and started the eatery three years ago. Now she manages the restaurant as well as a boutique.

Standard menu

Not a single recipe has been changed since the restaurant's launch. “We didn't find it necessary to make changes as all [the dishes] seemed to be well received,” says Durga.

The Jaipuri pulao here was an abundance of beans and carrots along with delicious, chewy pieces of mushroom to boot. Two relatively small, light and fluffy phulkas were served with paneer butter masala, bhutta palak methi and dal fry.

Hot gravies

Of the three gravies, the paneer butter masala was the tastiest, owing to the conspicuous masala. We found ourselves reaching for the shiny copper glasses of water to douse the fire in our throats.

The plain dal fry somehow paled in comparison to it while the bhutta palak methi did not disappoint.

The meal until here had been surprisingly filling. But this did not deter us from enjoying the roomali roti too.

The summer heat coupled with the piquant lunch called for a cool sip of jal jeera to end the meal.

Located at 2M-445, 2nd Main, near Café Coffee Day, Kasturinagar.

Call 9448288117 for details or free home deliveries within 2 km.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3377079.ece

Aamir Khan's 'Satyamev Jayate' banned in Karnataka

SRC : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/Aamir-Khans-Satyamev-Jayate-banned-in-Karnataka/articleshow/12994133.cms

What morons, TOI put a bait and there are so many taking it

:rofl:


TOIlet paper did not mention that the ban is on the dubbing in kannada and not the hindi version :bash:

What morons, TOI put a bait and there are so many taking it

:rofl:


TOIlet paper did not mention that the ban is on the dubbing in kannada and not the hindi version :bash:

haha they are using the word JUNTA instead of people :lol:

Fiery flavours steal the show

http://www.thehindu.com/multimedia/dynamic/01071/03BG-NHTB-RAJASTHA_1071201f.jpg

Vegetarian Indulgence: Gulps of water from shiny copper glasses are required to counter the tasty, yet spicy food at Rajasthan ki Rasoi

Two special spices set the cuisine at Rajasthan ki Rasoi apart



source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3377079.ece

where is this kasturinagar?North east west south?

My fav when it comes to south indian food - Karnataka(south and north) + Maharashtrian fast food+ Tamil nadu chennai dishes...

Otherwise - Gujarati food and rajasthani anytime

its in North West - West [near Byapanahalli]

Karnataka bullet train plan put on fast track (http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_karnataka-bullet-train-plan-put-on-fast-track_1684722)


Close on the heels of the proposed bullet train between Thiruvananthapuram and Mangalore by the Southern Railway, chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda has assured that the state’s first inter-city bullet train will run between Mysore and Bangalore.

The proposal will be ready in less than three months and sent to the Union urban development ministry, he added.
Briefing presspersons on Friday at the helipad on his arrival at the city, Gowda said “I have met union urban development minister Kamal Nath, who was enthusiastic about the plan and wanted the proposal be sent to him in three months.

The technical details were being already worked out and the Mysore-Bangalore railway corridor was stable to take high speed railway traffic. The bullet train will lessen the travel time between the two cities by more than half,” he said.

“The train will improve not just the commutation speed, but boost tourism and urban development. However, many things have to be worked out, like the technical feasibility, funding, availability of land and other aspects. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has been asked to prepare a feasibility report,” he said.

Gowda also said that “efforts were on to make Mysore the best tier II city in the state. Road connectivity to the city from Bangalore, Hassan and Mangalore was also being improved into four-lane highways. This will boost the chances of industrial and commercial interests of the city. I have already campaigned for the industrial growth of the state in Delhi and Mumbai, inviting entrepreneurs there to set up units in Mysore.”

The chief minister asserted that, contrary to what some say, the city was not short of power, water and land for industrial development. “In times to come we will show to the world that Karnataka is the best industrial investment destination in the country,” Gowda said.

2030

CM doles out goodies for Mysore district (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/247030/cm-doles-goodies-mysore-district.html)

Mysore, May 4 2012, DHNS:
DVS at MyZIM: High speed bullet train between Mysore & Chennai may be reality soon
During his visit to the heritage city, where he flagged off a slew of developmental works and announced important projects for the economic progress of the district, chief minister Sadananda Gowda inaugurated the Mysore Zonal Investors Meet (MyZIM), held at Senate Bhavan of the University of Mysore on Friday.

Addressing the participants at MyZIM here, CM Sadananda Gowda said the high-speed bullet train service proposed between Chennai and Bangalore will be extended up to Mysore.

“With this, the journey between Mysore and Bangalore will be a matter of minutes, and not hours as it stands now. This is being done to improve connectivity between the two cities and add pace to the industrial growth in the region,” he said.

He also hinted that the work for the project could well begin in December, this year.
:lol:
Promising that the work will be done at a fast pace, to aid the project take off faster, and not be caught in the bureaucratic hurdles, Sadananda Gowda said the preliminary work relating to the project will be finalised in three months.

“Having decided on the design during these three months, the state government will formally submit a project report to the Centre, vouching its full support to the bullet train project. And, since we have already got feelers from the Central government that they are also in favour of this, work will be taken up on war footing,” said Gowda.

Revealing that the issue has been discussed with Union minister for urban development Kamal Nath, who has responded in a positive manner to the concept, a report would be tabled at the Centre,” he said.

Plans for tier II cities

Further, elaborating on the plans that the state government was drawing up to add momentum to economic progress of tier II cities, showcasing potential areas of growth, CM said a draft plan for Mysore was already prepared and this would be shared at Global Investors Meet.

“Bangalore, the capital city of the state, is bursting at the seams with development, since many businesses continue to thrive there. It is now time that we shared the progress with other parts of state as well, especially to Tier II cities, than holding everything up in capital alone,” he added.

With plans of economic progress on the radar, Gowda said infrastructure in all parts of the state would receive a boost with improved infrastructure as well. “As far as infrastructure is concerned, port connectivity between Mysore to Mangalore, a four-lane highway connecting Mysore and Nanjangud, facelift to Hassan-Mangalore highway are at various stages of completion. This apart, a 40 km underground tunnel has been proposed along the Hassan-Mangalore route to tackle the problem that crops up with frequent landslides in ghat sections around Sakleshpur,” he added.

Stating that Mysore division contributed nearly 12 per cent of the state GDP, the government has set a target to take it to 20 per cent through industrial development, which is imperative now, he also extended invitation to investors and entrepreneurs to participate in the Global Investors Meet (GIM) scheduled to be held in Bangalore on June 7 and 8.

Minister for large and medium scale industries Murugesh Nirani and other elected representatives were also present.

Skyrocketing land prices

On this occasion, representing the industrial sector, J R Bangera, president, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) spoke and mentioned about the land price in the state which was skyrocketing. “This is impeding new investors. It would be a good idea for the government to consider a proposal seeking land allotment on rent or a lease basis for 33 years to encourage growth,” he said.

President of the Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Sudhakar Shetty sought abolition of entry tax for tourist vehicles entering city from other states, so as to encourage tourism sector and hoped the government would work on establishing industrial township authority tier II cities, including Mysore.

The Meet was organised by the FKCCI, MCCI and the department of industries and commerce. About 400 entrepreneurs and potential investors participated. The organisers said MoUs committing an investment to the tune of Rs.10,500 crore had been signed, to generate over 51,000 jobs in the district and surrounding districts.

Film city in district

Announcing that a film city would soon come up in the city, which carries great tourism potential, chief minister Sadananda Gowda said Mysore district and surrounding areas were big on manufacturing and agro-based industries.

This apart, an international-standard convention centre would soon come up on 35.2 acres of land on Mysore-T Narsipur road.

The city’s potential also provided for planning an Ayurveda City, creating an image of district being destination for health tourism. A pharmaceutical park would also be in the offing, he said.

^^ yes the high speed route will be chennai-bangalore-mysore-coimbatore-kochin.. 2030 is good guess :)

Global coffee shops want a toehold in Metro stations

BANGALORE: Everybody wants a pie in the Brand Namma Metro. Global coffee shop brands are now bidding for licences to run cafeteria at the MG Road and Byappanahalli Metro stations.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation floated a tender a month ago to run coffee shops at the two stations on Reach 1 to impart a world class feel-good touch to the terminuses. BMRC sources said that besides international coffee brands, government tourism entities too have come forward to book space.

The proposal is to have two terminuses each at the two stations. The cafeteria at the Kumble Circle end of the MG Road station platform will be spread over 47.19 sq metres, while the one on the other end will be spread over 44.33 sq metres. The Byappanahalli station will have cafeteria at the NGEF Layout end (57.59 sq mts) and the Old Madras Road end (71.20 sq m).

The licence fee suggested was on the higher side: Rs 1 lakh or 20% of the gross revenue (excluding taxes) whichever is high for MG Road station cafeteria and Rs 80,000 or 20% gross revenue (excluding taxes) whichever is higher for Byappanahalli cafeteria.

"The response to our tender proposal has been phenomenal. Some of the most popular international coffee brands and retail chain hotels have bid. Nobody even questioned why the licence fee was high. Obviously, the bidders know that the Metro stations are prime locations both in terms of revenue and eyeball gathering. We have extended the time for pre-bid queries so that it gives us some more time to firm up the power requirements with the Bescom," said UA Vasanth Rao, general manager finance, BMRC.

The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) is also among the bidders. "The revenue sharing model will be a win-win situation for licencees. This is a normal business model," Rao added.

The Bidders

Cafe Coffee Day, Costa Coffee, Barista, Au Bon Pain, City Max Hotels, Travel Food Service, Gloria Jean, Cafe Pascuand Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) are the top brands vying for cafeteria spaces at MG Road and Byappanahalli stations.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Global-coffee-shops-want-a-toehold-in-Metro-stations/articleshow/13002495.cms

Government to regulate underground water

BANGALORE: Drought, receding groundwater levels and water crisis have forced the government to come out with measures to conserve and regulate extraction of underground water.

More than a year after the Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Bill 2011 was passed, the state is finally implementing it. "The Karnataka Ground Water Authority (KGWA) will meet on Saturday to frame guidelines on regulating tapping of underground water and making it effective,'' said S Suresh Kumar, law and parliamentary affairs minister.

KGWA, headed by the water resources department secretary, has been set up to control exploitation of groundwater. especially in the notified areas like City Corporation, municipality limits or drought hit areas

This will give priority to protection of drinking water sources.

The new rule will make it mandatory for anyone to take permission before drilling a borewell and for those in the borewell-digging business to register their machinery with the authority within six months.

Any person or drilling agency, which obstructs the authority, shall be fined Rs 5,000, imprisoned for six months or both. The new rule will empower local authorities to grant permission before borewells are dug up in notified areas. Bangalore qualifies for being notified as well.

A recent report on groundwater exploitation has described Bangalore as an overexploited city.

But there are other areas in Malnad that need to be notified for imposing restrictions on digging of bore wells beyond a depth of 200 metres.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Government-to-regulate-underground-water/articleshow/13002396.cms

The Mentalist (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/member.php?u=608491) is banned!!!

What for??

PS: Just asking

Now, Sakaala to keep track of RTI applications

Service restricted to information sought from 11 select depts

http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2012/05/04/246928_thump.gif

From June, applicants seeking information under the RTI will be able to track the status of their application and also find out if it will be disposed within the stipulated time through Sakaala.

This will however be restricted to information sought from the 11 departments that come under the purview of Sakaala.

Also, RTI applications cannot be submitted at Sakaala centres. Applicants will have to continue submitting their applications only through the designated information officers in the departments concerned.

Urban Development Minister Suresh Kumar on Friday announced that status of the RTI applications can also be tracked online, as this service is now being integrated with the Sakaala.

Kumar said the idea was to mitigate the problems faced under the RTI Act, where applicants are made to wait endlessly in some cases.

The 11 departments, which are presently offering 151 services, will hereon be asked to compulsorily enter the status of each RTI application into the Sakaala portal, so that a citizen can apply under Sakaala and trace the status of the application.

Centralised monitoring will also ensure that defaults are minimised and keep a tab on all the statistics pertaining to the RTI applications.

Addressing the media in Bangalore, Kumar, who released the first report card on the individual performance of 11 departments under Sakaala across the State, said that 98.59 per cent in-time delivery had been achieved in the month of April.

The Act came into force on April 2 and as on May 4, more than 8.5 lakh applications were received and more than 6.10 lakh were disposed, he said.

The performance of the districts and the departments was evaluated using four parameters: default (disposal beyond prescribed time-limit) as percentage of total disposals; disposals as percentage of receipts; per capita receipts (measured in terms of receipts per one lakh population); and per capita disposals (measured in terms of disposals per one lakh population).

So far no official has been penalised for delay in disposal of service.

Shalini Rajneesh, Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, said the delays were due to systemic problems, and not due to the laxity of officials. “We receive several applications complaining about dried-up borewells. Though the department concerned would have repaired the borewell, nothing really can be done about the depleted groundwater level. Similarly, even though streetlights have been fixed, due to lack of co-ordination between departments, supply of electricity gets affected,” she explained.

Rajneesh also pointed out that there was a delay in issue of discharge certificates from the Health and Family Welfare department, due to severe shortage in doctors and other staff in government hospitals.

These issues were being addressed, and an order will be issued shortly to make stopgap arrangements, she assured.

Future programmes

On May 6, Sakaala mission representatives will interact with India Against Corruption to understand and spread the intentions and preamble of the mission; on May 8, BBMP and Residents’ Welfare Associations meet with Sakaala Mission; interactions will be held with National Institute of Advanced Studies in mid-May for a study on intellectual aspects of the law; and on June 11, a seminar will be organised with IIM-B at Jakkur, where all deputy commissioners and department heads will participate.

Where they stand

* Best performing districts: Chitradurga, Uttara Kannada, Davangere

* Worst performing districts: Gulbarga, Chikmagalur, Bangalore Rural

* Highest service sought under a department: Revenue, Commercial Taxes, Transport

* Least services sought under a department: Education, Food & Civil Supplies, Health & Family Welfare

* Highest receipts (per one lakh population): Mandya, Hassan, Davangere

* Least receipts (per one lakh population): Bijapur, Yadgir, Bidar

* Highest default: Gulbarga, Kodagu, Kolar

* Least default: Uttar Kannada, Chikkaballapur, Dakshina Kannada

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/246928/now-sakaala-keep-track-rti.html

On top: 27 make the cut

The list of privileged is out and the state has recorded the highest number of 27 rank holders in many years in the prestigious civil service examinations 2011, the results for which were announced on Friday.

This is higher than the average 17-18 UPSC rank holders emerging from the state every year. More number of men than women from the state cracked the UPSC exam.

At the national level, women continued to reign, claiming the two top positions in the exams. Shena Aggarwal, who holds a MBBS from AIIMS, topped the examination, while Rukmani Riar, an MA in social entrepreneurship from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, secured second place.

The third position was bagged by Prince Dhawan, an M.Tech from IIT Delhi.

Of those who have made the cut from Karnataka, Satish G., an inspector with the state excise department, stands out for his never-say-die attitude.

Appearing on his seventh and last attempt, Mr Satish cleared the exam and secured the 768 rank.

Gitanjali Brandon, who has secured the overall national sixth rank, has a city connection. Ms Brandon is an alumna of the prestigious National Law School of India University in the city.

She has decided to take up Indian Foreign Service. Sociology and law were her optional subjects.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/top-27-make-cut-653

No road block for Jakkur school

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The uncertainty about whether the Government Flying Training School (GFTS), Jakkur, will continue to operate or not ended on Friday with the state government giving an assurance that GFTS will neither shut down nor shift out of the city.

The construction of the elevated highway of 60 metres in front of the aerodrome had threatened the existence of the air field as it prevented flights from landing safely.

The government will now construct an additional runway of 2,000 feet and also revive the first flying club of the country (founded in 1948).

The decision to extend the runway from 3,000 ft to 5,000 ft was taken at a meeting called by the government with the stake holders of GFTS.

Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath and principal secretaries of concerned government departments presided.

Besides the runway expansion, the government also said that no tall structures like advertisement boards and electric poles will be erected in the flight path of the Jakkur airfield.

“The government has taken a decision to help revive the flying school in Jakkur which is already operational.

Since the construction of the elevated highway was affecting the flying we have decided to extend the runway.

The area required for the additional runway will be acquired by the Revenue Department and the runway construction will be taken up by the Public Works Department and the National Highway Authority of India,” a senior government official told Deccan Chronicle.

Aviation enthusiasts and members of GFTS have been trying to convince the government for the past 12 years not to shut down or shift the Jakkur airfield because of the road and the high speed rail link.

Air Commodore (retd) M K Chandrashekar said that more than the economical viability of Jakkur airfield, it is important to revive it for the youth of Bengaluru. “The Jakkur is a heritage structure. We are happy that the government has agreed to extend the runway.

The subsidised flying here will help aviation enthusiasts to take up a career in aviation,” said Mr Chandrashekar.

HSRL poses next hurdle for club?

The elevated highway was one problem for the Government Flying Training School (GFTS), Jakkur. But another is the High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) along the NH7 which may eat into the GFTS runway.

The HSRL is currently planned to come up at an elevation of 50 to 60 meters, same as the elevated road being built by the NHAI.

An elevated structure close to the runway comes in the flight path and leaves an aircraft less space to make the descent.

This increases the glideslope (or angle of descent with respect to the horizontal plane at which the aircraft hits the ground).

At airfields where there are obstacles on the approach path to the runway, a steeper glideslope angle - above three degrees, which is considered standard - is necessary for a safe landing. “A glideslope steeper than three degrees is not safe for trainee pilots.

To maintain three degree glideslope, the touchdown point on the runway has to move further away,” said Wing Commander Julian D’Souza.

“If the height of the HSRL structure is not reduced, GFTS may need more land on the other side to move touchdown point,” he said. However, N Sivasailam, MD, BMRCL, refuted the claim that the HSRL will affect operations at GFTS.

source:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/bengaluru/no-road-block-jakkur-school-647

See Supermoon of the century this weekend

http://expressbuzz.com/Images/article/2012/5/5/see.gif

BANGALORE: At 1 am on May 6, the full moon will be at 3,56,954 km from the centre of the earth. This will be the closest full moon to earth since January 1912. The moon will appear larger in the sky than at any time. This event is also referred to as ‘Supermoon’.
Early Sunday will see the moon’s closest encounter with earth since March 19, 2011, when the moon was a scant 380 kilometers closer to earth. The next time a similar occurrence will take place is not until August 10, 2014. Astronomers are estimating that the supermoon will be around 14 percent brighter and 30 percent bigger than the average full moon.
Previous supermoons were sighted in 1955, 1974, 1992, 2005 and 2011, all of which had their share of extreme weather and natural disasters. From extreme coastal tides to severe storms, powerful earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the entire natural world surges under the sway of the supermoon alignment.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/see-supermoon-of-the-century-this-weekend/388547.html

Come Sunday, laugh your heart out

http://expressbuzz.com/Images/article/2012/5/5/0505-Buddha-T.jpg

BANGALORE: Laughter has been known to bring many health benefits and it has been credited as being a relaxant, an energiser, mood elevator, and pain reliever. It has also been known to help in improving blood pressure, and in the reduction of cholesterol.
World Laughter Day will be celebrated this Sunday. In order to mark the occasion, the Karnataka Laughter Clubs are organising a laughter procession in Jayanagar, from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm on this day. The procession will start from the Ganapathi Temple, 4th Block Jayanagar and will proceed towards H N Hall, Jayanagar National College.
The Laughter Club International was started in Bangalore in 1998. At present, there are over 190 clubs in Bangalore and there are 25 Laughter Clubs exclusively for ladies.
The activities of the clubs are open and free to members irrespective of community, class or creed. The members meet once a day for an hour-long session that brings relaxation and happiness to participants.
The Laughter Clubs have formulated different types of laughter that are included in their daily activity such as namaste laughter, appreciation/felicitation laughter, milkshake laughter, jogger laughter, Calcutta laughter and pani puri laughter. The clubs also practice yogic laughter (Hasya Yoga), which is a short and easy method of relaxation.
It is said that laughter is one of the best medicines. So, the laughter therapy is a part of the treatment for mentally challenged students in NIMHANS, and it has been seen to be a very effective means of treatment.
The procession will be followed by a ‘Humour Talk’ by various artistes. The programme will also include several humour acts as well as dance and
drama performances.
Professor P Sadashiv, the State President of Karnataka Laughter Clubs will preside over the function.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/come-sunday-laugh-your-heart-out/388551.html

DVS hardsells state to investors

MYSORE: In the last four years, Karnataka has emerged as an investor-friendly destination and has tapped the potential of youth by generating employment, said Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda. He was speaking at the inaugural event of the Mysore Region Business Development Summit organised by the Federation of Karnataka, Bangalore and Mysore Chambers of Commerce and Industry here on Friday.
“The Global Investors’ Meet (GIM) to be held in Bangalore is all set to create history by attracting huge investments and invite entrepreneurs to invest in tier-II cities. The GIM that was successful in Mangalore and Belgaum will attract investment to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore and generate employment by creating at least 50,000 jobs in the Mysore region,” he elucidated. By offering incentives, creating land banks, announcing tax exemption, and ensuring basic infrastructure to promote young entrepreneurs, the CM said, Karnataka has a head start when compared to other states.
He averred that the response to investment in the state has been overwhelming from countries such as the US and Japan.
“The government is keen on promoting small-scale industries and will implement recommendations of the Sarojini Mahishi Committee Report,” he added.
He said that Mysore region has the potential to increase its contribution to the state’s GDP from 12 to 20 per cent.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/dvs-hardsells-state-to-investors/388653.html

The Mentalist (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/member.php?u=608491) is banned!!!

What for??

PS: Just asking

International qurbani i guess

^^ yes the high speed route will be chennai-bangalore-mysore-coimbatore-kochin.. 2030 is good guess :)

It's all one high speed route? Not 2 separate?

I thought DVS wanted Chennai-Bangalore to be extended to mysore and Chennai-Coimbatore was another line..

It's all one high speed route? Not 2 separate?

I thought DVS wanted Chennai-Bangalore to be extended to mysore and Chennai-Coimbatore was another line..

They are different, you are right.

DV Sadananda gowda loves Mysore a lot,it was his 14 th visit to mysore :)

see this is what he wants -- triangular development corridor

Bangalore-Mysore- Mangalore

More to Mysore than heritage: Sadananda Gowda (http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_more-to-mysore-than-heritage-sadananda-gowda_1684727)

Published: Saturday, May 5, 2012, 11:55 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Mysore | Agency: DNA

Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Friday announced a number of sops for the city of palaces at the inaugural ceremony of the Mysore Zonal Investors meet 2012. This includes an international standard convention centre, a pharmaceutical park, a film city, a cricket stadium to host international matches and better air connectivity. To top it all he also announced a 50% cut in the trade licence fee.

“Why I am doing all this is to tap the maximum potential this city has for attracting investment in industries and infrastructure. Much attention has not been given to this city in this regard. Mysore was left alone to be a city of palaces and relics, but I feel that apart from being such a great heritage city, it should also become an international destination for industry, knowledge and tourism.” The International Convention Centre will come up on a 35.32 acres land on T Narsipura Road, he added.

Bangalore GIM: The global investors meet proposed to be held in Bangalore in June was expected to attract an investment of over Rs6 lakh crore for the state. It was Rs4 lakh crore in 2010.

Throughout his speech Gowda kept on hinting at the Mysore-Mangalore road link, “Somehow I feel that the Mysore-Bangalore-Mangalore triangle will be the future growth zone, the exporters will have to be given a port connectivity through New Mangalore Port, which will help the exporters to set shop in Mysore,” the CM said.

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_more-to-mysore-than-heritage-sadananda-gowda_1684727

Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum can use margao/madgaon port or the new tadadi port being developed by karnataka.

International qurbani i guess

yes, not just a mod even an ssc admin has visited his profile :ohno: posts were deleted of course

Rolling Stones: Bangalore's eternal favourite

Fifty years after it was formed, the rolling stones is still rocking it. bangalore musicians talk about what accounts for the iconic band's endurance and continued relevance even today

When Microsoft launched Windows 95 17 years ago, the song they used for their campaign was one by a group that had been around for more than three decades. The song was Start Me Up and the band, of course, was The Rolling Stones. Fifty years is a long time. And the Stones have accumulated a storied history since the time that Brian Jones looked at a Muddy Waters LP lying on the floor of the room for inspiration when asked by a Jazz News reporter what the name of the band was: a history that includes incredible amounts of substances consumed, romantic entanglements and even death.

"The good boys" , says singer and guitarist Bruce Lee Mani of Thermal And A Quarter, "back then were the Beatles. The Rolling Stones emerged as the Bad Boys - all naughty and bawdy. They brought a raw, edgy sound to rock. They were great at theatrics. The Rolling Stones is also a testament to longevity. They're almost a corporation."

"Jagger" , says Mani, "is as good a businessman as a musician. He knew how to sell music while playing it pure. It's not easy playing the music industry while playing music itself . But Mick did it, didn't he?"

Guitarist and vocalist Sunny Nambiar, a huge Rolling Stones fan who often performs their numbers, was at Palace Grounds in April 2003 to watch a live Mick Jagger performance when the band toured India. "They are dynamite , even in their 60s. What wouldn't I give to be able to perform like that at their age!" says Nambiar, who is also a huge fan of Shine A Light, Martin Scorsese's 2008 career-spanning documentary about the band. "Scorcese captures their energy like no one else," he says. Nambiar has performed Rolling Stones numbers at Opus, Counter Culture and at his own studio. His favourite Stones number is Sympathy For the Devil.

What does he find distinctive about the Stones? "The grey area," says Sunny. "The way they traverse between lead and rhythm guitar is the defining trait of the Stones. Jagger's electricity is a different matter altogether. To me, the Stones are bigger, better than even the Beatles . It's a tough call, but it's the music they play and the way they play it. Having said that, there's a bit of Beatles in the Stones and then there are shades of Bob Dylan and Jethro Tull."

Peter Isaac, long-time blues musician, is astonished by the band's tenure. "I can't recollect a band with such longevity. They've played with greats like BB King. You know how beautiful and simple the music would be," says Isaac, who believes he always gets an extra round of applause when he performs Rolling Stones numbers live. "Most people sing along. In Bangalore folks know stuff like Brown Sugar, Jumpin Jack Flash, Satisfaction, Mother's Little Helper and of course the masterful As Tears Go By. These are classics," he adds.

Radha Thomas, acclaimed blues singer, recalls the band's April 2003 concert. "It's something I'll never forget. In pouring rain we were up there, right in front, screaming our guts out for Jagger. We gave it our all for Jumpin' Jack Flash. People who love the blues and rock even today hum Stones numbers at concerts in the city," she says.

Jagger Edge

An unnamed biographer writes on the Rolling Stones official website RS.com: "What's Mick Jagger really like? Who knows? He's been a high-profile musician and entertainer for years - it's quite literally impossible to separate the man from the myth. Unless you're Mick Jagger, of course. He probably knows the truth. And probably Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood have a little more insight than most. But for the rest of us, we just have to guess. And we do. You can see why it's happened. Mick Jagger has combined global superstardom, relationships with some of the world's most beautiful women; a fantastic family life, including a contented 20-year marriage and seven children; with creative genius and fundamental musical integrity and billion dollar business success. And he's kept himself in great shape too." Co-song writer Keith Richards on Jagger: Mick's got an ego. I insult the man. But he has the hide of a rhino, and he's just determined to be who he is. I just try and deal with it."

Like A Rolling Stone

The Rolling Stones have been active from April 1962 to the present The band comprises of Mick Jagger (vocals), Keith Richards (guitarist), Charlie Watts (drummer), Ronnie Wood (second guitarist). Prominent founder member Brian Jones quit the band in 1969. He died soon after. They play rock, blues, blues rock, rhythm and blues and rock and roll

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Rolling-Stones-Bangalores-eternal-favourite/articleshow/13017279.cms

Bhoomi Habba creates awareness about looming perils

BANGALORE: Bhoomi Habba, a festival for justice and peace, was celebrated for the fifth time in the city on Saturday. "We have to protect the Earth and through this festival we celebrate love," said David Selvaraj, the organizer. The habba, earlier called Festival of Peace, is organised to make people aware and motivate them to take action.

As part of the festival was a children's workshop, doll festival, film screening, poster exhibition, food fest and folk music. While the photo exhibition and the movies focused on nuclear energy, Dolls Speak represented phases of human ambition and facets of socio-religious life. 'Just One Earth' and 'Agent Orange 30 Years Later' were some movies screened.

People braved the heat to enjoy the habba celebrating the Earth and recognizing its need for survival. Rashmi, a visitor, said: "Though the place is far from the main road, coming here was worth it." Ankita, a student, said: "It's an excellent initiative and hopefully we'll see more such events which celebrate the Earth's beauty."

The photo exhibition enabled people to understand the irreversible ill-effects of nuclear disasters. A victim of the chemical Agent Orange accompanied an NGO working for building awareness about it. "Ten years after the incident, almost 3 million people have been affected," said Hai Thi Mac, deputy director of Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange. Organizations working with the people of Kudankulam against the upcoming nuclear plant there were also present.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Bhoomi-Habba-creates-awareness-about-looming-perils/articleshow/13017231.cms

Japanese government scholarships for undergraduate programmes

BANGALORE: The Japanese government is offering scholarships for undergraduate programmes in its university. These are offered by the ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology.

Those born between April 2, 1991 and April 1, 1996 are eligible. Educational qualification includes completion of Class XII or higher secondary on regular course or school education. Students must be willing to undergo one-year Japanese course and then receive education at a specialized training college or in a technology college or university in Japan.

Candidates will be selected through written examination and the interview will be conducted by the Japan consulate in Bangalore. Japanese language skill is not compulsory for this examination. Application forms and information on the scholarships can be obtained from the consulate at 1st floor, Prestige Nebula, 8-14, Cubbon Road, Bangalore-566001.

Applications can be downloaded from . For more information, call 080-40649999. The filled-up forms with testimonials can be dropped at the consulate or sent through post before 5pm on June 22.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Japanese-government-scholarships-for-undergraduate-programmes/articleshow/13017092.cms

Treasures tumble out of every nook and corner

Elegantly bound in black cloth, a slim pamphlet caught the eye of historian Ramachandra Guha at the Old Curiosity Shop for two reasons.

It was the horoscope of a lady called Janaki, born on March 22, 1910. "I suddenly realized I was holding my grandmother's horoscope. I promptly took it to her and said, 'Paati, is this yours?' She confirmed it was hers and explained that my grandfather may have given it away when moving house," he recounts.

Secondly, it's perhaps for this very reason that Sir CV Raman, fondly called Select Book Shop as the Old Curiosity Store. "I overheard him saying so to my father KBK Rao, when I visited the store as a youngster," laughs KKS Murthy.

Now, 67 years after Rao founded this bookstore of not-so-easily available old and fine editions, Select overflows with literary treasure, so rare and intoxicating, luring young software professionals like Srinivas J Rao. "I've been hooked for the past 15 years," he says, adding, "Each time I pick up a book, I read it and come back for another Mr Murthy himself is like a publication. I was discussing Emerson with him the other day, and he brought out the comparative works of Thoreau. Years ago, when I spoke of Conan Doyle, he introduced me to GK Chesterton. Time flies when I speak with him."

Srinivas is among the many regulars, confirms K Sanjay, who co-manages Select with his father Murthy. "We have about 10 walk-ins, both young and old, every day. Over the years, customers have instilled a love of books in me - although grandpa loved books and so does dad," says Sanjay.

Software professional Krishnamurthy is thrillled to collect a rare book on Sreenivas Tapaswiji. "Murthy and Sanjay are those rare people who respect books. Over the past ten years, I've often dropped by to just sit and chat with them," he says.

What lures youngsters really is that this bookstore is a treasure trove of all sorts of writing. "Select has a book study club, which brings a lot of youngsters like us here month after month," points out Srinivas.

Murthy is surprised that young people drop by looking for authors like Jorge Luis Borges. "Recently, a young IT guy, who has given up software to set up a library of Gandhian literature came looking for books. Another youngster came for literature about the Nazi influence on World War II," observes Murthy.

Activities like book launches bring seasoned and new readers alike to Select. "I'm happy that authors and readers visit Select. Guha released my brother's book 'Bangalore to Brooklyn' and is a regular customer. In fact, Guha foresaw that my son Sanjay, who was working in a private firm, would join me one day. And he did. I wonder how Guha knew!" Murthy says.

Celeb quote

I've had a close relationship with Select for 35 years. It has sustained me intellectually, aesthetically and culturally over the years. When I first started research for my writing, Bangalore didn't have a decent library for social sciences. I had to build my own collection from Select. You never know what'll you find here. I have found obscure pamphlets by Tagore, Gandhi and Nehru. It's not like a systematic American bookstore. The treasures are rare, like the speech I discovered under the pile -- it was by Tagore delivered in China in 1924 and had never been republished.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Treasures-tumble-out-of-every-nook-and-corner/articleshow/13017043.cms

This machine deshells coconut in a wink

It is useful for industries preparing coconut products, say designers.

http://www.deccanherald.com/images/editor_images1/2012/05/05/coconut-deshelling-machine.jpg

Can you crack a coconut in one second? Well, the Coconut Deshelling machine designed by students of NITK, can neatly crack the coconut shell before you can blink your eye.

NITK students Mohammed Tariq, Prajwal Kumar, Madhusudhan G, Raghav Raghunathan, Madhumitha and Nitesh took up the project as a technical challenge from Founder and MD of Swastika Coco Products Private Ltd Sharath Chandra Shetty last September.

After months of research and planning, they designed the Coconut Deshelling Machine and the team claims that it is the first of its kind in the country.

The machine has four motors attached to four fast rotating blades. One has to keep the coconut in between the four blades and the coconut gets cracked in four sides in one second.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mohammed Tariq says that each motor in the machine runs on 1/20 horse power at 4000 RPM. One of the motor is adjustable as the coconuts vary in sizes.

Once the coconut is cracked, it has to be heated and the shell comes away easily. This machine is useful for industries who prepare coconut products. The entire machine is built with the cost of Rs 22,000. The motors are the costliest as they cost Rs 3,000 each, he adds.

“We prepare desiccated coconut at Swastika Coco products. We have to deshell 30,000 coconuts everyday to get 2500 kgs of desiccated coconut. It is a laborious process and requires manual and skilled labour.

In case the NITK team successfully completes the challenge, it will be a huge milestone in the coconut products production industry,” says Sharath Chandra Shetty and adds that with this machine, he can increase the production.

The students who have designed the machine are a part of E-Forea (Engineers Forum for Entrepreneurship awareness) of NITK Surathkal. “This challenge was placed in our annual fest ‘Engineer,’ where we have to give solutions and ideas. We decided to take forward the challenge and design the machine,” says Tariq.

The NITK students have started an organisation called ‘Tech Ventures,’ which acts as a platform for industries to place their real-time techno-entrepreneurial challenges to students. E-Forea is part of Tech-Ventures, says Raghav.

“The project is in an infancy stage and it still needs to be developed. We may need six months to complete it,” says Prajwal.

“I am thrilled and excited to see the enthusiasm of the students. If the project has patent value, then we shall definitely patent it in association with the project’s main sponsor Sharath Chandra Shetty,” says NITK In-Charge Director Dr G Umesh.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/247250/this-machine-deshells-coconut-wink.html

15 days to get sun films removed

http://www.deccanherald.com/page_images/thumb/2012/05/06/247308_thump.jpg

If your car windows sport tinted glasses, be prepared to peel the sun film off the vehicles by May 20 or pay a hefty fine ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 300.

In the wake of a Supreme Court directive, prohibiting the use of sun film on all vehicles throughout the country, the City Traffic Police have decided to implement the ban throughout Bangalore.

The apex court order is enforceable with effect from May 4.

The ban in Bangalore comes close on the heels of a similar decision by the Delhi government. The Supreme Court order had mandated the prohibition of the use of sun films of any visual light transmission or any other materials upon the safety glasses, windscreen (front and rear) and side window glasses. The order followed a public interest litigation.

M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner, Traffic, Bangalore City, told Deccan Herald that the decision was a welcome move.

“The use of sun films gives immunity to violators in committing crimes and is used as a tool of criminality. At times, heinous crimes such as rape and dacoity are also committed inside vehicles that have almost opaque glasses,” he said.

The police have urged vehicle owners and drivers of all classes of vehicles to remove sun films or any other tinted material applied on the wind screens (front and rear) and side windows of their vehicles. “A reasonable time of 15 days has been given to remove all these sun films. After this period, cases will be booked against violating drivers,” warned Saleem.

On the first offence, the driver will be fined Rs 100. The vehicle will also be liable for seizure to ensure removal of the sun film on the spot.

The vehicle will be returned thereafter. For the second offence, the driver will be fined Rs 300.

On any repeated offence, the penalty will be Rs 300 but the driving licence of the driver may be liable for seizure and recommendation for suspension.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/247308/15-days-get-sun-films.html

B’lore firm may develop solar parks in State

Projects planned in Dharwad, Raichur, Bidar, Yadgir districts

A private company which has developed Asia’s first and the world’s largest solar park at Charanka village in Gujarat, is likely to bag the Solar Park projects in Karnataka too.

Sources told Deccan Herald that the State government had invited engineers from EI Technologies based in Bangalore, to conduct inspections at four locations in the State where solar parks could be set up.

One of the proposed locations is Mannur village in Bijapur district, where 4,000 acres have been identified to develop a solar park of 500 MW capacity, according to Energy Minister Shobha Karandlaje. Sources said other proposed locations are in Raichur and Yadgir districts.

On Friday, Karandlaje said the solar plant at Mannur would be developed with an initial capacity of 80 MW to 100 MW and would be expanded later. She said the work on the solar park would be monitored by Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL), the nodal agency for promoting renewable energy. KREDL would also be responsible to provide basic infrastructure like power evacuation, water and roads to the developers.

EI Technologies engineer N Ranganath told Deccan Herald that he had been invited to conduct site inspections in the State to set up solar parks. He said like Gujarat, Karnataka was also a preferred State for tapping solar power in districts like Dharwad, Raichur, Bidar and Yadgir.

Ranganath said the estimated cost of developing a solar plant of 1 MW capacity was around Rs 9 crore and to develop a 80 MW plant, it would cost around Rs 720 crore. He said if the land was in possession of the government, it would not take more than six months to complete the project.

Ranganath said tapping solar energy would be inevitable in future as it had advantages when it came to total savings on the project, operation and maintenance. He said any location to develop solar park should have minimum availability of water as solar panels need periodical cleaning.

KREDL Managing Director N Prasanna Kumar said once the developer was finalised, the government would provide infrastructure and the project would begin. He said the project would be maintained by the developer for a lease agreement period of 30 years.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/247263/blore-firm-may-develop-solar.html

‘BBMP budget before May-end’

BANGALORE: If everything goes as per new Mayor Venkatesh Murthy’s calculation, BBMP budget will be pres e n ted be fore t h i s month-end.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, Murthy said that Chairperson election for Standing Committee (Taxation and Finance) will be held on May 7, while the newly elected chairperson will assume his or her duty from May 9.
“At present, officials have prepared the draft copy of the budget for the year 2012-13.
I will go through it later. We will present the budget before May end,” he said.
Murthy however assured that this year’s budget will be more ‘realistic’. “The budget sum will not exceed previous year’s budget,” he said.
Referring to Akrama-Sakrama, which is in Raj Bhavan for clearance, Murthy said that soon they will be meeting Governor Bharadwaj in this regard.
BBMP is expecting atleast `3,000 crore from Akrama Sakrama.
Public Interaction Meetings: Murthy also said that they will be soon launching ‘Sammukha’, an interaction meeting with public at each assembly.
“These meetings will be conducted once in 15 days at various assembly constituencies.
I have already written a letter to city MLAs as well as councillors. Complaints from public will be addressed in the meetings,” he said. ‘Hello Mayor’: Murthy is also going to participate in ‘Hello Mayor’, a live programme on Doordarshan TV channel.
“Here people can call me directly and I will try address their problems on the spot,” he said.
‘BBMP lakes are my priority’: Mayor said that there are more than 130 lakes in Bangalore, out of which around 50 belong to BBMP.
He said that he is keen in preserving lakes that belong to Palike.
“I have asked the joint commissioners concerned for the lake encroachment details.
If any encroachment is found, we will take strict action,” he said. When asked about Deputy Mayor constructing house on the lake area, he said that the lake belongs to BDA.
“I cannot take action. Moreover, Deputy Mayor has said that he has not constructed on the lake area. When that is the case, there is no question of taking action,” he said.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/%E2%80%98bbmp-budget-before-may-end%E2%80%99/388942.html

Banashankari Parks providing solace

BANGALORE: “Parks and Recreation” seems to be the latest line of effort by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA). Even as the city’s garbage and pollution levels are increasing, greenary is slowly crawling its way back into the few, well maintained, areas of Bengaluru.
The Panchavati and Pushpanjali parks in Banashankari 3rd stage, are fine examples of this pursuit. Most of the demands of the residents in this area have been met, with minimal drawbacks. Both the parks have an aura of peace, soothing a multitude of people, from all generations.
The Panchavati Park is situated on the main road, adjacent to the Auden Institute of Education.
Earlier, provided with a side stage for recreational events, it is now endowed with a walking path, children’s playing equipment such as see-saw, slide, swing, tunnels and a wide array of trees and shrubs. Basic amenities like toilet facilities and garbage cans have also been provided. However, the primary need of provision of drinking water has been totally neglected. A sheltered gazebo in the far corner of the park serves as a meeting place for aged men and women, who want to relax in their leisure time.
On the other hand, the Pushpanjali Park, located in the heart of Banashankari is better well known and covers a larger area compared to the previous one. Unlike Panchavati park, this park is facilitated with drinking water and sanitation facilities. To top it all, the park is provided with a proper area for children to play. The walking path, trees and shrubs, fencing and other physical elements of the garden are clean and waste free.
A few complaints on Panchavati Park,include worn down fences, garbage, withered leaves and badly maintained footpaths. SJ Saldanha, the father of environmentalist Leo Saldanha said, “Rs 10 lakh was allotted for turning the adjacent road into a sophisticated boulevard, but it seems as if they’re swallowing 50 per cent of it.”
Saldanha who has once seen the greener and cleaner side of the city says same standards should be maintained presently. Another resident, Veeraraghavan said, “There is a police station nearby, so it’s safe even in the dark.”
While most of Bengaluru is rotting in the dumps, some parts are well developed and meet the growing needs of its citizens. Appreciation and credit is attributed to BBMP and BDA, which have finally shown their efficiency.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Banashankari-Parks-providing-solace/388554.html

Don’t turn to Karnataka: Uddhav

BELGAUM: Executive president of Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray appealed to 42 villages of Jat taluk in Maharashtra to give up their demand for merge with Karnataka.
Earlier, the villagers had accused the Maharashtra government of neglecting them.
Thackeray, who rushed to Madagyala village in Jat, blamed the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party for the sorry state of the villages.
He added Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, who was unwell, had told him to meet the villagers and appeal to them to reconsider the demand.
The villagers had complained of lack of basic amenities and said these villages were dominated by Kannadigas.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/don%E2%80%99t-turn-to-karnataka-uddhav/388959.html

State prepares Rs 890 Crore plan for lake works

BANGALORE: The state government has prepared a special plan to rejuvenate over 4,200 lakes in Chikballapur and Kolar districts at a cost of Rs 890 crore. The state government has approached the Union ministry of Water Resources requesting it to share 75 per cent of the cost. “We have submitted a detailed project report to Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. We requested him to consider it as a special case as the ground water level in these two districts has depleted beyond 1,500 feet,” said Minor Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol.
Expressing confidence the project would get Centre’s approval, Karjol said, “Under the project, various works like desilting of tank-beds, construction of tank-bunds, clearing of catchment areas and more will be taken up.”
Karjol said the minor irrigation department will be seeking Rs 350 crore under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) this year. According to a study conducted by the minor irrigation department in 2010, the ground water in 48 taluks across the state is non-potable. Out of which, the ground water in 35 taluks is over exploited while the situation is critical in 10 other taluks.
“Only 70 taluks have potable ground water. We need to create an awareness and stop the exploitation of ground water,” Karjol said.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/state-prepares-rs-890-crore-plan-for-lake-works/388670.html

'Padma Shri is an honour for Yakshagana'

“This award is not for me but for the art of Yakshagana and hundreds of artistes who have spent their lives performing it,” said veteran Yakshagana artiste Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, the first practitioner of the form to receive the prestigious Padma Shri.

He was speaking at a felicitation organised by the Karnataka Yakshagana and Bayalata Academy here on Saturday. “Yakshagana was always rich and had the most devoted of artistes. But it was not recognised because it was confined within the regional boundary between Kasaragod and Karwar. Now it knows no bounds,” he said.

The widening appeal of Yakshagana, however, has not been without its flipside. “In this fast-paced world, people want what was earlier done in a day in a single hour. An artiste has no choice but adjust to the times,” he said.

Describing Yakshagana as a “collective form” that comes alive with everybody from the Veshadhari (artiste) and Bhagavata (background singer) to the chande (percussion) player, he said it had kept him engaged for 61 years. “But I don't know how much longer,” added the 77-year-old wistfully.

Mantapa Prabhakara Upadhya, Yakshagana artiste, described Chittani as a man who had taught him humility and the need to respect even the person who bought the cheapest ticket for a show. “He once told me that one should put on banna (make-up) as if it was one's last performance. That is the highest philosophy I have learnt from Chittani,” said Upadhya.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3388238.ece

From plantations to reserve forests

[QUOTE]BANGALORE: Another remnant of the British Raj in Karnataka is set to come to an end. The state government has decided to restrict the lease period over forest land, granted to four rubber plantations in Kodagu district, to 99 years, and then reclaim it.

Leases given to four British rubber companies in 1913 (later transferred to Indian companies) during the British Raj in Kodagu - Mercara Rubber Company Ltd (Kadamakla Rubber Company), Cochin Malabar Rubber Estate & Industries Ltd (Thomson Plantation); Nilambur Rubber Company Ltd ( Glen Coorg Rubber Plantation) and Port% Land Rubber Company Ltd -all totaling 3,687.51 acres (1,492.92 hectares) - will not be renewed.

The British government had, in 1909, made rules specifying that the lease for these rubber companies be given for 999 years ; the actual contract began in 1913. But this order was withdrawn in 1940 and the government decided to alter the lease period of more than 3,000 acres of land to 99 years. "These leases will not be further transferred to any other firm. Our department will take over the land and notify it as reserve forest. As the government is empowered to reserve the right to withdraw or alter the rules from time to time, alteration was done in 1940, reducing the lease period," a senior official told TOI.

The chief commissioner of Kodagu on February 1, 1909, notified the rules under which reserved forest land could be given for rubber cultivation under the provisions of Coorg Land and Revenue Regulation, 1899. However, the actual notification happened only 10 years later, in 1909. But the chief commissioner revised the rules in December 1912 and issued notification for granting lease period to 999 years in February 1913.

"Leases to these four rubber cultivation companies were given in instalm-ents between 1910 and 1929. On the eve of Independence, the original lessees transferred their leasehold rights of the land in favour of a few Indian companies through registered assignment deeds," the official said. The state government has cited various Supreme Court observations and verdicts on forest conservation to take over the land.[QUOTE]

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/From-plantations-to-reserve-forests/articleshow/13027761.cms

Bangalore needs rain-drain system

BANGALORE: Pre-monsoon showers are in. And monsoon isn't far away. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), however, appears unmoved as locations in the city vulnerable to water-logging and flooding during heavy rain continue to remain death traps with their storm water drains remaining open and uncovered.

Post-monsoon faultlines have been baring their fangs with a frightening regularity. On May 31, 2009, a six-year-old boy, Abhishek, was washed down a storm water drain during heavy rain. Three months later, an 18-month-old infant, Vijay Kumar, vanished in a flooded drain leading to Madiwala lake. BBMP failed to even retrieve the children's bodies, reflecting the fact that it had no clue about the city's vast network of drains.

Sadly, three years later, not much has changed in these localities, as a reality check by the Times of India revealed. In the narrow bylanes of Shamanna Layout in Lingarajapuram where Abhishek died three years ago, monsoon preparation works are only half way through. Residents complain that nothing was really done in the wake of Abhishek's death.

"Water-logging is the real issue but BBMP has not addressed this. Only 40% of the drains in the area have been covered since that tragedy," said Paresh Sharma (name changed), a medical shop owner in Shamanna Layout.

The huge Ejipura drain too lies dangerously uncovered. Locals said their many petitions to BBMP to cover it have elicited no response.

"We have been complaining about this problem for the past five to six years. Last year's monsoon brought in its wake a flood of sewage into our living rooms. Though the water receded fast, the stench hung on for days," said Father Balraj, Parish Priest, Infant Jesus Church.

Even the gods are not spared. The sanctum sanctorum of the Gali Anjaneya Swamy temple, Mysore Road, getting inundated with sewage water whenever it rains is an annual phenomenon.

Srinivasa Ramanujam, the temple priest, said that BBMP had undertaken some repair work. "Last year, we were neck-deep in rain water," he said, pointing to a red line drawn on one of the temple's walls to mark the level to which the water rose that year in the temple.

"Temple gates broke under the pressure. BBMP started working after last year's flooding. They have built a compound wall around the temple,'' he said.

__ Alekha Acharya, Pallavi Manoj

'We are prepared'

"We are prepared for the upcoming monsoon. I have warned officials to be alert to flooding points like Gali Anjaneyaswamy temple and Ejipura. We have also instructed the control rooms to be alert to monsoon-related complaints. I will shortly launch a Mayor's helpline for public to contact me and bring to my notice any complaints. No rain-related accidents will occur this year."

----D Venkatesh Murthy | Mayor

"Low-lying areas and valleys are vulnerable to flooding during monsoon. It's an engineering requirement for BBMP to prioritize the vulnerable points and take up measures to stop flooding by creating the necessary slopes to facilitate smoother flow of rain water. BBMP must first have maps of its own drains which were actually missing during Abhishek's accident. Public must be extra cautious and take care of their little children. Drains must not be clogged and water run off must be allowed. BBMP can have perforated covers for storm water drains."

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Bangalore-needs-rain-drain-system/articleshow/13027710.cms

Karnataka CM hits out at Centre for 'step-motherly' treatment

Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda today accused the Centre of showing step-motherly treatment towards the state by not releasing badly needed funds for drought relief operations.

"If the Congress-led UPA government really wants to respond to the plight of the affected people in Karnataka, it should release Rs 2,500 crore out of Rs 5,600 crore loss incurred by farmers due to drought," Gowda added.

Speaking to reporters here, he said if the Centre has any "concern" for Karnataka, it should release the funds sought.

source:http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=929102&page=333

Fading ‘green’ memories of Bangalore

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BANGALORE: While the city’s environmentalists are battling tooth and nail to win back the title of the ‘Green city’, the ever expanding infrastructure leaves a little to be achieved in this regard. For instance, the city puffed its shoulders a decade back for being the most clean and green city in the entire country, but today the greenery is depleting and smoke and grime veil the dream of winning this title back. The most pained are old Bangaloreans, who grew up amidst the lush greenery and tall swaying trees on every road. For these Bangaloreans, the current scenario of water shortage and alarming pollution levels was inconceivable 10 years back. With the growth of infrastructure, not only have the ancient trees suffered a sad death, but the natural solution to decreasing pollution too is soon diminishing.
Raising concerns regarding these grave problems, environmentalists have gone into a huddle to come up with feasible solutions. The problem of sacrificing trees in the name of development hadn’t been addressed yet and the monsoons haven’t been kind either. In just three years, over 1,500 trees have been uprooted, by both harsh monsoons and growing developmental work in the city, reported experts.
This monsoon the Forest Department officials are looking at periodically cutting old and worn out branches. “There is an immediate need to create space for the trees. Since the trees in the city are not properly spaced out and a lot of concrete area surrounds the trees, it decreases moisture penetration. This results in the weakening of the roots and thus they do not survive the strong winds,” explained a Forest official from Freedom Park.
Stressing the fact that the need of the hour is to dedicate extensive time and careful planting, he said, “All this requires a lot of time and careful plantation. Since there is no space for the trees to be planted along the footpath, a proper planning is required.”
City suffers increasing pollution
Various reports have stated that year after year a lot of trees have been vanishing. Either they are being uprooted due to the monsoon or have been cut down for various infrastructure purposes. But the results are the same—increase in temperature and pollution levels in the cities. Danalakshmi, a shopkeeper at CMH Road for the last 15 years said that although the Metro rail was an innovative and much needed solution for smoother travel in the city —the trees have been sacrificed in the process. “I remember old Bangalore where entire stretches of footpaths were shadowed by trees. But after the construction of the Metro, a lot of trees have been removed. As a result, the heat has increased since then and there is no proper ventilation either,” she said.
It is a shame that trees are being cut down in large number for infrastructure development. The leading example is of the Sankey tank road widening project in which the trees were cut extensively, despite the vigorous protest put by the activists and the people. Logs of trees were cut and were seen lying by the side of the road. But the story doesn’t end here. Trees were even chopped down at the Race course road, which is a blatant example of deforestation. The canopy which used to tower the 100 feet road in Indiranagar, today has been replaced by showrooms and shopping complexes. Dr Meenakshi Bharath, member Malleswaram RWA said “cutting trees for the purpose of road widening is not a feasible solution, as traffic keeps on increasing every year. The authorities who are planting the trees do not take proper care of them, hence they end up drying.” On being asked about the solution, Dr Bharath pointed that transplantation of trees would be an expensive method. “The initiative has to be taken up by each and every individual. They should join in the league to save trees and promote further planting,” he added.
Environmentalist Suresh Heblikar was quite furious on the reduction in the number of old trees that once graced the whole of Bangalore and said, “Bangalore has lost nearly 60 percent of its tree cover. Structure after structure is being erected in every area of the city. Even the suburbs are growing at a wild pace. Almost 40-45 percent homes aren’t getting proper water supply. With the increase in number of vehicles in Bangalore, a lot of parking space is required, which is achieved by razing trees.” The solution to this, Heblikar points out is to stop urbanisation and promote institutions to plant more trees. “More trees, will have more than one benefit,” he added.
It is now well established fact that the trees in Bangalore are being lost for one reasons or the other. Although the causes are many, it has a remedy which has to be focused upon. Yellappa Reddy a noted environmentalist pointed out,“trees have to be watered periodically before they dry up. Due to cementing,water fails to reach the roots. The pipe lines which are dug up, creates an imbalance which tend to weaken the roots and thus they do not survive even a small storm. The solution to this would be to facilitate the rain water through different sources to the trees regularly.” Anitha Sampath, a member of Hasiru Usiru, an NGO dedicated for environmental protection, commenting upon the deplorable condition of the trees in the city, “branches are unevenly cut making trees bent towards one side. This unevenness creates the problem during monsoons. The remedy for this would be to identify the vulnerable trees in the city and take the required steps before the beginning of the monsoon.”
The alarm bells on the depleting number of trees has already been making waves in the city. With experts giving out a wake up call for the officials, it is time that they take the centre stage on this issue and take action to increase the number of trees, as every seed sown now, will mean a wait of at least 20 years for the tree to grow to great heights. With the harsh monsoons approaching, a great care towards the trees is the hour of the need.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/fading-%E2%80%98green%E2%80%99-memories-of-bangalore/389068.html

A tribute to the legendary nurse

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BANGALORE: In order to recognise and appreciate the crucial role played by nurses in healthcare, a private hospital group in the city will organise a conclave on May 10, 2012, followed by a two-day of leadership summit to mark International Nurses Day on May 12. Dr E V Ramana Reddy, Secretary — Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka will be present at the event. The theme of the summit is ‘Caring with Confidence — Building People’. The keynote address will be delivered by Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Apollo Hospitals Group.
Discussions will focus on areas such as education and communication in the nursing profession to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes. Speaking about the event, Sangita Reddy said, “A broader outlook towards quality healthcare is imperative to improve care-giving standards in India. As nurses play a vital role in providing healthcare for the ill, greater focus is required to nurture their talents and care-giving abilities. The third nursing conclave will provide an opportunity for doctors, academicians, policy makers and researchers to discuss, deliberate as well as exchange ideas, policies and advancements in healthcare.”
Topics such as participation and collaboration, the hurdles in quality healthcare, medical errors, nursing education and communication will be taken up during discussions and debates.
Dr Preetha Reddy, managing director of Apollo Hospitals Group said: “We understand the need to develop leadership skills in nurses. Growth in the healthcare sector will not be possible if it is not driven by nurses who must realise their full potential and strengths in order to help eliminate illness. Challenges faced by nurses can be voiced at such gatherings that provide a platform and ample networking opportunities to better understand the problem areas in healthcare.”
International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12, every year, which is the birth anniversary of legendary nurse Florence Nightingale — the founder of modern nursing — who exemplified the spirit of service.
Usha Banerjee, group director — Nursing at the organisation said: “For generations, nurses have played a key role in providing health services to millions of patients the world over. Since a nurse’s role is critical care for extremely ill patients who need constant monitoring, empathy for the suffering of others is indispensable. The theme of this conclave focuses on the basic concept of care, but with a strong emphasis on administering it with confidence.”
She added, “This will help in improving patient safety and clinical outcomes. A sound nursing education is therefore vital for such a challenging task. Health providers also need to take care of themselves to be able to provide the same to
others.”

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/a-tribute-to-the-legendary-nurse/389070.html

Bhoomi Habba for peace


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BANGALORE: A weekend spent in a serene setting, listening to folk music, enjoying local theatre, visiting a doll and poster exhibition, tasting traditional South Asian cuisines including local North Karnataka specialities, getting your portrait done by a cartoonist, shopping for books, browsing through traditional handicrafts made by Banjara women and special kids, watching documentaries like ‘Radiation Stories: Koodankulam’ on the on-going struggle in Koodankulam, and meeting a 24-year-old victim of Agent Orange (see box). Bhoomi Habba is all this and more.
The venue was the environment-friendly premises of Visthar, located at Kothanur, off Hennur Road. The objective of the festival was to increase peoples’ awareness on issues pertaining to justice and peace. The atmosphere was electric as people from different nationalities came together to discuss, debate and make a difference.
The poster exhibition gave glimpses of victims by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and each picture conveyed a story more powerful than the numbers and statistics that describe the world’s worst industrial catastrophe.
The Francoise Bosteels’s exhibition of dolls made from scrap and cloth represented facets of domestic, social and religious life of an ‘excluded’ India.
Arti Choksy, General Secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Bangalore Chapter, which had put up a stall at the Habba, said, “Most media is not covering what is happening in Koodankulam. As of today, 300 women have joined the indefinite strike as a part of their protest against the nuclear plant. The situation is getting worse with every passing day. This is one of the biggest people’s struggle, even bigger than Anna Hazare’s struggle.”
About Visthar: It is a non-profit organisation committed to empowering women, children and other marginalised sections of the society. The purpose of the Habba was to celebrate ‘Just peace’.
A key member of Visthar and a well-known human rights scholar-activist David Selvaraj told City Express said, “We want to empower, not help. Everybody in the society has a responsibility to empower the vulnerable sections of the society. We focus on Dalits, adivasis, especially the women, children and the youth because they are the most exploited. I hate to use words like charity, poor and slum dwellers because they are demeaning. Their poor state should be attributed to our policies which exploit them.” It was day when the voices were louder than political cacophony.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/bhoomi-habba-for-peace/389075.html

Towering study in contrasts

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While one 16th century watchtower at Gavipuram stands forgotten and poorly maintained, another in the same area is more fortune.

Only four of the seven Kempe Gowda towers are protected monuments

Two small, iconic, 16th century watchtowers at Gavipuram here, dating back to the period of Kempe Gowda II, provide a contrasting picture: one a well-maintained, protected monument, while the other is in a sorry state.

At a park behind the famous Gavigangadhareshwara temple stands the poorly-maintained Kempe Gowda tower. The dilapidation is evident — the idols there have been vandalised, the tower bears cracks and graffiti, and there is no easy access to it.

But, tucked away about a kilometre from the temple at Kempanbudhi lake is the protected watchtower. It seems to have escaped the attention of the residents here, as most people pointed these reporters to the ill-maintained one.

Sunil Shamlal, a resident of Gavipuram, said, “I have been living in this area for some time now, but I am still confused as to which of these towers is the [protected] one. There is misconception among local residents here that the tower in poor shape is the original tower.”

Seven towers

According to historians, there are seven towers built in the city by Kempe Gowda, the ruler of Yelahanka, and not just four as often thought.

These towers are the insignia of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.

However, only the four watchtowers at Ulsoor, Lal Bagh, Mekhri Circle and Kempambudhi lake have been declared as protected monuments under the Karnataka Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1961. These are well-maintained.

The other three are east of Gavigangadhareshwar temple, west of the temple and at Bugle Rock, Basavanagudi.

According to S.K. Aruni, Deputy Director, Indian Council of Historical Research, there is also no significant merit to the fact that the Kempe Gowda towers were built to mark the boundaries of the city. “There are seven such towers, mostly situated near water bodies. They were used by the guards to blow bugles during the times of emergency such as wars or enemy movement,” he said.

He pointed out that similar towers could be seen at Magadi, Savandurga, Shivagange and near Hosur.

Explaining why only some towers had ‘protected monument' status, Mr. Aruni said, “An old inscription vaguely points to four towers for four directions. Besides, three towers are close to each other, which may have led authorities not to consider them for inclusion in the protected monuments list.”

All were historical monuments that required protection, the historian added.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3393069.ece

Dual MBA saves students a year

If you want to join an engineering college or B Pharma after your 10+2 and also want to study for an MBA degree, the dual degree choice is just for you.

Many institutes have started offering an integrated course of MBA (Tech) and MBA (Pharma). Many students are opting for the integrated course as it benefits those who want to pursue a post graduate management course after graduating in engineering or pharmacy.

Five-year course
The MBA (Tech) and MBA (Pharma) course not only guarantees a dual degree, but only takes five years instead of the usual six years (Four years engineering and two years MBA). The course, which started a couple of years ago, has many takers.

Catering to specific needs
The dual degree course will prepare you for specific industry needs — both technical and managerial. The core engineering streams need managers who have technical knowledge.
Education counsellor Qurrat-ul-ain Kapasi says: “If a student opts for a normal MBA, he/she has to study with other graduates who may not have the same engineering background. The dual degree focuses on the core knowledge of engineering sector relevant to engineering students.”

The institutes
The B Tech + MBA and B Pharma + MBA courses are offered by NMIMS, Mumbai. IIT-Bombay and IIT-Kharagpur offer a five-year course with B Tech and MBA degrees.

A few Institutes offer MBA (hotel management) also.

Vellore Institute of Technology, Lucknow University, Devi Ahilyabai University, Indore, and Kurukshetra University offer a five-year integrated management programme. BITS Pilani offers an integrated four year MSc-management course. IIM Indore has launched a five-year integrated course (Integrated Diploma in Management-IDM) for 10+2 students in 2011 with 800 seats. After a good response, other IIMs are also eyeing this segment and evaluating their prospects to start such a course.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_dual-mba-saves-students-a-year_1685492

No life cover on Jeevan Bhimanagar road

Jeevan Bhimanagar Main Road is one of the few roads in Bangalore where thousands of vehicles, including Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses, ply every day. It is the road where density of traffic reaches more than 1,000 passenger car units (PCUs) per hour on any given day.

Motorists find it tough to use this road due to potholes that have the potential to send them to consult spinal chord specialists. One has to be cautious while entering this road from Suranjan Das Road.

The potholes developed more than six months ago are yet to be filled up. Recently, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineers had used red soil to fill the huge pothole at the junction of Jeevan Bhimanagar and Suranjan Das Rod. A little rain is sufficient to make this junction full of slush.

Most of the motorists try to avoid the gravel spread on the road which poses danger to two-wheelers. “A few two-wheelers got skid last week. No one is bothered to keep this junction free from the gravel menace,’’ said M Krishnappa, a resident of Jagadeeshnagar.

The problem on this road is debris. One can find heaps of debris on the footpaths, thus causing inconvenience for the pedestrians.

Surprisingly, majority of the debris are thrown by the residents of quarters maintained by Public Works Department. “It is very unfortunate to see residents, who are government employees, dumping debris on the footpaths. I have already advised the engineer of the PWD but in vain. All the residents are educated and I expect them to have civic sense to keep the surroundings clean,’’ said Nagaraj, assistant executive engineer, Jeevan Bhimanagar division, BBMP.

While the road and one footpath come under Jeevan Bhimanagar Ward, the other footpath falls under New Thippasandra Ward. Footpaths on both sides are not visually-challenged friendly. Many visually-challenged people from National Association for Blind, Karnataka, use these footpaths for training purpose.

“It is pity to see visually-challenged people struggling to negotiate stones and debris on the footpath,’’ said Kamala Kanth, a resident.

Traffic jams have also become a daily feature on this road, especially at the entry and exit points and the road that connects to Kodihalli. It will become a hell if a traffic police fail to regulate the vehicles movement for half-an-hour. The unscientific and illogical bus stops are also contributing their mite to the traffic woes on this road. For example, the bus stop at the PWD Shopping Complex near Suranjan Das Road Junction has become a bottle-neck for the smooth movement of vehicles. The traffic police can shift the bus stop a few metres away from the junction to avoid traffic jams at this junction.

Meanwhile, Lingappa, assistant executive engineer, New Thippasandra Ward, has assured to take ad hoc measures to mitigate the problems. “The public can expect the permanent solution for the potholes only after completion of the widening of Suranjan Das Road. I will ensure filling up potholes at the junction as early as possible,’’ said Lingappa. Ironically, the office of K Chandrasekhar, coroporator, Jeevan Bhimanagar, is on the main road but no respite for the woes of motorists and people who use Jeevan Bhimanagar Main Road.

Will the BBMP engineers honour their commitment or assurance? The public, especially the motorists, have to wait and watch.

source:http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_no-life-cover-on-jeevan-bhimanagar-road_1685483

Property record project soon in Bangalore

Initially, four lakh properties in 50 wards of BBMP to be surveyed

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The State Cabinet on Monday gave its nod to usher in the land titling system in Bangalore by approving implementation of the proposed Urban Property Owner Record (UPOR) project.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Law Minister Suresh Kumar said, to begin with, the project will be implemented in 50 wards of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike covering about four lakh properties.

Under the UPOR, also called City Survey, land titles or property cards will be given to the owners of properties after conducting a survey.

The Department of Survey Settlement and Land Records will implement the project in a phased manner under public private partnership. The origin and history of all the properties, both public and private, will be traced with the help of village maps.

The project will not only provide clear titles to property owners, but help trace encroachments, especially of the government lands.

There are 16 lakh housing properties in Bangalore and with the project in place, this number is expected to go up to about 20 lakh with the inclusion of properties that had been left out of assessment, Kumar said.

Currently, there is no title system for properties in the State. The Department is already implementing the project in five cities of Mysore, Shimoga, Bellary, Belgaum and Mangalore. The UPOR has been formulated on the Scotland model.

Official sources said the Request for Proposal (RFP) will soon be invited from private players, whose main task will be to help the Department survey properties.

The government is planning to offer about Rs 118 per property to the private partner. The first phase of the project is likely to be completed in about a year’s time, sources said.

User fee

The Department, sources said, will charge a user fee – ranging between Rs 300 and Rs 600 per property depending on the dimension and type of properties - for issuing the title or the property card.

The Cabinet also decided to invite Expression of Interest (EoI) for developing a film city cum theme park on 302 acres at Hesaraghatta with private participation. The project has been on the cards since 1970 but had not taken of due to one or the other reason.

Suresh Kumar said thrust had been given on the project in view of the second edition of the Global Investors Meet scheduled for the next month. The proposed venture on government land at Hesaragatta would also include a golf resort, Kumar said.

The Cabinet gave its approval for setting up a Centre for Innovations and Good Governance in Bangalore, an initiative of the Central government.

The Cabinet decided to release Rs 1.63 crore for the proposed Centre which would work in the area of administrative reforms, best practices in various government departments and policy and training issues, among others.

The Cabinet also decided to change the title of the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act, 2011 as Sakaala Services Act, 2011.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/247774/property-record-project-soon-bangalore.html

Multipurpose sea port at Tadadi

The State government has decided to undertake development of a multipurpose, all-weather greenfield sea port at Tadadi under the public private participation model.

A special purpose vehicle - Tadadi Port Limited - has been formed for the implementation of the project. The Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited has been designated as the nodal agency for the project.

About 1,419 acres of land at Tadadi in Uttara Kannada district is available for development of the port. Selection of the developer of the port will be through global tenders.

The estimated cost for the project is Rs 3,800 crore. The State government has offered development of the port to the Union Ministry of Shipping.

The first meeting of the board of directors of Tadadi Port Limited was held on May 2 under the chairmanship of K Jairaj, Additional Chief Secretary, according to an official press note.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/247770/multipurpose-sea-port-tadadi.html

A much-needed facelift for VV Puram

BANGALORE: This year, VV Puram will be undergoing a facelift as it is all set to get newly asphalted roads, public toilets , wider footpaths and a pathway for elderly people that stretches from Lalbagh to Krishna Rao Park.
Anil Kumar, Corporator of VV Puram ward, said that this year the tender process had almost been completed, and the contractors would be starting work next month. Speaking to City Express, he lamented that the footpath on Krishna Rao Road had been taken over by hawkers, and some measures were needed to overcome this menace.
The Corporator also plans to construct a pathway that stretches from Lalbagh West gate to Krishna Rao Park. The pathway will be specifically meant for elderly people, so that they can walk without fear of the oncoming traffic. Public toilets will be constructed in two places, one near Sajjan Rao Circle, and the other on the nearby Diagonal Road. Kumar added five public toilets will be set up in the coming future.
To prepare for the monsoons, potholes are being repaired, asphalt work is being carried out on other roads wherever necessary. Kumar also mentioned that drains were being desilted and cleaned in order to prevent flooding.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/A-much-needed-facelift-for-VV-Puram/389421.html

More facilities for passengers at BIA by early next year

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Passengers using the Bangalore International Airport in Devanahalli will have access to new facilities in phases, starting from early 2013.

The work on Terminal 1 is progressing at a steady pace without causing any inconvenience to passengers, a release from Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), which operates the airport, said. Changes in the terminal are now clearly visible on both sides of the building with a wave-like roof structures and the column work already in place, it said.

In June 2011, the airport operator took up expansion and upgradation work, which included the runway.

Among others, work on the new VVIP building had commenced and service additions included new smoking lounges at the domestic and international pre-embarkation area as well as the international arrival, and colourful chairs, according to BIAL.

It said four temporary walkways had been constructed to provide access to the terminal during the construction phase.

With adequate signage and additional staff, the airport had ensured there was enough assistance for passengers, it added.

Currently, new temporary protective walls on the sides of the terminal are being constructed to remove existing walls, the BIAL release said.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3394733.ece

Suvarna soudha!!

The second capital of Karnataka

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7141203091_cd58ff0b32_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vnayak/6995113382/sizes/l/in/photostream/

^^
WOW it looks like some fairytale castle in this pic :cheers:

btw its taking a bit too long to compete isnt it

^^
WOW it looks like some fairytale castle in this pic :cheers:

btw its taking a bit too long to compete isnt it

After all it's our pride,let it take time...but should be built to perfection

^^
WOW it looks like some fairytale castle in this pic :cheers:

btw its taking a bit too long to compete isnt it

Look at those small hills,Belgaum rocks!! I love my hometown :banana:

RpVizAAK19U

Any Feedback on Video ?

Cool, which software did you use???

good work avinash . :cheers:

Btw any reason why the title 'this suburb' instead of 'Yalahanka' ?

Many of those projects are far too spread out to be included under "yelahanka"

Superb video avinash

@sunilkumar its not just yelahanka but the projects in that video is spread throughout north Bangalore

jfmfYuoAoN0

Cool, which software did you use???

http://studio.stupeflix.com/

Suvarna soudha!!

The second capital of Karnataka

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7141203091_cd58ff0b32_b.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vnayak/6995113382/sizes/l/in/photostream/

cool.. that is 10km from city center.. hope they dont build any other building nearby :ohno:

legislative seat south of belgaum and high court bench north of hubli-dharwad, and the corridor is being converted to 6 lane by central govt..

Night holds many terrors for women (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Night-holds-many-terrors-for-women/articleshow/13057416.cms)
Nirmala Govindarajan, TNN | May 9, 2012, 12.54AM IST
BANGALORE: The city never really sleeps - men and women continue to work, in media houses, hospitals and IT companies, long after those on the conventional shift have hit the sack.

While it's a great indicator of India's economic progress, a recent Assocham Social Development Foundation report reveals that nearly 73% of women in Bangalore and across India feel insecure about working the Cinderella shift. This insecurity is based on personal incidents that leave India's fairer sex wary of moving out, especially after nightfall.

Dr Priyamvada Muddapur, a dementia expert, says it gives her little joy to organize a reliable escort back home from work, night after night. "My job involves training people on how to deal with dementia, and often, classes go on until midnight. I enjoy my work but every night, all I can think of is how to get home. I either request an office cab, or ride back my two-wheeler with a male colleague, though I don't stay too far from my workplace. The roads are deserted and drunk men returning from bars jeer at women. One night, a guy sneaked up close behind me and my female colleague, intending either to feel us or snatch our chains. We screamed and he fled," recounts Dr Priyamvada.

Media professional Shruthi Raghunanda, too, finds it unsafe to ride back home past 11pm. "I have to ride past Sarakki Lake on my way home to JP Nagar 8th Phase. Often, drunk people on bikes and cars stop to tease. They follow me home, leaving me completely uneasy," she says.

Eve-teasing, it emerges, is the biggest turnoff for women working the graveyard shift in Bangalore. Author Eshwar Sundaresan, who initiated the Midnight's Children campaign to make Bangalore more livable past 10pm, indicates that the main reason why women are eve-teased by night is because the city goes to sleep. "Restaurants aren't open, there are hardly any 24/7 medical stores and shops open past 10pm. There's no public transport, no passersby, no one a woman can turn to when in trouble," he observes.

Eshwar's survey of the city, in fact, speaks of horrific situations women have found themselves in at night. "Many women I interview say they avoid going out after 9pm. One woman in her early 20s from the northeast told me that auto drivers have dumped her in the middle of nowhere. Once, she was travelling from MG Road to BTM Layout at 11pm, when the auto driver just stopped at Dairy Circle and asked her to alight. There she was in the middle of the night, alone, horrified and wondering how to get home," he says.

What's the safety solution? Both Dr Priyamvada and Shruthi feel cops must increase patrolling, especially in deserted and poorly-lit areas. "There are cops on MG Road and in localities where there are pubs, but police seldom patrol deserted streets. Organizations that employ women on night shifts should have lady escorts to accompany women employees. Often, cab drivers too make me feel uneasy," rues Shruthi.

What Employers Can Do

* Companies to have an internal code to ensure security of women employees and take measures to ensure they discharge their job in a secure atmosphere

* Govts to make it mandatory for companies to install GPS in cabs attached to call centres, BPOs and industries which engage women in night shifts

Include self-defence training to women; install safety devices at workplace

Undertake police verification of cab drivers, security guards and peons deputed on night shifts and set up efficient complaint redressal systems

Provide CCTV surveillance

In high-risk area, adequate police force should be deployed

RTI trail reveals huge scam in mayor’s fund (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/RTI-trail-reveals-huge-scam-in-mayors-fund/articleshow/13044703.cms)
Sunitha Rao R, TNN | May 8, 2012, 06.13AM IST
BANGALORE: Controversies dogging the Rs 150-crore mayor's fund never seem to end. Documents obtained under RTI have revealed that several works sanctioned and executed under the fund have vanished into thin air.
RTI activist BH Veeresh approached the BBMP a year ago seeking to know how the Rs 150-crore fund was utilized between April 1, 2010, and June 30, 2011.

"There was a delay in response from the BBMP. I moved the Karnataka Information Commission over the issue. After the appellate authority's order, I got a response from the BBMP on March 26, 2012. The deputy controller of finance in the BBMP had to cough up Rs 5,000 as fine to KIC for the delay in responding to my query," Veeresh said.

The response from deputy controller (finance) D Kanakaraj was a shocker. While the query had sought details on the utilization of the Rs 150-crore fund, the response referred to only about Rs 15.22 crore worth of works.

Veeresh examined the details of the works he had been provided. Seventeen of the 40 works were claimed to have been executed in Chokkasandra sub-division , near Dasarahalli. The Chokkasandra works pertained to roads and drains and were worth Rs 8.75 crore.

RTI activist BH Veeresh was baffled by the reply he got from the BBMP about 40 works executed in the Chokkasandra sub-division, near Dasarahalli. There is no sub-division in the BBMP called Chokkasandra! There is a ward by that name, in the Hegganahalli sub-division, he said.

The activist from the RTI Study Centre then filed another RTI query with the executive engineer of the Hegganahalli sub-division seeking details of works taken up in the Chokkasandra ward under the mayor's funds. The executive engineer promptly replied that no work had been taken up undermayor's fund in Chokkasandra.

"Bogus bills have been raised and money drawn from the Mayor's fund without executing any work," Veeresh alleged.

Speaking to TOI, K Kuberappa, executive engineer of Hegganahalli sub-division , confirmed: "No work was taken up in Chokkasandra under the mayor's fund till now."

Chokkasandra is in the neighbourhood of former mayor R Sharadamma's ward, Shettyhalli. "I had not allotted any funds to Chokkasandra ward as mayor," Sharadamma said.

Sharadamma was mayor for two of the 18 months for which the RTI query had sought details of fund utilization.
This is what happens when mayor or CM are given arbitrary powers. Recently mayor and deputy mayor's funds have been cut short. And this is what happens when we have RTI :)

Different strokes for different folks

BANGALORE: Many students from various countries across the globe come to Bangalore to pursue their education and also to enhance their career prospects. How do students from other countries fare in Bangalore?
City Express interacted with a few foreign students who clearly cast their unanimous vote for Bangalore as the best city in the country.
Marika, Francesca and Margherita V arrived in Bangalore from France as part of an exchange programme in their
college. Now, it is over two months and they have quite settled in. Their first impression about the city was that they found the lifestyle very similar to their country. “People do their own thing and life is very fast,”
said Marika.
“There are innumerable restaurants, each catering to different taste buds. Bangalore has all the big brands and many malls that we hardly ever miss home,” she added. In their free time, they enjoy shopping and visiting historical places in the city.“We often visit malls and places of historical importance like the Bangalore Palace, Government museum, Tipu sultan’s palace and Lalbagh gardens. Besides, we love street shopping at Brigade’s and Commercial Street. The wide variety of jewellery fascinates me,”
said Francesca.
Emeka Ukwuomah, a Nigerian settled in Bangalore for over eight years and also a resident of Kammanahalli said, “My addas are totally unique. Zues, snooker parlour, coffee bar at Kammanahalli is where I prefer to be with few of my college friends and my Nigerian counterparts. I go to a bakery near my area because it is an easier way to chill out and save up some money instead of splurging.” He admits he thoroughly enjoys Bollywood movies like Dhoom and Monsoon Wedding. “I watch a Bollywood movie at least once a month,” he said. The road conditions and traffic situation is very bad and not the least bit pleasant unlike Nigeria.Andrea Okesalako, a Nigerian and a student counsellor at Esigelec french
engineering, said, ”The strange feature of the city is that, it has a rich heritage but is lost within the western world. This aspect is also seen other countries.” Indian food has a variety of flavours and her personal favourite is Hyderabadi biryani.
On speaking about Indian counterparts, her opinion was that she has found valuable friends who have changed her life.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Different-strokes-for-different-folks/389843.html

Taking Indian music to another level

BANGALORE: Many young and talented artistes in the city have popularised the elaborate and exclusive form of Indian classical music on the arena of global music. Collaboration with musicians from different parts of the world has made our classical music more familiar with people across the globe.
One such artiste is Giridhar Udupa, a Bangalore-based ghatam maestro who has collaborated with musicians across the globe. When City Express interacted with the artiste, he spoke at length about his journey in the field of music, his collaboration with musicians of other countries, support from his teachers and also about his future projects.
Giridhar, initially started learning Mridangam at the age of four from his father, Ullur Nagendra Udupa. “My father later taught me the fingering techniques on Ghatam that helped me to take up the new instrument. After watching Vikku Vinayakram’s performance on television, I decided to take up ghatam seriously,” he said. Later, he started pursuing his career under Sukanya Ramgopal, who fondly took him under her wings. She prepared him to play on the Manamadurai Ghatam, the toughest and the hardest mud instrument in the world of percussion. Now, he uses Manamadurai Ghatam for all of his concerts. He added, "As they say, nature’s beauty is often encased in the toughest shells, the resonating sounds of Manamadurai Ghatams can rarely be matched by any other type of Ghatam.” He then experimented with different kinds of Ghatams, various styles, strokes and sounds.
Udupa, received the Central Government Scholarship to continue his learning under V Suresh, a Ghatam master. This gave a start to yet another exciting journey with Ghatam, as he began exploring distinct styles of playing on the instrument. It was in this phase that he started picking up the skills of accompanying various musicians on the stage who invariably brought their own styles and perspectives in a concert. “The challenge was to understand these nuances perfectly on the stage and respond to them spontaneously. He (Ghatam V Suresh) initiated me into this fine manoeuvring and graceful improvisations for live concerts. Learning under him has been the most memorable and valuable experience of my musical journey,” explained Udupa.
It is apparent from his style of playing that he has adopted the styles of both his teachers. While he was striving to bring these styles in creative combinations, he also tried to adopt different techniques of hand percussions across the world to create his own style. "It was a great challenge to be innovative and create new sounds in a seemingly simple instrument like Ghatam,” he added. With his innovative style, he has also performed with Hindustani musical maestros including Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Ustad Shahid Parvez, to name a few.
Apart from playing traditional Carnatic Classical Music, he has also performed for many genres around the globe. He said, “I would like to call it as world music. In Europe, I collaborated with two bands, Indialucia (Flamenco Music) and Nasha (Irish music). Apart from this, I had the honour of performing with great maestros including Trilok Gurtu, Ernie Watts, Larry Coryell, George Brooks, Kai Eckhardt, Hubert Laws and others.” Recently, Giridhar also performed for Bollywood music directors, Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan and Loy in Bangalore and Delhi. When asked about the qualities, a musician needs to have when collaborating with different musicians around the globe, he said that a musician needs to have in-depth knowledge of both forms of music. “Just bringing different instruments from east and west on one platform and playing them together does not create fusion music. For instance, I perform regularly with Flamenco musicians. But before playing with them, I listen to it for hours to get a grip of their fundamentals. Being a Carnatic musician, it makes my job easier to adapt to any form of music, because Carnatic music has a highly evolved and sophisticated structure,” added he.
Many concerts remain fresh in his mind. He shared that his first concert with his father is still fresh, as it was this which initiated him into the world of music. He also recalls that concerts with Mysore Brothers and Dr L Subramaniam are mesmerising. Besides the carnatic classical music, Giridhar enjoys listening to all genres of music especially Jazz, Country and Flamenco. Police is one of his favourite bands, he admits. He added, “There is beauty in all kinds of music and the beauty lies precisely in this diversity.”
Udupa, who is graduate in commerce, said that even during his school and college days his passion was clearly for music. “I still remember giving performances even a day before my examination. I took challenges, and also took my examination in the same spirit.” Speaking about his future projects, he said that he would collaborate with different world musicians on various projects. “I am now expanding several of my international projects in the coming years, including the Indialucia band in Poland. I will soon start working on my music album,” concluded the Ghatam maestro.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Taking-Indian-music-to-another-level/389830.html

A perfect Indian shopping experience

BANGALORE: Looking for a fun-filled affordable shopping experience in Bangalore? Well look no further! Sampige Road in Malleswaram provides you with everything you may want in a perfect Indian shopping scenario, be it cheap, second hand, modern, antique, luxury or everyday commodities.
A walk down the length of this bustling street may reap in the hearts of many to purchase diverse products from accessories to apparel. The evenings are the best time to venture into the thousands of shops and buy from vendors who are present all 365 days of the year.
Enthusiastic shoppers swarm around the roadside stalls just to take a look at what is on offer. With variety to chose from, one may get confused on where and what to start looking for. Starting off at the 8th cross, is highly recommended by frequent shoppers here. It is filled with stores that give out some of the best discounts and quality goods for clothes, shoes, bags and even kitchenware.
“Sampige is my usual place of visit and the most interesting lane is the 8th cross. I come here as often as possible,” said Malini. Ankitha, another regular shopper here, commented, “It is just so exciting to come to 8th cross. I love Indian clothes and the variety available makes me wonder if I could just stay here forever.”
Moving on, one may get lost in the crowded bylanes filled with shops on both sides. The footpath is also choked with small time retailers with fascinating products liske quirky, fancy and funky jewellery that grab the attention of women from all walks of life. Kurtis, towels, mattresses and bedsheets starting from `100 are lined up for sale.
The power of bargains and discounts makes it undeniably the main shopping attraction. The other products that attract people are shoes and bags. “The flats are so comfortable and they last for a very long time. They are exactly the kind of ones that I prefer wearing to college. I have a lot to choose from as well,” said Sanju, a Christ College student.
The street is not only squashed with women shoppers but also sees children and men jostling for their personal needs. “People generally find it weird when I say I am accompanying my wife to go shopping on this street. But there is a complete range of choices of men’s collection that is worth exploring,” says Sateesh.
All the walking and shopping may make the person hungry. That is when the pani puri, cut mango slices, chat and fresh juice stalls present in the corners will come into the picture. It is always great to come with a bunch of friends and eat, drink and shop — all in one stretch. “I love the sweet and sour combination of slices of fruit with chat masala. Shopping becomes more fun with the availability of such treats. And if it is really hot, there are a couple of juice stalls to choose my drink from,” says Leela.
The place is a must-go for visitors and residents alike for shopping adventures. So bring along an extra bag as you may end up devoting extra time satisfying your impulses. It is great fun.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/A-perfect-Indian-shopping-experience/389442.html

Bazaar Street now wears a deserted look

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The hitherto bustling bazar street opposite to Virupaksha temple with myriad of commercial activities in Hampi, wears a deserted look after the people residing in ancient saalu mantaps were evacuated as part of clearing the encroachments.

Bazaar Street, opposite Sri Virupaksha temple at Hampi, which used to be bustling with myriad activities, wears a deserted look now.

“It was like having a ‘punardarshan' of Hampi immediately after it fell into ruins 500 years ago. Bazaar Street is a picture of desolation,” B.S. Anand Singh, Vijayanagar MLA, bemoaned.

The entire stretch of Bazaar Street has become lifeless after encroachments at the “saalu mantaps” on either side of the street were cleared. People, who were residing in the mantaps, besides running some commercial activities, including restaurants, lodges, cyber cafes, have been evicted.

As a result, tourists visiting the temple find it difficult to even buy drinking water on Bazaar Street. The only place where they can buy water and other eatables is the parking lot at the entrance to Bazaar Street.

Following directions from the Karnataka High Court to clear encroachments around the ancient monuments, people residing in the ancient “saalu mantaps” who earlier were reluctant to vacate started shifting on their own to nearby Kaddirampur village and Kamalapur town. The demolished structure on Bazaar Street and also on the path leading to the river would force one to recollect how Hampi was in ruins five centuries ago. The Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority, as per the directions of the Karnataka High Court, has identified land near Kaddirampur village to rehabilitate the 328 evacuees. The Nirmiti Kendra has been entrusted with the task of preparing the layout and developing civic amenities.

In addition, the authority had planned to provide user-friendly kiosks to vendors of puja and other items at the existing parking lot.

Meanwhile, Mr. Anand Singh, on Tuesday, held discussions with officials concerned, including D.R. Ashok, Commissioner, Kempe Gowda, Conservation Assistant, ASI, and S. Basavaraj, Hospet Tahsildar, over the allotment of land for commercial activities.

“It is significant that the authority has initiated steps to rehabilitate the evacuees and help the vendors to carry out their business. But similar steps are necessary to help the people to restart their commercial activities,” he said.

Mr. Anand Singh told The Hindu that he was in favour of allotting a suitable place adjacent to the land identified for rehabilitation, to the people to restart their commercial activities. Mr. Ashok and Mr. Kempe Gowda said that they and the MLA had visited a couple of places and they would send a proposal to the ASI to finalise land for the purpose.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3398267.ece

Hi All,

New to this forum. So kindly excuse any errors in posting.

We recently booked a house (7th April, 2012) in the upcoming Shriram Suhaana (off Doddabalapur Road). After paying the booking amount, we were told to make a further payment of 20% of the cost before 10th May for signing the agreement. However, subsequent to this communique, we got yet another email from the promoters saying that there is a new MoEF guideline which says that buildings over a certain height need to have a certain road width which the current project plan does not take into account. Thus, there was a revised circular which said that all agreements with those who had booked flats would only be signed after this was sorted out.

I spoke to the DGM - Customer Care yesterday who said that the management is still working on it and that it will take some time till the situation becomes clear. There is still some confusion as to what time frame are they looking at for the solution to become clear. Currently he said that they have multiple options including ( reducing the number of floors which is currently 13, or in a worst case scenario not going ahead with the project itself)

My Questions therefore to the forum are

1. What is a relatively good time frame during which I should consider going ahead with the project. At what point do I start looking at other options
2. Given the fact, that is a central government guidelines, how long will it take for the issue to get sorted out
3. In case the promoters decide to reduce the number of floors, what will be implications for cost (i have booked the apartment on the 3rd floor). Will the per square foot rate go up or other rates increase?

I'm sure that there are other customers of the same project who would have called the promoters and would have got similar responses. Request them to kindly share their thoughts and experiences on the same.

thanks,
Vivek

8% of Bangalore’s lifts are unlicensed

BANGALORE: The lift you take to reach your workplace or apartment may not be licensed. At least 2,000, or 8%, of the 25,000 lifts in Bangalore are not licensed, say sources in Karnataka State Electrical Inspectorate (KSEI).

More shocking is that there is no way of knowing whether a lift is legal or not. Reason: KSEI has not found a way of putting its seal of approval on elevators. This is despite the fact that lifts are the biggest carriers of people: More Bangaloreans board elevators than buses or autorickshaws.

Besides the unlicensed lifts, there are several others installed in unregistered buildings, leaving them out of the purview of the Lifts Acts and Rules, 1974.

"There are about 25,000 lifts in Bangalore. Despite knowing the importance of safety of lifts, many private companies do not comply with the standards mentioned in the rule book," KS Anjanappa, electrical inspector, Bangalore East, informed TOI.

Many lift users don't even know that a licence from the the Karnataka State Electrical Inspectorate (KSEI), the licensing body, is mandatory, say electrical inspectors. It's the responsibility of the owners of premises on which lifts are installed to obtain licence.

Lifts have to be replaced after every 10 years. Besides, it is also mandatory that every lift has a trained operator and is covered by an annual maintenance contract.

Though KSEI finds numerous violations of rules, it lacks teeth to crack down on unlicensed and unsafe lifts. At the most, it can levy a fine of Rs 300 or order shutting down a lift until anomalies are set right.

"Most consumers, builders and companies alike, ignore the rule on replacing old lifts after 10 years. People do not even realize that the frequent lift failures call for a change or overhaul of the machinery," says another official in the inspectorate.

On Monday, the state cabinet approved amendments to the Lifts Act, 1974, to ensure safer lifts and escalators. A new law - the Karnataka Lifts, Escalators and Passenger Conveyers Act, 2012 - proposes to make it mandatory to purchase lifts from only registered companies.

"Only branded lifts have quality equipment. These companies ensure that lifts are incorporated with each electrical safety measure. It is the unbranded lifts that have low-cost material," said sources in KSEI.

Citing an example, they said that most lifts in the city, manufactured by small companies, are not equipped with governors. It is the governor that holds a lift in case the cable snaps when the machine is moving. The proposed amendments make governors mandatory in all lifts. If the cable snaps, governors bring the cubicle down to the next lower level. In lifts with governors, cubicle doors open, ensuring evacuated of persons inside to safety, a KSEI official explained.

Rule book says

Obtaining licence for a lift is mandatory.

Replacing it after 10 years is a must.

Lift must be operated by a trained person.

Must be covered by an annual maintenance contract.

Major accidents

March 8, 2011: A 62-year-old man who sought to leave a lift that had ground to halt between two floors due to power failure was killed as it started moving suddenly. He was stuck between the cubicle and the shaft wall.

October 24, 2009: A three-year-old girl was stuck between the doors of a lift that started moving. The girl, whose father was a security guard at the JP Nagar apartment, was playing when the accident happened.

No time for awareness

The world over, May is observed as Electrical Safety Month. The government of India announced that a Safety Week would be observed from May 10. But the last time the KSEI observed the Safety Week was in 1998!

KSEI officials say the department is short-staffed. The inspectorate's 100-strong contingent of electrical inspectors and engineers is so occupied with routine inspections that they have no time to spread awareness.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/8-of-Bangalores-lifts-are-unlicensed/articleshow/13074568.cms

BBMP looks up to sun for powering the City

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For Bangaloreans perennially at the mercy of power disruptions, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) could come out with a solar solution. The Mayor has issued a note to formulate an action plan to electrify all government and ‘private buildings’ that would be under construction within its limits, through solar energy.

With the demand for power surging by 18 per cent annually, as indicated by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), the Palike could make the use of solar energy mandatory for the buildings owned by State Government, BBMP and private buildings.

The note issued by Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy on May 8, 2012, has emphasised the need to encourage the use of solar energy so that the demand could be met. “Bangalore is growing indiscriminately. The City’s population has increased by several fold and so has the demand for power. With the power crisis worsening, all the buildings within BBMP limits must generate their own power for consumption,” says the note.

Citing the scarcity of rainfall that has affected the power generation in the State, the Mayor said that the people in Bangalore were bearing the brunt and stressed that an action would be chalked out to deal with it. He said that the proposal would be placed before a meeting of the Council.

The Mayor pointed out that new Palike buildings such as the Kandaya Bhavan, inaugurated on Wednesday, were fitted with solar photovoltaic panels to generate solar energy. This would be extended to other buildings. On the lines of rain water harvesting (RWH), this requirement was likely to be made mandatory. Implementation would be under the guidance of Bescom.

The first citizen said generating solar energy would be an added benefit as it would facilitate power supply at low cost and ensure zero pollution.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248373/bbmp-looks-up-sun-powering.html

Now, have your say in City’s future

BDA invites suggestions from Bangaloreans for CDP 2035


It is time for Bangaloreans to have a say in the planning of the Garden City. The State government, through a Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) notification, has invited suggestions from the general public for the revision of Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2015 for Bangalore Metropolitan Area.

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RMP 2015, which is popularly known as CDP 2015, will be revised for another 20 years and it would be called CDP 2035 after revision.

According to the May 7 BDA notification, the Authority is set to revise the existing CDP as per the provisions under Section 10 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act (KTTP), 1961.

The public can give their suggestions at the Town Planning Section of BDA office located in T Chowdaiah Road, Kumara Park West, during office hours or can post their suggestions to the same address. The last date for submitting suggestions is July 7.

Revision of the master plan is a periodical exercise undertaken by the City planning bodies to draw a roadmap for the future infrastructure development as well as to provide a general blueprint for various civic agencies for better coordination in project planning and implementation.

The BDA had invited expression of interest (EOI) for shortlisting domestic and global consultants to draw a roadmap for the City in October 2011. Members of the civic society and urban experts had pointed out flaws in the CDP 2015.

Experts had felt that the BDA should not go ahead with another revision without weeding out flaws in the existing CDP. However, the BDA has gone ahead and is set to implement CDP 2035. Sources in the BDA said the appointment of an agency for drawing CDP 2035 is in its final stages.

Sudhakar K, a civic expert, said that there is overlapping of planning with the Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA) already looking after the planning.
With BMRDA already proposing Metropolitan Planning Commission Bill and ABIDe coming up with the Bangalore Regional Governance Bill, there is a need to define the very role of BDA.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248364/now-have-your-say-citys.html

‘GIM to focus on infra, power’

Chief Secretary S V Ranganath on Wednesday called upon companies to invest more in the urban infrastructure sector during the upcoming Global Investor Meet (GIM) scheduled on June 7 and 8.

While addressing an interactive industry meet for the infrastructure and energy sector, Ranganath said a recent survey had placed Karnataka among top five states in the country where the urban population is set to touch 50 per cent of the total population in the State.
Thus, the government was more interested in investments in the urban centres, he said.

Ranganath said investments in tier-II cities like Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Davangere and Mangalore were more crucial at this GIM. The chief secretary said investors had an added advantage during GIM as speedy processing would be ensured for such projects.

He said, in addition to infrastructure and energy, GIM 2012 was giving special attention to employment generation and inclusive growth. Secretaries of various departments shared their preparedness to accommodate more investors in the upcoming edition of GIM.

Infrastructure department Principal Secretary Rajkumar Khatri said the government was piloting an infrastructure bill, which facilitates formation of an Authority that would be chaired by the chief secretary.

He said the government had been conducting capacity building programmes for its officials regarding PPP model and already 250 officials had been trained. Khatri said 12 departments had planned 189 projects at an estimated cost of Rs 2 lakh crore, which are up for grabs at GIM.

Energy Department Principal Secretary Narasimha Raju said six new power projects to produce 7,300 MW in the thermal sector had been drafted. He said non-conventional energy projects were currently producing 2000 MW and projects to add another 600 MW were being approved. Raju said they were coming out with a policy to generate 500 MW from solar projects.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248360/gim-focus-infra-power.html

Ettinahole project likely to begin by September

The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the proposed Ettinahole project is likely to be ready by June, and if everything goes as per the plan, the project implementation would commence by September this year.

The ambitious project, when completed, would supply water to the parched districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bangalore Rural and Tumkur.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda reviewed the progress of the project on Wednesday.

According to the project plan, 24.01 tmc ft of water from Ettinahole, Kadumanehole, Kerehole and Hongadahalla (all tributaries of Netravathi River) will be drawn by constructing eight small dams. The water will be pumped for 10 km up to Haravanahalli in Hassan. From Haravanahalli, the water will be flown to Tumkur for 233 km with gravitational force.

Again from Tumkur, the water will be pumped for 8.10 km to Devarayanadurga where a 10 tmcft- reservoir will be constructed. From the reservoir, the water will be pumped to Kolar and Chikkaballapur district, for a distance of 55.9 kms. The plan is to fill about 337 tanks in the two districts.

Besides, it has been planned to supply about 14 tmc ft of water to Tumkur, Koratagere, Madhugiri and Pavagada taluks of Tumkur district. The project also includes filling of Chamarajasagara, Hesarghatta lakes and providing water to Devanahalli industrial area. This apart, project envisages water supply to some towns in Hassan, Chikkamagalur and Chitradurga districts from Vedavathi River.

Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bangalore Rural and Tumkur districts are the worst hit places due to depletion in ground water table. Ettinahole project. estimated to cost about Rs 7,000 crore. is the only ray of hope for them.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the chief minister said the government has plans to include Ramanagar district under the project. The project will be taken up as soon as possible to give relief to the affected people of the five districts, he added.

Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the Maharastra government had not been able to release Koyna water to the State owing to political pressures.


source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248323/ettinahole-project-likely-begin-september.html

DKS’ brother too got housing society site

Allotment of plot at throwaway price is a direct violation of HBCS byelaws

After Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge’s daughter Priyadarshini M K returned a site allotted to her by the Karnataka State Judicial Department Employees House Building Co-operative Society Limited (KSJDE HBCS) at Yelahanka (Allalasandra) Judicial Layout following a controversy recently, it has now come to light that former minister for co-operation and Kanakapura MLA D K Shivakumar’s brother too was allotted a site by the same society.

On September 4, 2000, a year and a half after Shivakumar took charge as the Co-operation Minister in the S M Krishna government, his brother D K Suresh inked a sale deed with KSJDE HBCS for the allotment of a 60’ x 40’ sqft site in the controversial Allalasandra Layout, the same place where Priyadarshini was also allotted a plot in 2002.

According to documents available with Deccan Herald, site number 1034/2 was allotted to Suresh for a paltry sum of Rs 61,598. He had then paid a stamp duty of Rs 8,370.

The allotment of the site to Suresh at a throwaway price is a direct violation of Clause 10 of the model byelaws of HBCSs which deal with the rights of the members.

Clause 10(B) says: “He/she in the case of Employee House Building Society is an employee of the organisation for which the society has been organised and has put in a minimum continuous or intermittent service of five years in Karnataka.”

However, Suresh is not a registered member of the judicial employees’ HBCS and hence he is not eligible for the site.

KSJDE HBCS, represented by its director N Shivanna, had considered a sale deed in favour of Suresh.

Unlike in other deeds, there is no mention of the membership number, even though the deed says the vendee (D K Suresh) had paid the membership fee from time to time, which the society has acknowledged.

Further, Clause 53 of the byelaws prescribes that the allotment of the site has to be on the basis of seniority and that any member has to produce an employment certificate from the employer proving that she/he has served a minimum of five years as an employee with the said organisation.

But Suresh appears to have not been an employee of the judicial department and hence not eligible for the membership of the society.

D K Shivakumar told Deccan Herald: “The allotment of the particular site to my brother has been cancelled as it was part of a CA site that was to be handed over to the BDA. At that time, we were misguided to buy the site.”

However, as on April 19, 2012, an encumbrance certificate for the same site (1034/2) shows that the property is still in the name of D K Suresh, son of Kempegowda.

As if to justify the allotment of a site to his brother, Shivakumar said sites were allotted to the relatives of other Congress and JD(S) leaders as well in the same layout.

“Even the family of Mallikarjuna Kharge and Deve Gowda’s relatives have been allotted sites in the same layout. Maybe you should check on that too,” he said.

Shivakumar has forgotten that he was the minister for co-operation during the entire period these allotments were made.

On reminding him that Priyadarshini had returned the site allotted to her following a report in Deccan Herald and that his brother too should follow suit, Shivakumar said:

“There is no question of (my brother) returning the site as the allotment has already
been cancelled.”

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248318/dks-brother-too-got-housing.html

KHB identifies 18,000 properties in land audit

The first ever land audit conducted by the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) has mapped and identified 18,000 properties allotted or in possession of the Board since its inception in 1954.

Housing Minister V Somanna told reporters in Bangalore on Wednesday, that according to an initial estimate, auctioning of unallotted land in possession of the Board can fetch up to Rs 1,000 crore.

The exact number of properties that could be auctioned would be known in 15 days once the computerisation of the database is completed, Somanna said.

The proceeds from the auction will be channelled for new projects and a small percentage for the welfare of KHB employees, he added.

He said the government proposed to bring all its housing schemes under one umbrella. At present, several departments and bodies including Social Welfare, Fisheries, Bangalore Development Authority, Housing Board and city corporations are taking up housing projects.

Bringing all the schemes under one department would help in streamlining the allotment process and avoid multiple allotments of housing sites or houses, he said.

The issue would be discussed with the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja, who is scheduled to visit Bangalore on May 26, he said.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248316/khb-identifies-18000-properties-land.html

Save money, go green

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BANGALORE: With soaring temperatures and increasing power tariffs, eco-friendly homes and buildings may be the answer to cut down on costs.
Many city dwellers are opting to construct and reside in green buildings due to the benefits that come with them.
Maithili, who stays at BCIL T-ZED apartments in Whitefield, moved in there five years ago. Her monthly electricity bill comes up to Rs 500. At her home, water is heated through solar heating system. She says.
”The bill has become nearly half since we shifted here.” The house is spacious and wellventilated, with plenty of lighting during the daytime which ensures minimal usage of artificial light.” The roof garden keeps the temperatures low so that the house remains cool even in summers, with no air conditioner in place.
According to Maithili, there has been no water shortage because of water conservation systems such as rainwater harvesting, waste water recycling and open wells that cater to the residents’ water needs.
Green buildings are constructed with an emphasis on conserving energy and utilising natural resources.
Apoorv Sharma Prasad, a resident of HSR Layout, says that their house, which was constructed in 2004, was built with “a conscious decision to use as much natural material as possible”.
Eco-friendly houses are constructed with materials that is available at hand such as clay blocks or recycled cement.
Optimum usage of available resources is the first step in ensuring that cost is reduced.
However, a common perception about eco-friendly homes is that they are expensive to build .
Indrajit Kembhavi, whose firm constructed the Police Bhavan in Gulbarga, one of the first gold LEED rated buildings in India believes that “the initial investment may be higher but in the long run these buildings are definitely cheaper to maintain.” According to Chitra Vishwanath, a well-known architect, eco-friendly houses are much cheaper when it comes to maintenance.
In fact, she says there is no reason why they should not be cheaper to build as well.
She points out that a study conducted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, showed the true cost difference between green and conventional buildings to be five per cent.
Green buildings
The green building concept in India was introduced with the southern regional centre of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
Built when green buildings were still a relatively unknown concept, it is known for its ecofriendly design which helps conserve energy efficiently.
The building is designed in such that sunlight is diffused through the entire room.
Kiran, a research associate from TERI, points out that during the day, “even the library does not use any artificial light.” The building has a wall garden that acts as a noise barrier while the roof garden helps in keeping the building cool.
He says, “The only air conditioning system is in the convention hall.
The cost of power for the organisation is 10 per cent of the cost that air conditioned buildings of this size would incur in this area.” Medappa, an associate of Sanjay Mohe, the architect of the building says that solar panels and rainwater harvesting system were introduced on an experimental basis because, at the time, eco-friendly buildings were still in their early stages.
The building is now considered a landmark among green buildings.
There are a variety of reasons to go eco-friendly but for those who are looking to construct, or move into a green building, Chitra Vishwanath believes that the location of the site should be kept in mind.
Her advice is that “a sensible design looks at the climate” and the house needs to be built accordingly.
And what about those of us who are looking to be more environmentally friendly in our current habitats? Well, Chitra believes that utilising common spaces is the answer.
She says, “Family members should use common spaces and not individual spaces.” This minimises the electricity usage. She also recommends keeping windows open and minimizing the use of lights and fans.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/save-money-go-green/390363.html

Bangalore harvesting the precious resource

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Bangalore has done it again. After all the hungama, more than 40,000 out of a total 55,000 buildings have installed Rain Water Harvesting (RWH).
Earlier, last year, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had made it mandatory to install RWH on all existing buildings, measuring 40x60 feet and new buildings measuring 30x40 feet to tackle the ever—increasing problem of water shortage, and to balance the demand and supply of water in the expanding city.
With the amendment of Karnataka Gazette Notification (May 19,2011), the water board has exercised all powers conferred to it through Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1964 (Karnataka Act 36 of 1964).
It is empowered to disconnect water and sanitary connection to those buildings which has failed to adhere by RWH installation within the stipulated deadline.
However, more than 8000 residents have written letters to BWSSB seeking extension.
BWSSB officials had given enough warning to building owners to implement RWH, through their water inspectors and their staff who regularly visit the buildings to note the water meter readings.
With the official deadline ending by March end, the BWSSB has now sought letters from those who have complied by the rule.
Of the 15,000 building owners, more than 8000 have written letters to the board citing reasons like lack of funds etc and have sought extension ranging from one month up to four months.
Citizens demanding a holistic approach have alleged that the threatening move by BWSSB to disconnect its services is not appropriate, while Kemparamaiah, chief engineer, BWSSB said “Scarcity of water exists everywhere and we have taken up this initiative with a motive to balance the demand and supply of water.
It is for the welfare of the future generation and not to threaten the people to stick to the rule”.
E v e n B W S S B and Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar feels there is no logic in imposing rain water harvesting (RWH) on the city.
“It must be seen more as a ‘voluntary’ measure than an order of the government.” “The public must not feel it is imposed.
We must instead create awareness so that the people themselves adopt RWH.
A joint meeting of BBMP and BWSSB will be convened in a week.
Special attention is being given to install RWH in government buildings and lands in a way to enc o u r - age the p u b l i c to take up RWH” Suresh Kumar opines.
What is Rainwater Harvesting ?
Rainwater Harvesting means collection and storage of rainwater from roof top of a building or from a vacant land for use or for groundwater recharge.
Rainwater harvesting is adopted in cities to supplement the city’s other water supplies, to increase soil moisture levels for urban greenery, to raise the water table through artificial recharge, to mitigate urban flooding.
Except for drinking and cooking purposes, water conserved through RWH can be used for bathing, washing, gardening, flushing of toilets, and floor cleaning.
Rain Water Harvesting Theme Park
The Rainwater Harvesting Theme Park at 5th Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore is a unique concept brought to life by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to spread awareness about the benefits and practicalities of implementing rainwater harvesting.
The theme park which was inaugurated on World Water Day on March 2011 has all working models of RWH.
It has been visited by 7787 people till May 8.
In the 46 technical sessions and 38 awareness camps provided by the park, 1364 plumbers have been trained to install RWH.
About 862 people have been provided technical knowledge and clarification by the team of engineers at the park’s help desk over phone.
About 3784 children from more than 42 schools and 354 college students from across the city have visited the park as part of their education.
Do BWSSB buildings have RWH?
At a time when the citizens are asking the BWSSB to look around its own buildings and implement RWH, T Venkatraju, Engineer-inchief, BWSSB said “Out of 216 BWSSB buildings, almost all the buildings have already implemented RWH.
Only two buildings belonging to the water board has to install RWH.
It is getting delayed as the engineers have found rocky terrain under two buildings”.
RWH on Govt.
Buildings
As per the old records with Committee on RWH, there are 2,523 government buildings.
“Of this, about 50 per cent of the buildings have installed RWH.
The above figure consists of all government buildings.
It is expected to reduce, once we bifurcate the building measuring only 40x60 feet.
The exact figure on how many government buildings have installed RWH will be available after a meeting which is scheduled on May 15”.
Water Experts’say
When we sought the opinion of water experts like Captain Raja Rao, former irrigation secretary he said “In one method, the rain water collected on roofs are guided to tanks below for direct use and in the other method it is allowed to percolate into ground through open wells.
In the first method water collected in tanks have to be put to use with the help of a motor to flush toilets, to wash cars, to gardens etc.
But who will monitor whether the conserved water is really put to use ?” “If the water is not put to use time-to-time, the surplus water will overflow.
Only 10- 15 per cent of the rain water can be conserved through RWH” he added.
Raja Rao further suggested the civic bodies to take up RWH at every intersection of roads in association with private firms, which will save lot of rain water which now flows into storm water drains.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/bangalore-harvesting-the-precious-resource/390371.html

A garden that heals

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BANGALORE: Darshan Shankar’s garden is no ordinary one.
Located on the premises of the Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM) near Yelahanka Airbase, his garden boasts of over thousand species of rare medicinal plants collected from all over India.
During his stint as a social activist in Karjat, Maharashtra, he was inspired by the medical traditions of the tribes in the area. He came to Bangalore in 1993 and set up Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Tradition (FRLHT).
“There are 960 species that occur (traded) in the All India Trade. Out of these, 198 species are traded in very large quantities exceeding 100 metric tonnes,” said Darshan Shankar.
He realised that these species did not require any attention, while several others with medicinal properties as identified by indigenous medical traditions were dying.
“I realised there was a need to strategise cultivation of plants that I collected and studied during my visits to the tribal belts in Maharashtra,” he said.
He met like-minded people, who helped him with the creation of database of medicinal plants in the wild.
Now his garden, with over 25,000 plants, provides essential medicinal extracts to treat patients through Ayurveda.
Once he realised that a garden can be successfully cultivated in the city, he took the next logical step — set up a nursery to encourage development of domestic herbal gardens.
“We provide saplings as well as basic training to people interested in setting up gardens,” he said.
Question him on how this helps to sustain the tribal medical traditions and the simplicity in his logic is, well, healing.
“Our website provides herbal remedies for common ailments such as fever and stomach aches using simple ingredients such as turmeric and tulasi,” he said.
With such initiatives, traditional knowledge is made relevant and hence preserved.
Darshan Shankar has many accolades to his name including the prestigious Padma Shri award in the field of Public Affairs and the Norman Borlung Award for his contributions in promoting conservation of wild population of medicinal plants.
He holds prestigious positions such as the Advisor in the Planning Commission of India, Chairman at the Karnataka Knowledge Commission on Traditional Medicine Systems and a Member at Executive Board of Global Initiative for Traditional Systems (GIFTS), Oxford, UK.
The book, “Challenging the Indian Medical Heritage” was written and edited by him


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/a-garden-that-heals/390362.html

Journey to the queen of hill stations

If Bangalore heat is too overbearing, then a weekend in Ooty is your best destination.
Ooty is better captured in memories than in pictures.
The image of white clouds descending on blue peaks, remains etched in your mind, making this an unforgettable experience.
The journey to the hill station through Bandipur and Madumallai National Parks is a small vacation in itself.
As you leave the dust and heat of the city behind, a range of tiny peaks craning their necks come into view.
If you are lucky, then you will also spot a few wild animals in the national parks.
Before the steep climb to Ooty starts, you can stop at a small chai shop.
Rain drops glisten on the already wet roads and the dark brown sweet liquid gives you a sense of wellness.
After the chai you can also try the boiled corn or 'Kuccha aam' sprinkled with spices.
The thirty six hairpin bends to Ooty is an exciting experience for adventurers but if you have motion sickness, then you should take some prior precautions as the steep climb can spoil the journey for you.
Instead of running around like tourists, trying to do exactly what the website told you, just sit with a cup of hot masala chai in front of the boundless tea estates with the Nilgiris as the backdrop.
Automatically you will go into a meditative state, your mind no more a prison of thoughts.
Ooty can be breathed in best at six in the morning, when the sun is still asleep and the mountains are a darker shade of blue, a child's painting where the paint strokes have no direction.A walk in the Botanical Gardens is recommended at the early hour.
The colourful flowers are still yawning from their slumber and their morning fragrance fills the air, soaking the atmosphere in perfume.
After a round of the flower beds, you can head towards the Governor's house.
Its a steep climb up with the clouds making the scene a little hazy.
On the way you encounter tiny villages and variety of exotic flora bathed in the morning due.
A ride in the toy train from Ooty to Coonoor is a must for all.
The high pitched nasal whistle of the train and the cloud of smoke takes you back to the 'black and white' era.
The train snakes through mountains.
You are lucky, if you secure the window seat as the magnificent view of the Nilgiris is not to be missed.
Once in Coonoor, you can opt for a taxi or a bus which will show you the local attractions like tea estates and the tiny market in the heart of the town.
Don't forget to get a bag of exotic white or green tea on your way out.
On your way to Ooty you can buy hill vegetables like carrots sprinkled with spices to pamper your taste buds.
A stop at Lovdale is also a good option if you are not time constrained.
In the afternoon, instead of retiring to your hotel, take a walk in the Ooty bazaar.
Homemade chocolates remain the biggest attraction amongst tourists.
You can try a variety of chocolates from King Star, one of the oldest chocolate shops in Ooty located on the Commercial Road in the Bazaar.
If you deviate a little from the main road (Commercial Road) you can spot small leather shops, which sell smart pure leather bags, shoes and belts at reasonable prices.
A lot of shops also sell 'Toda' jewellery which they claim is made by the Toda tribe.
This may not be a good buy as the jewellery is over priced.
If you have always pictured yourself playing golf with mountain ranges in the background, then Ooty Gymkhana serves as the perfect evening destination.
Built in the British era the club has the old rustic charm.
If you are not a member then don't fret.
By paying Rs 1000 you can play golf in the beautiful golf course with the Kundah Ranges as the backdrop. You can also stay in the historical club for Rs 2200 per night. Ooty has two sides. Its a busy cluttered hill station for the usual tourists. But if you dare to be different, Ooty will take you by surprise.
If you still haven't explored the other side, then the beauty beckons you.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Journey-to-the-queen-of-hill-stations/390375.html

Get lost in the natural beauty of Madikeri

The feel of a hill station in the heart of a landlocked state, Madikeri is one of the best tourist places to visit in Karnataka.
It offers some of the finest home stays, cottages and luxury resorts for a relaxed holiday in summer.
One such resort is located near some long forgotten tourist attractions that continue to be culturally significant.
These include the Madikeri Fort, Talakaveri, Sunset Point and Bhagamandala.
It is the picturesque capital of Coorg (earlier known as Kodagu), and is home to a number of communities.
Like other places in Coorg, Madikeri is endowed with a mesmerising blanket of nature.
The areas in and around Kakkabe are filled with lush greenery and sparkling waterfalls.
A misty and foggy tourist attraction is the Sunset Point, a half-an-hour drive from Kakkabe.
It is an almost desolate location and is completely cloaked with snowy, white fog.
The mountains are covered with grass and are challenging to transgress.
But once on top, it is a breathtaking view.
The scenic beauty from here can skip one's heart beat.
Bollywood actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai had visited this place for the shooting of a film, according to a local guide, Danny.
It is fascinating to watch the network of rivulets come into a conglomeration of a thick braid of waterfall, even at the corner of many a hilly street.
One tiny stream of water merges into an adjacent one, and later many others to finally form a local waterfall.
A religious pilgrimage, Talacauvery, is believed to be the origin of the sacred river - Cauvery.
The point of origin is cradled in stones and is worshiped by the temple priest.
Adjacent to this are a set of over 300 s teps that lead to a View Point, from where one can have bird's eye-view of Coorg.
Another religious attraction is Bhagamandala, en route Talacauvery.
This place too, is situated on the river Cauvery on its upper reaches.
It is a place of confluence of three rivers - Cauvery , Kannike and the mythical Sujyoti river.
It is therefore called 'Triveni Sangam'.
To visit this temple at the time of worship is to see the divine in its most extravagant form.
The mystical beauty of Madikeri and the smell of fresh mud after rainfall was exemplified in the rocky area of Kakkabe.
However, in the monsoon season leeches are the biggest problem that cling on to the travellers during the journey.
It is a common trifle in most of the falls around the area such as the Abbey and Iruppu falls.
The locals are unmindful of them and will advise you to do the same.
After the leech sucks out all the blood it will fall off on its own.
If you pluck it, the bleeding will continue for a long time.
The localites have developed a livelihood of their own, through the numerous, wealthy estates and coffee plantations.
Each one is independent and is rooted in their beliefs of the way of life.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Get-lost-in-the-natural-beauty-of-Madikeri/390376.html

A glimpse of heaven on Earth Alleppey

One might have dreamt of visiting heaven, Well Alappuzha, known as Alleppey, a town in Kerala situated 70 km away from Cochin might as well be the next best thing to heaven.
Considered to be one of the oldest planned town in this region, its famous for its houseboats and the lighthouse built on the coast of the town which the is first of its kind.
Popular among tourists, it is a honeymoon destination as well as a paradise for flora and fauna lovers.
The pristine backwaters flanked by palm trees have earned it the name “Venice of the East”.
Kerala has a passion for boats throughout its history and this is personified by the fabulous snake-boat races (Chundan Vallam) which happens on second Saturday in the month of August.
Proud of its rich heritage, Alleppey boasts of lagoons, palm fringed waterways, sandy beaches and lush green coconut palms.
Not to forget its famous dish of fish curry as well as fried prawns combined with the most famous drink in Kerala-toddy.
Alleppey like other towns in Kerala is a paradise for sea food lovers! The sun-kissed beaches, the timeless coves, the bustling shores and canals will bowl you over and leave you wanting for more.
For people living amidst the backwaters, much of their life depends a lot on the lake.
What is really interesting is to see some houses built below the level of water at places, protected by bunds to stop water from rushing in.
Where there are people, there will be vendors.
The backwaters also serve as a metropolis.
One sees restaurants facing the canals, some serving the locals and some positioned for the tourists.
There are vendors selling fish, food and several household materials, rowing their tiny boat with their wares.
It is astonishing how the canals are not very different from roads.
The art, culture and customs of the people of Alappuzha district are mostly the same as those of the people in other districts of central Kerala.
The folk songs in the fields during sowing and harvesting, the awakening songs by the Panans, and a few other dance forms of the traditional style associated with festivals like Onam can still be seen.
Alappuzha has contributed to the language of Malayalam and its literature.
Temples, churches and mosques add sudden burst to the otherwise blue and green expanse of the backwaters.
Sometimes they appear to be completely inaccessible, which is true to some extent because a lot of places in the backwaters can only be approached by a boat, with no road access to the places.
Alleppey is also home to various religious destinations like the Mullakkal Rajeshwari Temple, Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple, St.Andrew's Church, St.
Sebastian's Church and the Champakulam Church to name a few.
An event not worth missing is the fabulous snake-boat race held in August.
Known as the Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race, it is a sight to behold as each snake-boat manned by over a hundred oarsmen zoom through the water, competing for the cup.
The best time to visit Alleppey would be October to November as the Climate is at it s best during this time.
Alleppey has its fair share of problems in terms of pollution, besides which it is one of the most recommended places to visit.
With its unmatched scenic beauty and its incredibly tasty sea food, there is no question that Alleppey is a shining star for the state of Kerala and for our country.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/A-glimpse-of-heaven-on-Earth-Alleppey/390374.html

They seek water, BBMP plans heater

BANGALORE: While many from the economically weaker section residing in slums are deprived of water, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has plans to distribute solar water heaters to them.
The BBMP has reserved 22.75 per cent funds in its annual budget for welfare schemes for the SC/ST and other backward classes. The BBMP is now providing solar water heaters to the people residing in houses constructed under the 22.75 scheme. The proposal has been approved by the previous Standing Committee for Social Justice.
Former chairperson of the Committee K Mahesh Babu, confirmed that they have approved the proposal. He said under the 22.75 scheme, `3 lakh will be given to members of Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe to construct houses. And for the same residents, solar water heaters will be provided. “A 100-litre water capacity water heater will be provided to every household,” he said. According to a senior BBMP official, houses that were constructed under this scheme are 13 X 10 or 10 X 12 dimension. “We are providing the smallest solar heater which is ideal for a family of four. There are more than 7,500 houses constructed under the scheme and all of them will get the heaters in different phases,” an official said.
Munishamappa, residing in a house constructed under the 22.75 scheme said, “It is the duty of civic agencies like BBMP and BWSSB to provide portable water. We fetch water from a borewell which is very far from our homes. What do we do with solar water heaters, when there is no water to take bath at all. BBMP should have provided drinking water instead of wasting money on such equipment.”


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/They-seek-water-BBMP-plans-heater/390011.html

Cycling onto the green cover

BANGALORE: Over the last ten years, Bangalore, a pensioner’s paradise turned truly cosmopolitan, has changed drastically, be it the increase in traffic snarls or the raising pollution levels, it is experiencing all.
However, various non-profit organisations and governmental bodies have initiated projects not only to bring back the green cover but also to reduce the traffic congestion through the introduction of eco- friendly mode of transport called the bicycles, albeit with a difference. They are the only answer to people who want to join in the battle of bringing back the depleting greenery to the city, which is on the verge of losing its
tag ‘green city’.
City Express takes a detailed look into the initiatives introduced so far, how practical are they for this IT hub and also how successful they have been, till date.
Bicycle sharing project: Automated Tracking and Control of Green Assets is what Atcag stands for and sits apt for the purpose that it is dedicated to. It is an automated bicycle sharing project that was launched as a pilot project by Kerberon Automations in association with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) last October.
The pilot project was launched at three locations in the Central Business District to demonstrate the viability of such a system in an urban environment. Srinidhi Sreedhar, one of the directors of Kerberon Automations said, “Once we launched the pilot project, we had received 300 registrations. Keeping in mind, that we have only 8-9 bicycles, the response so far has been satisfying. We have three stands at present, at the park adjacent to War Memorial on FM Cariappa Road, Anil Kumble Circle and Utility Building Complex. At present on an average, there are 3-4 users per day.” When quizzed on its future expansion planning, he informed, “We want to introduce about 500 bicycles and every half a kilometre, a stand for the bicycles, of course that will also depend on the density and requirement.”
Making accessibility possible
Malleswaram Accessibility Project
Malleswaram is well known for its busy roads and traffic commotion, however, one group who call themselves as Jaaga had launched a initiative last December, called Malleswaram Accessibility Project, kin association with DULT, through which they endeavoured to create awareness on the benefits of using bicycle as an alternative mode of transport.
Archana Prasad, one of the co-founders of Jaaga, a NGO said, “We conducted 200 different surveys on five different categories, that is, students, household, office goers, informal sectors and the business lot. This was followed by going to colleges like MES and Vivekananda, where we conducted a seminar for about 200 students on the city’s changing climatic phenomenon along with the trends of traffic and displayed the real picture, as to where the city was heading to. This was our attempt to bring a change in the thinking process.”
Commenting on the practicality of the project, she further added, “Today Malleswaram does not have proper footpaths to walk, the lanes are so narrow that one vehicle is sufficient to create a blockage and traffic jam, why not transform these lanes into dedicated bicycle lanes. Bringing bicycle as a alternative is very much a practicality, if we take the example of Amsterdam, which was on the same footing as Bangalore is today, and then a massive outcry took place, people started opting for bicycles as a mode of transport and now it is one of the top ten cities in the world known for its quality of living standards. The government is also keen and supportive on such projects, so if we collectively make a statement loud and clear, I am sure we will see bicycles running on dedicated bicycle lanes.”
Bicycle lanes
The much hyped demarcated bicycle lanes covering a total length of 42 km became the talk of the town, just a few months back. Since the area has over 50 educational institutions - primary schools to colleges, it aimed to provide a eco friendly mode of transport to these categories specifically.
The project was supposed to be ready for inauguration by February, this year. Murali, a member of Ride A Cycle Foundation (RAC-F), a NGO who has been actively participating in the process said, “Hopefully very soon, we will get our first bicycle lane, as work has already started two months back.”
On the response that they have garnered so far from the people he said, “It has been phenomenal. People are coming and talking about, taking up this alternative mode of transport. In fact, people from Karnataka are wining in cycle race. You will be surprised to know that Bangalore imports a good number of cycles every year, this makes it evident that we have something we can achieve and our efforts will not go futile.”
The dedicated lane will come at a cost of over `2.5 crore and is being supported by the BBMP and DULT. We will have to wait and watch as to when the project comes into effect.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Cycling-onto-the-green-cover/389846.html

It is all situational here

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An improvisation theatrical p e r f o r m a n c e , with eight actors from Centerstage, entertained the crowds on May 6 at Alliance Francaise, Bangalore.
Actors Vibhinta Verma, Rajiv Khatri, Richa Kapoor, Naveen Kumar, Noella Ferrao, Aaron Punnen, Kenneth Sebastian and Kanika Batra enacted situations by and for the audiences, in the most hilarious ways possible.
Founder of Centerstage, Saad Khan, along with partner and filmmaker Siddhanth KS were mediators throughout the 90 minute comedy titled The Improv.
Saad Khan, the brainchild behind the New Wave Media Movement -- Centerstage, has produced over 16 plays, written and directed three films, one of which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, 2008.
He is now working on his feature film titled ‘Station’.
His partner, Siddhanth KS, has directed numerous plays and conducted national theatre workshops.
He is a recognised film maker, after his movies were screened at the International Film Festival of India (Goa).
With three rounds of humorous and witty acts, the actors exceeded the expectations of the audience.
The first round, called ‘Shut Up and Improv’ involved two artistes enacting a situation given by the audience, assuming the roles of famous celebrities.
Next, the ‘Date’ round, saw two actors on situational dates -- spy date, religious date, desperate date, blind date, friends date etc -- prompted by physical and mental quirks.
Finally, in the last round, the actors froze in the middle of the performance to assume the expressions and emotions suggested by the audience and continued to make them laugh.
The ‘situational comedies’ proved to be as funny, if not funnier, as the ones on television.
Live performances have a charm of their own, that make them authentic.
Since most of the imaginary scenes were given by the audience, they had absolutely no problem relating to the humour of the actors.
Vibhinta Verma, who has worked with Saad Khan and the other actors, said that her biggest fear was freezing on stage or blanking out.
“It was an interesting challenge and I was up for it because I like the international improv shows.
So, I hadn’t even thought of saying no”, she added.
The idea of ‘chemistry’ was drilled into the actors.
Another actor, Aaron Punnen, said that they had to get to know each other in and out, to know each one’s characteristic and comic style.
As Kenneth Sebastian said, “It was insane fun”, not just to act but to watch the audience have fun.
Being naturally good at improv, he didn’t need much training and was thrilled to join the team.
It was a perfect way to end the ‘World Laughter Day’, with outbursts of uncontrollable laughter.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/it-is-all-situational-here/390378.html

Here, entrepreneurship makes way for housing

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Road to industry: Magadi Road winds slowly upwards, offering beautiful vistas of the city, uncluttered like the Bangalore that once was

With rising real estate costs, small-scale industries in the Magadi Road area are looking to move elsewhere

Much of Bangalore was the product of the government's boost to industry. Public sector enterprises led to the formation of work areas and residential layouts for those who came to the city for jobs. In that city, Magadi Road was a place where private enterprise took root and flourished.

Despite being in the news mainly for institutions such as the Beggar's Colony and the leprosy hospital, the area has been nurturing small and tiny industries for over three decades.

Starting small

“In the beginning of the 1980s, when all over India, consumption was increasing and large-scale private industries were beginning to require auxiliary units, some families who were living on Magadi Road for generations started small and cottage industries abetting their homes,” narrates Goraiah, a resident and small-scale industrialist.

For the past 22 years, he has been running an electrical parts manufacturing unit that makes transformers and electronic panels. His clients include big names such as Bharat Fritz Werner (BFW) and Larsen & Toubro.

The company was a family unit to begin with, but now is of medium scale.

Building a business

Information technology initiated a different kind of private enterprise in other parts of Bangalore; but, in Magadi Road, there is a sense of pride in being the original inspiration, the pioneers of the State-less model of business and entrepreneurship.

“During the past 33 years, the small-scale industry on Magadi Road has been completely independent and unaffiliated to the government,” Goraiah says.

The industrialists have, however, become part of Karnataka Small-Scale Industries Association (KASSIA), a non-governmental institution, and are seeking a government-sponsored space for themselves now, thanks to rising real estate costs and need for better amenities.

The good

Despite the rise in land value, the area is attractive to residents of other parts of the city, who find it more affordable to find housing here.

“I moved because I could afford to buy land and build a house in the area, which is almost impossible elsewhere in Bangalore now,” says Narahari Hebbal, who is employed at a restaurant in the central business district. “There is good bus connectivity to [Kempe Gowda Bus-stand], so I can commute to work easily.”

The ugly

His primary domestic woe is of water, for which his household and others around depend on their own borewells, sunk to a depth of nearly 500 ft. “Those are also drying up now and we buy water from private tankers. Cauvery water connection is unheard of here,” Narahari says.

He is excited about Namma Metro reaching his part of town, even when all there is to show now for this modern facility is debris and damaged roads, left in the wake of construction.

Once past that congested part close to the city bus-stand, Magadi Road winds slowly upwards, offering beautiful vistas of the city, uncluttered like the Bangalore that once was.

No wonder it is attractive to build a home on, but not so favourable to industries anymore.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/article3397985.ece

An industrious area struggles to scale up

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Growth stifled: Most of what were once small-scale units have now become medium scale, leaving no space for expansion in Kamakshipalya

Though Kamakshipalya is well connected by road, the industrial area lacks infrastructure

Kamakshipalya is that area in the city which supplies all those uncategorised parts and products that we use everyday — agarbattis, car-top carriers, plastic holders, stick on hangers, industrial spare parts.

Nearly 4,000 small- and medium-scale units are located along the stretch from the housing board complex to Tavarakere on Magadi Road, providing employment to over 1.5 lakh people.

Civic degradation

Though Kamakshipalya is well connected through the Outer Ring Road and Magadi Road, the industrial area lacks sorely in civic infrastructure, having to deal with congested roads, and lack of drinking water, underground drainage and parking facility.

Entrepreneurs in a wide range of industries such as fabrication, printing, die making, machinery manufacturers, baking and textiles have formed the Bangalore North Small-Scale Industries Association (BNSIA) to address their grievances.

According to BNSIA president C. Krishnappa and the former president Hanumanthe Gowda, a large number of family-owned industries came up in the early 1980s.

Since then, many residential houses were built in the industrial area and these residents now oppose factories being operated after 7 p.m., citing sound pollution. “Movement of vehicles and transportation of goods is a major problem because of narrow roads,” Krishnappa said. “As industries and houses were built in a haphazard manner, residents and businessmen fight for space for parking vehicles.”

“Drinking water is a perennial problem and bullock carts are being used to supply drinking water to industries,” said Ashwin Nayak, who manufactures electricity products.

Need for space

There is no space for expansion of existing industries in Kamakshipalya. Most of what were once small-scale units have now become medium-scale enterprises.

“A few emerging entrepreneurs have purchased land at Sunkadakatte and Tavarakere and shifted their factories from Kamakshipalya,” Hanumanthe Gowda said.

Nearly 80 per cent of entrepreneurs have been operating business from rented sheds, and rents have increased in the last few years.

“Now shed owners charge up to Rs. 15 per sq ft,” Ashwin said. “So we have purchased a plot beyond Sunkadakatte and shifted our industry there.”

Traffic police banning the movement of heavy vehicles from the Outer Ring Road to the industrial area during the day has also come as an inconvenience to these entrepreneurs.

Plan to move

In a reversal of roles, the industry wants to be shifted to more spacious premises away from the city, but the government opposes the move.

“We submitted a proposal to the government to identify land at Ganapathihalli on Magadi Road to shift units,” Hanumanthe Gowda said. “Land was acquired from farmers. But the government shelved the plan as elected representatives opposed it.”

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3397935.ece

Adventurous trek up the monolith

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The view from the top at Savandurga is breathtaking, especially at night with the city lit up

The view from the top at Savandurga is breathtaking, especially at night with the city lit up

Trekking, as they say, is an experience you struggle through, but somehow manage to romanticise. “Why would anyone ever climb this?” I wondered as I wheezed my way up one of Asia's largest monoliths, 33 km west of Bangalore, off Magadi Road.

Two hills on a rock

Savandurga is a single rock, which has two large peaks known as Biligudda and Karigudda, and broken fort walls.

“According to the Gazetteer of 1897, the fort dates back to 1543 and was built by Samantha Raya, who was a feudatory of the Vijayanagar kings,” says Meera Iyer of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

Rulers such as Tipu Sultan and Kempe Gowda, and British Governor Lord Cornwallis were among those associated with the fort.

Depending on how adventurous you are, you can reach the base of the hill by bus, car or bicycle.

Approaching the hill, you come to realise how massive this rock actually is.

During the monsoon, glimmering lines of water make their way down all the way from the top of the hill.

Savandurga is a great place for birdwatchers. Oriental honey buzzards, yellow-throated bulbuls and blue rock thrushes are just some of the birds sighted. Among other fauna are species of snakes, butterflies and spiders. In the forest around the hills, there have been sightings of elephants, bears and even leopards.

Path less travelled

There are two main routes that lead to the two peaks.

Not many people choose the overgrown route that lies behind the hill. That is perhaps what makes it a better route with lush tree cover most of the way, and broken stone steps.

The more commonly used route is challenging, but you get to rest at two parts of the fort wall that are still intact. Unfortunately, you may have to sit amid garbage.

After what might seem like forever, you reach a small shelter on the top beside a huge rock-pool. The view from the top, along with the whipping wind, is breathtaking, especially at night with the city lights in the distance.

A short walk takes you to the highest point in the hill where there is a small Nandi shrine.

Burial site

“Between 1,800 and 3,000 years ago, a community buried some of its dead here and then built huge stone memorials for them,” Meera says. “That makes Savandurga a megalithic site.”

The memorials were arranged in circular forms, and in archaeological digs, skeletons, copper coins, and terracotta pots have been found.

Despite Savandurga becoming highly touristy, a visit to this place is certainly worth a full day.

Exploring the forests around requires permission from the Forest Department.

Adventure sports and packages are offered by groups, which include rock climbing, caving and camping.

Some of them are Thrillophilia: (9686020000, 9686120000, info@thrillophilia.com) and Nature Admire (9845079414, 9482894170).

source:http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/leisure/article3400265.ece

As simple as idli and buttery dose

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Rich delicacy: The dose at this nameless tiffin centre comes covered either in butter or a spicier podi.

Serving more dishes would have been an unnecessary distraction from the two sumptuous staples

Magadi Road does not exactly have an eat-out culture. Industries in the area are mostly run by families, so there aren't many single workers travelling there either, needing catered food.

But, a few residents of the area seemed excited about the ‘dhabas' coming up on the road.

While some of these had little more to offer than greasy, tasteless preparations, a small non-descript joint offered us some incredibly tasty fare, irresistible even on a full stomach.

With no name or sign board, the restaurant is tucked away on a lane off the main road, a little after the Outer Ring Road junction, at Sunkadakatte. It is a ‘tiffin centre' that serves Davangere benne dose, thatte idli and not much else.

It is just as well, for other dishes would have been unnecessary distractions from these two sumptuous items.

Covered in butter, Davangere benne dose defies expectation that rich dose needs to be crisp.

While the appetising smell draws you into tasting at least one, the heaviness of the butter keeps you from gorging. That is where the thatte idli or plate idli comes in.

To make soft, fluffy thatte idli, the batter is poured on shallow plates and steamed. The end product is an idli, thinner and wider than a regular one.

While thatte idlies can be made on any plate, it is said that in Tumkur, where the idli comes from, there are special plates to make them. Magadi Road is close to Tumkur, and so, this tiny eatery has beautifully shaped thatte idlies brought out of their special plates.

Both the benne dose and thatte idli come with a spicy side of white (coconut) and red (tomato and chilly) chutney. The dose also comes in a podi (chilli powder) covered version for the palette open to something spicier .

History on walls

The little eatery's walls are adorned with paintings about the history of Karnataka, ancient monuments and scenic waterfalls.

The first Chief Minister of the newly created Karnataka state S. Nijalingappa and a host of other leaders look down at you as you devour the delicacies doled out of the kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, you will not be able to call up this restaurant and make reservations.

Drive down Magadi Road until you reach the junction where it meets Tumkur Road and continue for about 4 km.

Well into Sunkadakatte, people will be able to point you to the Davangere benne dose place. It is open in the morning and evening.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/Food/article3397950.ece

Turnip and cabbage grown in one

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Stout stem: Knol kohl is tolerant of a wide range of climatic conditions, but prefers cool temperature

Knol kohl or Kohlrabi is one of the many vegetables of European origin that have crept into our regular diet. ‘Kohl' in German means cabbage and ‘rabi' refers to turnip.

Belonging to the Brassica (mustard, cabbage, and so on) family, the edible part of the vegetable is the stem, which looks like a turnip albeit with cabbage-like leaves. It is tolerant of a wide range of climatic conditions, but prefers cool temperature. June is a good time to start cultivating. Of the several varieties, all of which are white inside, the commonly grown ones in India are white Vienna with light green skin and purple Vienna, with a purplish skin. The heat tolerant green variety is grown more in the south.

Thirsty plant

Like other Brassica plants, knol kohl needs exposure to sun and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. To sow directly, dig the soil to about 25 cm depth, fill 5 cm of it with organic compost, mix well and leave for a few days.

Mark out shallow drills 30 cm apart. Sow three seeds at intervals of 15 cm. When the seedlings are 3 cm high, thin out to one per hole, also 15 cm apart. If sowed in seed trays, they can be transplanted when the seedlings have two to three true leaves.

Before transplanting, water the seedlings thoroughly so that they can be lifted without damaging the roots. Plant the seedlings with a hand fork; water and firm the soil around the roots.

Just right for picking

Keep the soil evenly moist as the vegetable becomes woody if grown without water. Side dress with fertilizer midseason, when the plant will push itself out of the ground with the swollen stem sitting on the surface. In 60 to 70 days, well-nourished plants develop stems of around 5 cm diameter. At this stage, the vegetable is crisp and tasty. If allowed to grow too big, they become unpalatable. The leaves and leaf stalk are tasty and can be cooked or used in salad. But if the plant is defoliated (has its leaves plucked) frequently, stem development is slowed down.

This plant suffers from the same pests as cabbage, which chew through the leaves. Pick out the worms or use neem and soap spray. A few leaves eaten by worms do not affect the vegetable.

The mildly sweet knol kohl is rich in phytochemicals, vitamins C, A and B complex, and minerals. Tender knol kohl is excellent in salad and gravies. It is tastiest in combination with mutton or prawns.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3397962.ece

cool.. that is 10km from city center.. hope they dont build any other building nearby :ohno:

legislative seat south of belgaum and high court bench north of hubli-dharwad, and the corridor is being converted to 6 lane by central govt..

Gentem avare,no building will every come up in the vicinity of that magnificent structure :)

Time taken to reach Belgaum from Dharwad (60km) will cut down to 40 mins once 6 laning is done.:banana:

SC orders CBI probe against Yeddy. Fair enough :) How long will CBI take to file a chargesheet is the question, which it will as it is a congress tool.

How bjp will counter to defend self in karnataka is to be seen. If bjp still treats accused as a convict then it has no future. BJP should treat accused as innocent and bring bsy back to seat.

Thank god, atleast it puts a break to the tug-of-war.

Blessing in disguise for BJP :cheers:

BMTC’s new gift: Bus with 110 seating capacity

A model bus terminal planned in Kalasipalyam

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will soon introduce a bus with a passenger capacity of 110, Transport minister R Ashoka said on Thursday.

The new bus will be 14.5 mt in length as opposed to the existing city buses which are 12 mt in length. The new bus would hit the road within a month and the idea is to provide more space for passengers, Ashoka said.

The vehicle developed by Volvo company can navigate the narrow roads in the City, he said. The existing buses of BMTC have a carrying capacity of 60 to 80 passengers.

There is also a plan to convert the existing Kalasipalyam bus stand near City Market into a model bus terminal, which will provide space for operating KSRTC, BMTC as well as private buses, the minister added.

Presently the bus station is in a sorry state and the new bus terminal would come up in an area of four acres. A senior official from BMTC said the BBMP has agreed to hand over the land to BMTC and only the chief minister’s nod is awaited, he added.

Ashoka also said 50 new bus stands would come up in the City limits and BMTC would procure 900 more buses within this year.

He said there are around 7,000 buses plying in City limits. The BMTC is also planning to build TTMCs (Traffic Transit Management Centres) at Hebbal, Jayanagar, Katriguppe, Electronics City and Yelahanka. BMTC has already released Rs 66 lakh to the BBMP to construct bus bays in various parts of the City, he added.

Ashoka also laid the foundation stone for the construction of modern bus stations at Bagalakunte (Mallasandra) and Hesaraghtta.

The two bus stations would be built at a cost of Rs seven crore each.

The stations will have rainwater harvesting system, canteen, toilets, seating arrangements, traffic controller room, pass counter etc.

Farmer-friendly buses

With a view to helping farmers, who carry vegetables and other food products in and out of the markets in the City limits, the BMTC is planning to introduce farmer-friendly buses.

Thousands of farmers drop into the City from places like Hesaraghatta, Kanakapura, and Hoskote. The double decker buses will have space for farmers at one level and in the remaining portion their belongings can be kept, Ashoka said.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248606/bmtcs-gift-bus-110-seating.html

For City women, career beats kids

Working women in Bangalore and Mumbai are more aggressive about career development than other cities, a survey has found.

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A majority of young working women in urban areas of the country are postponing their plans of starting a family because of professional ambitions, states the survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) ahead of International Mother’s Day on May 13.

The survey collected responses from 1,200 married and full-time working women without children, and about 800 non-working mothers in the age group of 24-30 in Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.

Close to 80 of the 150 working women in Bangalore said they did not wish to have a baby for the time being, as their career was a priority. Around 100 out of 150 working women in Mumbai echoed the view.

Of the above, around 30 women said they had quit their jobs to look after their children, and close to 20 said they regretted their decision.

Over half, that is 650 of married working women across surveyed cities said they shelved family plans for higher education and career growth.

Close to 200 respondents from the working women category said they had put off their plans to have a baby as it would disfigure their physical appearance and 70 of them said they were too young to be a mother.

On the other hand, 10 per cent said they worked to raise their lifestyle and aimed at accumulating enough money to bear growing childcare expenses.

Among the 800 non-working mothers, 25 per cent said they regretted not being able to work as they lacked adequate qualifications, had limited job skills and found it hard to make both ends meet due to the rising cost of living. They felt two incomes are imperative at the present juncture.

However, almost 40 per cent of housewives preferred to stay at home and raise their children than paying neighbourhood daycare units when they were off to work.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248628/for-city-women-career-beats.html

Vibrant local culture, learning beckon former USSR students

If you spot young Uzbeks, Kazakhs and Azerbaijanis in growing numbers in Bangalore, they are probably here for one reason: Education.

Several students from the erstwhile Soviet Union Republics, now known as the Newly Independent States (NIS), have made Bangalore their preferred destination for academic purposes. And yes, they are all aiming for a degree from Bangalore University.

There are 15 NIS countries, but a majority of the students here are from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgystan. An estimated 50 students have already enrolled themselves in various colleges affiliated to Bangalore University.

The numbers, however, are much higher in Mysore, possibly owing to better facilities provided by the University.

A random questioning of students elicited positive responses on education in the City.
Sanaullah, a 21-year-old student from Uzbekistan said: “ The education system in Bangalore is good. So far my experience of studying in the City has been good. The local culture and the environment are very stimulating.”

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) provides scholarships for these students. Jalal Rayi is one such student pursuing BBM at Brindavan College. A citizen of Azerbaijan, also an NIS country, Rayi initially came here overwhelmed by the Indian culture.

The 22-year-old student says, “I am very passionate about history. India, being one of the countries with a rich cultural past, I was naturally attracted to it.” However, he has a grievance.

“The emphasis on the length over quality of answers is one of the drawbacks of the education system here. Else, I am happy with the overall system,” he added. For Jalal, education does not stop within the four walls of the classroom.

Being the only Azerbaijan student in the college and possibly the only one in the City, Jalal has taken his identity seriously. Back home, Jalal has published a book titled, ‘India-Pearl of the East,’ describing the country’s rich traditions and cultural tapestry.

Similarly, in Bangalore, he has published a book about the First Lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, a social activist, who has been awarded the First lady of the year award back home.

“My books will act as a bridge between two culturally diverse countries. Cultural exchange programmes play a crucial role in strengthening ties between the two countries. Such efforts are underway in Western countries under the supervision of Azerbaijan’s First Lady,” said Rayi.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248603/vibrant-local-culture-learning-beckon.html

Facelift for Cubbon Park in 3 months

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BANGALORE: The Horticulture Department’s new project to set up artificial counter bunds to collect rain water and convert vacant land into lawns at Cubbon Park has been completed. The new project will not only curb illegal activities at Cubbon Park, but will also provide more land space for joggers.
Following many criticisms about the administration, the department has been able to construct six counter bunds and revamp Karagada Kunte in three months.
Meanwhile, the department was also condemned for the death of ducks in Cubbon Park due to lack of proper maintenance.“We had a tough time manning the public who use to bring food in plastic packets to feed birds without our consent. On rainy days, the leftover food and plastic would flow into the pond making it difficult to maintain hygiene. So, we had shifted all the birds to another lake. We have constructed six counter bunds and have rejuvenated Karagada Kunte. During monsoon, rain water will be collected in counter bunds and in two ponds. This project can save upto 70 per cent of water for the department,” said M Jagdeesh, Joint Director, Horticulture Department.
The over all operations of the park has been divided into four zones and 62 workers have been assigned for maintenance work. The Horticulture department soon will make lawns and ponds as ‘no plastic and garbage zone’.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/facelift-for-cubbon-park-in-3-months/390642.html

‘Work began during peak hours’

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BANGALORE: Traffic jams on Mysore Road are nothing new. But the lack of coordination among various civic agencies left commuters at the end of their wits. Trees on either side of Mysore Road were cut down a few months ago. However, surface roots were not removed. It is learnt that a BBMP contractor, who had taken up road widening work of Mysore Road, engaged a JCB on Monday to clear these stumps with the roots.
DCP Traffic (West) Mahadevappa said that they will soon write to the BBMP. “The contractor wanted to remove other surface roots on Mysore Road. We had not given him the permission. Earlier, we had advised him not to undertake the work during peak hours. We had told the contractor to undertake the work only during weekends. But, he executed the work in the middle of the week, leading to the chaos,” Mahadevappa said.
Narasimha Reddy, the police inspector attached to Chamarajpet police station, said that this not only caused huge pits, but also damaged BWSSB pipes, BSNL cables and BESCOM wires. Traffic police managed to fill the pits with two lorry loads of soil to ease the traffic flow. Soon, BWSSB dug up the road on Wednesday night, and it was BSNL’s turn to ravage it on Thursday.
Due to improper filling up of the pits, potholes emerged again after vehicular movement. Commuters had to find their way through the congested road. This led to slow movement of traffic.
“It’s because of the BBMP that we are at the receiving end. People are cursing traffic police for the traffic jam,” Mahadevappa said.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/%E2%80%98work-began-during-peak-hours%E2%80%99/390637.html

Traffic crippled on Mysore Road for 4 hours

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BANGALORE: Traffic on Mysore Road was paralysed for almost four hours on Thursday due to shoddy work by a Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike contractor in removing stumps of trees that were earlier felled for road widening. The contractor, by clearing the old stumps using a JCB, is said to have damaged electric and telephone cables and water pipes. The excavated trees also left huge craters, which reduced the road width.
With BWSSB, BESCOM and BSNL rushing in to carry out emergency repairs, the road was left battered, leaving the heavy traffic to negotiate a narrow corridor.
When contacted, KT Nagaraj, BBMP Superintendent Engineer (Major roads) said that Mysore Road is one of the oldest roads in Bangalore. The sanitary and water pipes were laid many decades back. On the other side, trees which were cut were also quite old and the roots penetrated far across the road and footpaths and entwined around the water pipes. That is the reason why the pipes were damaged when the roots were removed. “Now, the BWSSB has to install 1.2-metre water pipes, which will be done tonight. We can only resume work after the water pipes are laid,” the official said.
DCP Traffic (West) Mahadevappa said, “We had deployed our personnel at junctions like Nayandahalli, Nagarbhavi, Silk Board to divert traffic. This eased traffic on Mysore Road to an extent, otherwise motorists would have had to put up with more hardships,” he said.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/traffic-crippled-on-mysore-road-for-4-hours/390646.html

Golden Jubilee Celebrations

BANGALORE: Dr Vishwanath, Dean, MP Birla Institute of Management (MPBIM), on Thursday highlighted the changing facets of Indian retail marketing and said, “Though it appears malls and multiplexes are in vogue, in reality many malls and multiplexes are closing down in certain areas. The unorganised retail markets are growing faster than the organised markets.”
He was speaking at the golden jubilee celebrations of Southern Economist journal.
Dr Chandra Akkihal, Professor Emeritus, Marshall University, was the chief guest for the event.
The journal began it’s journey in May, 1952 and was started by K N Subrahmanya and his wife Susheela Subrahmanya. Along with the 51st issue, five other books were also released at the event.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Golden-Jubilee-Celebrations/390632.html

Digital learning for rural kids

BANGALORE: In a move to nurture talent, enhance curiosity and upgrade the level of education, the JSS Foundation for Science and Society has now come up with study material for math and science subjects for rural high school children.
The study material that was released on Thursday, is a part of the pilot project undertaken by the foundation and contains video and digital content modules.
“The project mainly aims at developing digital content modules and video episodes in science and mathematics for the benefit of rural high school students and teachers. It has been sponsored by the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor, Government of India, through a funding of Rs 1.5 crore that has been sanctioned. Further, JSS Mahavidyapeetha has supported the project through infrastructural facilities to the tune of about Rs 50 lakh,” said the module coordinators from JSS foundation.
Shivaratri Deshikendra Swamiji from Suttur math, Principal Scientific Advisor R Chidambaram, Chief Secretary for Primary and Middle School Education Kumar Naik and Former Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University Professor M I Savadatti inaugurated the study material.
“The content modules will have acclaimed scientists and well known senior professors who would be directly involved. The content also suits the revised high school syllabus and is digitised to enhance understanding of the subject matter. It provides detailed definitions and illustrations with hyperlinks, providing information about the scientists and content. Learning would become much more easier through graphics, animations and illustrations that are provided,” they explained.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/Digital-learning-for-rural-kids/390633.html

On a magical musical journey

Do you want to get your boarding pass, hop on a plane, be greeted by a smiling stewardess and go on a musical journey like never before and still not move an inch from Bangalore? If your answer is yes, we know where you should head this weekend.
A Bangalore-based production house, Imbroglio Productions, which is the brainchild of 20-year-old Divyesh Bhandary, a final year English (honours) student at Christ University, is bringing a musical endeavour ‘Dreams 2012 - a musical journey’, where songs from 20 different musicals including Disney’s Lion King, Aladdin, Hercules, Little Mermaid, among others, are woven together with an entirely original script.
This would be the city’s first choir show which is done on a professional level and with copyrights from the Disney.
The settings and the theme of the musical will be simulated like ‘in an airplane’.
Divyesh says excitedly, “ We will have propellers rotating, the stage setting changing from sky to water.
It is going to be magical.” The creative head for this professional choir is Rohin Joseph, a music professional who has done his Associate Diploma in music from Trinity College of Music, London, and also done broadways back in Dubai.
When Divyesh, who has learnt music under Rohin, came up with this idea, he was happy to be part of it.
The other creative heads being Tarini Srinivas and Jennie George, who have directed and choreographed the performance.
However, getting their act together wasn’t easy at all.
Firstly, they had to get Imbroglio registered as a production house, conduct auditions across all schools and colleges in the city, choose 90 members out of the 450 who auditioned.
And, later ensure that everyone’s schedules matched their rehearsals because the 90 odd members who were part of this choir were from the age group of 10-30 years, with school and college going children, professionals and semi-professionals in music, some who have even done playback singing in Kannada and those who shared a passion for theatre and music.
Imbroglio also had to convince Disney (USA) that they were committed to putting up a good show.
Divyesh says, “When we got in touch with the Disney office in USA for copyrights and told them about our plans to have a musical with songs from Disney’s productions, they straightaway said no and said that they have never issued copyrights in India.” He adds, “When they saw Rohin’s credentials, they were convinced and agreed.” Any part or sequence of the song that was used for the show had to be sent back to Disney for approval and only then they could go ahead and use it for the performance.
Only 60 per cent of the songs in the show is from Disney and the remaining songs are from Andrew Lloyd Webber, ABBA, Lionel Bart etc.
On his idea of having a musical, Divyesh says, “Normally, the youth in Bangalore are into hardcore theatre and the musicals which happen are normally at the school level.
Hence, we thought of doing this at a professional level.” He adds, “I have always been inclined to music and want to pursue this further.” Divyesh is also releasing a book ‘Imbrogliothe chaos that creates’ on the same day.
The book is a anthology of poems, essays and short stories.
Any profit earned from the show will be wholly given to The Nightingales Medical Trust, an elderly care centre which works for the wellbeing of the elderly in and around Bangalore.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/On-a-magical-musical-journey/390364.html

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Most of the cases cracked.. They should fast-track the murder cases :cheers:

yearly 200 days crime story for tv9 people :)

SC orders CBI probe against Yeddy. Fair enough :) How long will CBI take to file a chargesheet is the question, which it will as it is a congress tool.


Thanks to congress,let BSY be in jail forever

Thanks to congress,let BSY be in jail forever

keep dreaming :nuts:

keep dreaming :nuts:

There might be madam's pressure to make him join Reddy party and support Congrass between Reddy is back :-)

^^ Reddy got bail in only one case, 2 more pending. That is what, it is bjp's game to lose. Currently no chargesheet against yeddy, reinstate him as CM. CBI will take months or years to file chargesheet, before that state election will come.

keep dreaming :nuts:

BSY will come out clean .He has not done any favour to south East mining .which even court has accepted their argument is they paid money with the intention of getting work done .It's like your wife claiming alimony for child maintenance before child is born .CBI will give clean chit i am 100% sure

^^ but when? Once CBI files FIR or preliminary report then yeddy will get bail. After that it is a long journey. Instead of waiting till finish of chargesheet/trial, bjp should reinstate immediately after bail after FIR (preliminary inquiry report) that will happen soon.

^^ but when? Once CBI files FIR or preliminary report then yeddy will get bail. After that it is a long journey. Instead of waiting till finish of chargesheet/trial, bjp should reinstate immediately after bail after FIR (preliminary inquiry report) that will happen soon.
No Political party will commit suicide .Power in Center is far more important for BJP than Karnataka .BSY dug his own grave by accepting cheque

We should be discussing this after things cool down, and parliament session is over. to err is human to forgive is divine. you cant punish somebody for life for one fault. I have no idea when exactly FIR/preliminary report will be filed, and when that happens we will have to see. they have come to power saying yeddy will be cm candidate in last election, now it is like you replace manmohan singh with rahul gandhi now though during election manmohan was projected pm candidate. in fact not reinstating yeddy for at least six months before next election will be suicide for bjp.

Thanks to congress,let BSY be in jail forever

Btw where in Bangalore are you put up?? ;-)

BSY will come out clean .He has not done any favour to south East mining .which even court has accepted their argument is they paid money with the intention of getting work done .It's like your wife claiming alimony for child maintenance before child is born .CBI will give clean chit i am 100% sure

BSY should not be worried. Its all in the game

We are all with him..Bolo bharat mata ki jai..

Btw where in Bangalore are you put up?? ;-)

Siddrahmiah's house

Related to him? Any close relation, son, nephew, like that?

And where do you work? I am told that you are with some architect, right? Perhaps will bump in to one day

^^Not related to him ofcourse. Slowly shifting camp from BJP to ********* hmmm...

If BJP brings back BSY, I might support Congress no options.

If they stay with sadananda gowda then full support from my side.:cheers:

BSY should not be worried. Its all in the game

We are all with him..Bolo bharat mata ki jai..

Who all? MLAs have already started ditching him :lol: I never thought he was so much power hungry,who put self interest before the state...sad state of affairs.North karnataka is severely reeling under drought and these power mongers are upto their max....

Sadananda gowda is a good man,some may argue he is not a mass leader.But he is doing his job well which is more important for us.He has visited 16 times to Mysore in his 9 month stint,hats off to him...:cheers: He loves Mysore :banana:

Received communication letter on May 1st (which is dated as April 27th 2012) from Shriram Suhanna on this with the below information.

Currently only ground plus three floors plan is sanctioned. Based on this, they proceed and construct the project accordingly, simultaneously, the company will pursue the saction for modified plan. In the light of this, customers who have booked the flats in the project having sanction plan for ground plus three floors, are informed for execution of the sale agreement and agreement to build.

So, at this time, customers who are booked within ground plus three floors are safe. So, waiting for executing the agreements.

Thanks.

^^ blaming politicians for seeking power is like blaming businessmen for seeking money :bash: merit should prevail, not mediocre.

^^Not related to him ofcourse.

Btw my question was on a sarcastic note when you said living at Siddaramaiah' s home;-)

A bridge to nowhere

Built to beat the traffic, it has turned out to be a blunder

A bridge over a storm water drain (SWD) built by the BBMP to ease traffic congestion appears to have gone ‘down’ into the drain.

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The construction of the bridge at Deepanjalinagar on West of Chord Roadconnecting Mysore Road which was proposed in 2006 to ease the bottle neck at the junction, has now been stalled over a technical fault that was identified only after compelting close to 90 per cent of the project! According to experts, the bridge is likely to increase the waterlo*gging of Gali Anjan*eyaswamy temple, which the BBMP, ironically, has been trying to avert.

The commuters’ dream of avoiding the nightmarish traffic snarls at the junctions may remain just that, with the project now under the scrutiny of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on account of a design flaw. The fate of the bridge now hangs in balance with only a few meters left for the completion of the project adjacent to the temple.

The bridge, which was to have evaded the SWD by being at a height of 30-35 feet at the chord road end, dips into the SWD as it approaches the Temple towards the end of the ramp, resulting in the possiblity of the water and sewage accumulated in the Vrishabhavathi valley overflowing onto the carriage way.

A source in BBMP said the project is under review at the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on account of the design flaws. “There is also a possibility that the TAC is currently considering the change in alignment of the bridge to avoid the coming directly over the SWD during the last phase of construction,” said the source. A realignment would defeat the very purpose of the bridge.

The project was awarded to NPCC Limited at a cost of Rs 18.30 crore in November 2006. It was was slated for completion in February 2008, but slippage in work and change in foundation saw it delayed for close to three years. Finally, after completing 90 percent of the project, the design flaw dawned on the BBMP.

Dr T V Ramachandra, Senior Scientist, Energy and Wetland Research Centre (EWRC), Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, who published a paper on City’s floods recently, said the flyover would worsen the situation at Gali Anjaneya temple which is witnessing floods during rainy days.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Dr Ramachandra said the flooding at the temple is due to encroachment of storm water drains that is using it for sewage and construction of fly over. “The flooding is happening in and around the temple due to alteration in topography...he said.


source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248895/a-bridge-nowhere.html

Apply for ration cards sans affidavits


Local officials to verify documents; applicants’ biometric details necessary

The Food and Civil Supplies Department has simplified the process for issuing ration cards by doing away with the age-old practice of collecting affidavits from applicants seeking the cards.


It has put a new system in place, whereby the onus of cross-checking the authenticity of applications is on the local officials.

Under the previous system, an applicant had to furnish an affidavit declaring she/he does not possess a ration card and that the details furnished are correct.

Besides, they had to produce a proof of residence. It is common knowledge that one has to pay at least Rs 200 to get an affidavit from a notary. The department had stopped issuing new ration cards in November last year.

Now, for obtaining a Below Poverty Line (BPL) card, the applicant has to furnish either the Revenue Register (RR) number (of the electricity meter) or the property number and an annual income certificate issued by the tahsildar.

The local panchayats have been entrusted with the responsibility of verifying the authenticity of these documents. If the applicant does not have the RR number or the property number, the local officials will conduct physical inspection to ascertain the BPL status.

In the case of APL cards, the department will verify the authenticity of details furnished by an applicant, especially the RR number of the applicant’s residence.

If the RR number is found to be genuine, an SMS is sent to the applicant asking her/him to furnish biometric details to the local photo bioservice centre.

The department will also provide an exclusive security number to the applicants through the SMS. The biometric details and the family photograph will be recorded in a separate file using the security number at the photo bioservice centre.

The ration card will then be issued within a few days. The deputy directors of the department have been authorised to issue ration cards, Department Secretary B A Harish Gowda said. However, all the members of a family who have been listed in the application should come in person to be photographed.

Gowda said 1,287 photo bio-service centres, including 223 in Bangalore, have been opened in the State. Of the 30.65 lakh applications received through the online system, about 1.4 lakh have been approved and SMSes sent to the applicants. So far, 11,085 applicants have given their bio-metric details and got themselves photographed at the photo bioservice centres, he added.

“Besides being simple, it is a foolproof system and chances of ineligible beneficiaries obtaining ration cards are almost nil. The entire system has been computerised. Biometric machines will be installed at all fair price shops to prevent misuse of rations,” he stated.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248884/apply-ration-cards-sans-affidavits.html

SSLC results on May 17, PU’s on 23, says Kageri

The results of the SSLC examinations will be announced on May 17 and that of PU on May 23, said Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, he said a total of 8.5 lakh students had appeared for the SSLC examinations and 45,000 teachers had completed the evaluation of answer sheets.

As many as six lakh students had appeared for the second PU examinations and the evaluation had been completed

He said the Department was ready to announce the second PU results, but decided to do so on May 23 so that the PU results did not affect students appearing for CET exams to be held on May 21 and 22.

The minister appealed to students not to be depressed if they scored low marks and requested parents to infuse confidence in their children and not get upset over their performance.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/248859/sslc-results-may-17-pus.html

BESCOM hits the streets to power citizens

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BANGALORE: A unique initiative was kickstarted last week by Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM). A marathon campaign on energy-saving measures is being held by making use of all available tools of communication. They have not limited themselves to just street plays, drum beaters, flash mobs, cinema slides, dollu kunitha, but also using car stickers, leaflets and displaying huge hoardings all over the city.
The coming week will witness BESCOM making extensive use of emerging technologies to spread awareness on saving power through bulk sms, caller tunes and even advertisements on two-thirds of the screen in Railway ticketing counters, thus making use of railway infotainment.
BESCOM is keeping no stone unturned in making use of latest resources available . They plan to make use of 100 BTRAC sign boards across the city. Satyaprem Kumar, General Manager (DSM) of BESCOM informed City Express, “Once we get permission, we will move ahead with our plans.” Damodar B, DGM (DSM) of BESCOM said, “We have appealed to our own staff through a circular to be role models in taking saving power initiatives and installing solar units at their respective residences.”
A very ambitious Rs 6-crore campaign, BESCOM aims to save atleast 300 MW of energy, which they are very confident of achieving, provided the public cooperates with the them as studies have proved that 10 per cent savings in power can be achieved by each domestic consumer.
Meanwhile, the street plays being held under this campaign are garnering huge attention where ever they are being enacted. Satyaprem says, “These street plays are able to attract at least 100-150 strong crowd.”
City Express took a peek at one of the plays and witnessed the positive response. The brain behind the conceptualisation of the plays, Ravindranath Sirivara said, “It took three days for me to complete the script so as to complement the energy saving awareness campaign, and another three days to train the artists.” The street play educates people on important aspects that people usually tend to ignore — such as using solar and CLF bulbs, switching off the geyser and many other things.
Everyday, this 12-member-group visits four different locations in the city and perform street plays. Suresh, one of the participants, who has been into acting for almost five years now says, “This has been a delightful experience so far. The response has been phenomenal and crowds take interest in the issue that we are trying to highlight. It is satisfying to be a part of this play because at the end of the show, there is a social message for the people and in this way, we too are contributing our bit to the society.”
Voicing a similar opinion, Ranganath said, “Although it is exhausting at times, we get immense pleasure after the entire day’s efforts and it gives us a sense of fulfillment to be a part of such an initiative.”
When City Express spoke to a few onlookers, the reactions were positive. “I am really impressed with the initiatives taken by BESCOM. The play really held my attention, said Parvathi Devi, a housewife.
Another onlooker, Ramesh Yadav said, “I have heard of the energy saving campaign and seen hoardings all over the city but never thought that I will witness a play of such nature. I will definitely try to do my bit to save power from now onwards.”
Apart from the street plays, another important format that will be used is the online media as well as flash mobs that are conducted across malls in the city. Satyaprem informs, “We will conduct flash mobs in colleges also to attract the younger lot.”
BESCOM has been making a name for itself as the most technologically updated organisation in the city and the present initiative further proves the point strongly.
In the coming month, BESCOM also plans to re-design its website which itself will be an interesting step to watch out for. Will it work, watch out for the next month’s bill.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/bescom-hits-the-streets-to-power-citizens/390853.html

8 hours work for pourakarmikas: BBMP

BANGALORE: Following their demand for hike in pay, BBMP has instructed the pourakarmikas to work for eight hours a day to implement the revised payscale. Presently, the pourakarmikas work only for four hours a day. The new order is applicable to all the pourakarmikas under Palike.
BBMP Commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda said, “Pourakarmikas used to divide work and carry out work in additional shifts. Earlier, the practice was to work for four hours, and in an additional shift, another batch of them used to work. I have instructed them to stop this practice. Now, all the pourakarmikas will have to compulsorily work for eight hours.”
Around 18,000 pourakarmikas work for BBMP, of whom only 4,000 are under employee category. The remaining workers have been hired on contract basis for the past few years.
The state government has directed the BBMP to appoint 4,000 pourakarmikas. However, Gowda said they had asked the government to relax their order.
“We have asked the government to allow us to employ 4,000 pourakarmikas from the contract workers. We are waiting for its approval,” Gowda said.
Karnataka State Corporation, Municipality, Town Municipality Pourakarmika Union president Narayan said that Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar had intervened when they had earlier staged a protest in April and had assured to implement the revised payscale from April 1. So far, there has been no action in this regard. “We are still waiting for the revised pay. We approached the authorities concerned on Thursday and they assured that it will be implemented by May 16. We have decided to wait until then,” Narayan said. When asked about the change in working hours, he said they did not have any problem with the work duration.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/8-hours-work-for-pourakarmikas-bbmp/390964.html

Free camps to remove films charge Rs 100

If you are planning to get the sun films from car windows removed for free at the places where the Bangalore Traffic police are conducting camps to help motorist comply with the Supreme court verdict before May 19, then you are misled. Now, you have pay a minimum of Rs 100 to get rid of these sun films.
When City Express visited a B R V Parade Ground where one such drive was on, commuters were agitated at the charges levied by the police. Sham Hinduja, director of Hinduja Holdings said, “The Bangalore traffic police has been misleading the public that these camps are free. ” Voicing a similar opinion, Ramesh Mani, a travel agent said, “Circulating wrong piece of information should not be allowed.”
The personnel who are involved in the drive hail from areas like J C Nagar and surrounding areas of Shivajinagar. Babu, a member of one such camp said, “May 10 was the first day of our drive, hence it was free. But today we are charging `100 from each owner. On the first day, 117 cars arrived for removal of sun films.”
Come this May 19, a fine of `100 which will be slapped on those caught flouting the rule. On top of it, the fine could go up to `300 for serial offenders. Meanwhile, when City Express contacted S A Pasha, ACP from Bangalore Traffic Management, he said, “It is supposed to be free, but in some places, people are being charged a minimal amount. As of now, any kind of tinted glasses is not allowed until and unless it is from a recognised manufacturer that comply with 70 per cent visual light transmission (VLT) for front and rear windscreens, and 50 per cent VLT for side glasses, under Rule 100 of Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989. High end cars like Audi, BMW, Mercedes are allowed because they come under the category of Original Equipment Manufacturer ( OEM) since according to the Supreme Court order, the glass should be in the condition when it was delivered by the manufacturer.”
The sun film removal drive is on at the following places: B R V Grounds, Shivajinagar, City Armed Reserve (South) Grounds Audugodi, City Armed Reserve (Headquarters) Grounds in Mysore Road, Malleshwaram Grounds Malleshwaram, Madhavan Park Jayanagar, Toll Plaza - Bangalore International Airport Road, Yelahanka Police Station, B D A Complex Indiranagar, East Football Grounds Frazer Town and near Kanteerava Stadium.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/free-camps-to-remove-films-charge-rs-100/390854.html

Shopping not a pleasure anymore

BANGALORE: A lot of women these days have a habit of referring to shopping as retail therapy. Modern culture describes shopping (for a woman) as less of a responsibility, and more of a de-stressing exercise. This cannot be more wrong in the case of Bangalore and the woes of it's female populace.
You're in the middle of buying some clothes for an occasion as special as your sister's wedding when suddenly, you have an urgent need to use the restroom. You look around frantically but you can’t see a bathroom anywhere. Where do you go? Evania Christine Navya, a student of Mount Carmel College faced a similar scenario quite recently. "We don't have the benefit of being able to use the streets as a public restroom as men often do," she explains. "The only option we do have is to visit the closest restaurant or any facility with a bathroom!"
Saaniya Zaveri, a student from Mumbai thinks that shopkeepers are unfair when it comes to prices.
“I’m charged `400 for a bag that my friends got for `300, just because I'm from out of town.” Saaniya tries to bargain but fails miserably as she doesn’t know the local language. “It’s really hard sometimes without someone to translate,” says Michele Gérard, a tourist from France. “Because I don’t understand, I can’t bargain and end up paying whatever the store keeper asks.”
“Lack of proper footpaths,” says Lavina Nagpal, from St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, “It’s a problem everyone faces but men can find their way around. It’s much harder for women especially when it gets late in the day.”
She suggests that the BBMP or the Brigade Association do something about this so that it’s safer for women late at night.
Anjalee Menon echoes the same sentiment when she says, “The footpaths are really bad. The already narrow roads in the city, coupled with the huge volume of cars and bikes leads to a nightmare for pedestrians since most of the vehicles are half parked on the pavements.”
Anjalee, who likes shopping with her grandmother on Commercial Street, agrees that this is a huge inconvenience and something should be done to fix this.
And the pedestrians aren't the only ones who have a problem with this. If you're one of the "more fortunate" owners of those cars and bikes, where on earth did you go and park your vehicle? That’s right, you parked it nearly a kilometre away because you couldn’t find a proper parking place.
“I hate shopping because of this. I need to park my car at the end of Church Street just so I can go to Tibetian Plaza for something my daughters want,” says Geetha Samuels, graphic designer. “It is a real pain to park my car without anyone’s help and if the guy does come to help while I’m taking it out, he demands that I pay him. It's like a catch-22 situation! Why would I pay him?” she questions. Geetha thinks there should be a better system of collecting the parking fee.
What’s worse than walking back to your car parked a kilometre away? Using public transport to get back home. “They see the shopping bags and the names of the stores and then decide how much to charge us,” says Meghana Basavaraju about the auto drivers. Kshitija Jayanth agrees with Meghana and adds, “It's improvised highway robbery.
We live on Tumkur road and it’s really hard to travel by bus at night. It takes nearly two hours to get home.” So they take autos home and pay even more than the usually exorbitant rates demanded by our fine auto-driving fraternity.
Swetta Rao, Channel Manager at Radiowallla sums up everything by saying “no surplus sizes, budgeted shopping impossible in branded clothing stores and no quality in affordable stores, bad restrooms and horrible parking."


source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/bangalore/shopping-not-a-pleasure-anymore/390838.html

ISRO to launch 24 missions in 24 months

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BANGALORE: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Radhakrishnan on Friday announced that the organisation will conduct 24 missions in the next 24 months.
These missions will include PSLV launches, GSLV launches and also the launch of the experimental flight of ISRO’s GSLV Mark 3 satellite. He was speaking at the 40th birth anniversary celebrations of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC).
Radhakrishnan also announced that an acceptance test of the flight engine for the GSLV with indigenous cryogenics would be held in Mahendragiri on Saturday. “With two more pending tests, our target is to launch it by September or October,” he said.
He also added that engineers working on the RISAT-1 project tried out various imaging modes and RISAT-1 would make use of several of its new features soon. “This will help map kharif crops and study flooded areas even in the presence of clouds,” he said. The RISAT-1 images were released by ISRO on Friday.
The GSLV Mark III which is supposed to take 4 tonnes of communications satellites into geo-stationary transfer orbit is being prepared for a test flight with full configuration, excluding cryogenics according to Radhakrishnan. He said that Mark III had been assembled in Sri Harikota in February and currently trials are on.
He was however, silent on the conspicuous absence of former chairman G Madhavan Nair from the function. Chairman of ISAC TK Alex said that plans for the 6 tonnes communications satellite were on. He added that the satellite would carry 48 to 60 communications transponders. He gave a time frame of 13-36 months for the realisation of this project. Alex added the satellite Spot 6 will be launched in August. Satellite SARAL for remote sensing of ocean would be launched in October.


source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/isro-to-launch-24-missions-in-24-months/390891.html

Navy set to augment pool of qualified test pilot

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BANGALORE: The Navy is gearing up to address the shortage of test pilots (TPs) and save themselves from sailing into troubled waters. The Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy) has written to its naval aviation arm(s) for the augmentation of the TPs. Sources told Express that there was no panic yet and they were confident to meet, what is being termed as, ‘an inescapable requirement’.
With the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) finally hitting the right flightpath, Navy feels the necessity for qualified TPs immediately. “There are concerns with the availability of TPs and they (Navy) are now addressing it at the senior-most level. The idea is to augment the existing corpus of TPs. There are also concerns over the high-failure rate of officers being sent for TPs screening. Emphasis will be given for their proper grooming,” sources said.
To raise the TPs selection bar, the Navy would now put stringent measures in place. “The Navy plans to view the failure of TPs during screening test as a very serious matter. The shortlisted candidates are likely to be given a minimum of six months as preparation time, ahead of the screening. The aircrew must stay motivated ahead of the screening test,” sources said.
Responding to a set of Express queries, the Navy said it has presently adequate TPs to meet the requirements.
“Since Test flying is a specialised task, the number of pilots required with such qualification is limited. It is based on the assessed requirements vis-a-vis the available strength of suitably qualified pilots. As the LCA (Navy) programme picks up pace, additional TPs will be provided,” naval spokesperson Cdr P V S Satish said.
To a query whether the high-failure rates of officers nominated for TP screening is a matter of serious concern, Cdr Satish said: “The TPs’ course is an extremely demanding one and the screening involves testing for esoteric capabilities beyond normal operational flying. Rejection in such high demand courses are known to be higher than in regular courses. The Indian Navy, therefore, pays special attention to the screening and selection of potential TPs.”


source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/navy-set-to-augment-pool-of-qualified-test-pilot/390940.html

Belvanaki village proud of its son

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GADAG: It was a day of surprise and pride for the residents of Belvanaki village in Gadag district, which is the native place of Samaj Parivarthana Samsthe (SPS) executive director S R Hiremath, who has been waging a legal battle against illegal mining, and thus being instrumental in putting former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa under the clutches of law.
Many villagers prided themselves on Sangayya Rachayya Hiremath’s achievement, but some of them were not aware of the fact that the activist belonged to their village. V S Policegoudar, a teacher, said he came to know that Hiremath belonged to the village just a month ago. “Though I knew our neighbour Rachamma (Hiremath’s mother) very well, I was unaware that he is the same Hiremath who has become a “nightmare” to illegal miners in the state,” he added.
Ashok, son of Hiremath’s elder brother Kallinath, said, “Though he left the village during his school days, he has been in touch with us and share our joys and sorrows all the time.”
He said his uncle left for Bijapur to pursue his education at Sri Siddeshwar High School and secured the first rank at the state level in SSLC exams. “Even he secured a rank in PUC exam, and got direct admission into B V Bhoomareddy Engineering College, Hubli. As he got the highest marks in BE (Mechanical), he was sent to the USA by the college itself.”
Another relative, Rajiv Hiremath, to whom SRH transferred his house and land site as a token of affection, said he was proud of his uncle’s struggle to save national resources. “I am, however, worried about his life. I want the government and the society to protect his life,” he added.
Marriage angered kin
Both Ashok and Rajiv said Hiremath earned the wrath of his uncle Gurunanjayya and other family members for marrying a foreign lady three decades ago. “Elders said that when Hiremath visited our residence along with his wife, Shyamala aunty, he was scolded by all family members. His marriage was, however, accepted by them later,” they added.
Meanwhile, Hiremath, who rarely accepts felicitations and appreciation, disappointed the villagers by not attending a felicitation programme on May 6, 2012, during the annual fair of Lord Veerabhadreshwar

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/belvanaki-village-proud-of-its-son/390917.html

Karnataka increases PG medical, dental seats

BANGALORE: The state government on Friday announced an increase in the number of postgraduate medical and dental seats.
As compared to last year, the government has increased 80 seats for PG medical and 33 seats for PG dental.
Speaking to reporters here, Medical Education Minister S A Ramdas said, “Around 28 seats have been increased for clinical section with 41 seats for para clinical and 13 seats for pre-clinical. This year, there are 558 medical degree seats with 183 medical diploma seats. Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) seats have increased from 183 to 216.”
Institutions offering medical and dental seats have to finalise PG admissions for 2012-13 in the counselling centre Rajiv Gandhi University for Health Sciences (RGUHS), added Ramdas.
The first round of counselling for PG and diploma medical and dental seats will start from May 12. The first round of medical counselling will be held from May 14-17. The second round for medical counselling will be on May 25-26 and dental on May 24. The minister announced a hike of 10 per cent in fees for MBBS and BDS courses for seats under the government quota in private colleges. There is a fee hike of 10 per cent for PG seats under government quota in private colleges and private seats in private colleges. However, this hike will not be applicable to government colleges.
Students procuring seats through COMED-K will be paying `5.01 lakh for clinical while those getting seats through the PGCET need to pay `3.35 lakh. For MBBS, under COMED-K quota, students will have to pay `3.57 lakh, while those admitted through CET will pay `38,500. Ramdas said notices were served to institutions that did not hand over 25 per cent of additional seats to the government. “Deemed varsities like KMC Manipal, KMC Mangalore, JSS University, Nitte University and Yenopaya University have given 25 per cent of the seats,” he said.
He added the government may take legal action against Siddhartha Medical College in Tumkur, BLD College in Bijapur and KLE University in Belgaum for not offering the seats.

source:http://expressbuzz.com/states/karnataka/karnataka-increases-pg-medical-dental-seats/390893.html

Seats for medical degree, diploma and dental courses announced

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With increased number of seats in medical, diploma and dental courses, due to accrual from the five deemed medical universities, Minister for Medical Education S.A. Ramdas on Friday announced the seat matrix for all the three streams for 2012-13. Mr. Ramdas told presspersons here that counselling for various subjects in medical and dental faculties will commence on May 12. The first round for dental course would be held on May 12 and medical would be held between May 14 and May 17. The second round of counselling for dental would be on May 24 and medical May 25 and May 26.

The number of seats available in government quota is medical-degree 1,486, up by 148; medical-diploma 525, up by 60; and dental 826, up by 200. Of the eight deemed medical universities in the State, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, and Nitte University have agreed to give 25 per cent of the seats and Yenapoya University 20 per cent of the enhanced seats.

However, the Minister said that Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur, BLDEA B.M. Patil Medical College, Bijapur, and KLE University, Belgaum, have not sent their seat matrix to the Government, despite the directions issued to them. He said that notices would be issued to them asking why action should not be taken for their failure to comply with the directions.

Asked why Siddhartha Medical College, whose management stood by social justice, had also backed out on giving seats for students who come out successfully in counselling, the Minister quoted the management as saying that it had not given seats since the college became a deemed university. All of them had furnished undertakings to the State Government that they would give 25 per cent of the seats enhanced after 2011-12 to the students selected in counselling. Mr. Ramdas said that St. John's Medical College had refused to part with seats to the Government.

Though the Government had said that these institutions had a social obligation, the Karnataka High Court had rejected the Government contention. He said that an appeal questioning the court order would be filed in the Supreme Court to help poor meritorious students.

He said that the Karnataka Religious and Linguistic Minorities Private Colleges Association (KRLMPCA) had agreed to give 20 per cent of the seats to the Government. Of the remaining 80 per cent of the seats, 60 per cent should be given through KRLP Entrance Test and 20 per cent through NRI/institutional preference, but the association had not sent the details of seats under this arrangement.

Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, had agreed to give 10 seats, while A.J. Shetty Medical College had not sent details of the seats it had been approved by the MCI. Rajarajeswari Medical College had also given seats. However, it was yet to get the correct number of clinical seats. COMED-K and KRLMPCA institutions were giving 33 per cent and 20 per cent of their total seats, respectively, to the PGET pool, he said.


source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3409098.ece

Learn what cooks behind ready-to-eat products

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Mouth-watering: Visitors taking a look at the products developed by the Defence Food Research Laboratory at an exhibition organised to mark National Technology Day, in Mysore on Friday.

An exhibition of an array of products developed by the Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) was held here at its facility on Friday to mark National Technology Day.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation's premier research arm put on display a wide range of products — from food to food-testing kits — meant for the armed forces. Most of the food products have a shelf life of one year.

Ready-to-eat meals which included vegetable/chicken pulav, preserved chapattis, suji kichdi, soya fortified oat bar, and cholay mix, were all aimed at meeting the gastronomical needs of the country's soldiers.

The exhibition also included colourful squashes made from vegetables and fruits that were said to be rich in antioxidants and could last for six months, according to a source. There were also sea buckthorn biscuits, bun, cakes, rusks, all rich in fibre and antioxidants. Sea buckthorn is a wild plant that grows in the Himalayas.

Sea buckthorn fruits and leaves are rich in minerals and antioxidants, and the products developed from them are said to help in controlling ageing, cataract, diabetes, etc., according to DFRL.

The ready-to-eat ‘one-man ration', containing breakfast, lunch and supper, as also tea and snacks, seemed fit for soldiers who manned difficult terrains.

THE KITS

Hurdle technology and the toxin detection kits on display were extensively used in the fruits and vegetables market to churn out products such as tomato sambar paste, sweet pumpkin mix and other dehydrated food items. Hurdle technology is a method of ensuring that pathogens such as bacteria and viruses in food products are stopped or controlled.

. The ash gourd squash given to visitors was so refreshing that it left little doubt that the products were as appetising as they were practical.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3409286.ece

A rock and roll underpass

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The underpass on Prof. C.N.R. Rao Road, in front of the BHEL at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) junction, has been under construction for over two years with completion a distant dream.

The lack of service roads forces commuters to travel on the gravel-strewn road. “The construction has been on for a long time. It is difficult to drive here because of the uneven rocky surface. There is always the risk to the two-wheeler's tyres. The maintenance cost of my two-wheeler has gone up considerably as I have no option but to use this route,” said Narendra S.N., a regular commuter here.

Business at the IISc. post office located at this junction has taken a hit. Customers are shying away from utilising its services as it is difficult to access it. The dust and pollution only add to the problem. “Our customers complain about the lack of parking space. Our health is also affected due to the constant dust in the air,” said Padma G., postmaster.

The service road from Sir C.V. Raman Road to Malleswaram 18th Cross is narrow, leading to slow-moving traffic, especially during peak hours. “The traffic congestion is tough to handle during peak hours,” conceded a traffic police personnel at the junction.

NO FOOTPATHS

Pedestrians are forced to weave their way through traffic as there are no footpaths. “People walk on the un-asphalted service roads. The path becomes slushy and walking along it is difficult after a short spell of rain,” Ms. Padma said.

A Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike official blamed the conflict between the project's two contractors — Madhava Hytech and East Coast Constructions and Industries Ltd. (ECCI) — for the inordinate delay in completing the construction. The project was taken up at a cost of Rs. 30.14 crore in January 2010 and was to be completed in September 2011. “However, due to unresolved issues, the work was taken up only in January 2011. Besides levying a fine on Madhava Hytech, the BBMP has now entrusted the work to ECCI entirely.” The official added that the underpass would be completed by September 2012.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3409549.ece

Police will peel off the sun film for you

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The Bangalore traffic police will set up special centres to remove sun films free from May 10 following the Supreme Court ban on the use of such films. These centres will function between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The police plan to conduct a special drive for the prosecution of violators from May 19. After the apex court imposed the ban on May 4, the police had announced a 15-day buffer period for the removal of any materials on safety glasses, front and rear windscreens and side glasses.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3403780.ece

10 p.c. fee hike for medical, dental seats

Students aspiring for medical and dental courses in private colleges across the State will have to cough up more for fees from this academic year.

Medical Education Minister S.A. Ramdas, on Friday, announced a hike of 10 per cent in fees for MBBS and BDS courses for seats that come under the government quota in private colleges. For postgraduate (PG) seats too, there is a fee hike of 10 per cent in government quota seats in private colleges and private seats in private colleges. This hike will not be applicable for government colleges. For instance, students who get seats through COMED-K quota will be paying Rs. 5.01 lakh for Clinical, while those under the government quota (allotted seats through the PGCET) will pay a fee of Rs. 3.35 lakh for the Government quota seats. For MBBS, under the COMED-K quota, students will have to pay Rs. 3.57 lakh, while those admitted through CET will pay Rs. 38,500.

“This hike had to be done for two reasons: 40 per cent increase in teachers' salaries due to implementation of the new salary structure, and the modified MCI rules which prescribe an increase nurse to patient ratio. This has pushed up the establishment costs for teaching hospitals. So we agreed to a minimal fee hike. However, we did not increase the fees for government colleges,” Mr. Ramdas told The Hindu.

ADMISSION PROCESS

The other major change that students will see this year is the way admissions are conducted for postgraduate students.

To tackle the menace of seat blocking, admissions will be made at the counselling centre (counselling begins on Saturday at RGUHS), instead of the respective colleges.

Officials or admission officers of all colleges will now have to be present at the counselling centre.

Soon after counselling, students will be admitted to the colleges and course of their choice.

source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3409094.ece

Thanks for writing back. Even I got this communique, but after speaking to the DGM- Customer Care, the impression that I get is that they may reduce the number of floors (10 floors is what he mentioned) which may have an impact on the price per square foot or the maintenance charge. I wonder if this was mentioned to you as well or has there been any other kind of information which has been given.

Thanks
Vivek


Received communication letter on May 1st (which is dated as April 27th 2012) from Shriram Suhanna on this with the below information.

Currently only ground plus three floors plan is sanctioned. Based on this, they proceed and construct the project accordingly, simultaneously, the company will pursue the saction for modified plan. In the light of this, customers who have booked the flats in the project having sanction plan for ground plus three floors, are informed for execution of the sale agreement and agreement to build.

So, at this time, customers who are booked within ground plus three floors are safe. So, waiting for executing the agreements.

Thanks.

A flyover way above two flyovers!

BANGALORE: Perhaps nothing can beat this grandiose plan by the Bangalore Development Authority. The BDA has proposed a six-lane bi-directional flyover from Le Meridien to Cauvery junction, all the way up to CBI junction on Bellary Road.

Nothing very wrong, except that the BDA's proposal means the elevated flyover will have to be constructed over and above the Windsor Manor rail line bridge and two other flyovers en route! It will have to scythe through the cityscape at least 8m above the Windsor Manor bridge, according to railway norms - which means it will stand 12.6m off the ground and be a rather elevated flyover.

Last week, the BDA floated a tender to construct a six-lane bi-directional flyover at a cost of Rs 210 crore, from Le Meridien to beyond Cauvery junction, and another one from the Air Force main gate to beyond Cauvery junction, passing Sanjaynagar and the CBI junction on Bellary Road.

The proposed six-lane flyover will overshadow the existing Windsor Manor railway bridge and the flyover before the BDA headquarters, thus creating a three-tier carriageway.

What appears incongruous is that the proposed 2.5km flyover is said to be planned to alleviate the congestion at Cauvery junction and Mehkri Circle junction. It's not only dangerous and not feasible, but is also bound to create chaos for commuters.

Abide member RK Misra said the project will connect the proposed signal-free corridor from Hosur Road to Bellary Road on NH-4. "The budgeted project of the elevated highway from Hosur Road to Bellary Road includes the stretch from Le Meridien to CBI junction. But because the freshly tendered projects of BDA were those approved by the government long ago, the BDA can go ahead with these projects," said Misra.

In reality, the motorway upgrade will only add to confusion on this stretch, that already has an underpass on Palace Road, carrying traffic from northern parts of the city to the central business district.

While BDA commissioner Bharatlal Meena said he would speak on the issue on Sunday, engineer member on the BDA board T N Chikkarayappa chose not to take any calls from TOI.

BDA has so far not contacted South Western Railways about the proposed project, though the flyover will go over the Windsor Manor railway track and bridge.

"We have no clue about the project. Technically speaking, the project can be made feasible only if it travels over and above the railway track. It should be a minimum of 8.14 metres above the railway track, meaning 12.6 metres above ground level," said Haribabu V, senior divisional engineer, South Western Railways.

source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/A-flyover-way-above-two-flyovers/articleshow/13114102.cms

This device can track your lost phone!

Mobile thieves beware! ‘Smart track,’ an innovate mobile tracking application developed by students Kaushal Moondhra, Amritha S and Rajneesh Prakash of Acharya Institute of Technology can track lost phones and also click and e-mail pictures of the thief.


Speaking to Deccan Herald, Software developer Kaushal Moondhra said that with Smart Track, the owner should send an SMS to his lost phone. The software will react to the SMS and secretly operate the camera, click three pictures of the thief and immediately e-mail it back to the owner.

Apart from this, it shall also give the location of the phone every minute. “The software has a GPS continuous tracking system and it is linked to the google map.

With this we can also get the exact address of the thief,” he says and adds that currently many phones are giving single tracking system. However, this application gives single as well as continuous tracking options.

One can also change the phone from silent to ringing mode and vice-versa with an alternate mobile. “The thief cannot keep the phone in silent and this will act like an alarm,” he says.

One can also track the incoming and outgoing calls with this software and receive alert messages whenever the SIM is changed.

“The software is currently in the demo version. We still have to work on it,” says Moondhra. The software was developed in two and a half months.

“It was hectic as Android is a new feature and we had to study the coding in a short time,” he adds.

The students are currently in Mangalore, demonstrating their project at Srishti 2012, a State-level Project Exhibition and Competition.

Vegetable recogniser

Another interesting innovation was by KLE Institute of Technology. The students have developed a software which can recognise vegetables in various light conditions.

“We have to click pictures of the vegetables and upload it in the software. The software will recognise the vegetable and the lighting conditions,” says Ajay Prabhu. He further explains that the human eye identifies things with colour and shape. The students have developed the software in these lines. “The project may look simple, however, it can be a huge step in robotics. In case if robots are sent to the market, then this software will help them identify the vegetables they are asked to buy,” smiles Prabhu.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/249079/this-device-can-track-your.html

Rose trade blooms in City’s parched backyard

The saying ‘life always finds its way’ seems to have come true in the case of rose growers in the villages of Hoskote taluk (Bangalore Rural district).

Despite the severe water crisis, they have been able to rake in the moolah. It is now a life of regular income and comfort for these farmers who are cultivating new varieties of roses, requiring less water.

Farmers in the villages around Hoskote - once a well-known vegetable and floriculture belt - had to abandon their fields due to severe water scarity. The liberalisation era of the mid-90s witnessed massive change in land use in the region.

The real estate boom which followed resulted in mass sale of agriculture land and encroachment of water bodies. This resulted in a drastic fall in the water table, affecting small and marginal farmers.

When cultivation of water intensive crops like vegetables and flowers seemed impossible, the State Horticulture Department introduced the growers to small varieties of roses. They now sell their produce to neighbouring states.

“There are three high-yielding varieties of roses - Karisma, five star and ruby red. They are in great demand in temples and to make garlands. These can be used for all purposes (mariage to cremation) both here as well as in the neighbouring states,” said a horticulture officer here.

On large scale

A visit to Alappanahalli, Ulsahalli, Upparhalli, Kumbalahalli, Kurubarahalli, Kolathur, Sonadahalli, Sompur and Kalhalli around Hoskote, shows that cultivation of roses is taking place on a large scale. The flowers are transported to places of religious importance in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. According to farmers, most of the flowers cultivated here are sent to Tirupathi under contract farming.

“It is a short-term contract between the contractor and farmer - a farmer gets between Rs 45 to Rs 60 per kg of flowers, irrespective of the fluctuating price at which the contractor sells them,” said a senior horticulture officer on condition of anonymity.
These varieties of flowers, according to farmers, grow with very less water when compared to vegetables they cultivated earlier.
Depleted water table

“We used to cultivate vegetables which required watering every day. But the water table depleted abysmally in these parts. So, the farmers took to rose cultivation, which has proved to be a windfall. I earn between Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per day,” said Yelappa, a farmer from Ulsahalli.
Subrayappa, another farmer, said these varieties of roses - unlike the Dutch rose variety grown earlier - needed very little water.

“Even if we water the plants once a week through drip irrigation, it is sufficient,” he said. In some villages, where the water crisis is severe, the sewage water is used for the plants.

These miniature rose varieties are cultivated on small patches of land and the entire family is involved in the cultivation. The farmers prune the plants to a height of three to four feet, so that harvesting becomes easy. Their work begins at 5.30 am and the flowers are dispatched to the junction, where they are weighed and loaded onto mini lorries numbering over 50, to be transported to neighbouring states before 7.30 am. The payment is made to the farmers once in 15 days.

“Each farmer earns between Rs 25,000 to Rs 45,000 depending on the size of the land he owns,” said a horticulture officer.

The horticulture department is encouraging the farmers by giving a subsidy of Rs 14,000 per acre, under the new area expansion scheme.

source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/249121/rose-trade-blooms-citys-parched.html