Thursday, May 29
• After the successful launch of the midday meal scheme Akshaya Patra by ISKCON, it is now the turn of the BBMP to extend such a scheme to the old aged. ISKCON has again been entrusted with this responsibility, which has already been offering food to the old and the underprivileged at its premises. ISKON has been rendering this yeoman service to schoolchildren and prisoners in Bangalore Central Prison as well, and has plans of extending such schemes to cover pregnant women too.
• It is said that nothing succeeds like success. This is true in the case of BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa. After his election victory, he has any numbers of followers trailing behind him wherever he goes. The scenario was different just a few months ago.
• The cost of vegetables and fruits in the city has skyrocketed in recent times. The price of most of the vegetables has doubled, and consumers have had to spend at least Rs 500 in addition to their usual monthly budget for vegetables. Experts however feel that this is normal in summer as farmers do not cultivate vegetables during the hot season.
• The Bangalore Agriculture University has achieved a rare feat of carrying out cultivation using human urine. Scientist G. Sridevi, under the guidance of Dr. C.A. Srinivasmurthy, carried out this experiment in a field in Doddaballapur Taluk. Urine was used successfully to grow banana plantation in this field. The yield was found to be better than when routine fertilizers were used claims the university.
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
• After the railways recruited more Biharis in Karnataka, it is the turn of BIAL to opt for non Kannadigas for recruitment in the D group. Though the centre has a rule to reserve C and D group jobs to local people, the BIAL is ignoring this directive. Pro Kannada associations are planning to go on an agitation if Kannadigas are not appointed for 46 jobs in this category.
• The Kannada Film industry has been urging the police and public to take necessary action against piracy. But it has fallen on deaf ears. It was left to the initiative of film producer K. Manju to catch a person indulging in copying and selling Kannada movies on CD. The culprit was later handed over to police.
• Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde has directed his officers to file charge sheets against four ex MLAs of the previous government for providing false information in their asset declaration. Three MLAs are reelected this time. He has also instructed the newly elected MLAs to file their asset declaration by the end of June.
• Most of the colleges in city have resorted to locking their main gates to avoid the bunkingculture. Most of the students have a habit of avoiding classes even after coming to college. To check this many colleges have decided lock the main gates once they start functioning in morning and afternoon session. But the students, of course, take exception to this as they feel that this action will create an atmosphere not conducive for studies!
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008
• Even as the police nab petty criminals involved in the hooch tragedy, the major accused Iqbal and Kousalya are still absconding. It looks like the police are not making any efforts to nab these kingpins, now that the seriousness of the crime is not felt anymore.
• The newly launched BIAL has an unusual challenge to face. The flying metal birds in the new airport pose a threat to the feathered variety. Two birds were killed in the first two days of operation of BIA when flights hit them on the runway. The lush greenery surrounding the airport is home to a huge number of birds. This has been the cause of delays in takeoffs at the new airport too.
• What’s common between Kupendra Reddy, M.R. Seetharam from the Congress, Prasad Reddy from BJP and Gottigere Manja from JDS, apart from their defeat in the just concluded elections? All of them are some of the real estate kingpins in Bangalore. Many leaders from the business tried to luck in politics this time, but except for lucky few from the BJP, they lost.
• The BBMP has taken serious note of private signboards banning parking in front of roads and buildings by private operators. The latter have been asked to remove their signboards as they are illegal. These boards are commonly seen in front of apartments, commercial complexes and private layouts. A senior officer with the BBMP says that once the layouts are completed, all roads in and around them will come under the supervision of BBMP. People can file a complaint with the BBMP against such signboards.
• BDA officials confiscated a commercial complex worth Rs 6 crores in Rajajinagar. The BDA site on which the complex was built belonged to an adventurous person called Keshava Aiyangar. He had acquired it illegally after forming a nexus with a few BDA employees. He later sold the site to a third person who built the complex here.
• With the new airport opening to the public, the woes of Devanahalli have just begun. Water scarcity is imminent in the area as many residential layouts are expected to come up here. As farmers have begun to sell their land, fruit cultivation will soon become history. Even as many builders are announcing projects here, one wonders if they have official permission from various government bodies to go ahead.
• More and more students are using two wheelers in Bangalore. Parents blame poor public transport services for this. Though young adults aged above 16 years can get a learning license for using 50 CC bikes, use of high power bikes have become common even though it is not allowed by the RTO. Even high school students are seen opting for motorbikes rather than bicycles.
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Monday, May 26
• With monsoon nearly upon us is the BBMP adequately prepared to face the wrath of the rain gods this time? The recent rains have already created havoc, and BBMP has taken steps to clear drain channels to avoid water clogging. Citizens too have a responsibility to keep their surroundings clean and dispose garbage in a proper manner to avoid water blockage.
• Bangalore has elected a number of new faces to the Vidhanasoudha this time. New comers like Satish Reddy and Nandish Reddy won against the experienced Kupendra Reddy and A. Krishnappa respectively. Most of the new MLAs are representing the BJP.
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Sunday, May 25
• Bangalore has ten Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Bangalore, and only one of them has a proper testing track, which is the Peenya RTO. Other RTO offices carry out driving tests either on ring roads or on vacant sites. The government did well to raise the number of RTOs from six to ten, keeping the raising number of vehicles in view. But it has failed to equip them with suitable testing tracks.
• Do you know how much students are under pressure from their parents to do well in studies? The Commissioner of Pre University Education Department S.G. Hegde gave an example to illustrate this. One of the answer papers bore the legend Jai Guruji on all 13 sheets, repeated 2500 times. The students had not even written the register number. The Guruji, however, for all the love showed by his devotee, could not ensure that the student passed in the paper.
• The launch of BIAL has repercussions of all kinds on various sections of people. A number of shops on the (old) airport road stand to lose business, as all the traffic has now been diverted to Bellary road. Shopkeepers, used to heavy traffic and business for all these years now face empty roads and empty coffers.
• When is the last time you spotted sparrow in Bangalore? This variety of birds is fast vanishing from this developing city, which has seen a drastic change in lifestyle in recent times. Sparrows, which depend much on human beings for survival, used to build their nests in houses and grocery shops in a not too distant past. But the new style of construction and interiors do not allow them to do so anymore.
• ‘Scribble’, a unique art exhibition is on at the Chitrakala Parishat on Kumarakrupa road in Seshadripuram. About 80 art pieces scripted by 34 artists from Nagpur, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bangalore, are on display. Artists intend to donate a part of their earning from this exhibition for the welfare of handicapped people.
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Saturday, May 24
• The prestigious Bengaluru International Airport, hailed as the largest, private sector-owned and operated airport in India, is constructed by a consortium of international companies including Siemens. It was therefore pleasant to see the Indian touch retained during its inauguration, when a nattily dressed official performed a pooja and broke a coconut after which distribution of passes was resumed.
• These days the HAL road leading to the old airport wears a barren look as all roads lead to the new one in Devanahalli. Bellary road, which leads to BIA, is reeling under the traffic, as only three of the six underpasses are ready until now.
• The newly constructed underpass in Malleshwaram turns ‘blunderpass’ as chaos continues to reign in the road towards Navarang circle. In their eagerness to provide smooth traffic flow from Navarang, the authorities have neglected to plan for the traffic from the opposite side. There is no pedestrian path either for people to cross the underpass.
• Bomb scare? Call Raju Robo! N. Raju of Raju Perfect Mechanism Enterprises in Hanumagiri Nagara in southern Bangalore has developed a robot to look for bombs in case of threatening calls of that nature. He claims that his four feet tall robot is programmed to detect hidden bombs. N. Raju can be contacted on 98451 15142, 98452 13631.
• Arahalli main road in AGS layout in Ittamadu in Bangalore South is in a sorry state. Sewage water flows on this mud road, making it impossible to traverse in the best of times and especially during monsoons. Though this arterial road connects Uttarahalli, Kengeri and the ring road, BBMP has not thought it fit to develop it yet.
• BMTC driver Venkatachalaiah is popular among commuters between Majestic and Electronic City. Commuters can trust his bus to turn up on time despite traffic jams. Venkatachalaiah started service in 1982 has since been driving route number 243, without causing a single accident so far. He is now driving the Volvo to Electronic City. This driver with the impeccable record can be contacted on 9902070769.
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Friday, May 23
• If you think house rents in Bangalore are sky high, you’ll be amazed to find that one can actually rent a place in the city for just Rs. 400. Roshan Nagar in Bangalore west is home to people who live in these houses which have a sheet roof. This place came to prominence during the recent hooch tragedy, as most people who died of consuming spurious liquor hailed from this area.
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