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Here are the top stories from Bangalore for this week:

• Alok Kumar, was suspended as additional commissioner of police (law and order-west) for links with illegal lottery kingpin Pari Rajan. He was interrogated by the CID for over 10 hours on Sunday. DGP (CID) Bipin Gopalakrishna however clarified that he would not be arrested, but was only summoned for questioning.
• Speaking at a seminar on smart cities organised by the Smart Cities India Foundation, BBMP Administrator  T M Vijay Bhaskar stated that Bengaluru needs at least three or four commissioners so that it can be governed properly.
• The state tourism department is planning to create open streets in the city to boost its tourism potential. Cubbon Park played host to this initiative with the parks being closed to motor vehicles all of ast Sunday.
• BBMP collected a record amount of tax, Rs 47.9 crore in a day, on Wednesday.
• Bangalore Traffic Police are looking to implement an ‘Emergency Vehicle Preemption System’, which will ensure that traffic lights turn green when an ambulance is close to the signal. This will be enabled by means of a device on the ambulance and will be implemented in about 500 government ambulances.
• Vidhana Soudha has issued a circular asking employees to talk in low tones over their phones and women to stop loitering in the corridors. It does not mention whether it is okay for men to loiter.

This week’s highlight: Status check on major sexual harassment cases of 2014

KSRP staff protesting in support of Ravindranath. File photo.

Three major incidents of sexual harassment grabbed the headlines in a span of two months in Bengaluru last year. These incidents also triggered public outrage, protests and campaigns demanding justice. Where are the cases now? Has the system been able to prove the crime and deliver justice?

Read: Status check on major sexual harassment cases of 2014.

What to do with fake currency

If you withdraw a fake currency note from an ATM, it is the responsibility of the bank to rectify it. However, pre-2005 notes which don’t have the year of issue printed on them are treated as fake too. These can be exchanged. Read: This is what you need to do when you get fake notes from ATM.

Leading social change

Citizen Matters’ co-founder, Meera K talks about some of the citizen entrepreneurs leading social change in Bengaluru and discusses what we can learn from them. Read: How citizen entrepreneurs can make a difference.  

What does one do when one’s area suffers from basic infrastructure problems? Here are some citizens who want to be in the system, to change it for better. Read: Citizens from gated communities enter poll arena, to ensure they have a say in democracy.

CII, an industry body, sponsored the government consultation programme on Draft Waste Management Rules.  This attracted the dissent of the public and NGOs working in Bengaluru in the field of waste management. Read: Public object to partnership with CII on draft waste management rules.

The heroes among us

Meeting a bus conductor isn’t a big thing. But a bus ride and a chat with one of them could unravel that they are more than just ticket-issuers. Read: A day in the life of a BMTC conductor.

In ten months Puttenehalli lake will brim over with water thanks to the excess treated water that is being released from the STP at South City. The efforts of the team behind it are already paying off with small pools of water appearing on the lake bed. Read: Milestone morning.

Food for thought

A side of the Ulsoor lake that not too many people notice. Pic: Ganga Madappa

Clothes, pillows, suitcases… these are things that one can expect to find in a cupboard. Did you know all this and more also make their way to Ulsoor Lake? See: On the surface of Ulsoor Lake.

In the aftermath of the dismal PU results, Ashwin Mahesh offers three suggestions that, if implemented, could possibly improve public schooling in India. Read: What can be done to improve public schooling?

Weekend getaway: Hassan

Looking for a weekend getaway from Bengaluru? Home to Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola, Hassan is the place to take a trip back in time. Read: Hassan: A district of forgotten marvels.

Urban wildlife

Malabar Parakeet. Pic Deepa Mohan

May 10th was observed as Endemic Bird Day across India, to coincide with Global Big Day, when birders across the world document as many species of birds they can spot in 24 hours. Read: 567 species of birds spotted in India on Endemic Bird Day.

Events this week

• Attend The Art Market, a talk by Nalini Malaviya on Bangalore’s visual art scene at Bangalore International Centre on May 28th.
• Watch the film screening of the French movie, Les neiges du Kilimandjaro at the Alliance Francaise on May 28th.
• Watch some of the funniest stand-up comedians from across the country at evam Standup Tamasha on May 29th at Alliance Francaise.
• Learn about the origins of one of India’s favourite foods, biryani, and get to different varieties of it at the Biryani Walk on May 30th.
• Head over to Alliance Francaise on May 30th to watch The Prophet and the Poet, a play based on the letters exchanged between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore over 25 years.
• Did BDA encroach lakes? Ex-commissioner of BDA, Jayakar Jerome and Dr A Ravindra, Former Chief Secretary, GOK, will be talking about the processes followed by the BDA during the formation of sites on June 1st at Bangalore International Centre.
• Watch Simantini, an adaptation of Somerset Maugham’s The Constant Wife at Ranga Shankara on June 4th.
• Allalasandra Lake, Yelahanka will host Bangalore’s fifth Kere Habba on Sunday June 7th.
• Citizens from Bellandur and Koramangala will be holding a peaceful protest on June 7th to oppose the SEZ that is coming up on the Bellandur wetlands.

Click here for the complete list of events happening in Bengaluru.

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