Sakuntala Narasimhan | | Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

Am I paying taxes to get killed?

September 17, 2019 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Bengaluru is beset with rotting garbage, killer potholes and increasing dengue cases. Yet the BBMP is planning a steep hike in property taxes. So should we pay?

It is consumer literacy that leads to real progress

December 24, 2018 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Join and strengthen a local consumer group in your locality, or even start one. That can better the quality of our lives. Existing groups are not effective because they do not have sufficient popular support.

Why this Sanjay Nagar street saw a midnight party for 150

February 15, 2018 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Citizens of Sanjay Nagar cleaned and beautified a garbage dump. When that didn’t eliminate garbage bags fully, they did something interesting, that caught everyone’s attention.

11 reasons why BMTC puts off commuters

March 2, 2016 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Buses that do not wait, buses that wait too long, route numbers not displayed… Even for those citizens who are not averse to using public transport, BMTC’s buses can prove to be challenging.

Save us from BBMP contractors, please!

December 21, 2015 Sakuntala Narasimhan

BBMP contractors who cause damage to private properties refuse to repair them. A senior citizen voices her concern on the issue, because of which she had to suffer a lot.

Is our attitude the biggest obstacle to vehicle-free streets?

October 5, 2015 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Why did HSR Open Street initiative receive negative feedback by some people? Resistance comes from the biased mindset, says Sakuntala Narasimhan.

KMF Nandini milk: mislabelling, lack of quality and what more?

September 2, 2015 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Half litre Nandini milk and curd packets don’t carry the words ‘Use by’ on the packaged date stamping. As a result, you might be buying old milk, which might curdle the moment you keep it for heating. What’s wrong here?

When you drive through a stop sign, you are a ‘potential killer’

April 14, 2015 Sakuntala Narasimhan

What happens when there is no police officer present at the time of a traffic violation? It is then up to road users and drivers to follow rules, and report violations when the law is broken.

Vicious circle of BBMP’s fundcrunch and garbage dumps

March 11, 2015 Sakuntala Narasimhan

BBMP has no money. Pourakarmikas mix the garbage segregated by the residents. What is the use if people advocate segregation at source, when that is not going to yield any desired results?

Society

From Mathura rape case to Nirbhaya and beyond: What has changed between now and then?

December 11, 2014 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Did rapes take place 30 years ago? Yes, but they barely came to light. The case of a dalit girl’s rape in police station led to the formation of rape law in India. What has changed between now and then?

Lawmakers splurge on renovations, while hospitals ignore the poor

October 25, 2014 Sakuntala Narasimhan

No money to check stray dogs menace, or ensure proper working of government hospitals. Meanwhile government is to spend on renovations and clubhouses.

Safety norms for govt schools relaxed: Why?

July 29, 2014 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Guidelines are relaxed for government schools because, there may not be enough infrastructure to implement the rules. Why does this double standard exist?

Will the law put a stop to child labour, or should we do something?

July 16, 2014 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Laws are effective only when people care about them, and politicians back them. What can we do to stop child labour?

What’s your wedding-spend? And did you think about it?

June 2, 2014 Sakuntala Narasimhan

It’s true that weddings are once-in-life-time celebrations. But how do we celebrate – by spending lavishly, or do we need to find another way to celebrate it meaningfully? Do we care about the side-effect it can have?

The story of how I got my voter id in Bangalore

April 9, 2014 Sakuntala Narasimhan

They advertise about how easy it is to get your voter card. In reality, it is not a cakewalk!

Who killed Muniyappa?

December 13, 2013 Sakuntala Narasimhan

There are too many schemes from the government, that never reach the needy. When will people like Muniyappa see better days?

Fate of Bengaluru is like the clock that stuck at Orange forever

November 15, 2013 Sakuntala Narasimhan

A little orange coloured circle at South End intersection typifies all that is wrong, sad and messed up in this once-graceful city of Bengaluru.

Why pay taxes when garbage not cleared, potholes not filled?

September 24, 2013 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Time has to come to start a new kind of Satyagraha in Bengaluru, as the civic body governing the city has failed in all aspects of administration.

Sleaze in Vidhanasoudha: A case of fence eating the crop

September 7, 2013 Sakuntala Narasimhan

We cook, clean, care for the elderly and the sick, raise children, and earn to keep the family fed. Yet we are treated as jokes, objects that are less than human, not to be taken seriously. Where is the justice?

Environment

What a pity! Foreigners miss Mayor’s presentation on tackling garbage!

August 8, 2013 Sakuntala Narasimhan

Shouldn’t BBMP’s initiative begin with proper instructions to its own staff, instead of issuing large, half page ads in the papers to “educate” citizens on the importance of segregating rubbish?