If you are yet to take our pre-BBMP poll survey and share feedback about your local corporator, please do so. If you prefer to give your responses in Kannada, you can do so here.

In other news, one of our past interns, Maitreyi Ananth had written about the India Under-23 team’s journey to London for the World Under-23 Ultimate Championships. We’re delighted to inform you that the team won the ‘Spirit of the Game’ award at the championships! Kudos! Read about their journey here.

Finally, in case you are yet to receive a receipt for your contribution to Oorvani Foundation, drop us a mail on foundation@oorvani.in and we will get back to you.

Here are the top stories from Bengaluru for this week:

• The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Bill to split BBMP into two or more corporations. The Bill was passed in the Assembly while it was rejected in the Legislative Council on Monday. The Bill, if approved by the Governor, will pave the way for restructuring BBMP.
• The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing of an application by the State government seeking clarification on polling date, for July 27th. During the last hearing, the SC asked the State to go ahead with poll preparations. The State sought time to file an affidavit on the problem of logistics to hold the poll and the SC had adjourned the matter.
• Revenue authorities have taken over the ownership of the 140-year-old Bangalore Club and have ordered the Club to relocate to a new address within a week. Bangalore Club is located in a 13-acre property on Residency Road. The district administration has claimed the ownership of the property citing the lack of proper documentation of land available with the Club.
• Villagers of Lakshmipura in Anekal taluk have complained of methane emanating from the ground. They demonstrated this to the media by cooking food over the gas that was escaping from cracks in the soil. Lakshmipura is famous as the landfill where BBMP dumps the waste from Bangalore; this was covered with soil when the villagers complained of smell.
• Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai has said that Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM) in Bengaluru is 126 per cent more than the prescribed limit. Some of the highly polluted areas are Whitefield, Mysuru road, Central Silk Board and Peenya.
• The Legislative Assembly has approved the trifurcation of Bangalore University. An amendment bill fixing the boundaries of new universities (Bangalore University, BU-Central and BU-North) was passed in the legislative house on Friday.

This week’s highlight: ‘Divided Bengaluru will be like Mysorepak slices: Each piece, equally sweet!’

 The proposed 5 corporations

The recently released BBMP Restructuring Committee report received a fair amount of criticism from several folks in Bengaluru. V Ravichandar, a member of the committee defends the report and says: “The 5 Bengaluru corporations are like ‘Mysore Pak’ – any way you slice it, the piece has the essential character of what makes the city special.”

Read his response to the critics here.

Also read:

• A summary of the report
• Criticisms against the report

BBMP elections 2015

The State Election Commission has declared BBMP elections for the second time. If all goes as planned, polls will now be held on August 22nd. The Supreme Court also clarified that the eight weeks time granted earlier, was applicable from July 2nd. Read: Schedule for BBMP elections.

Also: Register on the voter’s list by August 10th, Rate your corporator: English form ; Kannada form.

Tracking Bengaluru’s growth

It is obvious that Bengaluru’s population has been growing over the years. But how much? And at what cost? Read: A city that never stops growing, even when it takes water bodies and green belt!

On the road

For the past two months, residents of Koramangala 3rd Block have seen a marked increase in traffic through their neighbourhood. A citizen shares how it has impacted their lives. Read: Koramangala 3rd Block a death trap after Sarjapur Road was made one-way.

The pothole-ridden road from Krupanidhi College junction to Total Mall is dangerous for two-wheeler riders. A commuter explains why, and says that safety is in one’s own hands. Read: The deadly road to Madiwala.

Living by the lake

On Earth Day, it was announced that PNLIT had won the शहर GREEN करो – It’s Our Turn to Lead award for their efforts at rejuvenating and maintaining the lake. Usha Rajagopalan received the award on behalf of PNLIT at a ceremony on the lake premises last week. Read: Puttenahalli Lake Trust wins national award for lake rejuvenation efforts.

Kaikondrahalli Lake (Pic: Namita Jakhar)

Kaikondrahalli Lake, a shining example of lake restoration in Bengaluru, needs your help. While BBMP has entrusted MAPSAS with the upkeep of the lake, there is no money allocated. MAPSAS is now looking to raise funds from the community. Read: An appeal for donations.

The heroes among us

What would you do if a little boy showed up at your doorstep, with a bruise on his knee and his friends in tow? Chandra Shekhar Balachandran’s humorous account of how he came to the rescue of one such lad is a lesson in appreciating the little things in life. Read: Wounded Knee.

When you donate blood, you may very well save someone’s life. 31 donors came forward to do so at a recent donation camp held at Sarjapur. Read: Blood donation camp at SJR Park Vista a success.

Also read:

• How to donate blood
• Bloodbanks and donors in Bengaluru

Culturati

Collage of cinema posters

Good cinema always has a market, irrespective of its language. The audience doesn’t reject a movie just because it doesn’t have stars. Here’s what new-gen directors of Sandalwood think about this phenomenon. Read: New-gen Kannada directors keep their hopes intact

The nice thing about having teens, is that one meets other young people – many of whom are musically gifted. In her latest post, Chitra Srikrishna features two up and coming artistes in Bengaluru. Read: Chasing dreams.

Do you enjoy making motion pictures? Here is a chance to get rewarded for it too. The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance  (IRHA) has launched its annual competition,  The  Raindrops Geneva Award 2015.

Voice of the people

The Horticulture Department recently stated that parts of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh would be made Wi-Fi zones. A citizen asks if there are other things the department should focus on instead. Read: Do Bengaluru’s last remaining lung spaces really need Wi-Fi?

A citizen sets out in search of the perfect chicken biryani at Bengaluru’s iftar stalls, in a bid to relive a memory from her past. Read: Chasing the memory of an iftar.

Food for thought

A resident of Puttenahalli was offered ‘prasad’ on the her way home. What followed is a lesson in not taking food from strangers. Read: Beware of offerings from strangers.

Events this week

• Alliance Francaise will be screening the French film, Jour de Fête, about a fair that comes to the little town of Sainte-Severe-sur-Indre this evening at 7 pm.
• Tune it to The Melody of Monsoon, a concert by sitarist Partha Pratim Roy at Bangalore International Centres on July 24th.
• Canadian pianist Paul Stewart will be performing at Alliance Francaise’s Anniversary Series of Concerts on July 24th.
• Head to the entrance of Bangalore Fort (near City Market) on July 24th, 11 pm with your friends and family for a Heritage Party and watch the old fort come alive. Also remember to wear red!
• If you are interested in art, heritage, and in art restoration and conservation, attend the Parichay on Art Conservation on July 25th at Chitrakala Parishath.
• Attend the Basavanagudi Food Walk to explore the markets in the neighbourhood through its food on July 25th.
• As part of its German Spotlight series, Goethe Institut is organising a theatre reading of Falk Richter’s play Electronic City by Aruna Ganesh Ram.
• Here’s something that you don’t see very often – a lady tabla exponent. Make your way to Alliance Francaise on July 26th to listen to Sangeet Sandhya, a Hindustani music concert with tabla player, Hetal Mehta Joshi.
• What does it take to manage electoral rolls. PG Bhat, NC Muniyappa, Dr A Ravindra and Nitin Pai will be participating in a panel discussion on the topic on July 28th at Bangalore International Centre.

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

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