It has been raining heavily in Bengaluru — 41.8 mm rains according to MET Department—and our social media timelines are flooded with vivid images and videos of floods across the city. Here are some numbers you can get help from if you have a major problem in your area!

It has also been a week of many protests. Bank employees are protesting today against privatisation. The now-concluded BMTC employee protest must have had some effect on your lives in its own way. Gear up for another BMTC-less day tomorrow, if at all you plan to go out, because there’s going to be a bandh. Water wars have broken out between our state and our neighbouring states, so take enough precautions. With that note of caution, we move on to the newsletter.

The highlight: Life of a traffic cop

They man the traffic, spending their days sorting out chaos on the roads. But ever wondered what is their life like? Read: The thankless job of a traffic cop on Outer Ring Road.

Exploring Bengaluru – the language angle

Trying to learn Kannada? Internet access is all it takes to learn Kannada in Bengaluru. Kannada Baruthe and Kannada Gottilla are two platforms that can help you learn Kannada, writes Kate Clark. Read: One lesson at a time, they teach Kannada online.

How will a non-Kannada speaking foreigner react to the linguistic issues in a city like Bengaluru? Kate Clark our intern from University of Washington, appreciates Bengalureans for their knack in speaking many languages and feels sorry for her linguistic limitations. Read the blog piece on Peacocks, Palaces and Pavements

Bengaluru has lost its old charm, so has Seattle. In Bengaluru, people blame the government for the mess, while in Seattle, migrants are blamed! Read: Bengaluru and Seattle: sister cities or polar opposites?

Forming an apartment society

One of the important tasks for the residents of a new apartment complex is the preparation of comprehensive byelaws for the society. Here is a list of errors that you should avoid if you are running around to form the owners’ association. Read:Six mistakes to avoid while dealing with new apartment society byelaws.

Of private cars and railway networks

Why there has been a tug-of-war between the Transport Department and taxi aggregators? What’s the On-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016 and the case in the Karnataka High Court all about? Read the third story in the series: When Uber, taxi drivers went to court.

During the now-concluded BMTC and KSRTC employees protest, the South Western Railway came to the rescue of railway passengers by providing stoppages for all mail/express trains inside the city. Commuter railway advocate Sanjeev Dyamannavar writes about how this is a strong case for commuter railway.

Vet doctors in Bannerghatta zoo

Who takes care of the animals at Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park? The veterinary doctors in the zoo are the part of invisible army which operates round the clock to ensure that the animals are taken care of. Meet the vets of Bannerghatta Zoo.

What to do when you lose documents

Our senior writer Deepa Mohan happened to lose her various cards, and reapplied for all of them. She also documented the process. Read:

• What to do if you lose your driving licence
• What to do if you lose your Senior Citizen card
• What to do if you lose your debit/credit cards

Miscellaneous

Horamavu Parisara Abhivrudhi Samiti (HPAS), organised an intensive day-long cleaning and beautification event at Horamavau Agara Kere. Here is an account of what happened at the event.

Indulge in this detailed report by Public Affairs Centre (PAC) to see what BWSSB is upto.

A humorous look at the state of footpaths: Pavement perorations — Part 3: rating the footpath issues

News roundup:

• After three days of government buses remaining off the road, KSRTC and BMTC bus employees have called off their indefinite strike and normalcy has been restored. Though the employees had demanded for a wage hike by 35 per cent, they agreed for the government’s proposal of 12.5 per cent hike.

• The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority’s Lake Warden Programme has received poor response from citizens. The programme was launched a month ago with an intention to enrol citizens to monitor water bodies in the neighbourhood. KLCDA has so far received 45 applications, according to news reports.

• For the first time, BBMP will initiate mass transfer of its employees who have been in the same post for more than three years. As many as 1,280 BBMP employees are expected to be transferred through a counselling mechanism.

• The BBMP has brought down the daily rental of the renovated Town Hall. The rental has been reduced from Rs 1.22 lakh to Rs 75,000. The new price has been accepted by the Taxation and Finance Standing Committee.

• As many as 9,000 cases have been booked and 39,000 kg plastic has been seized in Bengaluru, ever since the plastic ban came into force four months ago, Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai has said. BBMP has collected a total penalty of Rs 52 lakh from the rule violators.

• The Bengaluru Urban District administration has identified 1,923 illegal structures on storm water drains (SWDs) and feeder canals of lakes in Bengaluru. According to authorities, they have completed the survey of 842 km of SWDs and canals.

Take a look at some upcoming events in the city here.

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