June, 2020 Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

How public spaces can be redesigned to make ‘unlocking’ safe in Bengaluru

June 30, 2020 Ruchi Agarwal

As COVID cases rise in Bengaluru, the dilemma is between ensuring citizens’ safety and opening up the economy. Redesigning our public spaces may be the best way to ensure both these.

Bengaluru Buzz: Private hospitals to treat COVID | Designated hospitals reserved for critical patients | Ward delimitation…and more

June 29, 2020 News Desk

With increasing COVID cases, the protcols for hospitalisation are being changed and private hospitals are being involved. Catch up on news over the past week, in our roundup.

Unlock 1.0: Are safety measures in Bengaluru restaurants, shops adequate?

June 27, 2020 Pragathi Ravi

The number of COVID cases in Bengaluru has been sharply rising of late. The city’s commercial establishments do have some safety measures in place, but are these enough?

Study: Bengaluru’s new road-widening project will irreparably damage the environment

June 26, 2020 Harini Nagendra

The felling of thousands of trees for the ‘Bangalore Surrounding Roads Project’ will permanently damage the city’s environment, finds an EIA by Azim Premji University. The actual number of trees to be cut are far higher than that reported as well, finds the EIA.

Iblur lake bedecked with flowers: Volunteer efforts pay off

June 25, 2020 Naresh Sadasivan

Iblur lake, which had once been a toxic cesspool, is now thriving and beautified, thanks to citizen efforts. The lake’s trustees are also planning to develop a Miyawaki forest in the vicinity.

Bengaluru's Silk Board Junction during the lockdown. Pic: Naveeen Thomas Prasad

Air pollution dropped 28% in Bengaluru during lockdown

June 24, 2020 Aishwarya Sudhir

As per an analysis, PM2.5 levels in Bengaluru reduced by an average of 28% during lockdown. In some localities, air quality even met WHO safe levels, perhaps for the first time in two decades.

a domestic help preparing food in the kitchen

Call them back to work; They’re waiting

June 24, 2020 Harsha Raj Gatty and Manasi Paresh Kumar

In earlier articles in the Ground Reality series, we looked at cash shortage, food insecurity and domestic conflict in poor urban households during the lockdown. They are now trying to rebuild their lives. This is about how we can help.

Why Bengaluru lakes catch fire, and how to prevent this

June 23, 2020 Sanjana Alex, Priyanka Jamwal, Shashank Palur, Veena Srinivasan, Shubha Ramachandran and Suma Rao

Raw sewage, industrial effluents, solid waste dumping, can all lead to build-up of flammable gases in lakes. Why do these issues persist and what can be done to resolve these?

A resident of a containment area being tested for COVID-19 in a fever clinic. Pic: BBMP Commissioner/Facebook

Bengaluru Buzz: COVID cases cross 1000 mark | Demand for ICU beds | Citizen Quarantine Squad to be formed…and more

June 21, 2020 News Desk

As the number of COVID cases rose sharply over the past week, authorities are making more preparations. Read more in our weekly news roundup.

Banning domestic workers, forcing quarantine: Can your apartment RWA make these ‘special’ COVID rules?

June 19, 2020 Siddhant Kalra

From banning domestic workers to forcing additional quarantine on residents, many RWAs have made their own rules. The legality of these rules is highly questionable, but BBMP Commissioner says he won’t interfere.

How lockdown + unemployment + hunger + liquor increased domestic conflicts in low income households

June 18, 2020 Harsha Raj Gatty and Pranshu Rathee

Adding alcohol to the already-potent mix of livelihood loss and food insecurity set off a range of mental health issues. It manifested in domestic conflicts in low-income households. Women were often at the receiving end of volatile emotions and domestic violence.

Month: June 2020