Netas violate flex ban again
Our local netas don’t get it despite protests from residents and the media. Recently, this is how Nandini Cool Joint junction looked like on 19th main. And most of these were the banned flex banners about greetings for the new year. We urge all politicians to make a new year resolution instead: Never to use flex banners and remove plastic usage from their life. “We don’t need those wishes which pollutes our city and waste our hard-earned money,” says resident Kamesh Rastogi. Agrees Manisha: “Citizens are struggling to reduce waste while the political class has no such concerns.” We get the politicians we deserve. The larger population that votes is not mindful of all this. Not everyone is civic-conscious. Shalini Rajnala was more categorical: “This is indirect electoral publicity. Who wants their greetings when there is no civic sense?” When Residents Watch got in touch with the BBMP official Abhishek who is in charge of banner removal, he promised speedy action, but did nothing substantial. When HSR Citizen Forum volunteers tried to remove banners in HSR recently, they were stopped by a resident from proceeding with their work. “They had no legal sanction, so we stopped it,” is all he had to say, although he had violated the flex banner rule too. Similarly, some time ago, more than 50 hoardings were erected in a radius of 400 meters near SBI Bank junction on 27th main road and its cross roads. Virtually every pole was fitted with the hoarding of a branded store, including the road divider. But the BBMP officials looked the other way. We feel that the netas should be penalised and the BBMP officials should be suspended for not doing their duty despite complaints from residents.
Wanted: CCTVs for Sector 5
MLA Satish Reddy promised 20 CCTVs for HSR, but only half of them are in use and even those have not been installed in the right place. Suggestions from the residents have not been taken at all. Even the cops don’t know who chose the locations. In addition to the misplacement of CCTVs, they have ignored one sector completely. “They have not been installed anywhere in Sector 5,” complains Riyaz Ahmed, the president of the Sector 5 Residents Welfare Association. We urge the MLA to also install on the BDA flyover to deflate the puncture mafia who are lining the road with nails and fleecing two wheeler riders for the last three years.
Voter IDs for all
As part of One Million New Voters Compaign by B.PAC, Hasiru Mithra, the citizen action group of HSR, conducted yet another successful camp recently in Bommanahalli constituency covering ward 174 (HSR Layout) and 190 (Mangammanapalya). “We got a good response,” says member Lalithamba BV. “We hope these new voters come out and use their constitutional rights and vote.” To sum up, they have conducted half a dozen camps in the last year and more than 1000 residents have registered. Several of them have already got their Voter ID cards.
KCDC rally on Feb 11
The KHHSP RWA is organising a peaceful citizen rally to highlight the issue of the polluting and stench-causing composting plant, Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC). The Feb 11 rally will begin at 9am from KEB junction on 27th Main and proceed towards KCDC in Kudlu. It will be a silent, human chain with no disturbance to traffic or people. The rally will end at 11am.
Plastic is back
Plastic is banned in Bangalore and well implemented in HSR Layout. However, plastic is again creeping into small and big shops. Says S Sankar: “Garbage bags are now available at MK Retail. White Collar dry cleaning shop on 19th Main is also giving away everything in a plastic cover.” We urge the anti-plastic brigade and the BBMP officials to conduct surprise checks on shops to contain it from spreading all over.
Sustainable living
Bhoomi, the eco-friendly home that we wrote about earlier, played host to over 60 students from the 9th standard of Freedom International School in HSR Layout. The session was all about environment-friendly, sustainable living. According to the home owner Pradeep Krishnamurthy, six broad concepts were covered. “Bhoomi’s eco friendly architecture, design principles and materials, natural and organic water recycling done at Bhoomi, wet waste management and recycling using bio-gas unit, organic vegetables and terrace gardening, rain water harvesting, LED lighting and it’s benefits,” he says. “We also gave them a group school project by gifting them strawberry plants.”
Cops bravado
Last month, HSR police constables Somashekar and Mahesh Nayak did the unthinkable. To catch a chain snatcher, they jumped from the first floor and injured themselves. Mahesh broke his leg (hairline fracture) and Basavaraj hurt his back. But they managed to catch the 36-year-old Anekal resident Somashekar who confessed to having stolen three chains in separate incidents, including one on Sankranthi day in HSR. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Boralingaiah was all praise for the bravura act of the cops and called for a press conference to specifically highlight this deed. Incidents like these not only boost the morale of the police force but also instil confidence among residents.
‘Aadhaar has an expiry date’
The Karnataka government is linking Aadhaar with land records, but residents find many things wrong with it. Says Sridhar Ramu: “Aadhaar is a pathetic document, if used as an ID proof. The photo no way resembles the real person. Although the idea behind it is great, the implementation and process is pathetic. I dread what will happen if misused. Also, Aadhaar has an expiry date of five years. One has to renew it every now and then. This is cumbersome and disturbing.”
But when we checked with UIDAI, they clarified that only the biometrics expire every 3-4 years, not the card that carries lifetime validity. “The other day, my mom’s Aadhaar expired as she was not able to authenticate it for online transactions,” says Sridhar. “It’s a very sneaky way to do it when they can clearly publicise it properly that the card needs to be renewed again every 3-4 years for biometric and every 10 years for a new photo ID.”
According to Sridhar, it’s simple logic why that is so. “Aadhaar is an ID card too for everyone in India starting from a new born to a 90-year-old. Can the same ID of a new born or 5-year-old be relevant after 10 years? The answer is ‘no’ and it needs updating, both photo as well as biometrics. Unfortunately, the government hasn’t publicised that there is an expiry date and the card gets deactivated.”
HSR has the nearest airport
We have an airport closer than we think. Tamil Nadu has opened its Hosur Air Station at Belagondapalli village, Thally Road for Kannadigas. “Once commercial airlines mount operations from this airfield under the Centre’s UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, people living in south-east Bengaluru (Electronics City and around) will be able to reach Delhi or Mumbai sooner than reaching Kempegowda Airport,” reports Bangalore Mirror. Reacts resident Kavitha Reddy: “It’s a revenue loss for Karnataka. Taneja is actually from Bangalore but decided on Hosur because of the land option. It’s already operational and most people and companies who have aircrafts are using Taneja airspace.”
Fun facts about HSR
Dr A Obi Reddy, a retired Principal Scientist at the National Dairy Research Institute and a resident of Sector 6 had the following comments to make about the state of civic amenities in HSR Layout…
Roads: Meant for parking and not for driving
Sewage drains: For blocking and over-flowing
Empty sites: For construction of shopping complexes
Footpaths: For road-side eateries
Houses: For renting out and/or converting for commercial use
CA sites: For dumping garbage
BBMP: Annual ritual of breaking and making drains
BBMP corporator: For acting like senior Dritharashtra (the blind king in Mahabharata)
HSR: Second highest crime in city
If we go by the 2015 police data accessed by 101reporters.com and IndiaSpend through an RTI, Jayanagar recorded the most number of police complaints followed by HSR Layout and Koramangala. This could either mean that the residents are most proactive here or that the police are far more cooperative in registering a First Information Report (FIR) than their fellow officers in other jurisdictions. It could also mean that the crime is most here because these come in the IT belt that records the most number of people with higher disposable incomes.
Sakala for greater convenience
Make the most of Karnataka’s ‘Sakala’ online services. Currently, 376 depts come under this. This saves people from corruption and harassment and helps them in knowing the status of their application in real time. Only khata-related queries are not being done online, but you could still check the status of your application. Education is empowerment. So spread the word to your relatives, friends and neighbours about this service. For more details, visit this helpful site: www.sakala.kar.nic.in.
Eat right, keep fit
Hasiru Mithra recently held an awareness session on ‘Eating Right & Well Being’ by nutrition expert Jyothi Annamareddy, a resident of HSR Layout. She has worked at Biocon as a research scientist on microbial nutrition for two years before starting her practice six years ago. Her session was on understanding your body’s health and nutrition benefits. The clubhouse of Aakruthi Silverline played host. If you want to be informed of future sessions on health and wellness, you can call Lalithamba at 94480-63776.
Tree chopping stopped
Educated residents have to take a stand. But that can only be done if you are armed with information and you are daring to stand by your conviction. The other day, the National Public School management tried to chop trees around it. “Just in time, my mom and my colleague were alerted and the tree cutting was stopped when the permission letter was demanded from them,” says resident Kavitha Reddy. Suggests fellow resident Kamesh Rastogi, “Any chopping without proper approval and justification must be made a strong ‘non bailable’ offence. Also, the Horticulture department must swing into action if anyone raises such issues. They generally arrive after the tree is cut.”
