Citizen group completes nine years of managing lakes in Bengaluru

Citizen group completes nine years of managing lakes in Bengaluru 1

By Anuksha Dey Mahadevpura Parisara Samrakshane Mattu Abhivrudhi Samiti  (Mapsas), a citizen-driven organisation, is about to enter its 10th year of looking after and reviving Bangalore’s lakes and reservoirs. The organisation has been working closely with BBMP and the residents around Soul Kere, Kaikondrahalli Kere, Kasavanahalli Kere, Lower Ambalipura Lake and Devarabisanahalli to maintain the … Read more

Sakala: Get government services delivered to you on time

sakala

By Aratrika Dey Across India, citizens are frustrated when the promised delivery of a particular service from the government is either received after the due date or not at all.  That is when you should turn to Sakala, a public service scheme under the Karnataka Guarantee of Services to Citizens Act, 2011. If your application … Read more

Know your neighbour: Transforming Bellandur is her mission

kishori mudaliar

By Zahid H Javali Kishori Mudaliar is a changemaker wearing many hats. She is the founder of Bellandur Jothege Foundation, a civil society organisation focussed on developing Bellandur, particularly pedestrianization. A communications and PR consultant by profession, Kishori is an electronics engineer by qualification, besides being a summertime Bharatanatyam dance teacher. Born in Mumbai, she … Read more

“We are creating mini forests every week in Bengaluru”

say trees

By Anuksha Dey SayTrees planted 8150 saplings at Hennagara Lake last Saturday. The saplings were planted using the Miyawaki method at the lake near Bannerghatta. This afforestation project on the outskirts of Bengaluru is a small part of SayTrees’s efforts to green the city.  Currently, this Bengaluru-based not-for-profit organization has over 25 afforestation projects in … Read more

COVID-19: ActionAid steps in to prevent a second wave

actionaid

By Chandrima Mazumdar Better awareness and the right nutrition is the best way to prevent the second wave of COVID-19, according to ActionAid. The NGO launched a campaign to emphasise these points on Tuesday. The COVID-19 camp and nutrition distribution to adolescents was done in association with Slum Mahila Sanghatane and the CSR support of … Read more

A dummy’s guide to travelling on a budget across India

travels

By Aratrika Dey Travelling overseas can be a real gift for any individual. However, living through a pandemic, some things have changed indefinitely. Traveling abroad from India for tourism purposes remains suspended since March 2020. But this piece of information should not dampen a wanderer’s interests. Domestic flights resumed from May 2020, and interstate travel … Read more

Drive-in cinemas and open-air screenings zooming back into popularity amidst the pandemic

Drive-in cinemas and open-air screenings zooming back into popularity amidst the pandemic 2

By Anuksha Dey Watching movies on over-the-top (OTT) platforms or on TV has become the new normal during the pandemic. But, for those who miss the experience of the big screen, startups such as Lonely Cow Entertainment and organisations such as Sunset Cinema Club and SteppinOut are providing a safer alternative to the traditional cinema … Read more

BTM Layout residents oppose indoor stadium in space allotted for playground

indoor stadium

By Chandrima Mazumdar The citizens of BTM Layout have turned to social media to voice their protest against the construction of an indoor stadium in 1st Stage, BTM Layout. According to the residents, the neighbourhood lacks any open space for children, and the space allotted for the stadium was reserved for a playground as per … Read more

HSR Layout’s wonder women save lives of several strays

stray dog wardens

By Aratrika Dey When the BBMP’s ABC (Animal Birth Control) program in the Bommanahalli sector stopped operating midway through last year and CUPA had to stop their sterilization operations for strays around March 2020 due to the pandemic, three HSR Layout residents, Priyanka Gopal, Tapsi Raina, and Prabha Bhaktaram, stepped up to fill in the … Read more

Garbage burning is a never-ending problem in Kasavanahalli

garbage burning

By Anuksha Dey The roads are finally being repaired and drains are being cleaned in some parts of Bellandur. However, just months before the civic polls, a video of large scale garbage burning in Kasavanahalli has gone viral on Twitter. The video shows smoke from a pile of trash being burnt behind Bren Imperia, near … Read more

The great revival of Bellandur and Varthur lakes began today

lake revival

By Aratrika Dey MLA Arvind Limbavali inaugurated the Bellandur and Varthur lakes rejuvenation project today. The project was sanctioned by the State Government of Karnataka by order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). However, some residents want the dignitaries to inaugurate completed projects rather than those that are yet to begin. Objectives of the project … Read more

Traffic congestion to continue for atleast 2 years in KR Puram

Tin factory

By Anuksha Dey After lying dormant for about two years in KR Puram, the Metro line construction site near Jyothipura is showing signs of progress. However, residents might have to wait a few years for the Tin Factory traffic congestion to ease. The Tin factory junction, which connects East Bangalore to Central Bangalore, is riddled … Read more