BBMP & Bescom attacked at 2nd ward committee meeting!

January 12, 2021January 9, 2019 by RW News Network

BBMP & Bescom attacked at 2nd ward committee meeting! 2

BBMP & Bescom attacked at 2nd ward committee meeting! 3

During Saturday’s monthly ward committee meeting on HSR Layout ward, several issues were highlighted. This was only the second meeting after the ward committee was formed more than a year ago. And even this was being done after BBMP Commissioner ordered all the 198 wards in Bangalore to conduct the meetings every month without fail.

“About 70% streetlights in HSR, Iblur and Suncity apartment are to be fixed,” said ward committee member Vinutha. Another member Padmashree requested the BBMP to fix the culverts in several areas, including the places where optic fibre cabling companies dug up the roads and left them with potholes galore. Some of the roads where these are rampant, include: 7th Main, Sector 7; 21st Main, 10th Cross Road; 1st Sector, 31st main and 21st main.

Srinivas Reddy asked the BBMP to raise the compound wall of Agara Government School in addition to providing drinking water to students, keeping the toilets clean, and widening the footpath adjoining the school.

Another member Govindswamy alleged that several BBMP contractors had taken money worth crores but the work was still not completed in HSR Layout: cycle tracks, streetlights, road and footpath works. He complained that Bescom had left cables all over the footpaths in several areas of HSR. Resident Lalithamba BV said Bescom had dug up Akruthi Road near 27th Main and left the roads in a shabby condition.

Corporator Gurumurthy Reddy (the chairman of the ward committee) himself had several issues, including the incomplete works by contractors though money had been given to them, including Agara, Iblur and Somasundrapalya Lake works. He lashed out against the stray dog and pig menace in HSR. In addition, he asked for more sweepers to be hired for cleaning up the ward.

Potholes, streetlights, stray dogs and parks headline the first Ward Committee meet of BBMP

January 12, 2021December 1, 2018 by RW News Network

Illegal hoardings removed on 27th Main!

January 12, 2021November 30, 2018 by RW News Network

Several unauthorised hoardings and advertisements put up by various brands and shopkeepers on 27th Main Road were removed yesterday by the BBMP. Here are a few of those shops whose hoardings were removed.

This is a drive based on the Karnataka High Court order and a BBMP notification that no hoardings, posters or outdoor advertisements of any kind will be allowed till August 2019. Only those who are approved by the BBMP after paying a licence fee are eligible to put up the hoardings.

Illegal hoardings removed on 27th Main! 7

Illegal hoardings removed on 27th Main! 8

Illegal hoardings removed on 27th Main! 9

Illegal hoardings removed on 27th Main! 10 — BBMP Health Inspector Vinod GM in action

BBMP fines plastic sellers and removes footpath encroachments

January 12, 2021November 29, 2018 by RW News Network

On the HSR side of Mangammana Palya Main Road, the BBMP officials have removed footpath encroachers yesterday. In addition, shops using banned plastic were fined. In the last week alone, Rs 18,000 worth of fines were levied for using plastic bags and dumping garbage in stormwater drains and vacant sites.

BBMP fines plastic sellers and removes footpath encroachments 12

BBMP fines plastic sellers and removes footpath encroachments 13

BBMP fines plastic sellers and removes footpath encroachments 14

BBMP fines plastic sellers and removes footpath encroachments 15

There were four raids in HSR Layout last week, including one yesterday. The places covered were 24th Main in Agara, Sector 2, 27th Main and 17th Cross. Yesterday, the raids were conducted on Mangammana Palya Main Road where footpath encroachers were also evicted, including pushcart vendors and those keeping cylinders and other equipment on the footpath.

BBMP fines plastic sellers and removes footpath encroachments 16 — The fish seller’s vehicle caught with the waste at Silk Board junction

The BBMP officials look for addresses of the dumping parties through receipts and other banking transactions that are part of the waste. And in one case, they catch people in the act. Last night was one such instance where the officials caught a fish seller of MG Palya dumping non-vegetarian waste into the stormwater drain at Silk Board junction. He was fined Rs 6000 for the misdemeanour.

Trucks & tourist buses clog 27th Main!

January 12, 2021November 28, 2018 by RW News Network

The residents are fed up of complaining to the authorities about the indiscriminate parking by trucks and tourist buses on 27th Main Road.

Says resident Krishnan, who has tweeted to the top cops and complained on their mobile app: “Illegal parking… creating a dangerous haphazard to the community on 27th main. It’s a daily routine, can you please clean this mess?”

Trucks & tourist buses clog 27th Main! 18

Trucks & tourist buses clog 27th Main! 19

Trucks & tourist buses clog 27th Main! 20

Pet lover stops men from catching dogs; gets beaten up!

January 12, 2021November 27, 2018 by RW News Network

Abhilash S, a 30-year-old resident of Sector 4, was beaten up by four unidentified assailants on November 22 at around 1145pm.

Pet lover stops men from catching dogs; gets beaten up! 22 — Representative pic

This incident appears to be connected to the allegation by pet lovers of HSR that 60 strays have been picked up from HSR and relocated elsewhere. According to this FIR (First Information Report), the incident occurred behind the Government Hostel when Abhilash was feeding the dogs.

Pet lover stops men from catching dogs; gets beaten up! 23 — Tata Ace mini truck. A representative image.

The four persons allegedly came in a Tata Ace mini truck to catch the dogs. When Abhilash protested that it’s illegal to catch dogs by unlicensed contractors, the four persons beat him up and mouthed expletives. They also threatened him with his life and drove away.

The HSR cops have lodged the case under five sections of the Indian Penal Code – 506 (criminal intimidation), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (insult) and 34 (criminal act by a group).

Footpath encroachments removed on 27th Main Road

January 12, 2021November 20, 2018 by RW News Network

The HSR traffic cops removed several footpath encroachments on 27th Main Road from flyover junction to the HSR police station. The rest of the stretch will be carried out in the next few days, according to HSR traffic police.

Footpath encroachments removed on 27th Main Road 25 — Representative picture

Regarding the 24th Main Road encroachment, the cops said that the measures are temporary in nature. “We do it today but the next day, the vendors are back,” said one senior cop. Regarding shops encroaching the footpath, the cop said, “That’s the job of the BBMP officials. They know the law and we are ready to do a joint encroachment removal drive if they agree.” In addition, the traffic police are unsure about removal of footpath vendors. “They have no designated spot where we can shift them,” they said. When we told them about 18th Cross off 24th Main Road near Bescom office to be used as an alternative market road, they said they will look into it. This was proposed by Brig (Retd) RS Murthy, the former president of Sector 2 Residents Welfare Association a long time ago, but nothing came of it.

When we asked BBMP assistant engineer Ananth Raju about it, he said, “We will fix a date and send a letter to the traffic police to help us with the eviction. We also need the presence of residents and the media when the removal is happening to avoid the backlash from shopkeepers and vendors.” We will keep you posted, dear reader, so you can watch the removal while it’s in progress.

HSR Ward Committee or Sham Committee?

January 12, 2021November 18, 2018 by RW News Network

After the residents went to court asking the BBMP to set up a ward committee, the civic body followed the court orders. They sought refuge in the local corporator who inducted his own contacts. When the citizens protested against this nepotism, the BBMP Commissioner said the residents can send in their applications and he will personally see to it that they get a berth.

However, when the ward committees were finalised, none of the 500 applicants from across Bangalore found their names on the list. Such is the state of affairs in Bangalore. Thankfully, HSR Layout is slightly better off. One can spot civic activists like Padmashree, Chitra and Dr Shanthi Tummala on the 12-member list and we know the work they have done towards garbage segregation, plastic ban, composting and so on. But the rest of the list appears to be bogus at first glance.

FAKE DESIGNATIONS

Lets begin with the representatives from resident welfare associations (RWAs). The names on the list are complete unknowns and their designations don’t even exist. You only have presidents not chairmans at RWAs. The president of Sector 6 RWA was Raje Urs last year and not Venugopal Reddy. In fact, there has been no such name holding any core committee level position in the history of Sector 6 RWA. We have got this confirmed from both the past president of Sector 6 RWA Raje Urs and the current secretary Deshmukh.

Such is the level of misrepresentation in this list cooked up by the BBMP under the misguidance of corporator Gurumurthy Reddy. Similarly, in Sector 1, the president has been Jayaram Reddy, but the list shows Govindaswamy as its chairman when there is no such position in the first place. Similarly Jayaram Reddy has confirmed that Govindaswamy was never the president or secretary of the association. “The committee met only once to send this list to the BBMP, it’s all bogus,” said Jayaram Reddy to Residents Watch. “The list was made only to follow the court’s orders. There’s no other purpose to it. I will talk to the Federation about this misrepresentation.”

Corporator Gurumurthy Reddy claimed that he had conducted “2-3” meetings in the last one year. Even if this were true, it clearly highlights the sham. “We will call you for the next meeting,” he told us. When pressed on the charge that there are bogus names on the list, he only said, “Is it so?”

When we spoke to BNR Reddy, the chairman of the Federation of HSR Layout Residents Welfare Association, he was even more categorical: “The corporator did not consult the associations while drafting people into the committee. This is all his handiwork.”

BOGUS LOT?

Both civic activists and resident association members are not even aware of the other names on the list. We can only conclude that they are just dummy candidates to abide by the court order. When there are so many civic activists in HSR Layout, why pick complete unknowns? Or do these people even exist? Do we have their Aadhaar IDs, so we can cross check? We urge BBMP Commissioner Manjunatha Prasad to take cognisance of this and weed out the falsehood reflected in this list not just in HSR but across Bangalore.

Without further ado, here is the list of people who are part of the Ward Committee for HSR Layout. No real meetings have happened so far. And most of the names don’t even ring a bell. Such is the sham in the ward committee list. Should the courts intervene again to whet the lists now and ensure regular meetings are held? In all likelihood, it appears to look that way!

HSR Ward Committee or Sham Committee? 27

Resident complains against neighbour for causing pollution!

January 12, 2021November 14, 2018 by RW News Network

MC Sunanda is a fiesty 65-year-old woman who is a resident activist of sorts in Sector 1. She has successfully fought against polluters and illegal occupants in her neighbourhood in the past and her latest is against a tenant in front of her house. “The occupants of site number 1879 on 21st A Main have no water facility or drainage. They wash, cook and dirty the place. They use firewood and pollute the area. They urinate in the site itself. It is causing nuisance and is an ugly sight in the morning.”

Resident complains against neighbour for causing pollution! 29

She has not only informed the landlord of this site but also complained to the BBMP way back in August, but no action has been taken so far. “I have also spoken to the site owner’s husband on the phone. They are aware of it. I have sent the pictures,” says Sunanda. “They wash the clothes, there’s no drainage, mosquitoes breed there, please ensure that they vacate the place. A family of four are staying there and they cook openly with firewood.”

To make matters worse, the site owner K Kavitha has it on record that it’s a vacant site when there is a room with people living in it. “The site is let out for ironing of clothes and a cart is parked and thereby made commercial,” says Sunanda. Can a citizen give wrong declaration to the authorities and get away with it by troubling the honest tax payers?

Resident complains against neighbour for causing pollution! 30 — The wrong declaration that it’s a vacant site

Resident complains against neighbour for causing pollution! 31 — The site owner is paying tax for a vacant site when she has a shed with people living in it

We reached out to site owner’s husband Gopinath K and this is what he had to say: “I had visited the spot last month. Let me take a look at the issue again and then respond. I definitely understand the issues concerning the neighbours and will get back to you.”

Sunanda has this to all the site owners erecting temporary sheds to house people. “These site owners declare to BBMP as vacant site, but construct a shed and let it out without any plan sanction and sanitary connection,” says Sunanda.

She is just as angry with the BBMP for inaction. “Inspite of me giving all the details such as phone number and address of the owner, BBMP has utterly failed in discharging their duties. BBMP does not respect people who follow the law, instead it encourages people who violate it Is BBMP set up to protect law offenders?”

HER PAST SUCCESSES

A similar case had stared her in the face when a woman was staying in a shed diagonally opposite her house. It was yet another hygiene issue and when she gave a police complaint, the owner of the site where the shed was built got the maid to vacate it.

Two years ago, there were huts where about 10 people were staying and creating a health and hygiene issue. She called the police and got them removed too. “The owners want to preserve their site at the cost of our hygiene,” says Sunanda.

Stray dog attacks and what you can do!

January 12, 2021November 12, 2018 by RW News Network

In the last six weeks, much has changed in the location of stray dogs in HSR Layout. The saga began when Member of Parliament Kupendra Reddy, a resident of Sector 1, was attacked by stray dogs in Sector 1 on October 11. Seven dogs were impounded. Later, the dog lovers of HSR complained that 60 … Read more

Two bus bays but hardly any buses!

January 12, 2021November 8, 2018 by RW News Network

HSR Layout can be a study in contrasts. If the footpaths are good, the encroachments take away their beauty. If the roads are wider, triple parking narrows them down anyway. If the roads are well tarred, the lorries use them as parking lots. If the footpaths are cleaner, the errands and passerbys dump garbage and uglify them. In such a scenario, another interesting story has reared its disconcerting head.

The state government recently announced many more bus bays in the city next year. In HSR Layout, there are two of them in Sector 2 at KPTCL junction on 27th Main Road opposite Rockview bar and restaurant. None of the buses have a stop there. It appears like two white elephants being put to no use. Says resident Lalithamba BV: “There is not a single bus on this route. Who is accountable? It’s a waste of public money! Atleast can BMTC should extend their feeder services up till here?”

So what have these bus stands become? Well, they have become a place to people watch and have food as this picture suggests. It’s the problem of plenty in HSR Layout, where there are many bus shelters but not many buses.

That’s not all. At the 14th Main bus stand opposite BDA Complex, buses do come, but the bus shelter has no seats. We had reported it earlier, but no action is taken by the BBMP yet.

BBMP says these roads are pothole-free. Tell us if they are lying!

January 12, 2021November 8, 2018 by RW News Network

Here is a comprehensive list of roads in HSR Layout which the BBMP says are ‘pothole free’. Please pour through the 32 pages of the PDF whose link is given below and let us know if potholed roads are being declared as ‘pothole free’, with the latest photographic evidence to prove it. This can only be crowd-sourced as HSR is quite a big ward. Help us to help you. Be part of this pothole-free drive.

BBMP says these roads are pothole-free. Tell us if they are lying! 39

Spare a few minutes to go through the PDF and look at the areas around where you live. If they are wrongly declared as ‘pothole free’, here is what you should do. Cite the pdf page number and road/cross name, and send us the dispute with a photograph to prove your point. We will submit this to the authorities concerned.

Just CLICK HERE to download the PDF on to your desktop/laptop/smartphone. Not sure what the street ID is since the sectors are not mentioned? Perhaps, this LINK might help.