By Aratrika Dey The right to information should be a fundamental right of every citizen. Given the lack of transparency from the public sector banks in the country, the citizens need to know how to file an RTI (Right to Information) application. Banks serve as a part of the foundation of any economy. But much … Read more
By Qamar ZJ & Chandrima Mazumdar While the 2015 idea of ‘100 Smart Cities Mission’ promised improved standards of living, the reality is that it has forced many people into poverty. Instead of acting as a role model for the tier 2 and tier 3 cities, the governance and financial implications of this urban renewal … Read more
By Aratrika Dey Hospitals are overburdened with patients and cannot admit more due to the lack of beds and shortage of medical personnel. Blood banks are facing an acute shortage of blood units. The demand for treatment has increased, while the number of blood donors has decreased, due to the fear of virus transmission. No … Read more
By Aratrika Dey Bengaluru boy, top-class batsman for Karnataka, your next-door neighbour (if you’re from HSR Layout), and now Chairman of the men’s state Senior and U-23 selection committees, Fazal R Khaleel has had quite the journey in the world of cricket. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) announced early this year that Khaleel replaced … Read more
By Aratrika Dey The other day, Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) member Raghavendra Poojari tweeted that he and a group of friends single-handedly removed 383 nails and over 2000 stapler pins stuck to a peepal tree near Vijayanagar bus stand… there are still many more to be removed. “Every time I went on morning walks … Read more
By Chandrima Mazumdar The Election Commission of India has published the draft electoral roll 2021 for the state of Karnataka. According to the revised schedule of the Special Summary Revision 2021, the period for filing claims and objections. They have been revised and now extend from November 18 to December 17, 2020. The date for … Read more
By Aratrika Dey The real India resides in the villages. Just three hours drive from Bengaluru stands Melukote where one organisation has been applying Gandhian principles to create an equitable society and promote sustainable living. From rehabilitating abandoned children, sustaining livelihoods of dozens of families, educating the local children and adults, and restoring local forests, … Read more
By Chandrima Mazumdar Residents, unaware of the health hazards, are unwittingly feeding pigeons that frequent the Swabhimaana Park in Sector 3, HSR Layout. The other neighbourhoods in Bengaluru are no exception either. However, while feeding the birds is a noble deed, having them around in the neighbourhood is counter-productive. According to scientists, pigeon poop is … Read more
By Qamar ZJ While North India had ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ air pollution ratings, Bangalore recorded ‘moderate’ to ‘satisfactory’ pollution levels during and after Deepawali (Diwali in North India). This was partly due to subdued celebrations and November 15 evening rains that brought down the pollution loads. North India more polluted than South India If … Read more
By Aratrika Dey Quite a few shops are found to be selling non-green firecrackers in the city, despite the Karnataka government ban on the sale of non-green merchandise. Initially, the ban included firecrackers of all grades. However, it was altered to allow only green crackers to be sold to the public. Vendors have been caught … Read more
By Aratrika Dey Bengalureans have increasingly taken to social media to voice their frustrations regarding the persisting problem of footpath encroachment by cars and two-wheelers. In several places, the footpaths can be seen lined with rows after rows of two-wheelers and four-wheelers. Vehicle users are getting away with parking in ‘no-parking’ zones. The city lacks … Read more
By Aratrika Dey A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is working on a tool to diagnose people. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has allowed them to collect data for possible deployment in the future. The eight-member team headed by Dr Sriram Ganapathy have named this sound-based initiative Project … Read more