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Sunday, 12 December 2010 - 8:31am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P Over 500 people walked from Vittal Mallya Road to the Hockey Stadium, which was part of the larger four-day anti-corruption campaign. As a nation at the threshold of fundamental change, there is bound to be frustration, scepticism and cynicism in society. But when we overcome those with will, it will change and we being at the tipping point cant take it anymore, said Jayprakash Narayan speaking at the Saaku campaign held at the Shanthinagar grounds here on Saturday. For those who thought this was yet another campaign and nothing substantial coming out of it, he said: Dont be a mute spectator when society is being plundered. If not participating in campaigns, then act responsibly in small ways and initiate a change in your own way. Registering yourselves as voters, voting with common sense and showing courage occasionally are some of them. He also expressed the need for protecting the judiciary from incumbency and asserted that only stringent institutional mechanisms can change the way people behave and not morality. In the face of increasing cynicism among citizens because of the galactically piled up scams hitting the country every day, a glimmer of hope was seen as the city echoed with the voices of Saaku (enough) to corruption. Over 500 people walked from Vittal Mallya Road to the Hockey Stadium, which was part of the larger four-day anti-corruption campaign. Former international athlete Ashwini Nachappa flagged off the march. This is perhaps the first time a metro has woken up to its besmirched reputation and has come together to protest, asking for change. The rally saw the coming together of 20 NGOs to condemn the corrupt administration and governance of the state. I paid a bribe, Loksatta, Forward 150, Praja, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, Daksh, Empowered Bengaluru, Smart Vote, Anti-Corruption Committee, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement Mysore, World Alliance for Youth Empowerment and Yuva Bengaluru took part. The Saaku idea was planned and conceived, in the backdrop of World Anti-Corruption Day (December 9), within a span of two weeks. The Saaku team visited top colleges in the city and addressed students there. Dr R Balasubramaniam, founder of the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement, and renowned RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal attended the event.
Despite construction of the memorial having begun, protesters have not been persuaded that this is the best way to remember martyrs. The construction should stop, they say. Even as construction of the controversial war memorial at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park began on Friday, the vociferous opposition to the project from residents of the area and others in the city continued unabated. Civic experts, nature lovers and environmentalists stuck to their guns on Friday, saying that after the unseemly controversy around the proposal, the very idea of having a war memorial at the site appeared less appealing. Leo Saldanha of the Environment Support Group said, In public memory, the war memorial will be strongly connected to the aggressive promotion of the project by certain individuals. The projects proponents strenuously struggled to win judicial support, despite the widespread opposition to the idea from the general public. Sudhir Pai, secretary of the Krishna Apartments Association that went to court questioning the construction of the memorial, said, What quiet remembrance of martyrs is now possible in such a place? Power was blatantly abused to clear a park of trees of great agethose would have stood in reverence to departed and brave souls. Pai added that the matter was no longer one of chopping four trees. People keep reiterating the idea that this is a matter that concerns only four trees; but thats not true. A memorial stone will be erected, and a 11,000-sq ft underground motivation hall will be constructed. Initially, the trust formed for setting up the memorial said that a landscaped garden would come up. But look at the current status, and you will see that its much more. At the recently-concluded Global Investors Meet in the city, the Bangalore Development Authority claimed that allocating Rs12-15 crore for the memorial was one of its achievements. That, even as the issue was still in court. I cannot understand how this is possible. There is every possibility now that the park will get commercialised, as there may be the need for funds for the construction, and money might need to be raised. The entire park could be lost to this expensive and unnecessary project. Vinay Sreenivas of Hasiru Usiru said, To put it straight and simple, the state government has failed us. It has violated the Karnataka Parks Preservation Act, and thus set a bad precedent. He added that his group would be approaching the Supreme Court, now that the high court has already given the project its nod. Kathyayini Chamraj, executive trustee, CIVIC, said, They should be building the memorial on the army grounds, where the true spirit of the martyrs could be honoured.
Friday, 11 June 2010 - 10:38am IST | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA Suraksha P The Lok Adalat will hear cases on effluent treatment plants in hospitals today. With just 24 hours more for the judgment day, three hospitals on Thursday commissioned effluent treatment plants (ETPs) to treat solid and liquid waste. The General Hospital, Jayanagar, KC General Hospital, Malleswaram, and Ghousia Hospital, Shivajinagar, were the three hospitals among six to establish ETPs to escape closure. The Lok Adalat, which directed the construction of effluent treatment plants, would take up the hearing of ETP cases on Friday. Status reports on ETPs in private and government hospitals will be submitted before the adalat for further action. We were given the responsibility of constructing ETPs at five hospitals, out of which three have been completed. The work is in full swing in Victoria Hospital, and Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, and will be completed in a months time, said a BWSSB official. The ETP at Kidwai Institute of Oncology is almost ready. All thehospitals will be represented at the Lok Adalat hearing. The decision on whether to extend the deadlines rests with the adalat, said AS Sadashivaiah, chairman of the Karnataka state pollution control board. At its previous hearing, the Lok Adalat headed by justice KL Manjunath had directed the state government to file an undertaking that it would ensure construction by February 13, 2010, and close down the hospitals that failed to comply with the directive. The Lok Adalat articulated its apprehension over the lead content in water samples across the four river valleys in the city. Even tender coconuts contain lead because of contamination. We have read reports saying breast milk of mothers also contain lead. The situation is serious, the Lok Adalat had observed.
Five patients have already been discharged. The reason for their illness can either be consumption of polluted water or food poisoning, Dr Anjanaiah of the nursing home said. The residents, meanwhile, complained of being supplied with contaminated dark water which even contained worms. I was unwell for the past two days and then got admitted. We have complained about the quality of water, Harish P, 20, who was ill for the past two days, said. Harishs sister Sandhya P, 10, was discharged a day ago. They all have similar symptoms of fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, Dr Venkatesh Murthy, Surgeon, who treated the patients, said. Another patient, Kasturi RS, 55, who was suffering for a week, said they had been staying at Jakkarayanakere for the past 45 years. She had not faced any problem with the water. However, she was also admitted to the hospital. The hospital sources said the condition of those remaining in the nursing home was stable.
The parasite twin which was attached to the lower part of Deepak's chest had two legs, a pelvis, abdomen and two poorly formed upper arms.
available at the ward office. But lack of such a practice makes these contractors callous, and they go scot-free, Col Thomas said. He added that several contractors also provided fictitious information during inspection for the mobilisation of advances, while in reality, the money was not used properly to execute the civic work. Laxity in the system can be fixed only when the entire system is reworked and revamped with a diligent monitoring mechanism, he said.
The Enrich Management Academy will be the first Indian B-School to be part of Harvard Business Schools MBA Oath Project, which seeks to inculcate high standards of responsibility and ethics among budding business leaders. The Enrich Management Academy (EMA), which was launched here on Wednesday, will be the first Indian B-School to be part of Harvard Business Schools MBA Oath Project, which seeks to inculcate high standards of responsibility and ethics among budding business leaders. Prof NS Ramaswamy, chief mentor, EMA, and founder director of IIM-B, and Suhas Gopinath, CEO Globals Inc, Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum, were present during the occasion. The academy is a part of the Enrich Educational Trust. Those with low scores may perhaps have better attitude; so the amalgamation of the right attitude, learning, and discipline is what is important for creating job-ready professionals, said Prof Amit Gupta, executive director, EMA. The B-schools intake would be 60 students, with an annual fee structure of Rs1.95 lakh. The admissions will begin this July. The Centre for Business Leadership will be housed within EMA as a special leadership course, aided by John Kotter, Leadership Guru, Harvard Business School. We want to transform managers into leaders for the industry, Gupta asserted.
Rao says summer is the best time to see flowers in full bloom. However, the Tree Walk comes with a tinge of sadness. Rao says some trees will be pulled down to make way for Metro Rail construction. Nothing can substitute Nature and fresh air generated by it. Fans and massive concrete structures cannot substitute this naturally-obtained luxury, adds Rao. The flowers of the white meranti are highly fragrant and attract many honeybees. We have only one tree on campus and can savour its smell even if we are several blocks away during the flowering season, says a student.
an easy job. At times, they would become violent and cranky and we had to put up with all that, they chuckle. The other members of the group are Kareem Meppadi, Parikshith BA, Radhakanth Barik, Ravi Chavan, and Nagarjun BS.
A plan was drawn up, keeping in mind the priorities for each area. Six months of diligent planning and discussion yielded priority lists with the estimated budgets. These were then presented to the executive engineer of the BBMP responsible for the area, Somesh M on Friday. Snehalatha Naidu, editor, In and Around Richards Town, a newsletter, said, There should be accountability in how public money is spent. Work undertaken should be of a good quality; only then will we achieve the status of a model ward. Corporator Palani Ammal said that grassroots involvement in planning had precedents elsewhere in the world, in Brazil and Puerto Rico, as well as in neighbouring Kerala. The priority lists drawn up by residents put work that impacts the poor, like the construction of permanent houses for them, right at the top.
There will be a review of the Fire Force Act. The department will be provided with the necessary power to inspect and seize buildings if safety norms are violated, he said. Yeddyurappa also warned of stern action against those owners who make structural changes to buildings without the approval of authorities concerned. Uday Vijay, father of Carlton victim Akhil Uday, termed the meeting with the chief minister as comforting. Our primary aim was to demand speedy justice. Carlton tragedy is manmade, and we want all those involved to be brought to the book. We have also submitted a memorandum with certain recommendation, he said. The memorandum mooted the setting up of an independent committee to inspect the safety regulation of buildings in the city. It also demanded that no blanket approval was given to buildings under the akrama-sakrama scheme. The meeting was attended by home minister VS Acharya, chief secretary SV Ranganath, director-general of police (fire and emergency department) Jija Madhavan Hari Singh, city police commissioner Shankar M Bidari and other senior state officials.
to use bus on Bus Day. We dont use public transport often. We use our own vehicles, Tammanna said. However, it was just another day for some other corporators: Today, I travelled by bus as on any other day, Kempegowda corporator Y Ashwath said. I have been travelling by bus for years. I used public transport before coming to power, and I continue to use it even after coming to power. Mayor SK Natraj did not use public transport on Bus Day. He used the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) vehicle. The mayor had plans to travel by bus, said a senior BBMP official. But since he had many engagements, he had to use the corporations vehicle. In contrast to the general attitude of the corporators to public transport, a large number of employees from IT companies willingly embraced the concept of Bus Day. Compared to the previous Bus Days, there was an increase in the number of commuters using bus services on Tuesday, Vishwanath Sitaram, general secretary of the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORCCA) said. There were more buses on all the five corridors in the city,a senior BMTC official said. Transport minister R Ashoka took a bus from his Jayanagar residence to Vidhana Soudha, the official said.
water supply from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) happens just once a week. We used to get water twice or thrice a week before, she said. We spend nearly Rs250 to Rs750 per water tank. In this area, we have a system of advanced booking for water; if we fail to book in advance, the tanker owners refuse to supply. They say they dont have any water to supply. The water comes on alternate days. That has been happening for long. It is the same as before, said Capt K Bhaskaran of Civic Amenities and Cultural Association, HAL 2nd stage. Its bad in Indiranagar too. Cauvery water supply to our area is yet to be set right, said Padmavathi KS, a housewife. Its the same story in Nagarbhavi, Mallathahalli and Papireddypalya.
We help them get sponsorships, says Joshi Mark, creative director AIGA, a professional association for design. But a job is something they cannot guarantee, Mark says. Another important barrier to growth of this industry is the fact that banks do not give educational loans for these courses. Banks do not recognise gaming and animation as an industry. As a result, students who acquire loans under the personal category end up paying high interest rates of about 14%, almost double that of the 7-8% for educational loans, says Rajesh Turakhia, MD, Framebox Animations VFX. Here, the government can step in and facilitate the process in favour of such aspiring students, he says. The industry ails from other issues too. Its largely unorganised with no structured accreditation system. Theres no standardisation of the diplomas, graduate and post-graduate degrees and other certificate courses. Experts suggest that the faculty be accredited as professionally qualified trainers.
However, when DNA contacted some of these residents, they denied receiving any such notice. When told of the lack of awareness, the BWSSB official said: We have been conducting street plays explaining the significance of rainwater harvesting and also have mobile information units in action. The BWSSB and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have trained 630 plumbers to implement this task. The BWSSB and Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST) are creating awareness among the public by providing technical guidance on rainwater harvesting practices. One such initiative was put forward on Saturday in Richards Town by Jaago Association, Richards Town Residents Association (RTRA) and Citizens Voluntary Initiative for the City (CIVIC), Bangalore. They hosted an orientation programme on rainwater harvesting. Starting by familiarising citizens with the contour and topography of the city, AR Shivakumar, principal inspector, RWH, explained the benefits of rainwater harvesting, the need for it, and its stages, which include collection, channelisation and filtration. This is further divided into storage and groundwater recharge, and the types of rainwater harvesting, like the rooftop method and groundwater recharge through barrel system. As per the law, rainwater is said to be harvested when one square metre of the roof area multiplied by 20 litres of water is saved; and in the case of open spaces, 10 litres of water is saved per square metre, said Shivakumar: Existing open wells or sumps can be used as storage facilities and the minimum size of the well for those residents opting to build it should be 3ft in diameter and 10ft in depth. He assured residents that the measures were cost effective and feasible. As of now, there are no subsidies, but we are requesting the government to take the necessary steps. He also pointed out that it is not compulsory to employ licensed plumbers for this job and that they have a help desk which can facilitate the process of training BWSSB plumbers to implement it in buildings. We are extremely sensitised with this presentation. It is practical and we even became familiar with the contours of the city. We will definitely make a start, said Usha Kumar, a resident of Clark Road. With the citys growing water woes, depleting groundwater levels and paucity of safe drinking water in rural areas, rainwater harvesting seems to be inevitable and this can be successful only by sheer commitment and cooperation on the part of citizens.
Gen Ys small acts of green awareness left Bangalore city in no doubt that it is in good and safe hands. Bangalore, heres some heartening news for you. On Thursday, the 40th Earth Day, a cadre of mostly young activists were seen spreading the message of environmental protection across the city. Young, aware and passionate about the eco cause, Gen Ys small acts of green awareness left the city in no doubt that it is in good hands. Ram Krishna, a working professional and a self-confessed eco-freak, was seen volunteering to spread awareness on the need to preserve natural resources. The initiative primarily aims at motivating the youth and drawing more youngsters into it. He said preaching just wouldnt do; each of us had to practice random acts of kindness towards nature. To catch the typically urbane crowd, green volunteers from various NGOs and other environment awareness groups targeted the citys malls, high streets and main shopping areas. Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) set up e-waste recycling stalls. They also distributed cloth bags in association with Saahas, an NGO that works on waste management, and EParisaraa, an agency that recycles e-waste. The takeaway is clear. The next time you want to chuck a useless CD into the bin, think again. Put it, instead, in your bag, and when youre at the Forum or Garuda Mall, head to the e-waste recycling centre and ensure it is recycled. Same goes for old batteries, computer accessories, old mobile phones and more. Those shopping at Garuda Mall were given the option of posting messages on environmental awareness on a board. People do not follow what they write on the message board, says Priyanka Lal, a PUC student of Venus International School, with some pessimism. She does hope, however, that people start to practise what they preach. Go Green Initiative, an eco-awareness cycling group, set out on a rally at noon from JP Nagar to celebrate Earth Day. A REVA car, Indias first electric car and a symbol of no-pollution and quiet mobility, was seen zipping through the city carrying the green message. It was painted green, too! Arun Patre, a volunteer with IYCN says: We met people who were unaware of the relevance or even the existence of Earth Day. He said the REVA was making a quiet statement by being seen in different parts of the city. At least this way, many people got to know it is Earth Day. But small acts of conservation are all we need to make the Earth a greener place to live in. Use cloth bags, turn off the lights while stepping out of a room, switch off the engine at the traffic signal, etc. Its doable.