Bengaluru

The Karnataka High Court has wondered whether the President and Prime Minister should often visit the city and travel on different roads for civic agencies to do their job. The HC said this in reference to reports that the city civic body, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), spent Rs 23 crore to repair roads in the city for the Prime Minister's recent visit. The chiding came during the hearing of a contempt petition against Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) officers. Manjula P and Sharadamma P had approached the HC seeking restoration of water and sewerage line connection to two of their housing sites in Visvesvaraya Layout. The connections were sanctioned but not laid. On October 21, 2020, a single-judge bench of the HC ordered the civic agencies to restore the connection to the two sites within two months and disposed of the case. The two women approached the HC a year later with a contempt petition against the … [Read more...] about PM & Prez Have to Visit Bengaluru Often for Civic Agencies to Do Their Duty? Asks Karnataka HC

On Thursday, the State government notified the draft of the newly delimited 243 wards of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The number of wards has increased from 198 to 243, with the civic body carving out 45 new wards in the existing area itself. The government has provided 15 days time to submit any objections to the draft. The previous BBMP council’s term ended on September 10, 2020 and for almost two years, the city administration was run by bureaucrats. Critics argue that the elections were postponed deliberately by the ruling BJP to fortify the positions of its MLAs, who have been calling the shots in Bengaluru in the absence of a civic body. What set the ball rolling? With the delay in conducting polls, two former councillors Abdul Wajid and M. Shivaraju had filed a petition before the High Court of Karnataka seeking early polls to the BBMP. The State Election Commission (SEC) had then gone to court citing incapability to hold polls due to delay in … [Read more...] about Bengaluru’s ward delimitation saga

Safai karamcharis and pourkarmikas have announced an indefinite strike across the State from July 1, demanding that their employment be regularised and made permanent. All pourakarmikas will strike work and hold an indefinite demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioners’ offices in all districts, said the Joint Struggle Committee of Pourakarmika Unions. “The State Cabinet in 2017 decided to abolish the contract system and take all pourakarmikas on rolls across the State. However, bureaucrats brought in Special Recruitment Rules for Pourakarmikas - 2017, in which they categorised only those who sweep the streets as pourakarmikas and kept out other cleanliness workers, involved in cleaning drains, loaders, garbage collectors, truck drivers and others,” said members of the committee at a press conference here on Thursday. This, the committee said, is creating divisions among the cleanliness workers, unions, and a ploy of officers who do not want to take all pourakarmikas onto … [Read more...] about Pourakarmikas to go on indefinite strike from July 1 across Karnataka

Around 200 alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, have written an open letter questioning the institution for allegedly initiating disciplinary action against two female student facilitators, for sharing details about sexual harassment by a student of the university against an outsider. The letter also placed several demands before NLSIU to provide more support to survivors of sexual assault. According to an alumnus who spoke to The Hindu , a person (not a student), who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a student of the NLSIU, reached out to the two student SHIC (Sexual Harassment Inquiry Committee) facilitators in March. She explained that the purpose of the student facilitators is to act as a point of contact and to provide a support system to the victims. “The victim was trying to explore her options with regards to filing a police complaint or initiating formal proceedings at NLSIU. As she was not a student and was not sure about … [Read more...] about NLSIU alumni question university’s handling of student facilitators who spoke about sexual harassment

Days after a newly built road in Bengaluru caved in drawing headlines, another newly constructed flyover in Borivali West in Mumbai have reportedly begun to wear out soon after the inauguration. A Twitter user drew the attention of the civic authorities and shared a video of the Borivali West flyover where the road material could be seen peeling off just three days after its inauguration earlier this month. “Check the condition of surface of road over Kora Kendra flyover built over RM BHATTAD road Borivali W. Within 3 days of opening to vehicular traffic the surface Tar has gone wearing out. Potholes will surely be seen within week,” the twitter user named Charkop Green Warriors wrote tagging BMC. @mybmc @mybmcBridges @mybmcRoads check the condition of surface of road over Kora Kendra flyover built over RM BHATTAD road Borivali W. Within 3 days of opening to vehicular traffic the surface Tar has gone wearing out. Potholes will surely be seen within week. Thank you @mybmc … [Read more...] about Borivali’s Kora Kendra Flyover (Not) Ready for Use? Why a 3-day Old Road Has Left Mumbaikars in Doubt

Presidential candidate The decision made by the ruling NDA government to nominate Droupadi Murmu as its presidential candidate for India’s presidential elections in July is laudable. Ms. Murmu represents real empowerment as her journey in life is very inspiring. Despite personal setbacks she dedicated her life to public service. Let us hope that she will do justice to the post. Mejari Mallikarjuna, Visakhapatnam It is certainly a smart move and the NDA has stolen a march over the Opposition. Ms. Murmu’s background is sure to send a message of pride and hope to Adivasis. On the other hand, the Opposition must blame itself for failing to rise to the occasion. If Ms. Murmu wins, it is hoped that it does not remain a development of mere optics. It should infuse an urgent sense of direction and spirit in the Government to protect the rights of, and deliver justice to, Adivasis, many of whom are oppressed for trying to defend their constitutional and human rights. Firoz Ahmad, … [Read more...] about Letters to the Editor — June 23, 2022

The story so far: The government of India announced the launch of the pilot phase of open network for digital commerce (ONDC) in five cities in late April with an aim to “democratise” the country’s fast growing digital e-commerce space that is currently dominated by the two U.S.-headquartered firms — Amazon and Walmart. The announcement was made by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. “After UPI, another game changing idea to democratise commerce — ONDC soft launch today to select consumers, sellers and logistics providers. Get ready for a world of choice, convenience and transparency,” Mr Goyal had tweeted. What is ONDC? As per the strategy paper on ONDC, it is a not-for-profit organisation that will offer a network to enable local digital commerce stores across industries to be discovered and engaged by any network-enabled applications. It is neither an aggregator application nor a hosting platform, and all existing digital commerce applications and platforms can … [Read more...] about Open network for digital commerce

The young talents at the Govt. Polytechnic College in Kalamassery has earned attractive campus placement offers from leading recruiters. As per official estimates, around 80 final-year students in various streams had bagged placements before completing their course in August. Some of the major companies recruiting students from the campus include Infosys, MRF Tyres, Bajaj Auto Ltd, L&T Construction and Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Pvt Ltd. “The placement drive is progressing well for the final-year batch. Students are appearing for the selection process being carried out by various leading recruiters. The campus placement will continue up to August, when the current batch of final-year students will pass out from the campus,” said Eldose Mathew, Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering and Placement Officer. Nearly 130 students of the 2020-21 batch had won campus placements. The average annual pay package varied between 3.5 to 4.5 lakh. As per the placement data, … [Read more...] about Govt. Polytechnic students get good placements

What happens when a scientist, passionate about research and a filmmaker get together? They create stories documenting real life journeys. That is exactly what happened when Vincent Detours met Dominique Henry, a filmmaker. The two Belgians have made eight films so far including Bombay Workers . Dr Nagesh , which is set in Mumbai chronicles the life of the titular doctor who works with HIV and AIDS patients. Co-produced by Good and Bad News and the Brussels Audiovisual Centre, it is written and directed by Detours and Henry. The story revolves around the trauma and stigma AIDS patients go through. While some abandon their wives, others continue to live with and infect their spouses. The gut-wrenching film captures hard-hitting reality with its cinematography. Emotions are captured in a patient’s hands, drooping shoulders or torn shoes. Visuals are stirring — be it a pregnant woman infected with HIV, or a three-year-old girl who comes for testing. It shows how Dr Nagesh and his … [Read more...] about A film documenting the HIV struggle and stigma

The managing director of the State Souharda Federal Cooperative Ltd. has filed a complaint with the Subramanyapura police against board members of Srivaibhava Souharda Pattina Sahakari Niyamitha for allegedly cheating investors. Based on the complaint by Sharanagouda G. Patil, the police on Saturday charged the accused with forgery, cheating, and also under the Karnataka Protection of Interest Depositors in Financial Establishments Act and the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act. Mr. Patil, in his complaint, said that based on complaints from investors, he had deputed a district convener to probe the matter and submit a report. The society had sanctioned loans to investors and to firms belonging to the members of the society without following due diligence and security measures required to sanction the loan of ₹64.6 crore during 2020-21. Many of the loans have defaulted and the society is unable to recover them. This has a cascading effect on returning the dues to the … [Read more...] about Cooperative society in the dock for cheating investors