| Public Workshop on ‘People’s Perspectives on Urban Governance and Planning’ |
[Sep. 3rd, 2009|11:54 pm] |
Dear friends, This is to invite your organisation to participate in a Public Workshop on ‘People’s Perspectives on Urban Governance and Planning’ on Saturday,5th September, 2009 in Bangalore. It will be held at the Instituion of Engineers(opp. Indian Express Office), between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Bangalore has had a host of urban governance problems and issues due to which the quality of life of a majority of Bangaloreans has been severely affected. We have not had elections to the BBMP for 3 years. A group of administrators who are not accountable to the citizens have been framing policies and taking decisions on Bangalore people’s development needs for the past three years. Lack of coordinated planning has been one of the causes for Bangalore's many ills. We have the BBMP and para-statals like BDA, BMRDA, KUIDFC, all creating plans for Bangalore. To remedy this scenario, the 74th Amendment of the Constitution (Nagarapalika Act) calls for establishment of a Metropolitan Planning Committee (MPC) with elected representatives as 2/3rds of its members. The MPC is mandated to be the main planning agency for the metropolitan area. However, instead of setting up the MPC as per constitutional norms, the government set up a non-statutory body like ABIDe which further worsens the problem. The workshop will discuss these issues, their impact on Bangalore and also how we, the urban majority consisting of the urban poor, the middle class, RWAs, civil society can work together to remedy the situation.
Please contact us on 92431 94979 for any queries.
( Session Plan )
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| Show your care for Lalbagh and Nanda Road - May 9, 8am - 9am |
[May. 7th, 2009|02:11 pm] |
Hi All,
The protests opposing the current plans of the Bangalore Metro in the southern reach have been well publicized in the mainstream media. As a result, they have elicited statements from politicians across party lines supporting the suggestion that the design and alignment of the metro be re-examined before further work is taken up. Interestingly, yesterday, the Chief Minister has made an adamant statement saying there cannot be any change to the current plan of the Metro. Why then, did his Transport Minister state otherwise in a pre-election statement? If we do not hold our leaders accountable to pre-election promises, no one will.
As a result of the CM's blessing, the metro authorities are proceeding with impunity. Yesterday they felled trees in Lalbagh under police protection. It is interesting that the police are busy protecting an action that on various counts is blatantly illegal, and in contempt of the High Court's direction. For example, at the present moment there is no documentary evidence that the portion of Lalbagh that has been "given away" is actually owned by the BMRCL. Separately, the High Court has also issued a stay on all activity within Reach 4 of the Metro (which includes the Lalbagh area), based on a pending case filed by property losers in the area.
While legal means, including a contempt of court filing, are underway to stop this violation, it is imperative that citizens come out and voice their opinion on the short-sighted planning of the Bangalore Metro. Why should portions of the 250-year old Botanical Garden, as well as what is considered by many as urban India's finest tree-lined avenue (Nanda Road) make way for an concrete, overground monstrosity, gigantic overground stations, parking lots, shopping malls, and bus stations? Are there no alternatives? It turns out there are. The metro can go underground. The metro could go along K.R. Road. The metro could go along Jayanagar 11th main. Have these alternatives been explored in all sincerity? Nothing in the Metro Detailed Project Report suggests so.
Hence, this is an appeal to all citizens to come and participate in a peaceful protest on Saturday May 9, at 8 am. We will assemble at 32nd Cross & Nanda Road (4th Main), Jayanagar. Please visit http://www.hasiruusiru.org for details.
See you there. |
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| lovely story of the buddha and his disciple |
[Apr. 5th, 2009|10:55 pm] |
In our battle against climate change , its stories like these which will help us :-) . Read on. And if at all you did'nt get the link between climate change and this story, please do drop a comment and i'll be glad to explain :-)
Buddha, one day, was in deep thought about the worldly activities and the ways of instilling goodness in human beings.
One of his disciples approached him and said humbly "Oh my teacher ! While you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don't you look in to the welfare and needs of your own disciples also."
Buddha: "OK.. Tell me how I can help you"
Disciple: "Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear the same. Can I get a new one, please?"
Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition and needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room. A while later, he went to his disciple's place and asked him "Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?"
Disciple: "Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more"
Buddha: "Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?"
Disciple: "I am using it as my bed spread"
Buddha: "Then.. hope you have disposed off your old bed spread"
Disciple: " No.. no.. master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain"
Buddha: " What about your old Curtain?"
Disciple: "Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen"
Buddha: "Oh.. I see.. Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth they used in Kitchen"
Disciple: "They are being used to wash the floor."
Buddha:" Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor...?"
Disciple: "Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any better use, but to use as a twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room...."
Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.
If not to this degree of utilization, can we at least make the best use of all our resources at home and in office?
We need to handle wisely all the resources earth has bestowed us with both natural and material, so that they can be saved for the generations to come!
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| Including FOSS in election manifestoes |
[Mar. 10th, 2009|12:38 pm] |
India is set to have general elections for its national parliament in the next 2 months. In this context some of us (in the FOSS community in India) are running a campaign to have support for FOSS included in the election manifestos( a document which details out what the parties will deliver if voted to power) of various political parties.
We have created a petition for the campaign - http://www.public-software.in/FOSS-manifesto
The idea is to collect as many signatures as possible and then submit the petition along with the list of signatories to various political parties.
Please do have a look at the petition - http://www.public-software.in/FOSS-manifesto
and yes..please do sign it and support foss in india :-)
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| One more reason why restricting cars is a good idea.. |
[Mar. 7th, 2009|12:23 am] |
http://www.downtoea rth.org.in/ full6.asp? foldername= 20090315&filename=led&sec_id=3&sid=1
..Now, Thane has announced an ambitious plan to have a cycle track. The lobbies of truckers and personal vehicles are quite clearly up in arms. Their resistance to the cycle track should be seen in the context of what has happened in the town of Fazilka in Punjab (see ‘Come without your car’, Down To Earth, January 1-15, 2009). The trader lobby, the interests of which are aligned with the interests of truckers, was dead against restrictions on cars in the main market of the town. They feared the inability to park cars close to the shops would dissuade their clientele. But after the ban on cars came about, shopkeepers said they registered an increase in sales.
There is no mystery at work here, no surprise. When citizens have greater mobility, economic activities only increase. People of Fazilka realized mobility was not the same thing as automobility— private vehicles, when uncontrolled, cause more congestion and immobility than their adverts would have people believe.
Urban planners and city managers in India have for too long mistaken automobility for mobility. This is because they have identified too closely with the interests of the minority that gains from concessions to private vehicles, because urban voters were indifferent. Urban voters did not form as big a part of the polity as they do now, given rapid urbanization. This shift is leading to new strategies among all political parties.... |
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| Dynastic politics enters the BJP too.. |
[Mar. 6th, 2009|12:41 pm] |
Yeddyurappa promised last week that his son wont be given a ticket and now he's gone back on his word. They've also given tickets to sriramulu's son, umesh kattis brother etc. The left and the BJP , the only 2 cadre based parties had so far rejected dynastic politics. Now the BJP has succumbed under Yeddyurappa. That leaves just the left parties - the only ones who do not have dynastic politics.
As it is, in our country its really difficult to enter politics. Now if parties start giving tickets to their family members, it becomes all the more difficult for others to enter. After a few more years of this dyanstic politics, we'll have power concentrated in just a small number of families in this country. Really scary.
I wish yeddyurappas son and the other family members who got tickets lose by huge margins. It might deter others from trying their luck with dyanstic politics. |
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| Clairvoyant C&H |
[Feb. 12th, 2009|07:07 pm] |
this strip is really amazing... exactly what's happening with most corporates
clairvoyant C&H strip from over 15 years ago that talks about economy
- link courtesy, sibin mohan
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| air miles queries |
[Dec. 2nd, 2008|12:06 am] |
Hi All,
A friend of mine has a large number of Air India air miles, which need to be used up by Dec 2008. However he won't be using that to fly anywhere. I heard that miles can pretty much be transferred to anyone. Do you guys know anyone who will need those airmiles - he can sell it to them at a lower rate.Or are there any agents in Bangalpre who will exchange miles for cash :-)..i mean they can take 20k worth of miles and just pay 10k- 15k..that should be ok.
Do let me know guys, Thanks!
Please also let me know if you have any other solutions in mind. |
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| new muslim party? |
[Nov. 12th, 2008|11:27 am] |
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind met in Hyderabad a few days ago and passed a resolution condemning terrorism. what is more interesting was their call for a new muslim party.
Now on the face of it, people may object to one more religion based party..but i think that before people quickly rush out to condemn it, we should examine the issue in a little more detail.
Now, almost all secular parties claim that they have a special focus for muslims and they work for their development etc. Now inspite of the fact that out of the 61 years of independence, 'secular' parties have ruled India, how come overall development indicators for muslims in India (literacy and especially female literacy, employment etc) have not kept pace with the rest of the country? The point im getting to is that that the so called secular parties do NOT work for muslims. They just treat them as vote backs and have served to further alienate them. Muslims have been short changed by the Congress, the left and other secular parties ( while the BJP has done no great favour for the muslims they didnt masquerade as muslim saviours).As per the UPA appointed Sachar committee report, muslims in west bengal are worse off then anywhere else in India. Now considering that the left has been ruling west bengal for the last 25 years or so, what does it speak of the commitment of the left to muslims development?
This being the situation - where ALL mainstream political parties have failed them and their own political leaders( can you name one muslim mainstream leader who inspires faith in his/her community) have failed them , should anyone really condemn the Jamiat's call for a new muslim party?For all you know, it might actually work to improve the life for muslims in India.
Who knows once day the new muslim party and the BJP may have an alliance( before you laugh , just remember that at the height of the punjab insurgency, the akalis and the hindus didnt exactly see eye to eye but today we have a akali dal-bjp alliance).
Of course there is a fear that religion based parties will lead to secessionist tendencies , but given the situation right now, it would not be right to outrightly condemn a call for a new muslim party, especially when it arises from moderate voices. what say guys?
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| Save Bangalore!! |
[Nov. 6th, 2008|01:04 am] |
Hey all.
Wanted to share about a protest walk we're having this sunday, which aims to save arnd 30,000 bangalore trees marked for destruction.
The BBMP is working on a road-widening project that aims to widen 80 prominent roads of Bangalore, to reduce the traffic problems. This road widening involves cutting of 30,000 trees and damage to many houses, for eg 600 in just Thyagarajanagar itself. the BBMP has held no public consultations before deciding to implement this project. The project violates the existing urban planning laws.
The honourable high court of Karnataka has said that this project is illegal and appointed an empowered committee to look into this. However even before the committee has decided anything, the BBMP is going along with the tree-felling.
A bunch of concerned citizens and NGOs are getting together to protest the same.
Please also find further details in the mail below and the attached flyer.
Please do attend the walk and pass this on to your friends as well.
( More details under the cut.. ) |
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| National Meetings on Software Patents - Oct 4, Bangalore |
[Oct. 3rd, 2008|01:25 pm] |
Hi All,
Software patents have always been very contentious. The patents act 2005 clearly did not allow software patents. However the government has brought out a draft Patents Manual, which might sort of give software patents a backdoor entry.
The Patent Office has been having a series of stakeholder meetings related to the Patent Manual, in which the issue of software patents has been raised by various interested parties. Given the large opposition to the Patent Manual's reading of the Indian Patent Act, the Patent Office has promised to hold a public meeting solely on software patents. However, the date and location of the Bangalore consultation hasn't been announced yet. We, a loose group of civil society organisations interested in the issue of software patents, believe that a public meeting (and not just an invitees only "industry consultation") on the issue of software patents will help gather together viewpoints which will be invaluable to the Patent Office.
The meeting will be held tomorrow(Oct 4th, Saturday) at the United Theological College (near Cant. railway station). This post is a public invitation for the same.
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| Linux at your door-step! |
[Aug. 22nd, 2008|01:58 pm] |
You can now order various kinds of FLOSS and most flavors of GNU/Linux and have them delivered at your door step at a
very very nominal cost -
check this page:
http://www.zyxware.com/requestcd
they will be charging you for the media and for shipping and handling expenses. (CD-Rs.15, DVD-Rs.25, S&H-Rs.35) |
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| Improv play this friday night |
[Aug. 21st, 2008|11:23 am] |
am planning to go to this improv play , well its supposed to be part scripted part improv - first half is scripted then they take audience inputs. its on friday night at 7.30pm,at Ranga Shankara. if any of you want to join, pls ping me.
Details
I dont know how good these guys are but these guys are one of the few guys who do improv in bangalore(other than 'The Script') and I want to go see them. |
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| What next on Race Course land? A parking lot ??? |
[Aug. 16th, 2008|12:13 pm] |
Cross-posted on the ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) bangalore community .
The Lease for the race course is set to expire in 2009 and Yeddyurappa has said that he won't renew the lease. I think its a great idea. Right now that big patch of public land is used only by a few - those who indulge in horse -racing.
I think the best use of the land would be to make it into a park or part park-part , part-playground. We have a shortage of green spaces and playgrounds in the city.And these are public spaces which can be used by anyone irrespective of income etc. However there was talk of building an amusement park there(i read this some days back in DH I think) or even underground parking lots (see article below) .
India today article
I dont know what will be on the surface level if there is an underground parking lot, but it wont be a park for sure!
I guess the government should take inputs from citizens as well before deciding.
If the government does open a channel to get public inputs , I personally would request that the land is used for either creating a park or part-park, part-playground.
What do you guys think? If any of you agree, what do you think are the ways in which we can start engaging with the government to do this?
Any other views on what this land could be used for? |
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| Online friends.. |
[Aug. 10th, 2008|08:20 pm] |
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If there are one or more people on your friends list who make your world a better place just because they exist, and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the Internet, then post this same sentence in your journal. |
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| Freelance Joomla developers and UI designers |
[Jul. 7th, 2008|06:47 pm] |
Hi All,
We need some freelance Joomla developers and UI designers to design a intra-office portal and another site.
If any of you know any Banaglore based developers and/or designers , please mail me at vinay.sreenivasa@yahoo.com or pls call at
98805 95032.
Thanks all!
Vinay. |
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| Elephants causing increased tobacco cultivation! |
[Jun. 8th, 2008|11:01 pm] |
A month ago I had visited a village - R.G.H in H.D.Kote taluk. Tobacco is cultivated in some sections of Mysore district. Tobacco really screws up the soil in which the tobacco is grown. It also affects the health of the people who pick the leaves and work on its curing. However it gives very good return for a few years, around 40% more than other crops and price fluctuations(like that of tomato) are not very huge and the people who do grow tobacco, grow it for these reasons. However in the lands surrounding this village I visited, the amount of tobacco seemed to be much more than what you see in other villages. When i asked the women the reason for the huge percentage of lands under tobacco cultivation, the said it was because of elephants!What happens is that, R.G.H is pretty close to the forest. So during harvest season, elephants routinely raid the fields and eat the crops- rice, ragi etc. The villagers adopt various measures like night time watches(they build a sort of watch-tower atop a tree an stand guard in the night), they burst cracker when they see elephants etc. They have tried digging trenches and that even that has not prevented elephants coming in they say. So basically anything you grow, you run the risk of elephants eating a lot of what you grow. However one crop elephants do not eat is tobacco and hence in this village, they prefer tobacco! Inspite of the harm it causes to the soil and their health (for e.g. women who cultivate tobacco have a higher degree of reproductive health issues) they grow tobacco because atleast the elephants don't eat it.
I feel bad for the people in R.G.H but so also for the elephants. If we did not disturb their natural habitats, I'm sure we would not have had this conflict. We do really need to do much more to preserve the ecological balance.
And another point about R.G.H - I sometimes get asked if the water situation in the villages is as bad as we really hear. Well, atleast in R.G.H the situation is bad. The village has only one very barely functioning borewell, they get water in the taps only once in eight days in the summer and the nearest water source is 1 km away. You have to trudge a kilometer with the water if you are unlucky enough not to own any bullock carts/other vehicles. the 5-6 other villages I visit regularly are not this worse off, but this one really has it bad. |
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