Governance

At a time when Bengaluru is facing acute water shortage, call it ironic that over 400 half-litre bottles (costing Rs 8 each) of mineral water were consumed during the two-day special ‘water' session of the BBMP council. Only one corporator, Congress's K Poornima (Basavanapura, Ward 53) pointed out to this, requesting Mayor S K Nataraj to ensure that smaller bottles are provided or to make it compulsory for all corporators to carry the bottles back with them instead of leaving them in the council hall, half-consumed. Poornima's appeal may well have fallen on deaf ears. It is unfortunate that many…

At a time when Bengaluru is facing acute water shortage, call it ironic that over 400 half-litre bottles (costing Rs 8 each) of mineral water were consumed during the two-day special ‘water' session of the BBMP council. Only one corporator, Congress's K Poornima (Basavanapura, Ward 53) pointed out to this, requesting Mayor S K Nataraj to ensure that smaller bottles are provided or to make it compulsory for all corporators to carry the bottles back with them instead of leaving them in the council hall, half-consumed. Poornima's appeal may well have fallen on deaf ears. It is unfortunate that many…

On 30th May 2009, a coalition of various Civil Society Organizations (CSO's) in Bangalore launched a Right to Information (RTI) clinic between 2.00 PM and 4.00 PM in Cubbon Park (opposite the Bangalore Press Club entrance). Held at the same time and location on the last Saturday every successive month, this initiative will complete a year on May-29-2010. The primary objective of these free entry sessions is to share success stories in using the RTI Act for public benefit. Nearly four hundred persons have approached the CSO's through the clinics and elsewhere. This is encouraging everyone involved to continue spreading…

On 30th May 2009, a coalition of various Civil Society Organizations (CSO's) in Bangalore launched a Right to Information (RTI) clinic between 2.00 PM and 4.00 PM in Cubbon Park (opposite the Bangalore Press Club entrance). Held at the same time and location on the last Saturday every successive month, this initiative will complete a year on May-29-2010. The primary objective of these free entry sessions is to share success stories in using the RTI Act for public benefit. Nearly four hundred persons have approached the CSO's through the clinics and elsewhere. This is encouraging everyone involved to continue spreading…

The German botanist Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel is a part and parcel of Bangalore history....Now, Max Mueller Bhavan is hosting an exhibition about him:G.H. Krumbiegel: "Whatever he touched he adorned"A multimedia show curated by Suresh Jayaram17 - 30.04.20109.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. (Closed on Sundays)Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller BhavanInauguration on 16.04.2010, 6.30 p.mMore details here ⊕

The German botanist Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel is a part and parcel of Bangalore history....Now, Max Mueller Bhavan is hosting an exhibition about him:G.H. Krumbiegel: "Whatever he touched he adorned"A multimedia show curated by Suresh Jayaram17 - 30.04.20109.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. (Closed on Sundays)Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller BhavanInauguration on 16.04.2010, 6.30 p.mMore details here ⊕

The election season that concluded in Bengaluru had some very well attended debates and interactions. That's good news. But it also exposed one key reality that has hardly received attention.At these meetings, citizens communicated in ways that made it very difficult for the organisers to give a fair chance for everyone present to engage the panelists.At Q&A time, it is expected that citizens keep to their time allotted (usually a minute or so) and frame crisp questions for the panelists. This protocol is not outlandish, and is required. One, organisers understandably want as many people as possible to have a…

The election season that concluded in Bengaluru had some very well attended debates and interactions. That's good news. But it also exposed one key reality that has hardly received attention.At these meetings, citizens communicated in ways that made it very difficult for the organisers to give a fair chance for everyone present to engage the panelists.At Q&A time, it is expected that citizens keep to their time allotted (usually a minute or so) and frame crisp questions for the panelists. This protocol is not outlandish, and is required. One, organisers understandably want as many people as possible to have a…

If you have been in Cubbon Park opposite the Bangalore Press Club entrance between 2.00 PM and 4.00 PM on the month's last Saturday, you have probably noticed a group of around fifteen or twenty people discussing the RTI Act (Right to Information) and relevant laws. This could be the free RTI clinic that several Civil Society Organizations (CSO's) in Bangalore like the South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), Urban Research Centre (URC), Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), OpenSpace, Mahiti Hakku Adhyayana Kendra (MHAK), Anti Corruption Forum (ACF) et al, have been organizing jointly since…

If you have been in Cubbon Park opposite the Bangalore Press Club entrance between 2.00 PM and 4.00 PM on the month's last Saturday, you have probably noticed a group of around fifteen or twenty people discussing the RTI Act (Right to Information) and relevant laws. This could be the free RTI clinic that several Civil Society Organizations (CSO's) in Bangalore like the South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), Urban Research Centre (URC), Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), OpenSpace, Mahiti Hakku Adhyayana Kendra (MHAK), Anti Corruption Forum (ACF) et al, have been organizing jointly since…