Urban

Swalpa Adjust Maadi (SAM)..this seems to be our attitude towards the others who share our planet. And some of them learn to adjust...but at what cost, still needs to be determined! Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, 11th Jan 2015.

My response to someone who asked about how to capture a snake and "rehabilitate" it: 1. In my experience, even common non-venomous snakes are identified as cobras by security guards and, indeed, many panic-stricken people, In 8 cases out of ten, we find that it is a non-venomous snake (a keelback or a rat snake). However, I do not rule out the possibility that it might indeed be a venomous snake such as a viper, a krait or a cobra.   2.Catching the snake is itself a very risky procedure, and there is no guarantee that there will be only…

My response to someone who asked about how to capture a snake and "rehabilitate" it: 1. In my experience, even common non-venomous snakes are identified as cobras by security guards and, indeed, many panic-stricken people, In 8 cases out of ten, we find that it is a non-venomous snake (a keelback or a rat snake). However, I do not rule out the possibility that it might indeed be a venomous snake such as a viper, a krait or a cobra.   2.Catching the snake is itself a very risky procedure, and there is no guarantee that there will be only…

Anvitha S writes: The sightings of fruit eating bats hanging dead on power lines have become increasingly common nowadays. These bats are victims of the poor electric wiring system of our country. In most cases they get caught in the power lines while flying to a tree that has either grown through a power line or is very close to it.   An electrocuted bat hangs from the electric wires. Pic: Anvitha S. I happened to see one such electrocuted bat in August. There was a fruiting fig tree very close to a power line in Hampinagar. It used to…

Anvitha S writes: The sightings of fruit eating bats hanging dead on power lines have become increasingly common nowadays. These bats are victims of the poor electric wiring system of our country. In most cases they get caught in the power lines while flying to a tree that has either grown through a power line or is very close to it.   An electrocuted bat hangs from the electric wires. Pic: Anvitha S. I happened to see one such electrocuted bat in August. There was a fruiting fig tree very close to a power line in Hampinagar. It used to…

A few months back, the road leading to our area was given a makeover. Once pot-holed with moon craters, it is now a smooth ride. But without any pavements, the pedestrians, cars, dogs, dump trucks, buses etc all share the shiny road. There has been a lot of complaints & rants in Citizen Matters, on the usage of pavements as extended shops and garages. But all that does not answer my question - When will all roads in our city get pavements? Good pavements that are user friendly - no teetering granite slabs, no overgrown trees without concrete borders that…

A few months back, the road leading to our area was given a makeover. Once pot-holed with moon craters, it is now a smooth ride. But without any pavements, the pedestrians, cars, dogs, dump trucks, buses etc all share the shiny road. There has been a lot of complaints & rants in Citizen Matters, on the usage of pavements as extended shops and garages. But all that does not answer my question - When will all roads in our city get pavements? Good pavements that are user friendly - no teetering granite slabs, no overgrown trees without concrete borders that…