citizen matters 02nov2012

CitizenMatters

Happy Deepavali to all our reaDers

Yes, a garbage—free city is possible

Vol-4 Issue-20 03 - 16 Nov 2012bengaluru

JP Nagar-BTM-Jayanagar

FREE FoRtnightly

CitizenMatters

¹neóÉ£ï ªÀiÁål¸ïð

8 Children paint for Arakere Lake9 Idly, the dog goes to America12 Are you at risk for diabetes?12 To water or not to water

13 Voter roll registration opens in Bangalore14 “Life is game, hockey is serious”18 Trick or treat?

Spending their lives queuing for water 1

Page 10

last free circulation print issue.

you can always find us online

@www.citizenmatters.in

Citizen Matters Vol-4 Issue-20, 03 - 16 Nov 2012 KARENG/2009/28904. Published & Printed by Meera K for Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd. Printed at Lavanya Mudrana, 19, 15th cross, Vidyapeeta Circle, BSK I Stage, Bangalore 560060 Place of Publication Oorvani Media, #98/1, MMR Plaza 1st Floor, Sarjapur Main Road, Jakkasandra, Koramangala 1st Block, Bangalore 560034. editor Subramaniam Vincent.

Ocular injuries due to firecrackers are common during ‘Deepavali’. Lack of knowledge about safety measures or not following them is a cause. Children under 15 years of age account for 39% of injuries. Absence of parental supervision and failure to maintain safe distance from firecrackers are a major contributing factor. Another cause for injuries is the common practice of igniting fire crackers in the streets, thus exposing passersby to injury. Nearly 40% of fireworks injuries are borne by bystanders.Majority of injuries are associated with flowerpot and bottle rocket crackers. Burns are the most common type of injury. Eyes are the second-most common area to be affected after hands and fingers. Contusions (blood clots), lacerations (cuts) and foreign bodies in the eye are seen frequently. Bottle rockets can fly into people’s faces and cause eye injuries; crackers can damage the eyesight if they explode at a close range. These eye injuries could cause loss of vision, especially in children. Crackers can cause blunt and penetrating injuries to the eye. Crackers may contain carbon, manganese, sulphur and other chemicals which can also damage the eye. Pollution levels rise by

about 6% to 10% during Deepavali, with nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide levels rise considerably which also cause irritability and watering of eyes. Dos: An adult should always

supervise the use of fireworks by children. Remove all inflammable

materials from the fireworks area. Follow all safety

precautions issued with the fireworks. Use a long agarbathi to

ignite fireworks. They burn without an open flame and provide a greater and safer distance between your hands and the fireworks. Keep a fire extinguisher or

bucket of water nearby. Light fireworks outdoors

only. Wear protective goggles

while lighting fireworks to prevent eye injuries. Light only one cracker at a

time. Hold lighted sparklers away from the body. Flying fireworks– rockets,

missiles, etc.– should always be lighted in open grounds pointing straight up. Discard used fireworks in a

bucket of water. Wear close-fitting clothes

of thick material instead of loose or flowing garments and always wear footwear to protect your feet. Consult an ophthalmologist

immediately in case of eye injuries.Don’ts: Never give fireworks to

small children. Never ignite fireworks

while holding them. Do not put fireworks in any

container to ignite. Never mix anything with

the contents of fireworks or make fireworks at home. Never ignite aerial

fireworks where overhead obstruction (trees, wires, etc.) may interfere with trajectory into open air space. Never ignite an aerial

firework near an opening to a building. Never re-light a firework

which has not burnt properly. Wait for 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water. Never throw or point

fireworks at other people. Never carry fireworks in

your pocket. Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers.Doctors can only try and repair the eye but extensive damage if caused is beyond any doctor’s limit of giving vision or preventing blindness in spite of contemporary, high tech and sophisticated instruments and highly skilled doctors.

633, 100 feet Ring Road JP Nagar 3rd Phase, Bengaluru - 560078Tel: 08026593210 fax: [email protected]:9980562020 [email protected]

Dr ViDyashankar G kulkarniSenior ConsultantShekar Nethralaya

Adve

rtiS

er F

eAtu

re

Eyeing a safe Deepavali!In case of an

eye Injury Don’t press or rub the

eye with the palm or hand, lest the injury may get compounded.

Don’t tie a cloth, across the eye firmly. This can cause undue pressure on the eye. Protect the eye with a cup of a shield.

In case of a chemical injury, wash the eye well with clean water .It is better to avoid washing eyes in case of mechanical injuries.

Don’t neglect any eye injury, however trivial it may look. It is always better to rule out vision threatening problems.

If a particle is large or stuck in the eye, do not attempt to remove it

Keep eyes closed and go to the eye doctor immediately

If there is any chemical that has entered the eyes, immediately wash the eyes and eyelids with water for 30 minutes

Consult an eye doctor immediately

team shekar nethralaya wishes all a happy and safe Deepavali!

6 CITIZEN MATTERS 03 - 16 Nov 2012 Vol-4 Issue-20

Bangalore’s own interactive newsmagazine

Citizen [email protected] editorPadmalatha Ravi community editorMeera K editor Subramaniam VincentstAff JournAlistsAbhishek Angad Anisha Nair Navya P Kdesign & Publishing Shivakeshava MmKtg/circulAtionRaghavendra [email protected]@oorvani.inAdVt sAlesRamachandran P080-30088614(leave missed call)[email protected]

©Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

[email protected] Ph: 080 — 41737584Longer versions of all articles are available online.

Citizen Matters is published by Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd to chronicle current affairs of india’s cities, in depth, with a focus on governance, community and culture. More at: citizenmatters.in/main/about.

editors note: the advertisement features in this issue are paid-for articles. they are presented by the advertiser to readers for information and promotion. No journalists were involved in preparing them.

EDITORIALSo long! See you onlineDear Readers,

Our best wishes for a safe and happy Deepavali 2012 to you all. This November 3rd 2012 issue is the last FREE issue of Citizen Matters, your community newsmagazine. After this, the freely distributed issues that come to your doorstep every fortnight will stop. The Koramangala-HSR free edition already stopped at the end of September.

We are looking into a paid/reader funded model for the print version of Citizen Matters. We will be making a decision by the end of the year. Please look out for our announcements on our website (www.citizenmatters.in), and our e-newsletter (www.citizenmatters.in/enews).

Our website audience and engagement has been growing steadily. Citizenmatters.in sees thousands of readers each day in addition to the thousands more we reach through social media (Facebook and Twitter). Our e-newsletter that carries the latest city news weekly to thousands of people around the city is also growing.

We are also thrilled to share that our first guide book Living in Bengaluru is now in its first reprint. We are working to expand availability further, throughout the city

over the coming months.

We have run a long course from our launch in January 2009. We have met

scores of you at our events and run your articles online too. Please keep the

articles coming for publication online, citizen journalism and

professional journalism are our two eyes on the city.

The best way to keep in touch with us, even if you

are not a regular website visitor is to sign up for the

free e-newsletter. You can sign up by simply registering on our website at www.citizenmatters.in.

Subramaniam vincent,

Meera K

Keep up with BengaluruPolitics, Housing, Water, Transportation,Property, Schooling, Environment, Arts, Society…

All the stuff that matters. Subscribe to our e-newsletter!

www.citizenmatters.in/enews

E-nEwS in your inbox!

Our office phone: 080 4173 7584 or 080 3008 8614 (give us a missed call)

Feedback: [email protected]

Submit citizen articles: [email protected]

Online advertising: [email protected]

Order our city guide book: www.livinginbengaluru.com

www.facebook.com/citizenmatters

www.twitter.com/citizenmatters

Vol-4 Issue-20 03 - 16 Nov 2012 CITIZEN MATTERS 7

Adve

rtiS

er F

eAtu

re

Hygienic Cleaning Services:Sofa, Carpets, Mattress, Blankets, Pillows... etc.

We spend 1/3rd of our life on a mattress - is it safe enough???

There are Hygienic cleaning services being provided by SANITAIR SERVICES who come on call and clean it to perfection. They are experts in removing dust, dust-mites, dirt, bedbugs, bacteria, fungus, etc. from sofa, Mattress, carpet, curtain, Pillow, Blanket, soft toys, antique furniture, Window mesh etc.

Nowaday’s most houses have luxury furnitures but cannot maintain it like new. But don’t worry! Our services with our patented equipment that deliver truly world-class aqua-based sanitising technology from the US, can help you in keeping the

furnitures new without colour-fading, patching, damaging and without chemicals etc. Sanitair Services are far ahead of the normal cleaning services.

Make your HoMe free of Dust anD allergens.

HAL 2nd stAge, IndIrAnAgAr, BAngALore-8

www.sanitair.co.incall for service: 7829044949 / 42044949We ProvIDe satIsfactIon guarantee.

testIMonIal of Dr. MoHan Isaac

Dust and dust mites are a major health hazard in most houses in Bangalore. Causing allergic problems like asthma, sinusitis, and early morning sneezing and dermatitis...Now there is a solution for these problems in Bangalore. “SANITAIR Services” provide excellent solutions for cleaning sofa, carpets, mattresses, blankets, pillows and car interiors. SANITAIR can make homes free of dust and allergens and thus immensely help those suffering from respiratory and dermatological allergic disorders. Their services have to be seen to be believed. Try their services once and one will be convinced how beneficial their services are.I have great pleasure to recommend ‘SANITAIR services’ for cleaning of Mattresses, Pillows, Blankets, Sofas, Curtains, and Carpets.

Dr. Mohan IsaacMD, DPM, frcPsych, franZcP

school of Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences


On October 18th, post-lunch, 200 students at AECS Maaruthi

Magnolia Public School at Arakere, Bannerghatta Road, gathered for a rather unusual kind of assembly. The children, studying in classes 5-10, came to hear the story of Bendakaluru, the once prosperous city with flourishing lakes and how over the years, greed and corruption have brought it to a sad state. The story-tellers were Veena Hegde, Meeta Walvalkar and Vandana Raghunath, residents of the nearby Classic Orchards community.

Meeta, Vandana and Veena are trustees of the Arakere Neighbourhood Improvement Trust

(ANIT). The trust

was formed earlier this year

with a focus to save and restore the Arakere lake, which

incidentally is located right next to the school premises. Spearheaded

by their teacher Annapurna Bhat and ably supported by their Principal Dr. Seema

Goel, these children took an oath to do their best to

help in the rejuvenation of the Arakere Lake.

The children got busy for the next hour putting on paper their

idea of “Arakere lake”, painting posters. Principal Seema Goel said

the students empathised with the Arekere Lake cause.

To join ANIT’s efforts, please join our facebook page ‘Save Arakere Lake’, or email at [email protected] or contact Arbind Gupta at 98451 93233.

ArAdhANA JANgA is a resident of Bannerghata road and is a trustee

of ANit.

The Rotary E-Club conducted a RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership

Awards ) programme on Sunday, the 7th of October 2012 for the students of the SRNG Sampannappa Charities Hostel on OTC road, Bangalore.The sponsor of the programme was Rtn A B Shiva Subramanyam, and past-president of KSCAA (Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association).Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is a training programme for youth ages 14 – 30, organised by Rotarians at the local club or district

level. The RYLA training sessions are conducted with the aim of giving the youth an opportunity to develop leadership skills, increase self-confidence, gain exposure to variety of issues and people, obtain information on career and skills and meet community leaders and mentors.RYLA participants are also exposed to values that Rotarians deem essential for those who hold leadership roles including ethical behaviour, integrity of character and a commitment to community

service.The trainers for the RYLA program were Ram Kumar Seshu, AB Shiva Subramanyam, KP Pradeep, R Mahesh Iyer and Radharamanan Hariharan. The sponsor for the RYLA program was Rtn. A.B.Shiva Subramanyam, resident of JP Nagar and a Chartered Accountant by profession. He is also the managing trustee of SRNGS Hostel.

veNKAt hOLLA is a resident of JP Nagar and President, rotary e-Club

of Bangalore (ri district 3190)

Children paint for Arakere

Lake

Rotary E-club organises leadership programme

Magnolia school students taking oath. Pic: Aradhana Janga

jAyANAgAR jp NAgAR & BTM


FEATuRE

She has traveled a long way since being found as a little black and white bundle in the middle of 100

Feet Road in Indiranagar. She could have easily been run over as the traffic was typical. She was alone – with no sign of a mum or other pups - just her - very afraid, and a dirty mess. I jumped out of my car and put her into a paper bag. She was little - less than 1kg.

I called Amit to tell him that I was “bringing someone home for lunch” and he knew immediately that I was talking about a dog. He asked me, “Just one?” - afraid that I had befriended an entire litter.

Veterinarian, Dr T L P Naik told us the pup was about five weeks old and that her eyes had just opened. He gave her the appropriate vaccinations and suggested ways to care for her as she settled into the rhythm of our life.

We named this little female puppy Idly.

It’s been a long journey since 100 Feet Road. Today Idly is in America, she went there in late June this year. She is there until New Year.

Her first flight was from Bangalore to San Francisco via Frankfurt. She landed safely after being in cargo for over 28 hours. Upon landing into California she immediately visited friends in Half Moon Bay. She then visited the vineyards in Napa Valley, and the beaches in Carmel. People approach us about Idly all the time, commenting on what a well behaved dog she is, the curl in her tail, her long lean body, and her “border collie-like markings - and asking us about her breed. We proudly say she is an Indian Hound.

Idly’s second flight was on July 6th from San Francisco to Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii where she spent the summer and resides currently.

Since arriving in America, Idly’s been chilling out, curious and the ultimate easy-going vacationer. While she misses her walks with Rajang and her home cooked meals by Esther, she has been having fun exploring the

beaches and hiking trails of the North Shore of Kauai.

Traveling to America took planning and organization. Idly had a number of health checks, and given that the state of Hawaii is rabies-free, she had to pass a Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization (FAVN) test.

We have had many breed dogs and we agree that none have been so adaptable, easy going and clever as Idly. She is adorable, playful, healthy and sporty.

Given that Idly spent the first weeks of her life on the streets, she was initially a bit more nervous than other dogs, but after lots of affection in India and her first visit to America, she is learning how to trust and adapt. Skills essential for all of us.

We greatly appreciate one of Mahatma Gandhi’s famous quotes: “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”.

How animals are treated, is up to each one of us and we are happy that there are many organisations in Bangalore like CUPA, and people like Dr Naik, who are

committed to positively address the street dog menace. Adopting Idly was a simple act that has made us smile and laugh each and every day. She reminds us how to play, be grateful, adapt and trust.

trACy ANN CurtiS is an independent talent and Organizational development Consultant who has lived in

Bangalore, india since 2004.

idLy the dog goes to America

It’s a long way from Indira Nagar road to Hawaii. That’s the journey of this

traveller who finds a lovely home in the whole wide world.


ExcLusIVE

What you need to do

Segregate waste into wet, dry recyclable and reject (biowaste, hazardous waste etc)Give reject waste to BBMP

Single homes, small business Dry recyclables: Give to pourakarmikaOPTION 1Compost the wet waste in your own small composting bin (available in the market for less than Rs.1000) OPTION 2Give both wet waste and dry waste (segregated) to BBMP

Townships, large apartments, gated communities, corporatesOPTION 1: Organic waste converter (see previous category)OPTION 2: Setup biogas-electricity plant in common area for wet waste processingFeed electricity back into powering community common facilities such as lighting, water treatment, sewage treatment etc. OPTION 3: If no space for organic waste converter or biogas plant Pay BBMP to collect the wet waste

In the case of large corporate or college campuses with kitchens or canteens there is the added option of converting wet waste to biogas and feeding it back to the central kitchens for cooking.

Help setup dry waste recycling centres run by entrepreneurs like those who run newspaper recycling shops.Send only reject waste to landfill.Send wet waste to processing centres or plants to generate fuel such as biogas, convert to electricity and sell to grid. Such plants can be run by entrepreneurs.

When there is no space to process wet waste at source, BBMP collects it for a charge, and transports to nearby public processing centres or biogas plants

Enforce and incentivise segregation of waste. Fine those who do not segregate. Develop a standard colour coding for the whole city. For e.g. Green is wet waste, Blue is dry recylables, and Red is reject waste. Collect and send only reject waste to landfill/incinerators(Note: incinerators have emissions and pollution issues)

What bbmP needs to do

BBMP’s role is as critical as citizens’ role is helping Bangalore get out the mess.

BBMP must enforce segregation of waste strictly at all homes, businesses and campuses in the city.

Garbage collection, transport, and processing in Bangalore is a massive scam. This must end. The total real tonnage of wet and dry waste both together and separately has not even been independently estimated. Contractors are billing BBMP (and therefore the taxpayers) for unexpended costs. Scientists and experts are ready to help to fix the estimation problem.

Very large scale waste processing plants running into hundreds of crores do not work for the taxpayer. In BBMP’s hands they become scams and run aground, agreements with operators are regularly violated, land is wasted, and nothing materialises.

BBMP must encourage and incentivise waste management entrepreneurs. Incentivise rag pickers, raddiwalas, dry waste recyclers and wet waste composters as well as bulk generators implementing management at source .

BBMP should focus on ward level or locality level waste-to-energy plants and get citizen-BBMP committees to monitor and oversee maintenance with quarterly reporting published on websites.

BBMP should work with BESCOM with offload electricity generated from Waste To Energy plants with a commercial formula.

Garbage Management: who should do what?Despite all the talk about the city’s massive garbage crisis, some things are still not clear. But it’s no rocket

science! The following table is based on the conversations between various residents associations, waste

management campaigners, NGOs and BBMP.

What the city (BBMP) needs to do


cM spEcIAL

On October 18, hundreds of residents of Gopalpura

slum near Magadi road, staged a protest demanding water supply. They were without water for over a month. Majority of the protesters were women. The police lathi charged them and left several injured (Oct 20, The Hindu).

While the authorities passed the buck on whether a lathi charge was called for, the larger question on urban poor’s access to clean drinking water remains unanswered. The Gopalpura incident also highlights the fact that collecting water is largely woman’s job. Where else would one see over 200 women sitting dharna on a regular day?

According Karnataka Slum Development Board there are 597 slums in the urban area. Majority of the slums do not have access to water, let alone clean drinking water.

Girls skip school to collect tanker waterWomen across all the slums share the same story. The water comes in once a week or fortnight. Even if it comes on a daily basis, it comes for a very small duration and they have to store it up in drums and make it last for days. Most houses in these areas do not have individual water connections, they have to go to the public taps shared with hundreds of other residents. The queues are long and there is no guarantee there will be water for everyone. And invariably they end up in physical fights.

Reshma Banu, lives with her three children and her mother in the

Gopalpura slum. She says “I have to often go to the tap and check if water is coming. I collect 10-12 pots a day. Four pots a day is needed for personal use. There is queue and fights for getting water.” Reshma makes agarbathis at home, she earns about Rs 50 per day for making around 1000 sticks.

Shahina Taj, 35, from the same neighbourhood explains why it is harder on women. “We women have more problems because we have to take care of kids with the available water. We have to use toilets inside homes, can’t go out like men,” she says.

45-year-old Santha S from Garvebhavi palya shares Shahina’s sentiments. Santha does not live in a slum but in a low income neighbourhood, however basic amenities are still an issue. She works as a domestic worker in the neighbouring apartment complex and brings home a few bottles of ‘drinking water’ from her workplace, everyday, because she has access only to hard borewell water.

The water situation has practically defined her family’s lifestyle. She says “I have raised three daughters here. They spent most of their mornings queuing up for the water. Sometimes they skip school / work because we are waiting for water tanker.”

Most of the houses in this area do not have BWSSB connection. Some do have but they are not metered. The tenants like Santha end up paying Rs 200 per month for water irrespective of how much water they get. They end up paying additional money for

tankers when there is no BWSSB water supply.

Water board robbing citizens of dignityCIVIC, a well known city-based NGO conducted a survey in 23 slums on the water situation in November 2011 . According to it out of the 23 slums, only two slums were getting water everyday and the other 13 slum areas were getting mud mixed drinking water. On days when water is not supplied, 22 areas have no tanker facilities. About 100

Spending their lives queuing for waterWomen in low income neighbourhoods, don’t have alternatives when it comes to water. In global Bengaluru, with its swanky malls and high paying jobs, city authorities have forced women and girls to spend their days waiting to collect water for households.

File Pic: Rakesh Ayilliath. This photograph is one of the entries to Bengaluru. Infinite 2010 contest

>>Continued on page 15>>


Diabetes Mellitus, a metabolic disorder in which the body is

unable to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood, has assumed epidemic proportions in India. There are almost 33 million diabetics in our country. Each one of us is at significant risk for developing diabetes. The good news is, if you are aware of the risks and take necessary measures, you can prevent diabetes. The bad news is, if you don’t, you are at risk not only of diabetes, but also of having a heart attack, a stroke, kidney failure or even amputation.

Bangalore has a unique distinction of high incidence of diabetes, with some studies reporting as much as 12% of the population being affected. Thus every 9th Bangalorean may have diabetes. It is therefore imperative to understand the risk factors for diabetes. Some of

them cannot be modified, but many are modifiable lowering your risk of developing full blown diabetes.

Risk Factorsgenetic factors: A family history of diabetes in parents or siblings, places you at risk. Cannot be modified.

ethnicity: South Asians, especially Indians are at a high risk for diabetes. Cannot be modified.

Age: With advancing age, your risk for diabetes increases significantly.

gestational diabetes: Developing diabetes during pregnancy, increases risk for diabetes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome:

Women suffering of PCOS are at increased risk of developing diabetes.

hypertension: High blood pressure (above 120/80 reading) increases your risk. In addition, if you have diabetes

as well as hypertension, your risk of heart disease is also significantly increased.

obesity: Obesity or overweight is a risk factor that can be modified. Additionally, it predisposes you to development of insulin antibodies. Reduction in weight can help you prevent diabetes, or if you are a diabetic help gain better control.

inactivity: Inactivity or sedentary life significantly increases your risk.

Thus a moderate degree of exercises, or even walking helps in reducing your risk of getting diabetes.

Watering appears to be a simple activity, it is in fact one of the

most misinterpreted, often with disastrous consequences for the plant.

First, we don’t water plants, we actually water the soil.

Yes, you read right – we water the soil. The plants take in their required amount of water from the soil so watering the soil around the root zone (away from the stem) is most beneficial to the soil micro-organisms and therefore the plant.

Equally critical is knowing that plants need soil that is moist not wet. Moist soil enables the water to break down necessary components in the soil into a small enough size to be absorbed through the plant’s root system. Over-watering, on the

other hand, results in the loss of nutrients and minerals from the soil.

When to waterWater early in the morning, not late in the evening.

Plant diseases are known to spread in wet, dark conditions and when

we water in the late evening, water tends to stay on the leaves, making the plant

more susceptible to catch mildew (a fungal disease). Also, plants need water mainly during daylight hours so watering early morning would ensure that they are able to carry out their activity.

How much?The simplest test of whether the soil needs more water: If you poke your

finger about an inch into the soil, it should come out cool and damp, not wet. If it is dry and powdery/crumbly, it is time to water!

Erratic watering stresses the plants. Allowing the soil to dry out completely between watering is not a good idea and works only for specific plants.

Ways of wateringFor an urban home garden, there are several ways to water - you can use a simple bucket and mug, rose can or drip irrigation mechanism.

FOR yOuR INFO

chLOROphyLL cONVERsATIONs

VinitA suryAnArAyAnAn

hEALTh MATTERs

col (retd.) dr muKul sAxenA

To water or not to water

Are you at risk for diabetes?

Pic: Vinita


FOR yOu INFO

The Election Commision has announced a special summary

revision of photo electoral rolls. This will help enrol first time voters, voters whose names are not in the rolls, voters who have shifted residences and already enrolled voters who need to correct their details.

All citizens who will be 18 years or above, as on January 1st 2013, are eligible.

Draft Electoral Rolls for the Batch II Assembly Constituencies including 28 constituencies within BBMP limits, have been published on 30th October 2012.

http://164.100.80.163/draftroll2013/dist_List_46.aspx

Hard copy of the rolls are available at BBMP ward offices, Offices of Deputy Commissioners of the districts, Assistant Commissioner of the revenue subdivisions, Tahsildars and at the polling stations.

Applications for inclusion and corrections can be filed from 30th October upto 29th November. The EC has planned special campaigns to reach out to citizens on Sundays viz. 11th, 18th and 25th November. The revised rolls are to be published by January 16th, 2013.

CHeCk youR name on THe Rollsearch in the draft rolls:

Go here http://164.100.80.163/draftroll2013/dist_List_46.aspx

Select your constituency to see list of pdfs rolls by polling booth. If you don’t know your polling booth details, it is a laborious way to find it here!

use the online tool

Go here to access the tool: http://164.100.80.163/ceokarnataka/home.aspx

You can search on the basis of your name, EPIC card number or by the

acknowledgement number given after you register. As on 31st Oct, voter lists of some parts are not yet published.

Both the above options work for some. However PG

Bhat, an activist who has been closely analysing the voter roll problems, says, the pdf electoral rolls published on 30th October are incomplete and not in sync with electoral database of CEO, which are used by the search tools. There are situations where the part number and roll numbers for the same voter will be different in each case.

use sms service

Check your name on the voter rolls using SMS: SMS your EPIC ID Card Number to 9243355223. The response from TD-CEOKAR gives the assembly constituency, Part Number, Serial Number, Name, Relation name, sex and Age.

ReGiSTRaTion FoR neW voTeRSmanual registration

The EC has given the list of Voter Facilitation centres here, where application forms will be accepted along with address/id proofs: http://164.100.80.163/ceokarnataka/PdFS/vFC.pdf

Form 6 - For inclusion of names as first-time voter, inclusion of name missing from the electoral roll

and transposition of name from previous constituency to present constituency. Enclose copy of address proof and age proof

Form 7 - For seeking deletion of name from existing rolls

Form 8 - For correction of any particulars in the rolls

Form 8A - transposition of name from one part of assembly constituency to another part in the same constituency.

online registration

The EC has a online tool accessible at: http://www.voterreg.kar.nic.in.

We found most people who tried to register on the site failed. We request readers who could register successfully to share their experiences.

inTeRaCTive map FoR pollinG booTH inFoThe Election Commission site has an interesting interactive map at http://164.100.80.165/ceogis

You can mark your residential location on the map - by navigating, specifying coordinates or by searching by name. The tool gives details of Parliamentary and Assembly constituency, BBMP Ward, as well as contact info for ARO and Voter facilitation Centre.

NeWSdeSK

Voter roll registration opens in bangaloreBangaloreans, who are not part of the voter rolls can register at the BBMP offices or online, by November 29th, 2012.


FEATuRE

“Life is game, hockey is serious”Manoj Mahala and Deepthi Indukuri run a website that provides the latest news for hockey fans. The founders, ardent hockey fans, have helped fill a void in sports journalism that pays little attention to our national sport.

As millions of fans cheered for the Indian hockey team during

the 2010 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup tournament, one particular fan in namma Bengaluru decided to show his support for the Indian team in a different way. Manoj Mahala, 27, felt that the team deserved more than the scant press coverage it was receiving during the tournament. To show his support, he started TheFansofHockey.com, a blog to provide news about the Indian hockey team. “The lack of consistent media coverage was something a lot of fans noticed and were discussing on Orkut (the once-popular social media website). I felt something had to be done and thus started the blog,” says Mahala, a postdoctoral research student at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

Small beginningsMahala, whose interests lie in hockey, photography, and web designing, believes that it made an ideal combination to start the blog. He works on it when not doing his research in product design for vehicle safety. Mahala was joined by Deepthi Indukuri, 27, another research student at IISc who shares his passion for sports photography and is a hockey fan too.

The blog has now evolved into a full fledged website and regularly gets 500-600 hits every day. “The number of visitors shoots up considerably during the hockey season, averaging 5,000 pageviews a day. During the World Series Hockey last year, the website even crashed because of the surge,” says Mahala. The website’s Facebook page has over 3,500 fans, and its Twitter page has over 700 followers.

In a span of two years, the initiative

has come a long way. Mahala began reaching out to hockey players online and writing to various hockey associations and clubs across the country to get updates on the latest events news in the sport. “I try and meet the officials, players, and coaches when they visit Bangalore for matches. I am now considered as part of the media,” says Mahala.

Currently, the news on the website is sourced mainly from press releases that he receives from clubs at the national level to those from other countries such as Argentina, Pakistan, England, and Australia.

There are also schedules of and results of tournaments across the world. A small number of articles are contributed by hockey aficionados across the country.

interest in hockeyDespite a keen interest in athletics since his childhood, Mahala’s tryst with hockey did not begin until he moved to Bangalore for his Ph.D in 2007. “At IISc, the saying goes ‘Life is game, hockey is serious’ and that’s how much I am passionate about the sport,” says Mahala.

Mahala plans to finish his research in the next year or two, after which he wants to focus on the website full-time. “I want to start generating original content similar to what a website like espncricinfo.com does; however, I do realise that the road ahead is challenging,” signs off Mahala.

yOgArAJ MudALgi works in the educational training industry and takes an interest in all things

happening in Bangalore.

hockey PhotoGRaPhyMahala and deepthi’s interest in photography has also led to them to focus on hockey photography. “it is a small but an important reward for the sportspersons to know that their photographs are being clicked.

The fans of hockey team with Dhanraj Pillay. Pic courtesy: Mahala


cLAssIFIEDs & LIsTINgsheALth & NutritiON

SRINIVASA DENTAL CARE CENTREDr. VISHWAS # 383, 8th main, 7th cross, Mico Layout, BTM 2nd stage, Opp to HDFC ATM, Bangalore- 76. Ph:41201345, 9845195605. Multi specialist Dental clinic & Implant Centre.

CHILDRENS DENTAL CLINICDR. NERAJA RAJU Consultant Pedodontist. For appointment : 9845195605, 41201345. Address: #383, 8th main, 7th cross, Opp to HDFC ATM, Mico Layout, BTM 2nd stage, Bangalore-76

ADuLT AND pEDIATRIC NEuRoLogy pHySIoTHERApy

CLINICDr. Akshata Nadgir mpt (pediatrics), CMT Consultant at G1-Vidhata residancy, 7th main, 19th cross, BTM 2nd stage, ph-9741115687Visiting time: 10.00Am to 1.00Pm, 5.00Pm to 8.00Pm

eduCAtiONINTENSIVE CoACHINg

Foreign programs: ACCA/ CIMA/ CMA / CPA,Indian Programs: BE (merit coaching)/ Bank exams, CA, CS, ICFAI, ICWA & MBA (all disciplines) supported by latest corporate case studies.Contact: Lalitha Group, #5, Behind Smart, 19th Cross, 24th Main, JP Nagar 5th Phase, Bangalore-78.Ph: 080-26490907, 9902888485, 9448117457Email: [email protected]

ApARTmENT foR SALE

STHIRA AASTHI, 12 unit complex- 3bhk Apartment for sale at Bank Officers Layout, near the proposed Krishna leela park Metro station, Kanakapura road Party hall for 12 cozy families. Rs 3700 per sft. call 9902029296.

public water taps are not working. Residents were falling ill, due to substandard quality of water supplied.

Jyothi A, project co-ordinator for water domain in CIVIC, says that it is the responsibility of the water board to provide water, but this has not been executed. “BWSSB Act itself says that the Board should mandatorily supply tanker water in areas that does not get Cauvery or borewell water through public taps.” But the ground reality is something else and the residents’ plight stands testimony to this.

Often the authorities claim that the residents are unwilling pay up for water usage. But the residents are already paying high prices for the little water they get. Santha says “we would gladly pay for proper water connection. But it hasn’t happened.”

Jyothi says that BWSSB has been doing a project to identify illegal connections in slums, so as to legalise them, but that not much has been done.

Meanwhile, Saroja, a mother of two living in Ambedkar slum on Ejipura main road continues to collect water from a pipe near her house. She knows it is mixed with sewage water. She uses it for washing clothes and dishes. She has to wait at another pipe for cleaner water to use it for drinking and cooking purposes.

NeWSdeSK

Spending their lives queuing for water

<<Continued from page 11<<

Women collecting water from a public tap at Ejipura. Pic: Navya PK.


filmRang De Box oFfice Documentary: happiness Behind tragedyOn use of child labour in the fireworks industry. A must-watch before purchasing fire-crackers this Diwali. Especially with the bad solid waste management practices in Bangalore adding to the woes of citizens.4.30 pm Sat, 3 Nov, Ashirwad hall, #30, St Marks road. Ph: 9739142852WorKshoPsClay Art, Diya Making And Pottery WorkshopGet artsy, eco friendly and crafty this Diwali. Sun 4 Nov, Jaaga, double road. Ph: 9611118939

Diya Painting WorkshopPaint a 1000s diyas. Team DALD this Diwali is planning to reach 500 underprivileged children and distribute sweets and painted diyas.4 Nov, 10am to 4pm, Prakriti Preschool, 973, 12th ‘A’ Main, indiranagar 2nd Stage. rSvP 9845211797

‘Sparkles’ Diwali activity workshop

Stories and legends of Diwali, fun facts about Diwali across India, special Diwali crafts that you can proudly display during the festival and be surprised at how your child prepares a sweet for you.Sat 10 Nov Saplings Preschool, JP Nagar 6th Phase, Ph: 9916888007

Spotlight Children’s theatre workshopChildren act, direct, write, sing and perform on the big stage. Final registrations on 4th Nov at Sadashiv Nagar. Ph: 9738350098

thE BooKWAllAh tRAVElling WRitERS FEStiVAl6 writers, a nomadic library, 2000kms by train.Chandrahas Choudhary, Annie Zaidi and Sudeep Sen along with Australian writers Michelle De Krester, Benjamin Law and Kirsty Murray travel across South India all through November, presenting public events along with a lot of conversations and making connections as they move along.Friday, 9th November at 6 pm, rSvP Phone No. 98865 99675. Bangalore

international Centre, teri Complex, 4th Main, 2nd Cross, domlur ii Stage

Session on ‘Standing orders” by Jt. labour Commissioner, t.K JinkalappaWhat is Standing Orders? How is it important for IT/

ITeS Employees? Have we ever felt helpless at our workplace? Have we ever felt the threat of job loss? Have we ever felt that our voice is not being heard? 2.30 pm, Nov 3, Saturday, yWCA hall, Koramangala 6th Block, Next to Koramangala Police StationtheAtreRangashankara: it’s Shakespeare3 Sat 4 Sun.Rogorts Genebot (As You Like It) Georgian (with Eng subtitles) (also at 11 am on Sun) Marjanishvili Theatre Georgia6 Tue 7 Wed.Cymbeline Juba Arabic (with Eng subtitles) South Sudan Theatre Company 8 Thu 9 Fri.The Tempest Bangla (with Eng subtitles). Dhaka Theater Production 36 Bangladesh10 Sat 11 Sun.Wanawake Wa Heri Wa Winsa (The Merry Wives of Windsor) Kiswahili (with Eng subtitles). The Theatre Company Kenya13 Tue 14 Wed.Falling Into Place English. Jugaad Co. Bengaluru15 Thu 16 Fri.An Evening with Anton Chekhov English17 Sat 18 Sun.Unselfed English (also at 3.30 pm on Sun).20 Tue to 23 Fri.Saltbush – Children’s Cheering Carpet (for 4 year olds and above).Davide Venturini (Italy) and Jason Cross (Australia) 24 Sat.Satyashodak

Marathi (also at 3.30 pm). Mahanagarpalika Kamgar Union Pune25 Sun.BeeChi Bullets Kannada (also at 3.30 pm). Rangayana Mysore.27 Tue 28 Wed.Sagara Kanyaka – The Lady from the Sea, Brisbane Powerhouse & Oz Fest29 Thu to Dec 2 Sun.Nothing Like Lear (also at 3.30 pm on Sat and Sun). Rajat Kapoor

sEE & DO

LIST YOUR EVENT FREE! Submit your events online www.citizenmatters.in

or mail [email protected]

Music GearDealers in Musical Instruments and accessories

Call9880599956

www.musicgear.in

JP Nagar

4th Edition of namma Bengaluru Awards

Citizens are encouraged to send in nominations (No self nominations)

Categories: Govt Official/Org, Citizen: Indiv/Youth, Elected Rep, Citizens’ Groups – RWA/ CBO/ NGO, Social Entrepre-neur, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Media – Indiv/org.

To nominate, you simply need to complete a nomination form. Nomi-nations can be made online through www.nammabengaluru-awards.org

You can also email the forms to [email protected]. The Nomination Forms can be picked up and dropped at Café Coffee Day, CUPPA and C Krishnaiah Chetty & Sons outlets.


Last year he called it Holiween. I didn’t make any attempts to correct him and he didn’t remember

it beyond that point either. Why bother when it isn’t a festival that belongs to us?

This year, he is close to seven and the Halloween monster has struck us hard. We now know the correct pronunciation and the fact that it’s an American festival that has “something to do with ghosts”. We also know somewhat hazily about pumpkins and trick or treat. The problem is we live in an apartment complex that isn’t as Halloween friendly as the son and some of his friends, would want it to be, despite a sizeable number of return to India crowd. Surprising really (though highly relieved if you ask me), because Bangalore seems to have embraced Halloween as much as Holi and every other apartment block is hosting a ‘Halloween party.’

Saloni, who runs activity classes for kids in Arakere, says she has had requests from some mothers to do Halloween related activities. Saloni looks at it as a fun activity and thinks that it’s a good way to get the fear of ghosts and spirits out of children’s minds by turning it into a festive thing. Must say I like that angle of thought.

Kriti, mother to a 6 year old and resident of an apartment complex in Puttenahalli, thinks it’s fun too. “We’ve had Halloween parties in our apartment for the last two years and I think of it as a kids only festival, at least here. It’s good to see the kids all dressed up in funny costumes and excited though we do have to explain the concept to many who are unaware when

they go asking for candies.”

Some people I know wonder what the fuss is all about. “It was fun for the children, when we lived there in the US where it is an old custom but I see no point in

Halloween parties here as the concept is a borrowed one and not known to many,” says Sumita, mother of a 10 and 8 year old who says her kids don’t miss Halloween.

“We have enough festivals of our own to be excited about,” she retorts.

Ankita, who runs art, craft and storytelling classes in Whitefield would also prefer to celebrate Indian festivals than focus on Halloween. “The idea is sweet but I would

rather teach our kids about the desi festivals first and celebrate those than latch on to Halloween just because it seems to be the latest trend.”

Curious whether it is a Bangalore only trend, I called some friends in other cities. My friend in Kolkata was quite amused and said this was the post Durga Puja recovery phase so any other thought doesn’t occur to her. My friend in Gurgaon, near Delhi did laugh and say yes, her kids have succumbed to Halloween mania. Given the high R2I population in Gurgaon, perhaps it’s a hangover thing?

For most moms it seems to be a ‘if-my-kid-is-happy-I’ll-go-along’ kind of thing. One creative mom I know even baked a batch of cobweb cookies for her kids!

Then of course there are some fence sitters like me. I’ll keep it Holiween as long as I can. Then who knows, I’ll probably just go with the flow. So what’s your take?

LAsT wORD

cONFEssIONs OF A sEcOND TIME MOM

reshmi Chakraborty

Trick or treat?

Pic: wikimedia commons

Ph -

080

6569

0068

/ 69

citizen matters 02nov2012

Documents

fireworks injuries

cause eye injuries crackers

fireworks area

fireworks rockets

light fireworks

use of fireworks

case of eye injuries

lighting fireworks