Pollution Control Board - the government's cash cow

murali772 - 30-JUL-2010

Even as BWSSB, KPCL, KPTCL, BESCOM, etc are desperately strapped for cash, there is another government agency that's just rolling in money, viz the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). A cursory glance at the financial statements, provided on its web-site ( http://www.kspcb.gov.in/ - though not quite in a reader friendly way as one would have liked it, which but is quite the norm with most government agency web-sites), shows the revenues at Rs 190 cr for total expenses of just Rs 23.54 cr, a mere 12% of the revenues, with the direct costs being just 5%. And, it's not as if they are being very frugal in their practices or anything like that.

Corporate Social Irresponsibility

murali772 - 28-JUL-2010

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has long been a hot topic globally. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has lectured companies on it. Some corporations have won acclaim and awards for CSR. Two of them were BP, the oil giant, and Goldman Sachs, the big investment bank. Every year, the World Economic Forum lists the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations". BP has made the list many times. So has Goldman Sachs, for its work on climate change and carbon trading.

Practical Road standards for manageable Cross Sections

psaram42 - 27-JUL-2010

 A road is not the mere outer visible surface. It is a volume to be precise. [This “Volume” concept is more attractive than conceiving a road as a  3-D object. Thanks to my visit to CSTEP some time back]. Its underbelly is the home of many services essential for the city / place it serves. 

Hearing pursuant to the appeal under RTI in the case of the Indiranagar Tree Felling

murali772 - 20-JUL-2010

With the BBMP tree officer remaing silent to the RTI query raised by me on the 10th April, in the matter of the apparently unauthorised tree felling on 100 ft road in Indiranagar (check this), I had sent an appeal to the Commissioner, BBMP, on the 28th June.

Meeting with Adviser to the CM on road-widening issues

murali772 - 25-JUN-2010

The meeting was convened by Dr A Ravindra, advisor to the CM on urban issues, at the instance of the Bangalore Environment Trust (BET), on the matter of 'road-widening', on 23rd June, at the Vikas Soudha. Along with Dr Ravindra was his deputy Dr Ashwin Mahesh. Though the Commissioner had apparently been requested by Dr Ravindra to be present, along with some of his top officials, only a Superintending Engineer turned up, that too some half way through the meeting.

There were about 20 invitees, largely from Civil Society groups, including Capt Prabhala, Mr Govardhan, Mr Nityananda, Mr Devare from BET, Ms Kathyayini Chamaraj from Civic, Dr Harini Nagendra, a Doctor who is spear-heading the 'Sankey road widening opposition' movement, apart from yours truly representing Praja and Koramangala Initiative.

It started with Mr Nityananda of BET making a presentation, making out a case for widening, where need be, in a more tree-friendly way, citing examples of some specific roads.

Green Bangalore: Some Reflections

murali772 - 9-JUN-2010

Literary, Arts and Heritage Forum, NIAS, is pleased to announce a Lecture on "Green Bangalore: Some Reflections” by Prof Vijay Tiruvady (vrt@bgl.vsnl.net.in)
On Monday, 14 June 2010 at 5.00 PM in JRD Tata Auditorium, NIAS

Highlights of the talk:
The Greening began with the development of Devarakadus & Gundutopus around Bangalore;
The next greening took place around settlements adjacent to lakes, a network of which was established by Kempe Gowda to harvest Monsoon rain water;
The first area within Bangalore to be greened was the 40 acre Rose & Cypress Garden of Haider Ali.
With the growth of the British  Empire plant collecting expeditions resulted in exotic species coming into Lalbagh.
With these developments Bangalore has had a mix of indigenous and exotic plants like no other city in India.  
Through the 19th Century all the early institutions in Bangalore were planted with this mix of indigenous and exotics.

Say no to Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act Amendment - Petitions

indian - 20-MAY-2010

Unless tree felling is restricted, our green cover may disappear through greed and ignorance. The GoK enacted the KPTA, 1976, which made permission from the Forest Dept mandatory for felling trees.

According to the Trees Act, trees may only be felled with prior permission of the Forest Dept which has the duty and liability to preserve and protect trees. Anyone (including officials of govt/civic bodies) is subject to criminal prosecution for felling a tree without the required permission.

This requirement of official permission has prevented large scale felling of trees, and has also restrained people and officials from unnecessarily felling trees owing to fear of criminal prosecution. Thus the KPTA thus put a brake on tree felling and helped protect our green cover.

Almost all the 30 species (many major fruit trees) now included for exemption in addition to the earlier 11 constitute the major tree wealth of both rural and urban Karnataka. It'll/It'd devastate bird life and spread pests.

Roof top Solar for domestic needs @ Bangalore - can I do it today?

silkboard - 20-APR-2010

A chance conversation with an acquaintance who works at a Solar Energy firm gave me a picture of the possibilities that await us. Now, I do read Solar Power/Panel Blogs/Forums etc once in a while, and have some idea of developments in the area.

Malathahalli Lake - Flushed out - Now a dry lake

Neeyathi_hemmige - 14-APR-2010

Hi Prajas,

I stay in Malathahalli , especially close to Malathahalli Lake  When we moved in to this location, we really liked it as it was very calm, a perfect place to live amid nature, a lake close by and lot of trees. The lake was streching upto 7 acres ..

Unfortunately this was a short lived paradise, as i see that the authoriities have forcibly removed the water from the lake and now its a dry land. Upon enquiry, I was told that the BDA has taken-up this project and that would re-create a mini lalbagh and that they would introduce boating etc etc..

What I am worried about is that the water condition in the state is pathetic and if they forcibly dry out a natural lake then what.. Recently there was an artilce in Deccan Herald about the city bore-wells are drying up...

I am not sure if this information is true, however some activity is being conducted. Can you please if anyone who is reading this post have insight to this piece of activity. Thank you in anticipation.

Kind Regards,

Neeyathi

Protecting trees - Indiranagar

murali772 - 17-MAR-2010

Knowing me to be a tree lover, members of the local coomunity keep calling asking to know as to what is to be done when they notice trees being felled in their neighborhood, the latest being the above massacre of 4 full-grown trees (very similar to the one that has been spared - seen at the extreme right of the picture) on the 100 ft road in Indiranagar (just North of the pedestrian over-bridge at the end of the fly-over).

Now, if the process is still under way when you come upon it, what you need to do is detailed in the ESG web-site, which may be accessed here. I have myself followed this a couple of times, and succeeded in limiting the damage considerably.

But, if the damage has already occured, like in the above instance, you could perhaps file a query under the RTI Act, on the lines of the one I am going to be filing pertaining to the instant case, as below, and forward a copy to ESG.