Blogs

Vinay S, an active member at Hasiru Usiru has obtained detailed information from BBMP on upcoming signal free corridor projects. Many people think that the project(s) need some serious scrutiny for the returns they promise on investments. Its one thing to make a relatively new road like Outer ring road into a signal free corridor, and another to talk about turning more than half dozen radial roads signal free without a clear plan for each and every interesction that lies on the way, or more important, without commensurate or alternate investments on public transport (like priority lanes for Big10 routes). Many feel that without such clarity, these corridor projects may end up being "bottleneck shifting" or "more parking space for free" projects.

Vinay has promised to mail over all documents he has obtained (will upload them here as soon as I get hold of them). We may need to scan and upload some sketches as well.

How do we track this MoA ? Is it available on Web? What is the locus standi of USTDA to sign this? seems like 20 crores of objectives with which the US TDA will squeeze MUCH more out of Bangalore, despite all the backlash USAID, DFID, cioties Alliance, WB and Janaagraha have got already (see opposition to the GBWASP MoU)

Seems like a major health hazard like Radon gas in Borewell  water also squeezed past all the research till now, while the Palike is still sinking more borewells since the BWSSB is not able to supply enough water.

This kind of unhindered growth is unsustainable and must stop, but we shd slow it down first. The problem started with the 270 mld which came in 2002 Suddenly all felt there was enough water and a boom in construction and that caused the major mismatch in the common resources drawn or available

PA

BWSSB inks pact with USTDA
Bangalore, Sep 26, 2009 DH News Service:

Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on Friday signed an agreement with United State Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to undertake Integrated Water Management in the City.

 Very unfortunate but many in this city seems to hate trees now, trees get bad press when they fall during rains and storms. We like the shade they give, especially during hot summers, but also curse them for the jams created after a storm..fallen branches etc..

BBMP has gone to the extent that they have planted signs below the trees on Chord Road: “Warning! There is a chance of trees and branches falling during the rain. So drive cautiously.”

We, without understanding these trees are out to blame them for the damage they cause. So why do branches fall off trees? There are a few reasons as below:

1. A Weak Branch Union occurs when a branch and stem (or two or more co-dominant stems) grow so closely together that bark grows between them, inside the tree. The term for bark growing inside the tree is “included bark.” As more and more bark is included inside the tree, the weak union is formed that is more likely to fail.

Amidst the barrage of not to this and no to that posts, here is an "I need this" instead. Whitefield has seen relentless concretization in last 4-5 years. Nice roads, the best pavements, tech parks, and housing complexes. But life is not all about living, commuting and working. We need to play, mingle around and relax as well. For that, need some serious public space, or a large new park.

Center of the city has plenty of these, but it takes too much time to go to Cubbon Park or Lalbagh or Freedom Park now. Whitefield area has a few lakes, and new recreational amenities can be developed around a few of those. We know that a large park will not bring any white or black money to BBMP or BDA, and that is probably why concrete is the flavor of the decade in Bangalore. If you live around Whitefield, leave your comment with words of support, and we will figure how to take this request forward with local corporators or MLA or BBMP/BDA.

Short, narrow and faulty table-top runway. No flat terrain. Pilot/Pilots' fatigue. Quick turn-around (QTA) flights at night raises pilots' stress and fatigue levels. Compromising safety vs commercial interests. No rest between outbound and inbound journeys for the pilots and the cabin crew.

The Karnataka state government wants to establish an airport in every tier-II city across the state. Also a new concept called helitourism is also being introduced even in Madikeri, Kodagu (Western Ghats).

The presence of the Chamundi Hills has rendered the present Mysore airport potentially unsafe especially under foggy / rainy conditions for the flights that are likely to go/depart and come/arrive from Bangalore, Chennai etc.

There seems to be a veil / cloak of secrecy regarding/surrounding the exact cause of YSR's chopper / helicopter accident.

The Airbus 320s or A-320s were grounded for 07 months immediately after the 1990 air crash at the HAL Airport Bangalore by blaming the aircraft and the fly-by-wire technology for the crash. We learnt only after the Mangalore Air crash that it was a pilot error in the case of A-320 crash.

India is the world's most competitive telecommunications market. But, the 3G spectrum auction is going to land things as a fiasco for the common man, even while it is a bonanza for the exchequer.

The outcome of the 3G spectrum auction in the UK was disastrous. The 3G network did not diffuse for a decade thereafter, because firms were broke. They had no money left to invest in infrastructure after paying for the spectrum licence and interest. The telecom firms could not generate positive cash flow from 3G activities for a decade. In fact, the principal UK telecom company, BT, sold its wireless business to pay off debts incurred to acquire 3G spectrum licences!

What happened in the UK can happen in India. The firms that have bid Rs 67,719 crore for 3G licences may not have finances left to fund infrastructure. If they borrow substantially, the combination of licence and interest costs, to be factored into pricing decisions, will make 3G services expensive or completely unaffordable. And, as everybody knows, it is low price that enables high offtake of any product or service.

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.