Bengaluru losing its open spaces as another playground acquired by Namma Metro

Civic Issues

BMRCL has barricaded the area and placed all the construction equipment on the playground leaving no place for children to play.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has acquired another playground for the construction of Namma Metro’s Red Line.   The Featherlight Pottery Town Government High school playground has been taken over by the BMRCL for the construction of the underground railway track that will fall between Dairy Circle and Nagawara. The high school playground is used by children to play sports and various tournaments, cultural and religious meetings are also held at the ground from time to time. The BMRCL has now put up a banner in front of the ground which reads “BMRCL work in progress, unauthorised person’s entry restricted.” The area has been barricaded and construction material has also been brought to the ground. According to TOI, BMRCL has said that acquiring the already existing open spaces will help them in minimizing the acquisition of private land and speed up the construction work. BMRCL also said using playgrounds to store the construction materials will reduce the traffic that may be caused if it is placed elsewhere. A survey conducted by Janagraha has revealed that only 3 per cent of the total area in Bengaluru has parks and open spaces. Earlier, a technical training centre for the hearing impaired, BBMP Higher Primary School in Tasker town and a school for children with learning and cognitive disabilities were taken over by the BMRCL. Social and environmental activist, Arun Prasad stated that the decisions taken by the BMRCL are affecting the environment and the heritage of the city. “The measures taken by the state government must be eco-friendly, public friendly and sustainable. The anti-citizen behaviour of the BMRCL must be met with severe consequences,” he said. Previously too, the BMRCL has been at the receiving end of criticism and faced protest for changing the locations of two metro stations in the second phase of Bengaluru Metro project. The Red Line is a part of Phase 2 of the Namma Metro project.

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Posh villa owned by an auto driver in Bengaluru raided by Income Tax Department

IT Raid

The man had reportedly bought the house paying Rs 1.6 crores in cash, making officials suspicious.

TNM Staff

Officials of the Income Tax Department raided a villa owned by a man identified as Subramani, who is an auto driver by profession, in Bengaluru’s Whitefield. Based on a tip-off, the I-T officials conducted a search and seizure operation at the villa on Wednesday. According to reports, Subramani, bought a villa in Jatti Dwarkamai Villas, a gated community in Whitefield, by paying Rs 1.6 crores in cash. Subramani has allegedly never filed income tax returns. While I-T officials have not issued any official statement yet, reports state that large amounts of cash may also have been seized from his house. Unconfirmed reports state that a sum of Rs 7.9 crores was seized from his house. Officials also suspect that Subramani is a benami holder of the house and had he had earlier been issued a notice to come and explain how he had come to own the house. Subramani, on the other hand, has denied all the allegations and claimed that the house was a gift given to him by a foreign passenger. “She was struggling to get a cab or rickshaw on a rainy day, I dropped her home that day. She later happened to catch my auto again and asked if I could provide transportation when needed. Upon enquiring about my family and knowing of our financial condition, she offered to help,” he said. He also claimed that she had helped several other auto drivers. Preliminary investigations by the I-T department, however, has revealed that he is associated with a few politicians, including general secretary of State BJP and Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali, reported The Hindu. The MLA has gone on record to deny links with Subramani. A case has been registered against Subramani under Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. Further probe is underway.

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Women garment workers take out rally in Bengaluru, demand fair wages

Worker Rights

One of the demands was that manufacturers pay a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month. They presently earn around Rs 8,000.

Rohit R.

Close to 1000 women garment workers and construction labourers marched in Bengaluru on Tuesday, which is International Labour Day for their rights and a fair living wage, among other demands. The rally was organised by the Garment Labour Union, affiliated to the Hind Mazdoor Sabha.  The women marched from Kanteerava Studio signal to TVS Cross in Peenya, demanding that garment manufacturers pay workers a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month. They presently earn about Rs 8000. The demands of the workers includes housing support, a grievance cell which will be set up by the government for women, and bridging the gender wage gap in the garment industry. They also called on the owners to improve upon their working conditions, and that the Visakha Guidelines be implemented in organisations.  Speaking at the event, Saroja, the General Secretary of the Garment Labour Union pointed out that the women face all forms of harassment at their workplace.  “Women employees face physical, mental and sexual harassment daily. We do not know whom to report these incidents to, and the few brave women who want to speak out are suppressed. Gender-based violence still exists and the salaries aren’t dispersed if they bring attention to the problems,” she said. The minimum wage has been hiked by the Karnataka government only four times in the last few decades, but garment workers don’t even earn that, and struggle to earn a living wage. “Living in a city like Bengaluru, it is hard to make ends meet with the salary we get. The garment sector might be classified as organised due to the infrastructure, but the employees are unorganised. We are asking what is rightfully ours, which is being denied.” A campaign was also launched to draw attention to the violence inflicted on women workers, and garment employees hope that brands and organisations will not be oblivious to the struggles they face. Few multinational brands have already pledged their support, said Saroja.

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Bengaluru collective bats for more humane treatment to workers on Labour Day

Labour rights

Maraa representatives held up placards at Majestic Bus Stand showing disrespectful comments workers like pourakarmikas, domestic workers and sex workers have to face.

Harshitha AB

From about an hour on Wednesday, which marked Labour Day, a few people stood holding up red placards at Majestic Bus Stand in Bengaluru. Undeterred by the afternoon heat, these people were from Maraa, a city-based media and arts collective. Their placards had messages like, “Why do you people want Bisleri water? Drink tap water from the streets”; “I am not going to pay you for working overtime. Paying any money in the first place to people like you is unnecessary”, and “You prostitutes are walking on the streets like dogs.” The idea behind this silent demonstration was simple – talk to people about how they treat workers. Named ‘bevaru’, which translates to ‘sweat’ from Kannada, the exercise was aimed at highlight the disdain, disrespect and apathy faced by sections of the working class like domestic workers, pourakarmikas, garment workers and sex workers. And written on their placards were the insensitive and condescending statements that workers had recounted to Maraa members. The 5-6 people from the collective stopped and spoke to passers by at the Majestic Bus Stand, while distributing pamphlets explaining the discrimination that workers face such as not being paid on time or for working overtime, limited access to health and public services, not getting holidays, workplace harassment, insults and abuse from the public and so on. Maraa representatives emphasised on how dignity is important to workers, thereby urging the public to reflect on how they speak with them in terms of gestures and even the tone of their voices. Referring to the stigma and brutality sex workers face for instance, Ekta, one of the organisers of the event referred to Obavva squads, comprised of specially trained women constables, formed to educate women in self-defence, raise awareness about laws such as Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, IPC, and ensure law and order. Started in Chitradurga, these squads are now at multiple places in Karnataka. “One such Obavva squad has been set up by the Upparpet police station to clean the city. But does cleaning the city mean forcibly removing street vendors and sex workers out of the city in a violent way? Chasing them out of the bus stop in public view jeopardises their livelihood,” Ekta said. Maraa representatives chose Majestic Bus Stand for this demonstration because different kinds of workers such as domestic workers, street vendors, pourakarmikas and sex workers are often present there and also face discrimination. Members of Maraa also explained that by holding the exhibition on Labour Day they wanted to point out to the irony that despite dedicating a day for workers, they are not free and continue to be mistreated.

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JD(S) leader GT Devegowda says many JD(S) workers voted for BJP in Mysuru

Lok Sabha 2019

In Mysuru-Kodagu, the contest is between outgoing MP Pratap Simha of the BJP and Congress-JD(S) candidate CH Vijayashankar

TNM Staff

In an embarrassment for the ruling coalition in Karnataka, Higher Education Minister GT Devegowda on Wednesday said that JD(S) workers in parts of Mysuru-Kodagu constituency have voted for the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Addressing reporters, he said, “The leaders (Congress and JD(S)) could not resolve the differences between party workers in two months. Maybe if we had started the process earlier, we could have done better.” Although the alliance was agreed upon by the top brass of both the parties, it was not welcomed by grassroots workers, especially in the Mysuru region that has witnessed decades of rivalry between the Congress and JD(S). The comment from GT Devegowda, the Mysuru district-in-charge minister, came despite the fact that he held joint rallies with his former prodigy-turned-foe Siddaramaiah as part of the campaign. The two top leaders coming together was to influence workers of both the parties to bury the past and fight unitedly against the BJP. Notably, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah just a year ago was defeated by GT Devegowda from Chamundeshwari assembly segment. In Mysuru-Kodagu, the contest is between outgoing MP Pratap Simha of the BJP and Congress-JD(S) candidate CH Vijayashankar. Vijayashankar, a former BJP man was reportedly the choice of former CM SIddaramaiah who had ensured that the seat will be given to Congress as part of the seat-sharing talks.   Reacting to the comment, Vijayshankar told TV9, “I don't want to comment on what GT Devegowda supposedly told the media. He has campaigned for me in Chamundeshwari. We had a joint rally with the Congress and JD(S) in which he has publicly appealed the same. That's what I know.” He added, “Maybe GT Devegowda has said that JD(S) workers are not 100% working in favour of the coalition in a certain circumstance. There will be a few who will act like this, but this will not affect the result of the election.”   #BIGNEWS: #BJP candidate from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency @mepratap reacts on GT Devegowda's comment, says people of #Mysuru have supported #BJP from the beginning and now the #Congress and JD(S) are also supporting the party. pic.twitter.com/6CvtA8kcft — NEWS9 (@NEWS9TWEETS) May 1, 2019    

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From rank 31 to 1: How Hassan revamped its schooling to bag top spot in K'taka SSLC

Education

Within two years, Hassan has jumped to the top spot in the state with a pass percentage of 89.33.

Prajwal Bhat

Representational Image/ PTI

In 2017, officials in Hassan were puzzled to find that it was languishing at the 31st spot in the district-wise SSLC rankings in Karnataka with a pass percentage of just 69.58. District officials led by then Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri and officials of the Education Department and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) decided to start a series of initiatives to revamp the schooling system in the district. Within two years, Hassan has jumped to the top spot in the state with a pass percentage of 89.33. The district improved its ranking to seven in 2018 before topping the rankings in 2019 ahead of traditionally successful districts like Udupi. The then DC Rohini Sindhuri attributes the remarkable rise in rankings to a holistic approach to improve the education system in the district, one that was not focused on just the student's academic life.  "We took steps to push the principals, teachers, parents as well as the students. It is not just down to the students to improve but it is also important to take a holistic view of a child's education," explains Rohini, who was transferred from Hassan in February.  Efforts to improve the district's education system began two years ago. Rohini, after several meetings with district officials, decided to take a test for teachers in order to prepare them to teach the syllabus. "We gave two months time. Initially the teachers did not take it too seriously but we kept insisting that there is an exam. Teachers actually did read and prepare for the exam and that was important," says Rohini. District officials also identified motivated principals and honoured them in the hope that teachers would be driven to do better.  Officials also identified students who needed to attend extra classes, as early as in class 9. Principals were encouraged to conduct exchange programmes among students in the district. In this respect, the students studying in schools that were faring well were paired with students studying in schools where they were not performing that well.  Rohini, however, believes that a dialogue held by principals of the schools with mothers of the students was more influential in reinforcing students with a sense of purpose. "We held a meeting with mothers at the school level after the first set of tests were conducted. This is the first time we have done something like this and identified that mothers are also important stakeholders in the lives of students,” Rohini adds.  Subtle changes were made to the education system in the district along with upgradation of the syllabus from state-board level to NCERT level. Further reinforcement measures were taken in the form of radio shows.  The strategy adopted by officials at Hassan appears to have worked. Not only has the district topped in the pass percentage category, it has also taken top spot in the quality-wise rankings, which give equal importance to pass percentage, average marks and students who secured first class. Two students from Hassan - Pragathi Gowda and Abhin B scored 624 out of 625 marks and stood second in the state, helping the district come out with flying colours.   

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Kodagu shocker: Mother-daughter duo found brutally murdered in coffee estate

Crime

The police suspect that the motive could be a tussle over trespassing.

Mubarak

A 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old daughter were found brutally murdered at their family owned coffee estate at Doddamalte village at Somwarpet in Kodagu district on Tuesday. According to the police, the duo were working in their plantation when they were attacked by unidentified perpetrators. Around Tuesday evening, when the murdered woman's son tried to contact his mother and sister over mobile phone, they were unreachable. “Eventually he informed his neighbours, who coordinated a search-effort of the coffee estate, it was only later that the locals discovered the bodies in the estate and informed us,” a local police official said. Based on the marks on the bodies, the officials from the jurisdictional Somwarpet police station said that both the victims were attacked by unidentified perpetrators repeatedly with a sharp edged weapon. “We believe that both the victims were attacked in the afternoon, but since there was a delay in finding them and providing medical assistance, there was excessive bleeding that eventually lead to their death,” police official said. According to the police, the woman's husband had died a few years ago and the mother and children looked after the agricultural property. It was barely a few weeks ago that the daughter, a 12th standard student at St. Philomena College in Hassan, had come home for the summer holidays. The son is completing his high school at Virajpet. Based on preliminary interviews of the locals, police officials suspect an internal property dispute as the primary reason for the crime. “The investigation is ongoing, however we have been informed that a few individuals had a tussle with the woman over trespassing the property. We are probing if that or related issues have led to the crime,” police said. Story by http://bit.ly/2DX7vnh and Scribes Media Ventures LLP).

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