After Humming Tree and BFlat, Bengaluru's Monkey Bar to shut its doors

Commerce

As Monkey Bar prepares to shut down, chef Manu Chandra says it has become tough to run bona fide restaurants in Bengaluru due to the public entertainment license issue.

Theja Ram

After Humming Tree and BFlat, one of  Bengaluru’s popular pubs – Monkey Bar, is shutting the doors to its Indiranagar branch. In a statement, Manu Chandra, chef and Chief Partner at Monkey Bar, said that the pub had to shut down as it was unable to procure a public entertainment license.  For Manu Chandra and the Monkey Bar team, the closure of the Indiranagar branch is personal, with the restaurant and bar having first set up shop in Bengaluru in 2012 before it expanded with branches in other parts of the country. For now, it's the end of the road for Monkey Bar in the city it first called home. Speaking to TNM, Manu Chandra said that Monkey Bar could not get the license as the building owners had not procured an Occupational Certificate from the civic body – Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. BBMP is supposed to issue Occupational Certificates only if the said building follows the fire safety norms and the building bye-laws. However, several bar owners have alleged that this process is not followed through properly.  Read: B’luru pubs protest live music ban, residents say buildings themselves are illegal A few months ago, the Bengaluru police began enforcing rules laid down under Licensing and Controlling Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order, 2005, which requires establishments to get licenses for entertainment programmes. This means pubs and restaurants cannot play live music without a license, however this license also was later applied to playing pre-recorded music. From 2018, the Bengaluru police asked all pubs and restaurants in the city to submit a variety of documents to procure an entertainment license, after Supreme Court upheld the licensing rules. However, most of Bengaluru's core areas have violated building bye-laws in one way or another, but the civic body had allowed these constructions. As a majority of buildings in the city (including government buildings) were built in contravention of one bye-law or the other, the Karnataka government had proposed to normalise them under the Akrama Sakarama scheme. Since the issue of Akrama Sakarama is sub-judice, no action has been taken yet. Restaurant and bar owners say that imposing such rules for a license is problematic to local businesses. "The closure is because we are unable to get a Public Entertainment License owing to the demand of an OC. The license meant for “live bands” has come to cover pre-recorded music too. The Police Commissioner has the full authority to rationalise this order, but that has not happened. The list of documents required to procure a license to play background music are untenable, especially given a majority of them are in the purview of building owners and not the tenants. Now the tenants are being penalised after having invested heavily in these spaces," Manu Chandra told TNM. Impossible to run bona fide restaurants The Supreme Court upheld the Licensing and Controlling Places of Public Entertainment (Bangalore City) Order, 2005 in January 2018 following a dispute that dragged on for several years. In addition to this, a group of Indiranagar residents moved the Karnataka High Court against the illegalities in the operation of pubs in the area. Earlier in September, several popular bars in Indiranagar including Humming Tree, BFlat and BTDT had shut as they were not given the license. In some cases, the bars did not have an OC and others did not get the license as the building owners had not complied with fire safety norms. These three bars were known for their live music performances, especially Humming Tree and BFlat, as they provided a platform for budding musicians to perform. “The Bangalore landscape has changed to an extent where it is almost impossible to run a bona fide restaurant and bar business today. We are always supportive of the authorities and the interests of everyone in a city and try and work closely with the laws as they exist. Retroactive decision making, post all clearances and investment and effort, is a huge setback and ends up punishing so many legitimate businesses. Rules that ought to have been rationalised years ago, get used as mechanisms for making things impossible to those running their business and that is very wrong. Monkey Bar became a Bangalore cult brand, a story that spread across the country from this city. We will be back, hopefully soon.” Manu Chandra said.    

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Can Trump Win Governor of Louisiana?

He’s not officially on the ballot, but he’s desperate for proof that voters love him enough to take down a popular Democrat.

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Karnataka government schools to ring bell to remind students to drink water

Public Health

The water bell scheme has already been implemented in parts of Kerala and will soon begin at Telangana schools.

TNM Staff

Following in Kerala’s footsteps, the Karnataka government has decided to ensure that government schools ring the bell three times a day as a reminder for children to drink water. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar announced on Thursday that a ‘water bell’ would ring in all government schools at 10.35 am, noon and 2 pm every day to remind students to drink water. Each break will last for 10 minutes and it would be made mandatory for students to drink water at the time. In Karnataka, one private school in Dakshina Kannada district’s Uppinangady has already started implementing the programme, where three 10-minute water breaks are given to students. “The Kerala government initiative is a good one and I have instructed officials with the Department of Public Instruction to look into implementing this programme at the earliest. There are a lot of health problems that can occur due to dehydration. If we can prevent it, then we must do so,” Suresh Kumar said. Speaking to TNM, Director of the Department of Public Instruction, KG Jagadeesha said that the government has approved the water bell scheme and that the department is figuring out the logistics. “We have not yet issued a circular about the water bells to government schools. In Kerala, we learnt that the children were asked to bring water bottles from home. We have to see how it can work here. In many places, the children may not be able to afford water bottles,” Jagadeesha said. The director further stated that currently, RO water is available outside the classroom in all government schools for the children. “The Kerala model has alerted everyone that even though water is available some children, mostly the girl children, refrain from drinking water. This can affect their health. We are trying to come up with alternatives on whether the government will provide the water bottles or if any other plan has to be implemented on how the water will be distributed during these breaks,” Jagadeesha said. The government of Kerala implemented the water bell scheme in Wayanad, Kannur, Thrissur and Kasargod districts. Following this, the Telangana government also announced that it would implement the water bell scheme.  

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Not a secret anymore: Karnataka disqualified MLAs talk openly on how BJP poached them

Politics

BJP leaders had denied even in the floor of the assembly that they had anything to do with the poaching.

Theja Ram

“No one from the BJP has spoken to the MLAs in Mumbai. We have no role in the rebellion. They are disgruntled leaders.” – These were the words spoken by BS Yediyurappa, the incumbent Chief Minister of Karnataka, ahead of the vote of confidence in the Karnataka Assembly on July 23. Ever since the Congress and JD(S) leaders resigned en masse in early July, the BJP and its leaders, especially BS Yediyurappa have consistently denied playing a role in toppling the Congress-JD(S) coalition. However, these words are being proved wrong by disqualified Congress and JD(S) leaders, who are openly taking about how the plan to topple the coalition was formulated and executed. Former legislator from Gokak, Ramesh Jarkiholi on Friday told his constituents that he conceptualised the plan to bring down the coalition government. Ramesh Jarkiholi also said that he had met with Yediyurappa, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP Karnataka in-charge Muralidhar Rao, and plans were approved to execute Operation Kamala. Read: Plan to topple coalition formed during Eagleton stay: K’taka rebel Ramesh Jarkiholi Operation Kamala is a moniker for the Karnataka BJP’s plan of poaching leaders from the ruling party to bring down the government in a bid to clinch power. Along with Ramesh Jarkiholi, former JD(S) state President AH Vishwanath too has spoken about how the BS Yediyurappa contacted him with an offer to join the BJP and quit the JD(S). He told TNM that BJP MP from Chamarajanagar, V Srinivas Prasad contacted him with an offer. AH Vishwanath is a long-term friend of V Srinivas Prasad. Both leaders share a camaraderie over their mutual dislike for former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Both Vishwanath and Srinivas Prasad had quit the Congress after accusing Siddaramaiah of trying to sabotage their political careers. While Srinivas Prasad had joined the BJP, Vishwanath had jumped to the JD(S). “It was V Srinivas Prasad and Yediyurappa who contacted several MLAs with offers. I would not have accepted the offer if any other leader had asked me. It was only because Prasad asked me, that I decided to join the BJP. I did what Siddaramaiah did when he left JD(S) and joined Congress. Siddaramaiah took seven MLAs with him. We were tired of the caste politics in JD(S) and Congress,” AH Vishwanath said. During the political drama that unfolded in the Karnataka Assembly ahead of the vote of confidence, Yediyurappa, Hubballi MLA Jagadish Shettar, the incumbent Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy and most of the BJP leaders had strongly denied any role in orchestrating the coup in the Assembly.    

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Mysuru sanitation workers to receive free breakfast daily after new caterer signs on

Civic

Though the scheme was introduced last year, it was discontinued due to the poor quality of food.

Prajwal Bhat

Pourakarmikas, the sanitation workers, in Mysuru who are instrumental in keeping the city's streets clean will now be provided free breakfast every day.  On Friday, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) launched a free breakfast scheme for all pourakarmikas working in the city. The scheme was launched at Madegowda Circle and Mysuru Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath had breakfast with the pourakarmikas working in Ward 11 (Rajivnagar). Though the scheme was introduced last year, it was stopped in December following complaints from pourakarmikas about the quality of food. "Initially, when the scheme was introduced, food prepared in Indira Canteens were provided for pourakarmikas. But after complaints were made about the quality and hygiene of the food provided, it was discontinued," Mayor Pushpalatha explains.  A call for a fresh tender was issued and mass caterer Rao Raghuveer Singh Seva Samiti was awarded the contract for a period of one year. The expenses for the year will be Rs 1.83 crore, Pushpalatha added.  On Friday, pourakarmikas were served upma, kesaribath and a sweet. The menu will change daily and pourakarmikas will be served dishes such as uppittu, ricebath, four idlis, bisibele bath, curd rice, tomato bath and lemon rice. The breakfast scheme will cover all 2,500 pourakarmikas working in the city, and will be available between 8 am and 10 am at designated points in each ward in the city.  "This is important because pourakarmikas begin their work as early as 6 am and if breakfast is not provided, they sometimes turn to eating in roadside outlets. It is not always possible to prepare breakfast at their home. There are times pourakarmikas would skip meals as well," says Jayanth, the Chief Health Officer in the MCC. Pourakarmikas are tasked with keeping the city's streets clean. Mysuru was named the third cleanest city in India in the Swachh Survekshan 2019 after topping the charts for the two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015.  

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SC allows K’taka to build dam across Thenpennai river tributary: An explainer

Dispute

The Supreme Court has junked Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking a stay on Karnataka’s efforts to build a dam across a tributary of the Thenpennai river.

Megha Kaveri

Wikimedia Commons/By TheZionView [CC BY-SA 3.0]

The Supreme Court on Thursday junked Tamil Nadu’s plea to grant a stay on Karnataka’s efforts to build a dam across a tributary of the Thenpennai river. What’s more, the Tamil Nadu government’s reluctance to expressly request the central government to constitute an interstate river water dispute tribunal might have cost it the case. Thenpennai river or South Pennar river originates in Karnataka and flows through Krishnagiri, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu before merging with the Bay of Bengal.  What is the dispute? Markandeya river is a tributary of Thenpennai river which joins the main river after travelling for around 30 kilometres inside Tamil Nadu, near Krishnagiri reservoir.  The rights of the riparian states in using Thenpennai water is put down in an agreement entered into between the State of Madras and Mysore, the predecessor states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, in the year 1892. The agreement specifies how to use, control and distribute the waters of the inter-state river. This agreement was modified in 1933. The Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board has been constructing a dam of 500 Mcft storage capacity across the Markandeya river in order to meet the drinking water requirements of Malur, Kolar and Bangarpet towns and 45 villages along the river’s route.  About the project The Markandeya dam project, near Yargol village in Bangarpet taluk, was approved in 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs 240 crore. Of the Rs 240 crore, Rs 160 crore is to be pitched in by the government of Karnataka and Rs 79.92 crore is to be granted by the Central government.  The government of Karnataka began the construction in 2013 and is 75-80% complete, as per the affidavit filed by the counsel of the government of Karnataka.  The contention between TN and Karnataka Among the contentions that the government of Tamil Nadu put forward was that the construction of a dam across Markandeya river would severely impact the flow of water into Tamil Nadu, thereby adversely affecting the livelihood of farmers living in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts.  The counsel for Tamil Nadu also stated that as per the clauses of the 1892 agreement, Karnataka is not supposed to take up any new irrigation works without previous consent from Tamil Nadu.  Meanwhile, the government of Karnataka contended that it has not violated the terms of both agreements —  1892 and 1933 — and that as per the 1933 agreement, there is no requirement to get consent from Tamil Nadu if a dam is being constructed for the supply of drinking water.  “... but the consent of the Madras Government will not be required under the agreement of 1892 for the construction of any anicut (dam) if there is to be no irrigation under it.” The counsel for Karnataka also stated that 75% of the river basin and the catchment area lies in Tamil Nadu and hence the dam across Markandeya river will not affect Tamil Nadu.  Centre, meanwhile, stated in court that both the state governments had not requested for the setting up of a water dispute tribunal to sort out the issue.  The SC order The Supreme Court stated that there is no reason for the court to order a stay on the project since it is around 75% complete and construction has been going on for a few years, with the sanction and permission from all concerned authorities. The court also said that Tamil Nadu, even in its petition, has not sought a direction to set up an Interstate river water dispute tribunal.  “We repeatedly asked Mr Naphade, learned Senior Advocate to show any communication where the plaintiff (government of Tamil Nadu) had invoked the power of the Central Government and sought constitution of an Inter-State River Water Disputes Tribunal to consider the present controversy. Mr Naphade accepted that there was no such express communication but submitted that the request ought to be inferred from various communications addressed by the plaintiff (government of Tamil Nadu) to the Central Government,” reads the order.  In effect, the court meant that the project has been going on since its approval stage in 2007 and since it began construction in 2013 and no efforts have been taken by either of the states involved —  Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — to request the Centre to set up a separate tribunal. And because of this, the court can now do nothing but to allow construction of the dam across Markandeya river. However, Tamil Nadu can request the central government to intervene and set up an interstate river water dispute tribunal within four weeks of the order for further action.  Also read: Last weavers of Karnataka’s Salikeri: The two sisters keeping the craft alive

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Bus priority lane kicks off in Bengaluru: List of new one-ways, traffic diversions

Transport

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said that only BMTC buses, ambulances and fire engines will be allowed to ply on the stretches marked as bus priority lane.

TNM Staff

The Bengaluru Police, on Friday, notified the bus priority lanes along Outer Ring Road on Friday after the project was launched in the morning. The Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao also notified certain stretches as one-ways in order to facilitate the bus priority lane programme.  Bus priority lane aims at creating importance for the use of public transport, especially Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses. The project kick-started along Outer Ring Road between Silk Board and KR Puram on Friday. Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao on Friday said that only BMTC buses, ambulances and fire engines will be allowed to ply on the stretch that is marked as a bus priority lane. “Section 115 of the Indian Motor Vehicle Act that gives power to the state government to restrict the use of vehicles on roads or bridges and IPC Section 188 (disobedience to an order by a public authority) can mean imprisonment for a term of up to six months, or a fine which may be up to Rs 1,000, or both,” Commissioner Bhaskar Rao’s order states. Bhaskar Rao also notified traffic diversions in KR Puram, HAL, HSR Layout and Madiwala police station limits. The order stated that the bus lanes — planned by BMTC, BBMP, traffic police and the Directorate of Urban Land Transport — are meant to reduce traffic congestion and hence, the rules would be implemented strictly. Here is a list of one-ways notified by Bengaluru police: Commuters can now travel only from south to north from Marathahalli Bridge to HDFC Home Loan building. Those intending to travel from north to south along this stretch must take the service road and reach the median near HDFC Home Loan building, which connects to the Kartik Nagar junction and then make a U-turn to ply towards Marathahalli bridge. Commuters plying from Marathahalli bridge to E-Zone night club can only travel in the north-south direction. Commuters must take the service road and go through the Marathahalli bridge and reach Kartik Nagar junction via the service road, make a u-turn and move towards E-Zone club. From E-zone to Jeevika Hospital, commuters can only travel in the north-south direction. Commuters travelling in the opposite direction will have to turn right at Jeevika Hospital and reach the service road to Kartik Nagar bus stop, where the stretch meets the main road. Commuters going from Kadubeesanahalli to Marathahalli Bridge cannot use the Outer ring Road as it has been made into a one way. Commuters will have to take the service road and go up the Kadubeesanahalli bridge and make a U-turn and reach the main road. Those plying from south to north along the Kadubeesanahalli-Devarabeesanahalli Road will have to take the service road and make a u-turn at Devarabeesanahalli junction and reach Kadubeesanahalli via the Outer Ring Road. Commuters can travel only in the south-north directions on the service road between Kadubeesanahalli and Marathahalli bridge. Those going in the opposite directions will have to make a U-turn on Marathahalli bridge and then take the service road to reach Kadubeesanahalli. Commuters can only go from east to west between Silk Board to 14th Main Road, Silk Board junction to Agara and Agara junction to Iblur bus stop. Motorists will be allowed to commute in the north-south direction from Iblur to Ecospace Flyover. Those travelling from Iblur Lake to Ecospace up ramp flyover can only go in the north-south direction.     

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