Hugs for trees: Bengaluru students celebrate Valentine’s Day with unique protest

Environment

The unique protest assumes significance as thousands of trees in Bengaluru are scheduled to be axed for a road-widening project.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

In a novel celebration of Valentine’s Day, several school students in Bengaluru’s Sarjapur participated in a program to show their love for the green cover of the city. The students took time off from school to bring together various ideas they had to show their affection for trees and nature — some drew pictures, some children wrote poems, and others even tied a friendship band around their favourite trees along Sarjapur Road to mark their love. This was a part of a program organised by Fridays for Future, and Voice of Sarjapura to draw attention to the number of trees that are due to be cut for several developmental projects in the city.  The unique protest assumes significance as around 8,500 trees in Bengaluru are scheduled to be axed by the Karnataka Road Development Corporation (KRDCL) for a road-widening project across the city. Citizens and activists have condemned the plan which will lead to several century-old trees being cut “When my children heard about the plan to cut down all these trees, they said, ‘Why do they want to do that? What gives them the right?” I see that the children are standing up to fight for what they see as their right to a future with clean air,” says Jyotsana Reddy, a parent of one of the students who took part in the program. The program also asked that trees that have been around for over be declared as ‘Heritage trees’, since they have been around for more than a century. If a tree is declared as a ‘heritage’ tree, then special conservation laws come into place to ensure that it is preserved, and no harm befalls it. “We have noticed that the government is not putting the environment first. They are thinking of cutting trees as the first option before looking at any other option in the planning stage. The government needs to realise that they are taking away trees from the children’s surroundings and gifting them concrete. The children are fighting for the trees, birds, greenery and air, which is their right,” Jyotsana adds. Activists in Bengaluru have been opposing the culling of thousands of trees, terming the move as ‘irrational,’ stating that widening of roads will not improve traffic conditions in the long run but may instead worsen them. They say that the widening of roads leads to the phenomenon of induced demand — where more supply of road space causes people to buy more private vehicles. Instead, activists have asked for better public transport.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2Ho8rRU
via IFTTT

Lessons for Karnataka Congress from AAP's victory: Focus on Aam Aadmi's issues

Politics

The Congress Karnataka unit is yet to get a new president, and there is no clarity on the opposition leader and CLP chief in the Legislative Assembly.

Naheed Ataulla

While some senior Congressmen are basking in the borrowed glory of Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) victory in the Delhi Assembly polls, leaders in the Karnataka unit, which has been headless since December 9, feel a lot has to be learnt from the party's dismal outcome in the capital. The immediate priority is getting a new president for the state party unit, and resolving the uncertainty over whether the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and opposition leader posts in the Assembly will be held by one person or two. Another priority is to sort out issues between the people who will be appointed to these positions, and the post of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president.  Siddaramaiah, who had resigned from both the CLP and opposition leader posts after Congress’s drubbing in the Karnataka Assembly bye-polls in December, is likely to be back in both posts. And former minister DK Shivakumar is the front-runner for the KPCC president's post. Both have to be brought on the same page, as their mutual dislike is said to be one of the reasons for the high command's delay in making a decision. According to senior Congress leader BL Shankar, the party at any point of time has 30% of votes in every part of Karnataka. “The social engineering has to be reworked and a feeling that the Congress party is there for the people has to be addressed,'' he added. Giving the example of AAP, Shankar said the party addressed issues which affected the day-to-day lives of people. Healthcare and education were taken up on a priority and the party avoided taking a stand on national issues. “The Congress here should also concentrate on such issues as the present government will be preoccupied with other matters. Such a strategy will help the Congress,'' he maintained. Sharing his views, Congress MLC Prakash K Rathod said Delhi city's infrastructure improved during Sheila Dixit's tenure as Chief Minister from December 1998 to 2013. The Rapid Transport System and keeping the city clean were Dixit's contributions, but the BJP which succeeded her chose to take the credit and levelled corruption charges on the Congress government, he added. With Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls due in August, party sources said the agenda should be on infrastructure. Results of six urban local bodies announced on February 11, where the Congress has secured the highest number of seats and is set to form the council in five bodies, has come as a fillip to the party. Party sources said that while a course correction on social engineering and a relook into the agenda is possible, the difficult task was bringing the leaders together. “There is no coordination. Self interest has become a priority with a vacuum in leadership at all levels. A new president has not been appointed for three months, and the KPCC has not reconstituted for nine months, resulting in low morale of the workers and the people's perception of an inactive Congress,'' sources added. The distress among the rank and file was summed up by KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao's wife Tabassum (Tabu) Rao on her Facebook post. “The Delhi election results are heartening because the people have voted against hate, and in favour of development. But the performance of Congress is equally disappointing. It is high time the party confronted the brute realities and took corrective steps. The Congress should step out of its ivory tower and identify itself with people and party workers at the grassroots level. The disconnect between the party and the people needs to be bridged without delay,'' she said. Party circles feel the high command should go in for collective leadership rather than giving the reins of responsibility to a single person. “There is no D Devaraj Urs or Veerendra Patil or a Ramakrishna Hegde today who had a pan Karnataka image. Each leader is confined to their caste within the social spectrum. Hence, the president should be many among the equals and not first among the equals,'' a senior leader said. Sources said the Congress at present does not have a strong narrative and is living in the past, fighting ego battles. “The Congress seems to have lost the killer instinct, which is why some senior leaders are taking umbrage under AAP's victory for the party’s failures. With panchayat and BBMP polls coming up later in the year, the party has to gear up to take on the BJP, which is its direct foe”, they added. Naheed Ataulla is a journalist who has covered Karnataka politics for over two decades, and is a former Political Editor of The Times of India. Views expressed are the author's own.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3bEnzs8
via IFTTT

'Demo Piece' review: An outdated comedy that belongs to the '90s

Review

The film yet again proves that Kannada directors don’t think beyond the stereotypical script, even in the case of comedy movies.

Aravind Shwetha

It’s been over a month since the beginning of 2020 and the Kannada film industry is yet to announce its existence with a big release. While other industries have marched way ahead, Sandalwood is still struggling to kickstart the year with a blockbuster. In the last two weeks, more than 20 movies have hit the screens and this week’s release Demo Piece, a no-brainer, too fails to impress. Harsha (Bharath Bhopanna) is a spoilt brat and a happy-go-lucky student, who wants to live the rich way. After finding out about his spending habits, Harsha’s dad cuts down his pocket money. So, to make some quick bucks, he takes up a part-time job. It doesn’t work out and he gets into cricket betting. He loses a lot of money and drowns himself in loans. In college too, girls reject him for his careless attitude. He sets his eyes on Adya (Sonal Monteiro), but she also rejects his proposal. Eventually, he dies where the gods decide that he deserves another chance. So, they send him back to earth as a 'Demo Piece' with a Midas touch. What happens once Harsha returns to Earth blessed by the gods comprises the second half of the movie. Demo Piece yet again proves that Kannada directors don’t think beyond the stereotypical script, even in the case of comedy movies. Several hit movies featuring superstars with similar plot lines have been produced in Kannada. Demo Piece is nowhere near any of them in terms of the making or comedy. The filmmaker demonstrates that he is yet to overcome the mentality of insulting the LGBTQ+ community to evoke ‘laughter’. Abuse and insults are showered on the hero’s friend, an LGBTQ member, which is not only distasteful but also proves that Sandalwood still lags behind when it comes to making contemporary films. Harsha’s antics can really get on the audience’s nerves. In the college campus, he takes out a pair of scissors from his geometry box (beat that!) and ‘converts jeans into shorts’ and asks women to dress the same every day so that men can be motivated to come to college. This is just one of the instances of glaring sexism and misogyny in the film. The movie is full of errors too, especially the Yamaloka scenes. Also, Harsha, a B.Com student, is shown preparing for exams with a Physics textbook! Picking out errors in this movie is more entertaining than watching it. Demo Piece seems like a film that should have been made three decades ago. Lead actor Bharath Bhopanna’s small screen stint gives him enough confidence to face the camera. But, to prove his heroism, he does it all – acting, fighting, romance, dance, gambling and even death in his first film. You name it, and he has done it but has excelled in none. Demo Piece is a poor debut for Bharath, who should stick to the small screen where he is popular. Sonal’s role is more like an extended cameo. There is hardly any scope for acting. All she does is strut around and show attitude when Harsha approaches her. There’s a lot of stalking too! Veteran actor Sparsha Rekha, who plays the hero’s mother, and is also the co-producer, juggles between a supporting actor and ‘almost-lead’ roles. Mother-son dialogues are a big bore and are way too outdated for 2020. Supporting actors Rupesh and Chakravarthy have played their parts well. The dialogues are crass, and so is Arjun Ramu’s music. Director Vivek A, who is also the co-producer, makes no attempt to present an entertainer. He seems to have borrowed storylines from all the '90 movies and presented it for the audience who want to watch an average '90s movie – and that's nobody! Demo Piece, with the mindless plot, is a painful watch. Disclaimer: This review was not paid for or commissioned by anyone associated with the series/film. TNM Editorial is independent of any business relationship the organisation may have with producers or any other members of its cast or crew.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2SpLJ1W
via IFTTT

After public outcry, parking fees for two-wheelers at Bengaluru KSR station halved

Civic Issues

However, there has been no revision of monthly fees which stands at Rs 1,000.

Soumya Chatterjee

REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE/ RSRIKANTH05 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

In response to public pressure, the authorities at the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station (Majestic) in Bengaluru have reduced the parking fees partially. The parking fee will now be half of what the two-wheelers were asked to pay in the new fee structure. The fee structure was first revised on January 25. The new fee structure had meant that passengers had to pay Rs 232 to park their two-wheelers for a whole day, compared to the earlier fee of Rs 70, for parking for 24 hours. This amount of Rs 232 was reached following the structure that the fee for the first two hours was Rs 12 and every additional hour cost Rs 10 per hour. Now, in the revised structure released by the Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC), which looks after the parking facility at the station, the initial first two hours will be charged Rs 12 and every next 2 hours will be charged Rs 10, making the full day charge Rs 115. However, there has been no revision of monthly fees which stands at Rs 1,000. No changes have been made for four-wheelers’ parking fees either. Reacting to the change, Karnataka Rail Users, a rail users forum thanked the railway authority for considering the parking fee revision. The reduction in the parking fee was expected as the IRSDC had earlier released a statement saying that they have taken cognisance of the public outcry. Even experts had slammed the steep hike in the parking fees. They even pointed out how the train ticket fares for nearby destinations, like Mysuru, would have been cheaper than the parking fees. Some suggested that this would even hurt the Railways more as people might find other means to park their vehicles or use private facilities or even the nearby KSRTC/ BMTC bus stations if that offers more competitive pricing.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2uJysIF
via IFTTT

Services on green line of Bengaluru Metro to be disrupted on Sunday: Details

Metro

The electrical works taken up is for powering the extended stretch of the metro.

TNM Staff

Rail services on the Bengaluru metro's green line will be disrupted on Sunday as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) is taking up maintenance work. Metro rail services will be unavailable between Yelachenahalli and RV Road metro stations on Sunday.  In a statement, BMRCL PRO Yashavanth Chavan said, "BMRCL is taking up the work of drawing of 33KV power cables from the Yelachenahalli Receiving substation to Yelachenahalli station and beyond, for powering the Reach-4 line front Yelachenahalli to Anjanapura station. For this work. metro train services between RV. Road and Yelachenahaßi metro stations on green line will remain suspended on 16/022020 (Sunday)." The electrical works taken up is for powering the extended stretch of the metro. The electrical switch yard for the metro line is located next to the Yelachenahalli Metro station.On Sunday, metro services will be available only between Nagasandra and RM Road stations on the green line on Sunday. Metro services on the purple line of the metro running from Baiyappanahalli to Mysuru Road will be unaffected during this time.  The metro services on the green line will be fully operational from 5 am on Monday. The green line of the Bengaluru metro runs from Nagasandra to Yelachenahalli and crosses Kempegowda station or Majestic where it connects with the purple line. In January, the number of six-coach trains running on the green line was increased to 18.  The six-car train can accommodate as many as 2,000 passengers and by adding more six-coach trains on the green line, a long-pending demand of metro users in the city was fulfilled. In the six-coach train, the first coach is reserved for  women.     

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/38CmiAd
via IFTTT

Pic of minister R Ashoka’s son emerges even as cops deny his involvement in car crash

Controversy

In the picture that has now gone viral, an injured Sharath’s right hand is placed on the side of the grey pickup.

Theja Ram

Karnataka Revenue Minister and BJP leader R Ashoka’s ambiguous statement about whether or not his son Sharath was in the Mercedes Benz that killed two people in Karnataka’s Ballari district has raised several questions. Even as the Ballari police repeatedly denied that Sharath was not in the car, a picture of an injured Sharath, sitting in a dark grey pickup vehicle has raised questions on whether the police were helping cover up his alleged involvement in the accident.  In addition to the picture, the pathologist at the Ballari Government General Hospital, Dr Mahantesh has stated that he was asked to perform the autopsy on Sachin, one of the passengers of the car who had been killed in the accident, and informed that the deceased was someone close to R Ashoka. In the picture that has now gone viral, an injured Sharath’s right hand is placed on the side of the grey pickup. His wrist is injured with blood covering his palms. However, TNM was not able to confirm whether the picture was taken on February 10, the day the accident occurred. On February 10, a red Mercedes Benz car that was travelling on the national highway at around 2.45 pm on Monday rammed into a tea stall in Karnataka’s Ballari district. The car dragged along with it an 18-year-old man named Ravi Nayaka, who was drinking tea at the stall in Mariyammanahalli village when the accident happened. Ravi was killed instantly while Sachin, a passenger sitting in the front seat of the car later succumbed to his injuries.  “The PSI (referring to the sub inspector of Mariyammanahalli Police Station) asked me to perform the autopsy as soon as possible.  He said that Sachin, the person who was brought dead, was associated with minister R Ashoka. He did not say if Sachin was a relative but he said that the case is on priority. We don’t generally perform autopsies at 1.30 am but on humanitarian grounds I did it,” Dr Mahantesh said.  Did the Ballari Police deliberately omit Revenue Minister R Ashoka's son's name from the FIR in the accident case? The doctor from the govt hospital says that he was made to perform the autopsy early in the morning after cops told him that Sachin was associated with the minister. pic.twitter.com/ewxuQ4TwHG — Theja Ram (@thejaram92) February 13, 2020 When TNM contacted Ballari SP CK Babu and asked him about the picture and the doctor’s testimony, he only said that the matter is under investigation.  Although road accidents on national highways are not uncommon instances, this case in particular has gathered attention as there are several allegations of the police omitting the name of one person in the FIR -- that of Sharath, son of Karnataka Revenue Minister and BJP MLA from Padmanabhanagar -- R Ashoka.  According to the FIR, Rahul, a 29-year-old resident of Bengaluru’s Jalahalli was behind the wheel. The impact of the accident has grievously injured fellow passengers Shivakumar, Rakesh and Varun- all of whom have been named in the FIR. Eyewitness accounts to the media, however, have alleged that Sharath was in the car when the accident occurred. The car is registered to National Public School in Bengaluru according to vehicle registration records.  “The car tried to maneuver around a lorry that was parked on the side of the road but the driver lost control and rammed into Ravi. It dragged him for some distance and also toppled a board. An ambulance came later and took Ravi’s body. The car passenger’s (Sachin) body was taken by a new SUV that came to the scene later,” an eyewitness told Public TV.  However, the Ballari Police on Thursday said that Sharath was not in the car and only four people were in it including Shivakumar, Rakesh and Varun, who were in the car with Sachin.  Minister R Ashoka was unavailable for comment at the time of writing the article.  Read: Karnataka minister R Ashoka’s son was allegedly in car that mowed down a man  

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2Ho5wbW
via IFTTT

'Every Indian should know Hindi': Commentators’ remarks in Ranji match trigger row

Controversy

The comments were made during a Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Baroda in Bengaluru.

TNM Staff

Photo by Likhith NP/ Wikimedia Commons/ CC 3.0

An exchange between two commentators turned into a controversy during the Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Baroda at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday. Broadcasters Rajinder Amarnath and Sushil Doshi were commentating for Hotstar when they stated that everyone in India should know Hindi, reported Sportstar. The duo were discussing Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar's work as a Hindi commentator when Rajinder, who is a former Harayana cricketer and the brother of former Indian all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath, said, "In India, every Indian should know Hindi. It's our mother tongue; for us, there is no greater language than this." Sushil Doshi, who is a veteran commentator, went on to say that a player shouldn't be proud of speaking in Hindi since "you live in India, you will obviously speak the language of India". The comments, however, outraged social media users, who were quick to call it ‘Hindi imposition’. Sitting in Bengaluru and commentating on a match between Karnataka and Gujarat, who swear by Kannada and Gujarati respectively, these commentators try to impose Hindi. https://t.co/8Ggcw6fvJP — Madhu Jawali (@MadhuJawali) February 13, 2020 Did this lunatic commentator just say “Every Indian should know Hindi” ? What on earth do you think you’re ⁦@BCCI⁩ ? Stop imposing Hindi and disseminating wrong messages. Kindly atone. Every Indian need not know Hindi #StopHindiImposition #RanjiTrophy #KARvBRD pic.twitter.com/thS57yyWJx — Ramachandra.M/ ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ.ಎಮ್ (@nanuramu) February 13, 2020 Hindi is our rashtrabasha and Humara mathrubhasha??!! Really .. using sport as a tool to impose language.. what’s happening @BCCI ? #RanjiTrophy https://t.co/gAJ2jpkgMK — Manuja (@manujaveerappa) February 13, 2020 Rajinder later apologised on air stating that he deeply regretted the statement and that he did not intend to impose a language. "The intention was never to enforce a language. All the languages of the country are a part of the country. Everybody loves to speak his language. My intention was not to hurt anyone," he said as per Sportstar.  The comments were made during the second day of play and in the seventh over of Baroda's second innings. It comes just days after a light-hearted incident in India's tour of New Zealand in which KL Rahul and Manish Pandey, batting at the crease, were heard talking in Kannada. Their conversation which had words like "Odi Odi Ba" (come running), "Bartheera" (will you come), "Beda Beda" (no no) and "Ba ba" (come) must have pleased the cricket buffs in Karnataka as it was clearly audible on the stump mic. With IANS inputs

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/37nr4Qj
via IFTTT