Bengaluru wards to see delimitation soon, but there is growing opposition against it

Civic

The BBMP has dropped 29 wards to make way for an equal number of new wards to be carved out of existing big wards.

Soumya Chatterjee

The Urban Development Department in Karnataka released the draft plan of delimitation of wards under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on March 3. This was released amidst much controversy and opposition from the Congress.  In this process of redrawing borders of wards, the BBMP has dropped 29 wards to make way for an equal number of new wards to be carved out of existing big wards. These 29 wards, which are recommended to be dissolved, are mostly wards held by Congress corporators, including Jayanagar and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (both held by former Mayors).  The delimitation process involves redrawing the borders of the existing wards as part of an Assembly constituency, to ensure all wards have relatively the same population (around 45,000 per ward), as per the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act. This delimitation is being done as per 2011 Census data and a similar exercise was carried out in 2010.  You can access the interactive map here. (https://ift.tt/2vdLFtp) No scientific assessment: Congress The Congress has alleged that in the garb of a routine reorganisation, the ruling BJP has used its power to settle political scores with an eye on the impending BBMP elections, scheduled to be held later in the year. “There is no scientific assessment in the current draft. In many areas, especially in Hebbal and Mahadevpura, they have added more areas to already big wards,” said Sampath Raj, Congress corporator and a former mayor.   “We have already sent our objections. I have met the Deputy Commissioner, who has assured to look into the matter,” he added.  The other wards, which will be removed, per the draft plan, include Atturu, Byatarayanapura, Kuvempu Nagra, Gangenahalli, JC Nagar, HMT, SK Gardan, Jayamahal, Shivaji Nagar, Kadu Malleshwara, Mahalakshmipura, Prakash Nagar, Kamakshipalya, Agrahara Dasarahalli, Marenhalli, Mudapalya, Agaram, Sudhama Nagara, KR Market, Rayapuram, Adugodi, Ganesha Mandira, Pattabhirama Nagar, JP Nagar, Subash Nagar, Cottonpet and Konanakunte. The new wards that will be carved out are Bettahalli, Kogilu, Gundanjaneya, Amruthahalli, Ramachandrapura, RT Nagar, Bahubali Nagar, Kengunta, Mallathahalli, Maruthi Nagar, Amarajyothi Nagar, Kalyana Nagar, Dharmagiri Sri Manjunatha Swamy Temple, Sheshadripuram,Subrahmanyapuram, Chunchaghatta, Kalena Agrahara, Naganathapura, Byadarahalli, Nagadevanahalli, Chikkasandra, Sunkadakatte. Hennur, Doddakannalli, Whitefield, Singasandra, Devarachikkanahalli, Challakere and Kalkere. A general trend that has been observed is that the wards in old Bengaluru areas, especially Central Bengaluru have been merged. and there are new wards peripheral areas that have seen spurts in population growth. As a result, assembly constituencies like KR Puram, Mahadevpura, Byataranapura, Yeshwantpura, RR Nagar and Dasarahalli, Sarvajna Nagar that has seen exponential growth in population will have more wards. ‘Need a structured plan’ Apart from the Congress, many citizens’ collectives too have opposed the draft plan.  Taking the example of Mahadevapura zone, Whitefield Rising (a citizens’ group), said that, in order to achieve the target population of 42,000 per ward, the BBMP zone will require 17 wards, considering the number of voter registrations in the constituency and considering that only 70% of the population in the zone are voters.  The total population in the zone is assumed to be 7.5 lakh. Going by the draft plan, which proposes 10 wards for the Mahadevapura, each ward will have a population of 75,000, the collective pointed out.  Besides, it is not possible to add more wards as the number of wards in a civic body cannot exceed 200, according to KMC Act. Currently, the BBMP has 198 wards.  The Whitefield Rising has therefore demanded a separate civic body for Mahadevapura, citing the BS Patil Committee recommendations, which suggested that Bengaluru can be divided into five smaller civic bodies and 400 wards in total. Speaking to TNM, Sandeep Anirundhan of Citizens Agenda for Bengaluru, said, “Why can’t the old village boundaries be converted to ward boundaries, or at best, a cluster of villages. Boundaries are haphazard, as it cuts old villages into different parts, which, in turn, creates further problems.” According to Sandeep, the draft plan by the state government’s Urban Development Department is illegal as it is in contravention of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which is based on the principle of self-governance, without any intervention from the Chief Minister or Legislative Assembly members.  He also suggested that the authorities provide a system of superimposed digital maps of new draft ward boundaries to make it easier to understand the geography of each ward. Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP), a new political outfit focused exclusively on Bengaluru, too, called for a more structured, area-wise division. Sowmya Raghavan, another BNP leader, pointed out that there is no clarity as to how the population and voters of each ward have been determined. “If the estimate of the population has been done based on the 2011 Census, then the parameter applied to account for the increase (in population) since 2011, needs explanation. For example, wards on the outskirts have recorded more growth than those in the interiors. It is also unclear whether the estimate of the population is based on the number of property-tax payers or water or power connections.”  According to Srikanth Narasimhan, General Secretary, BNP, the total area of Bengaluru within BBMP limits is about 710 sq. km, the total road length is roughly 13,483 km and the population around 1.25 crore. “It is advisable to set boundary conditions for each ward, for example, the area should not exceed 6 square kilometres with a road length of around 100 km and a population of not more than 75,000 people. This should be the basis on which the wards should be mapped and redrawn,” he suggests. At present, residents can suggest changes to the draft along with detailed reasons for the same via email (dcurban@nic.in) or letters to the Deputy Commissioner’s office till March 16. 

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Mending fences with Siddaramaiah, seniors in party is DK Shivakumar’s big challenge

Politics

Newly appointed KPCC President DK Shivakumar has his task cut out for him to reconstruct the Congress from the grassroots level.

Naheed Ataulla

Twitter: Siddaramaiah

Perhaps it required a political shove for the Congress high command after its government in Madhya Pradesh plunged into crisis to take a final call on the long pending issue of reconstituting the Karnataka Congress unit and appointing its ‘go-to-man’, former Minister DK Shivakumar, as the President. Even as the Congress high command rewarded Shivakumar for sticking out his neck out during the party’s troubled times, be it at the national or state level, it has been prudent enough to take care of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s interests too. He will continue as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) chief and opposition leader in the legislative assembly, a demand which he had reportedly placed before the high command, which had been toying with the idea of splitting the two posts. Though Siddaramaiah could not stop Shivakumar from bagging the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President post, his suggestion to appoint working presidents was approved by the party. The Howdu Huliya (Yes bravo) name given to Siddaramaiah by a worker in north Karnataka has come to stick to him, but he is reportedly not happy with the developments though his confidante, former Minister Satish L Jarkiholi, has been made one of the working presidents along with former MLC and party’s hands-on man, Saleem Ahmed, while Eshwar Khandre has been retained in the same post making it a trio combination. According to Congress sources, Siddaramaiah is reportedly miffed at Shivakumar’s elevation as he had lobbied for former minister MB Patil, a Lingayat, which was also one of the reasons for the Congress leadership’s delay in deciding the new KPCC President. Siddaramaiah tweeted: “I am confident he (Shivakumar) will further strengthen the party and also the party workers will strengthen him.” With an eye to rebuild the Congress in Karnataka, the sole state in the south that has stood by the party at all times, the party’s bosses in New Delhi seemed to have made a last ditch effort to regain power here. Assembly elections in Karnataka are due in 2023. Emphasis has been on the caste in making the choices with Shivakumar being a Vokkaliga, Khandre a Lingayat, Siddaramaiah a Kuruba but identified as Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) leader, Jarkiholi a scheduled tribe and Ahmed a Muslim. The party has also ensured that contemporaries have been made the incumbents as all are 58 years old, while Ahmed is 53 years old and Siddaramaiah is 71. A glaring omission, however, is representation for the Scheduled Castes, which have stood by the Congress, notwithstanding their gradual leaning towards the BJP since 2008. Former Deputy CM G Parameshwara, a Dalit, was an aspirant for the CLP’s leader’s post. Challenges before DKS The Congress high command’s gamble on Shivakumar also takes into account factors other than his organisational skills. It is after 21 years the KPCC will have a Vokkaliga heading it with former Union Minister SM Krishna, now in BJP, being the last. “Shivakumar’s responsibility will be to get the Vokkaliga votes which the Congress party could not get despite Krishna being at the helm, as the community stood steadfast with JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda,” a senior Congress legislator said. The Vokkaliga belt in Karnataka comprises Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru rural, Tumakuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru. According to a rough estimate, Lingayats account for 17% to 22% of the 6.5 crore of Karnataka’s population and Vokkaligas between 12% to 15%. The JD(S) seats tally has been from these districts in past elections, though the party is on a decline now. The 2018 Assembly, 2019 Lok Sabha and the 15 Assembly bye-polls have shown the BJP encroaching into the JD(S) domain, which otherwise should have gone to the Congress. Karnataka will face urban bodies and panchayat polls this year, with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections being the big challenge. Shivakumar’s political prowess will be put to the test here. During the 2018 Assembly and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, money was a major constraint for the party, which he has to magnanimously address. While stitching together a faction-ridden Congress, Shivakumar has to build bridges, the biggest one being with Siddaramaiah. “Both have one common responsibility – to take on the BJP – which can be achieved if they work in tandem,” sources said. Homas, temple runs, buying peace with foes within the party and a tacit lobbying finally fetched Shivakumar the coveted post. “With the long wait over, the Shivakumar-Siddaramaiah team is a solid step towards reorganising the party at the grassroots level,” Congress MLC Prakash K Rathod said. How did DKS come into the national spotlight? Shivakumar came to be recognised at the national level when he played host to Congress MLAs from Maharashtra in 2002 and Gujarat legislators in 2017 against poaching by the BJP. A go-getter, who has steadily built equations with businessmen and politicians across parties at the national level, back home his foes are more within the party. According to Congress sources, his aggressive nature, riding roughshod over others are said to be his drawbacks. Over the years, party insiders claim Shivakumar has mellowed down as he realised that mending fences might make the path less difficult for him to achieve his political ambitions, which includes the Chief Minister post. 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.

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Bengaluru police asks Manyata Embassy park for details of employees from J&K

Controversy

Activists and lawyers criticised the notice, saying it was both morally wrong and illegal to collect details of employees from a specific region.

TNM Staff

Police officials in Bengaluru have issued a notice to companies in a business park in Bengaluru asking for details of people from Jammu and Kashmir.  "With the above subject I would like to bring to your kind notice to maintaining the Law & Order purpose please give the details of Employees working in various companies in Manyata Embassy Park Nagawara Ring Road Bangalore 45, belongs to Jammu & Kashmir (sic)," reads the notice issued by the police inspector at Sampigehalli police station to the management of Manyata Embassy Park in Nagawara.  The notice was issued on March 5 and it comes seven months after Article 370 that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir was abrogated by the Union government, Times of India  reported.    Police stated that they asked companies housed in the business park to provide details of people from Jammu and Kashmir citing law and order as the reason. The notice asks for details including names of employees from Jammu and Kashmir, their phone numbers, current address in Bengaluru, their native address, and the details of the dates he/she is working with the respective company.   Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, however, stated that the police department had not issued directions to collect details of employees from Jammu and Kashmir, speaking to Times of India.    However, the notice was criticised by activists and lawyers in the city. "It is not only morally wrong but technically illegal to issue a notice to collect details of employees who come from a particular region. There is no provision under the law to collect details like this," advocate and civil rights activist Clifton Rozario told TNM.  "If the police commissioner is denying he issued directions for this, he should take action against the police station and official who issued the notice," Clifton added.   An employee working in the business park said that the police notice was wrong. "I feel it is wrong but I have not seen this happen yet. For the last few days, employees are not going to the tech park because of the coronavirus spread," an employee said. 

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Karnataka forest dept staffer seen shooting at elephant in video sacked

Wildlife

A video of the visibly agitated elephant being shot at in the head by men wearing forest department fatigues had gone viral on social media.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

Screenshot

“Hodi, hodi, hodi (shoot, shoot, shoot)” — a viral video that showed an elephant being shot at in Karnataka’s Bandipur forest reserve created a big uproar among wildlife activists and enthusiasts on Wednesday. The incident took place in Hediyalla range, Bandipur tiger reserve and the forest department has told ANI that the video was shot on Saturday, March 7. The video shows a visibly agitated elephant running towards a jeep, where men wearing forest department fatigues are seen in the car’s rearview mirror, laughing and firing a shot at the elephant. As the elephant nears the jeep, a person is heard shouting, “Hodi maga, hodi maga (hit son, hit).” A shot is fired at the elephant’s head, making it falter for a second and turn away. The elephant trumpets in panic and falls over on the bumpy ground, and the men are heard laughing as the jeep reverses away from the elephant. Officials say that the shots were fired to keep the animal within the fenced enclosure, and the gun was not making steady shots as they were going on bumpy terrain. Luckily, the shot missed the tusker and the elephant did not suffer any injuries. After the video went viral, Bandipur field director, T Balchandra, told ANI that a temporary staff member who fired at the elephant, identified as Rahim, has been suspended. Umesh, a permanent employee of the Karnataka Forest Department, who reportedly took the video, is also facing an investigation. "This was a rapid response team and they were trying to chase the animal back into the forest. They saw that the elephant was trying to escape and so the men said that they were trying to fire in the air but missed and shot closer to the elephant," Punati Sridhar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, told TNM. Sources told TNM that Rahim has been suspended since the shot should have been fired in the air and not so close to the elephant. Umesh is facing action for just shooting a video and not doing his duty on the ground. Wildlife activists have slammed the forest department and have expressed shock over the incident.  “How can these people shoot at the very animals they are supposed to protect? And they are laughing at the animal and mocking when it was squealing in distress. We are shocked and disgusted! We will make sure that the Forest department takes action. This is the second incident within a week, where people from the forest department are tormenting elephants,” wildlife and environmental activist Vijay Nishanth said. Environment activist Joseph Hoover told TNM, “The incident could have been avoided. In the melee, the disturbed tusker could have suffered a bullet injury or broken its leg while almost tripping near the mound. There are lessons to be learnt from this incident.” The forest department has defended the action and added that the state has 15 such teams around Karnataka to do this work. "We also have teams at Sakleshpur, and Nagarhole to manage the elephants so that they don't come out of the forest. This is routine work. Usually, staffers use air guns or crackers to frighten them and send them back. On social media, people are sharing this video and saying that staffers are entertaining themselves by shooting at the elephant. But they usually shout to send it back, this is their duty. I don't see it as out of the blue. Perhaps those sharing such false information on social media should come and spend a day with the reserve officials," Punati Sridhar said. Also read: Remembering S Manikandan, Karnataka IFS officer who lived for and died in the forest

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For 296 days, this group has been protesting to save a 150-yr-old Church in B’luru

Protest

However, members of the Church say they are disappointed with the lack of response from the metro and the state.

Alithea Stephanie Mounika

File photo of protests in front of the church.

Every day for the past 296 days, a small but dedicated group of ten have gathered at the All Saint’s Church in Bengaluru. On Sundays, they’re joined by a larger group of church members. The reason? A protest against the takeover of the church property for the construction of a metro line in the area. Bengaluru’s Namma Metro wants to build the Vellara junction metro station on church property. The Vellara junction stop will connect Nagawara to Gottigere through Shivajinagar and MG road. While the Detailed Project Report for Phase 2 of the erstwhile Bangalore Metro, was brought out in June 2011, does not touch the church or its property at all, the metro decided to change the alignment in during land acquisition, which sparked off the protests in June last year. In fact, a part of the church property has already been handed over to the metro and the work has started.  There is however, a pending litigation on who the land belongs to and who has the rights to hand over any portion to the Metro.  Though the church building itself will not get affected, members of the church say that the underground digging will affect the building, and affect religious activities being conducted in the church. Ebenezer Premkumar, one of the members, says, “The BMRCL says that the building will not be affected, but the church activities will get affected. The congregation is 600 families strong, which we estimate is about 1000 members. When church service is ongoing, the congregation spills out onto the lawn. How will we worship if the metro starts digging in our backyard?” he asks. READ: Activists protest plans to axe 180 trees in Bengaluru’s All Saints Church for metro “The church has a 150 year old history, and has been around since the British era. There is no other church in the city with this unique architecture. Why should the Metro come and interfere in the place where we are worshipping?” asks Ronald Fernandez, one of the members of the church. Ebenezer Premkumar, the leader of the church community who organised against the Metro taking over their land, says that they have recently been facing threats from the police against holding protests. “The first time we held a peaceful protest march, we took the police permission and did it. The police were with us and they accompanied us throughout. However, when we approached them to hold another similar rally on December 12, the police declined it.” Ebenezer also says that the police have also visited the church in their van, and questioned them, saying that they heard about some trouble brewing on the premises, when in fact the protests had been peaceful. Ebenezer adds, “When we went to the police station for permission, the same police who had accompanied us on the protest rally (June 23, 2019) told us that our protests are disrupting traffic. They even told us not to continue the protest inside the church. When we said we have every right to protest, they told us in a threatening manner, ‘We will see how you will continue the protest’.” Ebenezer says that the Managing Director (MD) of BMRCL, Ajay Seth, had asked them to call off the dharna, but they refused to. Ajay Seth had planned a visit with the congregation, but cancelled at the last minute, Ebenezer says. After that, the MD has been hard to reach, and has been dragging his feet on resolving the issue. READ: Fresh protests against proposed metro construction at Bengaluru’s All Saints Church Leo Saldanha, Environment Support Group, highly condemns the response of the Metro and the establishment. He says, “The State is demonstrably unconcerned that a 150 years old living heritage Church is at stake. The Metro, in fact, has no business coming into the Church campus, as the DPR (Detailed Project Report), based on which it has secured loans from European Investment Bank (EIB), requires it to protect the church and its campus comprehensively. After nearly 300 days of protest by the church congregation, a time has come to ask, is it because it is a Church property, that the State and Metro are unconcerned?" As of March 12, the struggle against the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) from taking over their church lands comes up to 296 days. However, with a few days away from the 300 day mark, the members of All Saints Church say that they don’t plan to hold a commemorative event. Ebenezer says, “There was no inconvenience to anyone: no stone pelting, no shouting, no traffic disruption. But the police are objecting to a public protest citing disruption. However, we don’t plan to press the issue, as there is a lot of unrest, the police are wary of protests (referring to the anti-CAA protests). We will continue the protest inside the church, and follow up the matter with the higher authorities.” Ebenezer concludes.

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'It’s going to get worse': Health officials warn of coronavirus escalation

One administration official said the recommendations will instruct residents of communities in several states to work from home.

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Bengaluru medical stores raided for selling face masks at higher rates

Coronavirus

One shop was selling N 95 masks for Rs 595 per piece.

Theja Ram

Representative image

Officials with the Karnataka Drugs Controller, Health and family Welfare and Food and Civil Supplies conducted raids on several medical shops in Bengaluru and found that they were allegedly charging exorbitant rates for face masks.  Health Department officials said that raids were conducted at five different medical stores in the city based  on complaints lodged by residents with the 104 helpline. The officials conducted surprise checks by initially posing as residents wanting to purchase face masks. When the shop managers revealed the price for the masks, a team of officials entered the stores and seized several items as evidence.  The raids were conducted in Maruti Medicals in Vijaynagar, Jayan Healthcare Pharma in Kasturi Nagar, Apollo Pharmacy, Sanjeevani Trinetra Medical Store and Ram Medical General Stores in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.  According to health department officials, Maruti Medicals was selling N95 masks for Rs 230 when the MRP is Rs 140. The department officials said that the medical shop owners had placed false stickers of hiked prices on the masks.  Officials also found that Jayan Healthcare Pharma in Kasturi Nagar was allegedly selling masks for Rs 20 when it is priced at Rs 12 and the N-95 masks were being sold at Rs 595. “We posed as customers initially and asked them what the price is. When they told us the prices, we entered the store and began the raids,” the health department officials said.  In Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the officials who raided the medical stores said that Apollo Pharmacy was selling 3M masks for Rs 275; Sanjeevani Trinetra Medical Store was allegedly selling N95 masks for Rs 300 and 3Ply masks for Rs 30; and Ram Medical and General Stores was allegedly selling masks worth Rs 20 for Rs 75 and N95 masks for Rs 350. “We have collected purchase and sale invoices and bills as evidence that the medical shops were selling the masks for higher rates. Notices have been issued to all five pharmacies demanding an explanation for the hike in prices and for violating the norms of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940,” the health department said in a press release. Officials also said that further action will be taken based on the responses. They also urged people to lodge complaints with the 104 helpline in case they were charged more money for face masks. 

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