citizen matters 28july2012 koramangala edition

LocaL news Like no one eLse does

who will get bbmp’s new flats?Page 11

Vol-4 Issue-13 28 July - 10 Aug 2012FREE FoRtnightly¹neóÉ£ï ªÉÄålgïìðbengaluru

Koramangala - HSR Layout

www.citizenmatters.inTo enquire for ads, give us a missed call: 080-300 88 614

CitizenMatters

ejipura battle

Living in BengaLuru

A guidebook from Citizen Matters!

Book Launch (see p15)

Fri 6pm, 3rd Aug 2012

6 Citizens’ victory: HC stays Agara-Sirsi flyovers

7 Meet Latha Heble8 A slice of coastal cuisine9 Looking for a one-of-a-kind outfit?18 Oh no! There’s a veggie on my plate!

Citizen Matters Vol-4 Issue-13, 28 July - 10 Aug 2012 KARENG/2009/28904. Published & Printed by Meera K for Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd. Printed at Lavanya Mudrana, 19, 15th cross, Vidyapeeta Circle, BSK I Stage, Bangalore 560060 Place of Publication Oorvani Media, #98/1, MMR Plaza 1st Floor, Sarjapur Main Road, Jakkasandra, Koramangala 1st Block, Bangalore 560034. editor Subramaniam Vincent.

Twenty-three-year-old software engineer Mohammed Ibrahim blames fast food, his life away from his home and long working hours for the 98.5 kilos that he weighed eight months ago. “I reached a point where my weight became an embarrassment. I went shopping on the New Year’s Eve, but I couldn’t find anything that fit me well. The panic button went off and I realized that losing weight is not an option, but a necessity.”

That was when Mohammed decided to get an expert consultation and assessment about his health through Talwalkars Reduce, the easy and healthy weight-loss solution. “Initially, I was very apprehensive about following the six-meal pattern of Reduce, but as the programme started, all my fears were put to rest. The counselors didn’t ask me to change my food habits. In fact, I was eating more than ever yet kept losing weight,” he says.

Weekly interactions with Reduce experts helped Mohammed understand the kind of foods he should consume and how eating the essential food at the right time and the right quantity can help one reduce weight and stay healthy. “The Reduce weight-loss solution was convenient and easy to follow. The best part was the taste and availability in the various options, which helped prevent any boredom. In a month’s time, I could feel the changes in terms of inch loss. I’ve lost 18.5 kilos in six months now,” says a proud Mohammed.

REDUCE is diet based weight loss program which fits into your daily routine comfortably, without any

Home-based options are available in Koramangala! SMS REDUCE to 53636, call 9686761111 or

register on www.talwalkars.net/reduce

Reduce weight at home!Ad

vert

iser

FeA

ture

Home-based options for Talwalkars REDUCE are available in Koramangala. Talwalkars REDUCE is also available across Bangalore with Reduce Points at Basaveshwara Nagar, Jayanagar, JP Nagar, Sadashivnagar and Ulsoor branches.

Ibrahim interacting with Reduce expert.

The pRocessThe need for weight loss is analysed – how many kilos to dropIndividual lifestyle is taken cognizance ofFactors contributing to weight gain are understoodAny hurdles and difficulties during the day are noted – skipping meals, long gaps between meals, eating out, socializing, etc.A meal plan is prepared which fits perfectly in the member’s routine lifestyle without any hassle - no starving, food restrictions, hunger pangs or special cooking3 REDUCE products are provided daily to support and facilitate the entire processTele-counsellingWeight check twice a week

special workout schedules. It helps in

effectively losing weight and in effective weight management.

REDUCE can be performed anytime, anywhere - home or office.

The low calorie, high fibre foods and nutritionally balanced natural food products which are tasty and convenient; without any hassles of cooking ensures that there is no unwanted starvation, restriction or untimely cravings. This leads to pure loss of fat and not water or muscle mass. At the same time, REDUCE does not require daily visits to the health center. It cuts out travel time and does not interfere with your busy schedules.

Injuries to the eye can be caused by a variety of ways:

Mechanical Injury Chemical Injury Concussion or Contusion Injury Thermal Injury Radiation Injury

Mechanical injuRyIt can be caused by a wide variety of ways which can range from a small corneal foreign body (can be particles of dust, emery, steel or iron particle, insect wing, etc.,) to a bad injury while working such as globe (eye ball) rupture with retained intra ocular foreign body.

Closed globe injuries can follow blunt trauma such as while playing sports (like basket ball, racket sports, baseball, cricket ball), injury by door handle,

fall on an edge, blow to eye by fist, domestic violence, etc., Blunt trauma or concussion injury can affect any part of the eye. E.g.: Corneal abrasion, Lid Hematoma, blood in anterior chamber, cataract, retinal injury, fracture of orbital wall, and in the worst case, optic nerve avulsion leading to blindness.Open globe injuries can be secondary to blunt trauma i.e., with rupture of globe where inside to outside break in coats of eye ball.Open globe injuries can also be caused

by sharp object or flying objects, when industrial workers use grinding tools, lathe work, or hammer on a chisel, etc.,These objects with a propelling force can be lodge inside the eye causing loss of eyesight too.

633, 100 feet Ring Road JP Nagar 3rd Phase, Bengaluru - 560078Tel: 08026593210 fax: [email protected]:9980562020 [email protected]

dr. rAMA devi K. s. senior Consultant shekar Nethralaya

Adve

rtis

er F

eAtu

re

EYE INJURIES – AN OVERVIEW

preventive measures to avoid an eye injury No eye injury is simple. It has to be considered dangerous and immediately attended to. Industrial workers should be instructed to wear protective goggles compulsorily. Educating workers is very important on eye care. Goggles made of poly-carbonate should be worn by people who get engaged in sports. For high speed sports such as skiing use ultra-violet absorbing goggles. Helmets and eye shades are recommended for football and other contact sports. People with contact lenses also require an additional protection.

As soon as injury is noticed, place a small bandage immediately and seek an eye doctor’s opinion. In case of blow to the eye, do not assume injury is minor - it needs thorough evaluation by ophthalmologist. In case of chemical injury, it should be treated as ocular emergency. Protective glasses should be worn especially by children while bursting crackers. Parents and teachers should be educated not to allow children to play or fight with toys with sharp edges, or with sharp pencil or pen tips.

Wounded eye Plaster patch on a wound eye

BiRMunghaM eye TRauMa TeRMinology sysTeM

oculaR TRauMa classificaTion gRoup

classifies TRauMa inTo

injuRy

Closed globe

injuries

Open globe

injuries

Lamellar Laceration

Contusion

Penetrating InjuryPerforating Injury

Intraocular FB

Laceration

Rupture

People have, at some point or the other in their lives, have experienced a toothache- be it mild or severe. When a toothache hits, it can be fairly debilitating and can be a mini emergency in itself, driving you to a phone book, looking for a dentist who can see you immediately to help relive you of your misery.While you may be able to get an appointment with a dentist, depending on the time of the day, it would be great to be equipped with some basic home care techniques which will empower you to bear the pain till you get to the dentist.Here are a few such tips on how to handle an unexpected toothache.apply oil of cloves: You can pick this up at the pharmacy. Follow the directions for use carefully (because ingesting too much can lead to poisoning), and be sure to put it only on the tooth and NOT on the gum. Otherwise,your gums and tissues will start burningThis may distract you from your toothache. And remember, oil of cloves won’t cure the toothache; it just temporarily numbs the nerve.cool The swelling: Put a cold compress on the outside of your cheek if you’ve got swelling from the toothache.chill The pain: Holding an ice cube or cold water in the mouth may relieve the pain. But if you find that it simply aggravates your sensitive tooth, skip it.

Keep youR head up: Elevating your head can decrease the pressure in the area and may lessen throbbing pain.

Rinse: You can’t really rinse away the pain (although it’s a pleasant thought), but you can rinse with warm water to remove any food debris that may be causing or aggravating the pain. A piece of food that gets stuck in the gum can hurt as much as damaged tooth

pulp. Stir one teaspoon salt in a glass of warm water, swish it around in your

mouth, then spit it out. Adding a pinch of salt would help alleviate the pain and act as

an anti-bacterialfloss: No, it’s not a cure, but flossing is another way to remove any food debris that could be trapped. The rubber tip on your toothbrush or a toothpick (if used with caution) can help dislodge stuck food, too.Be careful with the hot, the cold, and the sweet. These foods and beverages may aggravate an already sore and sensitive situation. Avoid these till you meet your dentist to locate the source of the problem.plug iT wiTh gauze oR guM: If the tooth feels sensitive to air, cover it with a piece of gauze, a small piece of dental wax (available at many pharmacies), or a bit of

chewed sugarless chewing gum (use the teeth on the opposite side of the mouth to chew the gum) until you can get to the dentist.

Adve

rtis

er F

eAtu

re

PERFECT 32Keep the sparkle

in your smileThe Dental Care and

Implant Centre Dr.Sandhya RamanujamD.D.S (USA), B.D.S

India),C.B.M.(USA), P.G.D.M.L.E (India), Fellowship in Implantology (USA)

Sandhya RamanujamClinical Director and Owner - Perfect 32,Consultant at Fortis HospitalsConsultant-Dental Legal Advisor & AuditorClinical Director of International Certification Training programs in Dental Implants, Dental Law and Rehabilitative & Aesthetic Dentistry

Comprehensive dental care solutions Perfect 32“Green Arch” 45/A, 1st Floor, 1st Main (Next to Parkview Hotel),J.P Nagar 3rd Phase, Bangalore. Ph: 40989896, 40981767, 9880027728.www.perfect32.in email: [email protected]

natural Toothache Remedies

Remember, that if you have a toothache, there is a problem that should be attended to… when you are relieved of the pain, do not defer your trip to the dentist... go and take care of the issue, so that you do not have to deal with another such emergency!!

6 CITIZEN MATTERS 28 July - 10 Aug 2012 Vol-4 Issue-13 Want to book an ad or classified? Give us a missed call at 080-300 88 614

KorAmAngAlA & HSr lAYout

The High Court on July 25, 2012, disposed off the PIL by ordering

a final stay on the Sirsi-Agara flyover construction work till the time the CM appointed committee submits their report. Chief Justice Aravind Kumar ordered the stay.

The BDA counsel submitted that the Chief Minister has already formed a committee to study this project and take into account the citizens’ grievances. According to the HC order, the government will also have to issue an advertisement in papers inviting the public to attend the hearing and voice their opinion. Petitioners’ representative will also be called to present their case before the committee.

The committee’s first meeting is to be held on August 13th, 2012. They will be submitting their findings on

September 15th, and the High Court will take a final decision on the work on October 5th, 2012.

The HC also asked the petitioners to withdraw the contempt case filed against BDA and its erstwhile commissioner in the interests of

amicable discussions.

The residents who filed the case are happy with the ruling. Muralidhar Rao, RWA member, Koramangala, says, “We do not know who is in the committee, but they will surely have to hear us out this time.”

Rajeev Chandrashekar, Rajyasabha MP and Koramangala resident, says “This is a big victory for citizens participation in the decision making process and must serve as a precedent for all future projects being taken up in the city. It is important that the government must choose, on its own, to involve and engage residents before taking up any project..” The MP’s Namma Bengaluru Foundation funded the PIL against the project.

ANishA [email protected]

The underpass under construction at Kadubeesanahalli junction

on the Outer Ring Road now has a proper drainage system to prevent flooding, says the BDA.

Earlier in May 2012, the Outer Ring Road between Marathahalli and Kadubeesanahalli gridlocked following a heavy downpour and the flooding of the underpass, one section (south going) of which was completed. The BDA Chief Engineer TN Chikkarayappa says, “We will collect fines from the contractors for all the violations once the work is completed.”

The Rs 39.8 crores project contracted to Simplex Infrastructure Ltd., has been delayed. The deadline for completion of the underpass

work was July this year. It has been extended to August now. The work will be completed by end of August and traffic will be allowed from the first week of September, says the BDA.

However, the process of restoring the service roads will take another two to three months. Chikkrayappa says, “These things depend on the company. We cannot give exact date on which the work will be completed.”

Though the BDA claims drainage work is completed and will prevent flooding, the next major downpour will be the real test.

ANishA NAir

Citizens victory: high Court stays agara-sirsi flyovers

Kadubeesanahalli underpass flooding problem fixed: BDA

Trees cut down. Pic: Anisha

Work in progress at the Kadubeesanahalli underpass. Pic: Anisha Nair

Vol-4 Issue-13 28 July - 10 Aug 2012 CITIZEN MATTERS 7Got feedback on our articles? Give us a missed call at 080-300 88 615

A curator is usually a caretaker of cultural heritage like museum and art galleries but Latha Heble, curates

a park. She looks after the Koramangala 3rd block park. People call her the curator of the park. Originally from Mangalore, Latha has lived mostly in Bangalore. After her husband Suresh Heble retired as Air Vice-Marshal from Air Force, they settled in Koramangala 3rd Block.A graduate from JJ school of arts, Latha paints her walls with murals in her free time.

How did you end up being a curator of the park?My husband was involved in getting the land (park) back

to the community. The land was in the name of three parties, who didn’t exist. He fought for 11 years. BBMP

then built a park there. Also, I have penchant for gardening. When we lived in Agra, I won prizes for best garden for three years

in a row. For the past two years I am taking care of this park.

What kind of investment does it take, both in terms of money and time, to maintain a park like this?Right now, (maintenance) funds come from Grand Mercure, the hotel nearby, which has adopted the park. We need a lot of money for maintenance - for buying pesticides, manure. We also have to pay for labour.

What more do you think is needed in the park?We need children’s play equipments, we have been asking BBMP for a long time.

How do you think residents can take ownership of the public spaces such as parks?You cannot do single handedly, like-minded people should form a group and then can easily take care of any park.

AbhisheK ANgAd

locAl mAtterS

nimma neighbour

the lady of the park

new office bearers for HSr 2nd sector rWAHSR layout, Sector 2 Resident

Welfare Association (RWA) elected new office bearers for the year 2012-2013 during its Annual General Meet on Sunday, 22nd July.

The AGM was held at Cambridge School premises. Around 80 people participated. Brig. RS Murthy took over from S Hiremath as the President of RWA. Sanjiv Balagopal was appointed Vice President and H E Chandrashekar as General Secretary .

Brig Murthy said, “I am thankful to the residents for showing confidence in me. There are several pending issues in our area, our new team will continue pressuring the civic officials to complete the work.”

The members demanded a proactive stance from the civic agencies. They asked the elected representatives

to intervene and ensure fast track completion of works and provide better infrastructure facilities in the layout. Asphalting of the 27th Main road upto Somasundarpalya,

removing encroachments, shifting of Parangipalya bus stand, garbage management were the topics of discussion during the meet.

NewsdesK

Lath

a H

eble

. Pic

: Abh

ishe

k A

ngad

Members (from left to right) Brig R S Murthy, Mahesh, A Channakeshava, S Hiremath. pic courtesy: Brig Murthy.


So this time, it’s Karnataka cuisine. While interviewing Sakuntala Narasimhan, a senior journalist, she said there

is dearth of restaurants that serve authentic Karnataka food in the city. So Citizen Matters did some digging.

Mavalli Tiffin Rooms, popularly known as MTR, is a vegetarian restaurant that started in Bangalore in 1924. It claims to have introduced the popular South-Indian breakfast item, Rava idli. The legend goes that during the world war II, there was grave rice shortage in India, MTR experimented with Semolina (Rava) instead of rice to prepare the idli batter. And it turned out to be a huge success!

MTR re-branded itself as MTR 1924 and opened a branch in JP Nagar two years ago. It has a modern ambience with ample sunlight on the fifth floor.

The menu has a variety of Karnataka snack options and all of it, are on the same lines as the ones served at the old

MTR. Dosa is served with a tiny bowl of ghee and chutney. Traditional breakfast like Mosaru vade and idlis are a delight as usual. And sweets like Badam Halwa and Chandrahara is sure to take you back to the place.

The lunch options are not much but good enough to grab a quick one. With the usual poori, rice served with sambhar, saagu and a sweet in the end. You can of course decide if you want to go for the full meals or mini, either way you will be a content soul.

All in all, this place sure lives up to the standards of our favourite old MTR! Average cost for two is `300. Alcohol is not served here.Mtr 1924: 44, Kutchi bhavan, Opposite Mini Forest, 1st Main, JP Nagar 3rd Phase. Ph: 26586633

ANishA NAir

Mavalli Tiffin Rooms has been synonymous with Karnataka

food for decades. Even their newer, fancier outlets

live up to the standards.

cHecK outS

mtr oota

MTR pics: Anisha Nair. Neer Dose: Wikimedia Commons.

‘Restaurant at the end of the ORR’, was how Kanua was described to

me. And unlike the Douglas Adams’ restaurant, food is the protagonist here.

The menu is inspired by coastal and Konkani cuisine.

Kanua is the name of a rice variety that is now extinct. The menu says that this is their attempt at rediscovering, recreating and reviving lost cultural history.

And this, they do. The menu starts off with Kokum juice. An item largely relegated to Malnad Melas and health drink category.

Kanua serves a very glamourised yam by deep frying yam chips and serving it with a tamarind dipping sauce (Soorna Kachri). Konkani household staple Biskoot Rotti is also served.

For seafood lovers, the most

recommended item is Kaane Tawa fry. There is also the Goan favourite, pomfret-based, Maanji Recheado. Their prawn biriyani is also very popular. Although they do not serve seafood during monsoon, since it is the breeding season for fish.

Kanua Ghee roast, made of chicken cooked in more than generous amounts of ghee, has to be the most recommended item on the menu. Not for cholesterol watchers.

Potato-based, fiery Batate Waagh, spinach and raw papaya-based Vaali Ambat are some options for vegetarians.

You can have these with neer dose, Mangalorean Rotti or what is popularly known as kori rotti, sannas or rotis.

For desserts, there is a traditional array. Pattoli, coconut and jaggery steamed in a turmeric leaf and Raagi Manni or Millet souffle if you will, are popular.

They do not serve liquor. But if you carry your own poison, they will serve it with corkage charges.

All this cultural history does not come cheap. It costs `1500 for two people.

No.6/2, Kasavanhalli, sarjapur Main road . tel: 65374471

PAdMAlAthA rAvi

a slice of coastal cuisine

Citizen Matters reviews the restaurants anonymously and pays for the meals.


The wedding and festival season is about to kick off. Be

it a wedding reception or Ganesh Chaturthi, people want to show off their personal styles. Uniqueness is the key here. Copycat designs aren’t popular. Enter, designer wear.

The unique and innovative designs, not available in the regular shops, are becoming a trend. And this is not limited to young people alone. People are ready to pay huge sums for unique outfits.

Debasmita Ghosh, a resident of Koramangala believes that the designer clothes are custom-made to fit. “There is a brand value attached to these clothes and they are definitively exclusive and one-of-a-kind,” she adds.

Bright colours like yellows, orange and hot pinks are the choice of the season. Then of course the classic festive colours, reds and greens. Dull pastel colours are out of fashion and women prefer brighter colours.

Bling and shimmer are also outdated. Even if people want

some bling, it is only in the form of subtle shimmery laces or aari work (freestyle embroidery) on their outfits. Jute and wool threadworks are also in vogue. Threadworks on dupattas are much in demand. It makes dupattas heavier and makes the outfit quite grand.

The Anarkali is back in fashion. But

now they come with jackets. Long or short,

sleeveless, embroidered jackets are worn with the dresses, with simple dupattas. Lehengas also come with light embroidery work and light bling.

Pavithra Dattakumar, owner of Khwaish boutique, says, “We have

Anarkali dresses with long jackets, that are in demand this season. These anarkalis are so long that the pants are barely visible.”

The men’s fashion world has a lot of creams and pastels this season. Sherwanis with cream, soft orange and brown are the all-occasion colours. Maroons and bottle-greens are popular for weddings!

Dhoti pants with knee length Sherwanis is another trend picking up. And

grooms go for these pants for that

different look.

Pavithra adds that even though big

showrooms stock some designer wear, there

will be many similar kind of outfits. “But not with

(boutiques). You have only one unique dress and (you

can) get according to your requirements and choice,” she says.

Price of these designer-wear starts from `2000.

StoreS

Khwaish boutique: Prakruthi investments #6, Maruthi Mansion, Opp Forum Mall, bhuvanappa layout, hosur Main road, Koramangala. Ph: 9886026039

Neema Kumar design studio: No.59/101 A, Nr Maharaja Palace & bdA Complex, hsr layout. Ph: 66496271

samiksha design studio: No.569, Next to state bank Of hyderabad, 11th Main road, 38th Cross, Jayanagar 5th block. Ph: 22449569

shrishti by latha Puttanna: No 102, lalbagh, siddapura, 2nd Cross, 1st block, Jayanagar. 26567349

Khanate studio line: No.898/1, Opp to ibP Petrol bunk, 80 Feet road, 6th block, Koramangala. Ph: 9880733308

ANishA [email protected]

cHecK outS

looking for that ‘one-of-a-kind’ outfit?

Khwaish-designer store. Pic: Khwaish

Left,

mid

dle:

Des

igns

in B

FW 2

012

by N

eem

a Ku

mar

. Pic

cour

tesy

: nee

mak

umar

.com

. Shr

ewan

i - H

andi

craf

tsIn

dia


cItIzen ImpAct

Regional Transport Office, Electronic City and Gift Your

Organ Foundation (GYOF) launched Organ Donor option on the Driver’s license . The Deputy Chief Minister, R Ashoka unveiled the ‘Green Heart Driver’s License’ on July 23rd.

The GYOF, after it made detailed presentations to the Health Department and the Transport Department, was appointed to manage the implementation of the organ donation option in the license, along with the various RTO offices in Karnataka.

GYOF had been working with the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the Department of Transport, Government of Karnataka for the past few months. In late June, the State Government sanctioned this pilot project.

With less than one organ donor in-a-million in India and over three million deaths since 2005 due to non-availability of organs, there is a great need to educate the public about organ donation. Given that every month more than one lakh driver’s license

cards are being issued in Karnataka alone, GYOF felt this platform is

a great way to reach out and educate the public about organ donation.

In the pilot project, those applying for driverʼs license will be provided information on organ donation. There will also be educative posters and video films at the RTO. An organ donor

sticker (indicated by a green heart shaped symbol) will be printed on

the Driving License card of those consenting to the pledge.

The project is being piloted at the Electronic City RTO office. After the success of the pilot project, which has been funded by Biocon Ltd (a global biopharmaceutical company), the project will be extended to other RTO offices in Bangalore and then the rest of Karnataka. All Driver’s license applicants will be given the option of pledging their organs by filing in the Pledge Form at the time of applying for their driver’s license. Those who choose to pledge their organs, will have a ‘green heart’ and a red ‘Organ Donor’ sticker put on their driver’s license.

Dr P Satish Chandra, Chairman, Zonal Co-ordination Committee of Karnataka for Transplantations (ZCCK), was glad that this initiative was introduced by the Gift Your Organ Foundation and has promised all support to the Gift Your Organ Foundation on behalf of ZCCK.

the pilot project has been sponsored by biocon ltd and the hospitality partner for the event was lalit Ashok.

NewsdesK

green heart Driver’s license launchedYour driving license now has an option to pledge your organs after death. Citizen lobbying has helped Karnataka become the first state in the country to start this initiative.

With less than one organ donor in-a-million in India and over three million deaths since 2005 due to non-availability of organs, there is a great need to educate the public about organ donation.

Raj Sethia, Director Projects, Gift Your Organ Foundation receiving the first 'green heart' driver's license. Pic courtesy: Gift Your Organ Foundation


A decade after the infamous EWS quarters collapse at Ejipura, the original residents have not only had to wait, but are now facing worse. The quarters about to be built will be taken away by encroachers.

The fate of the long-delayed housing project at Ejipura’s Economically Weaker Section (EWS) colony hangs on

an affidavit filed by BBMP Commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda on July 24th. The High Court had instructed BBMP on 18th July to submit the affidavit on its plan of action over the reconstruction of 1512 houses.

The order came on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by 12 original allottees of quarters at the EWS colony, who are no longer living there. They were residents of the previous structure, before its collapse in 2004. The allottees went to the HC to stop unauthorised people who have enlisted themselves as beneficiaries of BBMP’s upcoming EWS flats.

On 24th July, Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice Aravind Kumar allotted one week’s time for verification of BBMP’s affidavit. Speaking to Citizen Matters at the court on 24th July, Shankarlinge Gowda said, “We have presented an affidavit based on facts. Now it is up to the court to decide its fate.”

The petitioners’ lawyer, Aniyan Joseph, suspects BBMP’s motives. “Many things mentioned in the affidavit are not true,” he alleges. “BBMP claimed there is no dispute with Maverick and the original allottees. It is absolutely false and we will bring up all false claims of BBMP in the affidavit, on 2nd August (in court),” said Joseph.

Maverick Holdings and BBMP had signed an agreement early this year to build a commercial complex and EWS flat complex on the land.

Unauthorised people may benefit

Rajamani, a homemaker, aged 54, an original allottee who currently lives in AT Halli near Richmond Circle, is worried that she will not get an EWS flat. She approached BBMP several times with the original documents given by the latter, claiming the right to a new flat. But she had to come back frustrated each time. Rajamani and hundreds of others left the wrecked quarters in 2005 after receiving a letter of assurance from BBMP that they will receive newly constructed flats.

When BBMP issued biometric and identity cards, she could not get one. These cards are the basis on which BBMP now says it will hand over the new EWS flats when Maverick finishes construction.

Rajamani’s is not the only case. Around 300 original allottees living in AT Halli complain that they have not received ID cards or biometric cards, but that encroachers living in the slum have received both. In all, more than 1000 original allottees are cursing their predicament for not being able to access their due.

To make matters worse, the original allottees have been treated badly by the encroachers when they attempted to return, claims P S Dass, an allottee.

“The present occupants are dangerous people, so we are scared to go there. It is our land, and those who encroached it need to be punished,” says M S Rajna Xavier, 50, a homemaker and original allottee from AT Halli.“ At present only less than 100 original allottees are living in the slum,” she adds.

All eyes on High Court

The action now moves back to HC on August 2nd, when the court will hear the petitioners’ responses on BBMP’s plan to build and allott flats. Much will depend on the ruling.

sANKAr C g

cm SpecIAl

unauthorised residents may get new bbmp flats

BBMP Commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda coming out of the court after the hearing. Pic: Sankar C G

Original allottees with the assurance letter given by BBMP of the new flats. Pic: Sankar C G


There are many benefits to companion planting. They

act as natural insect repellents, shade and windbreaks; providing necessary nutrients to the soil and other plants and reducing the need for external fertilisers. Another advantage is you can make optimal

use of available space by growing plants of differing heights. Some examples of companion planting in your vegetable garden:

beans: All beans enrich the soil with nitrogen fixed from the air. Generally, they are good company for carrot, celery, corn, eggplant, peas, potato, beets, radish, and cucumber. Keep beans away from the alliums (flowers).

basil: Planted with tomato improves growth and flavour. Basil is also said to repel flies and mosquitoes.

Carrot: These are friends with peas, onion and tomato. One drawback with tomato and carrot when planted together: tomato plants can stunt the growth of the carrots but the latter will still retain a good flavour. Keep dill away from carrot.

Cucumber: This is a good to plant with corn and beans. Plant cucumber with sunflower for a great duet! Cucumber also does well with

peas, beetroot, radish, and carrot. Radish is a good deterrent against

cucumber beetles. Dill planted with cucumbers helps by attracting beneficial predators. Keep potato away from cucumber.

Lettuce: Does well with beet, bush bean, pole bean, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, onion, and radish. It grows happily in the shade under young sunflowers.

Potato: The following may be planted with potato: bush bean, cabbage, carrot, celery, corn.

Tomato: an be grown with cabbage, onion, radish, garlic and carrot.

for Your Info

cHloropHYll conVerSAtIonS

viniTa suryanarayanan

tips to prevent dengue, chikungunya

pick friends for your garden

Dengue fever, also known bonecrusher disease is characterised by severe headache, muscle and joint pain, fever, rash and sometimes even gastritis. This is transmitted by the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. The

symptoms generally appear only after 3-14 days after the infective bite. The more severe form of dengue is the dengue haemorrhagic fever, which can lead to death.

Treatment and blood tests

Chikungunya is also transmitted by the Aedes mosquito and is characterised by fever and joint pains. This illness is not known to be fatal but the joint pain could get severe, lasting for anywhere between six months to one year.

Most doctors do not recommend a test for chikungunya as there is no specific treatment for this. Dr Purnima Parthasarathy, Consultant and Head, Infectious Diseases, Manipal Hospital, says the fever

can reduce with just paracetamol and that antibiotics have no role in treating dengue and chikungunya.

In the case of dengue, if there is a platelet count drop, then

patients are admitted to a hospital for platelet transfusion.

Dengue symptoms•High fever•Severe headache•Pain in the back of the eyes•Body aches & joint pains•Nausea or vomiting•Skin rash

Chikungunya symptons•High fever•Severe pain, swelling in joints•Skin rashboth diseases are spread by Aedes aegypti

mosquito, a day-biter

Prevention

•Wearfullsleevedclothes•Discardsmallcollectionsofwaterin coconut shells, broken bottles and so on•Meshyourdoorsandwindows•Usemosquitorepellantsandsprays•Cleanwatercontainersatleastonce a week and fill with fresh water•Coverwaterstoragetankswithanair tight lid

•Cleanrefrigeratorandaircoolertrays regularly

Aedes aegypti mosquito. Transmitter of dengue and chikungunuya. Pic: Wikimedia commons.

Pic: VS


Cover credits:Sankar C G

Bangalore’s own interactive newsmagazine

Citizen [email protected] eDiTorPadmalatha Ravi CommuniTy eDiTorMeera K eDiTor Subramaniam VincentsTaff JournaLisTsAbhishek Angad Anisha Nair Navya P KSankar C G Design & PubLishing Shivakeshava Msub-eDiTor (new meDia)Nagashree GururajmKTg/CirCuLaTionRaghavendra [email protected]@oorvani.inaDvT saLesRamachandran P080-30088614 (leave missed call)[email protected]©Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

[email protected]

Ph: 080 — 41737584

longer versions of all articles are available online.

Citizen Matters is published by Oorvani Media Pvt ltd to chronicle current affairs of india’s cities, in depth, with a focus on governance, community and culture. More at: citizenmatters.in/main/about.

editors note: the advertisement features in this issue are paid-for articles. they are presented by the advertiser to readers for information and promotion. No journalists were involved in preparing them.

www.citizenmatters.in, [email protected]/citizenmatterstwitter.com/citizenmatters

eDItorIAl

The High Court has ruled in favour of the citizens. The stay order essentially

says ‘hear them out,’ to the State and BDA.

For the moment, the order comes as relief to thousands of Koramangala residents who have fought a prolonged battle for almost a year and a little too late for the numerous trees that were surreptitiously cut even before the project formally took off.

The `119 crores project at four junctions – Jakkasandra (flyover), Koramangala 80 feet road (underpass), Krupanidhi College (underpass) and St John’s hospital-Koramangala 100 feet road junction (flyover and underpass), kicked off without a single Koramangala resident’s consent.

People of Bengaluru are used to the high handed way most of the infrastructure projects are implemented. The protests, be it against Metro or Sankey road’s widening, have largely been ignored by the powers of corridor.

For months, the Koramangala residents screamed hoarse about the impracticality of the entire project. They dug up documents that showed lack of

planning, distortion of facts and bore the brunt of official apathy.

The then BDA commissioner, and CM both assured citizens of a fair hearing; only, the residents woke up to dug up roads and cut trees in the morning. Most of government action happened at midnight. Fed up, the residents hired security guards to keep watch.

With this verdict, Koramangala residents have had their way. Persistence is just one aspect that paid off. Some political clout in the form of MP Rajeev Chandrashekar’s backing, did go a long way in the fight.

For years activists and concerned citizens have pushed for area sabhas, to ensure citizen participation but the power to take local decisions is still lying exclusively with elected representatives and bureaucrats. Of course, even the watered down area sabha bill hasn’t seen the light of the day.

It is a shame that citizens have to hold dharnas and ask the courts to intervene to be heard in a democracy. The hope though is that this will set a precedent of a new kind, where the government realises that residents won’t take it quietly.

PAdMAlAthA [email protected]

a little activism, a little politics

LIvInG In BenGaLuruOorvani Media, publisher of Citizen Matters, is launching its first book.This is a special guidebook for living in Bangalore, with everything from Q&as to step-by-step guides and detailed insight from experts. See page 15 for more.Book launch: Reliance Timeout, Cunningham Road on Aug 3rd, 6pm. Call 98455 06477

errataVol 4- issue 12 dated 14th July. Article on women’s toilet: Pic credit was missed out. The photograph was taken by Ankita Mehta.


InterVIeW

In 1967, Suresh Shah, a Gujarati, started Sapna Book House in

Majestic, in a 100 square feet space. Today the same book store is set up in a multi-storeyed building in Gandhinagar. It has been mentioned in Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records as India’s largest book mall.

This year, Sapna opened its eighth book store in Karnataka and the sixth in Bangalore, on Residency Road. This is at a time when bookstores like ‘Crossword’ shut down one of its stores in the city. This may be attributed to the age of e-commerce and digitalisation. Citizen Matters spoke to Suresh Shah’s eldest son, Nitin Shah, Managing Director, Sapna Book House, about their growth, survival strategies and future plans.

How did Sapna come into existence?

My father, Suresh Shah could not continue his education after SSLC due to lack of funds. He joined a book shop to earn some money. Later he was promoted as Assistant Manager and sent to Chennai, followed by managerial post in Bangalore.

In 1967, he started Sapna Book House in Bangalore. It was a concept visualised by my mother Bhanumati Shah. As you know sapna means dream. She always persuaded my father to dream big.

Can you give a glimpse of Sapna’s journey?

The first store was in a rented space of around 100 square feet in Majestic. It stayed there for a few years. I joined in 1981 and planned to expand our book

store, along with my brothers. We took a bigger mall opposite present Tribhuvan Theatre in Gandhinagar, and we slowly started growing. It was in 2006 that we expanded to ‘Sapna Book Mall’, and as per Limca and India Book of Records it is India’s largest book mall. Today we have six book stores in Bangalore, one in Mysore and one in Mangalore.

e-commerce companies like Flipkart are luring customers with huge discounts and flexibility in payments. How do you manage your sales?

I feel that they just want to build

their base because I see no reason for anyone to sell at loss. But it does not affect our sales. Firstly we have all variety of books for different age groups. Secondly, we complement our online business with the stock available in our brick-and-mortar store (Sapna Book House). Thirdly, with an Indian population of around 120 crore (to shop at bookstores)- seeing and choosing has its own charm.

You also publish Kannada books. How did you end up doing this, being a Gujarati?

We started publication of Kannada books way back in 1994, since I first met Dr Shivaram Karanth, a Kannada writer and Jnanapith Awardee. I somehow started liking his ideas, beliefs, and we started publishing his books in Kannada. We started with his 3-4 titles, and later published all his titles. We slowly grew in this field and today we have around 18,000 titles. We are the number one Kannada publisher in the state. We publish two titles a day.

AbhisheK ANgAd

treating bengaluru to books for decadesSapna Book House has been a household name in Bengaluru for almost two decades now. How are they managing to survive and grow in the e-commerce era?

“I have travelled to other south Indian states, and the acceptance is most visible in Bangalore. Of all southern states, Karnataka is the most tolerant. Sapna and Bangalore has grown together, and Bangalore is my first love.”

Pic: Abhishek Angad


clASSIfIeDSeduCAtiON

INTENSIVE COACHINGForeign programs: ACCA/ CIMA/ CMA / CPA, Indian Programs: BE (merit coaching)/ Bank exams, CA, CS, ICFAI, ICWA & MBA (all disciplines) supported by latest corporate case studies.Contact: Lalitha Group, #5, Behind Smart, 19th Cross, 24th Main, JP Nagar 5th Phase, Bangalore-78. Ph: 080-26490907, 9902888485, 9448117457Email: [email protected]

WANTED LADY TEACHERFor social science, English part time/full time & coaches part time 4.30 to 6.30 pm for cricket & table tennies at 3rd phase, JP.Nagar. Contact: 9845042249/9880567144.

heAlth & NutritiONCHILDRENS DENTAL

CLINIC DR. NERAJA RAJU Consultant Pedodontist. For appointment: 9845195605, 41201345. Address: # 383, 8th main, 7th cross, Opp to HDFC ATM, Mico Layout, BTM 2nd stage, Bangalore-76

SRINIVASA DENTAL CARE CENTRE

Dr. VISHWAS # 383, 8th main, 7th cross, Mico Layout, BTM 2nd stage, Opp to HDFC ATM, Bangalore- 76. Ph:41201345, 9845195605. Multi specialist Dental clinic & Implant Centre.

reNtAlHOUSE FOR RENT

2BHK. in jp.nagar 2nd phase , near VET Collage. Call ; 9880567144.

With Q&As and step-by-step guides to make your life easier, Citizen Matters proudly brings to youLIVING IN BENGALURU, 168 pages, `99a book for you, the bangalorean.

Call 9845506477 to reserve a copy

A truly extraordinary effort, which details how we actually live in our city and how to interact with all the agencies who impact our lives. For the first time citizenship has been made the centrepiece and focus in a publication about Bengaluru. The book should be a prized possession of every citizen of this great city.

--T.V.Mohandas Pai

If there was a book that could makeliving in bengalurucloser to a cup of tea,this is it, this is it!

bOOK lAuNCh

Fri 6pm, 3rd Aug 2012

reliance Timeout

Cunningham road

SpACE FOR RENTAvailable consultation chamber for rent to doctors, either general physician, pediatrician, skin or ENT specialist in a elite private dental practice in JP Nagar. Also suitable for diagnostic lab/wellness studio. Dedicated 10x10 chamber along with shared reception, kids play area, pantry and rest room. Rent Rs.10,000 with 10 months deposit. Contact 9538765699 for details.


LIST YOUR EVENT FREE! Submit your events online www.citizenmatters.in

or mail [email protected]

See & DoworKshoP'our theatre' presents 'An Actors Workshop'.Mon 30 Jul, 6:30pm to Mon 13 Aug, 8:30pm, #159, 13th Main ,1st Cross, btM stage - 1, Ph: 9900133287

"PooRVA RAngA" - An acting workshopwed 2 Aug to wed 15 Aug, 6:30pm to 8:30pm, hK Kala soudha basement, hanumantha Nagar, Ph: 8884345569

Reiki workshopMon 6 Aug, 10:30am to tue 21 Aug, 4:30pm, [email protected], ulsoor, Ph: 9373511077 TaLKsA talk by David orr Wipro Earthian presents a talk by David Orr on sustainability and environment. Orr is Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College[1] and a James Marsh Professor at the University of Vermont.

thu 2 Aug, 4pm to 6pm, National gallery of Modern Art, Manikyavelu Mansion, 49, Palace road, Ph: 9739677747

the Discovery of the higgs BosonTalk by Prof J Pasupathy, Professor, Indian Institute of Science

Fri 3 Aug, 6.30pm, bangalore international Centre Auditorium, teri Complex, 4th Main, 2nd Cross, domlur ii stage, rsvP: 25359680

Wealth and Welfare - an it industry perpective: it industry perspectivesTalk by C P Chandrashekhar, Professor at Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, JNU and a renowned columnist.sun Jul 29, 2pm, Kh Patil Auditorium, Kh road, Ph: 9620907912arTs anD CuLTurethe Forest - Children's playsun 5 Aug, 4:30pm to 7:30pm, Jss Auditorium, Jayanagar 8th block, Ph:9900133287

the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Sangeetha Kalanidhi late Shri Alathur Srinivasa iyersat 28 Jul, 5:30pm, Ananya sabhangana, Malleswaram, Ph: 9980991110

Sitār VādanAnkush, Ustad Rafique Khan and Ustad Shafique Khan - Presented by Sur Sagar in collaboration with Alliance Française de Bangalore -sat Aug 4, 6:30pm, Alliance Française de bangalore, thimmaiah road, vasanthanagar, Ph: 40808181

Portrait Demonstration by Venkatachalapathysun Aug 5, 11am to 4pm, National gallery of Modern Art, 49, Palace road, Ph: 22342338TheaTreRangashankara Plays1 Wed, 2 Thu, Mooji Muttu Mooji Loka (Tulu), 90 mins3 Fri, 4 Sat, Shivaratri (K), 100 mins5 Sun Treadmill (Hin), 70 mins (also at 3.30 pm)7 Tue, Mysooru Mallige (K), 120 mins

8 Wed Kamala (K), 90 mins9 Thu, 10 Fri, Mooru Hejje Mooru Loka (K), 105 mins11 Sat, Nantu – Adu Heegu Unto (K), 100 mins (also at 3.30 pm)12 Sun, Robinson and Crusoe (E), 80 mins (also at 3.30 pm)14 Tue, 15 Wed, Namma Metro (K), 70 minsrangashankara, 8th Cross, Nt to Post Off, JP Nagar, Phase ii, Ph: 2649 3982.LaunCh evenTBook launch: living in BengaluruCitizen Matters presents its first book - a guidebook to make daily life easier - from getting a birth certificate, applying for a Khata, to all about property documents. Fri 6pm, 3rd Aug 2012, reliance timeout, Cunningham road. Ph: 9845506477

1st nadasurabhi Karnataka Vaibhava - 3 Day Festival of MusicA unique initiative to highlight the contribution of Karnataka to the field of Carnatic music exclusively through leading artists from the state.Saralaya Sisters (17th), D.Balakrishna and Vamshidhar on Veena – Venu (18th), T.S.Sathyavathi (19th)17-19 Aug, the indian heritage Academy hall - 6th block, Koramangala


In the bird world, the ladies prefer not to be highly coloured, and leave the fashion and the flaunting to their menfolk!

It seems to be the general rule (with a few exceptions, of course) that the female of the species is always duller, and less brightly coloured than the male. A beautiful bird that can often be seen in Lalbagh is the male Asian Paradise

Flycatcher.

As you can see, this is a spectacular bird, and it definitely catches the attention of the observer as it flies around, flaunting that ribbon of a tail! The female is far less dressy.

Similarly, compare the bright colours of the male Purple-rumped Sunbird with his much duller mate:

Perhaps you may not have noticed these two birds...but here’s a bird that’s making a strong comeback after almost disappearing...the House Sparrow. Here are both the male and female, together.

The only exception to this, in the common birds of our city, is the Asian Koel, where the male is black, and the female is mottled black-and-white.

There are several theories as to the reasons for this; one is that the females prefer to look at bright plumage on the males rather than on themselves (contrast this with human beings!). Another is that when the females are flying to and from

the nest, their dull feathers make it more difficult for predators to see them and raid the nests. Brightness of the colours is supposed to indicate the health and vitality of the male, so that the offspring may be healthier, and better able to survive.

nAture feAture

DeePa mohan

feAtureS

SAVE25%

Bring this cut out

along & save an

extra 25% at the

venue.

Ferdinand Wealth ManagementCreating Wealth with Financial Literacy

55TM

WORKSHOP

A 3 hour paid workshop on “How you could Save an extra 25,000 by making simple changes to your

spending & saving habits ”.

Contact Information:Phone: 988 676 1007Email: [email protected]

Register online: http://www.meraevents.com/ByOrganizer/FMW/165

Save a minimum 25,000 this yearAugust 11th (Sat) Timing 3 pm to 6 pm

birds leave the fashion to the males Peacocks are prettier than peahens and male sparrows more handsome than the females. Why is this so?

Pic:s: Deepa Mohan


Are you a sneaky mum? The type who cannot think of kneading atta without mashing dal or spinach into it? Or pasta sauce without pureeing carrots?

If you do, chances are that like me you live with a fussy eater. Food in our house, at least for the brat, comes with hidden ingredients. Veggies and greens are boiled and mashed to get into the atta, parathas are stuffed with whatever can behave itself inside a paratha without peeking, pasta sauces (even

store bought ones) are revved up with pureed veggies, the list goes on...

I am not the only one with a fusspot of course. A colleague mentions how her daughter started out by picking

onions from the dal and is now on to the mustard. Well mine picks tomatoes.

The boy is six and half now and after years of cajoling, explaining, making broccoli trees and finally taking the ‘eat what’s on your plate or none at all’ route and failing, I’ve decided that being sneaky is the way to go. At least for now.

It isn’t just us of course. There’s even a book called The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine.

A recent Facebook discussion pointed to a book on how French families raise their kids to eat everything (French Kids Eat Everything by Karen Le Billion), including passing on a piece of Roquefort cheese to a nine month old, saying no to snacking and never sitting down to a meal without dressing the table in all its finery, candles et al.

As a mom I’ve tried to find my compromise. When the boy says no to cauliflower, unlike earlier I don’t cajole or glower. I know it’ll get into his food some way or the other.

lASt WorD

confeSSIonS of A SeconD tIme mom

reshmi ChakraBorTy

oh no! there’s a veggie on my plate!Does your child pick mustard out of dal? Do you constantly sneak in vegetables into the child’s food? Or do you say ‘eat what’s on your plate?’ You are not alone in this all-out veggie war.

Documents

citizen matters 28july2012 koramangala edition