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Notices to 497 Bengaluru properties for dumping sewage into storm drains

April 29, 2019, 4:50 am
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Civic Issues
The civic agencies in Bengaluru have a history of not taking action against violators.
Theja Ram
About two years ago, heavy rainfall lashed Bengaluru and brought the city to a standstill. The flooded roads resembled murky sewage pits and residents had to buy inflatable boats to navigate the streets. One of the primary causes for the flooding was attributed to sewage flowing into the storm water drainage system and the rampant encroachment of such drains. With the monsoon coming up, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has now sent notices to residents of 497 properties in Bengaluru for allowing sewage to flow into the storm water drains. The BWSSB has also sent a list of addresses of these 497 properties to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. Speaking to TNM, Kemparamaiah, Chief Engineer of BWSSB, says that the National Green Tribunal had directed the agency to come up with an action plan to rid storm water drains of sewage. “We are just carrying out NGT orders,” he added. Violators to be fined Kemparamaiah says that Prestige Shantiniketan near Whitefield Main Road, Pebble Creek and Brooke Enclave along ITPL Main Road, Gopalan enclave along ECC Road, Shree Chaitanya Techno School located in Mahalakshmi Layout and DS Max Apartment in Banaswadi were some of the major violators. “East Zone has the highest number of violators. Almost half the number of properties which have allowed sewage to run into the SWDs are in the east zone. There are 276 properties in one zone which have been sent notices. Most of these are independent houses and not apartments,” he added. Those who have been identified as violators will have time to respond for one week after which the BWSSB officials will issue a second round of notices. "If there is no response then criminal action will be taken against them. We can file a complaint and ask the police to book them under IPC Section 432 (causing inundation of streets by encroaching storm water drain)," he added. BWSSB has now decided to impose a fine of Rs 5,000 on violators. “They will be fined and will be given a chance to obtain permits for sewage connections from BWSSB. If they rectify the matter well and good but those who do not get sewage connections despite warnings, we will take criminal action against them,” Kemparamaiah added. On the other hand, BBMP is now mulling over razing illegal structures that have encroached upon the drains. “We are thinking whether to raze portions of buildings that have violated norms and encroached on storm water drains,” a senior BBMP official said. All talk and no action? In the past too, the BWSSB has promised action against violations but nothing has happened. Bengaluru has a network of 1,090 km storm water drains and since 2004, the alterations made to the wetlands in the city resulted in rampant storm water drain encroachment and sewage inflow into drains meant to carry rainwater. The situation further aggravated in 2008. According to BBMP Chief Engineer (Storm Water Drain Department), 501 acres of drains have been encroached upon currently and sewage inflow is present in most of the SWD network. This is not the first time the BWSSB has carried out drives to check the rampant discharge of sewage into the drains. In 2016, when the rains had ravaged Bengaluru and caused the city streets to flood, the storm water drain encroachment and the rampant sewage inflow into these drains were identified as the main problem. Back then too, the BWSSB had identified over hundreds of independent houses and apartments in the city, which had allowed sewage to flow into storm drains. On the other hand, the BBMP had razed 141 buildings that had encroached on storm water drains. The pressure for action against negligent officials was so high that 20 officials from the BBMP, Bengaluru Development Authority and the Department of Town and Country Planning were booked under various sections of the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act and IPC. An inquiry, however, gave 18 out of these 20 officials a clean chit as B reports (case closed due to lack of evidence) were filed in these cases. “The officials had given permission to construct houses on storm water drains and BWSSB had not bothered to keep a watch on illegal sewage disposal into storm water drains. BWSSB ended up imposing a fine of Rs 5,000 on violators, who never bothered to restructure their sewage connections. So far, not a single BWSSB official has been held responsible for the sewage flow in the storm drains. Let the BWSSB ensure that not a single drop of sewage flows into the storm drains then we will also be able to maintain the drains properly,” a senior BBMP official said.   
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Bengaluru has over 300 km of bad roads, will BBMP fix it before the monsoon?

April 29, 2019, 6:15 am
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Civic Issues
Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Traffic Police have identified 360 killer potholes in the city and are fixing them.
Theja Ram
File Photo
Potholes on Bengaluru’s roads are a perpetual reality, and the city’s traffic police have now taken it upon themselves to fill 360 killer potholes in order to avoid any accidents. On the night of April 23, a 28-year-old man riding a bike along Varthur Road tried to avoid a pothole, bumped into a car and later died the next day due to his injuries.   With the city’s civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) running short of funds to fill up potholes, the traffic police have now started a pothole filling drive. According to data obtained from the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), Cubbon Park, Ulsoor, High Grounds, Ashoknagar, Wilson Garden, Shivajinagar, Kadugondana Halli, Corporation Circle, Jeevan Bhima Nagar, Adugodi, Electronic City, HSR Layout, Old Airport Road, Hulimavu, Hebbal, RT Nagar, Yelahanka, Chikkajala, Malleshwaram, RMV extension, Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, Yeshwanthpur, Peenya, Jalahalli, Upparpet, Chikpet, Vijaynagar, Magadi Road, Kamakshipalya, Byatarayanapura, City Market, Kengeri, VV Puram, Basavanagudi and Kumara Swamy Layout have been identified as areas with killer potholes. “The BBMP is waiting for the state government to grand funds for road repair works. In order to avoid any more accidents, we have asked BBMP contractors, who have already started work in a few areas to help fill up potholes. The traffic police are also filling up potholes in the rest of the areas. The work should be completed by Thursday,” a traffic police official said. BBMP figures state that there are 93,000 roads in Bengaluru spanning 14,000 km. Of these, 7 km of roads in South zone, 20.78 km in West Zone, 80.55 km in East Zone, 20.6 km in Bommanahalli Zone, 44.7 km in Rajarajeshwari Nagar Zone, 47.56 km in Dasarahalli Zone, 37.9 km in Mahadevapura zone and 56.92 km in Yelahanka Zone require repairs. “After Deputy Chief Minister Parameshwara held a meeting with BBMP officials, all the Joint Commissioners of every zone have been instructed to begin road repair works immediately. However, BBMP is waiting for approval from the government to sanction funds for the road repair works currently,” said BBMP Chief Engineer Venkatesh. The civic body has now allotted a designated number for each of the 93,000 streets, including arterial and non-arterial roads, and the respective zonal commissioners will have to ensure that all the roads are in a good condition before the monsoon sets in. “Currently, there is no time to identify how many potholes are there. Instead of doing that, the joint commissioners are just identifying the damaged roads based on the serial numbers and they will carry out work accordingly. In most of the areas, especially in Dasarahalli, RR Nagar, South and East zones, the roads have been damaged due to the work being conducted by the BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board), which is laying sewage lines. In some areas, the GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) pipeline work is being carried out. So the roads will be fixed accordingly,” a senior BBMP official said.   
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Every mental health ailment cannot constitute grounds for divorce: K’taka HC

April 29, 2019, 9:04 pm
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Court
The issue was brought to light after a marital discord between a couple from Karnataka’s Dharwad taluk.
TNM Staff
Image for representation
In a landmark judgement, the Karnataka High Court has ruled that not all mental health ailments can constitute grounds for divorce. It further said that the mental health issue suffered by a spouse should be severe, incurable and recognised by Parliament for it to be considered as a valid ground for dissolution of marriage. “The ailments may come and go and some may stay with us. That per se cannot be a sufficient ground to seek decree for dissolution of marriage. If that were to be the ground for dissolution of marriage, the very institution of marriage would be unstable,” reads the order issued by a division bench headed by Justice Dixit. The issue was brought to light after a marital discord between a couple from Karnataka’s Dharwad taluk. A man by the name Hemanna was seeking to file for a divorce from his wife on the grounds that she suffered from a mental health problem. A doctor who cross-examined the woman deemed that her mental health condition would not come in the way of a normal marital life and that this could not be a ground for divorce. Hemanna claimed that his wife had been suffering from a mental health disorder and this had not been made known to him prior to getting married. The doctor who examined her, however, stated that her condition came to be after the birth of the couple’s second child and would not be a hindrance in their married life. Earlier, in the first week of April, the high court had asked the state government to submit a report on how the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) and the Mental Health Care (MHC) Act (2017) were being implemented. Petitioners wanted the state to ensure that the MHC rules were implemented and followed aptly in addition to ensuring that institutions for mental health care were set up in all districts.  
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Bail pleas rejected for accused in Dharwad building collapse

April 29, 2019, 9:41 pm
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Dharwad Building Collapse
An advocate who spoke on behalf of the complainants reportedly said that if the accused were granted bail, they could use their influence to intimidate witnesses.
TNM Staff
Two of the accused in the Dharwad building collapse which occurred in March, who had appealed for bail, have been denied their request. Gangappa Shintri and his partner, Basavaraj Nigadi, are the main accused in the incident. On Monday, a District Sessions court rejected the bail plea submitted by the accused. An advocate who was representing Gangappa and Basavaraj claimed that the duo had health issues which needed to be continuously monitored by medical experts and that they would comply with and follow any rules and restrictions set forth by the court, adding that they would cooperate with the investigating team as deemed necessary. However, the advocate who spoke on behalf of the complainants reportedly said that if the accused were granted bail, they could use their influence to intimidate witnesses. An under-construction shopping complex in Dharwad collapsed in March and resulted in several deaths and left more than 50 people injured. The building which was under construction was located in the region's Kumareshwara Nagar and collapsed on March 19 at around 3:40 pm. Rescue efforts went on for days as search teams had to go through the rubble to find people who were trapped underneath. Survivors were taken to the Civil hospital in Dharwad district. Rescue efforts were led by 10 ambulances, 5 earthmovers and over 20 fire officials. A team of NDRF officials was flown in from Lucknow to aid the rescue efforts. Gangadar Shintry, one of the accused, is the father-in-law of Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni and is one of the owners of the building. The owners had obtained a partial completion certificate from the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation.  A case had been filed under section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC against the owners of the building. 
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3 poll officials suspended in K’taka's Hassan over alleged ‘proxy voting’

April 30, 2019, 2:18 am
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Crime
The BJP alleged that these officials had allowed 30 supporters of PWD Minister and Holenarasipura MLA HD Revanna, to engage in proxy voting.
TNM Staff
Representational Image/ PTI
Three polling officials accused of dereliction of duty on polling day during the Lok Sabha polls, have been suspended. This comes following a preliminary inquiry by Hassan District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Priyanka Mary Francis.  The probe was ordered after the BJP alleged that these officers had allowed 30 supporters of PWD Minister and Holenarasipura MLA HD Revanna, to engage in proxy voting.  Their suspension was reportedly ordered after the EC officials reviewed the CCTV footage. The suspended officials are Yogesh, a polytechnic college lecturer along with Ramachandra Rao and DS Dinesh, who are both government high school teachers. The three were posted at a polling booth in Paduvalahippe village in Holenarasipura taluk. Revanna’s son Prajwal is the JD(S) candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha seat which is a JD(S) stronghold. The outgoing MP and former PM, HD Deve Gowda had won from the seat five times. The suspension of the three officers comes after Rs 1.2 lakh in cash was recovered from a police vehicle in Hassan by a flying squad of the Karnataka State Election Commission on April 16.  A case was registered at the Holenarsipura Town Police Station under section 171-C (Undue influence at elections) of the Indian Penal Code in this connection. IAS officer Munish Moudgil who was appointed as the Special Officer (Enforcement) by the Election Commission had asked for a high-level inquiry into the incident.  The letter mentioned that the vehicle from which cash was recovered was a Toyota Innova with registration number KA01MH4477 and that it was registered under the name of Deputy Commissioner of Police, City Armed Reserve.  Informed sources also said that the police vehicle was part of PWD Minister HD Revanna’s convoy. “The said vehicle belongs to Bengaluru City Police and registered in the name of Deputy Commissioner of Police, CAR HQ, Bengaluru (copy of report from Transport Commissioner attached herewith),” Munish’s letter to the CEO read. “The above incident is extremely serious as it, prima facie, reveals the use of police vehicle for carrying money for misuse in elections. Due to extreme seriousness, the case requires a proper investigation and everyone, including the police officers, who might be involved, are required to be brought out and law is taken to its logical conclusion against them,” it added.  
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Results declared for Karnataka SSLC Class 10, two students score 100 per cent

April 30, 2019, 2:44 am
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Education
The overall pass percentage is 73.3 per cent, an improvement of 1.8 per cent from last year’s results.
TNM Staff
Two students have topped Karnataka’s Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination, the results of which were declared on Thursday. Naganjali Parameshwara Naik from Kamata, Uttara Kannada district, and Srujana D from Anekal, Bengaluru Rural, have received the first rank, scoring 625 out of 625 marks. SR Umashankar, General Secretary of the Primary and Secondary Education department announced the SSLC results at 12 pm. Results were declared on the official website http://karresults.nic.in/ after a delay of two hours and will be announced in schools on Wednesday. The overall pass percentage is 73.3 per cent, an improvement of 1.8 per cent from last year’s results. The pass percentage of rural students (76.67 per cent) is more than that of urban students (70.05 per cent). According to the Education Department, the pass percentage in government schools is 77.84 per cent and aided schools have shown 77.21 per cent pass percentage. The pass percentage of students studying in private schools is 82.72 per cent. 11 students have acquired the second rank, scoring 624 marks out of total 625, with girls outperforming boys this year too. Some of the students who have attained the second rank include Sinchana Lakshmi, Harshith, Pragathi Gowda, Krupa, Shambhavi, Bhavana, Abhin, and Anupama Kamath, among others. 1,626 schools have achieved 100 per cent results. Hassan district stands in the first position when it comes to the number of passing students, followed by Ramanagara, Bengaluru North, Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board had conducted the SSLC examination between March 21 and April 4, 2019, with 8.41 lakh students taking the exam this year. In 2018, the SSLC examination results were declared on May 7, 2018. A total of 8.5 lakh students had appeared for the SSLC Examination, and the pass percentage was 71.93 per cent. Two students had scored full marks and 8 students had scored 624 marks out of 625. The pass percentage of girls was more than that of boys and the rural students had shown a better performance than the urban students last year too. Here is how students can check their results: Log on to http://karresults.nic.in/ Find ‘KSEEB SSLC Results 2019’ on the main page Click on the link Enter your registration number in the redirected page Press Submit
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Activists are opposing a waste to energy plant in Bengaluru: Here’s why

April 30, 2019, 5:21 am
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Environment
While the WTE plant may mean less dumping and burning of garbage on the streets, experts warn of its less apparent harms.
Soumya Chatterjee
3wayste
On April 25, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara announced that an MoU had been signed with the CEO of a French company, 3wayste, to set up the waste to energy (WTE) plant. The five-megawatt capacity plant will be set up near Electronic City in Bengaluru. However, city-based activists are objecting to the plant on grounds of health risks, sustainability and governance.  These developments come at a time when the city’s waste management problem remains unresolved, with the Karnataka High Court pulling up BBMP time and again for the same. While WTE plants may reduce garbage dumping or burning in the streets, experts warn of its less apparent harms. Health risks Aishwarya Sudhir, Air Quality and Health Programme Lead - Bengaluru, Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL) pointed out that world over, there have been concerns over these WTE plants. One major concern is the huge amount of bottom ash they generate. Bottom ash is essentially that part of the fuel – in this case, waste – that is non-combustible. “Over the years, there has been no real solution for the bottom ash that WTE plants generate. It all ends up adding to the air pollution in our cities. Further, the combustion process releases many gases into the atmosphere, depending on the constitution of the waste being burnt. The gases could also contain heavy metals and result in other noxious emissions,” she said. “Segregating waste and addressing it at the source irrespective of the tedious management that it demands remains the safest method of waste management. There have been several examples in the past, such as the Okhla WTE plant, that we need to learn from and ensure that we do not go down that path,” she added. The Okhla plant in the national capital was fined Rs 25 lakh in 2016 by the National Green Tribunal for polluting the environment and releasing toxins in the air, which affected the health of those living around the plant. Sustainability Vinay Sreenivasa, a Bengaluru-based lawyer-activist said having a WTE plant is opposed to the basic idea of waste management – to reduce, recycle and reuse, and manage waste locally. “Once there are WTE plants, there is no motivation to segregate as you will burn the waste when it’s mixed only. It is an easy fix; it is not going to solve the problem in the long term. So, the amount of waste is going to increase,” he said. Against local governance The other prime opposition to the project is that it’s not part of the BBMP’s Solid Waste Management (SWM) policy and violates the Swacch Sarvekshan guidelines of the union government. Sandeep Anirudhan, an activist advocating sustainable living, said the move also a violates the 74th amendment of the Constitution which guarantees public consultation over matters concerning local governance. “There is no scientific study, holistic evaluation or even cost-benefit analysis done before going ahead with the project. Then they (the political class) steamroll these over citizens’ rights, by not even holding a public consultation. This is nothing but highjacking of democracy,” he argued. Legal hurdles A senior lawyer at the Karnataka High Court argued that the proposed plant is illegal and contrary to BBMP’s submissions to the Karnataka High Court. “The BBMP had said in the court that it will segregate waste at source and not burn it elsewhere outside the city,” he said. When asked about this, a top BBMP official said that the BBMP did not have much say in the project and was forced into it due to external obligations. “The only thing the BBMP had to do here was to finalise the agreement. We have put strong conditions to ensure that the company performs on ground,” he said. “It is not that WTE plants are illegal but it ideally should be the last option,” he added. The official further explained, “Urban Development Department had floated a tender for Waste to Energy plants in 2017 and there were no takers. The French company had approached them and later there were discussions between the governments. As part of this, they were exempted from the tendering process and it became a zero-cost proposal for us. They will install their own equipment and all we have to ensure is that waste of 200 metric tonnes is delivered to them at free of cost.” Feasibility In addition to the considerable opposition to setting up of WTE plants, a recent analysisby the Centre for Science and Environment has shown half of the existing WTE plants in India have been shut on grounds of feasibility. Firstly, because WTE plants do not get many buyers for the power they generate due to cheaper alternatives being available. And secondly, costs for maintaining the plants is higher in India, owing to the high moisture and low-calorie content of India’s municipal waste compared to other parts of the world. Company’s response When TNM approached Robert Filipp, CEO of 3Wayste with these concerns, he said that the plant will follow both Indian and European standards of emission and abide by the applicable laws. "We support waste segregation but unfortunately people are not so compliant as we imagine. We recycle everything and only use for the energy the part that is of high calorific value and has no other use," he said. However, a BBMP official said that unless waste is segregated at source, it is difficult to understand what to compost, reuse and recycle respectively. “We do not know what will happen if this issue with mixed waste is challenged in court or NGT,” the official said.  
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Bengaluru Uber driver leaves family on road at night after they refuse to pay cash

April 30, 2019, 6:00 am
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Transport
The Uber driver had reportedly insisted that that they cancel the ride on the app and pay him directly.
TNM Staff
Representational Image
It seems like there is no end to the ordeals faced by customers using app-based cab services from the Bengaluru International Airport. In the latest incident, a family of three including a three-year-old child were left stranded on a deserted road near the airport on April 27 night. This because they refused to cancel the ride on the app, and pay the driver upfront instead. The issue came to light on Monday after Neha Sehgal Bhatia shared her unpleasant experience on Facebook along with videos and photographs. A video posted by her shows the driver Kiran taking out their luggage and keeping it in middle of the road. While they tried to book another Uber in the absence of other alternative options, it was not possible. Cabs booked on the Uber platform from the airport can only start after PIN sent to the rider is shared with the driver from the designated pick up point. Besides the cab driver deserting them, she alleged that Uber did not help, instead citing, “they have exhausted all resources”. The cab aggregator advised Neha to call the police. She wrote, “The driver, as soon as we left from the pickup point, insisted that we cancel the trip, and give him cash. Looks like, he wanted to avoid the commission paid to Uber. We did not want to do that, lose the tracking and other so-called safety features provided by Uber (In hindsight, now, it looks like it's all only on books, and Uber is as unsafe as any other direct booking of cabs)....Since we were near the airport, we asked him to drop us so we can get another cab, but he was not ready to do that either.” “Then, he switched off the AC, and locked the windows and doors. We felt really unsafe with our 3-year-old son, so immediately dialled the SOS number, the police helpline worked, and we were also able to call a couple of security guards to get us dropped near the airport premise,” she added. Following the incident, Neha alleges that Uber did not reach out besides sending out an autogenerated email. Reacting to the incident, an Uber spokesperson said, “We regret the inconvenience caused to the rider. This form of misconduct by a driver partner violates our community guidelines. We are investigating this matter and will take necessary actions, as needed. Safety is paramount to Uber and we are deeply committed to it.”
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Rising temps take toll: Infants show signs of dehydration in Karnataka and Telangana

April 30, 2019, 6:46 am
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Health
Doctors agree that fatigue and irregular eating are usually seen as initial symptoms among these infants.
Dr Nimeshika Jayachandran
Image for representation
Seven days after he was born, baby Abu Thala was rushed from his home in Bellary district to Motherhood Hospital in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar after he showed signs of severe dehydration. He was brought in an extremely critical stage, but fortunately made a complete recovery. Abu Thala is one of several newborn babies and young children who are presenting with severe dehydration in view of the rising temperatures. Many postnatal and children’s intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals in both Karnataka and parts of Telangana (largely in Hyderabad) are seeing an increase in the numbers of infants presenting with dehydration. Doctors have largely attributed the rising temperatures to this sudden influx of reports of dehydration. According to Dr Prathap Chandra, the neonatologist who oversaw Abu Thala’s case, such instances are seen during the peak summer time. “This is different from childhood dehydration where some children may present with similar symptoms, but it is not as severe. Weight loss up to 10% of the body weight is still considered within normal limits, but when it goes beyond that, it becomes a cause of concern,” he explains. As summer sets in, several states including Karnataka and Telangana, have been hit by the heat wave. Several cases of heat-related dehydration are being reported in large numbers from parts of central and northern Karnataka. “In Bellary, Raichur, Gulbarga, we are now seeing many cases of dehydration-related fever and several babies presenting with a significant loss of weight,” adds the doctor.  Spotting signs of dehydration Symptoms of dehydration may initially present as extremely subtle signs. Doctors agree that lethargy (fatigue) and irregular feeding are usually seen first among these infants. In addition, urine output may be less. Any young children and newborns showing these signs should be taken to a doctor for evaluation. The sudden increase in temperatures has caused various states to issue precautionary notices to the public telling them to take preventive steps against heat stroke and other health issues related to high temperatures. In Kerala, officials from the State Disaster Management Authority had listed precautions to be taken by the public in order to prevent heat-related health problems. 
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8-month-old reunited with parents, four days after he went missing in Bengaluru

April 30, 2019, 9:13 pm
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Crime
The infant, born to a blind couple, was kidnapped on Saturday at the Kempegowda bus station.
TNM Staff
Representational image
An eight-month-old child of a blind couple, who went missing in Bengaluru on Saturday was reunited with his parents after four days. The couple — Basavaraj and BK Chinnu, hail from Arakere village in Devadurga, part of Raichur district and had come to the city to visit the chief minister seeking financial help. The incident occurred as soon as they reached Bengaluru on Saturday morning at the Kempegowda bus station and Chinnu went to a drinking water booth for her son Sagar. This is when one woman offered help and fed Sagar but did not return the child. “Around 7.30 am, we were waiting for a bus when a woman helped us lift our luggage. She took my son in her arms three times and returned him before taking him away saying that she would get him some water to drink. We thought she was sympathetic to us and did not suspect anything,” Basavaraju told The New Indian Express. Following this, the couple lodged a complaint with Upparpet Police Station and a special search team was formed. The couple had been roaming around the city looking for their child. On Tuesday, two Kengeri residents— Parvathamma and Lakshmidevi, brought the child to the police station after learning from media reports that the child belonged to a blind couple. Parvathamma said that an unidentified woman handed the child to her while she was standing near a public toilet on April 27 and asked her to keep him till she returned, but she never turned up.  “We had lost our eye (son) on Saturday and are now getting it back,” Basavaraju toldThe Times of India after getting back his son. The couple run an orchestra and were seeking relief from the chief minister. Meanwhile, this issue has highlighted the issue of malfunctioning or defunct CCTV cameras at bus stops. A Times of India report said that 16 cameras at Kempegowda Bus Station are not working.“We tried to get the abductor’s photographs from CCTV footage but were shocked to realise half the cameras were not working. Visuals from the remaining cameras were blurred,” a police officer told the newspaper.  
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One person dead after heavy rains lash Bengaluru on Tuesday

April 30, 2019, 9:48 pm
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Weather
The rains also resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city leading to traffic snarls.
TNM Staff
At least one person died as a result of heavy downpour in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening. The deceased, identified as Siva Reddy, died after a cow shed collapsed on him in Doddanekundi. There were multiple incidents of damage to property and uprooting of trees. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted thundershowers for Wednesday also, as a result of cyclone Fani. In separate incidents, the wall of an under-construction building collapsed on a two wheeler in KP Agrahara on Magadi Road near Surekha International School; and an uprooted tree fell on an auto rickshaw on Chord Road next to Rajajinagar fire station. No casualties were reported in both the incidents.  The rains also resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city leading to traffic snarls. Mayor Gangambike Malikarjun received area-wise information from all zonal engineers through call onTuesday evening and instructed engineers to take action. Sirsi Circle flyover, Malleshwaram, HSR layout, Jayanagara, Tumakuru road, Mysuru road, KR Puram, Koramangala, Yeswanthpura and various parts of central business district (CBD) were the most affected.  She also urged engineers to identify waterlogging spots in Bengaluru and rectify them before the monsoon season. Power transmission was also disrupted due to rains in many parts of the city. According to Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, Sampangiramanagar received the highest rainfall with 152 mm/hr rain recorded from 8pm to 8.15pm. This was followed by VV Puram and Pulakshnagar, which received 144mm/hr and 120mm/hr rain respectively, for the same duration. The rain also forced the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to be abandoned after the match had resumed post 11pm.     At least one person died as a result of heavy downpour in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening. The deceased, identified as Siva Reddy, died after a cow shed collapsed on him in Doddanekundi. There were multiple incidents of damage to property and uprooting of trees.   The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted thundershowers for Wednesday also, as a result of cyclone Fani.  In separate incidents, the wall of an under-construction building collapsed on a two wheeler in KP Agrahara on Magadi Road near Surekha International School; and an uprooted tree fell on an auto rickshaw on Chord Road next to Rajajinagar fire station. No casualties were reported in both the incidents.   The rains also resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city leading to traffic snarls. Mayor Gangambike Malikarjun received area-wise information from all zonal engineers through call onTuesday evening and instructed engineers to take action.  Sirsi Circle flyover, Malleshwaram, HSR layout, Jayanagara, Tumakuru road, Mysuru road, KR Puram, Koramangala, Yeswanthpura and various parts of central business district (CBD) were the most affected.   She also urged engineers to identify waterlogging spots in Bengaluru and rectify them before the monsoon season.  Power transmission was also disrupted due to rains in many parts of the city.  According to Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, Sampangiramanagar received the highest rainfall with 152 mm/hr rain recorded from 8pm to 8.15pm. This was followed by VV Puram and Pulakshnagar, which received 144mm/hr and 120mm/hr rain respectively, for the same duration.  The rain also forced the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to be abandoned after the match had resumed post 11pm.    
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Drought to severely affect Karnataka mango yield this year

April 30, 2019, 10:54 pm
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Agriculture
Farmers are expecting that this year's produce could be as low as 30% of the average annual yield.
Rohit R.
Severe drought conditions in the state are threatening the yield of mangoes this season. This had led to an increase in prices in markets and stores across the state.  The recent harvest of the King of Fruits has been drastically affected and farmers are expecting that the produce could be as low as 30% of the average annual yield. Blaming the weather conditions as the reason, Ramachandra, deputy director of the Horticulture Department in Dharwad, explained that extreme temperatures, absence of moisture in the soil and heavy winds have affected the growth of the fruit. The lack of rains has also added on to the misery of mango farmers. Kolar District which usually contributes around eight lakh tonnes of mangoes is expecting a major drop in production this year. “We are only expecting 2.5 lakh tonnes to 3 lakh tonnes, but this is just an optimistic prediction,” said Chinnappa Reddy, the president of Kolar District Mango Cultivators’ Association. Noting that the months of January and February were dismal for the farmers due to the absence of good conditions for flowering, the harvest has fallen drastically. Heavy rains along with hailstorms which lashed parts of the state has also damaged mangoes that were close to ripening. He also added that farmers are facing major financial losses and have accumulated numerous loans. Chinnappa Reddy also pointed out how successive governments have done nothing for the mango farmers in state. “Karnataka is a major producer of fruits and mangoes in particular, but apart from a lot of schemes introduced, nothing has been done on ground,” he said. Echoing the demands of the farmers in Karnataka, he said that there are no storage solutions or pulp production centres, and that neighbouring states have small-scale industries established for the well-being of farmers. The farmers who are staring at losses are also concerned by the price fluctuation in the market due to the gap between supply and demand. In 2018, the late onset of the season and a sudden surplus led to a price crash. Farmers fear that the situation will repeat itself.  
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Quizzing has been a monthly family tradition for this Bengaluru group for 28 years

April 30, 2019, 11:32 pm
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Hobby
QuizFamilies is a group of quiz aficionados who get together, along with their families, for a fun evening of informal quizzing once a month.
Varsha Pillai
A quiz session in progress
“Our children have grown up in the group, playing together, sleeping in the spare bed in the host’s apartment or even on mattresses in the middle of the quiz,” says Deepa Mohan, one of the people behind QuizFamilies, a family-and-friends quizzing group in Bengaluru that has continued to thrive for 28 years. Deepa, now a grandmother of two, is talking about how the relaxed and close-knit nature of the get-togethers has been a big factor in keeping the group going. QuizFamilies (QF) members come from all walks of life, age no bar – entrepreneurs, professionals, students, homemakers. The idea is pretty simple: families and friends get together once a month for a fun evening of informal quizzing. Starting from 1991, on an average 23-25 people/families have met every month over the last 28 years. How it all started Recalling how the concept took off, Deepa says, “The quiz group was started by Casper Abraham in 1991, this was the time when Bournvita Quiz Contest had started on the radio, then later came on TV, and quizzing became very popular. Casper called the group ‘IntelliSuite’ but since he wanted the copyright on the original name (as a monetised activity), I started moderating the group in 1996, when I renamed it QuizFamilies.” The early moderators used post and phone calls to communicate. Later Deepa started an e-group, which Subhash Sankhla and Srinivasan (affectionately called Socro) continued. Then Ramesh Dasary and K Meera started a WhatsApp group for easy communication. Talking about how the group evolved, 61-year-old Subhash says, “In the early days of QF, we met on the first Saturday of every month and the quiz would be conducted post dinner. The group included a diverse set of people. From snail mail to emails to now over WhatsApp, the group continues.” How QF works Over the years, the format of quizzing hasn’t altered much, wherein one person hosts and someone else conducts the quiz. The quizmaster is totally free to choose whatever questions they want. Teams are formed and rebalanced if there are too many seasoned quizzers or too many amateurs in a team. Points are scored for every correct answer, there is no negative marking unless the quizmaster decides to have it, and the team with the highest score wins. The quiz of the day is shared through email or as a link to the quizmaster’s drive. Sravana, one of the early members of QF, says, “Dumb Charades is the ‘mosuranna’ of QF. Each QF meet ends with two rounds of DC. Mostly movies, but some quizmasters get innovative with proverbs, books, names of dishes, restaurants, etc.” Like all social initiatives, QF also has certain unwritten rules, that while not everyone can attend all the quizzes, a reasonable regularity (at least 3 quizzes in a year) is expected. Shaji Zacharias is currently one of the moderators of the group. Moderators are in charge of getting together a host and a quizmaster each month, which is not an easy job because there may be last minute cancellations. “Moderating quizzes basically involves facilitating and scheduling the quiz calendar. I have been doing it for a couple of years,” Shaji says. The quizmasters on the other hand have their work cut out for themselves. They need to set a diverse set of questions which could range from anything from rats to relativity! Shares Socro, “Each quizmaster has their own style and way of conducting the quiz. For me, it is a tedious and long drawn process where I need at least a two-month start. Questions are added and modified depending on the audience.” Shaji, who has also been a quizmaster, adds, “The way I like to frame questions is by sharing information and a couple of lines about the issue or event, etc and then asking the question. That way you ensure you are sharing extra information and some trivia that quizzers really enjoy and it kind of stays with them.” Recent joinee to the QF team Ashish Patel says that selecting questions for the quiz is a lot of work. He says, “For a recent quiz, my wife, son and I framed the questions as a family. All three of us started compiling questions based on some trivia that we knew. Next, we took topics of our interest, like law, pop culture, geography, and explored how we could frame questions based on them. From Twitter, newspapers, magazines, Netflix, basically anything interesting we read or watched became potential questions.” Sample one of the questions that Ashish posed at his quiz – photos of actor/TV show host Ellen DeGeneres and a leather-free mridangam were shown side-by-side and contestants were asked to connect the two. The answer – both are vegan! That family feeling The gatherings haven’t changed much save for the timings, where earlier quiz meetings were longer, now the quiz starts at 6 pm with short eats followed by dinner. The idea simply is to ensure that everyone can be back home by 9-9.30 pm. Deepa says, “The informal, fun gathering of friends is the main motivation. I often say that given the noise generated, the group should be called ‘Desi Bell’ (a play on ‘decibel’)! We are now more than just friends who love quizzing.” There is no money involved, apart from the cost of hosting. There is a no-liquor rule that the group has stuck to. People come and go, but QF continues with the core group. “In fact,” says Deepa, “we have one member who has returned to QF after more than a decade, along with his daughters who are all grown up now,” and laughs as she adds, “It’s like the Samsung tagline... everyone’s invited.” From the oldest member in the group, 70-year-old K Mohan to the youngest Kalyan, Mohan’s grandson who is six, the spirit of QuizFamilies has remained the same throughout, which is no mean achievement. As Socro says, “It’s the family-ness, my daughters used to be so happy to accompany me for these quizzes when I joined 17-18 years ago.” Shaji agrees, “A lot of the children within QF are now grown up and remember the quizzes with fondness.” In fact, children who accompanied their parents to QF sessions in the early 1990s are all grown up now and continue to be regular members. Deepa says, “One of the things I found very nice and still find very comfortable is that this is one activity where parents can bring their children along, without having to hunt for friends or family to babysit. We would just drag our children along because we (usually) had nowhere to leave them.” Deepa’s daughter and son-in-law, Anjana and Derek, are regular members now and their children now accompany them to QF sessions. Deepa says, “I think mine is the only example (so far) of the third generation coming to the quizzes.” Over the years, it is the camaraderie that is the success mantra of the group. Here’s hoping that quizzing, and QuizFamilies, stay the course in the years ahead. Varsha Pillai is a development professional based in Bengaluru.
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Transferred 27 times in a decade for exposing a scam, Karnataka officer goes to Rights Commission

May 1, 2019, 12:40 am
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Controversy
A case has been registered against K’taka Chief Secy, 9 IAS officers over alleged human rights violation.
Theja Ram
The Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) has registered a case against the Chief Secretary of Karnataka Vijay Bhaskar, along with nine other IAS officers on April 29 after a complaint was filed by Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer K Mathai. The case has been registered for violating human rights of officer Mathai under Articles 14, 15 and 16 of the Constitution. According to the complaint, Mathai alleges that he has been transferred 27 times in a span of 10 years in his service, as he had exposed a land scam in Mandya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) worth Rs 300 crore. “I request your good offices to register a complaint against Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) Services, Govt of Karnataka and to grant justice and proper compensation for the mental agony I was made to undergo,’’ says Mathai in a complaint to the KSHRC. He says the KSHRC hesitated to accept his complaint stating that it has no jurisdiction in the case. “I explained and convinced the KSHRC officials that government employees too have rights and violation of their rights have to be treated as violation of human rights,’’ he says. Mathai has alleged that IAS officers Gautam Bagadi, Anil Kumar, Shivakumar, EV Ramana Reddy, Vijaya Bhaskar, Hiremath, Srinivas, Anjum Parvez, M Lakshminarayana and G Kalpana had caused him undue mental harassment. The KAS officer alleges that during his stint with MUDA, he had written a report of how the agency had lost Rs 300 crore income due to illegal allotment of land. “This is vindictive action. I was charged on false grounds by DPAR Services alleging that I had gone on leave without prior permission, while I have documents to prove that I had (permission). I was transferred to serve as Special Land Acquisition Officer in Hoovinahadagali but the Mandya DC did not let me go stating election code and now they have withheld my pay,” K Mathai says. Mathai also alleges that his promotion has been withheld since 2012, as he had exposed a Rs 2,000 crore scam in the BBMP when he was serving as the head of advertising in the civic body. He also states that DPAR falsely accused him of weakening the SAKALA system. SAKALA system was introduced by the Karnataka government in 2011 to ensure that all government services are streamlined digitally. He mentions that former BBMP Commissioner Lakshminarayana had recommended to the Chief Secretary that Mathai was not a reliable officer as he had exposed the Rs 2,000 crore scam in the BBMP. “I had served as the tehsildar of Yadgiri taluk and after four months, I was transferred to MUDA. DPAR had granted permission to conduct an inquiry against me for corruption, when the person accused was the tehsildar who served before me. All this was done as I did not have political patronage,” he adds. He also says that he had written a letter to Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy asking for an appointment so he could discuss the issues. “Despite multiple requests, the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of DPAR did not grant me an appointment,” he says. When TNM contacted the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the officials refused to comment. TNM also tried to reach out to the office of the Principal Secretary of DPAR but did not receive any response. “I have suffered mental agony because of my fight against corruption. I consider a letter written by the then Minister for Housing Dr M H Ambareesh (dated 24-5-2014) as the source for my frequent transfers and problems. The government transferred me 27 times in 10 years. This is pure revenge. I’m being targeted for preparing a report on the land scam in Mandya Urban Development Authority (MUDA),’’ he alleges.
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Mangaluru begins 3rd round of water rationing as Thumbe dam water levels dip

May 1, 2019, 3:28 am
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Water
The water level in the dam reportedly stood at 4.90 metres (7.30 million cubic meter) on Sunday, which would last for less than 28 days if water is supplied every day.
TNM Staff
Image for representation
The third round of water rationing began in Mangaluru on Tuesday as water levels continued to drop in the Thumbe vented dam, which is the city’s main source of water. According to the New Indian Express, Mangaluru MLA and Urban Development Minister UT Khader said the move was being used as a last resort. The report added that the water level in the dam stood at 4.90 metres (7.30 MCM) on Sunday, which would last for less than 28 days if water is supplied every day.  “Mangaluru City Corporation had decided to cut down water supply for two days from this week. The rationing system which was supposed to start from April 30 will be implemented from May 1. In order to avoid severe water crisis in future, rationing system will have to begin,” UT Khader had said. As per the schedule for rationing, water from the reservoir will be provided for four days, while there will be no water after that for two days.  The city corporation had started rationing water on April 18, with the same cycle, where the water supply was cut off on April 18 and April 19, and then again on April 24 and April 25. They had to take a call if the same would continue for a third round.  Water will not be available from 6am on May 1 to 6am on May 3. The next round will be from 6am on May 7 to 6am on May 9. The same will continue from May 13 to May 15 and May 19 to May 21, reported Mangalore Today.  Khader allegedly accused BJP MLAs Vedavyas Kamath and Bharath Shetty of not working towards increasing the water levels. “As MLAs, they did not consult me, nor have they written any letter in this regard. I called them twice for this,” he reportedly said. “We should stop doing politics on water issues. Let us pray for the arrival of rains. There was also an instance of rain arriving after June 15. So we should take all the measures to prevent water crisis in the coming days,” Khader reportedly told reporters on Tuesday.
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Kodagu shocker: Mother-daughter duo found brutally murdered in coffee estate

May 1, 2019, 5:51 am
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Crime
The police suspect that the motive could be a tussle over trespassing.
Mubarak
Kavita, a 45-year-old woman and her 17-year-old daughter Jagashree were found brutally murdered at their family owned coffee estate at Doddamalte village at Somwarpet in Kodagu district on Tuesday. According to the police, the duo were working in their plantation when they were attacked by unidentified perpetrators. Around Tuesday evening, when the murdered woman's son tried to contact his mother and sister over mobile phone, they were unreachable. “Eventually he informed his neighbours, who coordinated a search-effort of the coffee estate, it was only later that the locals discovered the bodies in the estate and informed us,” a local police official said. Based on the marks on the bodies, the officials from the jurisdictional Somwarpet police station said that both the victims were attacked by unidentified perpetrators repeatedly with a sharp edged weapon. “We believe that both the victims were attacked in the afternoon, but since there was a delay in finding them and providing medical assistance, there was excessive bleeding that eventually lead to their death,” police official said. According to the police, the woman's husband had died a few years ago and the mother and children looked after the agricultural property. It was barely a few weeks ago that the daughter, a 12th standard student at St. Philomena College in Hassan, had come home for the summer holidays. The son is completing his high school at Virajpet. Based on preliminary interviews of the locals, police officials suspect an internal property dispute as the primary reason for the crime. “The investigation is ongoing, however we have been informed that a few individuals had a tussle with the woman over trespassing the property. We are probing if that or related issues have led to the crime,” police said. Story by www.storyinfinity.com (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP).
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From rank 31 to 1: How Hassan revamped its schooling to bag top spot in K'taka SSLC

May 1, 2019, 6:26 am
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Education
Within two years, Hassan has jumped to the top spot in the state with a pass percentage of 89.33.
Prajwal Bhat
Representational Image/ PTI
In 2017, officials in Hassan were puzzled to find that it was languishing at the 31st spot in the district-wise SSLC rankings in Karnataka with a pass percentage of just 69.58. District officials led by then Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri and officials of the Education Department and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) decided to start a series of initiatives to revamp the schooling system in the district. Within two years, Hassan has jumped to the top spot in the state with a pass percentage of 89.33. The district improved its ranking to seven in 2018 before topping the rankings in 2019 ahead of traditionally successful districts like Udupi. The then DC Rohini Sindhuri attributes the remarkable rise in rankings to a holistic approach to improve the education system in the district, one that was not focused on just the student's academic life. "We took steps to push the principals, teachers, parents as well as the students. It is not just down to the students to improve but it is also important to take a holistic view of a child's education," explains Rohini, who was transferred from Hassan in February.  Efforts to improve the district's education system began two years ago. Rohini, after several meetings with district officials, decided to take a test for teachers in order to prepare them to teach the syllabus. "We gave two months time. Initially the teachers did not take it too seriously but we kept insisting that there is an exam. Teachers actually did read and prepare for the exam and that was important," says Rohini. District officials also identified motivated principals and honoured them in the hope that teachers would be driven to do better.  Officials also identified students who needed to attend extra classes, as early as in class 9. Principals were encouraged to conduct exchange programmes among students in the district. In this respect, the students studying in schools that were faring well were paired with students studying in schools where they were not performing that well.  Rohini, however, believes that a dialogue held by principals of the schools with mothers of the students was more influential in reinforcing students with a sense of purpose. "We held a meeting with mothers at the school level after the first set of tests were conducted. This is the first time we have done something like this and identified that mothers are also important stakeholders in the lives of students,” Rohini adds.  Subtle changes were made to the education system in the district along with upgradation of the syllabus from state-board level to NCERT level. Further reinforcement measures were taken in the form of radio shows.  The strategy adopted by officials at Hassan appears to have worked. Not only has the district topped in the pass percentage category, it has also taken top spot in the quality-wise rankings, which give equal importance to pass percentage, average marks and students who secured first class. Two students from Hassan - Pragathi Gowda and Abhin B scored 624 out of 625 marks and stood second in the state, helping the district come out with flying colours.  
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JD(S) leader GT Devegowda says many JD(S) workers voted for BJP in Mysuru

May 1, 2019, 6:42 am
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Lok Sabha 2019
In Mysuru-Kodagu, the contest is between outgoing MP Pratap Simha of the BJP and Congress-JD(S) candidate CH Vijayashankar
TNM Staff
In an embarrassment for the ruling coalition in Karnataka, Higher Education Minister GT Devegowda on Wednesday said that JD(S) workers in parts of Mysuru-Kodagu constituency have voted for the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Addressing reporters, he said, “The leaders (Congress and JD(S)) could not resolve the differences between party workers in two months. Maybe if we had started the process earlier, we could have done better.” Although the alliance was agreed upon by the top brass of both the parties, it was not welcomed by grassroots workers, especially in the Mysuru region that has witnessed decades of rivalry between the Congress and JD(S). The comment from GT Devegowda, the Mysuru district-in-charge minister, came despite the fact that he held joint rallies with his former prodigy-turned-foe Siddaramaiah as part of the campaign. The two top leaders coming together was to influence workers of both the parties to bury the past and fight unitedly against the BJP. Notably, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah just a year ago was defeated by GT Devegowda from Chamundeshwari assembly segment. In Mysuru-Kodagu, the contest is between outgoing MP Pratap Simha of the BJP and Congress-JD(S) candidate CH Vijayashankar. Vijayashankar, a former BJP man was reportedly the choice of former CM SIddaramaiah who had ensured that the seat will be given to Congress as part of the seat-sharing talks.   Reacting to the comment, Vijayshankar told TV9, “I don't want to comment on what GT Devegowda supposedly told the media. He has campaigned for me in Chamundeshwari. We had a joint rally with the Congress and JD(S) in which he has publicly appealed the same. That's what I know.” He added, “Maybe GT Devegowda has said that JD(S) workers are not 100% working in favour of the coalition in a certain circumstance. There will be a few who will act like this, but this will not affect the result of the election.”   #BIGNEWS: #BJP candidate from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency @mepratap reacts on GT Devegowda's comment, says people of #Mysuru have supported #BJP from the beginning and now the #Congress and JD(S) are also supporting the party. pic.twitter.com/6CvtA8kcft— NEWS9 (@NEWS9TWEETS) May 1, 2019   
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Bengaluru collective bats for more humane treatment to workers on Labour Day

May 1, 2019, 7:11 am
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Labour rights
Maraa representatives held up placards at Majestic Bus Stand showing disrespectful comments workers like pourakarmikas, domestic workers and sex workers have to face.
Harshitha AB
From about an hour on Wednesday, which marked Labour Day, a few people stood holding up red placards at Majestic Bus Stand in Bengaluru. Undeterred by the afternoon heat, these people were from Maraa, a city-based media and arts collective. Their placards had messages like, “Why do you people want Bisleri water? Drink tap water from the streets”; “I am not going to pay you for working overtime. Paying any money in the first place to people like you is unnecessary”, and “You prostitutes are walking on the streets like dogs.” The idea behind this silent demonstration was simple – talk to people about how they treat workers. Named ‘bevaru’, which translates to ‘sweat’ from Kannada, the exercise was aimed at highlight the disdain, disrespect and apathy faced by sections of the working class like domestic workers, pourakarmikas, garment workers and sex workers. And written on their placards were the insensitive and condescending statements that workers had recounted to Maraa members. The 5-6 people from the collective stopped and spoke to passers by at the Majestic Bus Stand, while distributing pamphlets explaining the discrimination that workers face such as not being paid on time or for working overtime, limited access to health and public services, not getting holidays, workplace harassment, insults and abuse from the public and so on. Maraa representatives emphasised on how dignity is important to workers, thereby urging the public to reflect on how they speak with them in terms of gestures and even the tone of their voices. Referring to the stigma and brutality sex workers face for instance, Ekta, one of the organisers of the event referred to Obavva squads, comprised of specially trained women constables, formed to educate women in self-defence, raise awareness about laws such as Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, IPC, and ensure law and order. Started in Chitradurga, these squads are now at multiple places in Karnataka. “One such Obavva squad has been set up by the Upparpet police station to clean the city. But does cleaning the city mean forcibly removing street vendors and sex workers out of the city in a violent way? Chasing them out of the bus stop in public view jeopardises their livelihood,” Ekta said. Maraa representatives chose Majestic Bus Stand for this demonstration because different kinds of workers such as domestic workers, street vendors, pourakarmikas and sex workers are often present there and also face discrimination. Members of Maraa also explained that by holding the exhibition on Labour Day they wanted to point out to the irony that despite dedicating a day for workers, they are not free and continue to be mistreated.
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Women garment workers take out rally in Bengaluru, demand fair wages

May 1, 2019, 7:14 am
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Worker Rights
One of the demands was that manufacturers pay a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month. They presently earn around Rs 8,000.
Rohit R.
Close to 1000 women garment workers and construction labourers marched in Bengaluru on Tuesday, which is International Labour Day for their rights and a fair living wage, among other demands. The rally was organised by the Garment Labour Union, affiliated to the Hind Mazdoor Sabha.  The women marched from Kanteerava Studio signal to TVS Cross in Peenya, demanding that garment manufacturers pay workers a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month. They presently earn about Rs 8000. The demands of the workers includes housing support, a grievance cell which will be set up by the government for women, and bridging the gender wage gap in the garment industry. They also called on the owners to improve upon their working conditions, and that the Visakha Guidelines be implemented in organisations.  Speaking at the event, Saroja, the General Secretary of the Garment Labour Union pointed out that the women face all forms of harassment at their workplace.  “Women employees face physical, mental and sexual harassment daily. We do not know whom to report these incidents to, and the few brave women who want to speak out are suppressed. Gender-based violence still exists and the salaries aren’t dispersed if they bring attention to the problems,” she said. The minimum wage has been hiked by the Karnataka government only four times in the last few decades, but garment workers don’t even earn that, and struggle to earn a living wage. “Living in a city like Bengaluru, it is hard to make ends meet with the salary we get. The garment sector might be classified as organised due to the infrastructure, but the employees are unorganised. We are asking what is rightfully ours, which is being denied.” A campaign was also launched to draw attention to the violence inflicted on women workers, and garment employees hope that brands and organisations will not be oblivious to the struggles they face. Few multinational brands have already pledged their support, said Saroja.
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