The Weekly Observer

Volume 16 Issue 3

An IIJNM Publication

Vanishing lakes adding to Bengaluru’s weather woes

By Mrigakshi Dixit mrigakshi.d@iijnm.org BENGALURU: The ‘Garden City’ of India is famous for its moderate, year-round climate. But the metropolitan city surrounded by a wide, green belt and lakes is slowly losing its charm with years of rapid urbanisation.

According to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the city now accounts for just 189 lakes, both natural and man-made, which remain in the city.

With the vanishing lakes, severe climate change and a population of 8.42 million, scientists believe the city is on the brink of dying.

“The extinction of the lakes is one of the major factors for the climate change of the city,” said Dr. Ramadevi, consultant for climate change at Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, Bangalore. “The wetlands are set to be balancing the ecosystem from over the years. But now with fewer numbers of wetlands, there is total disturbance of climate activities leading to hot sunny days and irregular rainfall.”

Ninety-eight per cent of Bengaluru’s lakes, once a great source of irrigation and drinking water, are in a bad condition, said Dr. M.D Shubash Chandra, professor at the Indian Institute of Science.

“Most of the lakes are being encroached for privatisation or encroached by mafia; in many is dumped untreated industrial waste and are polluted with thousands of inorganic agents that degrade the condition and dry up the lakes.”

In the Indian Institute of Science study, 105 lakes were surveyed. Of

September 23, 2016

Mooo-sance: Cattle chaos on Hulasuru Roads

By Ashima Choudhary ashima.c@iijnm.org BENGALURU: The abundance of stray cows and buffaloes on the city’s main roads indicates no one is manning the herd, and it is resulting in nearly an accident a day.

Stray cattle can be seen rummaging through garbage for food and moving freely on the streets of Bangalore. And what they leave behind is not so pleasant.

Sarakki lake has turned into a wild mess due to eutrophication leading to the further deterioration of lake. | Photo Courtesy: Mrigakshi Dixit

the 105, only four lakes were in a good condition; 25 lakes were in an extremely bad condition.

“Most of these lakes are affected by eutrophication, or the deposition of phosphates and nitrates at the surface of the lake promoting algal bloom. The thick layer of deposits blocks the oxygen transfer and sunlight penetration into the lake causing the lake animals to die and a severe misbalance of the climate,” say scientists. “The lake deposits are from heavy discharge of industrial waste, untreated solid waste or continuous deposit of fertilizers and pesticides from agriculture,” they added.

“Eutrophication can be seen in most of the lakes like Sarakki Lake, Gutterahalli Lake, Varthur, Maragondanahalli, Bellandur, Puttenahalli, to name a few,” said Dr. Subhash Chandra. “The wetlands water level is also reducing by 2,000 litres, leading to the loss of flora and fauna of the lakes. The lakes in Bengaluru constituted a major number of African catfish but now hardly any lakes support

Cattle waste has left a disagreeable odour and the cows themselves have caused traffic jams and, at times, accidents.

“Road accidents caused due to

brought into our notice since people cannot complain against a cow.”

Monsoons make the conditions worse due to an abundance of weeds and slippery roads. Cattle manure lines the entire length of the road from the Hulasuru Metro station to Indiranagar Metro station.

“Cows sit in front of our shops and block the entrance causing our customers difficulty in entering,” said the owner of a pharmacy in Hulasuru.

A year ago, the fine imposed on proprietors of stray cattle was in-

aquatic life.” The city marked its highest temperature rise on April 24, 2016 with 39.2-degrees Celsius (103 °F), the highest temperature recorded since April 1931.

“Many lakes are a spot for dumping garbage on a daily basis. They do not have proper buffer zones, they are foam-filled. Sewage treatment plants are not installed in the lakes and sometimes the waste is more compared to the plant, and 50 per cent of the STP’s do not function properly,” said Dr. Chandra Also of concern, said scientists, an increase in temperature is due to global warming. The more lakes are depleted, the greater the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to temperature increases.

“Wetlands reduce the emission of gases like methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Similarly, industries, construction and malls add to the vanishing of lakes,” said Dr. Chandra Cont’d. on Pg 4

Cattle lazing beneath Hulasuru Metro Station. | Photo Courtesy: Ashima Choudhary

stray cattle are an everyday event now,” said G. Hanumantha Raja, Hulasuru traffic police officer.

“An average of 20 accidents happen in a month and a large number of vehicles are damaged almost daily. Sadly, these are not the exact numbers since we record such accidents as road accidents and no separate record is maintained for accidents due to stray cattle,” Raja added. “A large number of such accidents are not

creased from Rs. 100 to Rs. 600, yet this has seemingly not dissuaded them from allowing the animals to roam free in the city.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s efforts at imposing stringent fines on owners who leave their cattle to graze without supervision has only brought about repeat wrongdoers willing to pay a fine and later leave their cattle again to roam around the city.

Air pollution rising critically in India’s Garden City

By Bhakti Tambe bhakti.t@iijnm.org BENGALURU: Air pollution in India’s ‘Garden City’ is increasing rapidly, according to recent findings.

A report by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) shows that the air quality index (AQI) of areas like KHB industrial area and Peenya industrial area has increased from a satisfactory level of pollution of 77-97 AQI to a moderate level of 109 AQI from June, 2016 to July, 2016.

Moderate levels of pollution can cause breathing discomfort, severe respiratory problems among children, older adults and those who are suffering from cardiac issues, according to KSPCB. A survey conducted by Breathe Blue in 2015, reported that 14 per cent of school-going children in Bengaluru suffer from respiratory

problems because of air pollution.

Bengaluru, an IT hub, stands 12th on the air pollution index of Indian cities, according to World Health Organization’s Ambient Air Pollution Database 2014.

Dr. Nagappa, scientific officer at KPSCB, said that overpopulation and more vehicles on the road are contributing to the deterioration of air quality in the city of Bengaluru.

ular population to about 1.5 million, with an annual growth rate of 7-10%. Two wheelers constitute more than 70% of the total volume, while cars comprise 15%, auto rickshaws 4% and the re-

and e-government), explained, “People tend to buy non-transport vehicles such as two-wheelers and four-wheelers for the purpose of pleasure and convenience. If one can afford a vehicle, he/she can buy it. Also, unavailability of metro service in the outskirts of the city makes people use their own vehicles for transportation.”

“I live in Yelhanka and my office is in Electronic City.

According to When breath becomes smoke; Heavy and old vehicles are a major contributing factor to pollution. There is no | Photo Courtesy: wordpress.com the data available metro station maining 8% includes other vehion Bengaluru City Traffic Police near my house or near to the Eleccles such as buses, vans and website, “Rapid population tronic City. So, it is convenient for tempos.” growth because of IT and other asme to commute on my twosociated industries in Bengaluru wheeler than using the public Mr. Mallikarjuna, joint commishas led to an increase in the vehictransport,” said Satish Walikar, 36 sioner for transport (environment

and a resident of Yelhanka.

Mallikarjuna said, “Heavy vehicles, old two-stroke engine twowheelers and old cars contribute a great deal to air pollution. Banning the old vehicles with two-stroke engines and encouraging more and more people to buy four-stroke engine vehicles can help to control the air pollution.”

According to Nandikesh, Green Peace chief campaigner “Air Pollution has no boundaries. A city or a state cannot solve the problem on its own. Hence, India needs a clean air action plan that will reduce air pollution in a time bound manner. The biggest problem for air pollution is burning fossil fuel (coal, diesel, petrol, gas etc.). The only way to solve the problem is to be more efficient and less dependent on fossil fuels.” Greenpeace is an NGO working on environmental issues like air pollution.

BENGALURU

THE OBSERVER

SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

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Parents divided over Sri Chaitanya Techno’s Bharat bandhs and curfews tablet requirement citing high costs stall school syllabus struction, the body that regulates the smooth functioning of government schools across Karnataka, told The Weekly Observer: “Parents just want to send their kids to so-called ‘smart’ schools which teach their kids spoken English and charge huge fees for fancy packages and

even justify our own name?”

Sandhya said around 80 per cent of parents are deeply satisfied with BENGALURU:When Sri Chaithe advanced learning their children tanya Techno School introduced are being exposed to. The tablets, mandatory educational tablets for she said, allow the children to ac4th and 3rd standard students, the cess extra course activity. “It is just move was met with feeble opposito give a feel of how to handle these tion. Afterall, pargadgets that we will be ents were already introducing them to accustomed to the the 2nd [standard] stuschool making dents in the second tablets compulhalf of the year,” she sory for students said. starting from 5th In June, parents Standard. protested outside But now that Sri SCTS, Bannerghatta Chaitanya Techno in opposition to the inSchool (SCTS) troduction of tablets with branches for 3rd to 6th standard across Karnataka, students as they feared Andhra Pradesh, their children would Telangana and get addicted to the deMaharashtra Photo for representative purposes only.| Photo Courtesy:-www.thehindu.com vice, according to rewants to do the ports in The Hindu. The added same for 2nd standard students, extra courses, without actually in- weight of carrying the tablets along vestigating the quality of education with books was also a concern for some parents are livid. there.” parents.

“What is the point of replacing If private schools decide to introtext books with tablets for 7-yearSangeetha Palat, mother of a 2nd old children? What will they learn duce extra packages and expensive standard child at SCTS, Banin it that textbooks won’t teach?” gadgets there is really nothing that nerghatta and a recent arrival in said one parent of a sprightly 2nd anybody can do to regulate them, Bengaluru, said she has not been standard girl. The mother was re- Nadhan said. “These institutes can notified about the new rule yet. “I cently informed that the coming se- always defend themselves saying have heard from my cousin, who’s mester she’ll have to shell out an that it’s for the student’s benefit. child studies in SCTS RT Nagar Who can keep track of the amount branch that their fees have gone up extra Rs.14500 for a tablet. of profit schools are making from to Rs.18000 now because tablets Appalled, the parent, who asked these initiatives? Finally these have been added to the list,” Palat not to be identified, said she and tablets have to be bought through said. others were against the idea initially the school and not independently,” but somehow the school managePriya Ganesh, another parent, said Nadham added. ment convinced them. At some she is fine with the usage of tablets Sandhya, primary co-ordinator at in school as long as the usage is limbranches in the city, she said, parents managed to convince the SCTS Banaswadi, predicts tablets ited. She is glad that students get to schools to have textbooks and will be introduced across all Central learn much more than their regular Board of Education schools in the course work. “My only concern is tablets side by side.

SRS Nadhan, senior assistant di- future. “We are a ‘techno’ school,” the effect it has on their eyes. It’s rector and private secretary to the said Sandhya. “Why would parents not good for the child’s vision,” she state Commissioner for Public In- send their kids here if we cannot said.

By Romita Majumdar romita.m@iijnm.org

ing in overflowing of lakes and flooding the city.

September arrived with ‘Bharat Bandh’ on September 2 and then BENGALURU: Schools are another strike on September 9 for finding it difficult to cover syllabus the Cauvery water row. On Sepdue to several forced holidays in the tember 12, Bengaluru, again saw a wake of strikes, ‘bandhs’ and cursudden eruption of violence fews that have closed down schools throughout the city, resulting in anin the past two months. other 2- day- break in regular “Children lose their concentration classes for students since a curfew due to uncertainty of holidays and it was imposed until September 14. directly impacts their learning,” said Parents too, are afraid to send Mr. D.Shashi Kumar, general secretheir kids to schools even on days tary of The Associated Manageafter the strike bements of Primary lose “Children cause of uncertainty and Secondary concentratheir of the events hapSchools in Karnataka. tion due to un- pening in the city.

Meenakshi Bapat, certainty of “Even teachers and a member of Bangastudents are unable holidays and it to cope up with the directly impacts lore Schools, page created by parents to routines as the attentheir learning,” be updated with the dance varies after -Mr D.Shashi events in the city, such events. Soon said “These were kumar after such incidents, forced holidays. And the settlement period I think, no one was delighted with of holiday blue takes place with the circumstances. The syllabus can both children and teacher and thus, be completed by calling the chilactual syllabus completion is afdren on Saturdays but safety cannot fected. “Even teachers and students be compensated. I am someone are unable to cope up with the rouwho takes studies seriously, but as tines as the attendance varies after I said, safety is paramount.” such events. Soon after such incidents, the settlement period of holiAccording to the Ministry of day blue takes place with both Human Resource Department, children and teacher and thus, actual every school has 47 days of sumsyllabus completion is mer vacation and 23 days for other affected,”said Kumar. holidays in Karnataka; and every school must have 240 working days The series of events which have in one academic session. led to forced holidays for students began with the Karnataka State According to The Hindu, schools Road Transport Corporation bus will cut down the vacation holidays strike in late-July. The government in order to get back to a normal declared two days off for all pace, but nothing has been formally schools. The month ended with 15 announced yet. hours of continuous rainfall, result-

By Sonal Agarwal sonal.a@iijnm.org

Poetry enthusiasts find their voice Job seekers, eager for work, applying on online job portals fall prey to cyber frauds at National Youth Poetry Slam

By Ayushee Chaudhary ayushee.c@iijnm.org “Slam poetry is empowerment,” said Diksha Bijlani, one of the members of the winning team at India’s first ever National Youth Poetry Slam (NYPS) held on 17 and 18 September at the Lotus Convention Centre in Bangalore. Poets gathered from all across the nation representing their colleges for the event. The event had 25 teams after several rounds of auditions. For the final round, 10 teams were selected by an eminent jury.

Gargi College, Delhi University won the competition and will represent India in Chicago next March for the international poetry slam.

Airplane Poetry Movement (APM) and Campus Diaries came up with this two-day festival of spoken word poetry after hours of brainstorming and three years of conducting several workshops.

“We wanted to do something that makes a statement about spoken word poetry, now we feel India is ready for spoken word; spoken word is ready for India,” said Shantanu Anand, who co founded APM along with Nandini Verma in December 2013 under the incubation of Campus Diaries. They further plan to contextualise it further, encourage inclusivity and spread po-

etry slam in various languages.

The highlight of the event themed “Find Your Voice” was Sarah Kay, renowned international spoken word poet. Kay mentioned the fact that hundreds of people came together for something like this despite it being the first event of its kind, speaks a lot about how much slam poetry moves people. Also present at the event was Kalki Koechlin, who joined in to judge the final round and also delivered a performance that captivated the audience.

The event showcased a Hindi Poetry Slam and Kannada Poetry Slam as well. The first day of the event had a performance by Slam Out Loud kids from Delhi. The second day had a group of slam poets all the way from Pakistan who charmed the audience with soulful poetry.

Missed this extravagant show of poetry? Here’s a sigh of relief! APM is an active society that constantly organises slam poetry for budding and interested artists across the nation. It promises a future for slam poetry and will assure you a chance nationally and internationally. Follow their website or the facebook page for the upcoming events and drench yourself in the art.

phone call that I would lodge a complaint with the police if my money wasn’t refunded,” said SriBENGALURU: Applicants on ram. “That was my last call. online job portals are swindled by After a gap of two months, Sriram so-called “consultants” who charge received an application for jobs large fees and then disappear withfrom an international Scottish comout leaving any trace of their pany. They said they got in touch whereabouts.

TIPS TO AVOID ONLINE JOB with him through timesjobs.com.

According to a 2015 report by “I was very wary of their authenFRAUD: the National Crime Record Buticity,” said Sriram. “I had an ereau, there were 74 cases of onmail interview and after that line fraud in Karnataka last year. •Call the portal helpline number and received an offer letter. SomeCyber crime rates increased 29 thing seemed fishy.” per cent in 2015 with 1,447 verify as soon as you get a call for job He said the salary mentioned cases reported, compared to was “insurmountable for his pro•Do not make payments for resumes 1,020 in 2014. file”. He asked them to send him Apparently, many cyber or job acceptance a detailed document of the visa frauds go unreported. process; in return, they asked for Pramod P, 23, was contacted •Change passwords once in 6 months Rs. 1, 00,000. “I got to know that by a “consultant” after applying all this was fake and I did not on placementindia.com for overseas tion fees. “I did not know where to contact them or answer their calls.” jobs. The consultant created a re- report this. I posted in online conJob applicants need to be careful sume for the sum of Rs. 9, 000 and sumer complaint forum but that and not blindly follow big company charged an additional Rs. 32,000 as seemed to be of little help.” names, said Aseem Seth, official consulting fees, said Pramod. He Sriram K, 25, uploaded his cur- spokesperson for timesjobs.com. said the consultant promised recom- riculum vitae on naukri.com and “Users have to be alert while applymendation and interview notifica- timesjobs.com this May. It was the ing with the portals. In case of any tions of foreign multi-national first time he tried applying on on- doubt regarding a company contactcompanies. line portals. A consultant called him ing them, our helpline is always “When I applied on this job portal saying he viewed the work profile available. I suggest that one shouldlast year, I was working with Flip- on naukri.com and would like to n’t make any payments without verkart and badly wanted to go abroad take the process forward. Sriram ifying with the portals,” said Seth, for job opportunities,” said Pramod. paid Rs. 8,000 as recruitment fees adding, “We also circulate notices “I paid the so called ‘fees’ and the and got a receipt for Rs. 3000. of cyber malpractices and frauds, person never replied to my phone “I threatened the person on the alerting the users,” he added. calls.” His e-mails also went unan-

By Aishwarya Iyer aishwarya.i@iijnm.org

swered.

He aired his grievance on social media and got a huge response from others with similar experiences. “I did not know what to do after my money was looted,” said Pramod, who is still paying off the consulta-

BENGALURU

THE OBSERVER SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Twenty years on, disability act still clamouring for support

By Chhavi Nagpal chhavi.n@iijnm.org

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METRO

“This [awareness and complying with the PWD Act] is not a Karnataka specific problem, this is a nation-wide problem, but campaigns like Accessible India have been a huge step forward and we should focus more on them rather than highlighting the faults of the government’s actions,” said Pranesh Nagri, honorary director at EnAble, an NGO that works for economic independence and dignity for persons with disabilities.

“We’re moving slowly, but we’re definitely improving,” he added, noting that the disabled have been getting jobs in both the private and

the volunteers at the match refused to provide me a wheelchair. They asked us to move forward and told BENGALURU: In a recent adus that we should have brought our dress to local officials, Chief Comown wheelchair, they won’t provide missioner for Persons With us with one,” said Dinde.

Disabilities, Kamalesh Kumar “I shouted at him, telling him Pande, said Karnataka has to monwhat the rules exactly state under itor its usage of funds, addressal of the PWD Act, 1995. Due to comgrievances and workings of the plete rude behaviour and lack of State Executive Committee in order support from the stadium manageto better comply with the People ment, my brother had to carry me With Disabilities Act of 1995. for almost a kilometre. After a lot of The People With Disabilities Act argument, we finally got the wheel(PWD), celebrating 20 years this chair halfway through,” she said. year, makes it the duty of the cenDinde, who is also a global youth tral and state governments, and all ambassador at A World at School, departments under them, to help which is build an infrasupported structure and proby the vide techniques United Naand special aid tions, said that makes it easit is high ier for people time the with disabilities governto access free edment foucation up to the cused on age of 18; to enreforms sure three per and implecent of the govmentation ernment workrather than force is just passcomprised of ing laws on people with dispaper. abilities; and to Governmake travel easment colier throughout the leges such country. as Sir However, most Jayayof these guidechamaralines are being Disabled passenger struggling to board the train. | Photo Courtesy: swayam.wordpress.blogspot.com j e n d r a flouted by governmental organiza- the public sector with ease, and Polytechnic College and Governtions and departments, say officials. have been given quality education ment Institute of Textile Technology “The Access Audit team has re- till at least high school. were vaguely aware of the Act and cently sent notices to almost 50 orEnAble has so far employed 7,500 the vice-principles at these colleges ganizations and departments under people with disabilities. And last did not refuse the claim that their the government that have violated year, Government of Karnataka colleges did not have disabledthe guidelines of the PWD Act of gave the organization 1,000 laptops friendly infrastructure and/or any 1995, and action is soon expected to help train the visually-impaired challenged students. BESCOM offrom them,” said A.S Amarnath, a for jobs. Nonetheless, Nagri opined fices, the Civil Court Complex in 19-year veteran at the Directorate that there are still faults in the gov- Vidhana Soudha and the BMTC bus of Welfare of Disabled and Senior stand at Kempegowda, to Citizens. name a few government ofSome 10 per cent of the nafices and organisations, tion’s population is disabled have been blatantly flouting and most of them come from the act. Most officials in a poor background, say disthese offices are not even ability experts. aware that the PWD act exAccording to Amarnath, not ists. The Weekly Observer many institutions take the act could not reach authorities and its consequences seriat these places for a comously. There is either a lack of ment and the peons at the information or absolute disinentrances simply stated that terest, he said, adding that the the buildings could not be media has highlighted the accessed by someone on a issue and the Government of wheelchair.

Karnataka is trying to tackle The layman perceives it, but it’s still just not enough. disability as only pertaining Amarnath said public awareto loco-motor challenges, ness has to be raised about which is what these institudifferent kinds of disabilities and ernment’s implementation of the tions have done. According to the how to deal with them. Government Act and there remains a need for re- Act, the term disability includes employees need to be sensitized at forming people’s mindsets. “blindness, low vision, leprosyhigh levels to be able to help the Diksha Dinde, a 23 year-old ac- cured, hearing impairment, locopublic and their fellow employees, tivist from Pune who is currently motor disability, mental retardation he said. pursuing a Masters in History from and mental illness.” But what meets Despite ongoing issues with Indira Ghandi National Open Uni- the eye are absent ramps and lifts, awareness of the PWD Act, Amar- versity (IGNOU), is 84 per cent corridors and notice boards that are nath said the Directorate for People disabled and says she has been re- not friends of the visually -impaired With Disabilities has seen real jected by schools and colleges due and parking lots that one can only progress since its inception in 1988, to lack of infrastructure, despite a pray that wheelchairs will make it which is showcased by the 250 peo- brilliant academic record. through. According to the website ple employed in government ofDisregard for the disabled, she of the Directorate of Welfare of Disfices. Karnataka has said it will said, is all around her. abled and Senior Citizens, the Govincrease the number of jobs for “I had gone to see the Royal ernment of Karnataka has those with disabilities from the re- Challengers Bangalore vs. Sun Ris- established eight residential special quired three per cent to five per ers Hyderabad final match of the schools, four each for children with cent.

IPL at Chinnaswamy Stadium, and visual and hearing impairment.

“Disability includes blindness, low vision, leprosy-cured, hearing impairment,locomotor disability, mental retardation and mental illness.”

Overcharging auto drivers, torment passengers in Bangalore

By Prabhakar Thakur prabhakar.t@iijnm.org

brought the matter of excessive fares, to the attention of the BangaBENGALURU: City travelers lore Traffic Police (BTP) and are frustrated at auto rickshaw driv- prompted organisations such as ers who are flouting the law and Mgaadi and Peace Auto to work charging excessive and unlawful with auto drivers who have vowed to charge by meter. fare from passengers.

As for auto rickshaw drivers, most Nitin Anand, 21, an engineering admit to overcharging if the destinastudent says, that he wastes a lot of tion is far away, as they might not time finding an auto rickshaw driver get passengers while returning. who charges fare by the meter.

They also blame bad roads in many Sometimes, he ends up paying extra areas as another reason for demandfailing to find autos that charge by ing far more than the real fare. the meter.

Rajkumar, a According to rule cab driver with 13(U) and rule 16 of Uber, says, Karnataka Motor Ve“The apphicles Act and secbased cab servtion 177 of the ice in Motor Vehicles Act, Bengaluru has “A driver of an auto benefitted rickshaw shall not from auto drivdemand excess fare ers trying to from passengers.” The roads are paved with money for overo v e r c h a r g e Anand’s plight is charging autodrivers in the city. | Photo Courclients.

People similar to that of tesy: Sainath(The New Indian Express) are fed up and most auto rickshaw passengers in are opting to travel by cabs for betthe city. ter service.”

R. Vasu, traffic police inspector at Passengers can complain about Madivala Traffic Police Station, auto rickshaw drivers who don’t folsaid police can impose a fine or low the law regarding fares to poseize the auto if a driver overlice. charges.

Numerous

complaints

have

For more information visit http://www.bangaloretrafficpolice.gov.in/

The girl who weaves words The Weekly Observer Team

She could’ve been an illustration from a children’s picture book.

Messy-curly hair, red lips, blue polka-dotted summer dress, leather boots and a wide-eyed astonished look at the huge crowd of Indian poets around her.

Sarah Kay is every poetry-lovingyoungsters dream. To run into her at the prestigious National Youth Poetry Slam (NYPS), while she’s waiting for a chocolate milkshake is a dream come true. “I’ve been craving milkshake all day, you know.

I’ve been driving these folks crazy,” she grinned, winking at her assistants.

Sarah Kay, spoken word poetry exponent, educator and motivational speaker was in the city to host the first national poetry event of its kind in India on September 17 and 18.

Visitors and participants at the event were surprised to find this radiant poetess interacting with the crowd, oblivious to the cult status she holds amongst them. Mostly she was seen prancing around backstage encouraging the participants and cheering with the audience. After the initial moments of fan-girl hysteria had passed, the 27-year-old shared her experiences with The Weekly Observer over milkshake and nachos.

You performed your first poetry slam at 14. You went on to perform at many prestigious poetry clubs with veteran poets. What was it like?

It was intimidating. The first slam I attended was a teen slam. So the people performing there were like my peers. I mean, I was 14 and there were around 18. I had never been in a room full of people who liked poetry as much as I did before.

Later when I performed at the Bowery Poetry Club [New York], they were very welcoming. People

respected me as an artist. I spent a lot of time listening instead of performing. It helped me develop an understanding of the audience and how to handle myself.

How has your experience of travelling all over the world been?

It feels good until you get to know right before boarding the plane that your visa is not right (rolls eye). I’ve found friends who’ve helped me. I am very impressed by the kindness of strangers, thrilled to meet new people every day. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity had I had a different job.

Yes, I’ve been travelling to a lot of different places. I had great time with young poets World Warriors in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was the best.

How has India been so far?

It’s my fourth time in India. I’ve visited New Delhi, Gurgaon, Pune, Mumbai, Goa and West Bengal. I have travelled across North India and I’ve been to the Sunderbans. It’s my first time in Bangalore though.

It’s been 24 hours since I’ve flown here. So apart from everything that’s going on upstairs, I’ve not seen anything else. People are very sweet, and I’m very, very impressed with some of the poets. The Airplane Poetry Movement is doing a fabulous job.

Do you have any tips for upcoming poets to help them face the stage?

Try to remember that everybody in the audience wants to see you succeed. You might go on stage and a voice in your head starts saying ‘Oh God, all these people are just waiting for me to mess up’. It’s not true. Once you believe that they want you to succeed, it’s not so scary. It feels a lot safer. Just go ahead.

BENGALURU

4

METRO

THE OBSERVER SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

Garbage continues to confound Bengaluru Inadequate garbage trucks pile on to the mounting trash problem on Varthur streets without being subjected to a terrible stench emanating from the trash strewn across the neighborhood.

BENGALURU: “No garbage So why do they persist on littertrucks? We'll throw it on the streets ing? According to a study published and suffer the stench.” in Waste-Management-World.com, That seems to be the sentiment of “People litter because they don’t residents in Varthur, who refusing to feel responsible towards their comlet excess trash invade their homes, munity. It’s a force of habit, they see have taken to dumping the trash on a person littering and they follow s u i t .

There’s a feeling of nonchalance in the community as they do not feel empowered to take matters into their own hands to clean up their city.

Once they see the trash piling up they feel even less responsible for adding Trash sprawled on Varthur pavements. | Photo Courtesy: Anushree Madappa to the litter.” the streets and are suffering the con- According to an edition of Nature, sequences. The resi-dents seem re- India is on its way to becoming the signed to the idea of no largest producer of rubbish in the door-to-door pick up, despite the world. law requiring every ward in BangaThe Residents of Varthur feel it’s lore to have door-to-door collection. the BBMP’s responsibility to clean up the city.

“The Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has failed to The BBMP head of Varthur, implement the door-to-door pickup Pushpa Manjunath, said that she is law in Varthur,” say residents. So aware of the residents’ distress they have turned the streets into a caused by the burgeoning trash in general collection area, where the her ward. garbage truck makes a stop once a day to clear the trash.

"There are insufficient trucks to Provision store owner and a resi- cope with the vast population of dent of Varthur, Thimraj, said," A Varthur,” she said. Currently her feeble attempt at cleaning up the ward has 14 auto rickshaws and two trash was made by the BBMP and trucks, whereas Bellandur, the ward the residents were asked to stop next to Varthur, is in pos-session of dumping trash on the streets. After 20 auto rickshaws. a week, they were back to dumping Manhunath said that she wants garbage on the streets." more trucks in her ward and that "They don't want the trash to fes- she's had a word with BBMP’s comter in their home,” said Thimraj. missioner to communicate to him ”Since there are inadequate door-to- the scarcity of garbage trucks, but door trash pickup facilities in no measures have yet been underVarthur, it goes to the streets for the taken to aid her cause to procure BBMP to deal with later on.” more trucks or implement door-toVarthur residents are literally door pickup. "Obtaining more stuck in a mess of their own mak- trucks,” she said, “will immensely ing, as they complain about not help control trash problem in being able to step into the streets Varthur.”

By Anushree Madappa anushree.m@iijnm.org

Vanishing lakes

By Shannon Ridge Court shannon.c@iijnm.org

Twitter This Week It must be cool to be Jennifer Aniston and have the whole world assume you’re still in love with your ex-husband after 12 years.

Mike Bianchi@Mike_Bianchi @ShoojitSircar,

Congratula-

and 8 a.m., he added.

“Many residents work at call centres and as a result don’t leave their garbage for pick up clearances in the morning. They discard their waste on roads and lanes which multiply as other residents start doing the same,” said BBMP Joint Commissioner (East), Mr. Yatish Kumar “They often dump garbage at the same place even after the area is repeatedly cleared.”

Residents are also frustrated with garbage collectors who are poorly trained and unaware of how to collect and segregate waste. “Jogupalya is home to garbage and debris on streets which forces pedestrians to walk off the footpath and jump in the way of oncoming traffic, especially near the Hulasuru Metro Station,” said Guruprakash, a resident and worker in a local stationery store. Brothers, Raj and Parmesh, owners of Raj Tailors complained that during rainfall, roads near transit points turn into a floating garbage market with water logging issues.

But the complaints are proving to be a two-way street. BBMP officials

dents for adding fuel to the fire by dumping garbage after the waste is cleared by BBMP. ”Does the public BENGALURU: Residents are expect us to jump into the canals of fuming over the dismal state of Jogupalya where sewage is floating waste collection in their ward which around?” he said. “It is our duty to they say is slowly turning into a do so, but also the public’s respongarbage dumping site. sibility to maintain the locality by keeping it clean.” RanThe Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagaswamy also claimed gara Palike (BBMP) is the agency that the BBMP does responsible for providing daily visit the East Zone waste collection to all households, daily and provides slums, shops and establishments. door-to-door service After Bangalore was declared a binwith segregation at less city in 2003 by the Karnataka source.

Urban Development Coastal ProjWaste generated per ect, BBMP established a system for person per day is about door-to-door collection from house0.5 1kg in Bangalore, holds. It also created a means to according to a research provide transportation to common paper titled “Commutransit points where waste is carried nity attitude, perception to pre-designated landfill sites. At and willingness topresent, Bangalore has 28 transfer wards solid waste manstations and seven recycling plants, agement in Bangalore which the BBMP uses for its city, Karnataka, India,” garbage processing. published by the Department of EnvironMr. Rangaswamy, the East Zone mental Science at Bangalore Superintending Engineer responsiUniversity. ble for Jogupalya, said “Being a The city generates more than non-commercial and congested 4,500 tons of urban solid waste a area, Jogupalya does not have secday, of which only 60 per cent is ondary waste transportation, colleccleared by the BBMP, states the retion, storage and disposal of waste port.

The primary and secondary compared to a primary transportacollection and transportation enable tion site like Majestic, where the city to remain clean.

However, garbage is picked up twice a day.” there is a huge backlog of unDue to this, garbage clearance in cleared waste cluttering the city such as properties that are under dispute, lake beds, storm water drains, street corners etc.

“Spaces near the Salarpuria Cambridge Residency and the Government Primary School have been identified as a transit station for garbage collection by the BBMP. The reason for this is that the area population of the layout is low with exit roads close to this particular transit point, and, there is no alternative location for such collection in Jogupalya,” BBMP conservancy workers said.

The BBMP said that it is in talks with recycling agencies with regard to wet waste collection centres. However, this excludes areas like Jogupalya. Officials said they Piles of garbage mounting on roads and footpaths alike. | Photo Courtesy: Shannon Ridge Court plan to construct wet waste units with a capacity to Jogupalya takes place only once a blame the public for the unclean loprocess 100 tons on the outskirts of day between the early hours of 6 cality. Rangaswamy criticized resi- the city.

“The BBMP wants to set up dry waste centres in the area but congestion and lack of space is a major concern,”Yatish Kumar

tions on creating such powerful cinema.What a fantastic film and even more important message! #Pink sachin tendulkar@sachin_rt

Cont’d. from Pg 1

“The conservation of lakes is very important as urbanisation is leading to exploitation of all the lakes,” said Dr. Jaiprakash, a scientist at the Lake Preservation department of the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute, adding that lakes play a great role as a water resource and in maintaining the ecosystem and climate.

“We can construct buildings across the city but we can’t build lakes anymore. Lakes are a great resource of nature that can be preserved only with the sincerity of humans,” he said.

Residents lambast BBMP for non collection of garbage and no secondary transport in Jogupalya

He scored more self goals than goals that Germany scored against Brazil last World Cup #NawazSharif Abhijit Majumder @abhijitmajumder Great News! today at the UN countries took one step close

The Weekly Observer Team into making the #ParisAgreement enter into force this year!

Editor-in-Chief: Romita Majumdar United Nations@UN

“Sanskrit not one of the oldest languages. Tamil far older. let’s stop kidding ourselves” @pSainath_org #SCCSBNG Trishant Simlai @trishantsimlai #Visaaranai has been selected as Indian entry in Foreign Film category for #Oscars !! @VetriMaaran KNA@AlwaysKNA.

Deputy Editor: Sonal Agarwal Copy Editor: Ashima Choudhary, Anushree Madappa.

Layout Editor: Mrigakshi Dixit, Pallabi Sutar, Abhishek Mitra.

Photo Editor: Prabhakar Thakur, Konica Kamra.

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Staff: Ilona Dam, Aishwarya Iyer, Chhavi Nagpal, Catheline Chen, Surya Tej Srinivas, Azmia Riaz, Manasvini Paul.