DNA India •

'There’s no escaping giving info but it should be done within time limit'

The appointment of AKM Nayak as the state chief information commissioner in January was not without controversy as he had previously made objectionable remarks against the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Three months on, the controversy has died down and the new CIC of the state is busy clearing the huge backlog of applications filed under the Act. In conversation with DNA, Nayak explains the initiatives he is taking for speedy dissemination of information. There has been a lot of controversy...
DNA India •

Karaga enthrals Bangalore devotees

Lakhs of devotees participated in Shaktyotsava, the procession of Goddess Shakti, organised as part of Karaga, one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the city, on Monday. The Dharmarayaswamy temple, besieged with joy and enthusiasm, played a perfect host. The temple premises was decked up to the occasion and presented a carnivalesque look. The day was filled with a number of religious practices like baavepooje (worshipping well), balepooje (burning of camphor by women), Ganesha homa and...
DNA India •

Bangaloreans set for a night out today

You could call it the Bangalore’s night of resurrection. On Monday midnight, the old areas of Bangalore around Chickpet will spring to life to lay out a red carpet to the return of Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas, to earth in what is described as the city’s flagship festival, Dharmarayaswamy Karaga. Lakhs of people will throng the Shaktyotsava (the procession of Shakti, the mother goddess), a major stage of the 11-day Karaga on Monday night. The procession will begin around 12 midnight at the...
DNA India •

Buildings in Bangalore are not following fire safety norms

It’s been more than a year since the Carlton Towers tragedy struck the city. However, lessons about fire safety seem to be taking a backseat. Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services director BG Chengappa said on Saturday that more than 50% of the buildings in the city are not following fire safety norms and are hence prone to accidents. Addressing a seminar on fire safety, organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), Changappa said that the department issues...
DNA India •

14-year-old boy ends life in Bangalore after failing in exam

A 14-year-old boy who failed in his examination reportedly committed suicide at his house in Anandapur under JB Nagar police station limits on Friday. The deceased is identified as Jayaprakash, a ninth standard student of Jnana Deepthi English High School in Girinagar. He committed suicide by hanging himself when his parents were out on work. The incident took place around 1.30pm. Jayaprakash’s father, a painter, found the boy handing in the kitchen when he returned from work. He was rushed to
DNA India •

Bus runs over 2 at Devanahalli

A jolly ride to Nandi Hills proved fatal for two youth when a private bus ran over them after they fell from the scooter at a hump following a sharp turn. The victims were identified as Vinay Raj, 21, a resident of Vishwanatha Nagenahalli, and Vijay, 22, a resident of RT Nagar. Vijay was riding the scooter while Vinay was riding pillion. Vinay was an employee of a call centre while Vijay was a PUC dropout.The accident occurred near Devanahalli around 11.10 pm on Wednesday. The two were part of...
DNA India •

Security measures at Vani Vilas still not capable of stopping baby-lifters

Eight months have passed since a case of kidnapping of a one-day-old infant was reported at the Vani Vilas Hospital in the city. Following the incident, hospital authorities assured heightened security within the premises, by implementing a string of advanced measures. But a reality check by DNA revealed that all the promises were just false. The then medical superintendent, OS Siddappa had promised to set up advanced security systems to avoid the occurrence of any such instance in future...
DNA India •

Remembering the life and times of Rajkumar

The fifth death anniversary of Kannada film icon Dr Rajkumar was observed on Tuesday, with the actor’s family, friends and fans thronging his samadhi at the Kanteerava studio to pay their respects. The whole of Bangalore wore a sombre look as fans paid tribute to the legendary actor by displaying and garlanding his photos and posters. Special poojas also marked the occasion. At the Kanteerava studio, family members performed pooja around 10.30am, even as fans made a beeline. They were given...
DNA India •

Kids queue up for a summer camp

It is not only the summer heat that is rising. Along with temperature, the number of summer camps in the city is also increasing. Each camp tries to be different from others. The All Karnataka Children’s Association, popularly known as Makkala Koota, would start its 45th summer camp on Monday in an attempt to break from monotony and provide quality services. The camp would run for a month. It would offer a wide range of activities like physical education, healthcare, drawing, painting, aerobics...
DNA India •

Security at Bangalore railway stations remains derailed

Approximately 154 trains carrying thousands of people arrive or depart our city daily. But are the passengers safe? Consider this: The number of security personnel in the Bangalore railway division has remained unchanged for the past 30 years despite the increase in the number of trains and passengers. Security is a chimera at the city’s various railway stations. And the blame-game continues over who is to blame for various security breaches. Is it the passengers walking between platforms or...
DNA India •

VinivInc Shastri’s cars auctioned for Rs15 crore

The owner of Mysore-based VinivInc Souharda Cooperative Society, convicted for fraud after having duped over 20,000 investors of more than Rs200 crore, promising to pay 10% interest for sums deposited, faced the mallet of the auctioneer a second time on Friday. Shastri’s property went under the hammer at 11am, at the premises of the Central Police Station, Chamarajpet. The regional commissioner, North Division, who was in charge of the auction, said that although the expectation was that the...
Bangalore Buzz •

Sights, sounds and smells from Bangalore: She saved land to set up a govt school

She saved land to set up a govt school By: Nandini BP & Sonal Agrawal Half a century ago, matriculation was a landmark in one's education. YR Gowramma knows that better now. She has taken girls' education and vocational training as the thrust areas for her ward."It is not education alone," says Gowramma as she returns from her ward yatra with DNA. "Parents perpetually complain that their children have no place to play. Boys are forced to play on roads risking their lives."Making playfields available...
DNA India •

Kempegowda ward comes on top at No 1

In the list of 198 BBMP wards, Kempegowda ward (Yelahanka) comes on top at No 1. Aptly so, it has been named after the founder of Bengaluru. And to assert its supremacy, its new civic leader YN Ashwath came to the first council meeting on May 5 in king’s attire. Sans the dress though, Ashwath on Saturday went around his vast ward along with DNA, displaying the same whiff of authority and assertiveness. Yelahanka, he says, and the residents repeat, has everything to make it the nerve centre of...
DNA India •

Ward to enjoy fruits of his labour

Ward to enjoy fruits of his labour From dawn to dusk, S Nataraj shuttles between the mandi and Palike playing the dual roles of a fruit dealer and civic leader. He has plans for the ward and residents have faith in him, write Muhammad Wajihulla, Nandini BP and Ankita Kumar An early bird, S Nataraj never misses the sight of his ward in pre-dawn light. A But he is no poet to write about the still heart of his place with all houses asleep. He gets early only to bring fruits and vegetables....
DNA India •

Born to be a force to reckon with

Gowda chennagiddare ooru chennagiruthe goes a Kannada saying. It means, if a Gowda is happy, be assured that the village is happy. No wonder, several people from the community have shaped the affairs of the state as well as that of the country, not to speak, the very psyche of Karnataka. Rashtrakavi Kuvempu; former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, external affairs minister SM Krishna, celebrated film director Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, actor-politician Ambarish, father of horticulture in India...
Bangalore Buzz •

Sights, sounds and smells from Bangalore: This sportsman bats for greenery

This sportsman bats for greenery Civic leader aims high, seeks global standards for his ward By: Divyashree Murthy and Nandini BP DNA's ward yatra with newly elected civic leaders finds more contenders for the 'model ward' award. Among them, N Nagaraju, corporator-elect of Byrasandra (Jayanagar), stands out. This 'green sportsman', as he is fondly called by local residents for his love for greenery and sports, seeks global standards for his ward.Consider this. As he takes a round of the ward and meets
DNA India •

This Amma gives them reason to smile

This Amma gives them reason to smile New civic leader vows to resolve problems plaguing Kaval Byrasandra "To make a smart student smarter is no great task but to make a dimwit smart is a rousing job." To YR Gowramma, the saffron winner of Kaval Byrasandra ward near RT Nagar, this wisecrack is her leading motto. The ward located in the city's north is a potpourri of rich, the mid-income and poor. The deprived constitute the majority. As Gowramma, known locally as Amma, goes out on a ward...
DNA India •

Ward works keep this man busy

As Jayappa Reddy, the new leader of Hebbal ward, leaves his home at Cholnayakanahalli for a yatra with DNA, his pet dog Tippu just spares a glance and goes back to dozing. “He’s used to my routine,” the master says at the casual manner of his pet. Reddy gets into his car and drives directly to Kuntigrama, a few blocks away, where a drainage work is in progress. An illegal slum has spread over the area. “I want the work to be completed before monsoon,” he says while inspecting the site with some...