Citizen Matters, 10 Sep 2011

LocaL news Like no one eLse does

7 Teachers Day memories; BBMP renames roads; BDA fuels land grabbing12 BBMP works approved in your area13 Oxford student scouts win laurels 17 Sadharana Gandharam, anyone?

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stray dogs & residents

smitten or bitten?Page 10

CitizenMatters

Citizen Matters Vol-3 Issue-16, 10-23 Sep 2011 KARENG/2009/28904. Published & Printed by Meera K for Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd. Printed at Lavanya Mudrana, 19, 15th cross, Vidyapeeta Circle, BSK I Stage, Bangalore 560060 Place of Publication Oorvani Media, 165, I cross, I block, Kmgla, Bangalore 560034. editor Subramaniam Vincent.

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4 CITIZEN MATTERS 10-23 Sep 2011 Vol-3 Issue-16

The human eye is one of the most important part of the body and has been aptly rated as the best sense organ. It works like a camera. The world’s best camera designs with all the pixels and so on can at best be one thousandth as good as the human eye!Like a camera, the eye too has a lens inside the eye called as crystal-line lens. It is 10-11mm in diameter and 4mm thick and is responsible for the focussing of objects we see. When we are looking far off and bring our attention back on a near by object, the quick response of this natural lens will bring the object into sharp focus within fractions of a second.The natural lens is made up of spe-cial proteins aligned systematically. This gives transparency and mold-ability to the lens. With age, these proteins undergo natural changes and the lens loses its transparency. This is known as cataract. Any opac-ity in the lens of the eye is called as cataract.Causes of CataractSome cataracts are caused by birth defects, injuries, diabetes, or pro-longed use of certain medications, such as steroids. Highly nearsighted patients may develop cataracts at a young age. However, most cataracts result simply from the natural aging process of the human lens. Like gray hair, cataracts are not a disease, nor do they occur at the same age or rate in everyone.

SymptomsCataracts cause visual symptoms only; they do not cause pain, dis-comfort, tearing, or redness. Blurri-ness, hazy vision, or increased glare from sunlight and headlights may be present. Some cataracts turn yellow, causing fading of color. Reading may take more effort, and you may tire prematurely. Vision progressive-ly worsens over a period of years or sometimes after only a few months. Difficulty in driving, glare at night, frequent change of glasses, reading difficulty and reduced visual comfort are also seen.MythsThere is a common belief that cataract should mature for surgery. THIS IS WRONG. Cataract can be operated in early stages with excel-lent success. Cataract once operated does not recur.What is latest in cataract surgery?Micro-incision cataract surgery, bet-ter known as MICS is the latest. This surgery is safe, painless and allows quick recovery. It uses an operating microscope and is performed inside the eye.

One can think of the human lens as having a thin, transparent “wrap-per”. This delicate, cellophane-like skin is called the lens “capsule”. A hole is made in the front of this wrapper, and the cloudy lens is removed in several delicate stages. The implant is then inserted into this empty wrapper, occupying the original place of the natural lens.

In “small incision surgery”, a specialised technology called phacoemulsification is used and the firm cataract core is fragmented into small particles that can be gently sucked out through a tiny three mm incisions. Modern foldable lens im-plants can fit through incisions this small, and sutures are not required. Physical activities are not restricted, and the vision stabilizes faster than with the conventional large incision method. Shekar Nethralaya is the first eye hospital in Karnataka to have Stellaris providing 1.8mm incision latest cataract surgery Recognised by CGHS, State govt, Public&Private companies, Insurance firms and TPAs Mediclaim cards, Cashless facil-ity, and Insurance reimbursement available Thousands of successful cataract surgeries performed Free eye checkup for all senior citizens (60+) from 1st September

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Vol-3 Issue-16 10-23 Sep 2011 CITIZEN MATTERS 5

S m o k i n g a n d t o b a c c o use can lead to m o r e s e r i o u s oral health

complications as well, including gum disease and oral cancer. You can get yellow teeth and a yellow tongue. Other common side effects are bad breath, dry mouth, limited opening of mouth due to fibrosis of cheek tissues, inability to tolerate spice, thickening of tongue, slurring of speech etc.Smoking and oral Cancer The most serious issue is mouth can-cer. The death rate of those who with mouth cancer is high — between 40 and 50 percent of all cases. The Ameri-can Cancer Society estimates that 90 percent of people with oral cancer (can-cer affecting the lips, tongue, throat, and mouth) have used tobacco in some form. Likewise, the risk of oral can-cer is six times higher among smokers relative to non-smokers.And the longer you use tobacco, the greater your risk. Smoking and periodontal Disease Smoking cigarettes doesn’t cause den-tal decay, but it does cause periodon-tal, or gum, disease. Bone loss is part of periodontal disease. It starts out as inflammation of the gums. Later the

bone supporting the roots of your teeth becomes inflamed, and then the under-lying bone can deteriorate.For oral health, no tobacco is Safe People often think that different forms of tobacco are “safer” than others. However, Tobacco in any form has risks. It’s hard to figure out which is worse — when tobacco is chewed, smoked, or inhaled. The bottom line is that regular expo-sure to tobacco in any form can com-promise your health. Pipe smokers may not smoke very often, but they can still get cancer of the lips, as they’re always holding the pipe in the same place on the lip. People who use smokeless (chewing) tobacco are at a four to six time greater risk of oral cancer than people who don’t use tobacco at all. People who use smokeless tobacco are also at higher risk of tooth decay and cavities because some varieties of chewing tobacco con-tain sugar for a sweeter taste, and sugar is a primary cause of tooth decay. protecting your oral heath The following three principles can help to ensure good oral health throughout the years: • QuIT SmokINg. After you’ve quit smoking, your risk of oral health prob-lems decreases significantly. And the longer you remain a non-smoker, the lower your risk becomes. A decade af-ter you’ve quit, your risk for periodon-tal disease is similar to that of a person who never smoked at all. A lot of den-tists are now taking the initiative to ask patients about their smoking habits, and are talking about the nicotine patch and

other ways to help people quit• geT reguLAr DeNTAL check-uPS. As with most cancers, early de-tection can improve your outcome. The good news is that regular checkups by a dentist are a good way to catch oral cancer early. Any mouth ulcers can be checked out with a biopsy, and you can get a diagnosis.” The sooner you start treatment, the better your odds of sur-vival.• BruSh ProPerLy - The heat and carcinogens found in cigarettes and to-bacco are also damaging to your mouth and gums. So people who use tobacco need to be doubly careful about brush-ing and flossing correctly and doing so as often as recommended. having trouble Quitting? Visit the Dentist regularly If you do use tobacco, cutting back and eventually quitting is important to improve both your oral health and your overall health. Tobacco use “is a tremendously addictive habit, so in the meantime, regular dental visits can help with early detection” of gum disease and precancerous mouth sore. People at greatest risk for oral cancer are chronic smokers who don’t visit their dentists regularly. By the time oral cancer is detected, it’s hard to treat. Plus, the treatments can be more challenging at later stages. Surgery and radiation treat-ments are often disfiguring and can af-fect your ability to speak and eat. Talk to your dentist or general doctor about what can help you to kick your smoking and other tobacco habits today.

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jayanagar jp nagar & BTM

At Casa Ansal apartment, J P Nagar 3rd Phase, Vinayaka Chaturthi was celebrated with devotion and pomp. The Vighneswara Seva Samithi, headed by Vishwanath, a retired Forest Officer, with several key members working hard towards the success of the Puja. Contributions poured in from residents. It was remarkable that residents regardless of their faith contributed generously, and Shiva, our maintenance contractor, contributed possibly the largest amount. The priest, brought in specially for this Puja, is so committed that he does not accept any payment for it.

The cultural program in the evening showcased the remarkable variety of talent amongst the residents. Music and dance events, and a skit by the children, ensured that not even a muddy lawn could dampen the spirits of the audience. There was a sumptuous prasad of puliyogare, mosaranna, and kesari baath. “We feel happy to be part of the Casa Ansal community,” remarked Hema Hardikar, the compere for the evening. The idol was immersed with due ceremony, and Casa Ansal bid adieu to the Elephant God for another year.

Deepa Mohan is a resident of Casa ansal, Bannerghata Road.

Casa ansal bids ganesha bye for another year

The Winds of Change Civic Club, VET school, J P Nagar, Bangalore, celebrated Pourakarmika day on September 5th, 2011. The children collected money by selling newspapers, and used that funds bought some snacks to distribute to the pourakarmikas.

Students took permission from the ward office, and gathered near the ward office at the time when the pourakarmikas gather after their morning shift. The children greeted them with a ‘card’ (poster made on chart paper), said thanks for their services, and distributed the snack-packets.

The pourakarmikas thanked the children, and expressed their difficulties in keeping the streets clean.

They said, “we clean the streets and wind up by afternoon. Again when

we come later in the day, there are plastic bags full of garbage thrown right down the street, on the side of the road. We get shouted at by our supervisor and other residents for not keeping the street clean.”

They complained about residents do not sort out the garbage before disposing; Everything is mixed up - plastic, baby diapers, food, paper-- it

stinks so badly.

The children promised to make their families and neighbours more aware and promised to help the pourakarmikas by segregating garbage, and not throwing it on the street.

Radhika Rajnarayan is a CMCa volunteer and Jp nagar resident.

Vet students thank pourakarmikas


loCal MaTTerS

BBMP has proposed naming/renaming of roads and layouts. 33rd Main Road, 4th Cross of Vysya Bank Colony, JP Nagar I Phase (comes under Ward No 179, Shakambarinagar area) will be renamed as “Shri Rama Temple Road” as per the BBMP meeting held on 28th July.

The Layout in J.P.Nagar 7th Phase is to be named after “Late Shri V.S. Krishna Iyer”. Krishna Iyer was a freedom fighter and Gandhian. The Janata Party MP had represented Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency

during 1984-89 and was Bangalore Mayor during 1962-63.

In Ward No 176, BTM Layout, 2nd Phase, EWS Layout to be named as “Shri R. Gundurao Layout”. Gundu Rao was state chief minister during 1980-83.

Any objections to the names can be sent to BBMP by October 4th As per press release from BBMP dated 5th September.

Newsdesk

teachers day in the sun

“Teachers’ day when we were students was one day when we saw our teachers be completely laid back and smile through out the day.

Kavitha Krishnan, 23, Chemistry teacher for high school students at Shantiniketan Educational Institution (SET) in BTM Layout.

eWs layout to be called gundurao Layout

My Biology teacher in school, Mr Joseph, always asked us to close our books during lessons. He would explain all the concepts clearly and when I would go back home and read the textbook, I would see that he had not missed even a single point and in turn taught us more than what is in the book.

anitha Umakanth, 24, an english teacher at SeT.

“A few days before Teachers’ Day, we would all collect a little money from our classmates in school

and buy puffed rice and stuff for making ladoos and make them at a friend’s place. On 5th, we would clean the classroom and invite all the teachers to celebrate the day with us. “

Sonali Badsheshi, 35, a computer teacher at Mahatma Education Trust (MET) in JP Nagar.

“At St Joseph’s Convent in KGF, Jenny, my English teacher had the most beautiful handwriting. My students tell me now that I have good handwriting and I credit this largely to her.

Lalitha Valli, 36, Mathematics and English teacher for primary school children at Oxford English School, ICSE in JP Nagar.

“My father was a teacher and he narrated an incident of a former student recognized him after several years. The student had become the manager of a bank and walked up to my dad and introduced himself. My father could not recognise him but the manager had. This incident inspired me to become a teacher. The love that we get

from children is next only to our family’s.”

Bharathi Prakash, 42, a Hindi teacher at MET.

On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, Citizen Matters spoke to school teachers as they reminisced about their school teachers, the way they celebrated Teachers’ Day and why the day is special to them.

Kavitha Krishnan

Bharathi Prakash (centre), Sonali Badshehsi (right).

Anitha Umakanth

“I studied in Nirmala Convent in Mysore. I fondly remember my English teacher, Eugene, who taught us more than just lessons in the curriculum. She would tell us stories from day-to-day life experiences with a lot

of moral values in them.

Savitha Suresh, 40, a Computer Science teacher at Oxford English School ICSE in JP Nagar.

Kavitha Suresh

Lalitha Valli

All pics: Yogaraj Mudalgi


CheCk ouTS

In the last few days, your attention may have been caught by a vibrant flower arrangements at the entrance of a home! Thiruonam brings out the best of Kerala’s culture and tradition. The festival primarily celebrates the homecoming of King Mahabali and also the harvest season. For the last seven years, a group of Malayali families in L&T South City, celebrate Onam every year in their mega residential complex.

This year too, the culmination of the festive days in Club House is planned for 18th September, 2011. There will be a grand vegetarian spread, called 'sadya,' in which special delicacies will prepared, said Shana Gokul, the organiser from the apartment complex. The spread includes ericherry, toran, payasam, pulicherry etc. As part of the celebrations, there will be the traditional 'Kai Kottikali' dance, an ancient ritual art form, where the women dance around a lit lamp and other cultural programmes.

chatpata chats and saVouries

If you crave for chatpata chats and also want to pick up traditional Indian savouries for the on-going festival season, then you could plan a visit to Sri Venkateshwara Sweet Meat Stall. Started in Feb 2010, the ground floor of the sweetmeat restaurant claims to prepare more than a hundred varieties of sweets and savories.

The specialties are the Dhamroot, a baked item made from ash gourd, mysore pak, horlicks barfi and bournivita barfi! The first floor, which has seating space, serves varieties of chats. Rasagulla chat is a specialty. Sri Venkateshwara Sweet Meat Stall also sells gift hampers of various traditional and contemporary savouries. 9th Main, 4th Block, Jayanagar.

All roads led to the city’s own Rome on 8th September, 2011. Yes, we are refer-ring to St. Mary's Basilica, located in Shivaji Nagar. The oldest church in Bangalore cel-ebrated St Mary’s birthday also known as St Mary’s Feast, which is a culmination of the nine day Novena (days of special devotion and prayers). Special mass and a chariot procession in the evening were the highlights of the day.

uMA swAMY is a jP Nagar resident and columnist. each fortnight, she will take you through our interesting neighbourhoods. email: [email protected]

Welcoming mahabali in bengaluru

Onam Sadhya ‘11 at Ranga Shankara Cafe on Sun, 11 Sept from 1 pm to 3 pm An annual tradition at the Ranga Shankara cafe, Onam Sadhya is celebrated with great enthusiasm and scrumptious food.Anju Sudarshan who runs the café at Ranga Shankara lovingly puts together a delicious fare of authentic Kerala cuisine. This year Onam is being celebrated at Ranga Shankara on Sun, 11 Sep from 1 pm to 3 pm. Prior booking is

mandatory. Call 9900064931 to register.

Anju’s Onam Sadhya. Info & pic courtesy: Rangashankara

Pookkalam of South’s City’s Onam celebrations last year. Pic: Shana Gokul, South City resident.

Pic: Uma Swamy


eVenT udpaTe

The kitchen garden event was an enjoyable mela, with people strolling around buying organic vegetables, seeds and plants, listening to talks and clarifying their doubts from more experienced gardeners. The AICOBOO ground in BTM Layout, behind Advaita petrol bunk, was bustling with gardening enthusiasts as more than 500 of them visited ‘Oota from your Thota’ on Sunday, 28th August.

The event was organised by Garden City Farmers Trust, Bangalore. Zed Habitats, part of Bio-diversity Conservation India Limited (BCIL), a green builder, sponsored the event. Citizen Matters suported the event as a media partner. The event which went on from 10 am to 2 pm, aimed to promote organic kitchen gardening in one’s own homes.

Twenty stalls sold organic produce and eco-friendly products at the event. Gardening enthusiasts found seeds from stalls like BM English School (which also brought their vegetable produce for sale); Saplings, garden tools and accessories from stalls like My Sunny Balcony and Sunshine Gardens, composting bins from Daily Dump and educational books and CDs, to help them start their home gardens.

The foodies made a beeline to the stalls of In the Pink and Vaatsalya that sold organic and traditional snacks and other food products.⊕

YogArAj s MudALgi

hundreds of green enthusiasts at ‘oota from your thota’

uMa’S pICkShindi-chini bhai bhai! Tangra, a neighbourhood in east Kolkata is home to people of Hakka Chinese origin. Named after this area, the Tangra restaurant in Jayanagar 5th Block adapts Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian taste.

The specialty dishes include dim sums, chilli friend prawns, basil chilli chicken, tangra lemon chicken. Tangra can seat upto 75 persons and a meal for four (without drinks) can cost upto `1000 to `1500. Scallions or spring onions and soy sauce add the Chinese touch to the food.

Started in December 2010 by Arjun Naidu, the other restaurants under The Eden Park Restaurants are Sofraah

and The Lounge. Sofraah serves Indian Mughlai and Punjabi cusines and specialties include kababs and dum biriyani.

The Lounge is a rooftop restaurant equipped with a giant screen. Serving food from Tangra and Sofraah, The Lounge has a casual ambience where groups can enjoy a meal as well as watch music videos or sports. It is also a party hall. All the restaurants of the Eden Park Restaurants have an attached bar. The place offers bulk catering and home delivery as well.

722/22, 10th a Main, 36th Cross, 5th Block, Jayanagar. ph: 94839 65130, 42777333.

Pic: Uma Swamy

S Laxminarayan (right) of Garden City Farmers Trust interacting with visitors on vegetable gardening at the event. Pic: Meera K


exCluSIVe

The death of two-year old Sandeep a few months ago brought back the debate on the vexing issue of stray dogs in Bengaluru. The city is divided with animal lovers opposing mass culling of strays, with an equally vocal group advocating culling

as the only solution.

‘No culling please’

Following Sandeep’s death, in July, Rajesh Shukla, 39, an entrepreneur in Bangalore decided to get involved. Apart from consulting US-based forensic experts to get their opinion on Sandeep’s death, Shukla started www.strays.in, to “Provide objective data and statistics about stray dogs in Bangalore”, as he says. “Apart from being inhuman, culling is not scientific. Dogs from other areas quickly migrate to localities with no dogs. It is impossible to catch all dogs and the fight to survive only makes them breed more”, argues Shukla.

Some are against stray dogs

On the other side of the debate is Diana Bharucha, 55, who started ‘Stray Dogs Free Bangalore’, an NGO to campaign against stray dogs, in 2001. Diana

says that even though she loves dogs, their population has ballooned out of proportion. “If the population continues to increase, they will revert to pack behaviour and turn wild. They will then start hunting like wild animals, endangering human life.” She says that dogs should have a home

and a master, failing which they should be put down humanely as that is the only solution.

Those against culling say that most strays feed and live mainly around areas garbage is thrown. Shukla rebuts this. “If BBMP implements an effective waste management system, the food available for stray dogs will be limited. This will limit the number of stray dogs in a locality,” he says. He adds that while people give examples of developed countries such as USA or Singapore where stray dog population is almost non-existent, they fail to see that such countries also have clean litter-free surroundings.

What happened to birth control?

Dr Parvez Ahmad Piran, Joint Director of Animal Husbandry, BBMP, estimates the population of stray dogs in the city to be around 300,000. An animal birth control or ABC programme has been implemented by BBMP for some years now with the help of animal welfare organisations (AWOs). However, ABC has not

been completely successful in reducing stray dog population itself.

Piran says that it takes time for ABC to to show results and that 1,16,416 dogs were sterilised in 2010 alone. “You will be able to see results in three to five years.” He says that in the aftermath of

Sandeep’s deaths, the AWOs have been instructed to step up on the sterilisation. “We are targeting sterilising 10,000 dogs every month from now,” he says.

What the animal welface organisations say

Dr Sheila Rao, Trustee of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) in one the eight AWOs carrying out BBMP’s ABC programme. She says that birth control can be effective only if 70% of the population within an area is sterilized within one mating cycle (6 months), or at least within one year. “If you make an actual check of old Bangalore areas (the original 100 wards) you will find that 90% of the dogs are operated (Clipped ears)”, she adds.

smitten or bitten?Every time a child is mauled or killed by stray dogs in Bangalore, all the usual questions come up. The death of a two-year-old in July lead to another round, but the city remains divided.

Above: CUPA‘s ABC team. Pic courtesy: CUPA. Right: A stray found in horrible starving state by Strays.in team. Pic courtesy: strays.in

Stray dogs find food sources. Pic: Meera K.

bengaLuru & stray dogs


Vidyapeeta ITI Layout in Kathriguppe relinquished four parks to BDA as per layout plan sanction regulations. But instead of handing over these parks to BBMP for maintenance, BDA granted two parks to private parties; none of the four sites are parks now. The layout residents have been fighting for proper use of these sites since 1995.

The BDA itself has misused park sites meant for public use, the task force has found. The task force found that BDA has in possession only one-fifth of what should ideally be CA and open space. BDA has 15,165 acres over 999 layouts and 25% of it ie.

3,791 acres should in fact be CA and open space. Only 780 acres of open space is with the BDA, the task force

found. There is no data on what happened to the rest of the land.

Encroachments in Bengaluru worth at least Rs 12,375 cr

The report also exposes some glaring cases of land encroachment. The report estimates that around 2,878 acres of BDA land has been encroached so far. At the conservative cost of Rs 1,000 per sq ft, this land would be worth Rs 12,375 crore.

In fact BDA does not have an exact record of its total land, encroachments and open spaces. It does not have an updated property register. The report compares BDA with the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA), which has an Estate Officer’s section that holds inspections and submits weekly reports on land. This helps encroachment removal, making encroachments rare in HUDA jurisidiction.

NAvYA P k

beware, the bda fuels land grabbingCM SpeCIal

Diana dismisses ABC altogether and says that crores of rupees is wasted on the ABC programme. She says that for ABC to be effective, 70 per cent of the dogs in a locality should be sterilized within one breeding cycle. “This is just not possible. The only solution is to put the dogs to sleep humanely,” she says.

Adoption remains a trend

The debate apart, while stray dogs are generally perceived as a threat, some are being adopted by local residents as “community dogs”. Ram N K, 43, a resident of JP Nagar 4th Phase says that residents on his street have informally adopted three strays.

“A few weeks back, a man tried to steal taps outside the houses at 4 am. The dogs raised an alarm by barking

persistently and the neighbours woke up and took the thief to task,” he says. He adds that a similar incident happened some years ago when the dogs chased thieves who were trying to steal car stereos.

In Malleswaram, moved by the plight of stray dogs, especially motherless puppies, Achala Pani, 26, started ‘Let’s Live Together’ in 2009. The NGO holds adoption camps every two months at Sankey Tank where stray pups which have lost their mothers are put up for adoption for a donation of ‘500. The puppies are bathed, vaccinated and can be sterilised after 8 months. A BBMP pet license is also given at the camps. In two years, more than 200 puppies have been adopted.

YogArAj MudALgi

Story after story of the BDA abetting land grabbing and encroachment has emerged in the findings of the Government of Karnataka’s Task Force for Recovery and Protection of Public Lands.

How can culling be called a solution when in the immediate after-math of (major) culling in 2007, the stray dog bites rose by 20% in two years?

Rajesh Shukla

Some of the Task Force's Recom-mendations Maintain property register. Strengthen the recently-created Estate Officer position with more staff and infrastructure Publish details of open spaces online and in booklets Insist on relinquishment of open spaces with registered deeds before allowing site allotment. Do not allow land use change for these sites Engineering wing should inspect all layouts and report encroachments. Demolish en-croachments with BDA's powers under BDA Act and KTCP Act and prosecute violators Modernising IT usage and train officials in IT Land should not be de-notified after taking possession. BDA does not have to oblige govern-ment for de-notification.

STRAY DOGS ...Continued from page 10


for your Info annual health check up : pride & prejudice

I have often been asked to deliver a guest lecture for clubs or associations for senior citizens and elder care. I like to start my

session with a question “ How long do you want to live ? “

I get all kind of answers: 80 years, 90 years and so on. However , the answer which remains etched on my memory was the one given by an elder who had been a commercial artist in his active days. He said “I want to live till I die “. Elaborating, he said “I wish to live and enjoy every moment of my allocated life span”.

One can enjoy life only if s/he is healthy. To maintain good health one must not only practise healthy habits, but also be on guard against early onslaught of disease. Annual health check ups are mandated exactly for this reason. Surprisingly, I found people’s attitude to rang from indifferent to fastidious. This indifference can be traced to our mindsets. There are some who feel their pride is dented if they go for these tests. Others are too prejudiced to even consider it. Interestingly both groups do not bother about tests because they have convinced themselves that they are healthy and hence

do not require anything.

The fact of the matter is that it helps to keep yourself checked regularly and maintain a record. The test range from clinical involving pulse, blood pressure, height, weight, waist and chest measurements including expansion of chest, and auscultation of chest. These may indicate diseases like obesity, diabetes , hypertension, pre hypertension, arrythmias and chronic respiratory ailments. Blood, urine and stool tests are required to rule out early onset of diabetes, thyroid disorders, kidney and liver function, lipid profile to indicate cardiovascular risk . A baseline ECG is advised at 35 years of age and repeated every year to check for cardiovascular diseases. Fundoscopy for diabetics and hypertensives is required. Please remember 50% of Diabetics are unaware of their condition, and 50% of patients who die of a heart attack do so within first hour.

It would therefore be prudent to let go of pride and prejudice, and live a healthy life.

Col (ReTD.) DR MUkUl Saxena has over 30 years of cross-functional expertise in healthcare, both in the public and private sectors. email: [email protected]

BBMp BudgeT SeSSIon Works approved in your wardIn the recently concluded budget session at the city council, BBMP has approved the following works. (Extracted from BBMP’s budget document).

JP Nagar- Asphalting works in Put-tenahalli, Kothnur Road and nearby areas - 1 crore- Maintenance of Puttenahalli lake - 95 lakhs- Improvement of drains in Puttenahalli ward - 1.5 crores- Development of stadium at KSRTC L/O and JP Nagar- 5 crores- Construction of underpass at 3rd Phase, 4th Phase Ban-nerghatta Road junction (est. cost 10 cr) - 4 crores- Footpaths at JP Nagar 9th cross road and 80 ft road - 3 crores- Development works in

Bannerghatta road to Hosur road up to Electronic City - 3 crores

Ward 177- Footpaths improvements - 1.5 crores- Developmental works - 2 crores- Improvement to roads and road side drains at low lying areas JP Nagar Dollars’ Colony - 85 lakhs

Ward 178- Developmental works - 7 crores- Storm Water Drain works - 2 crores- Construction of indoor stadium (est cost 1200) - 8.19 crores- Special development works - 3 crores- Construction of E-library - 30 lakhs- Construction of underpass

along ring road at Puttenahalli - 3 crores

Jayanagar- Improving playgrounds - 3.75 crores- Development of Jayanagar ABCD Park - 1 crore- Developmental works at ward no 169, Jayanagar com-plex and surrounding areas - 1.057 crorer- Developmental works - 5 crore- Development of e-library - 20 lakhs- Road safety works - 4 crore- Construction of underpass at Jayanagar 5th block of 45th cross, 11th main junction (est cost 15 crores) - 5 crores- Rehabilitation and strength-ening of arterial and sub-arterial roads in Jayanagar Assembly constituency - 15 crores- Remaining major road works

- 13 crores

BTM Layout- Developmental works - 5 crores- Storm water drain works in Madivala - 3 crores- Widening and asphalting of Ring Road from Bannerghatta road to Silk Board Juncton (left side) - 2.5 crores- Widening and asphalting of Ring Road from Silk Board junction to Bannerghatta road (right side) - 2.5 crores

(All amounts in Rupees) Disclaimer: BBMP’s budget has already been criti-cised for overestimating revenues and government grants. Execution of many of the above projects will be subject to actual money being available with BBMP/

Newsdesk


feaTure

proud moments for these scouts

Four students from Oxford Senior Secondary School (CBSE), 1st Phase JP Nagar, were among the 240 to represent India at the International Scouts Jamboree at Rinkaby, Sweden.

D S Rohit Kumar, Manoj V, Aditya Srinidhi and D Lingeshwar participated in the jamboree which went on from 27th July to 7th August. The event is held once in four years and this year, close to 48,000 scouts and guides from around the world participated in the jamboree. Scoutmaster of Oxford School, Riyaz Pasha, 38 was appointed the contingent leader for the state wing of Bharath Scouts and Guides.

D S Rohit Kumar, 15, a tenth standard student, who has been studying in the school since first standard, says that the jamboree gave them an opportunity to experience different cultures, “It was an adventure as we got to meet new people from different cultures and interact with them and share our culture with them.”

Aditya Srinidhi, 15, also a student of tenth standard, was also chosen to represent India as the Young Correspondent and got an opportunity to interview the Prime Minister of Sweden, Fredrik Reinfeldt. “We spoke about his views on scouting and also terror concerns in Norway,” says Aditya who eventually wants to get in to game testing.

Many activities related to environment, team work and cultural diversity were organised at the event. Rohit, who wants to study Aeronautical Engineering, says that being a scout means being more aware about our surroundings and learning to be independent. “As scouts we learn about earthquakes and floods and what to do in emergencies. We also get to learn different skills.

At the jamboree we prepared our own food everyday. We were given food passes with which we could shop for ingredients and cook in our tents.”

Rastrapathi Award

Manoj V, 11th standard student, was selected to receive Rashtrapathi Scouts award from the President of India, Pratibha Patil on 23rd August. He was among the ten students who represented Karnataka at the Rashtrapathi Award Rally held in Haryana earlier in the same week.

When asked how he felt when he met the President, Manoj said, “I wasn’t nervous. It was a proud moment for my state and me.”

⊕YogArAj MudALgi

From left: Manoj V, Aditya Srinidhi, Scout master Riyaz Pasha, D S Rohit

Kumar. Pic: Yogaraj Mudalgi

Manoj V receiving the Rashtapathi Scouts Award from President Patibha Patil. Pic courtesy: Oxford School.

CITIZEN MATTERSEDITORSSubramaniam VincentMeera K

JOURNALISM TEAMPadmalatha RaviNavya P KYogaraj Mudalgi

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Music & dinner fundraiser

Grand Musical Concert by M D Pallavi Arunin aid of Baale Mane Ball Room, The Taj West end 7 pm, 2nd october

Organiser Media PartnerDonor passes: 9880016846 9845030095available at Tuscany (Jayanagar & Swagath Garuda Mall)

services ASTROLOGy CONSuLTING

Consult Service Oriented Astrologers. Preparation and Analysis of Computer Horoscopes, Matching of Horoscopes, Prashna, Astro Remedies etc. Contact Chaithanya Jyotish Kendra, No.17, 17th cross, JP Nagar 5th Phase. Call: 41200811

moVie ListingsGOPALAN CINEMAS. BANNERGHATTA ROADMere Brother Ki Dulhan (U/A) - (H) - 10am 1pm 4pm 7pm 9.40pm Bodyguard (U/A) - (H) - 10.45am 01.30pm 04.15pm 9.45pm Allidhe Nammane Ille Bande Summane - (K) - 10.15am Mankatha (U/A) - (Tam) - 1pm Friends With Benefits (A) - English - 3.40pm 5.40pm Ulaakam Chuttum Vaaliban - Malayalam - 6.45pm Contagion (U/A) - English - 7.40pm 10pmINOx, SRI GARUDA SWAGATH MALL, JAYANAGARMere Brother Ki Dulhan (U/A) - (H) - 10am 12.50pm 03.40pm 06.30pm 08pm 09.20pm Bodyguard (U/A) - (H) - 10.15am 01pm 06.45pm 09.30pm Lifu Ishtene (U/A) - (K) - 11.05am 05.10pm Mankatha (U/A) - (Tam) - 01.55pm Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (U/A) - (H) - 03.40pmINOx, BANGALORE CENTRAL, JP NAGARMere Brother Ki Dulhan (U/A) - (H) - 10am 11.30am 12.50pm 03.40pm 05.25pm 06.30pm 08.15pm 09.20pm Bodyguard (U/A) - (H) - 10am 01.15pm 04pm 06.45pm 09.30pm Mankatha (U/A) - (Tam) - 10am 03.15pm 09pm Lifu Ishtene (U/A) - (K) - 12.35pm 06.20pm Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (U/A) - (H) - 02.20pmThis information is subject to change. please check with the cinemas for exact details.noTe. patrons between 3yrs to 18yrs will not be allowed to watch the “a” Rated movies.

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FOR ANT, Cockroach, Bedbug, Termite, Rat etc. 100% Safe & Effective. No Smell/Stain. 2Bhk Rs. 400. Dtls. Contact: 9972711444/ 8971223206.

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theAtRe Rangashankara plays 8 Thu to 11 Sun The Bald Soprano (E), (also at 3.30 pm on Sun) 13 Tue Good Grief (E)14 Wed Mysooru Mallige (K)15 Thu Shaalabhanjike(K)16 Fri 17 Sat Midnight TravellerMulti-lingual18 Sun Quality Street (E)(also at 3.30 pm)20 Tue Susmitha & Nestlings(E)21 Wed 22 Thu Gangaavatarana(K)23 Fri Runavemba Suthakavu(K)24 Sat, 25 Sun The Melody of Love(E) (also at 3.30 pm on Sun)Rangashankara, Jp nagar 2nd phase

MaayamrugaK P Poornachandra Tejasvi’s short story ‘maayamruga’ by Vatikuteera group.8 Sep, 7.30 pm, k h kala Soudha, hanumanthnagar. ph: 9880695659.

Ticket price: Rs 100/-

Unladylike- The Pitfalls of ProprietyStand Up Comedy scripted and acted by NY based comedienne Radhika Vaz.Thur 15 Sep 8 pm, alliance Francaise, Vasanth nagar.WAlK14th Photowalk from Frames Bangalore :7am - 10am, 11 Sep Sunday, Central Library, Cubbon ParkAssemble Point : Central Library, Cubbon Park BangaloreCall: 9986210596, 9535882976

MuSicAbhijeet Bhattacharya concert Bollywood songs by RD Burman, Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar, Manna Dey, Mohammad Rafi, Jagjit Singh, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle. Ph:4206 49696 30 pm Sep 10, Chowdaiah Memorial hall.

SP Balasubramaniam concertPart of Bengaluru Ganesha Utsava.7 pm Sep 10, apS College gorunds

The Sufi Gospel Project The Bengaluru Arts Festival 2011 commences with an evening of poetry, prayer and music featuring vocalist Sonam Kalra. Ph:77604 980776 30 pm Sep 15, Chowdaiah Memorial hallfilMSScreening: Adi Shankaracharya (Kannada)Followed by discussion with the cast & crew.Sun 11 Sep, 3.30 pm, k V Subbanna aaptha Rangamandira, no. 151, 7th cross, Teachers’ colony 1st stage, kumarswamy layout

tRAVel Un(T)ravel.Expert talks, panel discussion, workshops, film screenings, stalls, interactive sessions (Sketching, Travel photography, bicycling)Connect with Blue Yonder, Orange County, Tour of Nilgiris, Travel Another India, Indian Backpacker, Greenpeace, Greenworks., Bums on the Saddle...Travel films from Shekhar Dattari, Maya Jaideep and Travelers’ Philanthropy. Plus Chai with untravellers.Meet exciting burgeoning initiatives like BasicHalli, Pete Walk, Linger, Black Swan, Happy Camera Club, Vanamitra and more.Sept 10, 10 am to 4 pm, Jaaga, Double Road. ph: 9845557378

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JP Nagar

Dussehra holidays English workshop

Buoyant english centre is organising special eight days ‘Dussehra holidays english workshop’ for students from the age of seven 7 years onwards to 12 years at BTm LAyouT 2ND STAge by Dr. rishi ‘British council’s certified trainer’. enjoyable pronunciation activities to use and quick to prepare. In this course, young learners will use more than 60 activities to learn english pronunciation.elements of pronunciation are practiced through a range of exciting songs, rhymes, chants, games, word searches, crosswords and other task based activities.each activity is supported by step-by-step instructions which are easy.The activities are of varying lengths and are suitable for many different learning styles.The course covers most of the beginner and pre -intermediate vocabulary needed to prepare students for the Cambridge young learners english tests (cambridge eSoL).This course comes with a lively audio CD containing chants, rhymes and songs.Contact-9341257144—for more details visit -www.drrishi.org.

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See & do


Intl Tech design conference inspires new Indian art event series“It can be presented as a speeding arrow reaching its target or as an intimate conversation between spouses.” That’s how R Visweswaran, veena maestro from Mysore describes naya or the rakthi raga Begada in his talk, “Classification of ragas as Ghana, Naya and Deshya ragas.” He was speaking at Shabda an unusual performing arts event held recently at the Bangalore Gayana Samaja in Chamarajapet, recently.

Shabda came into being when three carnatic musicians T M Krishna, H K Venkatram and R K Shriram Kumar met at the Music Academy canteen last December in Chennai. While T M Krishna and R K Shriram Kumar live in Chennai, violinist H

K Venkatram is from Bangalore south. Venkatram works for Intel Corporation as Director of Intel Architecture Group in India. He also heads the Vijaya College of Music, a premier music institution in Bangalore.

The three musicians wondered what it would take to propagate Indian arts and culture to a wider audience. Their inspiration was TED (Technology, Entertainment & Design) talks which brings the speakers and presentations of any

conference to everyone on the internet. Likewise

Shabda’s founders visualise experts in the field of arts, presenting live on the topics of their choice for 20 minutes and videos of these would be available online for any interested viewer.

The nonagenarian Bangalore musician and Padma Bhushan R K Srikantan kicked off the second edition of Shabda. He demonstrated how the use of one musical note, the Sadharana Gandharam when interpreted in different ragas brought a whole new listening experience every time.

Two Bharata Natyam dancers Guru Bhanumathi and Guru Priyadarshini Govind talked about “musical compositions in dance as a group” and “visualizing a composition” respectively. Bhanumathi runs a dance school in Jayanagar.

The founders of Shabda have many projects on the anvil. For more information and upcoming events go to - www.shabda.co.in ⊕

Chitra Srikrishna is a writer, musician and blogs at www.chitrasrikrishna.com

The people behind Shabda. From Left: T M Krishna, R K Shriramkumar, H K Venkatram. Pic courtesy: Shabda.co.in

Nearly 110 species of birds, fully or partially dependent on water have been recorded in Bangalore’s lakes say experts. At Puttenahalli Lake, JP Nagar, we have identified 15 species of the 110 - they belong to the families of coots, cormorants, ducks, herons, jacanas, kingfishers, kites, lapwigs, wagtails, etc.

About half the lake birds of Bangalore are known to be migratory, escaping the harsh winters of Central Asia and the Arctic. We hope to see some of them at our lake. Do join us!⊕

ushA rAjAgoPAL, PNLit

birdwatching at puttenahalli

Meet at gazebo at Puttenahalli lake (near MlR convention hall, Brigade Millennium) at 7 am, Sat, 10th Sept.


Documents

Citizen Matters, 10 Sep 2011