2 DECCAN HERALD

CAT closed for vacation

Metro After Kabini, KRS, City looking at third dam

In brief

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

The Central Administrative Tribunal, Bangalore Bench will be closed for 24 days (working days) from April 22 to May 24 on account of vacation, reports DHNS from Bangalore. However, the vacation bench will dispose of urgent matters and such other matters as the Bench may direct. Dr K B Suresh, Member, will hold the Court on April 23 and May 1. Naresh Gupta, Member, will be sitting on May 8 and G Shanthappa, Member, will hold the court on May 15 and May 22. During the vacation, the members constituting the Bench will be available at the headquarters on specific dates. The Registry will remain open from 10.30 am to 1 pm for receiving urgent applications.

A delayed monsoon will force BWSSB to draw water from Hemavathi reservoir
Chethan Kumar BANGALORE: As water levels at major reservoirs continue to dip consistently, authorities are looking at drawing water from the Hemavathi to meet the demand in the City.
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Alarming
RESERVOIR USABLE WATER LEVEL 2013 (APR 15) USABLE WATER LEVEL 2012 (APR 15)

Dak Adalat on April 26

The Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Postal Circle, will conduct dak adalat to redress public grievances on April 26 at 3 pm, reports DHNS from Bangalore. Public and customers in Bangalore region may address their grievances if any, to The Assistant Director [PO], Office of the Chief Postmaster General, Karnataka Circle, Palace Road or can also send an email to karcobldg@gmail.com so as to reach the office latest by April 18. Brief and specific details are requested to be furnished along with complete contact details to facilitate speedy redress.

With the water level at Kabini, which has been the main source of supply to Bangalore, at zero, the officials are already forced to depend completely on Krishnarajasagar reservoir (KRS). There is only dead storage available at Kabini, which cannot be drawn given the negative environmental impact it can result in. We are currently getting about 600 cusecs of water from KRS every day, which is about how much we need, a senior official from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) said. The government has also been forced to suspend opera- DRY DAYS AHEAD: With the water level at Kabini reservoir hitting dead storage level, the BWSSB is compelled to depend tions at the two hydel power completely on KRS for supplying water to the City. DH FILE PHOTO plants along the course of the river so as to maintain a consistent flow of water from the that the monsoon, which is be- But, in case the monsoon is de- despite the monsoon having rived on June 16 last year, while ing anticipated by end of May layed, then we might have to been delayed, another official the average level this year is reservoirs to the City. or beginning of June arrives on draw water from the Hema- said. only 2.5-3 tmc, indicating the time, if not early. vathi, which is something we During the same time last kind of shortage being faced. Hemavathi an option With 2.86 tmc of water in do not do usually. year, the water level at KRS As on April 15, 2012, the Stating that the water requireEven last year we did not stood at an average of 14 tmc combined water levels at the ment per month is 1.5 tmc ft, KRS and half of April already BWSSB officials are praying over, we look alright for May. have to take water from there until the monsoon finally ar- four reservoirs - Kabini, KRS,

0 (only dead 4.9 tmc storage available) n KRS 2.86 tmc 11.6 tmc n Hemavathi 3.9 tmc 4.7 tmc n Harangi 0.73 tmc 1.3 tmc Total 7.49 tmc 22.5 tmc |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

n Kabini

Hemavathi and Harangi - was 22.5 tmc, as opposed to a meagre 7.49 tmc on the same day this year. On April 15 last year, the water level at KRS stood at 11.6 tmc, while it was 4.9 tmc at Kabini. This year, it is 2.86 tmc and zero, respectively. Comparatively, the level at Hemavathi was 4.7 tmc last year and is 3.9 tmc this year. It is one of the reasons we are looking at the option. But hopefully, the monsoon will arrive by the end of May, the official said.

Kabini a concern Kabini reservoir going dry is a serious concern for the authorities in the City. Unlike the KRS, which has a considerable catchment area that is irrigated using water from there, the DH News Service

catchment area around Kabini is less making it more suitable for supply to Bangalore. There is little irrigation around Kabini. Only the right bank canal is irrigated, the left bank canal is not. Which means that there was more water available for supply here. The case is not the same when it comes to KRS, where the irrigation levels are much higher, a senior official said. Further, while there are forecasts about the monsoon setting in before the normal date of June 5, officials at the Meteorological department said: We will have to wait until the third week of April to ascertain it more accurately. An official report would be issued in the beginning of the fourth week.

Government college awaits a Cleaning lakes the green way piece of land to house itself in BU team to use
Nivedita Niranjankumar BANGALORE: Government First Grade College, Frazer Town, screams the huge board, if ones eyes cared to scan the surroundings and sight it.

of waste water, she said. Funding This project is being funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) with an allocation of nearly Rs 10.90 lakh. Started in April, the project is expected to last for three years and will also be used in water-treatment plants. Prior to the methods employment in the field, the department tested the pilot system in laboratory conditions. The method will now be tested in a medium-scale environment before recommendations are made to the government for its implementation in water-treatment plants in Bangalore, Nandini said. The department plans to start operational testing by implementing the method at an apartment complex in the City. In addition, it also plans to develop a more efficient way to handle waste water and solid wastes in the City by using activated charcoal extracted from the solid waste to absorb pollutants. Researchers also expressed their intention to clear the environment around the lakes, which have developed a stench because of accumulated pollutants.

Water adalats today

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board will hold water adalats at its sub-divisions to settle disputes on Tuesday between 9.30 am to 11 am, reports DHNS from Bangalore. In the West-3 sub division, the adalat will be at the office of the Assistant Executive Engineer in Rajarajeshwari Nagar. The disputes of consumers coming under the jurisdiction of Kengeri, Ideal Homes, BEML Layout service station limits will be addressed. In South-West-3, it will held at the AEEs office at MNK Park: The disputes of the consumers coming under the jurisdiction of MNK Park, Mount Joy, Nagendra Block and Giri Nagar (Kathriguppe 2) will be settled. In South-East-3, it will be held at the AEEs office at Koramangala. The disputes of the customers coming under the jurisdiction of CLR, Johnson Market, Koramangala 1 and 2 and Bellandur service station limits will be heard.

space coming their way to continue the institution and its noble intentions. Without land of its own and making do with bare facilities the school has, the college is hoping for a bright dawn.

Started under a joint initiative by the University Grants Commission to provide collegiate education for the poor in 2007, the college, however, is a telling testimony to what happens when government apathy gets the better of its noble intentions. Nestled, rather sandwiched between the Tamil Primary School on one side and Kannada Primary School on the other, an apology for a college, which boasts of a student strength of 300, patiently awaits a pledge to be fulfilled by the State government that its present location was just a temporary one and a better premises would be provided soon to continue its laudable initiative. Six years have gone by, but the college and its core constituents teachers, administrators and students are yet to see any semblance of a proper

No luck Why the sudden interest in the Frazer Town college? Well, among the four started under a similar initiative, those in Yelahanka, Malleswaram and HSR Layout were lucky to get land by 2010, while the Frazer Town one is yet to get it. Says Principal B V Krishnappa, We have been trying for six years now. We have all the necessary paperwork done, but the education department says land is not easily available. Incidentally, the college is offering three streams Bachelors of Commerce, Arts and Business Management and since recently, Bachelors of Science. Meanwhile, students complain that the benches are too small and difficult to sit for hours in the same place. There is just one toilet for female students in the college. We completely avoid using DH News Service

the toilet. We go all the way to our houses if we need to, said a girl studying in second year BCom. If we get a new building, we can give students all necessary facilities and better education,says Krishnappa. Though the students complained about lack of facilities, they were all praises for the teaching quality We have excellent teachers. The college also provides us with practical industrial training, said a BA student. And in typical bureaucratic fashion, the Department of Collegiate Education blamed the lack of space in City. It is difficult to get land especially for government work. Getting a land in the heart of the City is more difficult, said Mahesh K, Manager, Planning Section. He said they are seized of the matter and looking at it on a priority. We have moved the file and the issue will be sorted soon. However, Krishnappa is not that optimistic. They told us we might get a land in Baiyappanahalli. However, by the time we get land and the building, it will be another year or more.

pollutant-eating algae, plants to revive water bodies

Shruthi H M

BANGALORE: Bangalore Universitys Department of Environmental Science has claimed that it has developed a green method to clean up nearly 90 per cent of all pollutants in the Citys lakes.

Scientists at the department explained that their project, titled the Green and eco-friendly technology for treating waste water entering into wet lands of urban Bangalore, aims at resuscitating all polluted lakes and water bodies in the City. They added that their system was superior to the existing method used by the government, which boasts of only 50 per cent efficiency. Speaking to Deccan Herald, BU Environmental Science Head of the Department, Prof N Nandini, explained that the secret behind the project was a mechanism called Phytore-

mediation. Cultivated algae such as Chlorella and Chlamydomonas and microbial bacteria will be used to absorb pollutants, including heavy metals, she said. Plants like Typha (a type of grass) and Water Hyacinths will also be used in the process. According to Nandini, the existing methods of purification adopted by the government are unable to treat nitrates, phosphates and oils in the water. The current method just removes a fraction of the pollutants, she said and blamed soaps and detergents for phosphate concentration in water.

Phosphate, combined with sewage, chokes the water, she added. A majority of lakes in the City are thus victims of Eutrofication a process by which a water body acquires a high concentration of nutrients and phosphates, which in turn, promote excessive algae growth, which depletes the oxygen content of the water, killing off organisms such as fish. Nandini explained that the primary step in treating polluted water was to interrupt the process of Eutrofication. Getting rid of phosphates and nitrogen is fundamentally important for the efficient treatment DH News Service

Hawkers eat into footpath on Avenue Road

BANGALORE: Busy, bustling and teeming with thronging, thrusting mass of people wading through the packed thoroughfare for their pick of wares. Thats Avenue Road for you. One of the last, lingering vestiges of old world charm that offers the loyal customers, joys and pleasures of a traditional marketing experience. However, reaching ones desired shop or store that dot the shoppers street on either side, is indeed not only a marathon task, but also a singular enterprise on its own. For, occupying every possible inch of space that its semblance of a sidewalk offers, are hawkers of all hues trying to catch the discerning eye of the buyer/customer busily seeking to reach his/her intended destination. From garments to gifts, small-time hawkers and petty peddlers of retail toys, jewellery and other sundry tidbits of items spread their variegated wares on the footpath or pedestrian way, thereby consuming the entire space. The encroachment makes it a messy, meddlesome affair for shoppers who prefer an unhindered and delightful shopping experience. Wading through the sea of humanity without stepping either on them or their displays turns out into a tightrope walk for true blue shoppers who believe in Avenue Road as their rightful place for that unique

Light showers bring respite

BANGALORE, DHNS: Banga-

Now, a pavement scam in Palike

BANGALORE: One more mul-

Corrigendum
A report published on April 3, 2013, inadvertently stated that B E Umapathy, DGP (Research and Restructuring) had challenged the appointment of Lalrokhuma Pachuau as DG and IGP in the High Court and that the Court had reserved the order. The petition is pending before the Central Administrative Tribunal. We regret the error.

City weather
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rain or thundershowers would occur in some areas. TEMPERATURES Maximum Minimum Rainfall Humidity Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset 35.9 C 23.8 C Trace 39 pc 6.06 am 6.32 pm 10.28 am 11.29 pm

Its a tightrope walk for pedestrians on the Avenue Road footpaths.

shopping experience. For the shopkeepers who have been housed there for a long time, theres no respite from the problem or wishing away these illegal invaders of the foothpath. The hawkers have not spared a single inch. Even on crossroads near Raja Market, Lakshmi Market and elsewhere, customers find their presence from morning till dusk irksome. The traffic police seem to be hand-in-glove with them, as they hardly take any action against them. Even Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials have turned a blind eye towards the problem and do not seem to be bothered, said Kusum

General Stores owner A V Krishnamurthy. A senior citizen said: Earlier, the population of hawkers was low. But with each passing day, their number is only increasing. The road has become more congested due to their presence, he added. Prashant K, a regular visitor, conceded: It becomes difficult to park at the crossroads since it is usually occupied by flower vendors and petty shopkeepers. During weekends and holidays, the pedestrians patience is put to test in an overcrowded lane. I cannot even park on the main road since it is one-way. It is time the hawkers are driven away and the lane is cleared.

However, BBMP Additional Commissioner (West), K N Chandrashekhar said: It is the duty of traffic police to keep a tab on hawkers and make sure that there are no shops on footpaths and crossroads. They should be strict and fine the hawkers, if they do not pay heed to their warnings. Narasimha Murthy, a traffic police co-coordinator from West Zone, said: We go on a regular beat along with senior officials. We have warned the hawkers and have even registered complaints under Section 92 of the Karnataka Police Act. But they continue to occupy the footpaths. We are trying our best to evict them.
DH News Service

loreans got a respite from sweltering heat on Monday with light showers bringing down the Mercury level by six degree Celsius. A light rainfall of 0.5 mm and 1.2 mm was recorded in the City and near the airport respectively, at around 10 pm. The sudden and pleasant dip in temperature experienced on Monday will continue over the next few days, according to officials at the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre. While showers were preceded by heavy winds, there were no reports of tree falls in the City. Parts of Bangalore Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumkur and Chamarajanagar too experienced light rain. Mild rain is expected to continue over the next few days. These are convective clouds. This temperature will continue over the next few days, said Prakash V S, Director of Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre. According to the data from the Centre, the City recorded a temperature of 31 degree Celsius at 9 pm on Sunday which dropped to 24 degree Celsius on Monday night. Humidity had doubled from 34 per cent on Sunday to 75 per cent on Monday. This will bring respite from heat, Prakash added.

ticrore scam has tumbled out of the cupboards of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. The irregularities, this time, pertain to unnecessary replacement of pavement slabs. According to sources in the Palike, the Govindarajnagar executive engineer secured approval of the Palike authorities to lay stone slabs on the side drains in his division. The work on improvement and development of footpaths and drains was proposed to be carried out at four locations 80 Feet Road, up to Bangalore University (estimated cost: Rs 72 lakh), NGEF Main Road (Rs 98 lakh), Jyothi Nagar Main Road (Rs 61.6 lakh) and Jyothi Nagar Main Road to Jnanabharathi Main Road (Rs 68.4 lakh). The engineer cited damaged slabs as the reason for the project, though the slabs laid at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore three years ago were in a good condition. The work began much to the chagrin of local residents who compelled the contractor to stop the work. The residents

complained to BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah, who ordered an inquiry by the Technical Vigilance Cell under the Commissioner (TVCC). The team led by the chief engineer visited the spot and found that the old slabs were in good condition, which contradicted the reason cited by the executive engineer. It also came to light that there was a duplication of work causing a loss of Rs 20 lakh to BBMP. The TVCC observed in its report that the engineer, assistant executive engineer and the assistant engineer worked in an irresponsible manner and ignored the instructions of the Palike commissioner. This way, they caused a loss of Rs 2.07 crore to the civic agency. The TVCC has recommended stringent action against the erring engineers. When contacted, Siddaiah said that works have been frozen, the job code has been withdrawn and a show cause notice has been issued on the erring engineers.
DH News Service

Cleaning of sewerage lines

The BWSSB will on Tuesday take up cleaning of sewerage lines in Yelahanka New Town, Yelahanka Old Town, Vidyaranyapura, Sa-

hakaranagar North-2 and JP Nagar-1, Fourth and Fourth T Blocks. Residents can contact Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) North-1 on 9740984163 and AEE South West-4 on 9945518971 to avail the service.