Corruption Saaku ... That's your money Bothered?

Many of us have been watching the political developments in our State with a sense of horror. Everyday, there are reports of new scams, and the number of people implicated in these is astounding. Naturally, this leads to some despair, but I'm sure many of you also wish there was something that could be done about it, beyond being angry.

Now there is. Increasingly, civil society organisations in the city are coming together to work against corruption, and to put together systematic working groups to tackle this problem at every level. This week, a number of such organisations are holding events at different places in the city (this is anti-corruption week, globally). These events will culminate in a walk and rally (including prominent anti-corruption figures in India, and also music by Thermal and a Quarter) on 11 December, this Saturday.

The number of people coming together to ensure the success of these events is increasing. What we need is to accelerate this movement, and show that each one of us is committed to this change. Together, we can ensure that Karnataka gets off the national headlines of shame, and back to putting government in working order.

Please join this Saturday's rally near the Hockey Stadium grounds. Please also consider how your schools, colleges and businesses can participate in the chain of events leading up to the rally. There are many ways you can be a part of this.

For more information, please visit ...
- http://www.saaku.in and
- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177335022283874

We hope you will be a part of this transformation of governance, and we look forward to seeing you at various events this week. Please also tell your friends about Saaku, and bring them too to the rally on Saturday. Together, we can send a message to all political parties and government departments that we want - indeed, we demand - change for the better, and that we will not accept anything less.

Inflow into Ambalipura Lower Lake - Another success story

I think most of us know how difficult it is to work with Government officials to get the works done. And works related to a social cause will take more time, energy and patience. But the following report makes all citizens to feel happy and ready to shower flowers on the officials who are quick in taking actions on matters related to the social causes brought up by the FORward150 active members. I congratulate all the officials who are directly and indirectly helped us in all FORward150 intiatives.

Latest matter in hand successfully executed is a kind of biggest Rain Water Harvesting in the area done with the help of BBMP officials, Army authorities and Lake Development Authority officials. Mr.Rajesh Rao, who is living in the Trinity Acres and Woods taken up task to convince all the three officials and conducted multiple meetings to bring in success in diverting all rain water on army land (one of the age old catchment areas for Iblur and Ambalipura Lower Lakes) into the Ambalipura Lower lake. Rajesh Rao's efforts towards Greener pasture in our area, goal to recharge ground water and bring back almost vanished bird species were successful with Army authorities approval in making small trenches in their land so that all rain water that was going waste earlier is now being harvested in Ambalipura Lower Lake.

Video - Inflow into the lake during last big rain

Ambalipura Lower Lake is located between Trinity Acres, Mantri Flora, SJR Redwoods and the Army Land. Recently this lake was rejuvenated with about 75 lakh rupees by the Lake Development Authority and its execution was closely monitored and changes brought in by the FORward150 members. About 3 weeks back FORward150 members taken up weeding this Ambalipura lower lake bed and it was successful as we have covered 1/3rd of the area.

We Ward 150 residents are proud to have Mr.Rajesh Rao as active FORward150 member who has so much focus on development of society, greenery and rain water harvesting. Kudos to Rajesh!

How to change name in electricity bill

Process for name change in electricity bill (Note: A khata not required)
1. Get NOC (No objection certificate) from your Builder's Office on their letter head. This should indicate that builder has no objection for name change on electricity bill.

2. Get two forms (one AEH form and other indemnity bond form). Forms can be obtained from BESCOM offices or should be available in any stationary shop near BESCOM offices.
Document is known as 'Name Transfer Document' and entire set of Indemnity Bond + Form + NOC format + File can be obtained from BESCOM office for Rs 300 or so.

3. Get an attested copy of your Sale Deed (by Notary or Bank official from where loan in taken). Bank official easily does this. They just need to mention that original copy is with them and photcopy of sale deed is as per original. Bank charges ~Rs.250/-.
Notary attestation is quicker and cheaper. Notary charges Rs.50 to Rs.100 for attestation on your sale deed.

4. Take the NOC, two forms (mentioned in #2), latest paid electricity bill, attested copy of sale deed, copy of khata (if you have) to Junior Engineer (JE), BESCOM, Bellandur (for Bellandur residents).
PLEASE NOTE - Note down the serial number of your Electricity meter and current electricity meter reading while going to submit the application.

5. JE would verify the documents and provide a report.

6. Submit this report along with the documents to BESCOM office, Kudlu gate.
a) Transfer fee of Rs 100 has to be paid.
b) JE at Bellandur Gate will give the report then and there itself - it may take about five minutes.

7. The Bescom office at Kudlu Gate takes roughly one week for name transfer. The JE there who handles the name transfer is Chandrashekhar alias Chandru. (Kudlu gate is on left hand side when going from Silk Board to E-City. Another landmark is Macaulay public school.)

Thanks to the person (I am bad @ remembering names!) who shared information that benefits all residents of Bellandur Ward and may be whole of Bangalore and Karnataka.

Total Mall marches FORward to reduce traffic on roads

Total Mall (Sarjapur Road) management came up with a beautiful idea to introduce Total Bus to reduce traffic on Sarjapur Road and Bellandur-Marathahalli Ring Road.

Bellandur ward is one of the densely populated area. Most of the residents are highly educated and working professionals. Residents regularly visits Total Mall, Sarjapur Road for groceries, vegetables and fruits as it is the first established big malls in this area and also being nearest with accessibility to wide-variety of food joints, apparel stores in its premises made it one of the most popular among the residents.

Considering the popularity among residents, Total Mall management came FORward to introduce Total Bus. Total Bus provides absolutely free drop after Shopping at Total Mall. Total Bus goes through the Bellandur ward starting from Total Mall, Bellandur Gate, Bellandur Junction, Sun City Apartments, Shobha Apartments near IOC petrol pump, Green Glen Layout (GGRA Park), Innovative Multiplex at Marathahalli, Bellandur Junction and back to Total Mall.

Total Bus timings is designed in such a way that it is suitable for Home Makers to go for shopping in the morning and working professionals to visit Total Mall till late night.

With the publicity given by the FORward150, Total Bus got superb response from the Bellandur ward residents. With the request from FORward150 Total Mall management extended the service till Wipro office in Kaikondrahalli on Sarjapur Road. In the future bus may get extended till Doddakanneli and may ever cover Harlur village.

Route Map(pic1)


RouteMap(pic2)
Timings

Weeding Ambalipura Lakebed on 20-Sep-2010

Weeding activity on Ambalipura (lower) lake bed started at around 9:45am. Residents from our Bellandur ward started coming on to the lake bund from 9am. First to arrive at lake was Dr.Ashwin Mahesh, Ramesh Shivaram from Rainbow Residency and Satheesh Amilineni from Green Glen Layout. There was discussion among arrived members till 9:45am on how weeding can be done and different equipment available in market for this kind of activity.

Members started entering lake bed at around 9:45am and started weeding activity. We have planned to start weeding from one side and proceed towards other side and cover area of a one big rectangle. Water depth was about 1.5 feet at the shore and gradually increased to 3 feet when we moved towards the center of the lake.

When weeding activity started it was very easy for volunteers to throw the waste grass on to the shore from lake bed. Challange has appeared in 2 ways. First challange was with thorns on lake bed in water. Every volunteer at front line has pricks and bruises due to thorns and sharp stones. Infact volunteers cleared thorns, therma coal, plastic covers and glass bottles apart from the grass. Second challange was in throwing out the waste when we started moving away from the shore. Some experienced members like Ramesh Shivaram & Rajesh Rao gave idea of forming human chain in passing on the plucked grass to the shore. One successful idea was using of tubs. When grass was plucked it was put on to a floating tub. Filled floating tubs were passed back to the shore in human chain. After one point tubs were not of use as the grass size increased from 2 feet to 5 feet. Some of the grass trees were more than 2 kilos and more than 4 feet tall.

Members came up with innovative ways of passing on the plucked grass using broken logs and pushing floating grass to the shore in human chain. Children of age 6 to 9 years entered into water and went along with the adults towards center of the lake. I remember Baby Era and Master Siddarth were so active in the human chain and appeared enjoying themselves as if it was a life time opportunity. I don't think every child will get such an opportunity to enjoy plucking grass in lake water.

Members enjoyed seeing different species in lake. First one found was Purple Heron by Rajesh Rao then Fresh Water Prawns and Snails by Ramesh Shivaram. Enjoyed watching Ducks got agitated and flying on lake when Kytes started flying at low height near center of the lake. Volunteers were very sensitive while weeding and found bird eggs in a nest at the middle of a grass tree (see the picture below). Volunteers left that particular grass tree untouched.


Biscuits and tea was served for few times to all volunteers in the human chain during weeding operation and all volunteers had a big glow on their faces with satisfaction after seeing the portion of the lake bed got cleaned.

After the activity ended we could see coverage was about 20% of the lake area in a rectangular shape towards the entrance of the lake.

Activity was successful with some RSS members from Kaikondrahalli Shaka joining the activity and it wouldn't have been successful without some labour arranged by Rajesh Rao, active member of FORward150 from Trinity Acres and Woods. Infact weeding idea came from Rajesh Rao and it was taken forward with strong determination by choice by the other active members of FORward150. At the end of the operation it was declared that Mrs.Ashwini operated from front line was the most energetic volunteer and the whole team went in applause for the same.

Discussion on future course of action among active members of FORward150 went on till 12:45pm. It was decided to continue the operation for 1 or 2 days of 3-4 hours each during weekends to remove grass from remaining portion of the lake bed. Later everybody left to their homes for a good shower and lunch.

Save Power - Save Earth

Currently, most of us leave our office desktops running through out the night. We lock our screens and walk away. The power plug for the monitor is likely on a power-saving mode, the monitor turns off after a while.

One of the really simple things we can do is to put the computer to sleep at night and wake up in the morning and have our computers turned off all weekends.

It is really simple to do this. It takes less than 5 minutes to set this up, so please read on.

1. The first step is to create two batch files

A. "hibernateme.bat" should contain one line:
%windir%\system32\rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState Hibernate

B. "wakemeup.bat" can just be an empty text file.

You can use "notepad" to create the above two files.

2. Windows has a notion of "Scheduled Tasks". You can access this using:

Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Scheduled Tasks

Click on "Add Scheduled Task". When it asks you which program you would like to run as a scheduled task, choose "hibernateme.bat". You can then choose a schedule for it. Assume that you want it to run 8:00pm every day. Your computer will now automatically shutdown at 8pm every day.

3. Click on "Add Scheduled Task" again. When it asks you which program you would like to run as a scheduled task, choose "wakemeup.bat". You can then choose a schedule for it. Choose to run it every weekday at 9:00am. Just before you click "Finish", there is a checkbox that asks "Open Advanced Properties for this task when I click Finish". Click on that and go to the "Settings" tab. In "Power Management" section check "Wake the computer to run this task" and hit OK.

*** Now your computer will sleep every night at 8pm and wake up at 9am on weekdays. You will save a lot of power and make the planet green. ***

You will see no interruptions since the computer is always on when you walk into work and it turns off automatically after you leave work.

Save Power - Save Earth!

Cheers! 

Transfer of Vehicle Ownership Procedure

Transfer of Vehicle Ownership Procedure

1. Buy a Ownership Transfer booklet with all certificates. It is available near all RTO offices or download forms from http://rto.kar.nic.in/. I bought booklet for Rs.10 at Koramangala BDA complex just adjacent to the Main Road steps
2. Take signatures from the seller at all required places. In the booklet it is marked where all to take signatures.
3. Fill all the forms.
4. Visit the RTO office where the buyer's address falls in their jurisdiction.
5. Thick Paper File (< Rs.10) with all the below documents in order:

• Rs.35/- Paid Receipt (attach including the copy)
• 2 Photos in small envelope
• Form 30 (get from http://rto.kar.nic.in/)
• Form 29 (in duplicate .... get from http://rto.kar.nic.in/)
• Emission Certificate Copy
• Insurance Certificate Copy
• Address Proof (BSNL bill may not be accepted. Passport, Ration Card, Electricity Bill should be fine)
• Original RC book (go with copy of this so that you will get it as acknowledgment with RTO office seal)
• Envelope (RC book size) with stamps & address written. You will get this at the RTO office.

Note: For 4-wheeler ownership transfer one need to attach the clearance certificate (get from http://rto.kar.nic.in/) from the RTO office where the vehicle was registered.

Procedure in the RTO office
1. Pay Rs.35/- at the counter
2. Visit Superintendent of RTO office and give file for a check
3. Visit RTO and get the file signed
4. Deliver the file in the administration department. They will make a note of the file # and give you the acknowledgment stamped on the copy of the RC book.
5. You may receive the RC book with ownership transfer in 10-15 days time to your address by registered post.

Procedure @ Insurance Office
1. With in 2 weeks of receiving RC book from RTO, visit Insurance office with original insurance document, your address proof, 2 photos, RC book and your vehicle (for inspection).
2. Pay Rs.50/- for change of ownership. Take receipt for the same.
3. Take the insurance paper in original on your name in 10 minutes.

Forward150 Goals

Forward 150 Goals

1. Make Ward150 Zero Waste Management Zone in 2 years.
2. Rejunavation of all Lakes including Largest Bellandur Lake and have all Rajakaluves linked.
3. 100% Rain water harvested zone in 2-3 years.
4. Fully Connected Ward in 5 years for Transportation
5. Develop low maintenance tree zones, avenue plantation and parks across Bellandur Ward
6. Make Ward Dust Free Zone in 3 years.
7. Urban Poverty Alleviation including upgradation of BBMP schools
8. BBMP Khatha for All. Abolish Development Fee for the existing Panchayat Khatas as we have already paid Development fee.
9. Foot Paths on all roads (remove encroachments)
10. Inclusive Governance – having a governance model like what Abide has laid out.
11. Low maintenance, Low Power LED Street Lights with detectors (Anti Sodium Vapour Lamps)
12. Dedicated Spots for Street Vendors
13. Indigenous Tree Plantation
14. 100% Bus Shelters
15. Sports & Cultural Infrastructure

Private Services in our ward

Skypak India drop-box - Purva SunShine Main Gate, Sarjapur Road (For a complete list you can call them ( +912267890333 ) or follow the link http://www.skypakin dia.com/action/ viewDropBox ) 

New Buses 341H & 340Q

341 H - Marathahalli to Electronics City via Haralur Road & return
340 Q - Marathahalli to Electronics City via Hosa Road (Jail Road) & return

Will update the timings here once I get the time sheet from the Depo Manager.
Please find the schedules of the above services @ Google Docs

Advantages
1. Reduces commuting distance by 1/3rd
2. Saves commuting time (end-to-end) by atleast 30 minutes.
3. Savings on your money
4. Saves environment by using public bus service :-)

Steps for Joint Tax Declaration incase of Joint Home Loan

Here are the simple steps posted by one of my colleagues in our company news groups. Hope this will be helpful for you.

1.Fill out the indemnity bond (format should be with your company finance folks) with your details.
2.Take a printout of the above
3.Go to Koramangala BDA complex @ 2pm. (or before 1pm as 1.30pm - 2.15 pm is lunch time)
4. There are 2 shops below the Sub Registrar's office in the BDA complex (with a notary sitting in one of them). They sell blank stamp paper documents for 2/-. Buy one.
5. Go to the 2nd floor (Sub registrar's office) and after entry on the right side is the section where 'Franking' of blank stamp paper documents is done. Write your name on the blank document and mention 20/- (as the bond needs to be on a 20/- stamp paper). The gentleman there will accept your blank document, frank it with 20/- rupees (ie make it a legal stamp paper), sign it and give it back to you in 15-20 mins.
6. Take this document to any of the 2 shops below the Sub Registrar's office. They will type it out for you and get a copy of it on the 20/- stamp paper. They have the template ready (looks like many other IT folks visit them) and will hardly take 5 mins. They charge 15/-.
7. A notary also sits in one of the 2 shops. He charges 50/- to notarize the document.

Total Cost = 2 + 20 + 15 + 50 = 90/-

Cheers. Happy Tax Filing!

Trains from Carmelram Railway Station

 

Train timings at carmelaram railway station, trains going towards Salem :

 

2677  intercity exp                            6 46 am

6232  mysore mayiladuthurai exp     19 42 hrs

6732  mysore tuticorin exp               21 59 hours

6527 Yeshwantpur cannanore exp   20 44 hrs (wed and sat)

572   bangalore salem passenger      7 54 hrs

         yeshwantpur salem pasnger    17 00 hrs

         bangalore dharmapuri             19 13 hrs

 

Trains going  towards bangalore city, yeshwanthpur, mysore, 

2677  intercity                                   18 47 hrs

          mayiladuthurai - mysore exp    04 30 hrs

          Tuticorin/ mysore exp              0515 hrs

          Cannore yeshwanthpur            05 46 hrs ( mon wed sat)

          Dharmapuri bangalore             07 09 hrs

          Salem  yeshwanthpur exp        09 05 hrs

          Salem bangalore exp               17 11 hrs

 

Railway Station Enquiry - 2844 1615

Autorickshaw Drivers - How to handle!

If a customer has a problem with an autorickshaw driver, is he encouraged to approach the traffic policeman at a signal junction? How will the officer handle it?

Absolutely, the customer has to do just that. If a traffic officer is not present at the signal, he can note down the vehicle and DL number of the autorickshaw driver and send a complaint – online or telephonic – to
the traffic police. The automated complaint system has helped the traffic police as well as the public. It works faster, and action is taken almost immediately. Once we receive the complaint, we file a case against the driver and fine him.

To lodge complaints, the public can either dial 080 - 25588444/555 or 080 - 22943030/3131, or email it to addlcptrafficbcp@gmail.com. The traffic police website, www.bangaloretrafficpolice.gov.in, has email IDs
of all the inspectors in the city.

- Deputy commissioner of police (traffic-west) Panduranga H Rane

BBMP Ward 150 Directory

Officials
Environmental Engineer, Mrs.Mamatha - 90081 44447
Health Inspector, Mr.Bhargava - 94806 84238
(Ex-Health Inspector, Krishna Pujari - 94806 83578, 94488 32239)

Additional Asst Engineer, Manjunath - 99452 48898
Asst Engineer, Kodanda - 94480 34433
(Ex-Asst Engineer, Ramamurthy - 94806 83525)

Revenue Inspector, Nagaraj -  99011 78272
Asst Engineer, Electrical Works - 97390 12328


Contractors
One Point Contact - Narasimha Murthy - 99807 99506

Garbage Collection (Area A), Ravi Reddy - 98808 48576

Garbage Collection (Area B), Ramachandra Reddy - 93412 88897, 98808 77748
Street Lights, Jagadeesh - 98861 97871, 94480 88208, 99801 97437

Bellandur Office - 6455 5771
Bommanahalli Office - 2573 2447
Electricity Office - 2844 1500

Call Centers

Civic Complaints - 2266 0000

Wild Life Services

Snake Catchers

• Mr. Suman - 99808 72975
• Prithvi Kallappa - 98869 28580
• Gerry Martin - 98457 79666

Dog Birth Control

• Dr. Sahadev - 97311 32156

Direct Volvo Bus to Majestic

There was lot of effort made by Forward 150 members to bring bus V-333W to Doddakanneli DIRECT from MAJESTIC via Marathahalli. Bus is running from past 3+ weeks as of now.

Route KBS (Majestic) to SJP
KBS (Majestic) -> Maharani college -> Mayo Hall (MG Road) -> Command Hospital -> Domlur -> NAL -> HAL main Gate -> Marathalli Bridge -> Bellandur -> Iblur -> Kaikondranahalli -> Doddakanneli (Sarjapur Road)

SJP to KBS (Majestic)
Doddakanneli (Sarjapur Road) -> Kaikondranahalli -> Iblur -> Bellandur -> Marathalli Bridge -> HAL main Gate -> NAL -> Domlur -> Command Hospital -> Mayo Hall (MG Road) -> Maharani college -> KBS (Majestic)

V-333W KEMPEGOWDA (BANGALORE) BUS STATION TO DODDA KANNELI
DEPARTURE FROM KBS (Majestic)
0630 0700 0725 0755 0825 0850 0920 0950 1015 1045 1115 1140 1235
1305 1330 1400 1430 1455 1525 1555 1620 1650 1720 1745

DEPARTURE FROM DODDA KANNELLI
0735 0825 0850 0920 0950 1015 1110 1140 1205 1235 1305 1330 1400
1430 1455 1525 1555 1620 1715 1745 1810 1840 1910 1935

BMTC Call Center Numbers:
12667, 2202 9935, 180 0425 1663

Let us make use of available resources for a greener Bangalore!