Good morning, Bengaluru!
🌤️ Today’s weather: Nothing much has changed. Very warm temperatures and partly sunny skies today.
🧐 Did you know? The name of RK Narayan’s short story collection ‘Malgudi Days’ is derived from two popular localities of the city: Mal, from Malleswaram and Gudi, from Basavanagudi.
📽️ Film Festival to kick off in March
Officials scurry to organise a grand 14th edition of Bengaluru’s film festival.
Story so far: The government-supported Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFF) will be held in the city from March 23 to March 30. Revenue Minister R Ashok, who will organise it this year, reportedly met CM Bommai and the President of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy (KCA) to discuss the event. Like all previous iterations, the 14th edition will be held in the Orion Mall, Rajajinagar. Senior film society activist HN Narahari Rao, the festival’s artistic director, will help the recently assembled curation team to promptly set up the event.
- The event will kick off with a grand opening on the steps of Vidhana Soudha. The valedictory will be chaired by the governor, and actors from different languages will feature as chief guests, adding to the pomp and fervour.
- The team plans to screen a retrospective of Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Shyam Sharma and Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembene as a homage to his centenary year. The festival hopes to feature overlooked indie Kannada filmmakers too.
- BIFF will have films from across the globe competing in different categories, followed by a critics’ week. The retrospectives will appear in the world, Kannada, and Indian categories.
What’s new? R Ashok has appealed to the CM to increase the prize money for winners to add to the event’s prestige. The prize money hasn’t been reviewed or revised in five years.
- According to him, a prestigious film festival has the calibre to strengthen the image of the city and Kannada cinema. With Kannada Cinema achieving global recognition and awards, he believes it is time to represent and reward Kannadigas’ talent.
☀️ Early summer likely
Monsoon showers will provide much relief to the early onset summers.
Story so far: The first week of February has barely passed, and temperatures are climbing higher. According to experts, it is likely that the state will witness an early summer. The maximum temperatures of 27-28 degrees celsius seen towards the end of January have risen to 31 degrees celsius recently. This may increase to 40 degrees in the summer. However, monsoon rains are expected to have a cooling effect and replenish lakes and reservoirs.
- Commissioner to Karnataka Disaster Management Authority (KDMA) believes that the waning away of the northern cold wave normalised the temperature, and a trough above Sri Lanka is bringing it higher. However, a heat wave is unlikely.
- On a positive note, Karnataka has witnessed plentiful rainfall during the monsoon season, which will continue this year too. Last monsoon, the state saw 1,009 mm of rain, as against the 839 mm norm.
Why it matters? Rapid urbanisation and changing weather patterns have been a bane for Indian metro cities and affect ecosystems too. According to some experts, large quantities of cement and steel being pumped for construction work and increasing particulate matter add to the heat.
- The city’s monsoon showers can be depended upon to combat hot summers. They fill up most water bodies, recharge the underground water table, facilitate power generation, and prevent drinking water scarcity.
🛣️ Bengaluru-Mysuru highway affects livelihoods
The highway reduces travel time at the cost of several livelihoods dependent on the traffic.
Story so far: Thousands of vendors across Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur and Mandya condemn the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway for sounding the death knell on their businesses. Businesspeople in these towns were heavily dependent on road traffic to sustain their shops, restaurants and hotels. The 10-laned, 117 km expressway bypasses these towns and cuts off access to the vendors, reportedly slashing their incomes by 60 per cent.
- A Channapatna toy vendor explains how their shop used to draw in transactions worth ₹20,000 and barely makes ₹4,000 now. Research suggests that expressways across the country hurt direct services, including neighbourhood stores, hotels and other small businesses.
- The business slowdown has led to franchises along the Mysuru road shutting down. Tens of tea businesses have already closed shop.
Solutions? Restauranteurs hope that the government will allow safe access roads so visitors can access the towns and their businesses. Pratap Simha, a Mysore-Kodagu MP, reveals that a 30-acre rest area near Channapatna is in the offings. It will supplant both sides of the road with enough space for restaurants and regional speciality stores. The government has initiated the land acquisition process for entry and exit points.
♻️ Hasiru Dala’s landmark recycling project
A city-based NGO has developed a technology to convert discarded plastic into alternative plywood.
Story so far: Mondelez India has awarded a grant to Hasiru Dala for its pilot project ‘Post Plastic Board’. The NGO will work with waste workers to recycle Polystyrene and other plastics into sustainable furniture boards, a plywood alternative.
- The pilot project will use technology sourced from TrashCon, to convert up to 600 tonnes of MLP waste per annum. More than 12-15 tonnes of waste goes into making 300 boards and 110 benches. They are sent to various schools in Sarakki, MS Palya, Peenya and Jolly Mohalla.
- Since the boards can be used to make lightweight sheds and home furniture, the NGO plans to commercialise them. The boards have recently piqued the interest of house parts makers in Chennai.
Advantages: The board’s water resistance is one of its many advantages. The plastic used to make these is the kind of waste that workers do not get paid for upon collecting. The NGO pays the waste workers aiding the project based on the amount of plastic waste they bring in.
- Eventually, the project aims to equip the waste workers with the knowledge to run this program and benefit from an additional source of income.
✨ Things to do…
Here are some fun and interesting things to do in the city over the weekend!
- Startup Growth Networking Meetup is on the cards for startup founders and enthusiasts this Saturday!
- Watch Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters FC battle it out at the Fortress on Saturday.
- Hard Rock Cafe is hosting DJ Franky and his sounds for a Battle of the Champions.
- Practising Harmony with Nature is a free workshop on living in harmony with nature, happening at New Acropolis Indiranagar.
- Enjoy a techno music sundowner with homegrown and international artists at Koramangala Social this Sunday.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll Results:
- I listen to podcasts: 60.0% 🏆
- I don’t enjoy podcasts: 40.0%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Who are your favourite content creators to watch on Youtube or Instagram?
Prasad: “Newslaundry hosts great content on Youtube. Their ‘TV Newsance’ show is a must watch!”
Sreekanth: “Zazu Talks channel. Love the fun things the dogs, Zazu and Walle do and the family’s trips and personal stories.”
That’s it for today. Have a great weekend!