Good morning, Bengaluru!
☁️ Today’s weather: High: 30 ℃ | Low: 20 ℃ | Mostly cloudy with some light rain possible.
🧐 Did you know? Kempe Gowda Jayanthi is observed across the state every year on June 27.
♻️ Sustainable marathon event
The marathon, which saw 3,500 participants, involved environmentalists, ensuring no dry waste was left behind.
What’s it about? The event was organised by Runaddicts of Rajarajeshwari Nagar, and the proceeds go toward supplying sports kits, notebooks, and school bags to rural students. It included 250 environmentalists who ensured that no dry waste was left behind and no disposables or single-use plastic was used at the event.
- The volunteers provided utensils and cutlery for everyone and facilitated the composting of organic waste. The cutlery was from the Adamya Chetana Foundation.
- The volunteers ensured the event didn’t generate any dry waste as the cutlery was washed, dried, packed and returned to the Foundation.
A template for the future: The event served as a template for the state government and the civic body to conduct their events and programmes where dry waste is minimal.
🥙 Unsafe shawarma
Following complaints, samples collected by food inspection officials revealed poor quality of shawarmas.
What’s it about? Officials from the Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) cracked down on hotels and restaurants that sell shawarma. Following complaints of unhygienic preparation, samples were collected that showed poor quality.
- 17 samples were collected from ten districts, including hotels in the BBMP and Bengaluru Urban limits. Only 9 samples were clean and hygienic.
- In 8 samples, there were traces of bacteria and yeast which are harmful. The FSSA said they’ve taken action against the hotels and restaurants.
What’s the reason? Officials said the bacteria and yeast could be due to unhygienic preparation and prolonged storage of meat.
🌊 Kothanur Lake dwindles
The Kothanur Lake’s beauty has faded due to sewage and plastic pollution.
What’s it about? Residents surrounding the lake met with officials from the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), and the state pollution control board. They voiced their concerns about inadequate maintenance of the lake.
- Despite the presence of a suspension pond to manage sewage inflows, large amounts of sewage continue to reach the lake. There hasn’t been a lasting solution.
- Nearby apartments discharge sewage into the lake. Officials have been unable to track which apartments are responsible. Residents also complained about plastic waste and the poor condition of the walkways.
The lake’s significance: The lake has rich vegetation and plays a vital role as a water catchment area. It gathers rainwater from local drains.
🚈 Railway projects
Union Minister V Somanna announced several railway projects for the city.
What’s it about? At a review meeting with state ministers, MLAs and MPs from Bengaluru and South Western Railway, Somanna announced a ₹23,000 crore circular railway network project. Other announcements included upgrades to railway stations.
- The 287-km network will connect Vaddarahalli, Devanahalli, Malur, Heelalige, Hejjala, and Solur. The detailed project report (DPR) for the network will be prepared and submitted soon.
- The Bengaluru Cantonment and Yeshwantpur railway stations will also be upgraded with world-class infrastructure and completed by 2025.
Other projects: The Whitefield quadrupling rail project, pending since 1998, is likely to be finished by June 2025. The railways also approved 93 rail-over bridges and road-under bridges in the state for ₹1,699 crore.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you prefer air-conditioned rooms?
- I prefer air-conditioned rooms.
- I don’t prefer air-conditioned rooms.
❓ Today’s Question
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Where can you find the best burger in the city?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In Other News…
- The state government has sought the Centre’s help for the city’s biggest projects.
- Stray cattle have inconvenienced motorists and pedestrians who want the civic body to build sheds.
- Footpaths in Vinobha Nagar are unsafe for kids due to broken slabs and encroachments.
- IISC researchers have found a breakthrough catalyst to efficiently convert fatty acids to biofuels.
- The KC General Hospital will have new facilities including a new trauma centre and mother and child hospital.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!