Karnataka - Bangalore   

Reporter's Diary

Raining

misery

Thanks to its undulating terrain, a few parts of the city really get flooded after a spell of heavy rain. Most of the water receded overnight and by next morning only a few puddles remained. Neither are daylong rains as in coastal areas, really common.

Last week, a fast squall turned rainwater right into many apartments located on the third and fourth floors of tall buildings.

Dwellers of upmarket apartments were forced to do what only most residents of low-lying slums usually have to do: bale out water.

As to the flooding of many roads, the weather alone was not to blame though the rainfall was near record heavy. Over the years, storm water channels have been turned into dumping ground for all kind of waste and debris and have clogged in places.

The same goes for street side drains. Residents need to cooperate in this regard, officials of the BMP and BWSSB say.

Season of

dark clouds

Overnight climatic changes may or not have anything to do with the much-talked-about greenhouse effect. All that we know is that day temperatures can plunge by almost six degrees Celsius when the first rains herald the end of summer. In some other plateau regions too this phenomenon is seen. By the end of May or beginning of June, a warm morning suddenly turns into skies filled with dark clouds, building up to a sky as dark as in the evening. If the weatherman predicts it or not, the early rains of monsoon are here.

Those who still remember where their raincoats and umbrellas are hurriedly take them out. Others scramble to buy new ones. Time to say goodbye to another summer.

BJP's women

of substance

The location of the famous Dharmaraya Swamy Temple in the Chamarajpet Assembly constituency is coming handy to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is fielding its advocate-leader Pramila Nesargi in the byelections.

The former Union Minister and party general secretary, H.N. Ananth Kumar, likened her to Draupadi and goddess Shakti, who are worshipped at the temple during Karaga.

Addressing a BJP election meeting, he reminded the voters of this mythological event and appealed to them to oust the demon and return her. But he did not mention who the demon was.

But another BJP stormy petrel, the former Union Minister, Sushma Swaraj, did not lag behind. She told the voters to oust the person who is allegedly bringing disrepute to Chamarajpet, which produced great writers, singers and administrators such as T.P. Kailasam, Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar and Kengal Hanumanthaiya to the State.

Ms. Nesargi was all smiles and seeking blessings of the voters with her folded hands as Ms. Swaraj tried to woo the voters comparing her to Chamundeswari, who would protect them from the "chaku-choori" culture in the area.

Five-star

parking

So what if parking fee is out of the public gaze. You still have those unauthorised parking attendants hanging about your two-wheeler and cars.

After you park your vehicles, they will approach you offering to wipe the dust off the car. And once you agree, they will religiously attend to the job on hand and await your payment.

Out of job, short of money, parking attendants across the town have adopted this attitude. While the more aggressive ones will demand a parking fee or ask you to clear out, the majority will don the wipers' garb.

And since it is a matter of a rupee or two, the vehicle owner does not think twice before paying.

But expect no such luck at the city airport where you will be poorer by Rs. 10 every time you park your two-wheeler. If you are a car owner, be prepared to shell out another Rs. 20. Five star parking fees for five star locations.

T.S. Ranganna,

and Rasheed Kappan

K. Satyamurty, T.S. Ranganna, and Rasheed Kappan

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