‘NEERUNDU NILAMUNDU’, a film by Bala Kailasam, is being screened:

Day: Saturday

Date: 10th October 2009,

Time: 6:00pm

Venue: ASHIRWAD, OPP. STATE BANK OF MYSORE, ST. MARK’S ROAD,

BANGALORE -560001; Phone: 080-22210154

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A few days ago, we were driving through Commercial Street and trailing this garbage truck that patiently did its clean up act. Can’t believe Commercial Street can generate so much of garbage.

Also can’t believe that one of Bangalore’s most sought after shopping destinations can have its awkward sights. A garbage truck right in the middle of your frame, with a trail of big brand signs on either side of the road.

‘Save GKVK’ Campaign – Community Protest

Date: 10:00 am – 11:00 am, Sunday, October 11, 2009

Venue: GKVK Main Gate on Bellary Road

Program: Protest against proposed 80 feet link road through GKVK campus

Issue
Proposed construction of a major 80 feet link road through GKVK campus entailing cutting of 3000 trees and destruction of several research plots

Current Status

GKVK has transferred the land to BBMP. BBMP has felled hundreds of trees and has initiated civil works. Court has issued stay order on further felling of trees. Forest department has filed a FIR and is investigating the issue. However, BBMP is still planning to carry on with road work. We have now lost hundreds of trees, but the land still remains. We can atleast regrow the trees and we can prevent a road from running through a green patch and destroying it. If we lose the land, we lose the battle fully and we’ll have a road running through an urban green patch, impacting the rest of the green patch negatively!

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Around the world, every day, millions of people take actions – big and small – that contribute to making their community and their world a more sustainable place to live.

But what difference do those those 24 little hours actually make?

In fact, what difference can we all make if we sum up the 24 hours of everyone around the globe who is out there doing something positive for the planet?

On September 23rd WWF invites YOU to help answer these questions. We will share these ideas in a global discussion using the free micro-blogging service Twitter.

We want to know about the environmental issues that you care about and the action that you are taking to address them.

Do you take shorter showers? Recycle? Bike to work? Volunteer for a local environmental group? Tell us about it!

For 24 hours, starting at 9am in Auckland, New Zealand, WWF staff will join the discussion and share their stories about what a difference their day makes. More then 60 individual WWF staff members representing over 35 countries will be participating in the event.

This is your opportunity to be in touch with the people working on the ground; our specialists working with species, climate change, public policy and much more.

People like Kimunya Mugo, from Kenya, tweeting on his work in Eastern Africa. Or polar bear expert, Geoff York, talking about his expeditions to the Arctic. All the way to New York, where Jim Leape, CEO of WWF International, will be unveiling the latest about climate change negotiations at the United Nations.
Join the conversation on Sept. 23rd: post an update on Twitter with #wwf24!

Environment Support Group ®

in collaboration with

Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology

invites you to a workshop on

Urban Lakes as Ecological, Cultural and Public Spaces

A Workshop for Decision makers, Media, NGOs, Teachers, Students and the Public

Date: Saturday 26th September 2009

Time: 9.30 am – 4.00 pm

Venue: Marigowda Hall, Lalbagh, Near Double Road Entrance, Bangalore

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From:
Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 10:00am
To:
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 7:00pm
Location:
Alliance Francaise de Bangalore
Vasanthnagar

Phone:
919880969064
Email:
sujay.kotian@gmail.com

Young artists and photographers come together and display their Art works and photographs flowing in the lines of “Wild” life and what is left of it.

Artists: Abhijna Anand, Arjun Srivathsa,Prashanthi Nerallapalli
photographers: phillip ross, Ramnath Chandrasekhar, Vivek Vellanki

Display and sale of all exhibits, along with handicrafts by MOGHIYAS [ tribal folk of Rajasthan].

proceeds of the sale will be donated for wildlife
CONSERVATION- specifically the critically endangered CROC-GHARIAL and the CAT in peril-TIGER

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Simple steps to do if you see a tree being cut -
(Pls also read the full preservation of trees act for complete details , I’ve attached it with this email and am also pasting the link below -
http://hasiruusiru.org/joomla/images/stories/pdf/LawsAndPolicies/karnatakapreservationoftreesact.pdf)

Steps
Approach the contractor/workers cutting the tree. Ask them if they have the approval of tree officer, BBMP for cutting the tree.

If they dont have the order
Ask them to stop. Tell the that they are not authorised to cut trees and that they can be arrested for cutting trees without required permission. Please call the relevant tree officer.( Details in latter half of mail.)
Tell them the details – what’s happening and where. Ask her/him to come immediately and get the work stopped. If tree officer does not answer her/his phone, call their office number. If you dont get through to that, call the cops from the police station under whose jurisdiction the said road is located. Alert local residents and try and gather support (this could be counter-productive sometimes, they may want the tree to be cut) . And yes, pls take pics of the trees being cut.

If they have the order
Please have a look at the order and see what it says.
Does it have a BBMP seal? Does the order explicitly state that the full tree needs to be cut? Is it signed by the tree officer? Note – some times the tree officers permit the branches to be cut, but people use that to cut the whole tree. If permission is granted only for cutting branches, only branches can be cut, not the trunk. In case they have what appears to be a order, but the order looks fishy/incomplete, call the tree officer on cellphone/landline and inquire if permission has been granted.

In case they do have the order to cut trees and it looks like they have been granted permission, just double-check with the tree officer anyway. Call the tree officer on cell-phone/landline and speak to her/him confirming if an order has been passed to cut the trees in that location.

If they have the order and it looks like its genuine and the order allows felling of trees
If at the end you realise that the tree officer has granted permission to cut the trees, there is not much you can do at that moment to stop it. Ask the tree officer if trees are being replanted in the same area, to compensate for the trees being cut. If trees are not being replanted in the same area, thats a violation of the act.

Later, you can also file an appeal with the tree authority, BBMP against the
tree officer’s order.

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Environment Support Group is organising a workshop on ‘Understanding the
role and the importance of Wetlands in Urban spaces.’ The workshop will be
held on 26th September 2009 at the MariGowda Hall in Lal Bagh.

The various sessions are as follows:

-

Historical view of lakes in Bangalore
-

Current status of Lakes in Bangalore
-

Criticality of lakes for water security in Bangalore
-

Urban Lakes as functional eco-systems
-

Legal and Policy frameworks that govern lakes

The workshop aims to bring together Decision makers, Media, NGOs, Teachers,
Students and the general public.

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Here’s an announcement from the Bangalore Bikers’ Club, a community I am proud to belong to!

Groundbreaking Children’s Ride.
When are we riding: Sunday, September 6th 2009
Starting point: Sarjapur Road.
http://quikmaps.com/show/113961 shows the directions from the junction of Outer Ring Road/Sarjapur ring road to the starting point. PLEASE NOTE THE GREEN ARROW IS THE STARTING POINT

Gathering time: 4:00PM
Departure time: 4:30PM
Expected finish time: 6:30PM
Ride type: All Road Child Friendly RIDE
Distance: two circles – one each 3KM and a 5KM circle. We will try to identify some place where we can stop for ice creams or kid-friendly snacks after the event.
Number of children: Unknown at this time. (Will circulate this when we are done)

NOTE: THIS IS OUR FIRST RIDE. SO PLEASE BEAR WITH US AND GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE YOUR CHILD’S EXPERIENCE. WE ORGANIZERS ARE PARENTS TOO, SO WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS EVENT :-)

YWCA is one of the hosts of the International Film Festival spearheaded by the Bangalore Film Society along with other NGO’s on the issue of water which is to be held on the 4th 5th and 6th September 2009 at the YWCA Arathi No 7, 6th Block, Koramangala,Bangalore 560 095. Tel Phone: 25634813/22238574/ 9739047011.

Here are the names of the films which will be screened at Arathi. Water is becoming a
very crucial issue for all of us and for which we all need to be concerned
about.

Kindly make a note of the film to be screened on Saturday at 4.00pm Living
Water: In the beginning where the Directors of the film will be present and
will take up the discussion afterwards. So please come and be part of
viewing this film in large numbers.

There will also be an inauguration of the International Film Festival at
4.00pm on 4th September 2009 at Alliance Francaise. All are welcome to
attend the Inauguration.

For any further queries, contact Latha Paul, General Secretary,YWCA of Bangalore City, on

9739047011.

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