The Observer, Volume 22, Edition 35

News Briefs

360 Indians evacuated from Sudan reach Delhi

The first batch of 360 Indians from crisis-hit Sudan arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday evening under “Operation Kaveri”. “India welcomes back 360 Indian Nationals to the homeland as the first flight reaches New Delhi,” tweeted Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. Another IAF C-130J flight under OperationKaveri arrived at Jeddah with 128 Indians, the fourth aircraft from Sudan. NDTV

Ram Navami violence: HC orders NIA probe

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take over the probe into the violence that broke out in Howrah and Dalkhola districts as well as other parts of West Bengal during Ram Navami celebrations. Indian Express

India slams Pak for raising Kashmir at UN India tore into Pakistan after its UN envoy raised the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, saying no amount of rhetoric and propaganda can change the fact that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are and will always be an “inalienable” part of the country. Counsellor in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Pratik Mathur’s remarks came after Pakistan’s Permanent Representative at the UN Munir Akram spoke about Jammu and Kashmir. PTI

BCCI declares annual contracts for women

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday announced the Annual Player Contracts for Indian senior women’s team for the 2022-23 season with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, as well as Deepti Sharma being put in Grade ‘A’. DH

Landslide hits J&K NH, 300 vehicles stranded

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed on Thursday after a landslide in Ramban district, leaving more than 300 vehicles stranded, officials said. The landslide took place in the Shalgari area of the district, which is being battered by rain. DH

Congress goes to the cops over Shah’s ‘there’ll be riots’ remark

DKS says home minister is trying to spread hatred

By Vindhya Pabolu

ments kill the trust voters have in the Congress. We want a serious action to be taken by the police and the Election Commission of India.”

KPCC

president D.K. Shivakumar and Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Thursday filed a police complaint against Union home minister Amit Shah over a remark made by him.

The complaint was made against Shah over his remark that “Karnataka will have communal riots if Congress comes to power”, made at an election meeting in north Karnataka.

Shivakumar and Surjewala said Shah is trying to spread hatred by making allegations against Congress.

Speaking to reporters, Surjewala said they filed an FIR against Shah under Sections 153(a), 171(g), 505 and 120b of the Indian Penal Code for mak-

ing false statements against the Congress.

Shivakumar said: “If this was done by a common man, by this

time, it would have created chaos among citizens. Just because he is from the BJP, nothing has been done so far. Such state-

Women’s wish list for next govt – More of us in power, financial stability, safety

By Arsha BS

Dissatisfied with the current government, Karnataka’s female voters want more women in power.

Uma, a pourakarmika in Bangaluru, informed The Observer that she is wondering whether to vote or not. “Everyone knows how hard we have tried to get ourselves a permanent employee status. We’ve been protesting and the government has been giving us false promises. Look at us, we’re still working on a contractual basis. We work for the city. The government should be more considerate to us.”

Asked what she expects from the next government, she said: “I have no hopes in this one, and have no hopes in the upcoming one as well. The number of wom-

Women hope for stability, security and recongnition in politics.

en in the government is very less. Maybe women representatives will be able to understand and help us better.”

According to a report published in The Hindu, following a strike in July 2022, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai gave a written assurance that the services of all pourakarmikas would be made permanent.

Sharada, a garment factory worker, said: “We are an electoral majority. But I don’t understand why we are ignored so much. Women MLAs are very few. They will be able to work for us better because they fight the same battles as we do.

“The financial stability of women is another area that needs a lot of focus. The government announces a lot of schemes for women and some get implemented. Whether those schemes reach the beneficiaries still remains a question.

Continued on page 2

Asked what action police are going to take, Chandhan Kumar, inspector of the High Grounds police station, where the complaint was filed, said: “We can’t take any action unless an investigation starts and a chargesheet is filed. It takes some time. At present, we have taken the complaint and are waiting for higher officials to proceed.”

Sachin, sub-inspector of the police station, said: “Actually, it doesn’t come under our area.”

Reacting to the complaint, Chanamallikarjun, a BJP spokesperson, said: “What the Congress is trying to do is funny. They are just doing this to grab public attention. The Congress has these gimmicks under their sleeves…. Instead of wasting time on topics like these, they should try to solve people’s problems.”

Continued on page 3

Women given the cold shoulder by all big parties

Onlyseven percent of women are represented by big parties in Karnataka. Big parties like BJP, Congress and JDS have given tickets to women candidates but the number still remains the same as before, reports Hamsaveni N

Data from the Chief Electoral Office in Karnataka shows that even though half of the population of voters in the country are women, still women participation hasn’t increased. Sources say that the women (at present) in the parties are somehow related to politicians. New faces should be given equal chances as well. JD(S) spokesperson says that there should be reservation made for women so that they come forward to contest elections

Till now Karnataka has never witnessed a women chief minister or a deputy CM.

Full story on page 2

NOTA remains an option for many voters, while political parties try to woo them to their side | P 3

Tenants are in distress over steep increase in rent and maintenance costs in Bengaluru | P 4

KPCC President D K Shivakumar and Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala speak to reporters at the High Grounds police station | Credit : Sourabh Kumar

Again, women get the cold shoulder from big parties

Only 7% of the candidates this time are female

By Hamsaveni N

Out of the 2,613 candidates remaining in the fray for the 224 Karnataka assembly seats, only 184 (about 7 per cent) are women. In 2018, women candidates numbered 219.

The BJP has given 11 tickets to women, while the Congress and JD(S) have nominated nine and 13 women respectively. Most of the women candidates are independents or belong to little-known parties.

According to data from the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, there are a total of 5.05 crore voters, of which 2.54 crore are men and 2.50 crore women. Although about half of the voters are women, the number of women candidates remains very low.

In 2018, of the 2,417 candidates, the BJP nominated six women, Congress 15, and JD(S) 12. This time, the BJP and JD(S) have given tickets to more women, while the Congress has reduced their number.

Hemalatha Nayak, BJP secretary and MLC, informed The Observer: “The BJP has increased

its ticket share from the previous time. We are happy women are given space in the party.... In fact, giving tickets to new faces like Bhagirathi Murulya, who will contest from Sullia, is an example of how the BJP is focusing on uplifting women’s political careers.” Murulya has no political background.

Karnataka has not had a woman chief minister.

Kathyayini Chamaraj, executive trustee of CIVIC Bengaluru. an advocacy organization that focuses on bringing good governance and encouraging citizen participation in good governance, explained: “If political parties really feel like giving women space

in politics, they can just do it. There is no need for any law or Bill. The numbers speak about how we still live in a patriarchal society where male domination prevails. Another reason for not giving women space is the money and muscle power that women lack. The fewer women we see are those who are either wives or daughters or somehow related to politician. New faces should be given a chance.”

However, 50 per cent reservation for women in local governance has brought out potential faces. “They will be aware of governance from the grassroots level and they are knowledgeable enough to become an MLA candi-

JD(S) has strong base in state, it cannot be shaken: Deve Gowda

By Janani Srinivas

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda promised that minorities’ needs will be taken care of, if JD(S) wins the elections.

At the press meet, Mr Deve Gowda spoke widely about displaying support to the minorities in Karnataka. He said : “Never has the party discriminated against any community. With the JDS in power, there will always be an assurance over respecting every community’s wants and needs.”

With regards to the allies, Mr Deve Gowda expressed that people from parties outside Karnataka, including the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee and Telangana Chief Minister have shown their support towards JD(S). “We believe that the JD(S) shall have a strong foothold in the state of Karnataka.”

Yesterday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Mandya to campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming assembly

Quiz

1. Historic Chandragiri fort is located in which state?

2. The scrambling of code is known as?

date, “ Kathyayini added.

Roopakala Shashidhar, contesting from Kolar Gold Fields, said: “We are in the final battle now, we can’t do anything. But women’s representation is very less when it comes to contesting elections. More women should be given a chance.”

JD(S) spokesperson S.G. Veeranna said 33 per cent reservation for women should be introduced so that more women will get a chance to contest elections. “We have given 13 tickets from the 30 to 35 applications that we received from women. There are very few women coming forward to participate in elections. Reservation can help to fill this gap. In fact, women should come out and protest for the reservation.”

An article in The Times of India said that between 1957 and 2018, only 100 of the total 1,124 women who contested assembly elections were elected MLAs – an abysmal 9 per cent.

According to a report by The Hindu, Ramakka T., a candidate of the Desh Prem Party who has filed her nomination papers for the Kampli Assembly constituency in Ballari district, is the only third gender candidate contesting in the Karnataka Assembly elections this time. She said transgenders beg on footpaths for their survival. hamsaveni.n@iijnm.org

3. Which river in Rajasthan is known as ‘Van ki Asha’ (Hope of the forest)?

4. The Hero Arthur Kipps was created by?

5. Telegraphic code was discovered by?

6. Which country is known as the ‘playground of Europe’?

7. Which city was an important centre for Wahabi movement in India?

8. Which mineral is used in pencils?

9. What is the popular folk song of Uttar Pradesh?

10. Who introduced permanent revenue settlement of Bengal?

Answer on Page 4

Around the City

7th Fast Food & Cafe Convention 2023 - May 3, at 8:30am, Nagawara, Bengaluru, Karnataka

India Bake Show 2023 - Sept 1Sept 3 at 10 am, Jaya Prakash

Nagar, Bengaluru

Metal Additive Manufacturing Symposium 2023 - May- 25- 26 at 10 am, Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru

Listeners’ Circle - Multiple dates and locations at 5:30 pm, Kodihalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Founders Meet 11.0

May -06 at 4pm, Doddakanelli, Bengaluru

Jsconf India 2023

June 02 at 9am, Bengaluru

eChai Startup Demo Day in Bangalore

April 29, 6-8 pm, Bengaluru

Women in IT sector fear working the night shift

news on BJP planning to scrap 4% of Muslim quota, and that it has been challenged at the SC, to which the court has adjourned the hearing to 9th May, the party secretary of JDS said, “We do not endorse anything that the BJP has stated or has done. We shall wait for the verdict.”

Continued from page 1

Ihope the upcoming government will make women a priority and make sure that they become financially stable.”

elections. The minister, along with Mandya BJP MP Sumalatha Ambareesh and Education Minister C.N Ashwathnarayan, targeted the regional parties, especially the JD(S), stating that there has been no single work assigned by the JD(S).

Although the JD(S) supremo did not want to provide any comments, the national general secretary further stated, “The Janata Dal has a strong base in Mandya. Whatever Yogi or any minister from any party, be it the Congress or the BJP, it does not affect us.”

With regards to the recent

The supremo, during the start of the press conference, H D Deve Gowda said : “Look at the situation Bengaluru is in at present. It is a mess. There is absolutely no proper governance, not development, due to which the ideas of the Prime Minister are failing.”

He further stated, “The Prime Minister is simply bringing out new schemes and is giving false promises. Look at the Cauvery issue itself, it remains completely unsolved. People are still fighting over it.”

The former Prime Minister said that a tentative programme will be fixed and a list will be out over the people contesting for the elections.

janani.s@iijnm.org

Read the complete report on: www.theweeklyobserver.in

Kusuma V, a government employee in Ramanagara, said women should start taking elections more seriously. “We should understand that our votes can make a difference. We should also be more active in understanding the political situation of the state to make an informed choice while voting. Merely worrying about problems won’t help; we need to take action as well. Voting is a first step towards that awareness.”

Manu Arora, a techie working in Bengaluru, said women’s safety should be given more importance by the government. “I have observed that women in the IT sector have apprehensions on working night shifts. This is because they are worried about their safety. The government needs to make travel, especially travel during late hours, safer for females. This could improve the IT sector by getting more females into the workforce.”

Karnataka is on seventh rank in gender equality, but still here is a decline in women representation

According to report in the Deccan Herald, a government report mentioned that there is a decline in women representation in despite Karnataka ranking seventh in the gender equality status in the country. There have been multiple schemes introduced by the current BJP government in Karnataka to ensure safety and financial stability for women. In 2019, a safe city programme was launched in Bengaluru to make the city safer for women to travel and live.

arsha.s@iijnm.org

In 2018, of the 2,417 candidates, the BJP nominated six women, Congress 15, and JD(S) 12.

Mr Deve Gowda spoke widely about displaying support to the minorities in Karnataka.

Mr NOTA remains in the poll fray

But some say it’s as good as not voting

By Yashaswini Sri

As Karnataka’s state elections 2023 approach, many people in the state want to cast their votes as None of the Above (NOTA).

According to a report from Deccan Herald, during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Karnataka had accounted for 2.57 lakh NOTA votes. In 2018 assembly elections, of the 5.5 crore total electors, there were over 3.6 crore valid votes in the EVMs. Around 30,388 votes were rejected and over 3 lakh people opted for NOTA. The data available from the 2018 elections show that many people who chose the NOTA option were from urban areas of the state.

Pallavi K, a head constable shared her experience with The Observer: “I don’t think any of the candidates representing the political parties in the state are worth voting. For three consecutive elections, I have cast my vote as NOTA. I don’t think these upcoming elections will be any different comparatively.”

Prathap Gowda, a member of Janata Dal (Secular) Party commented on the issue, “I think one of the basic responsibilities of any member of a political party

is to create awareness among its people about the power they hold during elections. Voters are fed up with the attitude of national parties. If we talk about NOTA, it is as good as not voting at all and the voter is wasting his power to elect a representative for him. Janata Dal (Secular) requests people to keep faith in regional parties, as the candidate will be accountable as well as accessible. That’s how we try to prevent voters from casting their vote off as NOTA. We suggest they vote for the right kind of representative.”

Somanth R, police personnel in Karnataka State Police unit said,

Complaint filed against Somanna for bribery bid

Continued from Page 1

Prathab, a JD(S) spokesperson, said: “Yes, Amit Shah’s comments are provocative and instigative. As a home minister, he shouldn’t be saying these words, but nothing can happen as he is from the BJP. They are the rulers and the government is under them so even if they file numerous complaints, nothing can be done or no action will be taken place.”

Mohan Desai, an AAP spokesperson, said he was not aware of the situation.

According to a Hindu report, a complaint has been filed against V. Somanna, the BJP’s candidate in Varuna and Chamarajnagar constituencies. He is accused of offering a bribe to Mallikarjun Swamy, alias Aluru Mallu, one of the JD(S) candidate.

Somanna allegedly called Swamy on the phone and offered him Rs 50 lakh to withdraw from the contest.

The complaint said: “Mr Somanna and his associates have committed multiple offences punishable under the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for bribery

(Section 171B, 171E) and undue influence at elections (Sections 171C, 171F).”

According to a Wire report: “The former BJP chief also said the development of the state will be in ‘reverse gear’ if the Congress forms the government. Seeking the people’s mandate for ‘political stability’ in Karnataka, which would vote on May 10, Shah said at a public meeting at Terdal in this district that only the BJP can lead the state towards a ‘New Karnataka’. “If the Congress comes to power, dynastic politics will be at an alltime high and Karnataka will be afflicted with riots and witness chaos in the state,” added Shah, one of the party’s key poll strategists and campaigners.

The Wire report further said: “If the Congress comes to power by mistake, then corruption will be all-time high and there will be ‘appeasement’, said Shah, who was on a two-day tour of Karnataka to hold a series of public meetings, road shows and review meetings with his party leaders and workers.”

vindhya.p@iijnm.org

“Choosing a political party to cast my vote has been incredibly difficult for me. Each candidate has similar incentives to offer. I thought it was better for me to cast my vote as NOTA.”

Similarly, N Shiva Kumar, a businessman in Sandur taluk, talked to The Observer, “As a voter, I think there are so many political parties but what they say about their promises are the same. Ironically, none of them have ever stood on their promise as well. I would rather waste my vote than let it add up to any of these political parties and give them the edge to win elections.”

Tejas Murty, an employee working in a private firm, Chikkaballapura, said: “I never voted for any candidate from any political party because all of them are corrupt and never stood on their word or any promise they made to us (people) during election campaigns and rallies.”

Paneer Selvam, member of Kengeri metro staff said, “Voting is a very personal thing for any person. For me, I take my vote very seriously. But for 2018 state elections, I had no other choice but to cast my vote as NOTA. None of the candidates felt right to choose. I decided it’s better to waste my vote than to vote for someone just because I can.”

V S Ugrappa, former member of parliament from Bellary constituency in Karnataka believes that this election there will be a lesser number of NOTAs. He said, “People are more aware than ever. They know how powerful their vote is and would never waste it by casting it as a NOTA. But if someone decides to cast their vote as NOTA, I will ask them to consider the party’s ideology not the candidate. If they do consider it, I think nobody would want to cast their vote as NOTA.”

Deccan Herald reports that NOTA option, introduced in the year 2015, was implemented in the state during 2018 Assembly elections. NOTA votes are expected to increase in the upcoming Assembly election scheduled to be held on May 10.” yashaswini.s@iijnm.org

BJP is a danger to the farmers: KRRS head

By Ahona Roy

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) president Badagalapura Nagendra stated that the present BJP government is against the interest of the farmers. Mr Nagendra was at the press meet on Wednesday to release the farmers manifesto ahead of the upcoming Karnataka elections. “BJP is the number one danger to the farmers,” he said in the press conference.

“We are a people’s movement, and we are here representing the interests of the farmers. Not only farmers, we are also here representing the agricultural labourers, people engaged in animal husbandry, fisheries and other such communities that are at receiving end,” he added.

The KRRS organisation made four demands from the present state government.

Mr. Nagendra said: “We are a mass organisation who work in the interest of the farmers. This includes to withdraw the three reform bills enacted by the state government which are –the amended Land Reforms

Modi should promote Naari Shakti, not preach

Recently, Mann Ki Baat@100 conclave was held in Delhi that was attended by sportswomen like Deepa Malik and Nikhat Zareen. Its theme was ‘Naari Shakti’. It is ironic that, at the same time, we see sportswomen like Sakshi Malik, Vineet Phogat and others protesting against WFI president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan. Prime Minister Modi should not only preach Naari Shakti but practise it as well, keeping aside his party’s political gains.

Yukta Mudgal

Marriage rights of the LGBTQ community

The hearings on LGBTQ marriage rights are interesting. If the Supreme Court rules in favour of marriages within the community, then it will be one of the most progressive rulings from the highest court of our land. This will puts the apex court ahead of the even the Supreme Court of the USA which took the conservative step of abolishing safe abortions.

Sagnik Datta

Despite cash hauls, it’s still uneven playing field

With assembly elections around the corner in Karnataka, the Election Commission has seized cash and material worth Rs 108.78 crore. While this will help in checking illegal cash flow in elections, there still remains a large amount of unaccounted cash directed towards the elections. This makes the polls an uneven playing field because candidates who have money can woo voters. People don’t vote on the merit of a candidate but they think in the short term as to which candidate can give what.

Suryash Kumar

Act,2020, the amended Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 2017 which comes under Section 8 , sub clause 2 of the APMC act and the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, 2020. These acts introduced by the government are against the interest of the farmers.”

“The central government in the year 2022 enacted the amendment to the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, which is pro corporate, pro Ambani and Adani,” he also added. “We want the state government not to implement the act in Karnataka.”

Along with the demands to withdraw reform bills, the KRRS also demanded a loan waiver as well as minimum income guarantee to the farmer’s family.

The KRRS president said, “Land Reforms Act Section 79A states that to purchase the land you must be a farmer or come from a farmer’s family. However, The capitalists are easily purchasing and investing land without any restriction. No party is supporting farmers.” ahona.r@iijnm.org

Quote of the day

“The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they’re okay, then it’s you.”

— Rita Mae Brown

Did you know?

While studying mice, a team of Swiss researchers found that the mice’s liver cells swelled and contracted up to 40% while doing their daily activities. Though research being conducted whether that happens to that extent in humans, one study from 1986 found a person’s liver swells about 20 percent between day and night—presumably, the liver is not working as hard when a person is sleeping.

Tweetcasm

Peak adulting is when grocery shopping at a supermarket becomes a therapeutic activity in your life. @GurpriyaSidhu

Karnataka had accounted for 2.57 lakh NOTA votes in 2014. Over 3 lakh people opted for NOTA in 2018 elections|Credit: Yashaswini Sri

Initially nerve-wracking, the job needs total concentration, says Metro driver

By Suryash Kumar

Once scared of riding a two-wheeler, Sukanya S, 31, now drives the Metro, carrying thousands of passengers daily to their destinations. She has broken stereotypes; she is an exemplar for anyone who has a dream and is willing to follow it Excerpts from an interview:

Q: How many members do you have in your family?Where did you study?

A. I have four members in my family; I don’t have a sibling.

I did schooling in Bengaluru and studied Engineering (E&C) at the Government Engineering College.

Q: Why did you chose this job?

A. I was trying for government jobs. I applied for several jobs, but the Metro operator job stood out as I imagined what it would be like to be a Metro operator.I thought why only men can drive Metro trains; why can’t girls drive the metro? Some say it’s a government job, the pay is great, and you will be well settled. It’s a completely different job, and it’s a nice job. Most people who study E&C are in the IT industry, but this job wasn’t in the IT industry.

Q: What did you do during your initial days as a Metro operator? We observe. It’s nerve-wracking to observe how the person is driving.

In the nascent days, our job is to learn by observation: how to drive and troubleshoot.We need to complete 400 km before we get to drive alone with passengers aboard the

Wonders of World

Metro. The training entails learning how to drive and how to stop in a limited space (testtrack); docking and stopping is a challenge. It reminds me of an aviation analogy: Landing is harder than taking off. After this, we drive on the main line. We need to drive 400 km. It tests different parts of driving: docking and speed. This is done without passengers aboard. The 400-km training happens after 0030 hours. It usually takes one week to clock 400 km. Controllers guide trainees. After 400 km, we get to drive the Metro with passengers aboard along with one person in the cab monitoring us.

Q: Any incident that stands out during your six years as a Metro operator?

A. Door fault: a passenger obstructing a door. The door will try to close three times. If the object is removed, it will close, but if obstruction isn’t removed…, the door will remain permanently open. A bag holder is stuck to close and isolate the door. We bypass the door; it will not open or close and we put up a note on the door: It happened in Sepetember

Q: Any message for women?

A. Women must take care of themselves, practise yoga, eat and sleep well. Exercise mentally and be physically strong. suryash.k@iijnm.org

As rent spikes, tenants throw up hands in despair

Maintenance cost also has moved north

By Sneha TS

Tenants in Bengaluru are worried about the recent increase in housing rent.

Neethu Sanjeevan, a resident of Nagarbhavi who has been living in the city for the past eight years, informed The Observer: “Recently, my brother-in-law, a mechanical engineer, got a job in a company in Whitefield. He has to shift from Chennai to Bengaluru. We are tired of looking for apartments. It (rent) has been constantly increasing since December. We have been looking for apartments in suburbs like Sarjapur, HSR Layoutand Kadugodi thinking that the rates would be less there.We were taken aback when we came to know that rent is high in these areas too.”

Apartments of the 2BHK configuration that were earlier available on rent for Rs 19,000Rs 20,000 are now available for Rs 25,000-Rs 27,000. Landlords might have their own reasons behind the same, Sanjeevan observed..

“According to the landlords,

they suffered huge losses post pandemic as people who came to the city had to go back to their hometowns. To cover these, they have now increased rent.”

Kriti Jain, a Web designer who lives on Hennur Main Road, said: “Not only the rent but also the maintenance has increased in our area. If the rent is Rs 25,000 per month, the tenant is supposed to pay Rs 7,000-Rs 8,000 as maintenance cost. It means we have to pay Rs 33,000 per month. Earlier, maintenance charges were affordable. We are

thinking of shifting to a new apartment where at least we do not have to pay maintenance charges. But the problem is we have to look for apartments in areas closer to Hennur Road as my office is located there. I could at least save on transportation costs. A huge part of my salary goes into rent.”

Kanika Bajaj, a student who lives in Yelahanka, said: “The rent varies from apartment to apartment. The rent for a furnished apartment is Rs 32,000Rs 35,000, while the rent for a

semi-furnished one is around Rs 25,000-Rs 27,000.”

Abdul Badi, director of sales marketing at Inbengaluru Properties, a real estate investment advisory and consulting firm, said: “Rent has been increased keeping in mind the rise in recruitment rate in various firms. People have been coming to Bengaluru from different cities for work. The companies are also offering highpackages which makes it easier for them to afford the rent. The reason that landlords have increased rent because they suffered losses during the pandemic is not valid….Tenants must consider the fact that they are provided with residences in those areas where they can avail public transportation services without any hindrance.”

A recent report by Anarock Reasearch a real-estate consultant, showed that the average rent has increased in seven major Indian cities, including Delhi-NCR, Chennai and Mumbai.

According to an article published in LiveMint, residential rental values have appreciated by around 25 per cent. The article said that Thanisandra Main Road and Marathahalli Outer Ring Road witnessed the highest spikes.

sneha.ts@iijnm.org

The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Much famed to be the pride of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built between 280 and 247 BC. At a height of about 450 ft. tall, the lighthouse remained the tallest architectural marvel in the world for a very long time until it was completely shattered by earthquakes in between 956 AD and 1323 AD. It is located at Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt. Built in the third century B.C. in Egypt. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Towering over the Mediterranean coast for more than 1,500 years, the world’s first lighthouse used mirrors to reflect sunlight for miles out to sea. Towering over the Mediterranean coast for more than 1,500 years, the world’s first lighthouse used mirrors to reflect sunlight for miles out to sea.

Source: Travel Time

Maximum temperature: 34 °C

Minimum temperature: 22 °C

Humidity: 53%

Forecast: Patchy clouds with a thunderstrom in spots late.

Produced by the Print students of the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media at Nityananda Nagar, Kumbalgodu, Kengeri hobli, Bengaluru 560074.

Editor:Hamsaveni N

News Editor: Priya Pathak

Reporters: Sneha,TS, Vindhya Pabolu, Janani Srinivas, Ahona Roy, Arsha BS, Yashaswini.S

Copy editors: Suryash Kumar, Siddhi Chauhan, Shruti B, Yukta Mudgal

Other IIJNM publications

l CityCast

l The SoftCopy

Observer Interview

I thought why can a woman not can drive a train? If men can drive, so can women.

l Different shifts and reporting timings affect the daily routine; you can’t plan for tomorrow.

l Women must take care of themselves, do yoga, eat and sleep well…be physically strong.

— Sukanya S, Metro operator

“

Residential rental values in the Katnataka capital have increased by around 25 per cent | Credit: Sneha T S

The Observer