Yatra For Constitution in Media

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As kid of the 70’s with Idealism at heart, grew up in the most Secular atmosphere, away from the illness of communal divide. As NCC Cadet I not only sang Hum Sab Bharatiya Hain………Mandir Gurudware Bhi Hain Yahan, Aur Masjid Bhi Hai Yahan, Girja Ka Hai Ghadiyal Kahin, Mullah ki Kahin Hai Azaan…….Rang Birange Deepak Hain Hum……Jagmag Ek Hai but also believed it and practiced it from my heart every day ever since…..!

My head hanged in shame on 6^th Dec 1992, as a young Idealist NCC Cadet who was just about to go to Republic Day Camp in Delhi 1993, I carried the guilt of that dreadful day most of my life.

Soul shook again when I was Walking/Cycling 817 kms from Bengaluru to Bidar as part of Yatra For Constitution and the debate on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB now CAA) was making headlines. Here, I was doing Yatra for Constitution to mark 70 years since We The People Of India adopted the Constitution and the anti-Constitution CAB was getting tabled in Parliament, it was clear that the fight to save the Constitution Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar gave us will be on the streets of India and not in Parliament where the brutal majority bulldozed all opposition voices.

Ever since I came back from Yatra for Constitution attending or organizing protests against CAA/NRC, speaking my mind and explaining why CAA is anti-Constitution has become only duty, even opposing Section 144 and being detained by Bengaluru Police has been my moment of Civil Disobedience.

Today along with my friends I sat with over 3lac of fellow Muslim Brothers and Sisters at Bengaluru Khuddus Saheb Eidgah sloganeering Samvidhan Zindabad, Hindustan Zindabad and singing Sare Jahan se Accha……over and over with a sea of Tri-color waving in the ocean of humanity.

Emotions were very visible, but the clarity with each of the speaker spoke no one could ever dare to question any Muslim Indian to prove their Mohabbat to their Hindustan. And the remote corner of my mind was asking me why is India putting the Indian Muslims through the Patriotism test, because like Harsh Mander said for Hindus being Indian was by Chance and for a Muslim being Indian was by Choice.

One can never forget that every Indian irrespective of Religion have given their Sweat & Blood and fought for the Freedom of this Great Nation, each one have contributed immensely towards Nation building. And, Ocean of humanity today peacefully fighting to save the Constitution and to save the Idea of India was the proof of that.

As I walked out of the Eidgah along with my friends the gentleness of the massive crowd was in full display, some cheering and thanking us for being with them, some taking pictures with us, some cheering as I spoke with media and everyone shouting loudly asking to make way for women and helping us walk with pride along with them was an assurance that the Heart of India will never change and Modi/Shah/RSS brand of divisive politics will be defeated strongly.

With emotions running high the massive crowds ensured that the Ambulance was given way. Cheering for the Bengaluru Police, waving the Tri-color with great pride indeed made me numb, and wondered what really Modi-Shah wanted to do to this Nation that is about People and not just Land.

We The People Of India have a long fight ahead to save our Constitution and we have to store all the energy, stay united to keep the Gandhian Fight going, till we defeat the divisive forces and restore the Idea of India our Founding Leaders fought for.

Jai Samvidhan , Jai Bhim

Kavitha Reddy

#YatraForConstitution #BengaluruToBidar

Follow our Yatra For Constitution on our FB Page Click Here! 

On 26th Nov 2019 we are taking a Journey of a lifetime, Walk/Run/Cycle 700 kms from Bengaluru to Bidar!

26th Nov 1949 is the day India adopted the Constitution written by Dr B R Ambedkar, it's been 70 years and it's time to reaffirm our faith in the Constitution and stay committed to the Holy Book that we the people of India have adopted!

In our endeavour we intend to make aware the Citizens, specically Young people about the Fundamental Rights & Duties that our Constitution has given us and the need to stay committed  to it and to celebrate it. 

As our commitment to Article 51 A (g) we are raising funds for the Conservation of Lakes & Environment. This is a self-funded journey, hence all the funds we raise will go to the cause we have been working for and additionally for every Rs1000 we raise we will plant a sapling enroute. 

We are looking forward to successfully complete this Unique Journey and raise over Rs 1000000 (Rupees Ten Lacs) and Rs 200000 (Rupees Two Lacs), and welcome not only generous contribution but also invite people who are keen to be part of the 700 kms #YatraForConstitution. 

Donor list, Rs 94100 of Rs 1200000: 

01. Kavitha Reddy
02. Jigna Modh
03. Mahesh K
04. Ravi Krishna Reddy
05. Tabu Rao
06. Dharma Teja
07. Vilas Deshmukh
08. Revathi Mohan
09. Rashmi
10. Aparna
11. Rukmini 
12. Kamesh Rastogi
13. Anil Shetty
14. Padma Reddy 
15. Mythri Mahila Koota
16. Vijaya Reddy
17. Suvarna Reddy
18. Padmavathi 
19. Mamatha 
20. Meenakshi
21. Sunita Agarwal
22. Amit Gopal
23. Dinesh G Rao
24. Mehroz Khan
25. Sai Swamiji
26. Chandrashekar VET School
27. Amrith Shenoy
28.
29.
30.

Dirty Picture

Ask any Bengalurean what are the 5 most serious issues the city is facing, there will be neck to neck competition between Garbage and Traffic to take the first spot, and eventually Garbage will win by a whisker! Such is the brutal impact of Garbage on the minds and eyes of the people of India’s Silicon Valley!

City that boasts of ISRO, HAL, BEL and thousands of IT & BT companies that are making huge technological advancements, are reaching the skies and even the outer space is reeling under the forever increasing Garbage mess!

Visuals across the city are not welcoming, heaps of garbage lying on road sides, in drains, in lake beds, in empty land/plots, under the flyovers, near slums, near schools are indeed common and the almost accepted norms. Added to the garbage is the construction and demolition (C&D) waste which is one of the biggest contributors for chronic Air Pollution in the city. All this painfully paints a very grim and Dirty Picture of Bengaluru, and mocks at the city’s inability to treat its garbage despite being a global city with many achievements to its name.

Bengaluru city has the most vibrant Civil Society, Activists, NGOs and Corporate participation, it will not be an exaggeration to say that irrespective of who is in power collaborative approach of the BBMP and State Govt with Citizens and NGOs has always been there. Given all this, why is such a vibrant city crumbling under the constantly increasing garbage crisis is a question worth seeking answers for.

No one can deny the challenges in managing and treating Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and C&D Waste, but technically speaking Bengaluru never planned for its growth nor for its garbage. For years waste was transported to dumping yards in the outskirts of the city to keep the city clean, when villagers revolted against the badly planned dumping yards and the environmental damage it was causing, BBMP hurried with random plans to address the garbage issue. But by then the infamous garbage mafia that has been thriving under the garb of garbage transport fully supported by elected representatives cutting across party lines had made firm inroads into the garbage contracts.

High Court and NGT orders have not stopped most of the Bengaluru garbage reaching landfills, nor there is 100% Segregation, nor Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) can claim 100% compliance of garbage tenders. Tender norms are diluted as the stronghold of the mafia does not allow fresh bidders for garbage contracts, and each time BBMP is muzzled and forced to go for ad-hoc contracts in most of the constituencies and wards.

On one hand there are massive awareness campaigns on Waste Segregation, Composting, Dry Waste Collection Centers (DWCC), Plastic Ban, Black-Spot fixing taken up by BBMP along with Citizens and NGOs, on other hand most of the garbage reaches the landfills, and yet there are heaps of uncleared garbage across the city! The missing piece between the desired result and the current status is the flawed and broken collection system.

ACT i.e. Awareness, Collection, Treatment are the three critical pieces of a comprehensive MSW management process, and a missing piece only means breakdown in the entire process, which BBMP is either not willing to accept or is unable to fix.

Today, door-to-door waste collection is not only uneven, its unjustified, its class driven and composition driven. With three vendor system, one for Bulk Generators, one for Commercial and one for Households, what falls between these three vendors are thousands of small shops, canteens, PGs, vegetable shops, street vendors etc. which are mostly operating in residential areas, thereby not considered or owned up by any of the three vendors.

Bengaluru is a 24/7 city, and our waste collection is extremely narrow, due to which people dump their garbage anywhere and everywhere as they leave to work just to avoid dogs tearing up the garbage cans in front of their homes

The class driven collection is rampant; revenue pockets, slums, poorer areas are the least priority for BBMP, residents there are allowed to dump waste on their own in few places, which BBMP terms it as Points, which is 100% mixed waste and gets cleared outside the collection system.

Value or composition of the waste is given more importance by the collection person; hence meat waste or vegetable waste are not collected in time, which in turn ends up on roadsides or drains during late night or early mornings. 

Firstly, 100% Collection is the only way to assess the quantity & quality of waste generated each day and to keep the city clean without black-spots or points. This also ensures that there are drastic changes in the city and less visual eyesore.

Secondly, 100% Decentralization of MSW management can indeed make local ward administration more responsible and proactive, without them getting away by sending ward waste to other wards or villages. And its proven that smaller quantity of waste can be managed better, and volume game is never a solution for MSW management as there are no benefits of scale.

Thirdly, Technology intervention has to be explored to the fullest, when technology is solving so many problems, it’s impossible to fathom why technology interventions are not considered to address the MSW management process. Waste processing has to have multiple solutions based on the composition of waste, and technology plays an important role in creating synergy between all pieces of ACT!

BBMP is wasting a lot of public money on primitive ideas like garbage marshals making it more person dependent and not system driven. Hence, the first logical step to address the Dirty Picture of Bengaluru garbage begins with Collection, Collection, Collection. Acknowledging the actual quantity & quality of waste generated by the city can lead to more focused solutions and a better management of MSW.

- Kavitha Reddy

  Lake Activist & Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Awardee

 Published in Deccan Herald and in The News Minute 

1st Week of Sept 2019

It's always refreshing to go back to campus and share thoughts with young minds, and I was delighted to visit St Joseph College of Commerce and address the students about Tourism Industry. I spoke about growth of Tourism industry, size and also about Tour Operations, challenges and opportunities in Tourism Industry. How India can provide opportunities to explore the unexplored  both for Indians and Foreign Travellers based on the needs and also ensure Sustainable Tourism.

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As part of my work on Water, had an opportunity to interact and share my work on Bengaluru Lakes and Water Conservation with a team of 20 Administrators from Tamil Nadu Panchayats and Municipalities.

Interaction focused on how Lakes/Water bodies can be revived and key steps to be taken in restoration and conservation.

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Culture activities always brings people together, it was indeed a humbling experience to share time at Haraluru Somasundarapalya Residents Association Sri Ganesha Utsav event. Not only teh programs but also a very eco-friendly events indeed. #PaperGanesha #EcoFriendlyGanesha.

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Was at the Water Conservation event organised by World Shapers in support from ALPMS, Vishwanath the Water Conservation Expert was part of the discussion.

Water Security

Changing patterns of Rains, unpredictable Weather, increase in Temperature and it is happening, the Climate Change is here and its real! The nature fury across the country the changing rain patterns and intensity cannot be ignored anymore, that are clearly saying that if we do not move towards taking action on greater conservation of resources and sustainable development the doomsday is not far.

One of the critical resources that is in plenty yet in scarcity is Water, there is indeed a huge concern on Water Security given the accelerated rate of melting glaciers, rising rivers, constant encroachments, shrinking catchment areas, inflow of waste & pollutant, depleting ground water tables and increase in land abuse via human settlements. Most of the rivers and water bodies across the country have the same glaring similarities, yet the solutions seem to be like few blind people feeling an Elephant.

Revival and conservation of water bodies has to be accelerated to slowdown looming water crisis, and no doubt that increasing urbanization and population density adds to the challenges of conservation. Lakes and water bodies specifically in Urban India needs a greater attention to create alternate water sources to make cities more water sustainable.

Cities today are dependent on water from rivers flowing 50-180 kms away to meet their water needs, not only making the operations of tapped water expensive but also highly unsustainable. Quenching the thirst of the fast-growing cities is indeed a great opportunity to invest in alternate sources by the revival and conservation of urban lakes, water bodies and RWH.

Separating sewage lines from storm water drains, treating waste/sewage water for reuse, ensuring rain water reaches the lakes/water bodies via network of storm water drains or canals, developing a vision for the lakes, creating a stakeholder community for the lakes/water bodies are indeed the first important steps in lakes/water bodies revival and conservation.

There is a lot to learn from our history when it comes to water conservation, relooking at the concepts of open wells, kalyanis and recreation of watershed based on the water flow and contours can better our water conservation process.    

Hard measures have to be taken keeping in mind the long-term implications and giant step towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) to make India Water Secure. Water Security for all can become a reality if the Government uses a carrot & stick approach, by rewarding conservation and punishing excess usage/misuse.

- Kavitha Reddy 
  Lake Activist & Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Awardee 

Green Ganesha 2019

Efforts continued to make Festivals Eco-Friendly and especially Ganesha Festivals, as polluting PoP Idols has been a great challenge, for over few years basic awareness about Clay Ganesha has lead a change in the mindsets of people too. One of the biggest event of setting a Guinness World Record in Clay Ganesha making initiated by Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava indeed took the awareness to the next level.  

Hope in coming years Workshops and Awareness programs will lead to a more informed society that adopts a Sustainable Living model with great concern for our Environment. 

7th Edition of HSR 10K Freedom Run!

Kaagaz Foundation 7th edition of HSR 10K Freedom Run witnessed over 700+ from all walks of life energetically participating. Visually Challenged Runners from Samarthanam Trust for Disabled, Runners from HSR Police Station, 91 year old Runner all added to make it the most inclusive Run! 

Run was flagged off at 6.30am after a good warm-up session and singing of National Anthem by Shri Kupendra Reddy MP Rajya Sabha. 

The Primary objective of the run is to raise funds for creating awareness & campaign for Greener & Safer Bengaluru, the proceeding of the event will go towards conducting Green Ambassador Program, Women Safety workshops, Child Safety workshops in Govt Schools/Colleges and also towards Tree Plantation and Lake campaigns.

The Event is an Eco-Friendly Event and is a Prime Event among the Running fraternity. All registered Runners will get a Bib with Time Chip, T-Shirt, Finisher Medal, E-Certificate with Time, and Breakfast.

Event Partners:       

• Radio Partner: Fever 104
• Marketing Partner: Basecamp Adventures
• Cause Partner: BPAC, Civic Hub
• Medical Partner: Green View Hospital
• Zumba Partner: Contours, HSR Layout
• Environment Partner: EcoContours

7th Edition HSR 10K Freedom Run Fastest Runners were Ms Aasa TP clocked 41:10 in 10K Women, Mr Rahul Shukla clocked 32:38 in 10K Men.