22nd August, 2023 - The Bengaluru Commute Podcast. News update : Cauvery Water dispute; Namma Metro news; KSRTC wins Best Brand Employer Award; BBMP update; New Congress Working Committee; Kerala Solid Waste Management Project; Chandrayaan-3 update; Hurr
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Transcript:
Welcome to The Bengaluru Commute Podcast, your only companion on the streets of Bengaluru.
Bengaluru Local news
1. For today, the 22nd of August, let's begin with updates from the city. Karnataka's Deputy CM DK Shivakumar announced an all-party meeting on August 23 to address Cauvery water disputes. The meeting, attended by senior Parliament members, aims to resolve the longstanding issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Shivakumar also plans to appeal to the Cauvery Water Management Authority to reconsider their decision of allocating 10,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu, given the state's water shortage.
2. In other headlines, Karnataka's Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, HK Patil, revealed plans to establish 118 new Indira canteens across the state, in addition to upgrading the existing 197 canteens. The government aims to offer quality local cuisine and has directed officials to formulate Detailed Project Reports for 88 new canteens within urban local body limits. The initiative, endorsed by CM Siddaramaiah, will see shared funding for Bengaluru and government support for canteens outside the city.
3. In some more news, Namma Metro restricted the sale of Contactless Smart Cards, as announced by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited. The decision was aimed at promoting the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), available at all metro stations. In a statement, BMRCL said, "Namma Metro took steps to phase out its closed-loop Smart Cards to alleviate the burden of having separate cards for travel and shopping."
4. Up next, around a thousand lifeless fish were discovered floating in Chikkanagamangala Lake, Electronics City, marking a significant fish kill event. Suspicions arose among residents over tainted water originating from a nearby waste processing facility. The BBMP, however, has denied these allegations. Locals assert that the plant's improper treatment of leachate, discharged just 300 meters from the lake, could be responsible. Despite alerts to authorities, including the KSPCB and BBMP, little action was taken.
5. Now, onto other news, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has clinched the 2023 Asia's Best Brand Employer Award in the 'Organisation with Best Innovative HR Practices' category. The accolade, presented by the World Sustainability Congress, was received by Manjula Naik, Chief Accounts Officer, and T S Lata, Chief Public Relations Officer, at a Singapore event.
6. Moving on, experts and policy advisors will convene on August 23rd to address the barriers hindering India's ambitious air pollution reduction plan. The 5th India Clean Air Summit in Bengaluru will explore the interface between the nation's sustainable development goals and clean air quality. The event will feature discussions by Niti Aayog member VK Saraswat, WHO Director Dr Maria Neira and pollution control board representatives, among others.
7. Meanwhile, Nightingales Medical Trust, along with Vayah Vikas and St Joseph’s University, organized a senior citizens job fair recently, resuming their annual event suspended due to the pandemic. Over 652 seniors attended, with companies offering 395 positions in fields like administration, cashier roles, and management. According to S Premkumar Raja, co-founder of Nightingales Medical Trust, India's 138 million seniors, largely lacking pension schemes, find post-retirement engagement crucial for well-being.
8. On a different note, Bengaluru's medtech startups are crafting portable kits for immediate, precise results in tests that traditionally take hours. Point-of-care testing, shifting from labs to patients, is emerging, and the city is a focal point for such innovations. These products, akin to self-testing glucometers or Truenat-like portable devices, target thyroid, electrolyte levels, and infectious diseases. The city houses nearly 20 startups and traditional firms in POC testing development, with products launching next year.
National News
1. Moving on to the national news. The Congress Working Committee reshuffle that took place recently aimed to address social engineering, 2024 elections, and assembly polls' challenges in states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The appointments also underscore leadership and unity for upcoming elections. Sachin Pilot's inclusion in the CWC is seen as a reassurance to the party's Rajasthan unit, while Kamaleshwar Patel's addition from Madhya Pradesh conveys strength to the state's cadres, according to party sources.
2. Meanwhile, the imposition of a 40% export duty on onions by the central government will harm farmers, according to Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar. He stated that this move will lower onion prices in the domestic market, impacting farmers' income. Protests were held by growers and traders in Maharashtra against this decision. The duty's effects were echoed by farmers and traders at major onion markets, foreseeing a decline in retail prices.
3. In more news, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan launched the ₹2,400 crore Kerala Solid Waste Management Project. The tech-driven initiative aims to achieve self-sufficiency in garbage collection and treatment across the state's 93 urban areas by March of next year. With 90% urban population projected by 2035, Vijayan stated that this challenge will be turned into an opportunity. The project's inception followed a fire incident at Kochi's waste treatment plant, highlighting the need for sustainable waste management.
4. Shifting our focus, ahead of the lunar landing, the Indian Space Research Organisation unveiled images of the Vikram lander surveying the landing site, captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC). The camera assists in locating safe landing spots devoid of obstacles. Chandrayaan 3 is scheduled to touch down on the moon's south pole around 6:04 pm IST on August 23. The mission successfully executed its final deboosting operation on the morning of August 20th.
5. In a general weather update for the country, according to the India Meteorological Department, Delhi might experience slight rainfall, accompanied by elevated humidity causing discomfort for residents. Safdarjung Observatory, the main weather station, noted a minimum temperature of 28.4°C, above the norm. The maximum temperature is predicted at 37°C. Light rain could persist without significant temperature impact. Despite above-normal rainfall in the past four months, August has seen an 85% deficit from its regular precipitation.
International News
1. Turning our attention to international news, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Southern California during Hurricane Hilary. Ojai, between Santa Barbara and Ventura, was the epicentre along the Sisar fault, with no immediate damage reported, according to Ventura County Sheriff's social media post. The rare combo of a hurricane and earthquake led to #Hurriquake trending. President Joe Biden issued a statement and acted swiftly, deploying FEMA and Coast Guard resources.
2. In ongoing news, Pope Francis expressed optimism recently in a speech at the Vatican, for a peaceful resolution to Niger's crisis after a military coup. He voiced concern and appealed for peace and stability in the Sahel region. Urging swift international action, he emphasized the well-being of all. Despite talks between the military regime and ECOWAS yielding limited progress, the situation remains tense.
3. In a recent development, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw strategic cruise missile tests from a navy ship while the U.S. and South Korea began their joint military drills. Kim vowed to enhance naval power and spiritual strength. The U.S., South Korea, and Japan's leaders agreed on security and economic ties expansion. North Korea, responding to the joint drills, conducted over 100 weapons tests.
4. In some other news, China's central bank lowered a key interest rate to counter the economic slowdown post-Covid. Amid labour market uncertainty and global sluggishness reducing Chinese goods demand, financial distress in real estate adds growth obstacles. The one-year loan prime rate dropped to 3.45%, aiming to encourage loans and boost economic activity, while the five-year LPR remained at 4.2%.
Business News
1. Let's now look at some business stories. HDFC Capital's Rs 1,000-crore partnership with Emerald Haven Realty (TVS Emerald) for plotted developments is nearing three land transactions covering 45 acres in Chennai and Bengaluru. These parcels in emerging residential areas will form the foundational assets for the platform, targeting plotted and low-rise development in South India. The recently established collaboration intends to develop 250 acres, yielding over 5 million sq ft of properties.
2. In more business news, Jio Financial Services debuted with a market cap of Rs 1.66 lakh crore, becoming the second-largest listed NBFC after Bajaj Finance, which held a market cap of Rs 4.15 lakh crore. Despite expectations of a higher listing value, JFS still outpaces giants like IndusInd Bank, Britannia, and Tech Mahindra. The firm's business model is under scrutiny, focusing on asset management and merchant loans.
3. Next up, in some tech news. Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) account boasts 153+ million followers, yet most are inactive, inflating his count by millions, according to several reports. Around 42% have zero followers, with just an average of 187 followers per account. Only 0.3% subscribe to X Premium, and 72% have less than 10 followers.
4. Moving on, chip-maker Intel is shedding 140 more employees to cut costs, with 89 from the Folsom R&D campus and 51 in San Jose, California. These layoffs, effective month-end, target roles such as GPU and system software development engineers, cloud software engineers, and more. Amid a challenging economic environment, Intel is implementing workforce reductions to navigate costs.
5. In market news for August 22nd, the Sensex gained 367.66 points, a 0.57 per cent increase, reaching 65,316.32. The Nifty rose by 106.20 points, a 0.55 per cent rise, to 19,416.40. Among stocks, 1910 advanced, 1350 declined, and 134 remained unchanged. The Indian Rupee weakened due to rising crude oil prices and foreign investor selling, though the US Dollar's weakened state and positive domestic market conditions provided some support against the decline.
Entertainment News
1. Over to news from the entertainment world. After a standout debut in "Qala," Babil Khan returns to Netflix in "Friday Night Plan," a slice-of-life film directed by Vatsal Neelkanthan. The trailer reveals Babil as a school student bonding with his brother, played by Amrith Jayan, and attending a party. Juhi Chawla plays their mother. Produced by Excel Entertainment, the film showcases family moments and youthful adventures. Friday Night Plan will release on September 1st.
2. In news from Hollywood, actor Charlize Theron recently dispelled rumours of facelifts and plastic surgery, embracing graceful ageing. The Hollywood star rejected baseless speculations and challenged the idea of men ageing better than women. In an Allure interview, she confronted the notion of her changing face, asserting her contentment with natural transformations. Theron said she intends to stay true to herself and resist physical transformations for future film roles.
3. Meanwhile, in some news from regional cinema, Tamil actor Kavin joyfully marked his wedding celebration with longtime girlfriend Monica David, sharing the ceremony photos on Instagram. Kavin, famed for movies like "Lift" and "Natpuna Ennanu Theriyuma," revealed the traditional outfits donned by the couple at their Chennai wedding. Monica wore a charming olive green-golden saree complemented by golden jewellery.
Sports News
1. In sports news, BCCI's chief selector Ajit Agarkar unveiled the 17-member Indian squad for the forthcoming 2023 Asia Cup in Delhi. Inclusions feature KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Tilak Varma secured an ODI debut after an impressive West Indies tour. The pace attack sees Jasprit Bumrah's return after over a year of injury, joined by Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. Rahul and Iyer's fitness was proven through match-simulation exercises, following their recovery at the National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru.
2. In more sports updates, Spain clinched their first FIFA Women's World Cup in a gripping battle against England, with Olga Carmona's goal securing a 1-0 win. This historic triumph made Spain the sole team to concurrently hold the under-17, under-20, and senior world titles. Joining Germany, they are the only nation with men's and women's World Cups.
3. Wrapping up sports news, seventh-seeded Coco Gauff made history by becoming the Western & Southern Open's first teenage champion in over 50 years. Gauff's 6-3, 6-4 win over Karolina Muchova earned her the Masters 1000 title. Celebrating her victory, the 19-year-old American tossed her racket and joyfully jumped after a 1-hour, 56-minute match in nearly 90-degree temperatures.
Bengaluru Buzz
Switching gears to local events. There are many events ongoing and upcoming in Bengaluru this week
1. Get ready to witness an extraordinary musical evening with the "Sanj-Sawani" Hindustani and semi-classical concert featuring Vidushi Smt Sawani Shende-Sathaye, performing live at the MLR Convention Centre, JP Nagar on the 26th of August at 5.30 pm.
2. Catch ace funnyman Gaurav Gupta, as he returns to the city with his latest stand-up special, performing live at Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan, Vasanth Nagar on the 27th of August at 7.30 pm.
3. Join a beginner's belly-dance class with an exclusive workshop, conducted by the city's experts, happening at the Dhurii Academy of Arts, Domlur on the 26th of August at 6.00 pm.
4. Interested in a unique art workshop? Here's something for you! Join an exclusive "Quirky Art workshop" and enjoy a relaxing art session, conducted by ace artist Nimishaa Beria, happening at the Verde Canvas Art Gallery, KR Puram on the 27th of August at 11.00 am.
5. You can also catch the insanely talented Punit Pania as he headlines his latest stand-up special "Gainfully Employed", performing live at the Ironhill, Marathahalli-Sarjapur Outer Ring Road, on the 27th of August at 5.00 pm.
Bengaluru Weather
1. And finally, the weather in Bengaluru. On August 22nd, expect partially cloudy weather in Bengaluru. Temperatures will rise to a warm 31°C and drop to a pleasant 20°C minimum. The heat index could reach 36°C due to the combination of temperature and humidity. Note that direct sunlight exposure might increase the impact and elevate the heat index up to 8°C above regular August highs.
That’s all for now on The Bengaluru Commute Podcast for today. I’m Anupama. If you enjoyed this episode, please do follow me on your favourite podcast and player, and leave a rating and a review as well. It helps other listeners to discover the show, and I would just really appreciate it. Even better if you know someone who would enjoy the podcast, share it with them. Make your commute truly extraordinary. The Bengaluru Commute podcast skill is now available on Alexa! All you have to do is to download the skill from your Alexa app and look for the Bengaluru commute podcast.
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Producer: Anupama Rajarathnam
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Script: Prathiksha Nehru
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