18th July, 2023 - The Bengaluru Commute Podcast. News update : Bengaluru Opposition Parties Meeting; Namma Metro update; NITI Aayog report; Nepal-India Development Partnership Programme; Tesla news update; Stock market update; IMD alert; Salman Khan; Nov
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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 18th of July, let's begin with updates from the city. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah welcomed leaders from several opposition parties in Bengaluru for a crucial meeting. In a Twitter message, he expressed gratitude for their collective stand against "authoritarianism, communalism, and corruption." He hoped this harmonious alliance would restore the constitutional values of secularism, socialism, and democracy. Leaders from a total of 24 parties gathered in the Karnataka capital.
2. In other headlines, H D Kumaraswamy, the Janata Dal(S) second-in-command and former Karnataka chief minister, stated that opposition parties have never included them in their ranks. Speaking in Bengaluru, he addressed speculations of an alliance with the BJP, saying he had not received any invitation from the National Democratic Alliance- led by the saffron party for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
3. In some more news, the High Court of Karnataka restrained the chairman of TD Power System Ltd and others from transferring shares worth ₹555 crore. The court's interim order came in response to a petition by Vijay Ravindra Kirloskar, founder of TDPSL, and Kirloskar Electric Company (KEC). They sought to prevent several individuals, including Nikhil Kumar, from selling 2.51 crore shares in the stock market. The Commercial Court's denial of an injunction led them to petition the HC.
4. Up next, Kempegowda Layout in Bengaluru faces an issue as over 90 CA sites, initially intended for public use, have been illicitly transformed into residential plots. The conversion, spanning 64 acres, may deprive allottees of essential civic amenities, such as schools and hospitals. Previous reports exposed involvement from brokers and corrupt engineers linked to the Bangalore Development Authority. No action has been taken against these offenders.
5. Now, onto other news, according to ActionAid Association's report, Namma Metro has neglected rainwater harvesting implementation along 41 km of the Purple and Green line corridors, missing a chance to conserve water and prevent waterlogging. The survey examined 1,189 metro pillars in June and July, revealing the absence of any RWH structures on both lines. Only a single commendable example of efficient groundwater recharge was found between MG Road and Baiyyappanahalli stations.
6. Moving on, ongoing work on the Benniganahalli railway bridge in eastern Bengaluru will disrupt traffic on Old Madras Road towards KR Puram until August. Traffic coming from the central business district has been rerouted towards KR Puram. Vehicles can use the underpass service road or take a left at the NGEF signal to reach Kalyan Nagar and Hebbal. However, the lane carrying traffic from KR Puram to the city remains unaffected.
7. Meanwhile, Bengaluru's blood banks are experiencing a surge in platelet demand for dengue patients this month. However, research indicates that prophylactic platelet transfusions don't help and may even harm patients. Some institutions, like St John's Medical College, have stopped preventive platelet transfusions altogether, while others continue based on low platelet counts. The National Guidelines for Clinical Management of Dengue Fever, 2014, allows prophylactic transfusions when the platelet count falls below 10,000 per microlitre, regardless of bleeding signs.
8. On a different note, London-based tech brand, Nothing, introduced its first-ever pop-up store in Bengaluru, coinciding with the launch of Nothing Phone (2). The store saw a massive rush, with customers queuing for hours to buy the much-hyped cellphone, Ear (2) black, and other accessories. Phone (2) will be officially available for open sale on July 21st. The smartphone is designed to promote mindful usage and has garnered significant attention globally.
National News
1. Moving on to the national news. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin accused the Enforcement Directorate of conducting raids at the premises of Minister K Ponmudi as a tactic by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to divert attention from the Opposition parties' meeting in Bengaluru. Sources suggested that Ponmudi's raids were linked to alleged losses to the exchequer during his tenure as a minister in the DMK government between 2007 and 2011.
2. Meanwhile, according to a report by NITI Aayog, a record 13.5 crore people in India escaped multidimensional poverty in five years. The country's multidimensional poverty rate dropped significantly from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021. The report highlighted that rural areas experienced the most rapid decline, reducing poverty from 32.59% to 19.28% during the same period.
3. In more news, the Uttar Pradesh government plans to offer financial grants to rural artists for purchasing musical instruments. The initiative aims to promote cultural activities at the village panchayat level and revive the guru-shishya tradition. The state government and panchayats will share the cost equally, and in the first phase, 50 panchayats in each district will be selected for the scheme's launch. Additionally, the selected villages for promoting rural tourism will also be included in the program.
4. Shifting our focus, a farmer in Pune, Ishwar Gayakar and his wife, reportedly made over ₹2.8 crores from selling tomatoes during a period of surging prices. Cultivating tomatoes on 12 acres, he sold approximately 17,000 crates priced between ₹770 to ₹2,311 per crate. With a remaining stock of 3,000-4,000 crates, he aims to earn ₹3.5 crore in total. Gaykar shared that his family is happy with his success.
International News
1. Turning our attention to international news, India presented Nepal with 34 ambulances and 50 school buses as part of the Nepal-India Development Partnership Programme. The gifting of vehicles has been a longstanding tradition by the Indian government. Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava handed over the keys of the vehicles to various Nepali organizations during the event.
2. In ongoing news, an explosion occurred on the Kerch bridge connecting Russia with Crimea, resulting in at least two fatalities. Russian authorities accused Ukraine of being behind the attack, leading to the suspension of road and rail traffic on the bridge. There has been no official statement from Ukraine regarding the incident.
3. In a recent development, amid dwindling forex reserves, the Pakistani government is urging the outsourcing of major airports, such as Islamabad International Airport, according to several reports. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar instructed stakeholders to complete the necessary formalities for outsourcing IIA's operations by August 12. A meeting was chaired by him to address the matter. Dar also wants changes to aviation laws approved before month-end.
4. In other news, following the Anti-Hijab protests and nationwide arrests, Iran has reintroduced patrols by the 'morality police' to enforce mandatory hijab rules. The police are now actively patrolling on foot and in vehicles to crack down on individuals whose attire is considered inappropriate. Saeid Montazeralmahdi, the spokesperson for the Iranian law enforcement force, stated that warnings would be issued, and offenders would be introduced to the judicial system for non-compliance.
Business News
1. Let's now look at some business stories. The Confederation of All India Traders has urged PM Narendra Modi to remove the 28% GST on online gaming, fearing its financial impact. In a letter, CAIT explained that this tax rate would render the industry unviable, leading to business closures and substantial job losses. Additionally, it may drive Indian users towards offshore gaming companies due to the heavy tax burden.
2. In more business news, amid rumours of Tesla considering a factory in India, Ola Co-founder and CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, remarked, "Tesla is for the West, Ola is for the rest." He also expressed surprise at Ola Electric's rapid growth, surpassing initial expectations. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's company is said to be engaging in talks with the Indian government regarding an investment proposal.
3. Next up, in some tech news. Tesla's $500 billion rally is met with scepticism as rivals capitalizing on EV demand pose significant competition. Respondents in the latest Markets Live Pulse survey highlight the challenge from rival automakers and express concern about Elon Musk's attention being divided due to his ventures in Twitter, space travel, and AI. Survey participants advised Musk to focus more on the carmaker as profit margins have narrowed.
4. Moving on, Larsen and Toubro secured significant orders in the water & effluent treatment segment within the domestic market. The State Water & Sanitation Mission, Uttar Pradesh, awarded L&T Construction a work order for constructing a water supply scheme for Hanumanganj villages in Ballia and Firozabad districts. The company did not disclose the order value, but large orders typically fall in the range of Rs 2,500 crore to Rs 5,000 crore, as per L&T's project classification.
5. In market news for July 18th, the Sensex surged by 382.57 points, a 0.58% increase, reaching 66,443.47, while the Nifty rose by 109.40 points, a 0.56% gain, to reach 19,673.90. Among the shares traded, 1868 advanced, 1418 declined, and 163 remained unchanged. The Indian Rupee showed a slight positive bias, driven by favourable domestic market conditions and a weaker Dollar.
Entertainment News
1. Over to news from the entertainment world. Salman Khan warned of legal repercussions against individuals using his name for fraudulent casting calls. His production house Salman Khan Films clarified they are not conducting any film castings at the moment. They cautioned against trusting any emails or messages related to this matter. The statement said that any unauthorized use of Salman Khan's or SKF's name will result in legal action.
2. In news from Hollywood, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One has surpassed ₹50 crores at the Indian box office. Starring Tom Cruise as iconic elite spy Ethan Hunt, the film, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, also features Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby. The plot revolves around Hunt's IMF team's mission to neutralize the enigmatic and powerful artificial intelligence force known as The Entity.
3. Meanwhile, in some news from regional cinema, Allu Arjun's daughter, Allu Arha, is set to appear in the upcoming action-thriller 'Devara,' alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR. Arha was previously seen in Samantha Ruth Prabhu's mythological film 'Shaakuntalam.' Directed by Koratala Siva and also starring Saif Ali Khan, 'Devara' is scheduled for an April 2024 release.
Sports News
1. In sports news, Novak Djokovic, after losing the Wimbledon 2023 men's singles final to Carlos Alcaraz, expressed his admiration for the young player, stating, "I haven't played a player like him ever." Djokovic acknowledged the comparison of Alcaraz's game to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and himself, agreeing with the observations made in the past 12 months.
2. In more sports updates, India secured six gold medals at the Asian Athletics Championships 2023. Sprinter Jyothi Yarraji won gold in women's 100m hurdles, while Abdulla Aboobacker triumphed in men's triple jump. Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Parul Chaudhary, and Ajay Kumar Saroj clinched gold in the shot put, women's 3,000m steeplechase, and men's 1,500m events, respectively. India's mixed 4x400m relay team also secured a gold medal.
3. Wrapping up sports news, Indian senior men's football team head coach, Igor Stimac, has urged PM Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to permit India's participation in the Asian Games. Stimac contested the Sports Ministry's decision based on rankings, emphasizing that the football team's ranking is higher than some other sports teams allowed to participate.
Bengaluru Buzz
Switching gears to local events. There are many events ongoing and upcoming in Bengaluru this week.
1. Catch the insanely funny Saikiran, in his latest stand-up special "Nearly Nice Guy", performing live at the Radha Regent, Electronic City, on the 22nd of July at 6.30 pm. Don't miss this hilarious ride!
2. Attention Bengaluru! Get ready to witness renowned vocalist Gajendra Verma, live in concert, performing at the Phoenix Market City, Whitefield on the 23rd of July at 5.00 pm.
3. But wait, there's more. Join a fun "Mandala Art Workshop" and paint your stress away, happening at Atta Gallatta, Koramangala 5th Block on the 23rd of July at 5.30 pm.
4. Been waiting to learn yoga? Here's something for you! Join a beginner's yoga class in an exclusive workshop "Acro Yoga" conducted by the city's experts, happening at Small World, Koramangala 5th Block on the 22nd of July at 8.00 am.
5. You can also catch ace comic Rupali Tyagi, in her latest special, performing live at the Glen's Bakehouse, Koramangala 6th Block on the 22nd of July at 7.00 pm.
Bengaluru Weather
1. In a general weather update for the country, the India Meteorological Department has warned of another active phase of the south-west monsoon this week, issuing a rainfall alert for multiple states, including flood-hit Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand. Haryana-Punjab will likely experience heavy rainfall, along with Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim among others. A yellow alert has been issued for the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada as well.
2. And finally, the weather in Bengaluru. On the 18th of July, partly cloudy weather is expected with a warm maximum temperature of 28°C and a pleasant minimum of 20°C. The maximum heat index, factoring in humidity, will be a hot 31°C for light wind and shaded locations. This temperature aligns with the average July maximum of 28.1°C.
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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Credits:
Produced by Spooler
Producer: Anupama Rajarathnam
Audio producer: Caanu Zaza
Voiceover: Anupama Rajarathnam
Script: Prathiksha Nehru
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