Reimagine Mysore Lamps

Linking an article I wrote in Deccan Herald recently on proper design during lake restoration.

Here's why Bengaluru lakes are in the soup Why our lakes are in the soup

Linking a series of conversations I had with Harini Nagendra and Seema Mundoli on how to build resilient cities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCZ5XBkg4Zs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7pq7ugv-S8

#plainspeak: Resilient Cities By estimates, over 55% of the human population now lives in urban areas, which will grow to 68% by 2050. This means that for the first time in human history,...

If you know someone in the office of the Commissioner of Industrial Development, would appreciate any help in getting an appointment.

A series of three letters regarding request for information. (1). Letter to Minister for Large and Heavy Industries, requesting information on GoK plans for Mysore Lamps property; (2) reply from the Hon'ble Minister's office stating that my letter has been forwarded to Commissioner for Industrial Development and they have been asked to meet me; (3) letter from me to Commissioner for Industrial Development requesting an appointment. This whole process of 3 letters has taken over 3 months and I still haven't received an appointment. The wheels of government grind exceedingly slow.

News item in The Hindu on March 9th. Two groups of ministers warring about Mysore Lamps. However no-one has actually asked citizens what they would like to see happen to this land. When will government learn that participatory decision-making is the way to go in building resilient cities, given climate change? Bengaluru has minimal green space, building an Experience Bengaluru Centre or a giant medical facility is of limited practical utility for the future.

News article in the The Hindu on Feb 16th about NGEF and Mysore Lamps. While GoK says that the government will handle the development of these spaces, there is no information on the constituents of the committee that will handle this re-development.

Great news about Aarey Colony and a great victory for this campaign! Hope the GoK is paying attention to how green space is being conserved in other cities.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/812-acres-of-aarey-land-handed-over-to-forest-department-7348719/

More movement on the Mysore Lamps land. The government announces an Experience Bangalore centre and a grant for the same in the latest budget. It will be good to get public consultation on what it exactly means to 'Experience Bangalore'.
See news report.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/karnataka-budget-bengaluru-gets-rs-7795-crore-for-development-7219752/

A piece of good news is the recent news article about GoK wanting to develop unused lands for public purpose. The three projects highlighted were: Mysore Lamps factory, Storm water drain valleys (of Challaghatta, Hebbal, Koramanagala and Vrushabhavati) and the large space of New Government Electrical Factory (NGEF).

The government is to be lauded for taking such a positive step with regards to public spaces. As always the devil is in the details...

Highlighting Nizhal a volunteer organisation in Chennai. Their vision ..."is to be an effective catalyst in greening urban areas, with a special focus on regenerating biodiversity".

Nizhal has worked with the city government of Chennai for greening neighbourhood parks with great success. They use the Miyawaki method for planting. This is a method developed in Japan that involves dense planting of trees. It requires care for 3 years after which the trees are mature enough to grow on their own. The Miyawaki method has its pros and cons but in an urban setting it can work very well.

INITIATIVES – nizhaltn It was in 2005 that a new movement for trees began in Chennai Nizhal's vision is to be an effective catalyst in greening urban areas, with a special focus on regenerating biodiversity. Nizhal believes in sincere partnerships with local communities INITIATIVES FLAGSHIP PROJECTS COMMUNITY TREE PARK CO...

It has been known for awhile that the GoK was considering transferring the assets of Mysore Lamps to Karnataka State Minerals Corp Ltd as seen in this TOI report from 17th February. The more recent Hindu report suggests that post-COVID lockdown the wheels of the state have started moving again.

Karnataka govt forms cabinet sub-committee to deliberate on NICE land acquisitions | Bengaluru News - Times of India The state cabinet on Monday decided to defer most key subjects, including the merger plans of Mysore Lamps with Karnataka state minerals corporation l

The fate of Mysore Lamps land seems to be in contention going by a small news item in The Hindu from 26th September. The Opposition's pre-emptive move in tabling a resolution demanding that the Mysore Lamps lands not be transferred either to a PSU or private party suggests that matters might be coming to a head on this issue.

Row in Council over Mysore Lamps land The treasury and Opposition benches in Legislative Council on Friday disagreed over moving of a resolution on preventing the government to transfer the assets of the now-defunct Mysore Lamps Works Ltd