With the garbage menace surprisingly taking away the BBMP chair from MK Shankaralinge Gowda, the new commissioner Rajneesh Goel would have appreciated if Bangalore University’s initiative to introduce lessons on civic sense had materialised. But as it happens, Goel was disappointed even before he was asked to take up the chair as the proposal was sent for reconsideration.
The Bangalore University Teacher’s Association and Bangalore University First Grade Colleges’ Principals Association had submitted a memorandum asking the University to reconsider the implementation this year citing reasons ranging from late communication to start the course giving them less time to complete the portions in the next one-and-a-half months, for justification of the proposal of introducing the subject in an undergraduate programme when it needs to be taught in the primary classes.
Noted environmentalist Yellappa Reddy says, “A subject like civic sense has become necessary today.
The young generation is concerned only about their rights and have absolutely no idea about their civic responsibilities.
There is lack of basic civic knowledge, for instance, the garbage needs to be segregated at the household level only.
In fact, there should be two dustbins — one for organic and another for inorganic and the young guns of today are ignorant about the fact.”
The Mayor of BBMP, Venkatesh Murthy said, “I think a subject on civic sense in educational institutions is absolutely necessary today, given the fact that even well groomed and educated people throw waste from their posh vehicles on the roads.”
Group Initiatives:
Bangalore, in recent times, has witnessed many steps in curbing the civic woes of the citizens in different localities through community involvement. City Express takes a look.
Ugly Indian: A group called the Ugly Indian is on a garbage cleaning spree in the city.
CMCA: Civic awareness programmes are organised by the Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness (CMCA), an autonomous entity, every year, in more than 320 schools across the country and about 60 of these schools are from Bangalore.
My Malleswaram: In May, residents of Malleswaram came up with a civic movement called ‘My Malleswaram’. The group takes up civic issues concerning the constituency and provides solutions.
ichangemycity.com: Following the footsteps of My Malleswaram, a slightly advanced form of a group came up, called ichangemycity.com, a social networking site. One can post their complaints pertaining to civic problems on this social platform to enable change by Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy.