THE STORY OF BELANDUR: BEST PANCHAYAT BECOMES WORST WARD
A couple of weeks back, I participated in a ‘Nammoora Charche’ programme, organised by the Aam Aadmi Party, in Bangalore. This initiative, brings together concerned people to discuss issues that affect the people of Bangalore. Anchored and driven by Dr. Renuka Viswanathan, formerly Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat and Rural Development Secretary in the Government of India. This instalment of the programme was for the residents of Bellandur ward in Bangalore, and the subject discussed was the knotty one of how to obtain a ‘Khata’, which is the document maintained by the Brihat Bangalore Mahanagara Palika; a list of all the payers of Property tax in the city. Renuka herself is no stranger to Bellandur; she lives in the ward. Bellandur is the caravanserai of Bangalore’s silk route; the aortic corridor of industry and enterprise that connects the IT hubs of Whitefield, Sarjapur, Koramangala and onward...