Recent trends in climate of Bangalore

The linear trends in the monthly, seasonal and annual mean maximum temperature, minimum temperature, average temperature, diurnal range of temperature, rainfall, relative humidities at 0830 & 1730 hr IST of Bangalore city and airport have been analysed based on the data for the period from 1960-95. The variation in surface wind over Bangalore during above period has also been studied to find out impact of urbanisation on weather parameters. It is found that Bangalore city is becoming warmer in terms of mean maximum & mean minimum temperatures. Rate of increase is significantly higher over Bangalore city (central observatory) than that over airport during winter months. Similarly the rising trend of average temperature of Bangalore city is higher than of Bangalore airport during October to April being significantly so during winter season. Also the diurnal range of temperature of Bangalore is becoming larger in winter months with the rising trend being higher over Bangalore city than over airport. Even though rainfall does not show any significant trend, the rising trend during monsoon & falling trend during post monsoon season over Bangalore city are higher than that of Bangalore airport. Also though both Bangalore city & airport show maximum rising trend in mean relative humidity at 0830 hr IST during winter, the rate of rise is less over Bangalore city. Similarly though the relative humidity at 1730 hr IST shows decreasing trend during all the seasons, the rate of decrease is less over Bangalore city for all seasons except post monsoon season. The mean maximum, minimum and average temperatures and relative humidities show cyclic variation of their monthly trend coefficients during the year.

Teaching through urban sensorium: urban spatiality as a smart learning environment

This paper qualitatively analyses the implication of urban sensorium as a pedagogic mode in the teaching of Urban Studies. Underpinned by the frames of smart learning environments, the paper reiterates experiencing urban ontologies as spatial learning environments. By drawing from a range of transdisciplinary and experiential modes of learning, this paper maps how an undergraduate course on Bangalore city in India served learners to critically engage with and experience spatial urban ontologies both digitally, and in real-world experiences of learning, furthering learner autonomy and reflection. The methodological prisms of this paper are autoethnography and critical reflection. It is organised around enabling learners recognize the experiential, embodied urban spaces through the urban sensorium via real-life engagements with urban spaces, and creation of digital portfolios that map this learning. Findings from the learners’ knowledge of sensory learning, the city’s intersectional aspects, and the student’s embodied and emplaced self in built environments and digital spaces are analysed via cognitive and affective-reflection levels; the course instructor's reflection is analysed via a process-reflection level. These reflections hold implications for the pedagogy of urban studies in undergraduate classrooms by foregrounding spatiality and urban sensorium as significant critical and affective pedagogic tools. The paper has also accommodated critical engagement with an external faculty member as a co-author, in order to manage any bias or researcher subjectivity in the design.

Unprecedented rainfall over Bangalore city during October, 2005

The Central Observatory of India Meteorological Department (IMD) at Palace Road, Bangalore reported a record highest monthly rainfall of 604 mm during October, 2005. It was the highest ever monthly rainfall recorded over Bangalore city. However, the surrounding stations in Bangalore district recorded less rainfall. To find out the physical processes leading to this rainfall, the characteristics of rainfall over different stations in Bangalore urban and rural districts during October, 2005 and associated synoptic and thermodynamic features during the month are analysed. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and role of pollution parameters and their relationship with this rainfall have also been analysed. This study can be utilized in better understanding of the impact of urbanization and pollution on rainfall, especially heavy rainfall. It can also help in predicting the heavy rainfall events over the urban centres. The study endorses the earlier finding that the UHI effect leads to moisture convergence and pollutants may work as hygroscopic nuclei over the region to enhance rainfall near the urban centre.

Assessing the burden of Covid-19 in the slums of Bangalore city: Results of Rapid Community Survey

Background: Karnataka, more so Bangalore, reported an increase in number of COVID-19 cases in early April 2021. Objective: To assess the burden of COVID-19 in the slums of Bengaluru city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional multi centre community-based study was done in the 2nd and 3rd week of April 2021 in 24 different slums in Bangalore city. WHO cluster random sampling technique was followed. Swabs for RTPCR test and 4 ml of venous blood was collected from 728 subjects more than 18 years of age. Results: A total of 51 (7%) subjects were positive for COVID-19 through RT-PCR. Majority 33 (56.9%) were in the age group of 18-44 years. 148 (20.3%) subjects were sero-positive on blood examination and 18-44 years was the (59.4%) preponderant age group. Overall seropositivity was 20.3% (95%CI; 17.4-23.2) and RT-PCR positivity is 7% (95%CI; 5.2-8.8%) among the subjects surveyed. In the inner core area of Bangalore, seropositivity was 24.2% (95%CI; 21.0 – 27.3) and RT-PCR positivity was 8% (95%CI; 6.1-9.9). Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine were taken only by 1.55% subjects during the study period. Conclusion: The study showed that one in 5 subjects were sero-positive to SARS-CoV-2 and one in 15 individuals had active COVID-19 infection.

Consumer Perception’s Towards Organic Products in Bangalore City

A natural product is made from materials produced by using natural agriculture. There are one-of-a-kind types of natural merchandise. However natural product is more acknowledged for food gadgets like organic grocery, natural vegetables, and natural certified meals and so on. The study focuses on the consumer perceptions regarding organic product and the changing trend of the consumers towards organic products. Conveyance sampling technique is used to collect the data and the data is analysed by using chi square and ANOVA. Key words: Organic products, perception, environment and forming.

A study of health profile and effects of ambient air pollution among auto drivers of Bangalore city

Background: Auto drivers battle several occupational health hazards due to increasing pollution and unhealthy lifestyle. Improper diet and sleeping habits coupled with smoking, tobacco and alcohol use make them prone to respiratory and cardiovascular health hazards. Objectives: To assess the health status and quality of life (QoL) among auto drivers in Bangalore city and to study the association of selected parameters with respiratory and cardiac morbidities. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 450 auto drivers were given a questionnaire and they were distributed according to age, education, body mass index, smoking, tobacco and/or alcohol consumption. The QoL was assessed by World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) and peak expiratory flow, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels for each participant were recorded. The association between two categorical variables was determined by Chi-square test and p?0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The association of number of years of driving with prevalence of chronic morbidity (p=0.005), hypertension (p=0.008), diabetes (p<0.001), and heart disease (p=0.04) were significant. QoL for physical and environmental domain were 16.11±0.28 and 12.48±0.06, respectively. Conclusion: A proportional increase in the risk of respiratory and cardiac morbidities with increasing number of driving years was observed among auto drivers.

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Consumers Online Purchase Behavior of Food Products in Bangalore City

Background: Online purchase has a very important role to play in creating consistent demand for farmers’ products and linking them directly to final consumers. Preferences of consumers are the most important driver of online purchases that prosper the linkage between farmers and the final consumers and these preferences are vastly influenced by consumers’ socio-economic characteristics. The current study was conducted to analyse the influence of socio-economic factors on the online purchase of food products in Bangalore city. Methods: Individual cross-sectional data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire from 105 consumers of randomly selected areas of Bangalore city namely, Sahakarnagar, Judicial Layout, Yelahanka, Canara bank layout, Mahadevapura, Sanjaynagar and Jayanagar. Binary logistic regression was applied as the research method to examine the influence of socio-economic characteristics like gender, age, occupation, education, number of family members with income and income (as predictor variables) towards the online purchase of food products (as dependent variable). Result: Results indicated that age (negatively), number of family members earning income and monthly income (positively) significantly influenced the online purchase of food products. Other variables like education, gender (in favour of men) and occupation also influenced (positively) the outcome variable but, statistically were not significant.

A Study on Investment Behaviour and Attitude of Women Investors of Bangalore, Karnataka

Investment is one of the pre – eminent concern of every single individual investor as the small savings of today are to meet the future expenses of tomorrow. Considering the survey over 120 respondents from Bangalore City among women, this paper attempts to study the behaviour and attitude of investment based on the socio-economic profile, awareness and preferences and financial literacy over various investment avenues that are available in India. The study was conducted during the pandemic period from March to July as many of the women investors resulted in unemployment that affected their income, earnings and savings. Fort the study the data was collected using structured questionnaires. The result showed that most of the women investors belongs to a less age group as they are into a working class and to which most of them are comfortable in traditional mode of investment such as secured deposits. The study also revealed investment in stock market is bit sceptical as it involves high risk and uncertainty. The result also says the psychological behaviour of Indian women as they are fond of bullion and investing in bullion metals is quite attractive and low risk. From the study point, it will help to explore and expand knowledge and identify the best avenue to invest and create savings for the better future in the field of personal finance and pandemic recession.