The Chamarajanagar district administration in Karnataka has withdrawn a controversial Covid-19 vaccination initiative — “no vaccination, no ration”; “no vaccination, no pension” — that was to start Wednesday after criticism from the Congress. On Tuesday, the deputy commissioner of Chamarajanagar district, M R Ravi, had announced the launch of the initiative in a bid to fight vaccine hesitancy.
READ | Karnataka: Chamarajanagar scraps ‘no vaccination, no ration, no pension’ initiative after backlash
As pressure mounts on the Karnataka government to not impose restrictions on public celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi this year, enforcement agencies like the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the police are yet to issue guidelines for the festivities this year. Various Right-wing organisations have requested the officials to not restrict Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations this year.
READ | Karnataka: No official confirmation from government, pollution board and police fail to draw guidelines for Ganesh Chaturthi
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Karnataka on Thursday reported 1,240 fresh Covid-19 cases and 22 deaths.
Bengaluru Urban accounted for the maximum number of 319 cases and four fatalities. Dakshina Kannada district bordering Kerala recorded 264 new cases and five deaths.
The Mara Mitra (Friend of Tree) App developed by Cauvery Calling, a movement started by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Foundation to revive river Cauvery, was launched in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The App is the latest in a series of activities initiated by Cauvery Calling to intensify farmer outreach efforts on the ground to promote the economically lucrative and ecologically beneficial tree-based agriculture in the Cauvery basin districts of Karnataka, the Isha Foundation said in a statement. The App was simultaneously launched in the nine districts in which Cauvery Calling volunteers are currently working along with the Forest Department officials and 890 Mara Mitras, the statement read. (PTI)
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Chikkamagaluru district police on Thursday said they have arrested four persons for allegedly attacking renowned environmentalist DV Girish. The environmentalist and his colleagues were assaulted by allegedly drunken youths at Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday.
Officer Hakay Akshay Machindra said the search for the remaining accused is on and investigation in progress.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Wednesday night arrested police sub-inspector (PSI) Arjun who had forced a Dalit youth to drink an inmate’s urine at the Gonibeedu police station in Mudigere taluk in May this year.
Police sources told The Indian Express that Arjun was arrested in Bengaluru on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning, he was produced before a court which remanded him in judicial custody as requested by the CID officials for further inquiry.
The incident reportedly happened on May 10 inside the police station and a complaint was lodged on May 22 by the victim Punith K L, a resident of Kirangunda. Punith alleged that the police officer made him lick the urine from the floor. Following Punith’s complaint, Chikmagalur SP Akshay Hakay Machhindra suspended Arjun and handed over the case to the CID. Read more.
Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot Thursday visited Karnataka University and the University of Agricultural Sciences. He was welcomed by Vice-Chancellors Dr MB Chetty and K Gudasi at the state-run varsities.
The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) is all set to resume its Ambaari open-roof bus service in Mysuru from September 4 after it was stopped due to the Covid-19-induced lockdown in April. The bus service was launched in March this year.
KSTDC chairman Ka Pu Siddalingaswamy said, “The department decided to resume the Ambaari service after the state government lifted the weekend curfew in Mysuru as Covid cases had started to decline.”
The ‘Hop-on-hop-off’ buses will take tourists to the heritage sites of Mysuru. The ride will start from the KSTDC office at Hotel Mayura Hoysala on the JLB Road, cover Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Kukkarahalli Lake, Crawford Hall, Ramaswamy Circle, Sanskrit Patashaala, K R Circle, Dodda Gadiyara (Silver Jubilee Clock Tower), Palace South Gate, Hardinge Circle, Mysuru Zoo, Karanji Lake, Government Guest House, St Philomena’s Church, Bannimantap, Government Ayurveda College Circle, Railway Station Circle and end at Hotel Mayura Hoysala. Read more.
Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Thursday said he would discuss the issue of rising retail fuel prices with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who will visiting Karnataka on September 5.
"It depends on international prices," he said when asked about the rising prices of petrol and diesel and LPG cylinder, among other various factors such as refining, financial health of companies in the sector and payments in lieu of oil bonds, PTI reported.
The Karnataka government has made RT-PCR test mandatory for passengers from select countries arriving at airports in the state even if they possess a negative Covid-19 report. "The passengers arriving from the UK, Europe, (the) Middle East, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand and Zimbabwe on arrival at the Kempegowda International Airport and other entry airports in Karnataka shall provide the sample and leave the airport for further compliance as per the Standard Operating Procedure," an order said on Wednesday.
However, those coming from Brazil and South Africa will have to wait at the airport for test results and be allowed to leave only after testing negative. (PTI)
The Karnataka government has been recommended by a panel constituted by the Department of Primary and Secondary Education that government schools across the state should be brought on par with private unaided schools in terms of implementing safety and security measures.
The committee chaired by Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) SV Sankanur found such standards were yet to be streamlined at government schools while the same was found to be met by private managements.
Further, the report, which was submitted to Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh in Bengaluru, stressed the need for the government to allocate funds in the upcoming Budget to upgrade safety and security measures in government schools. Read more.
Citizen activists of Bengaluru, along with the NGO Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF), have submitted a memorandum to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chief commissioner Gaurav Gupta and BBMP deputy conservator of forest (DCF) Govinda Raju asking them to reconsider their decision of cutting trees to construct an elevated corridor from Ejipura Main Road Inner Ring Road), Sony World Junction to Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala.
The letter has expressed dissent to a BBMP forest division memorandum that has increased the number of trees to be felled as opposed to the initial statement given in 2018.
The letter also mentioned how, even despite several public requests and RTIs filed to stop the felling of trees for this project, the BBMP forest department has planned to double the number of trees needed to be cut without bringing this to the notice of the public. Read more.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at Hubballi airport in North Karnataka to attend various events in Davangere and Hubballi on Thursday.
In Davangere, he will inaugurate 'Gandhi Bhavan' and visit Kondajji Basappa Memorial and offer his tributes along with Chief Minister Bsavaraj Bommai.
He would also inaugurate a police public school at Kondajji in Davangere district's Harihar taluk, and the central library of GM Institute of Technology (GMIT) in Davangere.
Later he would visit Hubballi, where he would attend the wedding reception of Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi's eldest daughter Arpita with KS Hrushikesh.
The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) today released the provisional answer key for the Common Entrance Test (CET) on the official website — kea.kar.nic.in. KCET 2021 was held on August 28, 29 and 30. According to the reports, higher education minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan has announced that the KCET result will be published by September 20, and the counselling shall commence by the first week of October 2021.
Candidates can submit objections against the provisional answer key of KCET 2021 by September 4. To raise the objections, candidates need to submit the objection form along with the relevant supporting documents in PDF format.
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Kodagu-Mysuru MP Pratap Simha on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai demanding the name of Rajiv Gandhi Nagarhole National Park to be renamed after Field Marshal Cariappa who was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, who was also from Kodagu.
Simha, said it is the demand of the people of Kodagu that Rajiv Gandhi Nagarhole National Park be renamed after field Marshal KM Cariappa. In a tweet he said, “Requesting the Hon. @CMofKarnataka Bommai Sir, to rename Rajiv Gandhi Nagarahole National Park & Tiger Reserve as FM K.M.Cariappa Nagarahole National Park & Tiger Reserve lies in the jurisdiction of Mysuru & Kodagu District.”
The demand comes after after the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Cabinet decided to rename Rajiv Gandhi National Park as Orang National Park. Reacting to the Assam government's decision, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah termed it a "foolish" decision to rename the Rajiv Gandhi National Park as Orang National Park in Assam.
The popular tourist destination in Karnataka Rajiv Gandhi National Park was originally called Nagarahole forest in Kodagu.
Petrol and diesel prices remained unchanged across the country on Thursday, September 2, 2021, a day after they were cut for the first time in over a week. On Wednesday, petrol and diesel prices were cut by 15 paise per litre each in the national capital.
In Bengaluru, petrol costs Rs. 104.84 per litre and diesel costs Rs. 94.19 per litre.
Tension prevailed after a youth tried to rob a cab driver at knife point in Bengaluru but was thrashed by public and managed to escape on Wednesday. The incident took place at Richmond town, one of the busiest roads of Bengaluru around 2 pm, when a youth in his twenties tried to rob cab driver Pratap Patil at knife point. According to the police sources, Patil is new to Bengaluru.
The police said a customer had alighted from Patil's cab and he was checking whether there were new bookings. Suddenly, a guy opened the door and threatened Patil with his knife and demanded him to handover his mobile phone and money.
Patil told the police, "I patiently pulled pulled out wallet and grabbed the robber, which he was not expecting from my end. He fell down in front of the door and when I started shouting for help, some of them (public) caught him and assaulted him. They all tried to take the knife out his hand, they could not."
Despite having been thrashed by the public, the youth held onto the knife and later ran away from the spot, Patil told police. Ashok Nagar police have registered a case of attempted robbery and under Sections of Arms Act.
The accused in this case is yet to be arrested. A video went viral where the youth can be seen being thrashed by public but manages to escape, he added.
Five people have been booked for allegedly assaulting a 19-year old youth from Raichur who had come to Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district to meet a friend belonging to a different faith.
Police sources said the youth had on Wednesday come to meet a girl hailing from Puttur, who he had befriended on social networking platform. The two were in touch through phone calls and messages for the last six months.
The girl invited him to Puttur a week ago and the youth came along with a friend by bus to the city. The two went to meet the girl at Puttur KSRTC bus stand Wednesday afternoon and met the girl and her friend who came there. The youths were chatting with the girls sitting on the chairs at the bus stand, when the five accused went near them and started questioning the boy for speaking to the girl from a different faith and threatened him.
The accused also assaulted the youth from Raichur, who filed a complaint with the police. The attackers were aged between 25 and 28, he said in the complaint. Puttur town police have registered a case and booked the accused under IPC sections for unlawful assembly, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt. Further investigation is on, the sources said. (PTI)
After demonstrating ten spins on August 4, and completing night sorties over the last couple of days, the HTT-40 (Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40) trainer aircraft, that has been built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, is ready for certification clearances.
Senior officials at HAL said night sorties of the aircraft were carried out on August 31 and September 1. “We are done with spin and entire certification testing. Now, we will be going ahead with the process of certification clearances,” the official added.
Intended to replace the HPT-32 (Hindustan Piston Trainer), the HTT-40 is a basic training aircraft developed for the first stage of the training of rookie pilots in the Indian Air Force. In stage two, they graduate to flying the Kiran Mark II trainer jet while the third stage involves training on the Hawk advanced trainer aircraft.
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The Namma Metro has now engaged World Resources Institute (WRI India) as its technical advisors for the Phase 2A and Phase 2B projects for Multimodal Integration (MMI) and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) along the two Metro corridors.
According to BMRCL, WRI India is a global research organisation focusing on building sustainable, liveable cities and working towards a low-carbon economy.
“The initiative seeks to bridge Bengaluru’s disconnect between mass transit infrastructure and unprecedented growth. TOD will help redirect growth along its rail transit corridor enabling walkable and connected neighbourhoods. MMI compliments this effort by providing a seamless and accessible urban transportation system that includes private as well as public modes of transit. Together, TOD and MMI aim to enhance accessibility and livability, making the city resource-efficient and reducing carbon footprints in the process,” BMRCL said in a statement.
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The new Karnataka Large & Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani Wednesday inspected various industrial areas in the state and directed officials to focus on providing world-class infrastructure facilities in all areas.
The instructions were issued after the minister carried out an inspection at the industrial areas in Ramanagara’s Harohalli and Bidadi and Jigani in Anekal near the state’s capital city Bengaluru.
After inspection, he said, “Although basic infrastructure has been delivered, I have instructed the officials to provide world-class roads, uninterrupted power and water supply and sewage connections in the industrial areas.”
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Karnataka reported 1,159 fresh Covid-19 cases and 21 deaths on Wednesday, taking the total number of infections to 29,50,604 and the toll to 37,339. The day also saw 1,112 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries in the state so far to 28,94,827. Bengaluru Urban accounted for the most number of cases (359), as the city saw 232 discharges and seven deaths. The total number of active cases in the state stood at 18,412.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 0.66 per cent, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) was 1.81 per cent. Out of 21 deaths reported on Wednesday seven were from Bengaluru Urban, while Dakshina Kannada logged five, Udupi three and Hassan two, followed by others.
Among the new cases in districts, Dakshina Kannada came behind Bengaluru Urban with 191 infections, Kodagu was next with 95, Mysuru and Udupi logged 91 each, followed by others.
Bengaluru Urban district topped the list of positive cases, with a total of 12,38,196, followed by Mysuru 1,76,170 and Tumakuru 1,19,284. Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban was on top of the list with 12,14,637 recoveries followed by Mysuru 1,72,795 and Tumakuru 1,17,532.
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With Covid-19 cases rising in Kerala, adequate steps should be taken to contain the inter-state spread of the infection, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday as he urged Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to increase the pace of vaccination in border districts.
In a telephonic conversation with the Health Minister K Sudhakar, Mandaviya discussed matters related to pandemic management in those areas of the state that border Kerala. Highlighting the need to take adequate steps to contain the inter-state spread of Covid-19, Mandaviya requested the Karnataka government to increase the pace of vaccination in the border districts, a statement from the government said.
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Hennur Police on Wednesday arrested a 35-year-old man who allegedly cheated woman on a matrimonial site by pretending to be a civil engineer.
The accused, identified as Jagannath S Sajjanar, had come out of prison on bail barely eight months ago and resumed his criminal activities since then, police said. Jagannath is a resident of Ullal, but originally hails from Vijayapura.
He was arrested following a complaint by a woman who had been cheated of Rs 4.4 lakh by Jagannath. “Jagannath used names such as Vijay S, Ramesh and others to cheat the women. He used to create profiles on matrimonial sites and target women who are above 30 years of age or divorced. He used to impress them with his communication skills. In many of the cases, he used to meet the victims in 2-5 days and would even promise to marry them,” police said. The cops added that he used to take the money on the pretext of starting a new business venture but would disappear after that.
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Renowned environmentalist D V Girish and his colleagues were assaulted by inebriated youths at Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary Monday on the Shola grassland of Chikmagalur district.
According to police sources, the accused passed lewd comments at a woman colleague of Girish and when he protested, the team was attacked. The police lodged a complaint Tuesday.
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The Karnataka government has taken measures to intensify checks at nursing colleges and other higher educational institutions in the state in the wake of a high number of students returning from neighbouring states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra contracting Covid-19.
For instance, 32 students of Noorunnisa Institute of Nursing in Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) tested positive for Covid on August 30, following 35 previous cases since August 24.
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The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) is all set to resume its Ambari open-roof bus in Mysuru from September 4, after the service was stopped due to the Covid-19-induced lockdown.
The initiative was finally launched in March this year. However, the buses were taken off the road when the lockdown was announced. The ‘Hop-on-hop-off’ buses will take tourists to heritage sites of Mysuru including Mysuru Palace, Zoo, Karanji Lake, Cheluvamba Mansion and certain museums.
The Ambari service will start from September 4 and will be available between 9.30 am and 5.30 pm.
The 40-bedded Dr Babu Jagjeevan Ram General Hospital — located at Rayapuram ward in Chamarajpet constituency (Bengaluru) —has begun offering Operation Theatre (OT) services.
The hospital had started 24x7 in-patient facility recently after which OT services began for ENT, General Surgery and Gynaecology-related treatment.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has become a talking point in BJP circles for taking certain measures that have earned him praise from the central leaders. In fact, party leaders in the state have now been advised to emulate him.
One of the measures Bommai took was asking party workers and visitors not to give him garlands or bouquets – instead they can bring books. Soon after, some of his Cabinet ministers gave similar instructions and implemented them overnight.
The Chief Minister has also police not to give him guard of honour during his visits to the districts unless it is a big event. Another instruction to them was to stop the practice of zero-traffic for the Chief Minister’s convoy unless it is an emergency.
At official meetings, Bommai has apparently asked senior bureaucrats to do the straight talk without beating around the bush, which party leaders said Home Minister Amit Shah used to do.
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The Chamarajanagar district administration in Karnataka has withdrawn a controversial Covid-19 vaccination initiative — “no vaccination, no ration”; “no vaccination, no pension” — that was to start Wednesday after criticism from the Congress.
On Tuesday, the deputy commissioner of Chamarajanagar district, M R Ravi, had announced the launch of the initiative in a bid to fight vaccine hesitancy. After the move was criticised by the Congress, Ravi issued a clarification Wednesday saying that “there is no official order issued by our district administration regarding the ‘no vaccination, no ration; no vaccination, no pension’ initiative and there will not be any kind of this programme in the district”.
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M Kurma Rao on Wednesday took charge as deputy commissioner of Udupi district of Karnataka. Rao replaces G Jagadeesha, who has been appointed as joint secretary to Chief Minister of the State Basavaraj Bommai.
After taking charge, Rao visited schools which have been reopened and interacted with students. Later, he told reporters that he cherishes the opportunity to welcome high school and pre-university students on the first day of him assuming charge and listen to their experiences.
Adequate arrangements have been made in the schools to conduct classes adhering to Covid-19 protocols, he said. On the demand for lifting of the weekend curfew in Udupi district, he said the matter would be discussed with all concerned. (PTI)
The Karnataka government has recently issued orders making a week-long institutional quarantine mandatory for all students and employees entering the state from neighbouring Kerala, which continues to record an uptick in the number of Covid-19 cases.
However, there was confusion that persisted after the guidelines were published.
The Karnataka government had decided to impose institutional quarantine on those returning from Kerala based on recommendations made by the Covid-19 technical advisory committee. As per the guidelines issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Jawaid Akhtar, the quarantine rule is applicable to all travellers entering the state from Kerala.
“It has been observed that students and employees entering Karnataka from Kerala are testing Covid-19 positive during repeat tests despite carrying negative RT-PCR reports with them. The number of such cases is considerably high in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi,” the order said.
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As pressure mounts on the Karnataka government to not impose restrictions on public celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi this year, enforcement agencies like the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the police are yet to issue guidelines for the festivities this year.
Various Right-wing organisations have requested the officials to not restrict Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations this year. The Karnataka government is scheduled to hold a meeting on September 5 with technical experts and health officials to discuss requests for a normal Ganesh Chaturthi amid rising Covid-19 in neighbouring states like Kerala.
“No guidelines have been prepared as yet but we do not expect a normal Ganesh Chaturthi. Restricted festivities may be allowed like last year,” said a senior police officer in Bengaluru.
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Nearly 10 years after over 1000 acres of revenue land around the Bannerghatta National Park, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, was identified as being crucial to an elephant corridor, and allotted to the Karnataka forest department, local disputes over ownership of cultivated land in the region have prevented the restoration of the corridor.
A land survey ordered in May by revenue authorities is now expected to resolve the land conflicts in the deemed forest region -which has been witness to many man-animal conflicts.
Acting on a 2011 Lok Adalat order to transfer 1,129 acres of government land at Shivanahalli village in Anekal taluk to the forest department, for the development of an elephant corridor, the Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner, J Manjunath, ordered a survey of the land in May this year. It has however now come to the light that though the survey is underway land encroachers have started farming in the same area.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah is visiting Karnataka on Thursday to attend a string of events in Davangere and Hubballi.
After arriving at the Hubballi Airport in the afternoon, he will proceed by helicopter to the district headquarters town of Davangere along with Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai, official sources said.
In Davangere, he will inaugurate 'Gandhi Bhavan' and visit Kondajji Basappa Memorial and offer his tributes. Later, he will inaugurate a police public school at Kondajji in Davangere district's Harihar taluk, and central library of GM Institute of Technology (GMIT) in Davangere.
Thereafter, he will return to Hubballi, where he will attend the wedding reception of Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs, Pralhad Joshi's eldest daughter Arpita with K S Hrushikesh. (PTI)
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Welcome to the live blog from Bengaluru where we bring to you the latest updates on Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka politics, Covid-19, BBMP and more across Bengaluru and Karnataka. Follow the blog and @IEBengaluru to stay up to date with the state in real time.