BBMP trifurcation issue under discussion: CM

The proposed trifurcation of civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) was being discussed in the Legislative Council and a decision would be taken soon, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said today.
Addressing reporters at the airport here, he said the demand of Opposition parties BJP and JD-S to leave the amendment bill to a select committee was against precedents.
"They are indulging in bad practices. Never before in the history of Karnataka such a step had been taken," he said.
The government had already decided to restructure the BBMP. A decision on whether to trifurcate or bifurcate it would be taken after the discussions in the Upper House, he said.

Asked when the elections would be held, he said the high court has allowed the government's plea to postpone the polls and once the discussions were over, the date would be fixed.
Asked about the Yettinahole river diversion project, he said it would provide drinking water to Tumkuru, parts of Hassan, Bengaluru, Kolar and Chikkaballapur. The water would be used only for drinking needs and not for power generation or for industrial purposes.

On farmers' suicides, the Chief Minister said the government was sympathetic towards the demands of farmers and appealed to them not to take such extreme steps.
Siddaramaiah visited the St Joseph Vaz shrine at Mudipu hills near here in the evening and handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh from the state government to the church.

The church was built in memory of St Joseph Vaz belonging to Goa who later served as a missionary in Sri Lanka. Vaz was canonised by Pope Francis in Colombo in January this year.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the state would not tolerate fanaticism as it would spoil the entire society.
Though the people of Dakshina Kannada had a secular mindset, some elements were trying to disturb the peace and harmony in the region, he said adding that their activities would be checked.
He also said discussions would be held with the tourism department to grant more funds for the development of the Vaz shrine.

State Ministers U T Khader, Ramanath Rai, Parish priests Gregory D'Souza and Leo D'Souza were among those present.
Later he laid the foundation stone for the Congress Bhavan at Mallikatta near here and proceeded to the Ullal Dargah to attend a religious programme as part of the Uroos festival there.
Earlier in the day, he also visited the Sri Raja Rajeshwari Siddhivinayaka Temple and laid the foundation stone for the new building of Hira Women's Composite PU College at Thokkottu.