Page 30 - Karnataka

Sustainability summit: Six water sanitation startups win Rs 25 lakh each

For 29-year-old Shilpa K Nayana, nothing, not even her four-month-old baby son, Rio aka Rayan Nayana Arjun, could come in the way, as she pitches her already award-winning project Jalam, at Karnataka Water and Sanitation Sustainability Summit held in Bengaluru. She was among the 20 startup social entrepreneurs shortlisted from 119 applications to pitch their project at the summit on October 29. As the summit wound up late in the evening, six of the 20 were announced as winners of a grant of Rs 25 lakh and a chance to pilot their innovations in collaboration with the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR). Nayana's project Jalam, a low-cost water filtration technology that can be used at household level as well as community level, was among the six chosen projects. "The working cost for decontamination of water with my filter that uses nanotechnology is as low as Rs 2 per litre," said the social entrepreneur who envisioned Jalam as her final year project when she w

Karnataka HC grants interim bail to actor Darshan citing medical grounds

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is an accused in Renukaswamy murder case, on medical grounds, to undergo spine surgery. The bench of Justice S Vishwajith Shetty granted interim bail for a period of six weeks to undergo medical treatment. The court had reserved the order on Tuesday on the bail application after hearing detailed arguments from the actor's legal representative, senior advocate C V Nagesh, and State Public Prosecutor P Prasanna Kumar. The state had presented medical reports in a sealed cover from doctors at Ballari Central Prison, where he is lodged, and the Head of the Department of Neurology at a government hospital in Ballari. Darshan was arrested on June 11 and is lodged in Ballari Prison. His bail application, submitted on September 21, was rejected by a sessions court. Following this, he petitioned the High Court and requested interim bail to receive treatment. According to police, 33-year-old Renukas

Karnataka BJP chief Vijayendra joins Run for Unity to honour Sardar Patel

The 'Run for Unity' events are taking place across India in memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and remembering his enduring legacy. The Chief Ministers of Tripura and Uttarakhand also participated

Karnataka eyes Rs 1,500 cr investments in state with new tourism policy

The Karnataka cabinet on Monday cleared the new tourism policy for the state, with the government eyeing investments to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore in the sector. Karnataka plans to attract 20 lakh foreign tourists a year to be among the top five states in this category, and with respect to domestic footfalls it wants to be among the top three states with a target of 48 crore local tourists, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. "The cabinet after detailed discussion has given its nod to announce the Karnataka Tourism Policy 2024-29 and to release subsidies, grants under the policy," Patil said. He further said the new tourism policy wants to promote tourism in the state under themes -- adventure, agriculture, caravan, coastal, beach, cuisine, cultural, traditional, environment, education, film, golf, sports, tribal, wedding destination, health tourism among others. "... apartment, hotel, service apartments, aquarium, beach shacks

ED undertakes fresh searches in money laundering case involving MUDA

The Enforcement Directorate undertook fresh searches on Monday in connection with the money laundering case involving the Mysuru Urban Development Authority in which it has booked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his family and others, official sources said. About seven to eight premises in Bengaluru and Mysuru are being covered in the search, the sources said. This includes the premises of a builder in Bengaluru and some linked persons. The federal agency conducted the first round of raids in this case on October 18 when it searched the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) office in Mysuru and some other locations. It also questioned some lower-rank officials of the MUDA at its Bengaluru zonal office last week. Taking cognisance of a Lokayukta FIR, the ED has filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book the Karnataka chief minister and others. Siddaramaiah is facing Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged

Beer makers urge Karnataka govt to withdraw draft, fear 10-20% price hike

The Beer Association of India (BAI) has urged the Karnataka government to withdraw draft notifications, which proposed a hike in duty through alcohol content-based classification in beer, saying that on average this move would lead to a price increase of 10-20 per cent in mainstream and premium segments. The draft notification proposes to double the excise duty on strong beer to Rs 20 per bulk litre, increase the minimum billing price for beer in the state to Rs 300 per case and Additional Excise Duty (AED) to 195 per cent of the billing price or Rs 130 per bulk litre whichever is higher. The industry body, in a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, has also asked to withdraw the proposal asking beer manufacturers to declare the sugar content in the beer on the bottle's label and capping the use of sugar to 25 per cent of the weight of malt of grain. BAI, which represents leading beer makers United Breweries, ABInBev and Carlsberg, said these draft notifications are not in the ...

Karnataka CM announces Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia in Bengaluru building collapse

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of each deceased in a building collapse here, and said the government will bear the full medical expenses of those injured. The incident, which claimed eight lives, was not due to the impact of rain, but owing to shoddy construction work, he said, adding, the building was constructed in a revenue layout unauthorisedly without taking any licence, and officials are being held responsible for it. Siddaramaiah said eight people have been rescued. Three of the six injured are in a serious condition but all of them are out of danger. Speaking to reporters after visiting the building collapse site at Babusapalya near Hennur, he said next of kin of those killed would be given an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each -- Rs two lakh by the Labour Department and Rs three lakh by the city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The government is also thinking about giving ..

UDAN scheme helps improve passenger footfall here: Mysore airport director

Anoop JR, Airport Director said that the state government is coordinating the land acquisition process for the expansion of the airport, after acquiring land, the runway expansion work will be started

Karnataka by-polls: Cong may announce candidates today, says Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the ruling Congress has made all necessary preparations for the November 13 Assembly by-polls in three segments in the state, and the candidates are likely to be announced later in the day. He said, while it has been decided to give Sandur ticket to Bellary MP E Tukaram's wife Annapurna, candidates for Shiggaon and Channapatna segments will be decided by the party. The last date for filing nominations is October 25, and the final date for withdrawal of papers is October 30. By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections. "We have made all the preparations (for bypolls), probably candidates may be announced today. The Sandur candidate has been decided, we will give the ticket to Tukaram's wife.

SC upholds anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna in kidnapping case

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to set aside the anticipatory bail given to Bhavani Revanna, the mother of suspended JD(S) leader and rape accused Prajwal Revanna, in a kidnapping case while dismissing the Karnataka government's plea. In a setback to the Karnataka government, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan took into account that the chargesheet had been filed in the case and refused to interfere with the Karnataka High Court order. During the hearing, the state government counsel, claimed the mother was directly involved in allegedly procuring women for her son. The apex court noted that the principal accused in the case had been arrested and put under custodial interrogation. After the Karnataka government sought the cancellation of the anticipatory bail to Bhavani, the top court on July 10, refused to set it aside and sought her response. The high court had on June 18 granted anticipatory bail to Bhavani emphasising she had already answered 85 questions duri

CBI, ED, I-T should be impartial, not in favour of one party: Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said central agencies like CBI, ED and Income Tax should be impartial and not function in favour of one party. He also said that the ruling Congress was ready to face and win November 13 by-polls in three assembly segments in the state. "Nagendra (former Minister B Nagendra) has told the media that he was pressurised by the ED. He also informed me that he was pressurised to name me and D K Shivakumar (Deputy Chief Minister). No agency should work in favour of a party. Whether it is CBI or ED or Income Tax, they should function impartially," Siddaramaiah told reporters. The Chief Minister was responding to former Minister B Nagendra's allegations that he was pressurised by the ED to name him and Shivakumar in the multi-crore scam in Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Nagendra had, after walking out of the jail on bail on Wednesday, also charged the ED (Directorate of Enforcement) with arresting him

MUDA chairman Marigowda resigns amid row over allotment irregularities

The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) chairman K Marigowda quit on Wednesday, amid a row over irregularities in allotment of sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi B M. He submitted his resignation from the post to the Urban Development Department Secretary. "I have resigned following directions from the CM. Also, as I had health issues, I have resigned...there was no pressure on me, as I had health issues I have resigned," Marigowda, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah, told reporters here. Responding to a question, he said, "Probe is on (in MUDA case allegedly involving CM) and it will continue...it will be known from the probe whether there were any irregularities." Siddaramaiah is facing the Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the MUDA. Siddaramaiah's wife, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, Devaraju -- from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy purchased land and gifted it to Parvathi -- and others are na

Bengaluru braces for a rainy week as IMD issues alert across Karnataka

Bengaluru weather: The IMD predicts heavy rains to continue throughout the week, with a generally cloudy sky expected between October 14 and October 17

UP CM to withdrew cases against him, says Parameshwara on Hubballi riots

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday defended the government's decision to withdraw cases pertaining to the 2022 Hubballi riots and claimed that even Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had dropped ones against him. He was reacting to the BJP staging a protest at Freedom Park here against the government's October 10 move to withdraw criminal cases registered against a mob which had attacked policemen with stones on April 16, 2022 in Hubballi town in north Karnataka. This is one of the 43 cases the state Cabinet decided to withdraw at its meeting on Thursday following a petition by the Anjuman-e-Islam to Parameshwara, official sources said. After approving the proposal to withdraw the case, we have to inform the court. If the court accepts the proposal then the case will be withdrawn. If it doesn't then the case won't be withdrawn. We have to follow all the procedures cautiously. We cannot withdraw on our own just because someone said it, Parameshwara told ...

BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of corruption in MUDA land scam controversy

Bhandari also said that Mallikarjun Kharge has admitted that he abused his official position to provide alleged benefits to his family members after his family decided to return a five-acre land allot

Karnataka BJP MPs betrayed people of the state, says CM Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday hit out at the BJP MPs from Karnataka for not raising their voice against the injustice to the state in tax devolution. He appealed to people to rise against the 'injustice' to the state. Addressing reporters, Siddaramaiah said the state has received Rs 6,498 crore while Uttar Pradesh got Rs 31,987 crore, marking a huge difference in the tax devolution between the two states. "People need to raise their voice against the injustice to Karnataka. The BJP leaders supporting the Centre are betraying the people of the state, be it Pralhad Joshi or anyone else," he said. "So many MPs have gone from Karnataka. They need to raise their voice, which they have not done." According to the CM, the state has incurred a loss of Rs 60,000 crore in tax devolution in five years. Asked about the next move of the government on this, Siddaramaiah said he would discuss it with his cabinet colleagues. In a statement on this issue on Saturday, Siddaramaiah questio

Police apprehends eight Bangladeshis for illegal stay in Karnataka

Eight Bangladeshi nationals who were staying illegally in Udupi district here were apprehended, police said on Saturday. They were residing in Hoode village in the district for the past three years without valid passports or visas. According to Udupi Superintendent of Police Arun K, the arrest came after one of the accused, identified as Mohammed Maniq, attempted to flee to Dubai from Mangaluru airport using a fake passport. Suspicion from immigration officials led to his arrest at Bajpe airport in the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada district, he said. "Upon interrogation, Maniq revealed that seven other Bangladeshi nationals were staying with him illegally in Hoode village." The information was relayed to the Udupi police, who subsequently conducted a raid in the area. Police detained the seven individuals on Friday and initiated a detailed inquiry into their illegal stay. During the investigation, it was discovered that the accused possessed fake Aadhaar cards. SP Arun stated tha

All companies, schools to hoist Karnataka flag on Nov 1: DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said Kannada flag should be hoisted compulsorily at all educational institutions, businesses and factories, including those operating in the information technology and biotechnology sector, in Bengaluru on November one, the state's formation day. He said about 50 per cent of people residing in the city and Bengaluru Urban district are from other states, and they should also give priority to learn Kannada. "...we are marking 50 years of Mysore state being renamed as Karnataka. November one is a day of celebration for Kannadigas...as in-charge Minister for Bengaluru I have formulated a new programme as part of which at all schools and colleges, factories, business including IT-BT sector Kannad flag should be hoisted compulsorily," Shivakumar said. An order to this effect would be issued, he told reporters here. "All organisations, educational institutions, factories, businesses and others should compulsorily hoist Kannada flag

Bengaluru police arrest man who used pigeons to rob 50 locked houses

The accused identified as Manjunath would use pigeons, while searching for locked houses and apartments. The police have decoded how he managed to commit 50 robberies

Karnataka BJP chief predicts fast-paced developments, change of CM soon

Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Thursday predicted fast-paced political developments in the state in the next few days, including change of Chief Minister over the MUDA 'scam'. "Lot of political developments are certainly taking place in the state. In the next few days the kind of fast paced political developments will take place, which both you (media) and the people of the state will see," he told reporters here. Asked about his recent comments regarding change of Chief Minister after Dasara festival, he said: "I have said that fast paced political developments will take place, it includes everything." Vijayendra on Sunday claimed that, according to his information, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is facing a probe in the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) site allotment case, may resign after Dasara. A few Ministers in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet had recently held closed-door meetings, fueling speculation about leadership change. On several leaders in the BJP "no