SC upholds NGT order to clear encroachments around Bengaluru’s Bellandur lake

Civic

The Namma Bengaluru Foundation moved the NGT in March 2014 and the top court subsequently to save the lake and its wetlands from rampant encroachments and pollution.

IANS

The Supreme Court upheld the National Green Tribunal order to clear encroachments around Bengaluru's largest Bellandur lake, said petitioner and BJP Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday. "The dismissal of the appeal to quash the Tribunal order of May 4, 2016 means defendants Mantri Tech Zone and Coremind Software Services have to pay Rs 117.5 crore and Rs 13.5 crore respectively, demolish structures and vacate over 3 acres of encroached area in the lake catchment area," said Chandrasekhar in a statement from Delhi.  The Namma Bengaluru Foundation moved the NGT in March 2014 and the top court subsequently to save the lake and its wetlands from rampant encroachments and pollution. Located in the city's southeast suburb, the lake is spread over 148 square kilometres."Mantri Tech Zone, a leading real estate developer, will also have to re-build the storm water drainage, which was diverted to make way for the illegal construction," Chandrasekhar said. His foundation has been fighting since 2014 for reclaiming the lake's catchment area from vested interests, including land sharks. "The battle to save the lake was a David versus Goliath legal fight in the green bench and the apex court against builders supported by the state government. By upholding the Tribunal order, the top court cracked the builder-politico nexus that was looting Bengaluru and the lake," he alleged. Accusing the state government of having nexus with contractors and builders exploiting the city, Chandrasekhar claimed the desperate attempts to get the Tribunal order quashed by the top court exposes the JD-S-Congress coalition government's support to the realtors. The defendants, however, did not respond to queries on the apex court order against them.

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'Stand in queue': Girl tells K'taka Minister MB Patil who jumped line at temple

After MB Patil said he had a flight to catch, the girl then posed for photographs with the Home Minister.

TNM Staff

It is a common sight to see politicians getting preferential treatment. But on Monday, the spirited response of a young girl surprised Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil when he and his entourage tried to enter a temple in Vijayapura district. “You should be like normal people standing in a line, right?” asked a young, college-going girl. The Home Minister was visiting the 770 Amaraganadishara temple on the occasion of Mahashivaratri around 11 am on Monday when the incident took place. Even as people stood in a queue to offer their prayers at the temple, MB Patil and his entourage arrived at the temple and attempted to supersede the waiting devotees to quickly offer their prayers. Undeterred by the sight, a young girl waiting in the queue objected to this and asked the Minister to stand in the queue to offer his prayers. The minister was caught off guard but quickly recovered his poise to state that he was running late for a flight and hence, he was not standing in the queue at the temple. “I wanted to stand in queue always but today, I have two programmes in Hubballi and then I am boarding a flight to Bengaluru,” MB Patil said. The Home Minister further added that he had waived privileges of zero traffic accorded to him. The explanation appeared to convince the girl, who also posed for photographs with the minister. In a social media post, the Home Minister later admitted that he was proud to meet the spirited girl who asked a minister to follow rules. BRAVE MINDS WILL BUILD OUR NATION “Proud to have met a daring girl who asked a minister to follow the set rules. The incident took place at our BLDE university campus temple. Education is the tool which is developing such strong mindsets. https://t.co/QtIa5qdavJ — M B Patil (@MBPatil) March 5, 2019 “I wouldn’t have met this spirited girl if scores of people were not waiting for me at a function in Vijayapura. Keep growing intellectually dear students,” he added.  

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'If they have guts, RSS should shoot Modi': Cong leader Belur Gopalakrishna kicks off row

Politics

The BJP took to Twitter and demanded that legal action be taken against the Congress leader.

TNM Staff

The BJP in Karnataka on Tuesday accused Congress leader Belur Gopalakrishna of trying to instigate people to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP posted a short clip of Gopalakrishna's speech in Bengaluru at a party function. The comment was made in a longer speech during which Belur Gopalakrishna claims polarisation of the country following the BJP’s leadership and the functioning of the RSS.  "Today, they (RSS) talk about Nathuram Godse, who killed Gandhiji. These people should not live in our country. Friends, they are trying to destroy democracy and if they (RSS) have the guts, then they can shoot Modi but don't kill anyone else," Belur Gopalakrishna is heard saying in a video. Soon after his statement was aired by local news channels, the BJP took to Twitter and demanded that action be taken against the Congress leader. Belur Gopalakrishna, a Congress leader in a official party function calls for assassination of democratically elected PM Sri @narendramodi ji. Instigating for assassination of PM of a country is a nation threat & we urge @HMOIndia, @CPBlr to impose legal action immediately. pic.twitter.com/Tg9GO0FCdM — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 5, 2019 "Belur Gopalakrishna, a Congress leader in a official party function calls for assassination of democratically elected PM Sri Narendra Modi ji.” “Instigating for assassination of PM of a country is a national threat and we urge Union Home Minister and Bengaluru Police Commissioner to impose legal action immediately," the BJP tweeted. Reacting to Belu Gopalakrishna's speech, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje tweeted, "Shocking statement from #Congress leader Belur Gopalakrishna, he calls out to assassinate PM Narendra Modi. To appease a particular section, Congress is instigating for the assassination of an elected PM. Urge Deputy CM Dr G parameshwara and CM HD Kumaraswamy to take legal action against him." Shocking statement from #CONgress leader Belur Gopalakrishna, he calls out to assassinate PM @narendramodi. To appease a particular section #Congress instigating for the assassination of an elected PM. Urge @DrParameshwara & @hd_kumaraswamy to take legal actions against him. pic.twitter.com/R0WQ69JH8h — Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) March 5, 2019 Known as a party-hopper, Belur Gopalakrishna had contested on a BJP ticket from Sagar in Shivamogga and defeated Congress heavyweight Kagodu Thimappa in the 2004 and 2008 Karnataka Assembly elections. He defected to the JD(S) in 2012 after the Ballari illegal mining scam in 2011 had split the state BJP unit. He contested from a JD(S) ticket in 2013 but lost the seat. In 2018, after differences with JD(S), he joined the Congress.

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Manual scavenging worker asphyxiated to death in Bengaluru school sewer pit

Crime

The Begur police have arrested the owner, principal and coordinator of the school for causing death due to negligence.

Prajwal Bhat

Image for representation

A daily wage worker engaged in manual scavenging work died while cleaning a sewage pit in an international school in Begur in Bengaluru on Saturday. The victim, 25-year-old Manu V, died of asphyxiation inside the pit. The incident took place in a Begur school. The Begur police have arrested the owner of the school, the principal and the coordinator. “We received information about the incident after Manu was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead. When we reached the school to investigate, we found that the administrators had sent him inside the sewage pit. Nobody was overseeing the cleaning and he was alone inside the pit when he died,” a police official from Begur Police Station told TNM. After a school staff saw Manu motionless in the pit, he was pulled out from the pit and rushed to a nearby hospital. “A case was registered against three persons for hiring Manu to clean the pit. They have been produced before the court. While one accused has been granted bail, the other two accused are still in judicial custody," the police official added. The accused have been booked under Section 304A (death due to negligence) of the IPC and under various sections of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. He was a resident of Hongasandra in the city. He is survived by his wife, Nandini, and a five-year-old daughter. Nandini is yet to come to terms with the tragic incident. She was not aware that Manu was engaged in manual scavenging work since her husband had simply stated that he worked as a plumber. “I was not aware that he was working in the school and no one has yet come forward to help us since the incident. He used to do plumbing work and I did not know why the school authorities made him do this. We don’t know what needs to be done and we don’t have the money to do anything," Nandini told TNM. According to a study, more than 80 persons engaged in manual scavenging work have been killed in Bengaluru in the last 10 years. Since 1993, employing a manual scavenging worker is a cognisable offence with imprisonment and fine. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act in 2013, and a Supreme Court ruling have also stated the same. But this illegal and inhumane practice continues to be practised due to the lack of enforcement of the ban and the lack of alternatives provided by the government to ensure that humans are not engaged in cleaning sewers.

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