Drought to severely affect Karnataka mango yield this year

Agriculture

Farmers are expecting that this year's produce could be as low as 30% of the average annual yield.

Rohit R.

Severe drought conditions in the state are threatening the yield of mangoes this season. This had led to an increase in prices in markets and stores across the state.  The recent harvest of the King of Fruits has been drastically affected and farmers are expecting that the produce could be as low as 30% of the average annual yield. Blaming the weather conditions as the reason, Ramachandra, deputy director of the Horticulture Department in Dharwad, explained that extreme temperatures, absence of moisture in the soil and heavy winds have affected the growth of the fruit. The lack of rains has also added on to the misery of mango farmers. Kolar District which usually contributes around eight lakh tonnes of mangoes is expecting a major drop in production this year. “We are only expecting 2.5 lakh tonnes to 3 lakh tonnes, but this is just an optimistic prediction,” said Chinnappa Reddy, the president of Kolar District Mango Cultivators’ Association. Noting that the months of January and February were dismal for the farmers due to the absence of good conditions for flowering, the harvest has fallen drastically. Heavy rains along with hailstorms which lashed parts of the state has also damaged mangoes that were close to ripening. He also added that farmers are facing major financial losses and have accumulated numerous loans. Chinnappa Reddy also pointed out how successive governments have done nothing for the mango farmers in state. “Karnataka is a major producer of fruits and mangoes in particular, but apart from a lot of schemes introduced, nothing has been done on ground,” he said. Echoing the demands of the farmers in Karnataka, he said that there are no storage solutions or pulp production centres, and that neighbouring states have small-scale industries established for the well-being of farmers. The farmers who are staring at losses are also concerned by the price fluctuation in the market due to the gap between supply and demand. In 2018, the late onset of the season and a sudden surplus led to a price crash. Farmers fear that the situation will repeat itself.   

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One person dead after heavy rains lash Bengaluru on Tuesday

Weather

The rains also resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city leading to traffic snarls.

TNM Staff

At least one person died as a result of heavy downpour in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening. The deceased, identified as Siva Reddy, died after a cow shed collapsed on him in Doddanekundi. There were multiple incidents of damage to property and uprooting of trees. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted thundershowers for Wednesday also, as a result of cyclone Fani. In separate incidents, the wall of an under-construction building collapsed on a two wheeler in KP Agrahara on Magadi Road near Surekha International School; and an uprooted tree fell on an auto rickshaw on Chord Road next to Rajajinagar fire station. No casualties were reported in both the incidents.  The rains also resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city leading to traffic snarls. Mayor Gangambike Malikarjun received area-wise information from all zonal engineers through call onTuesday evening and instructed engineers to take action. Sirsi Circle flyover, Malleshwaram, HSR layout, Jayanagara, Tumakuru road, Mysuru road, KR Puram, Koramangala, Yeswanthpura and various parts of central business district (CBD) were the most affected.  She also urged engineers to identify waterlogging spots in Bengaluru and rectify them before the monsoon season. Power transmission was also disrupted due to rains in many parts of the city. According to Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, Sampangiramanagar received the highest rainfall with 152 mm/hr rain recorded from 8pm to 8.15pm. This was followed by VV Puram and Pulakshnagar, which received 144mm/hr and 120mm/hr rain respectively, for the same duration. The rain also forced the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to be abandoned after the match had resumed post 11pm.        At least one person died as a result of heavy downpour in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening. The deceased, identified as Siva Reddy, died after a cow shed collapsed on him in Doddanekundi. There were multiple incidents of damage to property and uprooting of trees.   The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted thundershowers for Wednesday also, as a result of cyclone Fani.   In separate incidents, the wall of an under-construction building collapsed on a two wheeler in KP Agrahara on Magadi Road near Surekha International School; and an uprooted tree fell on an auto rickshaw on Chord Road next to Rajajinagar fire station. No casualties were reported in both the incidents.    The rains also resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city leading to traffic snarls. Mayor Gangambike Malikarjun received area-wise information from all zonal engineers through call onTuesday evening and instructed engineers to take action.   Sirsi Circle flyover, Malleshwaram, HSR layout, Jayanagara, Tumakuru road, Mysuru road, KR Puram, Koramangala, Yeswanthpura and various parts of central business district (CBD) were the most affected.    She also urged engineers to identify waterlogging spots in Bengaluru and rectify them before the monsoon season.   Power transmission was also disrupted due to rains in many parts of the city.   According to Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority, Sampangiramanagar received the highest rainfall with 152 mm/hr rain recorded from 8pm to 8.15pm. This was followed by VV Puram and Pulakshnagar, which received 144mm/hr and 120mm/hr rain respectively, for the same duration.   The rain also forced the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to be abandoned after the match had resumed post 11pm.       

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8-month-old reunited with parents, four days after he went missing in Bengaluru

Crime

The infant, born to a blind couple, was kidnapped on Saturday at the Kempegowda bus station.

TNM Staff

Representational image

An eight-month-old child of a blind couple, who went missing in Bengaluru on Saturday was reunited with his parents after four days. The couple — Basavaraj and BK Chinnu, hail from Arakere village in Devadurga, part of Raichur district and had come to the city to visit the chief minister seeking financial help. The incident occurred as soon as they reached Bengaluru on Saturday morning at the Kempegowda bus station and Chinnu went to a drinking water booth for her son Sagar. This is when one woman offered help and fed Sagar but did not return the child. “Around 7.30 am, we were waiting for a bus when a woman helped us lift our luggage. She took my son in her arms three times and returned him before taking him away saying that she would get him some water to drink. We thought she was sympathetic to us and did not suspect anything,” Basavaraju told The New Indian Express. Following this, the couple lodged a complaint with Upparpet Police Station and a special search team was formed. The couple had been roaming around the city looking for their child. On Tuesday, two Kengeri residents— Parvathamma and Lakshmidevi, brought the child to the police station after learning from media reports that the child belonged to a blind couple. Parvathamma said that an unidentified woman handed the child to her while she was standing near a public toilet on April 27 and asked her to keep him till she returned, but she never turned up.  “We had lost our eye (son) on Saturday and are now getting it back,” Basavaraju toldThe Times of India after getting back his son. The couple run an orchestra and were seeking relief from the chief minister. Meanwhile, this issue has highlighted the issue of malfunctioning or defunct CCTV cameras at bus stops. A Times of India report said that 16 cameras at Kempegowda Bus Station are not working.“We tried to get the abductor’s photographs from CCTV footage but were shocked to realise half the cameras were not working. Visuals from the remaining cameras were blurred,” a police officer told the newspaper.  

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Democrats paper over rifts at 'Medicare for All' hearing

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Rising temps take toll: Infants show signs of dehydration in Karnataka and Telangana

Health

Doctors agree that fatigue and irregular eating are usually seen as initial symptoms among these infants.

Dr Nimeshika Jayachandran

Image for representation

Seven days after he was born, baby Abu Thala was rushed from his home in Bellary district to Motherhood Hospital in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar after he showed signs of severe dehydration. He was brought in an extremely critical stage, but fortunately made a complete recovery. Abu Thala is one of several newborn babies and young children who are presenting with severe dehydration in view of the rising temperatures. Many postnatal and children’s intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals in both Karnataka and parts of Telangana (largely in Hyderabad) are seeing an increase in the numbers of infants presenting with dehydration. Doctors have largely attributed the rising temperatures to this sudden influx of reports of dehydration. According to Dr Prathap Chandra, the neonatologist who oversaw Abu Thala’s case, such instances are seen during the peak summer time. “This is different from childhood dehydration where some children may present with similar symptoms, but it is not as severe. Weight loss up to 10% of the body weight is still considered within normal limits, but when it goes beyond that, it becomes a cause of concern,” he explains. As summer sets in, several states including Karnataka and Telangana, have been hit by the heat wave. Several cases of heat-related dehydration are being reported in large numbers from parts of central and northern Karnataka. “In Bellary, Raichur, Gulbarga, we are now seeing many cases of dehydration-related fever and several babies presenting with a significant loss of weight,” adds the doctor.  Spotting signs of dehydration Symptoms of dehydration may initially present as extremely subtle signs. Doctors agree that lethargy (fatigue) and irregular feeding are usually seen first among these infants. In addition, urine output may be less. Any young children and newborns showing these signs should be taken to a doctor for evaluation. The sudden increase in temperatures has caused various states to issue precautionary notices to the public telling them to take preventive steps against heat stroke and other health issues related to high temperatures. In Kerala, officials from the State Disaster Management Authority had listed precautions to be taken by the public in order to prevent heat-related health problems. 

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Bengaluru Uber driver leaves family on road at night after they refuse to pay cash

Transport

The Uber driver had reportedly insisted that that they cancel the ride on the app and pay him directly.

TNM Staff

Representational Image

It seems like there is no end to the ordeals faced by customers using app-based cab services from the Bengaluru International Airport. In the latest incident, a family of three including a three-year-old child were left stranded on a deserted road near the airport on April 27 night. This because they refused to cancel the ride on the app, and pay the driver upfront instead. The issue came to light on Monday after Neha Sehgal Bhatia shared her unpleasant experience on Facebook along with videos and photographs. A video posted by her shows the driver Kiran taking out their luggage and keeping it in middle of the road. While they tried to book another Uber in the absence of other alternative options, it was not possible. Cabs booked on the Uber platform from the airport can only start after PIN sent to the rider is shared with the driver from the designated pick up point. Besides the cab driver deserting them, she alleged that Uber did not help, instead citing, “they have exhausted all resources”. The cab aggregator advised Neha to call the police. She wrote, “The driver, as soon as we left from the pickup point, insisted that we cancel the trip, and give him cash. Looks like, he wanted to avoid the commission paid to Uber. We did not want to do that, lose the tracking and other so-called safety features provided by Uber (In hindsight, now, it looks like it's all only on books, and Uber is as unsafe as any other direct booking of cabs)....Since we were near the airport, we asked him to drop us so we can get another cab, but he was not ready to do that either.” “Then, he switched off the AC, and locked the windows and doors. We felt really unsafe with our 3-year-old son, so immediately dialled the SOS number, the police helpline worked, and we were also able to call a couple of security guards to get us dropped near the airport premise,” she added. Following the incident, Neha alleges that Uber did not reach out besides sending out an autogenerated email. Reacting to the incident, an Uber spokesperson said, “We regret the inconvenience caused to the rider. This form of misconduct by a driver partner violates our community guidelines. We are investigating this matter and will take necessary actions, as needed. Safety is paramount to Uber and we are deeply committed to it.”

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Activists are opposing a waste to energy plant in Bengaluru: Here’s why

Environment

While the WTE plant may mean less dumping and burning of garbage on the streets, experts warn of its less apparent harms.

Soumya Chatterjee

3wayste

On April 25, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara announced that an MoU had been signed with the CEO of a French company, 3wayste, to set up the waste to energy (WTE) plant. The five-megawatt capacity plant will be set up near Electronic City in Bengaluru. However, city-based activists are objecting to the plant on grounds of health risks, sustainability and governance.  These developments come at a time when the city’s waste management problem remains unresolved, with the Karnataka High Court pulling up BBMP time and again for the same. While WTE plants may reduce garbage dumping or burning in the streets, experts warn of its less apparent harms. Health risks Aishwarya Sudhir, Air Quality and Health Programme Lead - Bengaluru, Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL) pointed out that world over, there have been concerns over these WTE plants. One major concern is the huge amount of bottom ash they generate. Bottom ash is essentially that part of the fuel – in this case, waste – that is non-combustible. “Over the years, there has been no real solution for the bottom ash that WTE plants generate. It all ends up adding to the air pollution in our cities. Further, the combustion process releases many gases into the atmosphere, depending on the constitution of the waste being burnt. The gases could also contain heavy metals and result in other noxious emissions,” she said. “Segregating waste and addressing it at the source irrespective of the tedious management that it demands remains the safest method of waste management. There have been several examples in the past, such as the Okhla WTE plant, that we need to learn from and ensure that we do not go down that path,” she added. The Okhla plant in the national capital was fined Rs 25 lakh in 2016 by the National Green Tribunal for polluting the environment and releasing toxins in the air, which affected the health of those living around the plant. Sustainability Vinay Sreenivasa, a Bengaluru-based lawyer-activist said having a WTE plant is opposed to the basic idea of waste management – to reduce, recycle and reuse, and manage waste locally. “Once there are WTE plants, there is no motivation to segregate as you will burn the waste when it’s mixed only. It is an easy fix; it is not going to solve the problem in the long term. So, the amount of waste is going to increase,” he said. Against local governance The other prime opposition to the project is that it’s not part of the BBMP’s Solid Waste Management (SWM) policy and violates the Swacch Sarvekshan guidelines of the union government. Sandeep Anirudhan, an activist advocating sustainable living, said the move also a violates the 74th amendment of the Constitution which guarantees public consultation over matters concerning local governance. “There is no scientific study, holistic evaluation or even cost-benefit analysis done before going ahead with the project. Then they (the political class) steamroll these over citizens’ rights, by not even holding a public consultation. This is nothing but highjacking of democracy,” he argued. Legal hurdles A senior lawyer at the Karnataka High Court argued that the proposed plant is illegal and contrary to BBMP’s submissions to the Karnataka High Court. “The BBMP had said in the court that it will segregate waste at source and not burn it elsewhere outside the city,” he said. When asked about this, a top BBMP official said that the BBMP did not have much say in the project and was forced into it due to external obligations. “The only thing the BBMP had to do here was to finalise the agreement. We have put strong conditions to ensure that the company performs on ground,” he said. “It is not that WTE plants are illegal but it ideally should be the last option,” he added. The official further explained, “Urban Development Department had floated a tender for Waste to Energy plants in 2017 and there were no takers. The French company had approached them and later there were discussions between the governments. As part of this, they were exempted from the tendering process and it became a zero-cost proposal for us. They will install their own equipment and all we have to ensure is that waste of 200 metric tonnes is delivered to them at free of cost.” Feasibility In addition to the considerable opposition to setting up of WTE plants, a recent analysisby the Centre for Science and Environment has shown half of the existing WTE plants in India have been shut on grounds of feasibility. Firstly, because WTE plants do not get many buyers for the power they generate due to cheaper alternatives being available. And secondly, costs for maintaining the plants is higher in India, owing to the high moisture and low-calorie content of India’s municipal waste compared to other parts of the world. Company’s response When TNM approached Robert Filipp, CEO of 3Wayste with these concerns, he said that the plant will follow both Indian and European standards of emission and abide by the applicable laws. "We support waste segregation but unfortunately people are not so compliant as we imagine. We recycle everything and only use for the energy the part that is of high calorific value and has no other use," he said. However, a BBMP official said that unless waste is segregated at source, it is difficult to understand what to compost, reuse and recycle respectively. “We do not know what will happen if this issue with mixed waste is challenged in court or NGT,” the official said.  

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