Petitions against controversial Yettinahole project dismissed by NGT

Environment

In its judgement, the NGT said that since the project is for drinking water purposes, it does not require environmental clearance.

Prajwal Bhat

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday allowed the construction of the controversial Yettinahole project, which proposes the diversion of water from Yettinahole, a tributary, to be transported to Tumakuru, Hassan, Chikkaballapura, Kolar, and Bengaluru Rural districts of Karnataka. In its judgement, the panel headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel noted that since the project is for drinking water purposes, it does not require environmental clearance. "Since the project is for drinking water purposes, no environmental clearance is required...However, the Forest Department and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC)  to monitor the project and if they found that there were any violation, they are at liberty to take appropriate action", the judgement noted. The Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL), the government body in-charge of implementing the project, had earlier denied that an environmental clearance was needed for the project since it is for drinking water purposes. However, around 40% of the water diverted will be used to fill minor tanks, from which water is used for other purposes. The NGT also dismissed all the petitions seeking to stop the construction of the Yettinahole project. The project aims to divert the west-flowing Yettinahole, a major tributary of the Nethravathi river, towards Bengaluru to meet the drinking water needs of Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru and Bengaluru Rural districts. The estimated Rs. 13,000 crore project will divert nearly 24 TMC (or 672 billion litres) of water through canals and pipelines spanning 1000 kilometres. However, in their petitions to the NGT, activists and environmentalists opposing the construction of the project contended that the water from the project will be used for irrigation and not only for drinking water purposes.   Dinesh Holla, an activist from Mangaluru, said that the start of the construction of the project had contributed to water scarcity along the Yettinahole and in Dakshina Kannada district. "The construction of the Yettinahole project has led to drying up of water sources in the Nethravathi river. This is in spite of declaring Dakshina Kannada district as drought-hit last year. There is drinking water scarcity and the government has admitted this region is drought hit and yet the project is going ahead.  All political parties have willingly agreed to this project." Dinesh said. Furthermore, a 2016 report by the Indian Institute of Science prepared by a team of researchers led by TV Ramachandra had questioned the amount of water in catchment areas of the Yettinahole that would be available for diversion. It had contended that only 9.5 TMC of water will be available even in monsoon months, which is far less than the 24 TMC estimated by the government.  

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A former PM and a former CM among K'taka giants defeated in 2019 LS polls

Politics

The Leader of the Opposition also faced a surprise defeat in the elections.

TNM Staff

Several high-profile candidates including a former Prime Minister, a former Chief Minister and a current minister in the Karnataka cabinet faced defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Here are some of the big names who lost in the elections: HD Deve Gowda After months of speculation, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda belatedly confirmed that he would contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Tumakuru constituency. He has been elected as MP from the Hassan constituency in the past three elections but he decided to relinquish his seat to his grandson Prajwal Revanna. The decision did not pay off for the veteran JD(S) leader as the BJP's GS Basavaraju defeated him by 13339 votes. Deve Gowda's campaign was also troubled by rebel Congress leader Muddahanumegowda who was the incumbent MP from Tumakuru. He initially decided to contest the elections as an independent candidate but later withdrew his candidature following discussions with Siddaramaiah. Mallikarjun Kharge Leader of the Opposition and three-time MP from Kalaburgi constituency, Mallikarjun Kharge was expected to sweep the Lok Sabha elections once again. But the BJP's decision to rope in Congress rebel Umesh Jadhav turned out to be a key move, with the latter managing to defeat Kharge by 95,452 votes. Umesh was once mentored by Kharge in the Congress. He was elected as MLA of Chincholi constituency in the 2018 Assembly elections but he rebelled against the Congress in January this year and was subsequently disqualified as an MLA. He immediately switched to the BJP and was named the party's candidate from Kalaburgi constituency.   Krishna Byre Gowda Cabinet Minister Krishna Byre Gowda was a last-minute candidate decided by the Congress for the Bengaluru (North) seat. KBG was drafted after JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda decided to contest from the Tumakuru seat. KBG contested against Union Minister DVS Sadananda Gowda of the BJP. During the campaign, KBG suggested that the limited time available to him to fight the campaign was a "challenge". He also brought in innovative campaign ideas including the flash mob at a Bengaluru mall. However, it did not prove to be enough and DVS Sadananda Gowda emerged victorious by 1,47,518 votes.   Veerappa Moily Not many remember that Veerappa Moily was the Chief Minister of Karnataka 25 years ago. The veteran Congress leader lost the election in the Chikkaballapura constituency against BJP candidate BN Bachegowda. Veerappa had previously won in 2009 and 2014 and was seeking re-election for the third time. However, he was defeated by 1,82,110 votes. In the run-up to the elections, he was criticised for the lack of measures taken to address severe water scarcity and drought-situation in the district. KH Muniyappa Congress leader and seven-time MP from Kolar KH Muniyappa also faced defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. Bengaluru-based S Muniswamy, who was earlier a corporator in the city, managed to put an end to Muniyappa's winning streak going all the way back to 1991. However, Muniyappa's campaign was marred by an internal rift. Congress leader and Speaker in the Karnataka Assembly KR Ramesh Kumar criticised Muniyappa in the run-up to the elections. In the elections, he was defeated by 2,10,021 votes.

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‘Congress will recover faster than expected’: Cong minister Priyank Kharge to TNM

Lok Sabha 2019

The young minister attributed the BJP’s victory to “rhetoric”.

Soumya Chatterjee

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Forty-year-old Priyank Kharge, a second-generation Congress minister in the Karnataka government tried to put up a brave front in times of unprecedented adversity. While the Congress has been virtually vanquished in the state, his father Mallikarjun Kharge, a heavyweight has been trumped by his protégé, Umesh Jadav. Priyank, however, blamed it on “anti-incumbency” and accepted defeat. To the Congress “it just as an upset” is an understatement, even though the party has been reduced to a single seat. Until this, Kharge senior (76) had won nine Assembly elections and two Lok Sabha elections in a row. Kharge’s might had also resulted in the Congress securing a strong base in the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka region. ”Yes, there was some anti-incumbency but we will overcome that. Just losing one election does not mean that we have lost our entire existence. We are a 130-year-old party, we have groomed and nurtured the region. We will introspect and come back faster than expected,” a defiant Priyank told TNM, following an informal cabinet meeting called by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday. While the erstwhile leader of the Congess in Lok Sabha dedicated himself for campaigning for all across the state, it was up to the junior Kharge to prove his mettle. He was tasked with managing his father’s campaign in his home constituency. “I cannot shy away from that [accepting responsibility for the defeat]. I think I had the biggest responsibility since I am the district in-charge minister too,” he said, while adding, “We have to figure that out it has been only 24 hours that the results out. Right now, I am in Bengaluru. I will go back to the constituency and talk to my leaders and we will figure out what went wrong. We will take corrective measures.” The young minister attributed the BJP’s victory to “rhetoric”. “I think not just in Karnataka but the entire country, what worked for them was Mr Modi’s rhetoric. So, if they talked about jobs, agrarian crisis, we could have done something. I think the public fell for the rhetoric.” Questioned about the failure of the Congress party to match up the BJP, Priyank insisted, “We have been trying to but you know how deep their pockets are.” While the defeat in Lok Sabha is yet to sink in for the Congress-JD(S), there are murmurs in political circles that the state government will dissolve. But Priyank seemed adamant and said that inspite of the BJP’s advances, the current regime will complete its full term. “They have been trying unconstitutionally to cede a constitutionally elected government, so it’s up to them to try or not try. But we will stay united and we will ensure the government lasts for four years. They are going to try it with renewed vigour but I would like to assure everybody that the government is here to stay for the next four years. The government is on a very strong wicket,” Priyank said. When questioned about the rebelling MLAs in the party, Priyank said that the BJP is trying to buy them out. “They are buying MLAs. Is it constitutional?  And you are asking me why I should not blame them? They are opening their doors when the BJP is going to their houses. They are literally pulling them out of their offices. So, who should be blamed?”

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Sumalatha pays tributes to Ambareesh a day after being elected as MP

Politics

It has been exactly six months since Ambareesh passed away in November 2018.

Newly elected MP Sumalatha Ambareesh paid tribute to her late husband actor Ambareesh at his memorial in Bengaluru on Friday. A visibly emotional Sumalatha was seen alongside her son Abhishek paying her respects to Ambareesh, a day after she was elected as the MP of Mandya as an independent candidate defeating Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.   "The people have stood by me. This is an example to show how much people of Mandya loved Ambareesh. This is not a win for me alone. This is a win for Ambareesh, his fans and for the Congress rebels who stood by me and worked with me. BJP and the Rajya Raitha Sangha had stood by me. This is a win for Yash and others who joined us. I had a small team and they worked relentlessly for this. I had zero experience in politics and even now I am not an experienced politician but the people of Mandya have shown the country what is self-respect," an emotional Sumalatha told reporters. She further revealed that Ambareesh's birth anniversary on May 29 will be celebrated in Mandya. Ambareesh passed away exactly six months ago on November 24 2018. "When Ambareesh was around, I did not need anything else. I feel that in some way he has guided me to this...The credit goes to the people of Mandya, particularly the women in Mandya who have stood by me," she said.  She also criticised her political opponents for indulging in 'negative politics' during campaigning. "I have learnt many negative things that happens in politics in my first election. They spent money, talked about caste and cheated by indulging in negative politics but Mandya's people have rejected them. They have chosen love over cheating," she said.  Sumalatha and Nikhil Kumaraswamy were embroiled in a bitter political campaign in the run-up to the elections in April.  She, however, refused to comment on the status of the coalition government in power in the state and about whether she had decided to extend support to the NDA or UPA at the Centre. "For now, I don't know what the parties are planning. Many have wished me but there have been no talks that have taken place. We will see what happens next," she added.    

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The Pre-Le Meridien era: Memories of an old Bengaluru mansion that stood on Sankey Rd

History

A longtime Bengaluru resident recalls her growing years surrounded by family and nature in an old bungalow once owned by her grandfather and grandmother.

Gita Aravamudan

And so, Le Meridien is going. I wonder what will come up in its place. Whatever it is, I am sure it can never be a match for The Links, the grand and gracious building which was a part of my growing years. The Links was almost a twin of what is now called the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). Once upon a time, before it was so aesthetically converted, the NGMA was the grand home of the Manickavelu family. The two buildings stood back to back. While Manickavelu Mansion faced Palace Road, The Links stood on Sankey Road, facing the Golf Course. The Manickavelu Mansion had become dilapidated after a dispute in the family. But once the government took it over and the artists got to work on it, it got a new and beautiful life. Sadly, unlike its twin, The Links turned into rubble in the late 1960s and the large plot on which it stood was parceled out and sold by its owners. My grandfather MA Sreenivasan took The Links on rent in the late 1940s when he returned home to Bengaluru after working for a while as the Diwan of Gwalior. He stayed there for the next 20 years. It’s likely that his stay in a Gwalior palace had given him a taste for palatial bungalows. Besides, he had a large family of seven children, other dependent adults and a growing brood of grandchildren all of whom were constantly in and out of the house. What clinched the matter is perhaps the fact that he could just walk across the quiet road in front of his house to the lovely Bangalore Golf Course for his daily game. In the 1950s, the part of Sankey Road which ran in front of The Links was broad, peaceful and ideal for cycling and walking. Very few vehicles passed by that way. The ministers’ houses on that road came up much later on an open plot which was our playground then. The Bangalore Golf Course was an open green space with no barriers or nets to keep the public out. It was a very quiet area. Sometimes eerily so. After dark, Cunningham Road which abutted the other side of our house was so quiet and deserted that scared pedestrians and cyclists would whistle loudly as they passed through, to keep away the ghosts! The Links was an enormous two-storied building with an impressive portico in front and huge verandahs curving around the house. The high-ceilinged rooms were spacious with alcoves, bay windows and French doors. Each room had a different elaborately designed cement floor. The “ballroom” upstairs had wooden flooring which glowed when polished. The main staircase too was made of wood. The bathrooms had tubs and ceramic tiling, something that was unheard of in those days. The property was huge. The drive leading from the gate to the building was itself at least half-a-kilometer long. The house, with its tall Grecian pillars and impressive portico and verandah, stood surrounded by a couple of acres of spacious lawns and huge trees. In one corner of the property was a tennis court which was always in need of maintenance. A private house now stands there. Closer to the main house was a wooden slatted “summer house” which was used as a garden nursery. Behind the house, separated from the main garden by a compound wall, stood a row of 10 sturdy servants’ quarters, stables, cowsheds and spacious garages for cars. That space has now been turned into apartment blocks. Architecturally, The Links was almost identical to Manickavelu Mansion. The same impressive portico and wide verandahs, the same colourful cement flooring and balconies. Mount Carmel College which is just down the road has similar architectural features and so did the building next to it which was pulled down to make way for the Shangri-La hotel. No one seemed to know the history of The Links. I for one, could never find out who built it or when. Or who planted those gigantic Java fig and rain trees which were already tall trees when we moved in. Was it built on a graveyard as some said? Was it built by an American? Was it part of the palace complex? Of course when we lived there as children, none of us pondered over such questions. For us, The Links was just our grandfather’s house presided over by my beautiful grandmother. A big home with large rooms filled with uncles and aunts, a blind great-grandmother and our band of cousins who would descend on the house every summer. It was a bustling house replete with the aromas of Indian cooking, poojas and festivities, big family gatherings and dinner parties. My brother was born in one of those rooms and my aunt Lakshmi got married in the huge hall with the ceiling-to-floor length mirror. The only link we had with the building’s colonial past was Antony, who lived in the servants’ quarters at the back. He had worked as a cook and butler for the last white inhabitants of the bungalow but in his new avatar, he was my grandfather’s Man Friday. Since he was not allowed into my orthodox grandmother’s kitchen, he was given a place to cook in another part of the house. And it was there that he would whip up delectable meringues, trifle puddings and brandy snaps. The chatter of our colourful Indian lives had driven away all vestiges of that colonial past and it was only his food and stories of the former residents which brought them alive for us. My grandfather’s parties were attended by the who’s who of Bengaluru and my grandmother’s grand Krishna Jayanthi celebrations were all hosted in the large party rooms downstairs. My grandfather’s cows and buffaloes occupied the horse stables as well as the cow sheds. In the holidays, we climbed every tree in the garden and played catch on the sprawling lawns. In the late 1960s, my grandfather moved out to his own house and The Links was demolished by its owner. Even today as I wait to pass through Sankey Road, usually packed with vehicles, I try to peer and count the number of trees still standing in the property. The Java fig is still there and so are a couple of big gulmohur and rain trees. Will they survive the next round of demolition and building, I wonder? If only the trees could talk. What stories they would have had to tell.

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