Cyclone Vayu: Passengers stranded at Bengaluru airport as flights to Mumbai affected

Aviation

Flights from Bengaluru to Pune, Goa and Ahmedabad were also disrupted.

TNM Staff

Hundreds of passengers going to Mumbai were left stranded at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday, as several flights were either delayed or cancelled due to cyclone Vayu.  Some flights were diverted to Surat and Vadodara airports due to heavy rainfall and resulting low visibility at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.  Vistara flight UK 866 and SpiceJet flight SG 456 between Bengaluru and Mumbai were diverted. AirAsia I5*334 and I5*306, Indigo flights 6E 6794 and 6E 566, Vistara flight UK*854 and Go Air flight G8 526, were among the flights cancelled, said a Times of India report.  Flights from Bengaluru to Pune, Goa and Ahmedabad were also disrupted. Meanwhile media reports said that flight schedules between the UAE and India were unaffected until Tuesday. The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday issued detailed advisories to Gujarat and the Union Territory of Diu, requesting them to take all precautionary measures to ensure that no human life is lost in view of cyclone Vayu which is likely to hit Gujarat on Thursday. According to private weather forecasting agency Skymet, the cyclone has turned into a very severe cyclone at 8:30 am on Wednesday. It will make landfall on the coast of Gujarat shortly with the areas of Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Porbandar, Rajkot, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar likely to be affected. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in its last bulletin on Tuesday said cyclone Vayu is very likely to intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm by 2:30 am. “It is very likely to move nearly northwards and cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva around Veraval and Diu region as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speed 140-150 kmph gusting to 165 kmph during early Wednesday morning,” the IMD bulletin said. More than 3 lakh people have been evacuated in Gujarat after a red alert was issued by the Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre.        

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Halal ponzi scheme: 6 directors of IMA surrender to Bengaluru police

Crime

Hundreds of IMA’s investors had thronged its offices in central Bengaluru in fear of losing their investments after an audio clip of the MD went viral.

TNM Staff

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Six directors of the I Monetary Advisory (IMA), a ‘halal ponzi scheme’, have surrendered to the police in Bengaluru on Tuesday, a day after the company grabbed the headlines. The surrender came a day ahead of the government forming a special investigating team to nab the culprits. According to Deccan Chronicle, Nasir Hussain, Naveed Ahmed Nattamkar, Nizammuddin Azeemuddin, Afshan Tabassum, Afsar Pasha and Arshad Khan were among those who surrendered.  However, Mansoor Khan the Managing Director of the company is absconding. Since Monday hundreds of IMA’s investors have thronged its offices in central Bengaluru in fear of losing their investments after a WhatsApp audio, purportedly that of IMA’s MD Mansoor Khan threatening suicide had gone viral. Fearing loss of money deposited in schemes, hundreds protest against Bengaluru's IMA Jewels In the audio which was also sent to the City Police Commissioner, Mansoor is heard saying that the Shivajinagar Congress MLA, Roshan Baig (although he did not explicitly raise his name in the clip), had taken Rs 400 crore from him to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. The issue became so big that even the Chief Minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy was also forced to react and he directed Home Minister MB Patil to take stock of the situation. "A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is being set up to inquire into complaints by hundreds of investors that IMA Jewels has stopped returning their deposits and paying hefty interest on them,” Patil told reporters after a meeting with top police officials. According to The New Indian Express, the team will be handpicked today and will be headed by an officer of ADGP rank. Following that the SIT will issue a request with the Interpol to apply a red corner notice to nab Mansoor who has allegedly fled to Middle East, the report said . Meanwhile, as earlier reported by TNM, police have booked Mansoor and four other directors for cheating and criminal breach of trust based on more than 7,500 complaints. With the allegation against Roshan Baig and majority of the victims being Muslim, the Congress also went into a hurdle with MLAs of the Muslim community holding a meeting with the Home Minister. The IMA issue is one of the biggest ponzi schemes to have surfaced in Bengaluru. It is similar to the Ambidant scheme where Muslims are the majority if not the only victims of these schemes. Bengaluru ‘halal’ ponzi scheme victims meet top govt official, urge for intervention The scamsters took advantage of the victim’s religious beliefs. Unlike fixed bank interest rates which a section of Muslims consider to be anti-Islam, these companies sold their plans as a form of partnership business with the promise of high returns of 10-12% within a month. The plan was to lure customers to invest their life savings by staying true to the offer for the first few installments. IMA was reportedly offering 24-30% interest per annum on their savings, a dozen Muslim leaders met Patil and asked for sealing of the firm's office and seizing gold, jewellery, diamonds and cash in its showroom. "As most of the investors are ordinary people, including women from all occupations, we are worried about the safety of their savings, which are meant for the education or marriage of their children. The state government should arrest Khan and get their deposits returned with interest," State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan told reporters after meeting with Patil. (IANS inputs)

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How slow development of Bengaluru’s Cottonpet Main Road is affecting residents

Civic issues

Dug-up roads that are poorly cordoned off, potholes filled with rainwater and a constant presence of heavy construction vehicles has made the commute unbearable.

Anisha Reddy

Nived Uthaiah

A key 1.14-km long road that links west Bengaluru to south Bengaluru is in a shambles. Dug-up roads that are poorly cordoned off, potholes filled with rainwater and a constant presence of heavy construction vehicles has made the commute on Cottonpet main road unbearable. The main road is being reconstructed, the underground utilities are being replaced and the white-topping of the road is scheduled to be carried out. The development of the main road, which connects the GoodShed area junction to Mysuru road, was undertaken by the BBMP as part of the TenderSure project. The project, which started around February earlier this year, was slated to be completed by September but is progressing at a snail’s pace. According to BBMP’s Chief Engineer KT Nagaraja, it may take up to six more months before it can be completed. TNM visited the site of the construction and saw that the mobility of traffic on the stretch has been severely affected. The pre-monsoon showers have worsened the situation as multiple potholes are now filled with muddy water, making it difficult for people to walk on this road. With the monsoon just days away, the road may get become dangerous to travel. According to KT Nagaraja, the road’s development is part of a package that includes 6 main roads and 11 crossroads, and the agencies are tackling all the roads simultaneously. On Cottonpet road, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is currently laying the underground drainage (UGD) line. They have assured that the work will be completed within one month. Meanwhile, the SWD (Storm Water Drain) department of the BBMP has given an assurance to complete their work within one to one-and-a-half months. After this, the work by TenderSure will start.   Why the slow progress? Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun recently inspected the site and said that there was a delay in the work, as it depends on when the BWSSB will complete laying pipes. Stormwater drains are also simultaneously being laid by the BBMP. According to the mayor, out of 300 mt stormwater drains, 138 mt has been completed and the remaining 162 needs to be done. The Mayor agreed that there was poor coordination between BWSSB and BBMP, but BBMP’s Chief Engineer KT Nagaraja stated that conditions of the site are also a contributing factor to the slow progress. According to the Mayor, the BWSSB will complete their work soon. “The agencies concerned have assured completion of the pending works at the earliest. I have already given instructions to the concerned agencies to start the TenderSure works in the areas where work on the water and sewage lines has been done. They will probably start this work from Monday,” the Mayor said. ‘Construction affecting our businesses’ A project intended to improve the condition of the residents of the Cottenpet area has instead left them in distress. The revenues of many running businesses on the main road have been hit. “Due to the project work my business has taken losses of close to 75%,”  Nikhil Ramavath, the owner of a store located on the road, told TNM. Other stores have reported close to little business or no business at all. “There have been no customers in 6 months,” said Rakesh Sancheti, the owner of Bhawani Tea Co. When asked about the progress of the project, he said, “Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. I don’t understand what they are doing.” Confusion regarding the progress of the project prevails among the store owners. Palani R, the owner of Maruti Fragrance, said, “Whom do we talk to? We are scared to ask questions.” The TenderSure project, which involves laying of pipes for sewage, water and power, has also disrupted the supply of water to these stores, making some of them dependent on borewell water. A worker at Brahmin’s Bakery and Sweets, an eatery on the Cottonpet main road said, “The Cauvery water connection is cut. When we tell them they don’t do anything about it.” Hotels and lodges on the same road are facing a similar problem. Inconvenience to school children The construction work has reduced the road to a narrow, congested and dangerous path for schoolchildren. Students studying at two local schools, St. Catherine’s High School and Isaac Newton English School, have to use alternative routes like the side roads to reach the school. According to the Secretary of Isaac Newton English School, the parents find it inconvenient to use such roads to drop off their kids. “We are not fighting them (authorities), we are requesting them for the safety of children. Please do this as soon as possible,” he said. The BWSSB’s Executive Engineer of Waste Water Management (WMM) Department told TNM that they will be completing the work in the coming 10 days. “The main scope of our work is done. The only work we have left is to link the pipes in the side roads,” he said.

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Water crisis: Why residents in a Karnataka city are up in arms against the Maharashtra govt

Water

The situation has worsened this year due to a stand-off between the Karnataka and Maharashtra governments over releasing water to fill up the tanks in the Krishna basin in Karnataka.

TNM Staff

Facing an acute water-shortage this summer, residents of Athani in Belagavi district are set to launch a protest against the Maharashtra government demanding the release of water from the Krishna river. For the past two months, residents in Athani and nearby areas, have been requesting the Maharashtra government to fill up the tanks at Krishna basin (in Karnataka) so that drinking water is available to them.    The river Krishna which originates in Maharashtra, flows through Belagavi, Bagalkote, Vijayapura in Karnataka before moving on to Hamsaladevi in Andhra Pradesh and joining the Bay of Bengal. In fact, the river has the largest watershed area in Karnataka. At Vijayapura, Almatti reservoir has been built for the river which serves as the major water resource for North Karnataka. But during summer, all the three districts in Karnataka experience severe drought as the river dries up. Subsequently, the tributaries of the river such as Ghataprabha, Hiranyakeshi, Vedaganga, Doodhganga rivers also dry up during summer leading to water shortage due to which over 250 villages in these three districts (169 alone in Belagavi district) are facing severe water crisis this summer.  "This summer, over 100 projects that are dependent on Krishna river water have also been non-functional," Shankar, a resident of Belagavi said. The situation has worsened this year due to the Maharashtra government's demand to have water in exchange of water, unlike in the last few years. From Maharashtra border to Alamatti reservoir, there are two barrages at Hirappa and Chikkapadasalagi, apart from which there are check dams. Since sugarcane fields are close to the river basin, most of the water from the river are absorbed by the sugarcane crops, further aggravating the scarcity of water. The Maharashtra government used to release 4 tmc of water by the first week of March to Karnataka. Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister requesting release of water, prior to the Lok Sabha elections this year.  A delegation led by Rajya Sabha member Prabhakar Kore had met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis - after the Lok Sabha elections - requesting him to release water. "Although the delegation had stated that Maharashtra CM had agreed for it, it does not seem to be true. Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy who was present at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony, recently had held a dialogue in this regard, it is learnt. But, we don't know the outcome or if we will receive water before the monsoon," Shivu Patil, a farmer from Kagwad in Athani taluk said. Drinking water but with conditions The Maharashtra government also releases water from Koyna dam. It would take one-and-a-half days for water to reach Chikkodi taluk on the border of Karnataka. The Maharashtra government had put conditions that it would release water only in exchange of water, and not money. Every year during summer, Karnataka's demand for water from this reservoir is 4 tmc. In 2013, the Karnataka government had paid Rs 4.5 crore for one tmc of water from the Koyna reservoir. Now, the value of 1 tmc of water stands at Rs 5.5 crore. In 2016-17 and 2017-18, Karnataka government had demanded 2 tmc and 4 tmc of water, respectively. The state government is yet to release Rs 33 crore to Maharashtra government. Although, the Karnataka government had agreed to release water to Sollapur from Almatti reservoir in 2017, the technical process is not yet completed. Now, the Maharashtra government is adamant that the release of water only takes place after the agreement on water to Sollapur and Sangli areas from Almatti reservoir, claim officials from the Water Resources department. Although, there is no water scarcity in the basin of river Krishna in Maharashtra, certain pockets like Sangli and Sollapur districts experience drought-like situation during summer. And both these places are close to the place where the Almatti river's backwater flows. The Tubachi Babaleshwar lift irrigation project utilises these waters. Eyeing this project, the Maharashtra Water Resources Department has demanded water from the lift irrigation project in exchange for water from Krishna river. The neighbouring state also wants to have a permanent agreement on this.  However, its counterpart in Karnataka government, the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) is arguing that water from the lift irrigation project has already been assigned to various projects and that it needs to store more water if it has to release it for the Maharashtra government. Moreover, the Karnataka government has to lay 140 km-long pipeline up to Maharashtra border to allow water to flow. Considering all these challenges, the Karnataka government has sought to study feasibility before releasing the water. But the neighbouring state has not yet responded to these issues. "I have pressed for a permanent agreement between Karnataka and Maharashtra governments on Krishna water sharing at Council floor, many a time. When I had requested Maharashtra CM to release water, he had readily agreed too. But he has not yet honoured his words. Unless, the chief ministers of both the states come to a conclusion on this, the issue would not be resolved," observes Mahantesh Kavatagimath, Opposition Party chief whip in the Legislative Council. This has become an administrative crisis, with neither Karnataka nor Maharashtra state government ready to address their concern, at this juncture. As a result, people in Mumbai-Karnataka region (Belagavi, Bijapir, Bagalkot), where Krishna river flows, are reeling under severe water crisis. Local residents who hold their annual village fair have been forced to put-off auspicious occasions in their villages, anticipating the release of water. Especially in villages at Athani and Chikkodi, artificial ponds were created to allow people to take bath during religious fairs. “These fares and celebration are very close to local people, and the government is aware of it, yet it is not showing any response. If this continues, it would certainly lead to another protest like Mahadayi,” says Manjunath Patil,  an advocate from Chikkodi. (Story by Story Infinity (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP.)

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Karnataka farm loan waiver money ‘disappears’ from accounts of over 13,000 farmers

Farm Loan

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, however, said that the refunding was done by nationalised banks, and not the state government.

Theja Ram

Shivappa Jaye, a 60-year-old farmer from Sagar in Kalaburgi district, was overjoyed when the Karnataka government deposited money into his account as part of the state’s farm loan waiver promise, in April this year. But on June 3, weeks after the Lok Sabha elections were declared, the money disappeared from Shivappa’s account. He rushed to the bank to find out what happened – only to be told that the money had been ‘refunded’ to the state government. “On February 28, the government deposited Rs 50,000 in my bank account. On April 17, Rs 43,535 was deposited. With this, I was happy that my loan will be waived. Suddenly, the money just disappeared, and on June 2 and 3 a total of Rs 93,535 just vanished from my account. When I went to the bank and asked them what happened, they said that the government had issued a notice to all banks to refund the loan waiver amount back to the state government,” Shivappa says. Not just Shivappa, over 13,000 farmers across the state have been deprived of the loan waiver scheme, according to farmer organisations. Farmers allege that the government’s scheme was only an eyewash to win votes of the people. Honappa Hayyalappa, another farmer from Kalaburgi, says that the government was out to get them as the people did not vote for the Congress or JD(S). “This time, many people had voted for the BJP. We know how the government feels about farmers in north Karnataka. They do not care, and they have never done so. Our Chief Minister has also made so many statements in the past disregarding our needs. He had also told people of north Karnataka that since we did not vote for the JD(S) during the Assembly elections, why should the government help us. Is this the way they are extracting revenge now? Aren’t governments supposed to help us?” Honnappa laments. Prior to May 23 (Lok Sabha results), the state government had announced that loans in commercial banks worth Rs 4,830 crore had been waived for 7.49 lakh farmers till April 2019; and loans in cooperative banks worth Rs 3,488 crore were waived for 8.1 lakh farmers. The CMO had specifically stated that Kalaburgi district had the most number of beneficiaries from the co-operative bank sector (72,654), followed by Haveri (62,915) and Raichur (49,280). In commercial banks, Belagavi district had recorded the highest number of farmers whose loans have been waived (87,276), followed by Tumkur (82798) and Mandya (78,167). The state government has not denied these reports – however, they’ve put the blame on the banks, and the Centre. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the discrepancy was noted in the bank accounts of 13,988 farmers in the state during an audit conducted on Monday. “I have called a meeting with representatives of various banks on June 14 at 2.30 pm to discuss this specific issue. Meanwhile, the banks have been asked to explain why the money has been refunded,” Kumaraswamy said. Stating that the discrepancies had occurred only in nationalised banks, Kumaraswamy blamed the Union government and demanded that the Centre be held responsible. “Since this morning (Tuesday), news is being circulated that the state government had deposited the money ahead of the elections only to win votes. What will you (the media) benefit from this? The discrepancies have occurred in nationalised banks. You (the media) praise Modi every day. Why not question him about this?” Kumaraswamy said. However, sources in the Co-Operation Department told TNM that the banks were directed to refund the money to the exchequer by the state government. “Every transaction for loan waiver is done only after it is cleared by the respective taluk committees. This could not have happened without their knowledge,” the source added. The limit for farm loan waiver was capped at Rs 2 lakh per family, which includes the farmer, spouse and dependent children. The state budget 2019-20 also allocated an additional Rs 6,893 crore or Rs 25,000 back to the farmers’ accounts, as an incentive for not defaulting farm loans. The total cost of the scheme is Rs 37,159 crore, which aims to benefit 4.489 million farmers in the state. Farmers have to submit copies of their Aadhaar card, ration card and land record details as proof for eligibility. Farmers themselves can upload their documents on the Crop Loan Waiver website or get taluk officials to help them. Once the details are uploaded, a pre-filled form is automatically generated by the software and the farmer gets an acknowledgement. These documents are vetted by the taluk committees where loan amounts are determined. Eligible farmers are then handed ‘Runa Mukta Patra’ (loan clearance certificate), which they are to handover to the banks. The banks then send these requisite amounts for state government clearance and the money is deposited into the farmers’ accounts, after which the money is used to waive the loans.

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Foldable bicycles allowed in Bengaluru metro if they fit through scanner

Transport

Allowing bicycles will resolve the first and last mile connectivity hurdles for many commuters, which has remained a binding issue for many public transport users in the city.

TNM Staff

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The Namma Metro authorities have reiterated that Bengalureans can carry their foldable bicycles on the metro as long as it can pass through the luggage scanner. Until now there was a persistent confusion among the security staff across the 42 metro stations in the existing network on the matter, causing them to deter users from carrying the foldable cycles. Speaking to TNM, Chief Public Relations Officer, BM Yashavanth Chavan of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), said, “From the beginning we have insisted people can always carry the foldable bicycles. But they have to fit through the luggage scanner.” Metro officials also urge people carrying these bikes to be in the last compartment of the metro to avoid inconvenience to other users. The last compartment also has designated spaces for wheelchairs. Allowing bicycles will resolve the first and last mile connectivity hurdles for many commuters, which has remained a binding issue for many public transport users in the city. However, with no additional passes or tickets for those carrying these bicycles, there is no reliable number of how many of the nearly 4 lakh people using the metro daily use foldable bicycles on a regular basis. From the start of metro service, a section of users has been keen for regular cycles to be allowed in the metro too, as is done in many parts of the world. However, metro officials state that won’t be a reality any time soon, given the already cramped coaches in peak hours. Other than allowing foldable bicycles, the metro authority itself has pushed for new app-based cycles and electric bikes for people to use from and to metro stations. Amit Gupta, CEO of Yulu, one such app-based bicycle service, said, ”On an average we see that 20% of our daily trips are either starting or ending at metro stations. This number will go up the moment we get wider coverage of metro in the city. Electronic City, Whitefield and Outer Ring Road are expected to see much of the usage.” For the Phase-II of the Namma Metro, the BMRCL and the Directorate of Urban Land Transport are in discussion to create bicycle lanes near the stations and under flyovers throughout the metro network for the ease of bikers.

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Girish Karnad, the Master of Transcendence: TM Krishna writes

Tribute

Girish Karnad allowed his characters to ask the questions, to struggle with the inconclusive, and hence his stories truly never ended.

TM Krishna

PTI

An artist is a rare being. He observes and receives that which is within and around and then allows his craft to give it life. This given life is new and within its nooks and corners lie the most complex existential experiences. For this to happen, the artist has to dissolve solely in experience. Time, age, period and location are transient in front of the larger reality - the human condition. Girish Karnad was a master of this transcendence. He lived in the present but travelled the seven seas of existence. Belief, freedom, responsibility, hate, love, care, passion, morality or trust were all movable and questionable. Absolutism had no place in his stories. And hence in all his tellings, there was an intentional ambiguity. It is in this state of ambiguity that we question, reflect and learn. And that was his role as an artist: to nudge every one of us to pause and wonder. He allowed his characters to ask the questions, to struggle with the inconclusive, and hence his stories truly never ended. We live in times when the real-ness of mythological characters or their supernatural powers have unfortunately become central. But, as Girish Karnad showed us repeatedly in plays like Yayati , Hayavadana and Nagamandala, it really does not matter; it should not matter. These characters live amongst us and within us and externalising them into a narrative allows us to touch and feel without self-awareness. He was a master of using his craft to abstract life and allowing the image to mirror our own material. Hence his political was within his artistry and it could not have been another way. He questioned every societal notion with panache and sharpness, making clear to those who wished to see, his own point of view. He searched for the unheard, chastised and stifled voices, gave them presence in his storytelling and narrated stories that kept his inquiring mind real. I was born in the late 1970s and so my own realisation of Girish Karnad came much later in life. But when I think of him, there is one image that rushes into my consciousness: that of Swami’s father in Ananth Nag’s Malgudi Days. We waited every week to watch the tales of Swami on Doordarshan. In Girish, I saw the typical traditional Indian middle-class father. It was not R.K. Narayan’s characterisation or Anant Nag’s direction; it was Girish himself. He became that father who struggled with this inquisitive, naughty and learning child. A non-showy yet caring father who wanted his son to study well and make it in life! His smile, anger, fears were tangible. Mr. Srinivasan (Swami’s father) was not a picturisation; he was a real person, and we all knew him. I was just a bit older than Swami and always took his side and often felt Srinivasan did not really understand his son. Most sons feel that way about our fathers, don’t we? It is true that the rest of India, except for specific literary and theatrical pockets, did not realise the pre-eminence of Girish Karnad. I remember a friend who moved from Delhi to Bengaluru telling me how she never realised that he was so ‘big’. For us in the south, he was that special actor, playwright, superstar who was able to cut across mediums but never got sucked into stardom. He was inherently an intellectual who treasured the need for questioning and one of those few people who allowed himself to be challenged, debunked, a rare quality indeed. The fact that Girish Karnad was a complex thinker with creases, doubts and imperfections made him who he was, a true artist. He spoke his mind and controversies at times surrounded him, but he stood his ground, argued with precision and was often blunt. But, being a true intellectual, he always allowed his stories to move in directions that were different from his own, as long as they stayed true to the story of humanity. T.M. Krishna is a carnatic vocalist, author, public speaker and writer on human choices, dilemmas and concerns.

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