Parking restrictions in central Bengaluru as two MLAs to take oath as ministers

Traffic

Independent MLA H Nagesh and R Shankar of the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party, will take oath as ministers at 1pm on Friday.

TNM Editorial

Representational Image/ Vincent Bloch via Wikimedia Commons

Parking on roads in central Bengaluru will be restricted on Friday as two independent MLAs will take oath as ministers in the Karnataka cabinet later in the day. According to Bengaluru Traffic Police, parking has been banned on the following roads: Dr BR Ambedkar Road, from Balekundri Circle to KR Road on both sides; Raj Bhavan Road, from CTO Circle to Raj Bhavan junction; LH Road, from Raj Bhavan junction to Chalukya junction; Queen’s Road, from Balekundri Circle to Queen’s Circle; Palace Road, from Mysuru Bank Circle to Vasanthnagar underpass; Devaraja Urs Road, from Chalukya Circle to MS Building; Race Course Road, from Trilight junction to Chalukya Circle; Park House Road, from AGS Junction to CID Circle; interior roads of Cubbon Park; Millers Road, from LRDE Junction to Basaveshwara Circle; Infantry Road, from Ali Asker Road junction to traffic headquarters; Ali Asker Road, from Raj Bhavan junction to Ali Asker Cross; KG Road, from Police Corner to Mysuru Bank Circle; Old Post Office Road to Mysuru Bank Circle; Nrupatunga Road from KR Circle to Police Corner; Kasturba Road, from Hudson Circle to Queen’s Circle; Mallya Hospital Road, from Siddalingaiah Circle to RRMR Junction Road; Cubbon Road, from CTO Circle to Manipal Centre; T Chowdaiah Road, from Old High Grounds Jn to Cauvery junction and Ramana Maharshi Road, from Cauvery Jn to Mehkri Circle. Independent MLA H Nagesh and R Shankar of the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party, will take oath as ministers at 1pm on Friday at Raj Bhavan. “On Friday, Nagesh and Shankar will take oath and join the Cabinet. Shankar has agreed to merge his legislature party with ours,” Eshwar Khandre, senior Congress MLA and KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) working president said. This will further cement the stability of the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka with 119 members in the Assembly. Incidentally, Shankar was part of the cabinet earlier as the Forest Minister but was dropped after a reshuffle. Following that, he had withdrawn his support from the government in the wake of a crisis when four MLAs led by former Minister and Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi started a rebellion against the party.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/31yJJHq
via IFTTT

K'taka HC raps Bengaluru police over noise levels in Indiranagar pubs

Law

The HC called the status report filed by the police as nothing but an "eyewash".

TNM Staff

File image

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday came down heavily on Bengaluru police on the issue of noise created by pubs and bars in Indiranagar. Calling the police status report as  “nothing but an eyewash”, the HC also warned that it might have to summon the City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar for a proper explanation. The Hindu reported that these oral observations were made by the Division Bench led by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice HT Narendra Prasad after they found that the police report did not have any definite action taken by police. The HC also inquired if the police had carried out surprise checks related to the issue. The HC was hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Defence Colony Residents’ Association and others on the issue of excess noise created by these pubs. When the legal counsel of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board pointed out that police do not have any equipment to monitor noise levels, the HC asked if the police had approached the Pollution Control Board after the case was heard by them. Upon being informed that police have booked cases of nuisance against some of the pubs, the court asked how the police are going to prove those cases without any evidence.  The HC also asked how police will measure noise levels if they do not have the equipment for it.  In reply, the state government counsel assured the court that the status report will be improved upon. The Times of India reported that police took five witness accounts as evidence to register cases. TOI quoted a police source saying, “We ask witnesses to stand 100 feet away from the spot and tell us if there is any noise. After reaching the spot, they close their ears and record the sound. If it’s unbearable, they record the same in their statement.”

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/2Zlja6w
via IFTTT

IMA scam: SIT seizes cars of key accused, shuts down Bengaluru office

Crime

Police suspect that MD of IMA Mansoor Khan is hiding in the Middle East.

Soumya Chatterjee

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the multi-crore I Monetary Advisory (IMA) scam on Thursday seized the cars and other moveable properties belonging to its absconding Managing Director Mansoor Khan and the company's head office. Till now police have received 15,000 complaints from Bengaluru alone. Mysuru Police also have also started registering complaints. The numbers are expected to go up further. The scam is similar to the recently unearthed “halal” ponzi schemes which targetted Muslims exploiting their belief systems. Read: A con in the name of religion: Karnataka 'Halal Ponzi scam' victims await justice A luxury SUV parked at the airport has been seized along with a high-end sports car which was seized from his residence. Police suspect that Mansoor Khan is hiding in the Middle East where he flew just before the scam came to light. Investigators are trying to ascertain the details and value of the company’s assets at the moment. Meanwhile, police had already arrested the seven other directors of the company who surrendered on Tuesday. Their passports have also been seized. The seven are Dada Peer, Nasir Hussain, Naveed Ahmed Nattamkar, Nizammudin Azeemuddin, Afshan Tabassum, Afsar Pasha and Arshad Khan. Incidentally, all these directors own a miniscule percentage of the company. Speaking to TNM, Commercial Street Police Station Inspector Shekhar, who is part of the SIT, said, “We have seized the car and locked down their offices. All the seven persons will continue to remain in custody for the next 10 days.” The SIT chief Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ravikanthe Gowda is expected to brief the public over the investigation in the coming days. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lashed out at Congress MLA Roshan Baig who was embroiled in this conspiracy. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said, “Roshan Baig should not speak to the media but instead should talk to the SIT.”   Siddaramaiah assured that the investors would get their money back and the government will take appropriate action. Siddaramaaiah’s statements come after a day Roshan Baig cried “political conspiracy” over his name being dragged into the scam, Addressing reporters in the Press Club, Roshan Baig had said, “After my recent political fallouts, some of my adversaries have made a full-fledged attempt at assassinating my character by orchestrating a series of events using underhanded methods. The entire hitjob has been carried out using a baseless, un-investigated audio recording.”        

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/2WLAViH
via IFTTT

Uber ties up with Bajaj Auto to launch CNG-run passenger vehicle in Bengaluru

Transport

The new offering termed UberXS will be available only in Bengaluru starting with Indiranagar, Kormanagala, HSR Layout and ORR.

TNM Staff

Leading app-based cab aggregator Uber on Thursday announced it will start a CNG-run offering in partnership with Bajaj Auto only for Bengaluru, to make commuting more environmentally-friendly and affordable. The new offering termed UberXS will be exclusively run by the newly launched Bajaj Qute.  Uber’s riders will be able to see UberXS on the app from June 13 and it will be available in Indiranagar, Koramangala, HSR Layout and parts of Outer Ring Road to begin with. Nandini Maheshwari, Head, Business Development, Uber India and South Asia, said the fares for this offering will be higher than an auto and lower than an Uber GO. Bajaj Qute is a driver plus three passenger quadricycle, which is a four-wheeled motor vehicle that’s smaller and lighter than a passenger car, a press release said. Uber said Qute’s low running cost makes it suitable for daily commuting and it’s easy to drive because of dash-mounted sequential shift gears. Speaking on the tie-up, Nandini said, “We are delighted to partner with one of India’s most trusted names, Bajaj Auto, to launch Bajaj Qute on UberXS in Bengaluru. At Uber, we constantly work towards transforming the mobility landscape of cities, with technology at the heart of our solutions. This partnership is an extension of Uber’s commitment towards lowering transportation costs, enhancing asset utilization and improving rider convenience.” While Qute comes with two fuel options- CNG and Petrol. All units available as UberXS rides will be powered by the eco-friendlier CNG fuel option, which provides a mileage of 43km/kg, Uber said. Samardeep Subandh, Senior VP, Bajaj Auto, said, “Bajaj Qute is the first quadricycle of India. It will prove to be an ideal solution for the mobility challenges of congestion and pollution arising from rapid urbanization. Launched in both CNG and Petrol variant, the Qute is powered by a lightweight 216 cc 4-valve water-cooled DTSi engine with closed loop fuel injection system resulting in higher fuel efficiency”. Read: No easy exit as Ola and Uber drivers in India face spiralling debt trap          

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/2WICC0g
via IFTTT

Forced to travel 100 km for treatment, Kodagu residents seek better medical facilities

Health

The residents of Kodagu have started a Twitter campaign seeking better emergency healthcare services in the district.

TNM Staff

Representational image/Rameshng (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Inspired by residents of Uttara Kannada who ran a Twitter campaign recently seeking a super speciality hospital in their districts, people from Kodagu have started a similar drive seeking emergency healthcare services in the district. On Wednesday evening, #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu trended on Twitter. In most of the tweets,Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha have been tagged. The CM has not reacted to the demand yet, unlike previously, when a similar demand was made for Uttara Kannada.   ಉತ್ತರ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಗೆ ಒಂದು ಸುಸಜ್ಜಿತ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಯ ಅಗತ್ಯಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಅಭಿಯಾನ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವುದು ನನ್ನ ಗಮನಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಈ ನಿಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಿಂದ ವರದಿ ತರಿಸಿ ಅಗತ್ಯ ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗುವುದು.#weneedEmergencyhospitalinuttarkannada #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInUK — CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) June 8, 2019   The tourist hotspot of Kodagu is a hilly district in the lap of Western Ghats and covers an area of 4,102 sq km. Even today, however, the district does not have a major hospital. The residents have been forced to travel more than a hundred kilometres, either to Mangaluru or Mysuru, to avail benefits of advanced medicine, even in case of an emergency. While both Kumaraswamy and Simha have not responded yet, the BJP unit of Karnataka tweeted in support. “People of Kodagu & Uttara Kannada have been demanding #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu & #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInUK BJP completely supports their demand & we urge @CMofKarnataka to act on this regard. Super speciality hospitals should be set in every district of Karnataka,” it said,   People of Kodagu & Uttara Kannada have been demanding #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu & #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInUK BJP completely supports their demand & we urge @CMofKarnataka to act on this regard. Super speciality hospitals should be set in every district of Karnataka — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) June 12, 2019   Support also came from celebrity and film star Shivaraj Kumar. “I heard that there's a scarcity of hospitals in Coorg. You need not worry, we are all united. On behalf of the industry, I request the government to construct a hospital with facilities as soon as possible because it's a basic necessity and should be present in every small town and village,” the actor said, in a video that is now being widely shared.   ಕೊಡಗಿನ ಜನರ ಕಷ್ಟಗಳಿಗೆ ಸ್ಪಂದಿಸುವಂತೆ ಕರುನಾಡ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿ ಮನವಿ.! ಕೊಡಗಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಉನ್ನತ ಮಟ್ಟದ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯವುಳ್ಳ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣಕ್ಕೆ ಡಾ.ಶಿವರಾಜಕುಮಾರ್ ಒತ್ತಾಯ#DrShivarajkumar #Shivanna#WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu@Shivarajkumar_ @cariappa14 @DEOKodagu @hd_kumaraswamy @kp_sreekanth @SagarManasu pic.twitter.com/yTaAoAbJ3T — Dr.Shivarajkumar (@Shivarajkumar_) June 13, 2019   Many Kodagu residents and supporters of the cause pointed out the historical neglect faced by the district, in spite of it being the origin of Cauvery and many stated that many athletes and soldiers hail from there.     #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu Our government seems to be only keen in developing tourism in Kodagu, the well being of it's people seems to be the last priority. There is not even a single hospital in Kodagu that can handle severe accidents and cases like heart attack. — PrithviA (@PrithviA6) June 10, 2019     When wealth is lost something is lost , But when health is lost everything is lost.. #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu @mepratap @CMofKarnataka @DVSBJP pic.twitter.com/VjZRFo0fwz — Ajjikutti Achu Nayaka (@samson_mand) June 12, 2019     Remember our service and sacrifice to defence and sports with culture...Don't we need a proper medical support #WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu pic.twitter.com/jDEmLfksCG — VilotsKB (@meVilotsKB) June 12, 2019     Black mold (Stachybotrys) on the walls of ICU, Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences#WeNeedEmergencyHospitalInKodagu@hd_kumaraswamy @CMofKarnataka @RV_Deshpande @Shivanand_S_P @mepratap pic.twitter.com/whIMzC7D3Z — Bhavan Nidyamale (@Bhavanravi) June 11, 2019   Environmentalists, who have been fighting the state and central governments over the contentious rail project in the district, have also come forward to support this cause.   Plz do support fr the hospital facilities in coorg plz do support guys#weneedemergencyhospitalinkodagu pic.twitter.com/qoL23tP4GF — Nellira Ananya (@AnanyaNellira) June 12, 2019   The demand for such a medical facility has been long pending but successive governments have not taken any steps in this direction.      

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/2IbwKUq
via IFTTT

Rains bring relief to coastal Karnataka, district admins remain on alert

Weather

Fishermen, tourists have been warned to not venture into the sea.

TNM Staff

Representational image

Heavy rains and thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday brought relief to residents of Karnataka’s coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi who were suffering from the rising temperatures and acute water shortage. According to officials from Dakshina Kannada district administration, the district received an average of 40.8 mm rain in the 24 hours from June 12, 8 am. Bantwal received 50.4 mm; Belthangady, 35.1 mm; Mangaluru, 84.6 mm; Puttur, 20.6 mm and Sullia received 6.8 mm in the same time period. Further, Udupi received 128.0 mm rain, Kundapura, 67.8 mm and Karkala, 88.5 mm rain, district officials said. According to IMD, most parts of the coastal district is likely to see heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms till June 17. Damage due to rains While the rain has brought much joy to a most residents, the resultant rough sea has spelt trouble for some. As a precautionary measure, Dakshina Kannada district administration has shifted eight families residing in Ullal and Someshwara-Uchila areas on Wednesday. Home guards have been positioned in eight locations on the Ullal to Someshwara stretch as well. They have been directed to stop people from venturing into the sea and are points of contact during emergencies. The heavy rains and turbulent sea have damaged houses in a few localities in Ullal as well as the protective wall of private resort along the coast. A building adjacent to the resort has also developed cracks. In Udupi, a house in Karkala was heavily damaged due to incessant rain and lighting.There were reports of electric poles being uprooted as well. Residents of Ullal Mogaveerapatna, Ullal Kody, Kaiko, Killeria Nagar, Seaground, Mukkacheri are also facing risks of their properties being washed away by the waves. They allege that the retaining wall constructed in Ullal has intensified the sea erosion in Someshwar areas. Several trees were uprooted in an estuary near Sasihithulu beach. Sasihithulu Beach Development Committee President H Vasanth raised concerns that the benches in the estuary could get washed away. “We have brought the issues to the notice of DK district-in-charge minister U T Khader. We have submitted a proposal for work that can permanently solve the sea erosion problem in this area. The estimated cost is Rs 2 crore and we are awaiting response from the government,” Vasanth told media. Preparedness Following last year’s incidents, this year, the district administrations of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada have stepped up precautionary measures. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been stationed to handle emergencies. The 50 personnel are from the 10th Battalion of the NDRF which was stationed in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Dakshina Kannada district-in-charge minister U T Khader has already convened meetings with officials of different departments for laying out protocols and ensuring they are prepared to handle mishaps due to monsoons. Fishermen have been warned to not venture into Tannirbhavi and Panambur beaches on the coast lines for the next 24 hours and barricades have been installed to deter the tourists. Story by Story Infinity (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP.)        

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/2KL291D
via IFTTT

IMA scam: Bengaluru MLA Roshan Baig says allegations against him baseless

IMA Scam

“After my recent political fallouts, some of my adversaries have made a full-fledged attempt at assassinating my character by orchestrating a series of events using underhanded methods,” said the Congress leader.

TNM Staff

Senior Congress leader and Shivajinagar MLA Roshan Baig has come out to clarify that he has no connection with the Bengaluru IMA Jewels scam. The MLA’s name surfaced in the case after an audio clip purportedly of the absconding I Monetary Advisory chief, Mohammed Mansoor Khan named the Congress leader. “By the time you would be listening to this message, I’m certain that I won’t be there in this world. I have decided to end my life. Sir, I built this company with a lot of hard work in the last 12 to 13 years. But because of the corruption in the Central government and the state government, I kept bribing the bureaucrats and Muslim politicians. The PMO and the RBI were misinformed,” says the voice in the clip, which was sent to the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner allegedly by Mansoor Khan himself. Responding to these allegations, the Congress leader took to Twitter to state that he had no connection to the case and that this was the work of his political rivals. “After my recent political fallouts, some of my adversaries have made a full-fledged attempt at assassinating my character by orchestrating a series of events using underhanded methods. The entire hitjob has been carried out using a baseless, un-investigated audio recording,” he wrote on the microblogging site. In an interview to TOI he reiterated that he was not connected to the crime. “I’ve clearly said the voice recorded in the clip is of a fraudster, who has cheated thousands of investors from the Muslim community. The clip says I have taken Rs 400 crores from Mansoor Khan. While I am astonished by this, I want to ask, how can one believe a fraudster? He is absconding and nobody knows his whereabouts.”

Body 2: 

from Karnataka http://bit.ly/2KfAeHx
via IFTTT