3 labourers killed as under construction water tank collapses in Bengaluru

Mishap

Eight fire engines have been sent to the spot and one NDRF team is carrying out search operations to rescue people who have been buried under the debris.

Theja Ram

Three labourers were killed and around 15 others were injured after an under construction water tank collapsed in Bengaluru’s Amruthahalli on Monday morning. Around 25 labourers were present at the 30-acre plot where a new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was being built when the under-construction tank collapsed on them. DCP North-East told TNM that the workers at the site were wearing helmets but no protective suits. Eight fire engines have been sent to the spot and one NDRF team is carrying out search operations to rescue people who have been buried under the debris. So far, 15 people have been pulled out of the debris. Six of them have been rushed to Columbia Asia Hospital and four of them have been taken to Chaitanya Hospital. Operations are on to rescue the rest.  According to DCP North-East, the mishap took place when the labourers were constructing the ceiling of the water tank and the central portion of the ceiling collapsed onto the workers. The workers are from Bihar and West Bengal.  The exact cause of the collapse is not yet known. The project was being carried out after BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) had issued tenders to construct the STP. BWSSB officials have arrived at the spot to take stock of the situation and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has also reached the spot. A case of criminal negligence has been registered in connection with the mishap. This is the second incident of a structural collapse being reported from Bengaluru in the past two months. On April 5, two migrant workers were killed after a portion of an under-construction multi-level car parking facility collapsed in Bengaluru’s northern suburb of Yeshwantpur. Both the deceased were labourers engaged in the construction project within the APMC premises. (This is a developing story)

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With heavy rains predicted, residents in Kodagu villages asked to vacate in 2-3 days

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center (KNDMC) stated that continuous rainfall is expected to lash Kodagu district starting Thursday.

Prajwal Bhat

Photograph taken in Udayagiri, Kodagu, June 2019

After heavy rains were predicted to hit Karnataka's Kodagu district, Deputy Commissioner Annies K Joy has issued a notification to shift people residing in 'vulnerable areas' of the district to relief centres as a precautionary measure. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center (KNDMC) stated that continuous rainfall will lash Kodagu district from Thursday. District authorities in Kodagu will now make arrangements to shift residents in areas identified by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) as vulnerable, to relief centres in the next three days. "In the next 2-3 days, officials in the district are directed to take the necessary steps to relocate residents living in areas susceptible to landslides, as identified by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). Nodal officers in the district are also directed to take up emergency relief and precautionary measures to move residents to relief centres. Eligible beneficiaries will receive rent money for the next three months," read the order issued by the Department of Information and Public Relations in Kodagu district.   The interim report by the GSI identified six places where surface cracks have appeared in the district – Niduvitu, Hemmethalu, Makkanduru and three other locations in Hebbategeri. These villages and their surrounding areas have been identified as vulnerable areas. It also includes precarious, sloped areas in Madikeri like Mangaladevi Nagar, Chamundeshwari Nagar and Indiranagar. Photograph taken in Hemmethalu, Kodagu in October 2018 The residents in these areas who are forced to vacate their homes have also been identified by the district administration and they will receive money for rent for the next three months, confirmed the DC in the notification issued. Ahead of this year's monsoon, precautions have been put in place in Kodagu after the devastating floods and landslides in the hilly areas of the district in August 2018. The landslides, in particular, affected life in 32 villages and left trees, electric poles and houses buried under mud. Eighteen persons were killed while more than 7,000 residents were displaced. In order to avoid a repeat of last year's disaster, the district administration has set up a 24x7 helpline center. The toll-free rescue and relief helpline number is 1077. A separate 24x7 Helpline Centre is currently active in the Deputy Commissioner's office. Residents in the district can contact the district administration on the number - 8550001077 - via WhatsApp. It has also kept life jackets, raincoats, and tarpaulin in places where relief centres will be opened. Excavators have also been kept in vulnerable areas in the district. A pamphlet which highlights precautionary measures to be taken is being circulated in the district to create awareness.

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CEO of Karvy Private Wealth, other officials booked for cheating

Fraud

The officials are accused of cheating investors by promising returns of up to 18-20%.

TNM Staff

Bengaluru police have booked several senior officials from the Karvy group, a private wealth management company.  Among those booked are Karvy Private Wealth CEO Abhijit Bhave along with directors of Karvy Stock Brokers, Karvy Realty India Pvt Ltd and Karvy Capitals. The officials are accused of cheating investors by promising returns of up to 18-20%. Police took action after nine investors who had allegedly been cheated of Rs 3.81 crore approached Basavanagudi police station with a complaint. The complainants, which include Ketki Shah Talati and her husband Mayank Harshad Talati claimed that they invested Rs. 1.76 crore in 2015 after being promised returns by Srinivas, a relationship manager with Karvy Private Wealth. "The complainants alleged that Karvy had not arranged a direct interaction with builders with whom they had invested their money and requested legal action against the head and directors of the group," police officials said, as per Times of India.  The complainants alleged that they stopped receiving returns at different points around 2017. According to them, the company cited reasons like demonetisation and GST for the delay in returns.  As per Deccan Herald, the managers had told complainants that investments would be handled by Karvy Private Wealth CEO Abhijit Bhave, Real Estate Head Pravin Garle, Directors Kamodor Partha Sarathi, Yogendar Mika, Ashish Agarwal, Bhagavan Das Narang, regional heads Nithin Sabarwala, Praveenbai Bhagwanji Amlani, Nithin Saksena, Prathivadi Bhayankaram Ramapriyan, Venkatesh Sesha Ravi Prasad Chavali, Mumbai division head Chethan Deherkar and Basavanagudi Branch Vice-President Thomas Stephen.

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Alok Kumar is Bengaluru's new police commissioner after major reshuffle of IPS officers

Police

He replaces T Suneel Kumar, who will take over as the ADGP, Recruitment.

TNM Staff

Bengaluru is set to have a new police commissioner on Monday after a major reshuffle in the police force by the Karnataka government.  Alok Kumar, who was the additional commissioner of police, crime, has been promoted to the position of Bengaluru police commissioner replacing T Suneel Kumar, who will take over as the ADGP, Recruitment. Suneel took charge as commissioner of Bengaluru police in August 2017.  Alok Kumar was previously investigated by the CID for his links with Pari Rajan, accused of being part of the single-digit lottery scam in Karnataka.  He was first posted in Bengaluru as the DCP (South division) in 2010. He has since held several postings including additional commissioner of police (Law & Order), joint commissioner of crime and head of the Anti-Naxal Force based in Udupi. Meanwhile, Ravi Channawar, DCP, Bengaluru (West) has been transferred to the position of superintendent of police, CID, Bengaluru. The position was previously vacant.  Kala Krishnaswamy, DCP, Bengaluru (North-east) has been posted as director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Bengaluru. She will be replaced by former  Superintendent of Police, Railways, Bheemashankar Guled. Amrit Paul, IGP Administration has been posted as the new IGP, Eastern Range, Davangere while Soumendu Mukherjee was appointed as the IGP, Internal Security Division, Bengaluru. Umesh Kumar, who was previously the IGP, Southern Range, Mysuru will now be additional commissioner for Bengaluru (West). BR Ravikanthe Gowda, DIGP Fire Services has been transferred as DIGP, Crime, Bengaluru. BK Singh is the new IGP to the government. 

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Trump campaigned on defeating the opioid crisis. It’s hard to tell if he’s winning.

Democrats aren’t ceding the issue for 2020.

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Want to make Church Street in Bengaluru for pedestrians only? Join the public discussion

Civic Issues

There have been government meetings before where the option to make Church Street a pedestrian-only zone for at least restricted hours has been discussed.

Soumya Chatterjee

On Tuesday, for the first time, the residents of Bengaluru will have a say in whether a city’s roads is to be made pedestrian only. The street in question is the iconic Church Street in the Bengaluru’s city centre which in 2018 got a multi-crore cobblestone makeover. The public consultation will be headed by BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad at the Matteo Cafe on the same street on Tuesday, June 18, at 3 pm. A note by the BBMP said that the civic body has developed the Church Street as per TenderSURE guidelines and carries a high volume of pedestrian movement all-round the day and during the night as well. It has been opined in many meetings at the level of the government to make this street a pedestrian-only zone for at least restricted hours on each of the days “The public has been invited to share its opinion, along with officials from respective departments, local residents and owners of commercial establishments for the restriction of vehicular movement and to convert Church Street into a pedestrian zone. A meeting will be held under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Commissioner,” BBMP said. Other than the BBMP Commissioner, Additional Traffic Police Commissioner Harishekaran will also be present in the meeting. At the time of the street’s makeover, it was proposed that all motorised transport will be banned from the road but it did not materialise due to pressure from a certain section of citizens The conversation on pedestrian-only roads have resurfaced as the Chief Minister in his February budget had mentioned that commercial hubs of Church Street, Brigade Road and Commercial Street will be converted into pedestrian-only zones. The budget had promised at least 50 km of pedestrian roads. The move has been welcomed by many, as pedestrians in Bengaluru have suffered. According to statistics maintained by Bengaluru City Traffic Police, 40% of the total number of people who died in road accidents in 2018 were pedestrians. Anusha Chitturi, a member of The Footpath Initiative, said, “This is definitely a welcome move. Right now we have normalised motorised transport so much that we have forgotten that pedestrians do exist. This way it will change the mindset in the right direction. Moreover, in all budgets it is very difficult to figure out how much money is allocated for non-motorised transport.” “These experiments have been tried out in various parts of the world, including in India. These have resulted in various benefits. Not only environmentally but also socio-economically. Walking gives a sense of equity and also trade activity increases for every kind of business, including street stalls,” she added.

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Bad roads, open drains: Bengaluru residents form human chain to protest civic apathy

Civic Issues

Men, women and children came out with placards in hand for a peaceful gathering and formed a human chain between to protest against the terrible condition of the roads.

Soumya Chatterjee

Fed up with civic apathy, the residents of Bengaluru's Panathur-Balagere in Bellandur-Sarjapur area off the Outer Ring Road staged a demonstration on Sunday. Men, women and children came out with placards in hand for a peaceful gathering and formed a human chain between Orchid International School and Kadubeesanahalli Bridge. The residents said that the roads in the locality have been reduced to a dirt track for the last four months since the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) started laying underground pipes. Though the work was completed, the BWSSB did not restore the condition of the roads but let it remain half dug-up. Despite many complaints and representations, the area lacks basic infrastructures like even streetlights. These dangerous roads are leading to recurring road accidents and even resulting in death, the protestors said. In September 2018, the residents had held a similar protest after a 12-year-old boy was killed after a speeding water tanker ran over him. More recently, well-known citizen activist Amit Sharma who has been running from pillar to post to fix the condition of the roads, fell victim to the bad roads. In May, he fractured his arm after he lost control of his bike while trying to negotiate a large pothole. Sudhir Patnaik, one of the protestors, said, “We have been filing complaints with the authorities for many months now. But there has been no action. Right from school kids to senior citizens, all residents are suffering because of the bad roads. We do not have any basic amenities like proper drainage either.” He added, “Even with just a little bit of rain, the drains overflow and sewage spills over the streets.” Other protesters pointed out with the rain, the roads turn into mud pools, making the already tiresome Bengaluru traffic even worse, leading to children missing their school exams. Other conditions such as irregular garbage collection and open drains have been highlighted since the area came within the BBMP limits in 2013. Some of the placards even welcomed the Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to choose their ward to start his ‘grama vastavya’ (village stay) programme.

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