Heavy rains cause partial collapse of Hampi heritage structure

Rains

A portion of the 16-pillar salu mantapa, located near the Virupaksha Temple, collapsed on Sunday after it rained continuously for 2-3 hours.

Soumya Chatterjee

Image for representation

Heavy rains in Karnataka’s Ballari district over the last few days have damaged one of the structures at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi. According to police officials, a portion of the 16-pillar salu mantapa, located near the Virupaksha Temple, collapsed on Sunday. An official at the Hampi Police Station said, “Due to the recent rains, eight out of the 16 pillars of the structure have fallen. There was continuous rain for 2-3 hours, which led to the loosening of the soil beneath the structure. There are no barriers or supporting structures. Even before the rains, the pillars had started leaning.”  He added, “We will be informing the Archaeological Survey of India. No restoration work has begun as of now.” Over the past couple of days, there were conflicting reports about whether the structure had collapsed or not. According to data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, the area (Hosapete taluk) received an average of 47 mm rainfall over the last three days. This is not the first time that this structure has been under threat due to weather conditions. In 2015 and 2013, too, there was similar damage due to rains and loosening of soil under the structure. This development comes after many such world heritage sites were underwater for days in August due to rains and subsequent flooding in north Karnataka. The ancient town of Hampi, the seat of power of the erstwhile Vijayanagar empire, is a tourist hotspot. It was the only place in India and the second choice in the New York Times’ list of ‘52 Places to Go in 2019’. The ruins and remains of the glorious 14th century kingdom were recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 while in February 2018, it was chosen by the union government as one of the 10 tourist destinations across India to be developed as an ‘Iconic Tourism Site’. The place is best known for several Hindu temples constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture. However, Hampi’s most famous icon is the stone chariot in the Vittala Temple. Over six lakh tourists, including foreigners, flock to the heritage site annually.

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Bengaluru MPs seek more trains for suburban rail, feasibility study to be undertaken

Railways

The additional trains have been requested between Majestic-Yeshwantpur and Whitefield-Hosur.

TNM Staff

Twitter / @Tejasvi_Surya

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday said that he has requested additional trains between Majestic-Yeshwantpur and Whitefield-Hosur. He tweeted that the Divisional Railway Manager will take up a feasibility study on the same. He also assured that he along with Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan, have advocated for a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the suburban rail project. The announcement by the MP comes after the yearly zonal meeting on the back of a social media campaign by Bengaluru residents demanding expansion of services. We met GM of @SWRRLY today & pushed for approval for suburban rail, with Hon MP @PCMohanMP After securing state govt approval in Aug, papers are pending before NITI Aayog & Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs We will all work together to get this approved on priority pic.twitter.com/hUJTBGkxvO — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 14, 2019 I've requested for additional services between KSR/YPR to Whitefield/Hosur@drmsbc has assured me that they will take up a feasibility study & apprise all of us about them More trains will benefit about 5 lakh Bengalureans. Let's work towards getting them sanctioned asap pic.twitter.com/aisXQl9Fwk — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) October 14, 2019 Activists in Bengaluru have started a renewed campaign since Saturday demanding that the MPs of Bengaluru expedite suburban train services on the existing infrastructure. Over the years, while the Railways has undergone modernisation like automatic signalling and expansion of infrastructure, there have been no such significant improvement or expansion of the suburban rail system. They want trains on seven routes, including the one to the Bengaluru Airport, to run every 15 mins during peak hours, every 30 mins during non-peak hours, and every hour between midnight and 4 am. Activists also want the railways to tweak timings of good trains so that suburban rail can be prioritised. Other than these, to ensure there is easy access to the railway stations by providing last-mile connectivity, inter-modal connectivity, and multiple public access facilities such as parking, bus station, bikes have also been stressed. The activists had also met some of the MPs in person over the matter. Meanwhile, the Model Code of Conduct was lifted as the Election Commission has deferred the bye-polls in 15 assembly constituencies. Dear MPs, At tom's Blr divn meeting of @SWRRLY pls press our demands: https://ift.tt/2BcytVb @Tejasvi_Surya @MPKOLARSMUNISW1 @BNBBJP @DrSenthil_MDRD @gcc_mp @rajeev_mp @CMofKarnataka @drmsbc @GMSWR @SureshAngadi_ #BluruLocalNOW #BluruLocalEegale #BluruLocalKudale pic.twitter.com/qnjqJ7ood0 — Bengaluru Suburban Rail Users (@BlrSuburbanRail) October 13, 2019 While the SPV was announced with much fanfare by Railway Minister Piyush Goyal in February ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, there has been no further announcement since the PMO had sought modifications. The demand for a full-fledged suburban railway has been a long-pending one to solve the city’s growing congestion and pollution problems.

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Kerala intercaste couple dies by suicide pact in Mangaluru

Death

Police officials are investigating whether objection to their relationship from family members on caste grounds led the students to take the extreme step.

Prajwal Bhat

Representational Image

Two students from Kerala succumbed to death in Mangaluru on Sunday, three days after consuming poison in a hotel room in the city. Police officials said the duo, who both hail from Kasargod district in Kerala, were in a relationship and suspect that they took their own lives after their families objected to their relationship since they belonged to different castes.  Vishnu D (22) and Greeshma (22) were students staying in Moodabidri and Mangaluru respectively. Vishnu was a first year student studying BSc Food and Nutrition in a college in Moodabidri while Greeshma was studying physiotherapy in a college in Mangaluru. They consumed poison mixed in a juice in a room in a hotel located near the Mangaluru Central Railway Station around 7 pm on October 10. They were rushed to Unity Hospital in the city where they succumbed on Sunday. A case of unnatural death was registered at the Mangaluru (South) police station. Police officials are investigating whether pressure from family members over their relationship led to the duo consuming poison. “Prima facie they belong to two different castes. We will investigate the circumstances that led these two people to take such a drastic decision,” Mangaluru Commissioner Harsha P told TNM. Police officials will now reach out to the families of the victims to investigate the deaths. A police official investigating the case stated that the two students mentioned in a note that they were in love but were forced to take their own lives as they belonged to different castes. “They mentioned in a note that they are taking their lives because they are in love but are from different castes. They did not mention in the note that they had faced pressure from their families, but this is something we are investigating,” a police official investigating the case told TNM. If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help.  Tamil Nadu:  State health department suicide helpline number - 104 Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in TN) Telangana:   Telangana government suicide prevention toll free no - 104  Roshni- 040-66202000, 66202001 SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)  Karnataka: Sahai : 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 080-65000222 Kerala: Maithri helpline - 0484-2540530 Chaithram helpline: 0484-2361161 Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.  Andhra Pradesh:  Life Suicide Prevention Helpline No.78930-78930  Roshni  Helpline 1: 9166202000  Helpline 2: 9127848584

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K’taka deputy CM requests BBMP to consider relocating waste processing plant in E-City

Civic Issues

The residents have been complaining about the plant for several months due to the overwhelming stench it emits in the area.

Soumya Chatterjee

File image of protest against the plant

In a welcome move for residents of Bengaluru’s Electronic City, Deputy CM Dr Ashwathnarayan CN has requested for the relocation of a BBMP-run waste management plant in the area. Residents have been urging authorities to shut down or at least regular the plant due to the overwhelming stench caused by the plant. According to a statement from the minister’s office, “Since the solid waste processing unit established in Chikkanagamangala by the Palika has been having an adverse impact on the health of the neighbouring residents, in the interest of the public, he has requested to move it to some other place.”  The Chikkanagamangala plant, run by BBMP, had started functioning in April 2018 in full capacity. Since December 2018, residents of Doddanagamangala and Chikkanagamangala have held multiple protests and have approached the authorities regarding the stench emanating from the plant. While the plant was meant to work as a composting unit for organic waste, it has instead been receiving mixed waste over its sanctioned capacity. As the efficiency of the plant reduced with the presence of mixed waste, the BBMP started using the plant as a dumping ground, making life unbearable for neighbouring residents due to the stench. Despite multiple protests against the authorities, no action was taken. While some residents want the plant to be shut down as it was not part of the city's 'Master Plan', others have demanded that the standard operating procedure be followed for handling waste. They had even threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha elections as part of their protest. “Nothing has changed here. It’s stinking day and night. Even the inspection by the State Level Committee of the National Green Tribunal led by Justice Adi had substantiate our complaints. But we have not seen any improvement,” Pranay Dubey, an activist part of Electronic City Rising said.

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'It was provoked': Forest official on viral video of lion chasing K'taka zoo visitors

Social Media

The executive director of Ballari zoo said that the incident took place 45 days ago during a zoo safari.

IANS

A video clip doing the rounds on social media of a grumpy lion chasing visitors in a zoo safari in Karnataka's Ballari district was taken 45 days ago, an official said on Sunday. "It's a non-event, which occurred 45 days ago in late August during our zoo safari. Nothing untoward happened, as chase by lions and tigers in their territory is common," Ballari zoo Executive Director Sonal Varshi said. The one-minute video of the six-year-old lion, Keshri, chasing a speeding vehicle carrying a bunch of excited visitors went viral on social media, including YouTube, WhatsApp and Facebook, on Saturday after it was uploaded online anonymously. The video was also aired by news channels. It is similar to another video from Kerala which was shared widely in July showing a tiger chasing two persons on a motorcycle. The sprawling zoo, named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is located in the mining rich town of Ballari in the northern part of the state. "The lion got worked up when the driver took the jeep closer to it and raised the throttle, which provoked it to charge and chase it at top speed," recalled Varshi, a 2011 batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer. As a safety measure for the visitors in the big cats' territory, vehicles on safari trips are grilled and meshed to prevent any attack on them by lions or tigers. Spread across 350 acres, the safari park houses eight big cats, including four tigers and four lions. There aren't any cubs yet, as the two males and two females each have not been allowed to mate till now. "Keshri was a new entrant in the zoo and was released in the protected area to settle down. It has accustomed to vehicles and visitors now," Varshi said. The lions were relocated to Ballari from Bannerghatta zoo in Bengaluru while the tigers were brought from Mysuru zoo, about 150 km from here. Though the zoo is yet to be formally inaugurated, the safari was opened for visitors in July.  

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Ex-Karnataka Deputy CM Parameshwara’s aide Ramesh cremated, kin alleges I-T harassment

Death

Ramesh took his life on Saturday, days after the Income Tax department conducted searches on the properties, including medical colleges, linked to G Parameshwara.

TNM Staff

A day after he took his own life, MS Ramesh, the personal assistant of former Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, was cremated on Sunday at his native village in  Melehalli in Ramanagaram district. Hundreds of people from nearby villages, Bengaluru and Tumakuru attended the cremation, which also saw many decrying the Income Tax department officials.  Ramesh took his life on Saturday, days after the I-T department conducted searches on the properties, including medical colleges, linked to Parameshwara.  Meanwhile, Satish MS, the brother of Ramesh, filed a police complaint, claiming his brother was harassed by I-T officials. “The I-T department has suddenly slowed down searches after his death and are trying to mislead people by saying that it did not grill Ramesh. There is evidence, including CCTV footage and eyewitnesses, to prove that the officials harassed the victim,” a relative said, as per The Hindu Those who gathered for the cremation, including A Manjunath, Magadi MLA and other relatives and residents of the village, held the I-T department responsible for Ramesh's death. They also chanted slogans against the BJP party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.  The Congress, meanwhile, in a tweet, said that Ramesh has become the “second victim” of the I-T harassment after the death of Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha.  “We have already questioned some individuals with regard to Ramesh’s suicide and will question some more on Monday,” the police officials investigating the case told the Times of India.  Ramesh was 40 years old and had been working with Parameshwara after initially starting out as a typist in the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). On Wednesday, when Parameshwara's residence was searched, Ramesh was present along with him.   Searches were also conducted on the medical college owned by senior Congress leader RL Jalappa, and the residence of his son Rajendra and nephew GH Nagaraj in Chikkaballapura.   An official release by the Income Tax Department stated, “Incriminating evidence has been found in the search, substantiating conversion of seats, commission payments to brokers and sale of seats in exchange for receipt of cash. A total of Rs 4.22 crore of unaccounted cash has so far been found, including Rs 89 lakh in the house of the main trustee.” 

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20,000 employees of HAL in Bengaluru to go on strike over wage revision

Strike

The management, however, said it was making efforts to avert the strike at all its nine locations across the country over wage revision retrospectively since January 1, 2017.

IANS

The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is bracing for an indefinite strike from Monday by its 20,000 employees over wage revision and other demands, a union official said on Sunday. "As talks and reconciliation efforts with the management failed on our demands, especially wage revision, we are going ahead with the indefinite strike from Monday as per the notice we served a fortnight ago (September 30) in compliance with the labour laws," HAL's 9 trade unions' general secretary S. Chandrasekhar told IANS in Bengaluru. The management, however, said it was making efforts to avert the strike at all its nine locations across the country over wage revision retrospectively since January 1, 2017. "Conciliation proceedings commenced at all locations and the labour authorities have advised the unions to desist from the strike and agree to a solution in consultation with the management," the city-based defence behemoth said in a statement on Sunday night. The 55-year-old aerospace major has about 20,000 employees in five production complexes in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Koraput in Odisha, Lucknow and Nashik in Maharashtra and four research and development (R&D) centres across the country. "The management's refusal to consider our demands has forced us to begin the strike from Monday at all the 9 locations. We have appealed to all our workmen and members to participate in the strike," asserted Chandrasekhar. To defuse the situation, the company offered to enhance allowances under cafeteria system at 22 per cent for workmen in scale 1 to 10-20 per cent for workmen in special scale as against the uniform rate of 19 per cent offered earlier. "We apprised the unions of the ill-effects of resorting to strike, jeopardising the interest of the employees and the organisation," said the company in the statement. The management also offered to revise the rate of fitment benefit at 11 per cent. The wage revision is due from January 1, 2017 as the previous two revisions were in 2012 and 2007 for 5 years. Revision of executives' salaries was also due since the same date (January 1, 2017) and implemented in November 2017 as per the directive of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).

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