Onion prices reach Rs 200 per kg in Bengaluru

Food

While there was a similar crisis in 2017 as well, the situation was contained within a short period of time.

IANS

Price of onion shot up to a whopping Rs 200 per kg in Bengaluru due to severe short supply in the market, an official said here on Saturday. "Onion price touched Rs 200 per kg in some retail shops of Bengaluru, after its wholesale rate ranged between Rs 5,500 and Rs 14,000 per quintal," state agricultural marketing officer Siddagangaiah told IANS. As a result, the most common and staple vegetable was conspicuously missing from the menu in homes and restaurants across this tech hub. According to Siddagangaiah, skyrocketing onion prices and the bulb's shortage is expected to last until mid-January. India has an annual onion requirement of 150 lakh metric tonnes, with Karnataka chipping in with onion production of 20.19 lakh metric tonnes. Almost 50 per cent of the onion production gets lost after factoring in crop loss and post-harvest loss, leaving only the balance to arrive in the market. Heavy rains during the harvest also led to the rotting of a good share of the onion production. In November, Karnataka markets received 60-70 quintals of onion a day, which fell by 50 per cent in December, leading to the crisis. Aiming to increase the availability of onion, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) has issued a circular that onion trade should happen even on holidays. "There is not much stock left with the wholesalers and retailers. Surprisingly, Karnataka does not have well defined onion storage facilities," Siddagangaiah said. Meanwhile, Karnataka department of food and civil supplies is conducting raids to crack down on hoarders. There have been reports of restaurans removing onion dosas from their menu as well. In some shops have started adding or replacing onions with cabbage in their samosas.”  While there was a similar crisis in 2017 as well, the situation was contained within a short period of time.  

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Fresh protests against proposed metro construction at Bengaluru’s All Saints Church

Environment/Civic

Activists have demanded that the BMRCL stick to its original detailed project report (DPR) and not touch the church land at all.

Soumya Chatterjee

In yet another protest, scores of people gathered on Sunday morning at the All Saints Church in Richmond Town against the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). The church complex is home to more than a 100 trees, with lush green lawns that are dotted with benches, and is reminiscent of what the Garden City used to be.  The BMRCL is planning to carry out temporary construction activity inside the tree-dotted compound of the 150-year-old church at the expense of the old trees, a school for children with learning and cognitive disabilities, and an old age home. This is one of the many protests that have been held regularly since the beginning of the year. Activists have demanded that the BMRCL stick to its original detailed project report (DPR) and build the proposed metro station on the land presently occupied by the petrol station.  Moreover, they fear that if any construction work is allowed in the church compound, then with all the tunnel digging and drilling, the heritage structure of the 150-year-old church itself will crumble. This planned construction is for the metro line from Dairy Circle to Nagawara (part of the Namma Metro Phase II). The commercial property that the church-owned, including Tom’s Hotel, Fatima Bakery and Daniel Garage, has already been handed to BMRCL for the same metro project. Environmental conservationists have said that along with the trees, some of which are over 100 years old, the vicinity will lose the cool atmosphere which it now enjoys due to the current microclimate. Plus, the area acts as a roosting spot many species of birds, including the rare Paradise Flycatcher. Arun Prasad, an activist part of the protest, said, “BMRCL can use the open, barren space at the Central Military Police for its temporary acquisition, which is less than 100m down the road. This would be a win-win situation for all concerned. We don’t want the BMRCL to touch any part of the church compound.”  Currently, the matter is at a stalemate as the Tree Committee, which has the authority to allow the BMRCL to cull this many trees, is yet to meet due to ongoing litigation at the Karnataka High Court. Even the Tree Committee, prior to the litigation, in its correspondence to the BMRCL, has asked the body to use the vacant military land for the purpose. Moreover, the activists say the hardline approach of the BMRCL amounts to contempt of court as the High Court has recently reiterated that all large scale infrastructure projects in the state should follow three rounds of a process of public consultation as per the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961.  The Environment Support Group, an NGO working for environmental and social justice has also written to the Karnataka Chief Secretary and Home Secretary on the issue.   ESG in its letter said, “As per the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, this campus is an appropriate candidate for being declared as a ‘Biodiversity Heritage Site’ and the proposed (draft) Revised Master Plan – 2031 already lists the church and its campus as a ‘living heritage’.”   The letter highlights the alleged legal loopholes and illegality with which the BMRCL is pursuing the church land.   The letter also mentioned a move by Ashokenagar Police for issuing a police notice dated December 5 which ESG said it “amounts to issuing a threat to the congregation” for exercising their fundamental right to pray, and to gather peacefully to protect their church and its environs.        

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Bengaluru court accepts closure report in sexual harassment case against bishop Samuel

Crime

A closure report is submitted when there is no evidence, suspicion or reasonable grounds against the person named in the case.

Theja Ram

A Bengaluru Court has accepted a closure report filed by the Halasuru Police in connection with the sexual harassment case filed against the Bishop of Holy Trinity Church, PK Samuel, and a church member, Vinod Dasan. According to section 169 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a closure report is submitted by the investigating officials when there is no evidence, suspicion or reasonable grounds against the person named in the case, and hence, the person can be released.  On November 30, the First Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Bengaluru dismissed the case after accepting the B report or cancellation report (when there is no evidence to file a chargesheet or seek trial).  According to the Central Crime Branch sleuths, the court had accepted the B report as the complainant had not appeared before the magistrate to challenge the report and hence, had accepted it.  The woman had filed a sexual harassment complaint on the night of January 21 this year at Halasuru Police Station,stating that Bishop Samuel touched her inappropriately and also threatened her to withdraw the complaint she had filed against him and Vinod Dasan in Kothanur Police Station in 2013. The CCB officials said that the woman allegedly did not cooperate with the investigation. “The mobile tower location of Vinod’s phone and CCTV footage from his house shows that Vinod did not go to Devanahalli as alleged by the woman and the Bishop was in his house,” a CCB official said.  Back in 2013, the woman had also filed a complaint at the Kothanur Police Station accusing Vinod of sexual harassment. Since there were multiple cases related to the same parties, the CCB had taken up the investigation.  In her complaint, the woman had stated that Vinod visited the woman’s mother in Bengaluru’s Devanahalli and told her to convince the complainant to drop the case. He had also informed the woman’s mother that that Bishop PK Samuel wanted to meet her daughter and counsel her on the case. On January 21, the woman and her husband arrived at Holy Trinity Church near Trinity Circle in Bengaluru, where they met both Samuel and Vinod. After they spoke, Vinod allegedly said that he wanted to speak to her husband, leaving the woman alone with Samuel. Samuel allegedly continued to pressurise her to withdraw the case and allegedly offered to pay her Rs 1 crore as well as employment through the Diocese. However, she refused. At that point, he allegedly put his hand on her shoulder and misbehaved with her.  According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Rahul Kumar, Bishop PK Samuel was booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.  Vinod Dasan has been booked for criminal intimidation after the woman tried to take her own life on January 21. The case was registered in the Shivajinagar Police Station. It was later transferred to the Halasuru Police as she had already filed a complaint there.            

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Bus and metro stations in Bengaluru to deploy security guards for women's safety

Security

This comes following the massive outrage over the lack of women’s safety after the brutal rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad.

TNM Staff

Sunnya343 Wikimedia Commons

In the wake of massive outrage following the brutal rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad, various agencies in Bengaluru are stepping up security measures to ensure women’s safety.  The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) have now installed measures to ensure the safety of female passengers. According to TOI, BMTC on Saturday said that women security guards would be deployed at waiting lounges in 12 major bus stations in the city, who will survey the premises. The waiting lounges will be open from 6 am till the last bus leaves the station.  “BMTC has constructed lounges for the safety and convenience of women passengers at the stations/traffic and transit management centres under the Nirbhaya Scheme,” a BMTC press release said. “Apart from seating arrangements, the lounges provide facilities like infant feeding rooms, washrooms and glass partitions, which will help track bus movement,” the release said. In March this year, BMTC inaugurated the waiting lounges after a long wait. The BMTC had proposed the idea in 2017, however, the agency had complained of delay in the central government allotting Nirbhaya Funds, leading to the delay in constructing these lounges.  The BMTC stated that these waiting lounges too would be under surveillance of women security guards.  Since December 3, the BMRCL has been providing a woman guard on every train that runs beyond 10 pm. According to The New Indian Express, nearly 31% of BMRCL’s daily ridership of 4 lakh commuters are women. However, the ridership of women passengers is low after 9.30 pm, the report stated.  BMRCL introduced this in the wake of reports of crimes against women and also after several women passengers had complained of men entering the coaches meant for women only. There were also complaints of men misbehaving with women travelling late at night.  BMRCL, on December 4, issued a notification that allowed women to carry pepper spray for self defence. Earlier, the BMRCL had banned pepper spray as it is flammable.  

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DK Shivakumar accuses BSY of vendetta politics, demands medical college in Kanakapura

Politics

DK Shivakumar, in his letter, accused Yediyurappa of cancelling the project “overnight”.

TNM Staff

Former Medical Education Minister and Congress troubleshooter DK Shivakumar has written to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa demanding that a medical college and hospital be constructed in his constituency – Kanakapura. In his letter, DK Shivakumar accuses BS Yediyurappa of reneging on the promise he made after he took oath as the Chief Minister on July 26. “After assuming office as Chief Minister of Karnataka, you promised you would never indulge in vengeful politics… I was totally dismayed that such a decision taken by you, after making the promise of never resorting to vendetta politics,” DK Shivakumar’s letter states. DK Shivakumar, in his letter, also accused Yediyurappa of cancelling the project “overnight”. “I was shocked to learn that your government, with a single-member cabinet took a decision to cancel it (medical college construction) overnight and transfer/re-allot the same to Chikkaballapura,” Shivakumar’s letter states. DK Shivkumar stated that the announcement to construct a medical college and hospital in Kanakapura was included in the 2018-19 budget, which was also passed after debate. Shivakumar has also stated that Yediyurappa had supported the construction of the medical college at Kanakapura in 2018 during the debate regarding the budget. The proposal to construct KIMS Hospital in Kanakapura was subsequently passed by the state cabinet during Kumaraswamy’s tenure and also approved by the departments of finance, planning and law and parliamentary affairs. The government order for the same was issued on December 13, 2018. In January 2018, a total of 25 acres of land was allotted for the construction of the college in Kanakpura’s Rayasandra village. The detailed project report (DPR) and preparations of estimates and tenders were also allotted by the end June, Shivakumar claims. However, the foundation stone was not laid as the rebel leaders resigned and flew to Mumbai, which subsequently brought down the Congress-JD(S) coalition. He, however, said that he has no issue of a medical college being constructed in Chikkaballapura but also warned of legal action if the government did not permit the construction of a medical college in Kanakapura. “I will be constrained to resort to serious action in my own way to get justice to the people of Kanakapura for which, I hope, you will not give scope,” he said. In early November, DK Shivakumar had accused the BJP government of transferring the funds meant for construction of the medical college in Kanakapura to Chikkaballapura. Shivakumar had accused the BJP of trying to appease the rebel MLA from Chikkaballapura, Sudhakar. Terming it as his "dream project," Shivakumar had earlier vowed to "lay down his life" for a medical college in Kanakapura. Yediyurappa had later told the media that the government was going to set up medical colleges at the district level and subsequently look into constructing them in taluks like Kanakapura.  Shivakumar’s letter comes in the wake of the Yediyurappa government being unwilling to go ahead with the construction.     

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Bengaluru man critical after fixture from Koramangala flyover falls on head

Accident

The family told TNM that they have filed a complaint with the Koramangala Police.

TNM Staff

A motorist in Bengaluru has suffered grievous injuries after a hydraulic bolt used for the construction of the Koramangala-Ejipura Flyover fell on him. At around 4.20 pm on Friday, 44-year-old Lawrence, a store manager at Titan Eye+ in CV Raman Nagar, was headed for a meeting. On his way, he was passing by Sony World Signal in Koramangala, when a hydraulic bolt, which was being fitted on pillar number 36 of the flyover fell on him. Lawrence’s helmet cracked and the hydraulic bolt injured his skull. His wound began bleeding profusely and Lawrence became unconscious within minutes. The traffic police, who were at the spot, rushed Lawrence to St John’s Hospital, located a few metres away. Speaking to TNM, Lawrence’s brother-in-law, Sylvester, told TNM that he is currently in the ICU and has been kept under observation. “He has rib fractures and also injuries on his head. The doctors said that the head injury caused a cardiac arrest. They have kept him under observation and he is still drifting in and out of consciousness. They told us that he has a 50-50 chance of surviving. The hydraulic bolt was huge and when it fell from the top, his helmet cracked. This is serious negligence on behalf of the BBMP officials and the contractor,” Sylvester said. BBMP Commissioner BH Anil Kumar said that the contract for the construction of the flyover was given to SIMPLEX Infrastructures, and that an inquiry would be conducted regarding the incident. “I spoke with the doctors at St John’s last night (Friday) and have asked them to provide him with the best possible treatment,” he said. Family members of Lawrence have accused the contractor and BBMP of negligence. They have filed a complaint with the Koramangala Police. However, an FIR was not registered at the time of writing the article. “This could have happened to anyone. We want the police to investigate this and take action against whoever is responsible. When we went to the hospital on Friday, the contractors and BBMP officials had come to us and were apologizing. We think that they did not want us to file a police complaint. But we want to pursue this legally,” Sylvester said.       

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Amid cost spike, Karnataka Lokayukta inspects onion godowns accused of hoarding

Inflation

Officials did not find any evidence of illegal activity but blamed discrepancies on low supplies of onions.

TNM Staff

Representation photo

The Anti Corruption Bureau conducted inspections at various Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) establishments on Friday evening after several wholesale traders accused them of illegally siphoning off onions. In Bengaluru, the APMC centre at Yeshwanthpur was inspected by Lokayukta SP Tyagarajan, two DySPs and two inspectors. Lokayukta police say that they did not find any discrepancies but the problem was low supply of onions.  On Friday evening, onion prices shot up in Karnataka. Onions are currently being priced between Rs 140 and Rs 200 per kilo. Lokayukat police said that regular inspections are being conducted on APMC centres to ensure that onions are not being siphoned off. Officials with the Food and Civil Supplies Department said that random inspections are being conducted on small and medium-sized outlets selling onions to ensure that onions are not being siphoned away illegally.  "We have been conducting random inspections for the last 10 days to ensure that there are no illegal activities taking place. Bengaluru alone used to get 1.39 lakh tonnes of onion per day. Now we are getting only 36,000 tonnes per day," he said.  Supermarkets are selling onions for Rs 180 per kilo and hypermarkets have priced them at Rs 200 per kilo. AMPC officials said that the smaller variety of shallots are being sold at Rs 60 per kilo. Food and Civil Supplies Department officials say that the prices of onions are likely to go up in the coming week as the imports initiated by the Centre have not yet reached India.  Karnataka Chief Secretary on Friday wrote to the central government, requesting it to provide 250 metric tonnes of onions to Karnataka. The Centre has initiated imports of onions from Egypt and Turkey, which is expected to reach India by December 15, the officials said.  “The supply of onions has decreased by 70% in Karnataka. The recent floods and crop loss in Karnataka and Maharashtra has reduced the supply. The Lokayukta, local police and our department officials are monitoring thefts as there were cases reported in Gadag and other districts,” the official said. On December 1, about 40 bags of onions were stolen from the fields belonging to a farmer named Kalkayya Prabhuswamimutt, in Gadag’s Naregal town. In Gajendragad in Gadag, onions worth Rs 80,000 was stolen from the fields of Muttappa Yavagal on November 29. Farmers are now keeping watch on their fields at night as they are wary of thieves. A video of farmers guarding their crops had gone viral on December 2, soon after the thefts were reported in Gadag.    

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