BSY delays cabinet expansion, rebels may have to wait to become ministers

Politics

Yediyurappa said that he will be meeting the high command to discuss the issue after a week.

PTI

PTI

Signalling a delay in the expansion of his ministry, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Thursday said he may not go to New Delhi for about a week to discuss about it with the BJP high command. After his government retained majority in the Assembly by sweeping the December 5 bye-polls, Yediyurappa had said he would be travelling to Delhi soon to hold discussions with the BJP central leadership on the Cabinet expansion. "For three-four days I will not go (to Delhi), whenever national president (BJP- Amit Shah) asks me to come, I will go. Most probably I may not go for a week," Yediyurappa told reporters in response to a question about his New Delhi visit. There is talk within BJP circles that the Ministry expansion may get delayed as Dhanurmasa (considered inauspicious month among Hindus) begins on December 16 or 17 and would end with Makar Sankranti in January third week. The ruling BJP had swept the by-elections winning 12 of the total 15 seats, helping the four-month-old Yediyurappa government retain majority in the Assembly. Meanwhile, lobbying has intensified for ministerial berths, by both old guard and new entrants. Yediyurappa has made it clear that 11 disqualified MLAs (of the total 13 fielded by BJP), who successfully contested the bye-polls on party tickets, would be made Ministers. Cabinet expansion would not be an easy task as Yediyurappa would have to strike a balance by accommodating the victorious disqualified legislators as he had promised and also make place for old guards, upset at being "neglected" in the first round of the induction exercise. He also has to give adequate representation to various castes and regions in his cabinet.  

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2YFVpXH
via IFTTT

Bengaluru auto driver chases bike-bourne chain snatcher down, gets rewarded by cops

Crime

The incident occurred on Sunday as widely reported near Marathalli but only came to light on Wednesday.

TNM Staff

In what had resemblance of dramatic movie scenes of a hot pursuit and a criminal being nabbed, a Bengaluru auto-driver managed to pin down a bike-bourne chain snatcher. And the entire incident was caught on CCTV cameras in the vicinity. The incident occurred on Sunday as widely reported near Marathalli but only came to light on Wednesday. Deccan Chronicle reported that the autorickshaw driver Hanumantha was rewarded with a cash price of Rs 10,000 by the Bengaluru police for his brave act. DCP Whitefield MN Anucheth handed him the prize on behalf of the police department. The HIndu reported that Hanumanth was going on the way towards HAL when he heard the victim of the chain snatching shouting “thief, thief” and running behind a bike. An aware Hanumanth decided to give the bikers a chase without catching any attention. And within sometime, he managed to knockdown the accused. It was when the accused fell down from his bike, he decided to escape on foot. But another road user, one Nitin Kumar came to help. Even though the accused chain snatcher VIgnesh had started running before Hanumanth could get off his auto, Nitin managed to get hold of him after a chase. Hanumanth auto rickshaw was partially damaged for hitting the bike. The two of them also managed to recover the gold ornament that the victim had lost. The victim thanked the two for their brave act and alertness. The accused VIgnesh was handed over to the police after the control room was alerted and a police patrol vehicle reached the spot in some time.   Police have said Vignesh is a known criminal. A case was registered and Vignesh was arrested by Marathalli police and now in judicial custody. He is reported to be a resident of KG Halli. Police have also recovered the gold chain from him.    

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2PFUrGX
via IFTTT

Bellandur lake project: NGT fixes Sept 2020 deadline to build sewage treatment plants

Sewage Treatment

The BWSSB had sought two more years to build the STPs, but experts say it can be done in nine months.

TNM Staff

In yet another hearing on the Bellandur lake at the National Green Tribunal, officials of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KPSCB) were pulled up for failing to take action.  At Wednesday’s hearing, Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel expressed his reservations over the delay in building Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and pulled up the BWSSB chairman Tushar Girinath for seeking two more years of time to build STPs, while the experts say it can be done in nine months.  The NGT asked the state government to complete the construction of STPs by September 2020 to prevent entry of sewage water.  It also noted that there is a colossal waste of money as treated water goes into the lake, mixing with untreated water and then getting treated again. It also noted that desilting process, which was started, did not finish as part of due process. A fire which occurred in Bellandur Lake in February 2017 led to the NGT taking suo motu cognisance of the issue. The NGT has repeatedly reprimanded the Government of Karnataka and its parastatal agencies for failing to protect the lake. In December 2018, the state government was even fined Rs 100 crore for the same. The court warned that criminal cases would be filed for dereliction of duty against all officials responsible for the upkeep of the lake. It further reprimanded that the inaction and excuses of cost, unavailability of resources and technical glitches.  Harish Kumar, general manager of Namma Bengaluru Foundation, responded, “We seek that a particular officer must be accountable for a particular activity in a particular time frame. If the experts say that sewage flow can be stopped in 9 months and BWSSB has asked for 2 more years (by 2022), it only shows the lack of interest and unaccountability of BWSSB in solving this issue. The accountability needs to be sorted else we will not get things fixed inside a timeframe”. 

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/38rIVHD
via IFTTT

Nearly two months on, HAL settles wage revision demand of employees’ unions

Wage Hike

The staff unions had struck work on Oct 14 at nine locations across the country, but resumed work a week later in compliance with the Karnataka HC directive.

IANS

The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has settled the wage revision demand of its employees' unions nearly two months after they went on strike since October 14 but resumed work a week later in compliance with the Karnataka High Court directive, the state-run defence behemoth said on Wednesday. "The management and the trade unions of the workforce signed an agreement on wage revision hike on Tuesday here, which will be retrospectively effective since January 1, 2017," the company said in a statement in Bengaluru. The All-India HAL Trade Unions Coordination Committee struck work on October 14 at nine locations across the country for revised wage settlement effective January 2017, it added. The previous two revisions were in 2012 and 2007. The agreement has offered fitment benefit at 12 per cent, perks and allowances under the cafeteria system at 25 per cent for workmen in scale 1-10 and at 22 per cent for workmen in special scale) of the revised basic pay besides other unspecified benefits. "On ratification by the company's board, a tripartite settlement before the labour authorities will be made at all the 9 locations before notifying the revised wage structure," added the statement. The company petitioned the Karnataka High Court on October 17 for a direction to the workforce to withdraw the strike and report to work. The unions sought a wage revision given to the executives, a gross salary hike of 35 per cent, including 110-140 per cent hike in perks. About 10,000 employees work in the company's Bengaluru production complex. The Karnataka High Court on October 22 directed the workers to call off the strike and resolve the issue through talks in the presence of the state labour commissioner. Complying with the court order, the staff resumed work on October 24 after calling off their 10-day strike. The PSU aerospace major has about 20,000 employees in 5 production complexes in Bengaluru in Karnataka, Hyderabad in Telangana, Koraput in Odisha, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh and Nashik in Maharashtra, and 4 research and development (R&D) centres across the country.

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2PGfyc0
via IFTTT

Ex-Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah undergoes angioplasty

Health

On December 9, Siddaramaiah resigned as the opposition leader in Karnataka after the Congress suffered a debacle in the bye-elections.

IANS

PTI/ File image

Senior Karnataka Congress leader Siddaramaiah underwent angioplasty at a city hospital on Wednesday night. Late on Wednesday night, a tweet was issued from the official handle of Siddaramaiah saying, "I was treated for angioplasty this evening on the advice of doctors. I am healthy, no need to worry."   ವೈದ್ಯರ ಸಲಹೆ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ಇಂದು ಸಂಜೆ ಹೃದಯಕ್ಕೆ ಆಂಜಿಯೋಪ್ಲ್ಯಾಸ್ಟ್ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸೆ ಮಾಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ.‌ ಸದ್ಯ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದು ನಾಳೆ ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಕೆಲವು ದಿನ ವಿಶ್ರಾಂತಿ ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಆರೋಗ್ಯವಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ಆತಂಕಪಡಬೇಕಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಈ ವಿಷಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಚರ್ಚೆ ಬೇಡ ಎಂದು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮ ಮಿತ್ರರಲ್ಲಿ ವಿನಂತಿ. — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 11, 2019   According to a Congress party source, Siddaramiah went to the hospital for a routine check-up earlier in the day and returned home in the afternoon. He again returned to the hospital in the evening as he was advised angioplasty, the source confirmed to IANS. Doctors have advised Siddaramaiah, 71, to take rest for a few days. "I am currently in the hospital and will go home tomorrow and get some rest," said Siddaramaiah's tweet. He appealed to the media not to discuss about his health matter further. Earlier in the day, the former Karnataka Chief Minister tweeted condemning rumours about his health. He said, "Rumours about my health are baseless. I am healthy and fine. I have come to the doctor for a regular check-up, so there is no need to worry."   Rumours about my health is baseless. I am healthy and fine. I have come to Doctor for a regular health check-up so there is no need to worry. — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 11, 2019   On December 9, Siddaramaiah resigned as the opposition leader in Karnataka after the Congress suffered a debacle in the by-elections, winning only two of the 15 assembly seats it contested.    

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/36r6UVx
via IFTTT

‘Kids of immigrants to stay with parents in same detention centre': Centre to K'taka HC

Child Rights

A Bengaluru-based lawyer had contended that the children should not be kept in detention centres but “observational homes”, according to the Juvenile Justice Act.

Soumya Chatterjee

The Union government on Wednesday told the Karnataka High Court that children of undocumented/illegal immigrants would be staying with their parents in the same detention centres and no additional facility will be made for the children alone. The central government counsel added that these children will be given education at local government schools and the cost of the same will be borne by the Union government.  The Centre’s submission came as the High Court bench, headed by Justice KN Phaneendra, was hearing a plea by an advocate, Sirajuddin Ahmed. He had contended that the children should not be kept in detention centres but “observational homes”, according to the Juvenile Justice Act. This development came as the contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC) Bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after it was passed in the Lok Sabha. The case pertains to a bail application filed by one Babul Khanin in September 2019 for 14 Bangladeshi immigrants and one Burmese immigrant, who were arrested in August 2018 from the Sarjapur police station limits in Bengaluru. Ahmed is representing one of the detained 14 immigrants from Bangladesh. The matter will be heard again on Thursday. Speaking to TNM, Ahmed said, “Why should children suffer even if their parents are found guilty of illegally immigrating. I am opposing this as this violates the International Human Rights Convention, in which India is a party. So all countries in the convention are bound to follow this.” He also adds that as per the treaties, the state government is responsible for the upkeep of the immigrants (including the children) till the receiving country accepts them back. While detention centres for illegal immigrants are not illegal, keeping children in these centres is an abuse of child rights.  “Children, irrespective of their nationalities, enjoy the Juvenile Justice Act in India. They have to be kept in special observational homes. Only parents can demand that children below the age of six live with them,” he added. He further added in case the parents can arrange family members to take care of them, then it shoud be allowed too. In the earlier hearings, the HC had asked the Karnataka government to reveal the details of the number of detention centres in the state for detaining illegal immigrants. It also directed the state government to spell out the plan to detain immigrants without documents currently residing in the state. As earlier reported by TNM, the state government has repurposed a hostel built for SC/ST students in Nelamangala, around 40 km outside Bengaluru, into a detention centre for illegal immigrants. While the construction of the building is completed, it is only expected to be opened for use in January 2020.  Read: The uncertain future of the Bangladeshi immigrants taken from Bengaluru to Kolkata        

Body 2: 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2LNpEqB
via IFTTT

White House moves up meeting with warring health officials

Administration officials say Azar and Verma must pledge to end a feud that's threatening Trump's health agenda ahead of his reelection campaign.

from Health Care https://ift.tt/2sjyAwK
via IFTTT