IMD predicts more rain in coastal, south interior Karnataka this week

Weather

The weather agency further predicted fresh rainfall including thunderstorms in the coastal region of the state.

TNM Staff

A fresh bout of rain was forecasted in coastal and southern interior Karnataka this week. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded rainfall in coastal Karnataka on Sunday. "The southwest monsoon was weak over north coastal Karnataka. Rainfall occurred at most places over coastal Karnataka and in few places over interior Karnataka," a release by IMD said. Heavy rains and gusty wind were reported in Uttara Kannada district's Karwar since Saturday night.  The weather agency further predicted fresh rainfall including thunderstorms in the coastal region of the state this week. "Rain/thunderstorms are very likely to occur at many places over coastal Karnataka and south Interior Karnataka and at a few places over north interior Karnataka," IMD said. According to the IMD, this is expected to continue for another week. Fairly widespread rainfall is predicted on August 31 in coastal Karnataka while widespread rainfall is predicted from September 1-4. Fairly widespread rainfall is predicted in south interior Karnataka, the weather agency's forecast stated.  The Karnataka government has estimated that a loss of Rs 4,000 crore was incurred during the monsoon this year after heavy rains affected life in 12 districts in the state.  Heavy rains disrupted life in Karnataka earlier this month. The state government had set up 92 relief camps in the affected districts for sheltering over 4,000 people. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai reported that 385 houses were fully damaged and 7,238 houses partially damaged. Food crops in 89,440 hectares and horticultural crops in 51,803 hectares of land have been destroyed in heavy rains and floods as well. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said he will be seeking more funds for the state for flood relief works when he visits New Delhi in September. 

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Falling Covid-19 cases create opportunity and peril for Trump

Virus cases are dropping everywhere, but the rush to reopen could backfire.

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Bengaluru’s west zone reports most COVID-19 cases, east zone has highest recoveries

Coronavirus

Bengaluru reported 2,821 COVID-19 patients on August 30.

TNM Staff

Image for representation/PTI

Bengaluru, which reported 2,821 COVID-19 cases on August 30, taking the total number of people to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus to 1,07,875. Of these, 37,703 are active cases. While a majority of the new patients on August 30 are from the west zone, east zone reported the highest number of recoveries. According to the latest Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike COVID-19 War Room report, west zone has reported nearly 500 patients, accounting for 23% of the new cases, while recoveries were just under 400. East zone meanwhile, reported over 400 recoveries – the highest in the city on the said day – and less than 400 new COVID-19 cases (14% of the new cases). No other zone reported more discharges than positive patients. Bommanahalli has been seeing an increase in its share in the last few days and 16% of the new cases on August 30 were from there. South zone accounted for the third highest – 17% share – of the new cases.  West zone, which has been reporting a quarter of all cases in Bengaluru for many past days, has seen a reduction in share in the last 10 days and accounted for 21% of COVID-19 cases reported. South zone reported 18% and east zone 17% in the last 10 days, followed by Bommanahalli (12%), RR Nagara (11%), Mahadevapura and Yelahanka (8% each) and Dasarahalli (5%). BBMP did not provide an updated number of containment zones in Bengaluru on Sunday, so the number remains the same at 15,723 active containment zones out of a total of 40,563. Overall, 39% containment zones are active in the city – most of them being in the south zone – and 61% have returned to normal status. The active rate in Bengaluru is at 29.99%, while the recovery rate has risen to 68.48%. The death rate due to COVID-19 is at 1.54%. Karnataka has 88,091 active coronavirus cases, with 2,42,229 recoveries and 5,589 deaths.    

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Bengaluru’s west zone reports most COVID-19 cases, east zone has highest recoveries

Coronavirus

Bengaluru reported 2,821 COVID-19 patients on August 30.

TNM Staff

Image for representation/PTI

Bengaluru, which reported 2,821 COVID-19 cases on August 30, taking the total number of people to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus to 1,07,875. Of these, 37,703 are active cases. While a majority of the new patients on August 30 are from the west zone, east zone reported the highest number of recoveries. According to the latest Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike COVID-19 War Room report, west zone has reported nearly 500 patients, accounting for 23% of the new cases, while recoveries were just under 400. East zone meanwhile, reported over 400 recoveries – the highest in the city on the said day – and less than 400 new COVID-19 cases (14% of the new cases). No other zone reported more discharges than positive patients. Bommanahalli has been seeing an increase in its share in the last few days and 16% of the new cases on August 30 were from there. South zone accounted for the third highest – 17% share – of the new cases.  West zone, which has been reporting a quarter of all cases in Bengaluru for many past days, has seen a reduction in share in the last 10 days and accounted for 21% of COVID-19 cases reported. South zone reported 18% and east zone 17% in the last 10 days, followed by Bommanahalli (12%), RR Nagara (11%), Mahadevapura and Yelahanka (8% each) and Dasarahalli (5%). BBMP did not provide an updated number of containment zones in Bengaluru on Sunday, so the number remains the same at 15,723 active containment zones out of a total of 40,563. Overall, 39% containment zones are active in the city – most of them being in the south zone – and 61% have returned to normal status. The active rate in Bengaluru is at 29.99%, while the recovery rate has risen to 68.48%. The death rate due to COVID-19 is at 1.54%. Karnataka has 88,091 active coronavirus cases, with 2,42,229 recoveries and 5,589 deaths.    

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Centre’s proposal asking states to borrow a 'skewed idea': Deve Gowda on GST recovery

Finance

The JD(S) leader said that the GST Council meeting held last week appeared to have further strained the already delicate relationship between the states and the central government.

TNM Staff

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Sunday termed as a "skewed idea" the Centre's suggestion that states can go for borrowing to make up for the GST shortfall and said it cannot be seen shirking its responsibility. The JD(S) leader also said that the GST Council meeting held last week appeared to have further strained the already delicate relationship between the states and the central government. "The Centre's suggestion that the states should borrow to make good the expected shortfall of Rs 2.35 lakh crore in GST compensation this year has, expectedly, not gone down well," Deve Gowda said in a statement. The statement comes a week before Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has to choose the GST compensation recovery for the state following a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over video conference on Tuesday. Noting that the states were already under financial strain, he said, "To ask the states to borrow is a skewed idea because in July 2017 they had given up their right to levy taxes and had allowed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime." "They had agreed to do so because the central government had assured to adequately compensate them. I tend to agree with the argument that the onus is on the Centre to borrow and compensate the states. It cannot be seen shirking this responsibility," he said. The Centre on Saturday wrote to states suggesting options of borrowing money to make up for the Rs 2.35 lakh crore shortfall in GST revenues expected in the current fiscal. Two days after first making the suggestion at the GST Council meeting, the Finance Ministry wrote to state governments saying they could borrow either via a special window it will facilitate through the RBI or raise debt from the market. Deve Gowda said that besides GST, the new formula for devolution of taxes under the 15th Finance Commission had also created some disquiet. Many progressive states feel that they contribute more to central taxes but receive much less in return, he added. The central government, which has often spoken of 'co-operative federalism' should engage the states actively, and arrive at a consensus on all difficult matters, he said. The states and the Centre being at loggerheads all too frequently does not augur well for our wellbeing as a nation, the former prime minister said. The Finance Minister has spoken about the 'Act of God', Gowda pointed out and said, "I agree with her. But, we cannot sit back and wait for God to set right the mess we often put ourselves in. As the proverbial saying goes, God helps those who help themselves." Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier said that the economy has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is an "Act of God" and it will see a contraction in the current fiscal. With PTI inputs

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'Killing cow a crime': Karnataka Minister K Sudhakar pushes for ban on cow slaughter

Politics

Since the BJP came to power in Karnataka, there have been calls from various party leaders to bring back anti cow-slaughter legislation.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar on Sunday said that it was a 'crime' to kill cows even as the BJP government in the state mulled over bringing back the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Bill. "Cow is like a member of the family and it's a crime to kill cows," Sudhakar said at the inauguration of a goshala (a shelter for cows) in Chikkaballapura, a media release from his office said. Terming cow slaughter a 'sin', the minister said he would request Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to ban slaughtering of the animal in the state. Also, there was a need for people's movement to create awareness against cow slaughtering, he said. "Being Indians, all state governments should ban cow slaughtering," the minister added.  The minister indicated that a discussion will be held in the Assembly on the export of beef. "Our party is committed to ban beef exports, there will be a decision soon on this," he said. Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chavan had recently said the state would soon implement a ban on cow slaughter, sale and consumption of beef in line with other states. Once the COVID-19 crisis eases, an expert committee would be constituted to look into the matter, and if need be, it will visit states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh to study about implementation of the ban there, he had said. The BJP in its manifesto for the 2018 Assembly Election had promised prohibition of cow slaughter. Despite resistance from opposition, the then BJP government led by BS Yediyurappa in 2010 had passed the controversial Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill in the Assembly, proposing to replace the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964. The bill had widened the definition of 'cattle' and imposed a blanket ban on cattle slaughter, coupled with stringent penalty clauses for violations.The bill prohibited slaughter of cattle, sale, usage and possession of beef, restricted transport of cattle and also prohibited sale, purchase or disposal of cattle for slaughter. The punishment for the offences included imprisonment of no less than one year which could extend up to seven years or a fine between Rs 25000 and Rs 50000 or both for a first offence.  However, then Governor HR Bhardwaj failed to give his assent for the bill.   The ban on cow slaughter in Karnataka is according to the Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation 1964. However, this act bans the slaughter and sale of cows, calves and she-buffaloes. The law allows slaughter of bulls, bullocks and male-buffaloes. It also allows slaughter of female buffaloes aged above twelve years, or are no longer fit for breeding or cannot give milk. This scope was widened through the 2010 bill.  However, the Congress government headed by Siddaramaiah that came to power in 2013 withdrew the bill that was pending before the President for his assent. He termed the legislation 'draconian' and 'unconstitutional'. He also tore a copy of the bill and threw it in the air in the Assembly. After the BJP came back to power in the state in 2019, several party leaders have been making a pitch to re-enact the anti- cow slaughter law. The Cow Protection Cell within the BJP submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Yediyurappa in August 2019, soon after the BJP came to power, to ban the sale of beef in Karnataka.   

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Bengaluru Namma Metro waiting for directions from Centre to start operations

Transport

A BMRCL official said other than the mandatory rule of wearing masks, the passenger capacity of each train will be reduced to 300-350 from the carrying capacity of 1800.

IANS

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) is waiting for guidelines from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to resume its service on the twin routes across the city from September 7 in a phased manner amid COVID-19 scare, an official said on Sunday. "Though the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allowed resuming metro services across the country from September 7 under Unlock 4.0, with dos and don'ts for the safety of commuters and our staff, we need clearance from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with guidelines specific to our operations in the city," a metro official told IANS in Bengaluru. Like other state-run transport firms, 'Namma' Metro too suspended its service on March 25 when the lockdown was enforced and extended, forcing thousands of commuters to switch over to alternate transport mode. As the most popular transport mode for its punctual, efficient and cleaner service in air-conditioned coaches, the metro has been ferrying over four lakh commuters on the twin routes, covering 42.3 km across 40 well-lit stations till pre-Covid days. "In addition to wearing masks, we have to ensure commuters maintain physical distance between them and regulate their entry or exit, as only a limited number of them will be allowed in each coach to travel in the metro," said the official. To minimise physical contact with machines, the metro operator is set to insist all commuters switch over to smart cards and avoid tokens for entering the platform and taking the metro ride. "Though the majority of the daily commuters use smart card for travel in the metro, we have hundreds of people across the city and outside buying tokens at counters in all stations to ride in the metro for errands or sight-seeing. We hope many will switch over to smart card, which can be re-charged using our app," said the official. A joint venture of the central and state governments, BMRCL is bracing up to resume its service as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the MHA and stringent guidelines of the Union Health Ministry to ensure safe travel for hundreds of commuters in a phased manner. "We have already made a check list of dos and don'ts ahead of resuming the service which are in compliance with the Covid-induced lockdown measures of the centre and state governments," said the official. Every commuter will have thermal screening at the entrance to ensure only those who show negative sign will be allowed into the metro station with mask or facial shield. "Commuters having Arogya Setu app on their smart-phones will be mandatory. Sanitisers will be kept at the entrance of the stations for hand-washing," added the official. As against its capacity of carrying 1,800 commuters in a 6-coach train, the operator will allow 300-350 of them in each trip on its east-west and north-south corridors. Spaces have been earmarked on platforms and inside coaches to maintain social distancing between the commuters to sit or stand while travelling. The operator has incurred Rs 300 crore loss over the last five months due to the suspension of its service to contain the pandemic.

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