K'taka New Land Grant rules will impact food supply in the long run: Farmers groups

The Karnataka Kisan Congress plans to take legal recourse by filing a PIL with the SC if the state does not reconsider

TNM Staff

PTI

The Karnataka Land Grant (Amendment) Rules have received flak from farmer groups and activists. Alleging that the amendment was against their interest, farmer groups said that the rules that were notified last week allows the government to relinquish the leased government lands at the prevailing guidance value, fixed uniform market value while leasing or granting government land. The amendment subsidised the uniform market value for the leasing of the government land. The notification also read, “The government lands leased for more than fifteen years to societies, charitable or religious institutions, or educational institutions or agriculture or other purpose prior to the date of commencement of the Karnataka Land Revenue (Second Amendment) Act, 2020 shall be disposed of, by the Government.” Sachin Meega, President, Karnataka Kisan Congress mentioned that the farmer groups are contesting these amendments. “The Rules were passed by the government as ordinances without consulting the people who’ll be directly affected by it. They are just trying to favour the Industries and grabbing away lands from poor farmers,” he said. He further added that the farmers are being assured of only myopic prosperity. Moreover, it may have ramifications on food supply in the long run. “Nearly 80-85 % of farmers in Karnataka are marginal farmers and with no MSP and increasing cultivation cost, they are finding it difficult to remain in the agrarian sector. The government is setting a pretence that they can earn more by selling their lands in order to take away the lands from them,” said Chandrashekhar Kodihalli, President, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha. Meega said that they are planning to take legal recourse. If the state does not reconsider, they will file a Public Interest Litigation with the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said, “The state government is acting on the directions of the central government and neglecting the plight of the farmers. We will see to it that no injustice is meted out to them.”  

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Karnataka HC directs state govt to reopen schools in a phased manner

Education

The court also directed the government to raise money through CSR funds to procure laptops and tablets for government school students.

TNM Staff

The Karnataka High Court, on Monday, directed the state government to reopen schools in a phased manner, starting with schools in taluks that have lesser number of COVID-19 cases. The High Court suggested that the state government take this approach rather than open up schools across Karnataka in a uniform manner. A division bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Nataraj Rangaswamy said that the state must "apply its mind" on whether schools must be reopened in a "phased manner having regard to the number of COVID-19 cases in a particular taluk" rather than adopting a uniform policy across the state, Live Law reported.  "We (judiciary) have also gone district wise. From 10 now we have courts functioning in 17 districts. So go taluk wise, if cases are less in a particular taluk open schools in that taluk, on a regular basis, rather than saying throughout the state no schools," the report quoted Justice BV Nagarathna as saying. The High Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation earlier this year, filed by AA Sanjeev Narrain, Arvind Narrain and Murali Mohan, stating that the state government had not provided clear information on steps taken for admission of children in Class 1 in government schools. The petition also stated that the government had not announced in detail the steps to be taken for reopening schools. In this view, the bench directed the government to file a status report with regard to steps taken for the admission of children to Class 1 after completing their stay at anganwadis. The court also directed the state government to submit a report on steps taken to ensure children in other classes at government schools have not dropped out, Bar & Bench reported.  "Aforesaid directions are issued having regards to the fact that there was closure of schools from March 2020, due to covid-19. There is no regular functioning of school till date. The reasons as to why these directions are issued is in order to ascertain whether children during this period have been forced into child labour or child marriages or have been victims of trafficking," Bar & Bench quoted Justice Nagarathna as saying.  The state government submitted that the Vidyagama scheme would begin again for students between classes 1 and 10 from Jan 1. It also submitted that a circular was issued to procure laptops and tablets for students in government schools and that the government had not yet raised money for this project. The High Court further suggested that the state government make appeals to private companies to pay for the scheme through CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds. "We think that state can make a specific appeal for aid to be sought through the mechanism of CSR, as envisaged under section 135 of Companies Act, so that the discontinuity in education of children or disruption thereof is mitigated, if there is good response to the appeal made by the state. Hence the state to take steps in this regard and report by the next date of hearing," Justice Nagarathna said while issuing directions to the state government.

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Final exams for state schools may not be held between March and April: Karnataka Min

Education

Sources in the Education Department said that the decision was taken to give students extra time to attend classes and prepare for the board exams.

TNM Staff

Representation photo/PTI

The board exams for Class 10 (Secondary School Leaving Certificate) and Pre University College II will not be held between March and April like the years before said Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Tuesday. Speaking to the media, Suresh Kumar said that the time table for SSLC and PUC II board exams for the academic year 2020-21 would be published soon. Ensuing the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, schools have been shut across the state. While private schools have been conducting online classes, students studying in government schools have had to watch the pre recorded classes on DD Chandana and the YouTube channel to learn their lessons.  Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Monday said that the government would once again take the advice of the state's Technical Advisory Committee to decide whether reopening schools is wise in the view of the new strain of the coronavirus found in the UK. Minister Sudhakar had also announced new quarantine rules for passengers coming from the UK, Netherlands and Denmark. "We will publish a new calendar for the SSLC and PUC II exams. It will not be held in March and April," Suresh Kumar said. The board exams for these students are generally held between the last week of March to the last week of April. Sources in the Education Department said that the decision was taken to give students extra time to attend classes from January 1 onwards and prepare for the board exams.   Students in Classes 10 and PUC II have had a particularly hard time to study this year, especially in government schools, as the pandemic has crippled their ability to learn from teachers at schools. The Department of Public Instruction launched a survey last week to determine the number of children who have dropped out of school following the lockdown and the lack of physical classes. The mid-day meal scheme, which had helped ensure that children went to school on time, was also stopped after schools shut down. The Department had announced last week that the Vidyagama program for 6 to 12 would begin on January 1. Suresh Kumar also said that students in SSLC and PUC II can attend classes ahead of the board exams, as it is a crucial time. "The change in the new Vidyagama is it will be held only in school premises and students can attend it three days a week,Schools will reopen with a strength of 20 students in each class. The mid-day meal scheme will continue but the minister had said that food packets would be delivered to the childrens' homes directly," Suresh Kumar had said. The Vidyagama program has teachers holding classes for a limited number of students in open air spaces like playgrounds etc. This was discontinued earlier in September after several students in various districts tested positive for COVID-19, triggering panic among parents.

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Bengaluru riot case: NIA arrests 17 more SDPI, PFI members

DJ Halli Violence

The NIA took over the probe on September 21 this year.

IANS

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested 17 members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with the Bengaluru riots case. An NIA spokesperson in Delhi said, "NIA arrested 17 SDPI/PFI leaders/activists for their involvement in the violent attack and large-scale rioting at KG Halli Police Station in Bengaluru on August 11 this year following a Facebook post by Naveen, nephew of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy." The official said that during the investigation it has been revealed that SDPI Bengaluru district president Mohammad Sharieff, SDPI's KG Halli Ward president Imran Ahmed along with other senior leaders like Rubah Waqas, Shabbar Khan and Shaik Ajmal had conducted meetings at Thanissandra and KG Halli wards in Bengaluru in the evening of August 11 wherein they conspired, mobilised and led the crowd gathered at the police station to attack the police personnel, causing huge damage to the public and police station vehicles. The official said that Abbas, SDPI President of Nagwara ward, also mobilised a large crowd at the KG Halli police station through his associates Azil Pasha, Irfan Khan and Akbar Khan. "Investigation also revealed the use of social media channels like Facebook, Instagram , WhatsApp to spread terror among people and mobilised people from far away places to gather at KG Halli Police Station," the official said. The official claimed that accused Saddam, Sayed Sohel, Kaleemulla aka Shahrukh Khan were active social media users who participated in riots as well as instigated others to gather at the Police Station. The NIA took over the probe on September 21 this year. Till date 187 people have been arrested. Incidentally, the chargesheet filed by Bengaluru police which is investigating multiple other cases in connection with the case had suggested that political rivalry within the Congress only had led to the riots.

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Karnataka holds first phase of gram panchayat polls amid pandemic

Politics

As a precautionary measure, the number of voters in each booth has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000.

PTI

Representational image/PTI

Voting is underway for 3,019 panchayats in 117 taluks of Karnataka in the first phase of gram panchayat elections on Tuesday with COVID-19 protocols in place. A total of 1.17 lakh candidates are in the fray for 43,238 seats, half of which are reserved for women, poll officials said. Voting began at 7 am and will go on till 5 pm in over 23,000 booths. A total of 4,377 candidates have been elected unopposed already, the officials said. People who are COVID-19 positive or come under primary/secondary contacts of infected people can vote in the last hour of polling, officials said. Elaborate security and COVID related precautionary measures have been taken for the voting, they said, adding that wearing masks and maintaining social distance is mandatory, also hand sanitisers will be available in polling booths. The number of voters in each booth has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000, also Anganwadi, ASHA workers and Health Department officials have been roped in for poll duty. Though these polls don't take place on party symbols, all political parties have put in efforts to ensure that the candidate supported by them wins, so as to have their hold on grassroot level politics, which may prove advantageous for them in taluk or zilla panchayat and even assembly polls whenever they take place. The second phase of polls is scheduled on December 27, and the counting for both phases will take place on December 30. Earlier, Karnataka Health MInister Dr K Sudhakar was opposed to the idea of the local body polls being held in the state due to the pandemic and suggested that the polls be deferred until vaccines are made available to the public. However, the Karnataka High Court had ordered the State Election Commission to hold the elections following COVID-19 guidelines.

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Karnataka govt approves investment proposals worth Rs 26,659 cr

The proposals were cleared at a meeting of the state high level clearance committee under the chairmanship of Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

TNM Staff

PTI

The State High Level Clearance Committee (SHLCC) chaired by Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday cleared five investment proposals worth Rs 26,659 crore, which will aid in the creation of 13,341 jobs. Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan, Industries Secretary Gaurav Gupta and officials of the state Udyog Mitra were present during the meeting as well. A major share of the new investments will be by Elest Ltd. The firm will be investing Rs 14,255 crore to make electric vehicles in 85 acres at Hubli-Dharwad. The project is expected to create 867 direct jobs. Subsequently, the company will also invest Rs 6,339 crore and set up lithium-ion cells and a batteries manufacturing unit in 88 acres in the same region (Hubli-Dharwad) which will generate employment for 1,804 people. According to information available in the public domain, Elest Private Ltd was incorporated in October and has Bengaluru-based billionaire Rajesh Jaswanth Rai Mehta and Prashanth Mehta (of Rajesh Exports) as its directors.   Another investment approved by the SHLCC is a collaborative effort of the Indian company Hyunet Ltd and Korean automotive manufacturer Hyundai. The firm, Hyunet Ltd will invest Rs 1,825 crore to make electric vehicles and lithium batteries in 300 acres of Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) land at Bagepalli in Chikkaballapur district creating 2,210 jobs. Two units related to the power sector also received approval from the committee. Miraculum Green Power Ltd is set to invest Rs 1,290 crore to arrange 110 MW hybrid wind-solar power project in 700 acres of land at Jagalur in Davangere district and it will create 2,820 jobs. Concurrently, Sanali Power Ltd will invest Rs 2,950 crore to set up another hybrid wind-solar power project in Jagalur and is expected to create nearly 5,640 jobs. Sanali Power Ltd will be getting 1,710 acres of land on lease.  

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K'taka mandates 14-day institutional quarantine for flyers from UK, Netherlands, Denmark

Coronavirus

The new COVID-19 variant from UK is more contagious but not more virulent, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar said

TNM Staff

PTI

In an effort to relieve fears about the spread of a mutated variant of the coronavirus in the UK and elsewhere, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Monday said that the variant might be more contagious but not virulent as cited in the initial studies conducted in the UK. He also said that people need not panic and follow the existing protocols like wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance and sanitising hands.     India has suspended flights from the UK from Tuesday night till December 31 to contain the spread of the new variant of the virus, known as VUI–202012/01 or lineage B.1.1.7. "We have mandated RT-PCR test and quarantine for all passengers arriving from the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands as a precautionary measure," Sudhakar said.   Of the 291 passengers on a British Airways flight and 296 on an Air India flight who landed at the city airport on Monday, 136 have not yet submitted their negative test report, he said. "Travellers who arrived in the state from these three European countries during the last 14 days will be traced in the next 24 hours and subjected to RT-PCR test," Sudhakar said.   The state government has set up kiosks at the city airport to screen all fliers from abroad. Subsequently, the state has announced that the District Surveillance Officers are to be notified about negative cases for quarantine follow-up. People who test RT-PCR positive will mandatorily have to be under hospital isolation.   Sudhakar also said that action will be taken against hotels, resorts and pubs if they allow large gatherings in their premises on Christmas and New Year's Eve, as it will be against COVID-19 guidelines. Owing to the pandemic, the state government had earlier announced a ban on special parties and gatherings among other public events from December 20, 2020, till January 2, 2021.    

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