Officials unable to trace leopard that entered Bengaluru apartment

Wildlife

The leopard was seen entering a building in a residential complex off Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta early on January 24.

TNM Staff

Representative Image

A leopard was sighted in a residential society off Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta on January 24, creating a scare among the residents and others in the nearby areas of Begur and Koppa near the Hulimavu lake. The police, along with the forest department, formed teams to comb the area in a bid to capture the animal and release it back into the wild. However, since the sighting, they have been unable to trace the leopard. “We have set up camera traps and were using drones to trace the big cat, however, no trace of it has been found since Monday, 24 hours after the first sighting. We are trying our best to find it. There’s a possibility that the leopard must have through the five km of vast open land behind the residential complex. It might have gone back into the wild since it is connected with Kalkere forest. We are unsure of it and still have not stopped looking for the leopard,” said Deputy Forest Range Officer Harsha. He then added that the team he is leading is currently stationed at the location. The leopard was spotted in the Prestige Song apartment building, which is, incidentally, around five kilometres away from the Bannerghatta National Park. The officials believe that the wild cat strayed from the national park and entered the building.   Leopard was sighted in B'luru residential complex on Sunday, hasn't been found yet by officials. pic.twitter.com/JIBWClXUnM — sanjana d (@sanjanausd08) January 27, 2021   The CCTV camera footage accessed from the apartment showed the big cat crossing a road within the apartment complex. The video has been doing the rounds on social media platforms, including WhatsApp, since then.   Also Read: Video: Leopard enters Bengaluru apartment, creates scare The leopard was seen entering the apartment complex at 5:20 am and leaving by 6 am, said Mahesh, Inspector of Hulimavu Police Station. He added that police, fire and forest department officials have combed the area thoroughly. They speculate that the leopard must have returned to the forest. The forest officials also found some pugmarks in the area. However, leopards being spotted in Bengaluru city periphery is not uncommon. With increased deforestation in the city and illegal poaching of wild animals, leopards often find their way to the city in search of prey from nearby forest areas like Bannerghatta and Jarakabande Kaval. In a recent incident in January 2019, a leopard was spotted in the ITC factory in Yelahanka, which was captured by forest officials and released in the Bannerghatta National Park within 24 hours. In February 2016, a leopard had entered a school in the Whitefield area. 

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

Tourist bus damages part of Hampi's Vijay Vitthala Temple

Accident

According to reports, the bus got stuck at the pavilion of the temple, which damaged both the vehicle and the monument.

TNM Staff

Wikepedia/Ajayreddykalavalli

Traffic on the way to Hampi’s Vijaya Vitthala temple was disrupted for a while on Monday, January 25, as a tourist bus was stuck in the mandapam (pavilion), outside the monument. As per the rules, large vehicles carrying tourists are not supposed to pass through this route. The top of the bus, as well as the stone archway of the mandapam, suffered damages due to the friction. According to a report, the route is not meant for vehicles like the tourist bus to pass. A different route has been mapped out for such big vehicles to reach Hampi’s Vijaya Vitthala Temple. However, there is no security or a check post to ensure this. In addition, there are no personnel from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to restrict entry. An eyewitness at the scene told reporters, “The bus was stuck in the mandapam for nearly 20 minutes thence disrupting the traffic. The bus was apparently going to Hampi from Kamalapur. The incident occurred at 10 am and the driver was unaware of the damage the bus’s top suffered.” They further remarked that neither the police nor ASI officials appeared at the site, despite the damages to the pavilion that were reported. The Deputy Superintendent of the Surveillance Department maintained to the media that he had not received any call pertaining to the damage. Hampi or Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Karnataka. It is also a Hindu pilgrimage site. Located near the modern-day city of Hosapete, Hampi's ruins are spread over 4,100 hectares (16 square miles). It has been described by UNESCO as an "austere, grandiose site" of more than 1,600 surviving remains of the Vijayanagara Empire in south India. As there are traces of the Vijayanagara kingdom as well as older archaeological remnants found at the site, its significance has prompted ASI to continue conducting excavations in the region.

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3abogJJ
via IFTTT

100 days of beach cleaning: Coastal Karnataka sees volunteer groups step up

Human interest

A group of people have been turning up at Mangaluru’s Thota Bengre beach everyday since mid-October to pick up trash in an initiative that mirrors many such volunteer-initiatives in coastal Karnataka.

Prajwal Bhat

Beach cleanup at Thota Bengre beach

On Tuesday, Shilpa Bengre was on her daily stroll on Mangaluru’s Thota Bengre beach. The time was 6:30 am but like most days in the last three months, Shilpa began picking up the trash she found washed ashore on the beach. “The most common things we find are thermocol, alcohol bottles and slippers,” Shilpa says. Shilpa, 27, is a swimming instructor in Mangaluru and a resident of Bengre, a coastal area in Mangaluru, and Tuesday was the 100th day of a quiet beach cleaning drive taken up by a group of people from the city.  The group - BoskyOrb - has lifted more than 25 tonnes of garbage from the beach in this period. Bosky means to be covered by trees or bushes and orb refers to the spherical shape of the earth. The initiative began in mid-October when Shreyas Holla, 24, a chartered accountancy student and Harsha Kotian 24, a lecturer based in Mangaluru, decided to do something about the alarming amount of waste found in the city’s beaches. “We were classmates in college and we used to go to beaches regularly. We noticed that in the last few months, after the lockdown, the shore in Bengre beach was filled with waste. There was no one taking initiative as this was not frequented by visitors like Tannirbhavi beach and Panambur beach,” says Harsha speaking to TNM. The duo decided to clean the beach every day and they soon found support from people like Shilpa, who resides close to the beach. “I joined them after the 10th day or so. I noticed that they were cleaning the beach and I asked my brother and my cousin to take half an hour every morning to help with this,” says Shilpa. “A lot of waste is found on this beach because this is a delta and the waste in the Gurupura and Phalguni river gets accumulated here,” she adds. She is now supported by a group of local women from Bengre, including Shifali Shriyan, Vidhita Karkera and Manisha Suvarna, who turn up at the beach to clean the waste on a regular basis. Volunteer initiatives mushroom in coastal Karnataka BoskyOrb’s efforts mirror many other like-minded volunteer efforts to clean beaches in coastal Karnataka. ‘Clean Kundapura’, another volunteer beach cleaning initiative has held weekly programmes to clean beaches in Kundapura for the last three years. On Sunday, the group, along with another youth group FSL India, even built a temporary enclosure to protect a batch of Olive Ridley turtle eggs, spotted at the beach for the first time since 2016. Read: Olive Ridley turtle eggs found in Karnataka’s Kundapura for first time in four years Olive Ridley sea turtle eggs in Kundapura In November 2020, Anudeep Hegde and Minusha Kanchan, a couple from Baindur in Udupi, decided to clean Someshwara Beach without fanfare. The couple bought two pairs of gloves, large garbage bags, and got to work clearing hundreds of kilos of waste over 10 days. Read: Meet the Karnataka newlyweds who cleared hundreds of kilos of waste from a beach Anudeep and Minusha Similarly, surf clubs like Mantra Surf Club in Mulki, Shaka Surf Club and Kadal Surf Club in Udupi, along with other clubs like Kayakboy in Mulki, have held beach cleaning and river cleaning drives in the last few years. Kayakboy and other local fishermen recently spotted a large amount of waste illegally dumped near the river in Hejamadi in Udupi. Some of this waste had toppled over and fallen into the Shambhavi River and when the Padubidri Gram Panchayat was alerted about this, it emerged that a private contractor hired by the panchayat had dumped the waste on a private land close to the river since he did not have enough space to manage the waste collected. He was pulled up and ordered to clear the waste by district authorities.  Read : Contractor pulled up for illegally dumping waste on Udupi riverbank Looking for waste recyclers In all of these cases, volunteer groups of people living close to beaches are spearheading drives to keep beaches and rivers in coastal Karnataka clean. “We are now cleaning the beaches regularly and we have volunteers turning up. But the question now is what do we do after collecting the waste?” asks Harsha Kotian.  His group in Thota Bengre hands over the waste collected to the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) for disposal but he says that they are looking at ways they can recycle the waste. “Some of the waste can be recycled and used. We want this to happen but we are struggling to find waste recyclers we can work with,” says Harsha. “We have not come across anyone in Mangaluru who recycles plastic and thermocol and we are looking to engage with organisations or people who do this,” he says.  The group turned up at the beach to clean on Wednesday and says they have no plans of stopping after completing 100 days. “We went to the beach as always today and the cleaning work will continue as well as the awareness campaigns and events like beach cleanups on Sundays,” says Shilpa. “We also plan to plant saplings in the future,” she adds.  

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/39qDStP
via IFTTT

‘Persons who sieged Red Fort are terrorists, not farmers': Karnataka minister BC Patil

Politics

BC Patil was speaking to the media after the flag unfurling ceremony at the Republic Day function in Koppal.

IANS

Karnataka Agriculture Minister BC Patil on Tuesday said those who stormed the Red Fort in the national capital on Republic Day were “terrorists,” not farmers. After unfurling the tricolour at the Republic Day function in the Koppal district headquarters, he told reporters that the farmers who stormed the monument cannot be called farmers, but “terrorists” backed by Congress and Pakistan. “The siege does not seem to be started by farmers. This act was committed by the terrorists and other fear-mongering elements. Terrorists and Khalistanis with the Congress party recruits are the ones, who in the name of farmers, have been stirring a debate,” said Patil. He also said the protestors should be detained.  The protests by farmers in New Delhi turned violent after thousands of farmers breached barricades at the borders and deviated from the agreed routes between them and the police for their tractor rally. The farmers entered areas in Central Delhi, including Red Fort and ITO, and a Sikh flag was hoisted onto one of the poles inside Red Fort. A protester had also died near the ITO intersection during the tractor rally after his tractor overturned, according to police. The incident took place near the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg where a toppled tractor was also seen and it was also reported that the farmer was on the tractor when he met with the accident. Chaotic scenes were also reported in the area where hundreds of protesters were reportedly chasing police personnel with sticks and ramming their tractors into the buses parked by the police. Visuals from many places also showed some police personnel lathicharging the protesters and lobbing tear gas shells.  Later, internet was suspended in New Delhi and its neighbourhood after the clashes Patil is not new to controversial statements. In December 2020, he kicked off a row while participating in an event where he said that farmers who die by suicide are cowards. Last week, while participating in another event, he reiterated his statement and said that farmers with weak minds end their lives. On both occasions, farmer leaders had sought a public apology from Patil for making such statements. The minister stated that the Indian Tricolour and the Red Fort have special constitutional sanctity and any insult to them is a disgrace to the country's democracy, especially on Republic Day. He asserted that the act is condemnable and the guilty must be duly punished.   Justifying his accusations, Patil, who served as a police officer before trying his hand at Kannada films and then joining politics, claimed, “Indian Farmers, in the history of the country, have never taken the law into their hands or attacked the police. The real farmers are not objecting to the three farm laws assented by the Union Government. Congress men have publicly issued statements that they provided the farmers with diesel and will provide their complete support. It is they who have instigated the violence,” he alleged "The Army is in danger. If the Congress and the anti-social elements continue to support such terrorists, they may attack vital installations in the country," he claimed. Patil claimed that the Congress had become desperate without the “good governance” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and as a result had been supporting the protestors. 

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3cfTTUU
via IFTTT

Go eco-friendly with Vani Murthy, Bengaluru-based zero-waste Insta influencer

Environment

With videos on composting tips and other zero-waste hacks such as bio enzymes and zero-waste recipes, Vani Murthy has become a household name.

Neetha John

There is always a turning point in everyone’s life. For Vani Murthy, that happened as long ago as in 2007, when an acquaintance told her that if one tonne of paper waste could be collected and given for recycling, about 17 trees would be saved. “That statistics sunk into me,” says Vani Murthy. Vani is a major sustainable and zero-waste influencer with over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram. With extensive videos on composting tips, instructions and other zero-waste hacks such as bio enzymes and zero-waste recipes, Vani Murthy has become a part of several households which have begun to adopt such sustainable practices in their lives. Rather than mere words, Vani believes in the power of in-person demonstrations, which is why since the beginning of her journey, she rolled out several campaigns where she can demonstrate the simplicity of the practices herself: “I love doing demos. I just don’t talk. You have to showcase things, people capture what they see more than what they hear.” Growing up, Vani was a shy and quiet kid. Born in Bengaluru, she moved to Hyderabad and came back to Bengaluru after marriage. “I was a homemaker, a stay-at-home person in the real sense,” she says. “What I am today is completely opposite to what I was.” She calls it a paradigm shift and holds her sustainability-journey responsible for the changes that she is proud of. It all began when she joined the Resident Welfare Association after her kids grew up. She was reluctant to meet new people and engage in a community, but that soon changed as she met more and more enthusiastic people who were in the same sphere as her. She also involved the kids in her apartment building in collecting and organising recyclable wastes and Sunday campaigns, and weekly roadshows were organised.  She was a part of the Wealth Out of Waste programme and not much later, she was going door-to-door giving bags for segregation and collection of wastes so that they could be recycled. She met waste management expert C Srinivasan, also known as Vellore Srinivasan, at a workshop in Vellore and learned about composting. Even though her first attempt was a horrible failure, a visit to the landfill in Bengaluru forced her to swear that no more of her waste would be sent there. It was at a seminar conducted by Srinivasan back in 2007 on Solid Waste Management that the Solid Waste Management Round Table founded by Vani Murthy was formed. The SWMRT has organised several campaigns, such as Swacha Graha, 2 Bin 1 Bag, Trashonomics, etc. The main focus of the organisation is to decentralise waste management. “When you decentralise waste management, you put the onus on the citizen for segregation and to reduce the waste they generate,” Vani says. The SWMRT also went to court to and mandated the segregation of waste at source in Bengaluru city. The SWMRT involves other parties in its schemes and plans — such as the citizens, the vendors and works alongside the BBMP, connecting and managing the flow of waste through different sectors. The target focus of the group is to hold the citizens accountable for their own waste; get the citizens to say, “My waste is my responsibility,” she says. Vani likes sharing pieces from her life on Instagram. She is very happy with the connection she has formed and the engagement she gets from like-minded people. “Every time they say something nice, it motivates me to do something better,” she says. “When you are in this space and you meet people who are highly evolved and already doing a lot, it is very inspiring.” It has taken her over 10 years to get where she is now. Zero-waste life is not something you can give up, later on, it’s a life-long journey. Over a period of time, you start looking at how you can raise your own bar, she says. About the many eco-friendly tips and sustainable options she suggests online, she says, “I learn from people, or I get motivated to give it a try and keep at it till I get it right. I feel so good that I am not using those chemicals anymore. Those shampoos and conditioners that I used to buy, I am no longer buying.” Vani didn’t struggle to pick up the digital world even though she was introduced to it much later in life. She always loved to take pictures and share them, so much so that her children had nicknamed her the Non-stop-photo-clicking-evil-mom-lady. Since she always was a fan of clicking pictures and sharing them, the process continued down the sustainability road as well. She doesn’t consider herself so much of a writer, so she lets her pictures (with small captions) talk for themselves. Social Media such as Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, all became wonderful platforms, she says. If she gets stuck somewhere, her niece is always ready to help. “I do take help if it is available, but usually, I try to figure it out by myself. Many people ask me if there’s someone who is managing my account,” she laughs. For Vani, 2020 has been a blessing. The virtual space allowed her entry into numerous workshops and households like never before. “I have never done so many workshops in the entire 10 years the way I did it in the lockdown,” she says.”So many more people have taken up sustainable measures and practices and even companies have reached out to me.” Before the world had fully plunged into the reach that was virtually possible before lockdown happened, Vani had started reducing the number of events that she participated in and the workshops that she conducted. The long hours of travel had started to take a toll on her health, but thanks to the internet, she is very happy with the immense and greater opportunities that are open. There is a certain cadence in the way Vani handles the manure which she has converted from her kitchen waste. There is a modest pride that rings in her voice when she talks about the difference she has helped create. Vani, through her Instagram videos, make the processes involved in a sustainable lifestyle look so easy and beautiful. In one of her recent Instagram videos, she urges us to make a commitment to this planet and give back to it what we have taken from it. Watch:         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Vani Murthy (@wormrani)

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/2Yi0HJE
via IFTTT

Retired Bengaluru cop accused of purposefully running over dog, caught on CCTV

Animal

Nageshaiah retired after serving at Hulimavu traffic police in Bengaluru has been accused of hurting stray animals in the locality habitually by the locals.

TNM Staff

Image for Representation/Pixabay

A retired sub-inspector has been accused of intentionally running over a stray dog near his house at Doddakammanahalli in Hulimavu, South Bengaluru, on Sunday. Police added that the retired police personnel, Nageshaiah, was in the car with his son when he spotted the stray dog sleeping on the street while driving home in a Maruti Swift. However, instead of stopping, the car ran over the dog. As seen in a surveillance camera video of a home, the car’s front left tyre ran over the dog. Despite allegedly realising that they had run over the dog, Nageshaiah and his son drove on, which left the animal injured. A case has been filed against Nageshaiah in the Hulimavu Police Station under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and under section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle) of the Indian Penal Code. “The dog is currently being treated at Bozo Wags LLP Veterinary Hospital and Pet Services after some of the residents heard it howling in pain. Doctor Shiyad, who is treating the dog, said that the chances of survival are slim owing to its old age and the injuries it sustained to its spinal cord and hind legs. We have registered an FIR with help of Dr Ravi from BBMP,” said Kshama, a lawyer who plans to take the case in the court after receiving inputs from the police department. She then added the canine is in critical condition, has been put on medication and needs assistance in breathing. Nageshaiah and his son who were in the car can be seen running over the dog. Courtsey: CCTV footage  It isn’t yet clear as to who was behind the wheel when the accident happened as there were two persons in the car as seen in the video:  Nageshaiah and his son. In his defence, Nageshaiah, summoned for enquiry, said they did not intentionally run over the dog and that they thought he could pass it by. He further added that it was his son who was driving the car at the time of the incident. According to the Citizens for Animal Birth Control, Bangalore based advocacy group’s statement, BK Nageshaiah has been accused of people in his locality of running over street dogs with the intent to harm the animals. “The video clearly shows him reversing the car to run over the dog again. The dog is in a critical state and fighting for its life. He has shown arrogance and domination without any respect for life or law because of his professional position. We need strict action against the accused and justice for the loving animal that he attempted to murder in cold blood,” the statement read. The organisation works closely with Bengaluru district’s civic body BBMP, and expressed gratitude for BBMP’s assistance in filing a case and getting treatment for the stray dog. An investigating officer told Deccan Herald that necessary action would be taken against the retired cop. Nageshaiah retired 10 years ago after serving at Hulimavu traffic and other police stations in the city.

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3a2KDkq
via IFTTT

VK Sasikala released from Bengaluru jail after serving four-yr sentence in DA case

DA case

Sasikala will, however, remain in hospital as she is being treated for COVID-19.

TNM Staff

Four years after being convicted by the Supreme Court in the disproportionate assets case, VK Sasikala, the aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, was formally released from the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru on Wednesday. However, as the former AIADMK General Secretary is being treated for COVID-19 at the Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, she is unlikely to return to Chennai soon. Her release also comes after the fine of over Rs 10 crore was remitted. Jail officials completed all formalities with regard to Sasikala’s release from the hospital, where she is being treated. Legal documents confirming her release were signed at the hospital. A large number of Sasikala supporters waited outside the hospital, waving AMMK flags. A bulletin released by the hospital at 9am on Wednesday states that she is asymptomatic for COVID-19, and is conscious, alert and well-oriented. Her condition is stable, she is taking oral food normally and is walking with support, states the bulletin. Sasikala’s nephew Jeyanandh Dhivakaran told TNM that her quarantine ends on January 31 and is likely to come to Chennai within a week’s time. An official from the hospital also confirmed that she will remain in hospital for four or five days as her health requires monitoring The 66-year-old was on January 20 shifted from Parappana Agrahara jail, where she has been lodged since February 2017, to the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru after complaints of fever and breathing difficulties. She was later moved to the ICU of the Victoria Hospital after her test returned positive for the novel coronavirus.  Incidentally, Sasikala’s sister-in-law J Ilavarasi, who was also convicted in the DA case and shared a jail cell with her, also tested positive for the coronavirus and was shifted from prison to the Victoria Hospital. Sasikala’s nephew VN Sudhakaran was also convicted in the DA case.  Sasikala’s release has been widely speculated for months coming as it does with just months to for the Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections. Sasikala, however, is barred from contesting elections for another six years as per Section 8 of the Representation of the People’s Act, 1958 which disqualifies a person if convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Despite this, her release from jail is likely to shake up the political campaign with backdoor maneuvering taking place courtesy her nephew, AMMK leader and RK Nagar MLA TTV Dhinakaran. The AIADMK, which had expelled her in 2017, and Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami, whom she had entrusted the government with following her conviction, had earlier maintained that there would be no change in the party’s position with regard to her release.  Nearly 21 years after an FIR was registered accusing Jayalalithaa of amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 66.65 crore during her tenure as Chief Minister, the Supreme Court had on February 14, 2017 restored the trial court’s conviction of Sasikala and her two relatives. While the case against Jayalalithaa was abated owing to her demise, the top court sentenced Sasikala, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran to four years in jail and a fine of Rs 10 crore each.  Read: How the DA case verdict went against Sasikala: Read full judgment and operative parts here Sasikala surrendered before the trial court the next day - on February 15, 2017. However, not before taking a dramatic vow at Jayalalithaa’s memorial at Marina Beach in Chennai. Paying floral tribute to her late friend, Sasikala folded her hands together and muttered under her breath, she then bent over and slapped her palm on Jayalalithaa’s grave three times - signifying three vows - to defeat the conspiracy against her, avenge betrayal, and endure hardship.  Her jail term has not been without its share of controversy. Months into her incarceration, pictures surfaced suggesting special favours and treatment being granted to Sasikala. This included pictures of a well-stocked jail cell, which included stainless steel vessels, a mosquito net, clothes and cushioned mattresses among others. A video also surfaced showing Sasikala and Ilavarasi strolling into prison, as the guard opens what appears to be the main gate. Neither Sasikala nor Ilavarasi are wearing the prison uniform and are dressed in a brown salwar and red sari respectively. The pictures and video triggered outrage with allegations that Sasikala and Ilavarasi were granted VVIP treatment and had even left the Central Prison in connivance with jail officials. Police officer D Roopa had alleged that these perks were given to Sasikala after huge bribes were given to jail officers.  An inquiry by the Vinay Kumar Commission revealed that Sasikala enjoyed a number of privileges in prison that she was not entitled to. This included free movement inside the prison, extended visiting hours, a separate corridor with five cells allocated to Sasikala and Ilavarasi.       

from Karnataka https://ift.tt/3c9labM
via IFTTT