Many pharmacies are already administering vaccine doses that have been allocated to states.
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Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Karnataka govt mulls banning hookah bars
Home Minister Basvaraj Bommai said the ban is being mulled in a bid to arrest the drug menace among the youth in the state.
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The Karnataka government is considering introducing a blanket ban on hookah bars in the state, Home Minister Basvaraj Bommai said in the state assembly on Tuesday. He said the ban is being mulled in a bid to arrest the drug menace among the youth in the state. Bommai said this as he was responding to a question asked by Jayanagar Congress MLA Sowmya Reddy. “Drug abuse is seen in slums and even among educated people as an addiction. It is a family issue and we are taking it seriously. We are constantly fighting this...We are going after synthetic drugs found in chocolates and tablets and we are looking to root out how they are coming. We are constantly tracking the dark web and the drug peddlers,” Bommai told the house. He added, “We are constantly raiding and filing cases on hookah bars. We are studying other states where bans on hookah bars are banned. We are seriously considering banning hookah bars. We will discuss with BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) and bring in the law for this.” Bommai, who is also the Law Minister in the state, stated that while 127 drug-related cases were registered in the state in 2016, it has risen to 2,786 cases in 2020. Bommai added that in order to make the ban successful, there has to be cooperation between the state government and urban local bodies like the BBMP as they are the licensing authority. “This should be a people's movement and teachers and parents should be careful about their students and wards. I urge everyone to join hands in this war against drugs,” Bommai added. This is not the first time that hookah bars have come under the lens of the political class. In 2017, BBMP corporators had also demanded winding up of hookah bars for allegedly allowing minors in their establishments.
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Residents raise alarm about tree park in Turahalli forest area outside Bengaluru
Turahalli is one of the last remaining forests around Bengaluru and the state government is planning a tree park there.
Residents and activists close to the Turahalli forest area located close to Bengaluru raised alarm on Tuesday after they spotted an excavator near the forest area. The residents are opposing the construction of a tree park proposed by the Karnataka government in the reserved forest area. "One of the residents spotted the excavator going to the forest area. We called the forest officer and the local police. We are told that a park is planned in the area and there will be compound walls, benches and walking tracks developed here. We are opposed to this and do not want the forest area to be disturbed," said Vijetha Sanjay Mysoremutt, who is part of Save Turahalli, a collective of concerned people trying to restrict constructions in the forest area. However, Sanjay Mohan, Senior IFS officer and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) told TNM that the state government is building a tree park in Turahalli and new plant species will be added in the forest. "A tree park is being developed in the forest land here. It is a concept in which the values of the forest are retained and we will be adding plant species from the Western Ghats. One of the features of a tree park is that there will be benches and a walking track around the area," Sanjay Mohan said. He added that there are no buildings planned for the tree park and that the excavator will be clearing lantana and thorny bushes. Turahalli is located 20 km away from Kanakapura Road on the outskirts of Bengaluru. It is one of the last remaining forests around Bengaluru. Tree parks are unlike horticulture parks and are established near cities for urban dwellers to experience nature and indulge in activities like cycling, yoga and meditation. The tree park scheme was initiated in Karnataka in 2011-12 and a total of 132 tree parks have been developed since then. The residents in Turahalli however are strongly opposed to any activity in the forest area and said that there is another tree park nearby, albeit a smaller one. "We spoke to officials and they were tight-lipped about the plans in place for the tree park," said Vijetha. In a letter to the Karnataka Chief Secretary, the residents stated that the forest was home to 120 species of birds as well as species of mammals, reptiles, butterflies, bees and wasps. Peacocks are also seen in this forest. "All this wildlife is protected under Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and the forest has its unique flora with under growth. In the name of tree park heavy machinery is being used to destroy the secondary forests there," stated the letter. "Converting remaining last vestiges of degraded forests into parks by pushing people into these forests threaten the already endangered existing remaining flora and fauna in the urban setup," the letter added. Residents and activists raised concerns that the construction of a tree park would lead to a concrete walking path, benches, toilet blocks, drinking water facilities and the construction of a staff quarters. Residents said that there were also concerns about an entry arch and an orchidarium to display rare orchids in the forest area.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates second LCA Tejas plant in Bengaluru
The delivery of the LCA Tejas jet to the Indian Air Force under a Rs 48,000-crore deal will begin from March 2024.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's second LCA-Tejas production plant in Bengaluru. He said India cannot remain dependent on other countries for its defence and that the indigenously developed Tejas was better than its foreign equivalents on several parameters and also comparatively cheaper at the inauguration event. Under the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’, India is looking forward to increasing its defence manufacturing capabilities, he added. Singh said Tejas is not only indigenous, but better than its foreign equivalents on several parameters and also comparatively cheaper. "Many countries have shown interest in Tejas. India will achieve the target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore in the field of defence manufacturing in (a) few years", he said. The delivery of the Tejas LCA to the Indian Air Force under a Rs 48,000-crore deal will begin from March 2024 and around 16 aircraft will be rolled out annually till the completion of the total supply of 83 jets, Chairman and Managing Director of HAL, R Madhavan said recently. He had also said that a number of countries have shown keen interest in procurement of the Tejas and that the first export order is likely to come by in the next couple of years. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on January 13 approved the Rs 48,000- crore deal to procure 73 Tejas Mk-1A variants and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 trainer aircraft from HAL to boost the Indian Air Force's combat prowess. An HAL statement said Singh lauded the company's efforts to increase the production capacity of LCA, which is going to be the backbone of IAF fighter fleet in years to come. “HAL’s new LCA facility is an example of how 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' is shaping and HAL deserves the largest indigenous order of 83 LCA Mk-IA. LCA is the pride of India and sends the right message to others that India can make fighters of class in-house", he was quoted as saying in the HAL statement. "The fighter is superior in many ways when compared to other fighters in its category, besides being cost effective. I compliment HAL for working through the COVID times and bringing out this facility. The company has a lot of talent and more orders should come in its way in future,” Singh added. Madhavan said on Tuesday that phase -1 of the facility, getting ready on 35 acres, will enable HAL enhance its production capacity to 16 from the current eight aircrafts every year.
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Bengaluru: BBMP proposes whitetopping of new roads towards the airport
Thanisandra Main Road is already undergoing whitetopping works between the Outer Ring Road and Bagalur Main Road at a cost of Rs 65 crore.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has proposed that the alternative routes to reach the Kempegowda International Airport through Sathanur be whitetopped. The non-tolled roads, alternatives to the Bellary Road (or the Hyderabad Highway), are currently in a dilapidated condition. Following an inspection of a part of the routes on Monday, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said that a proposal for the same has already been sent to the state government. Whitetopping is a process in which the regular blacktop roads or the bitumen asphalted roads are given an additional layer of concrete. While whitetopped roads are expensive to lay, they are sturdier and reportedly last much longer than the asphalt roads. Thanisandra Main Road is already undergoing whitetopping works between the Outer Ring Road and Bagalur Main Road at a cost of Rs 65 crore. Special ducts (chambers) have been installed at 15 places on the stretch to prevent road cuts along with the ongoing whitetopping work. As part of the inspection drive, the BBMP Commissioner also inspected flyovers between Hebbal to KR Puram. He inspected the canopy works in Veerannapalya where OFC (Optical Fibre Cables) cables have been installed underground; the Commissioner ordered the immediate removal of the unauthorised cables that were left to be cleared. Further, Rs 25 crore was allocated to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate signal-free traffic near Rashtrotthana junction on Thanisandra Main Road with the help of a flyover. The construction of the overpass is already underway and has been facilitated for traffic. Four lanes have been built on the 459 meters long canopy. The Commissioner has issued an order asking the road engineers to complete the work without any delay and he has subsequently instructed them to address the issue of utility lines with concerned authorities. Whitetopping work on service roads on both sides of the bridge, and the bridge till midway from Hebbal to KR Puram, is underway.
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Watch: New bicycling track opened up on Bengaluru’s Race Course Road
A Twitter user posted a video riding a bicycle on the lane.
Photo: WRI India/Facebook
Bicycling enthusiasts in Bengaluru now have a new route they can take their ride on – Race Course Road. On January 30, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa inaugurated a new bicycle track on the Race Course Road. Posting an update on the same, non-profit WRI India Ross Centre for Sustainable Cities said on its Facebook page, “WRI India is proud to have assisted Bangalore Smart City and Directorate of Urban Land Transport in designing and implementing roads that offer safe and comfortable infrastructure to Bengaluru's many cyclists.” On January 30, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa inaugurated the new cycle track at Race Course Road in Bengaluru.... Posted by WRI India Ross Center for Sustainable Cities on Monday, February 1, 2021 A Twitter user posted a video cycling on this new track, and described the experience, with trees lining the pavement, a “really pleasant ride.” Nihar Thakkar, who shared the video you can watch below, also posted pictures of the track coming up on Raj Bhavan Road, which will connect to the Race Course Road bicycling track. Coming up next - cycle lane on Raj Bhavan Road! It will connect to the Race Course Road cycle lane at Basaveshwara Circle. pic.twitter.com/rmZMWrdm81 — Nihar Thakkar (@nihart1024) February 2, 2021 In October 2020, 30-kilometres worth of cycling lanes were announced in the Central Business District (CBD) area of Bengaluru in October last year as well, under the Smart Cities Mission. These lanes were touted to be two metres wide. In the same month, cycling tracks had opened up between Silk Board junction and Lowry Memorial College near KR Puram. These ‘pop up’ cycling lanes are ones that involve setting up semi-permanent barricades on existing infrastructure to make space for bicycle riders. Officials had told TNM then that the full 16-kilometre stretch of the pop-up cycling track would be ready by November 2021. Apart from the lane on Race Course Road, WRI India has also collaborated with Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) to make the design for the cycling lane planned from Minsk Square and Raj Bhavan Road to Chalukya Circle.
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BJP member murder: Cong leader Vinay Kulkarni named in CBI chargesheet
Vinay Kulkarni, a minister in Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet was arrested by CBI in November 2020.
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a supplementary chargesheet against former Karnataka Minister Vinay Kulkarni and two other co-accused in a related to 2016 murder case of Yogesh Gowda, a BJP district panchayat member. As earlier reported, Kulkarni, who was a minister in the Siddaramaiah cabinet was arrested in November 2020 by the central probe agency, after questioning him for almost an entire day. Other than being a party to the conspiracy, the CBI had said Kulkarni is also suspected to have intimidated eight witnesses when the case was set to go for trial in 2017. The BJP had asked the CBI to take over the probe in July 2019 after coming to power since the case was reported during the Congress-JD(S) rule in the state. The family of the victim Yogesh Gowda had said that he had received a letter the night before his murder, which allegedly said that Vinay Kulkarni had purportedly hatched a plot to kill him. The CBI had maintained that the former minister was party to the conspiracy to murder the BJP worker. At the time of arrest, CBI had said that Kulkarni was being evasive in his replies during the questioning and that they needed to conduct a custodial interrogation to unearth further information. Even former Home Minister and senior Congress leader G Parameshwara was questioned by the CBI in connection with the case. Kulkarni had won the Dharwad seat in 2013 but could not repeat the victory in 2018 when the BJP's Amrut Ayyappa Desai defeated him in the Assembly polls. He was, for a brief while, speculated to join the BJP days prior to his arrest. He had even gone to Rajasthan to meet BJP National General Secretary (Organisation), BL Santhosh, along with now Karnataka minister CP Yogeeshwar. He was then reportedly denied an appointment by Santosh. However, the possibility of Kulkarni joining BJP was rejected by KS Eshwarappa, Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and senior leader for the BJP in the state.
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