Explosion at stone quarry in Vitla; over 15 houses damaged
Vitla (Karnataka), Mar 4 (PTI): An explosion occurred at a stone quarry in Madattadka village, Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday, allegedly after a cache of gelatin sticks stored for rock blasting detonated due to extreme heat, police said.
The incident, which took place at around 1.30 pm in Bantwal taluk, caused at least two houses within 100 meters of the explosion's epicentre to develop cracks due to its intensity, they added.
The sound and tremors from the explosion were also felt within a 4-kilometre radius of the village. Additionally, 15 other houses located within a 1-kilometre radius of the epicentre sustained damage, police said.
According to preliminary reports, the explosion was triggered by intense heat affecting a cache of gelatin sticks stored for rock blasting. Approximately 200 gelatin sticks and detonators had been kept in the middle of a pile of crushed stones in the quarry.
The quarry belonged to a company engaged in stone quarrying in the village.
Senior police officers, including Superintendent of Police Yathish N and officials from the Bantwal police station, along with taluk officials, visited the site and conducted an investigation.
A probe is underway to determine whether the storage of explosives was legal.
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Karnataka govt to establish Gig Workers’ Welfare Board
Bengaluru, Apr 3 (PTI): The Karnataka government decided to establish a Gig Workers’ Welfare Board, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office said on Thursday.
The decision was made following a discussion between Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Rahul Gandhi inquired about the timeline for formulating the Gig Workers' Welfare Act, which he had promised during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and the elections.
"The Karnataka government has decided to establish a Gig Workers' Welfare Board to ensure the well-being of workers employed by companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Ola, Uber, and others," the statement said.
It further stated that a five per cent cess would be collected from the concerned companies, while the state government would provide the remaining funds required to support welfare schemes for gig workers.
"A comprehensive bill covering all aspects of gig workers' welfare will be prepared and presented before the state cabinet for approval," the statement added.
Three gig worker representatives—Rakshitha Dev, Sheikh Salahuddin, and Nikhil Dev—were also invited to the meeting.
They appreciated the government's initiative and expressed hope for improved working conditions.
State ministers Santosh Lad, Priyank Kharge, and M B Patil were present at the meeting.
Santosh Lad was quoted as saying that Rahul Gandhi, who had earlier advocated for gig workers' rights during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, welcomed the eight-point proposal prepared by the Labour department.
Rahul Gandhi also emphasised the need for swift implementation to safeguard gig workers' interests.
"The Karnataka Labour Department has already introduced three key bills—covering workers' gratuity, cinema workers' rights, and now, gig workers' welfare. The unorganised workers' sector has lauded the government's efforts and extended full support for this progressive move," the statement quoted Lad as saying.
