Mullarpatna Bridge collapse: MP Nalin blames sand mafia, authorities' negligence
Mangaluru, June 26: MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has alleged that the Mullarapatna Bridge, which was the first bridge to be a victim of sand mafia, the negligence of officials has also caused the incident.
Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru, he said that the locals had sent a video to authorities two years ago, in which the damage caused by the sand mining, and weak pillars were shown. But the district administration did not stop sand mining which was going on near the bridge using machines. Sand mining took place continuously in the past with the support of the people who were in position earlier. The authorities must take precautionary steps well in advance. Now the bridge is collapsed which may disrupt traffic movement for nearly two years.
"Now I have visited along with local MLA and instructed to provide a temporary arrangement," MP Nalin added.
Bridges that crossed 15 years must be inspected
"Gurupur Bridge is also posing a threat. Already a tender of Rs. 33 crore has been passed. Work is in progress. Even then it is the responsibility of the authorities to safeguard the bridge on an emergency basis. Meanwhile, the district officials along with experts must inspect those bridges that were constructed 15 years ago," MP Nalin Kumar added.
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Venkatesh Prasad elected KSCA president, Sujith Somasundar is new vice-president
Bengaluru (PTI): Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad was on Sunday elected as the new president of the troubled Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
In the polls, Prasad, a former vice-president of the association, went ahead of veteran sports administrator KN Shanth Kumar 749-558 as a total of 1307 members voted.
Prasad now will have the onerous task of bringing top-flight cricket back to the state, which got sidelined after the stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 in which 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans were killed.
Both Prasad and Shanth Kumar, Director of The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd and one of the Directors on the PTI Board, had vowed to take necessary steps to revive cricket in the state, and it was their respective panel's major poll pitch.
Former India batter Sujith Somasundar won the election to the post of vice-president ahead of D. Vinod Shivappa 719-588.
Somasundar had stepped down from the post of Education Head at the BCCI Centre of Excellence recently to contest in the KSCA polls.
BN Madhukar is the new KSCA treasurer after winning the election 736-571 ahead of MS Vinay. Experienced administrator Santosh Menon returned to the association fold as its new secretary after getting the better of ES Jairam 675-632.
Jairam had resigned from the post of KSCA secretary after 11 fans were killed and several injured in the stampede near the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, taking the moral responsibility for the tragic turn of events.
The Prasad-led panel, which had the open backing of former India players Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, hence grabbed four key posts in the polls which were held at the Chinnaswamy Stadium between 10am and 5 pm.
“First and foremost, this is a victory for the sport of cricket. Secondly, this is a victory for all the members who wanted a change, all the people who wanted international cricket to come back to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. This is a victory for all stakeholders — the cricket fans,” Prasad told reporters after becoming president.
The Brijesh Patel-backed camp saw BK Ravi from its list winning the race to the post of joint secretary 669-638 ahead of AV Shashidhara.
Former women’s cricketer Kalpana Venkatachar (764) and former Karnataka wicketkeeper batter Avinash Vaidya (691), who contested from Prasad's panel, were elected as members from the Bangalore Zone along with Aashish Amarlall (703).
