B'luru rain fury: Guns, records damaged after rainwater gushes into City Armed Reserve control room
Bengaluru: Water logged into the control room of the West Division of City Armed Reserve Forces in Ullala Upanagara, causing damage to the valuables in the division, after heavy rains lashed parts of the city on Wednesday.
The control room was completely inundated following sudden inflow of rainwater, causing damage to hundreds of firearms, documents belonging to the Police security personnel. The havoc came to light in the Morning when the control room staff arrived for duty, upon discovering things disordered the staff swiftly rushed and collected the guns and files, conducted an inspection of the room.
In the meantime, several residents of the city complained of rainwater entering into their homes. At the same time, some also expressed their displeasure with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) stating that despite several complaints, the civic body is not acting against controlling artificial flooding in the city.
Similarly, in Sahakar Nagar, houses were still submerged under water, prompting locals to protest against the civic body by blocking the road.
“Every flood causes colossal damage, and BBMP officials are not responding to our situation. The situation would have been not like this if the BBMP had cleared encroachment on Rajakaluve,” said an agitated resident.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
