‘Contractor getting food bills of 500 people’
Irregularities alleged in Indira canteen
Mangaluru, Jan 3: “There is irregularity in bill payments of five Indira canteens from the City Corporation and the Labour department. Though only 150 customers visit each Indira canteen every day, the contractors have been getting the payment for 500 customers”, alleged city corporation opposition leader Premananda Shetty.
In Indira canteen, Rs 5 was fixed for breakfast, and Rs 10 each for lunch and dinner. But the local body and the labour department have been paying Rs 7 per breakfast and Rs 14 per meal to the contractor. Of which, the city corporation has been bearing 70 percent and Labour department has been paying remaining 30 per cent.
Each Indira canteen would get 100-150 customers every day. But the contractors were being given the payment for 500 customers. The Mayor and the officials concerned should give clarification about this, Shetty demanded in a press conference.
An organization called Sai Hospitality has got the contract of the Indira Canteens in the city. Interestingly, the bills being given to the company are being prepared in the city corporation. The mayor has to clarify on how they have kept a tab on the number of customers for each canteen. The city corporation has spent Rs 80 lakh for Electrification, Drainage, Compound wall, Interlocks and other facilities. But there was no mention on utilizing the city corporation funds for the canteens, he said.
Clock tower work delayed
There was a proposal before the police department to allow one-way traffic movement on the road between Clock Tower and AB Shetty Circle near Hampankatta. This would solve the problem that New Clock Tower would create inconvenience to traffic movement due to which, the clock tower work was delayed, he said.
City Corporation members Ganesh Hosabettu, Sudhir Shetty Kannur, Roopa D Bangera, Vijay Kumar Shetty and others were present.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
