IPS officer resigned due to corruption in Karnataka govt: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru, May 11: Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has alleged that senior IPS officer P Ravindranath's purported resignation pointed to corruption in the state government.
Ravindranath in an official communication to the government on Tuesday reportedly said he was prematurely transferred after taking legal action against people involved in a fake caste certificate issue.
The officer was transferred as the Director General of Police (Training) on May 4.
Siddaramaiah said Ravindranath was assigned to investigate those who had availed fake certificates and take action against them.
"As per Ravindranath's statement, he has investigated a few influential leaders and hence he was transferred by the government," Siddaramaiah said, adding that this was not correct.
"M P Renukacharya (former minister and BJP leader) has taken fake 'Beda Jangama' caste certificate for his daughter. This was discussed even in the state assembly. He is not eligible to take Beda Jangama. There should be action against him," the Congress leader alleged in his media statement.
"Where there is corruption, we cannot expect stability and good governance. There is huge corruption in BJP government. How can we expect justice? the Leader of Opposition said.
Renukacharya, who is also Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's political secretary, has not responded to the allegations made by Siddaramaiah.
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KSDL invites innovative technology to check sandalwood theft
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has invited farmers, scientists and organisations to come up with innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft in the state.
The state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures Mysuru Sandal Soap has also planned sandalwood cultivation, state Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
"In a bid to promote sandalwood cultivation, the KSDL has planned a major initiative. As part of it, farmers, scientists, and organisations possessing information on advanced equipment or innovative technologies to prevent sandalwood theft have been invited to approach KSDL and share the details," Patil said in a statement.
Those interested in this initiative will be given an opportunity to demonstrate such technologies before the organisation, the minister said, adding if the proposed solutions are found suitable and effective, steps will be taken for consideration and implementation.
Patil stated that the cost involved in deploying technologies aimed at preventing sandalwood theft would be borne by KSDL.
Further, with a view to encouraging sandalwood cultivation, four farmers who have supplied the highest quantity of sandalwood to KSDL will be honoured with awards on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on June 4, he said.
On the same occasion, police personnel and forest officials who have made notable progress in apprehending sandalwood thieves and registering cases, along with members of the public who have provided credible information leading to such action, will also be recognised and rewarded, the minister added.
Patil observed that farmers cultivating sandalwood trees on their lands have been facing increasing threats due to theft in recent years. Illegal felling and theft of sandalwood trees have continued for decades.
Although stringent laws are in place to curb such activities, the number of cases resulting in convictions remains very low, he noted.
"In this context, it becomes the responsibility of the organisation to extend both legal and technical support to farmers and encourage them to take up sandalwood cultivation on a larger scale," he said.
According to him, over the past three years, KSDL has procured 174.5 metric tonne of sandalwood directly from farmers across the state and transferred Rs 6.08 crore to their respective accounts.
