Karnataka govt seeks report on rain-related damage
Bengaluru, Nov 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said he has sought a report on the damage caused to the agriculture and horticulture crops due to continuous downpour in several parts of the state for the past fortnight.
"The unexpected downpour is continuing and there are signals that it will extend for another four to five days due to depression in the Bay of Bengal.
Its effect is evident in Bengaluru and a few other districts such as damage to the roads, crops and inability to move out and water gushing into houses," the Chief Minister told reporters on the sidelines of an event.
He said he has issued directions to officials concerned regarding the measures to be taken once the rain stops.
"We are also assessing the crop loss in various districts due to rains, to provide compensation to farmers.
Today I am going to hold a meeting with officials on procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP). We are monitoring the situation," Bommai said.
He added he has directed the horticulture department to submit a status report on the impact of rain on vegetables and fruits. Since Bengaluru is also battered by the heavy rains, Bommai said he said once the rain stops, they have take up road repair work, lay underground drains at an estimated cost of Rs 280 crore in the 110 villages, which were added to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2005-06. Relief operations will also be taken up in low-lying areas and more personnel will be pressed into service.
Four Bengaluru specific State Disaster Response Force will be constituted.
According to Bommai, the confusion over taking up repair work in Bengaluru has been resolved and it has been decided that the maintenance contractors should take it up.
If they refuse, then the civic agency should undertake road repair work, holding back the security deposit of the maintenance contractors, the Chief Minister explained.
The city has been witnessing heavy rains for more than a fortnight and meteorologists have predicted rainfall for the next 48 to 72 hours in many parts of the state.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
