Karnataka Forest Minister Khandre trespassed on HMT land, alleges Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy
Ramanagara, Oct 30: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday alleged that the Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre trespassed on the land belonging to HMT, a central public sector enterprise, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Khandre on Tuesday directed officials concerned to take disciplinary action against those who permitted felling of trees in a forest land here, where a set was erected for shooting a Kannada movie 'Toxic'. He also conducted a spot inspection of the site.
“There is trespassing (by Khandre) on the HMT land. We (had earlier) filed a suit related to it (over ownership of the land) and we are waiting for the court direction. We will fight it legally but we will not raise the issue for publicity,” Kumaraswamy, the Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister, told reporters.
In a note to Additional Chief Secretary of Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment on Tuesday, Khandre said a total of 599 acres of reserve forest in Bengaluru's Peenya plantation-1 and plantation-2 is gazetted, which was illegally handed over to HMT in the 1960s without de-notification.
“The Forest Minister visited the HMT premises yesterday, which was given to the Canara Bank way back in 2002. It was not given on lease but sold to them (Canara Bank),” Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD(S) second-in-command, said.
He said he would hold a press conference in a day or two against the Forest Minister’s "attempt" to create confusion ‘unnecessarily’ in connection with the HMT land.
The Union Minister said there are encroachments on forest lands in various parts of the State, including Bengaluru.
In Srinivasapura in Kolar district, a public representative has encroached on 120 acres of forest land. A court has given direction to recover 61 acres of land from him. Deadline has also been fixed but no step has been taken, Kumaraswamy alleged.
“I want to ask the Forest Minister who met the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), what direction did CM give you (Forest Minister) and what instruction you (Forest Minister) gave to the forest officials. Should there be different yardsticks for the poor and the Congress leaders?” Kumaraswamy sought to know.
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Bihar: Over 150 children fall ill after consuming 'mid-day meal' in Saharsa
Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.
The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.
The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.
“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.
“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.
Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.
Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.
“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.
