Permit kids to grow plants beside roads in Bengaluru, DKShi's message to BBMP officers
► World Environment Day
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who inaugurated the World Environment Day programme at Rachenahalli near Byatarayanapura on Monday by planting a sapling, told BBMP officials to give schoolchildren the privilege of growing trees by roads.
Addressing the BBMP officials who attended the event, the Deputy Chief Minister said, “Submit a report at the earliest on the roads in the city that have no trees beside them. Also hand schoolchildren the responsibility of planting and growing saplings by these roads.”
Shivakumar instructed the BBMP officers to provide saplings for the children to plant and also install protective barricades around the saplings. “Every child planting a sapling should be permitted to water and grow the plant. The child should also be permitted to put a tag with his/her name on the plant. Ensure that the children develop a sense of competition regarding growing the plants. This will help the children grow the plants with enthusiasm, care and delight too,” he advised the BBMP officers.
The Deputy Chief Minister said, “A comprehensive plan for a long-term scheme related to growing plants and conservation of the environment should be prepared within a month’s time. This is the first task that I, as Bengaluru Development Minister, assign to the BBMP officers,” and added that officials in the Forest Department, the BBMP and the Horticulture Department should contribute to planning the scheme.
Shivakumar reminded that conservation of the environment was extremely important due to our heavy dependence on environment for various needs. “Organizing a World Environment Day programme is only symbolic. Our effort on a daily basis at conservation of the environment and the green cover is what truly matters. Only when we grow plants as caringly as we raise our children does it imply that we respect the World Environment Day. Our changed lifestyle has also forced us to use artificial plants in place of natural plants,” he pointed out with a sense of irony.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
