Rains, gusty winds cause over Rs 30 crore damage to power infrastructure across Karnataka
Dharwad: Heavy rains and gusty winds over the past two months have severely damaged power infrastructure across Kittur-Karnataka, Kalyana-Karnataka, and Coastal Karnataka, resulting in losses exceeding Rs 30 crore to regional electricity supply companies — HESCOM, GESCOM, and MESCOM.
According to a report cited by Deccan Herald on Tuesday, MESCOM (responsible for electricity distribution in Coastal Karnataka) reported the damage of over 5,050 electric poles and the bursting of 137 transformers. More than 253 km of power lines were disrupted, leaving several areas in the coastal belt facing persistent power outages amid ongoing heavy rainfall and high-speed winds.
HESCOM reported infrastructure losses of Rs 6.07 crore between May and June. Over 4,600 electricity poles and 214 transformers were damaged across its seven divisions due to rain-induced flooding and lightning. Dharwad district alone accounted for 613 damaged poles and 28 transformers, while Uttara Kannada — one of the worst-hit regions — reported 2,128 fallen poles and 142 damaged transformers. In Gadag district, 284 electricity poles were uprooted.
GESCOM has reported extensive damage across its jurisdiction. The company reportedly recorded over 7,544 electric poles and 498 transformers damaged over the last two months. Kalaburagi City was among the worst affected, with 2,060 poles and 110 transformers impacted. In Bidar, 1,190 poles and 150 transformers were damaged, while over 65 km of power lines collapsed across the region.
“In urban areas, damaged transformers are replaced within 24 hours, while in rural areas, the process takes up to 72 hours. However, immediate repair becomes difficult if a large number of poles are affected or if the damage occurs at night. We stock extra poles and transformers during the monsoon to ensure quicker restoration,” DH quoted GESCOM Managing Director Ravindra Karlingannavar as saying.
Meanwhile, residents in affected areas continue to face hardships. Narayan Bhat, a senior citizen and member of the HESCOM Users’ Committee from Heggara village in Ankola taluk, shared that recurring damage is common during the monsoon due to trees falling on electric lines and poles. “Once the monsoon sets in, villagers often go without electricity for a week to fifteen days, living cut off from the outside world. We’ve become used to this. Thankfully, with the recent installation of solar and UPS systems, the situation is slightly better than before,” he noted.
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Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in corruption cases
Dhaka (PTI): A Bangladesh court on Monday sentenced deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in jail in two separate corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in allocations of land in a government housing project.
Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-4 Judge Rabiul Alam handed down the verdicts, sentencing Hasina to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment — five years in each case, state-run BSS news agency reported.
The court sentenced 78-year-old Hasina, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and her nieces, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and others in the cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachol.
The judgment was pronounced at around 12.30 pm.
Tulip Siddiq was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment — two years in each case — while Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq were each sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in both cases.
Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the only accused to surrender before the court, was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in each case, totalling two years.
The court also fined all convicted persons Tk1 lakh each and ordered them to serve an additional six months in prison in default of payment.
Hasina has been living in India since she fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year in the face of the massive protests. She was earlier declared a fugitive by the court.
The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of two 10-katha plots.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated the allocation process and violated existing rules and regulations of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
