Heavy rains disrupt normal life in coastal Karnataka again
Bengaluru, June 26 : Heavy rains measuring upto 13 cm disrupted normal life again in coastal Karnataka districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, after the incessant rains which lashed the region till last week took a break, the weather office said on Tuesday.
"Heavy rainfall was witnessed in most places of coastal Karnataka and few parts of interior Karnataka. The southwest monsoon, however, has been weak over north interior Karnataka," the Bengaluru division of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on its website.
According to the data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), Udupi district received an average of 13.7 cm rainfall over the past 24 hours, while Dakshina Kannada received an average of 10.7 cm.
Parts of the coastal Udupi district, about 400km west of here, received rainfall as high as 15 cm.
The heavy rains led to flooding of arterial roads and national highways in the cities and towns of the districts affecting vehicular movement.
There were also reports of damage to few bridges in the coastal districts, due to the rains, further affecting the traffic.
The heavy monsoon rains which continued in the coastal region till June 20, took a break of few days as their intensity decreased, before lashing the area again, according to the Met Office.
Since the onset of southwest monsoon over the state on June 4, the coastal regions have received in total an average rainfall of 100 cm till date.
As a result of the rains, the reservoirs in Cauvery river basin have been filing up. Excess water from Kabini reservoir in Mysuru district, which has been filled to its maximum capacity, has been flowing towards neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
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There are talks regarding changing Karnataka Cong president, says Minister Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said there are also talks regarding change in state Congress president along with the cabinet reshuffle, and it is for the party leadership to decide on these matters.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who has completed four years as president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), is currently on an extension in the post.
"State Congress president (Shivakumar) has gone to Delhi. I have come to know that the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) is also going today. There is a Congress working committee meeting tomorrow. They are going for that. After the meeting, I don't know whether they will discuss with the high command regarding the cabinet reshuffle," Parameshwara said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Along with that (cabinet reshuffle) we are also hearing talks about changing the state Congress president. So, on these two things, what decision the CM and the president will take in consultation with high command, I don't know."
While Siddaramaiah is leaving for the national capital this evening, Shivakumar is already there.
To a question on changing KPCC president, Parameshwara, who had earlier held the responsibility, said, he has only heard talks about it, but not sure it is at what stage.
"As there are talks regarding a cabinet reshuffle, there are also talks about changing the KPCC president. It is left to the high command. They will take a decision in consultation with the chief minister and incumbent president," he said.
Asked if his portfolio would be changed during the cabinet reshuffle, Parameshwara said, it is for the high command to decide.
"So far, I have abided by the high command's decisions and fulfilled the responsibilities they have given to me for the last 35 years. I'm ready to continue to do that," he added.
PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who is seen as one of the contenders for the KPCC president post, on Wednesday said party presidentship is not an easy job. It is a difficult task and a responsibility to handle.
Speculations were rife about a possible cabinet reshuffle and evaluation of the performance of the ministers, ever since the Lok Sabha poll results. There has also been a demand from a section of MLAs, who are ministerial aspirants, to be inducted into the cabinet. Some have even openly expressed their wish to become ministers.
