Misappropriation smelt in Mangaluru Indira Canteen
Members allege irregularities
Mayor promises of taking action
Mangaluru, December 26: As corporators alleged misappropriation in the Indira canteens in the city limits, mayor Bhaskar K promised of taking action if the allegation is proved.
The corporators raised the issue in the city corporation general body meeting chaired by Mayor Bhaskar K here on Wednesday.
In the meeting, member Vijay Kumar said that except Lady Goshan, misappropriation was smelt in all Indira Canteens. In some canteens, though 100 members have breakfast and lunch, they produce the bills of 500 customers. The city corporation has already provided Rs 70 lakh to maintain the canteens. A good scheme is suspected to be misused in the city, he said.
Responding to the allegation, the mayor said that he would ask the authorities to visit the canteens and check the CCTV footage to identify the misappropriation and take action.
Street lights to be converted into LED
When the corporators raised the issue of mismanagement of street lights, Corporation Commissioner Muhammad Nazeer said that all street lights in the city would be converted into LED lights, for which a tender would be called in a couple of days.
Members angry over UGD problem
Corporator Madhukiran alleged that UGD water is flowing in the open drainage in the city causing health problems. Another member Abdur Ravoof also said though Septic Treatment Plants (STPs) have commissioned in Bazal, Padeel, Faizal areas, they were not functioning properly.
Reacting to it, the Commissioner said that the UGD works under KUDSEMP works, second stage ADB project, Smart City Project and Amruth Project were taken up in the city at a cost of Rs 507 crore.
On Pachchanadi dumping yard problem, the Commissioner said that spot inspection was done. There was a complaint that the garbage was being dumped from other places during night. In order to keep a vigil on it, authorities were directed to install CCTV cameras and close compound gate, he said.
Deputy mayor Muhammad K, standing committee presidents Praveen Chandra Alva, Naveen D’Souza, Radhakrishna, Latha Salian were present.
Bill payment issue rocks corporation meeting
When member Dayananda Shetty raised the issue that the bills of contractors of various development works in the city corporation limits were not cleared for the last 11 months, Opposition Leader Premananda Shetty said that the corporation has to clear more than Rs 50 crore dues. As a result, the development works were suspended. How the quality works could be expected from the contractors, he asked.
Demanding the financial status of the corporation, Premananda Shetty said that lot of programmes were sanctioned under general funds. But he has doubt about the funds to be provided to such works. If the election is announced, the works would be hampered, he said.
Commissioner Nazeer said that bill payment on general funds was being made in three sections. Bills related to maintenance were cleared up to November, while bills of water supply and UGD were cleared up to July. But the bills of other works were pending for the last one year. Property tax from February to April would be collected. At this time, the bills of the contractors would be cleared and this is the regular process, he said.
But the Opposition members were not happy about the answer. Chief Whip Shashidhar Hegde said that such development works which were not taken up in the history of the corporation, have been completed in the last five years, for which ruling party members applauded.
When Hegde continued his speech, opposition member Poornima objected to it and went before the mayor chair and alleged that no action was taken to supply 24*7 water and all his claims are false.
Due to war of words between ruling and opposition parties, commotion created in the house. When the opposition members demanded resolution on bill clearance, mayor Bhaskar opposed it saying that the corporation would take action. He has sought special funds from the Chief Minister and it would come within a week, he said.
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Air India flights to North America, Europe to use alternative routes
New Delhi (PTI): Air India will operate its flights to North America and Europe using alternative routes over available airspaces in the Middle East and cancel six flights to various European cities on March 2.
The airline, which cancelled 50 international flights on Sunday, said it would extend suspension of all flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar till 23:59 hours (IST) on March 2.
In a post on X on Sunday, the carrier said six flights, including Amritsar-Birmingham (AI117) and Birmingham-Delhi (AI114), would be cancelled on Monday.
Besides, AI151 and A152 flights between Delhi and Zurich, as well as AI157 and AI158 flights between Delhi and Copenhagen, would be cancelled on Monday.
“All other flights to North America and Europe will operate as per schedule using alternative routings over available airspaces in the Middle East, which is expected to add to the flying times.
"Additionally, flights to New York (JFK) and Newark (Liberty International) will operate with technical stops at Rome (Fiumicino Airport)," Air India said.
With stops in Rome, the flying time for Air India flights to North America would increase and also result in increased operating expenses.
Since the Iran and Iraq airspaces remain closed, officials said the airline would take the Egypt route to reach Europe, which would mean 30-40 minutes of additional flying time.
The flights would take the route through Oman, the southern part of Saudi Arabia and Egypt for European and North American destinations, the officials added.
The airline also said that it continues to closely monitor the situation and has carefully assessed the evolving circumstances across multiple parameters, including safety, security, airspace availability, and operational feasibility, before deciding on these operations for March 2.
In the wake of the escalating Middle East crisis, flight operations have been significantly disrupted, with the civil aviation ministry saying Indian carriers cancelled 350 international flights on Sunday.
