Monsoon likely to intensify in Karnataka, IMD issues yellow alert for coastal districts
Bengaluru: Days after Monsoon rains in the state went weak, the Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted intensified rains across the three coastal districts accompanied by heavy winds during the next few days.
The IMD has issued a yellow alert for Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada districts for the next 24 hours. The alert also applies for June 21, 22 and 23. Thundershowers are expected in these districts today and tomorrow, with wind speeds reaching 40 to 50 km/h in south interior districts and 30 to 50 km/h in north interior districts. Light to moderate rainfall is anticipated in many districts.
In Bengaluru and surrounding areas, the weather will remain generally cloudy for the next 24 hours with a possibility of light rain. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be 31°C and 21°C, respectively.
On Sunday, Uttara Kannada's Kumta received 9 cm of rain, while Gerusoppa, Gokarna, Ankola, and Gadag recorded 5 cms. Manki, Haliyala, Shirali, Sankeshwar in Belagavi, and Kushalanagar in Kodagu have received 4 cm of rain.
Dr. Rajavel Manikkam, a senior scientist at the Bengaluru Meteorological Center, stated that the southwest monsoon was moderate over the coastal and northern interior regions, and weak over the southern interior region. Rainfall was reported in many coastal areas and a few interior regions yesterday.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
