Normal life disrupted in parts of coastal Karnataka due to torrential rain
Mangaluru /Udupi/Sirsi(PTI): Normal life was disrupted in the coastal and Western Ghats districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada following heavy to very heavy and incessant rains over the past few days, officials said.
Uttara Kannada district Collector K Lakshmipriya said there was heavy rain in the coastal parts of the district on Monday and 313 people had taken shelter in eight care centres opened in Honnavar Taluk and they were provided with basic facilities.
As a result of the 'excess rain,' many low-lying areas in the undivided Dakshina Kannada (including Udupi) were flooded. However, on Monday there were no incidents of flooding inside Mangaluru city, but inundation was reported in lower parts of Bantwal town situated near the riverfront.
Officials at Karnataka State Natural Disasters Monitoring Centre (KSNMDC) said they were closely monitoring this area and that a rescue team was on standby.
Meanwhile, in Uttara Kannada, 10,600 cusecs water was released from the four gates of the Kadra reservoir of Kali river on Monday, as the water level crossed the danger threshold.
Incidentally, when 6,000 cusecs of water was released on Saturday, to relieve pressure off the overflowing Kali river, downstream villages of Kadra dam, Kadra, Mallapur, Kerodi, Baira Balani, Karga, Ulag and Halaga were affected.
Areas that witnessed torrential rains in Uttara Kannada on Monday were Sirsi, Siddapur and Yellapur, as well as parts of Malnad (ghats) area of Uttara Kannada. Many houses were flooded in Kadatoka area of Honnavar taluk and a team from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to be deployed to rescue villagers.
As rain water entered houses at many places in Udupi, people had to be rescued by firefighters in rubber dinghies. The worst affected areas were in Kalsanka, Bailakere, Mathadabettu, Gundibail, Padigaru and Sagri. Firefighters used rubber dinghies to ferry women, children and elderly persons to safety.
In Uttara Kannada, Colonel Hill in Honnavar, a hillock on which one of the area's famous monuments, a British era column, stands, collapsed at places on National Highway 66.
With heavy rainfall expected according to the Met department, the administration of both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts issued an orange alert in their respective jurisdictions until July 11.
An orange alert means very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm.
All three districts (Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada) declared a holiday for schools and PU colleges on Monday.
A holiday has been declared by the authorities in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi for schools and PU colleges on Tuesday also.
Meanwhile, Uttara Kannada MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Monday visited affected areas in Shashihital and Gunda village and Bhaskeri of Kumta constituency as well as care centres in Honnavar taluk and met the affected people.
Karwar MLA Satish Sail offered 'bagina' (an offering to rivers in spate, a tradition followed in Karnataka) to Kadra reservoir on Monday.
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BJP dreaming to win polls with money power: West Bengal BJP MLA after bypoll loss
Kolkata, Nov 23: As the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, Kurseong's party MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma attacked the state leadership, saying the party dreams of winning polls with money power and that it sidelines legislators and gives "unnecessary importance and responsibilities" to MPs.
The TMC retained five of the six seats it had previously won during the 2021 polls, while wresting the key Madarihat seat from the saffron camp in north Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
In a Facebook post, Sharma alleged, "The BJP runs a membership drive in West Bengal over the phone from a Kolkata office, while party leaders turn a blind eye to factionalism within the party. The party sidelines MLAs and gives unnecessary importance and responsibilities to MPs. It dreams of winning elections relying on money power. Despite having no shortage of political issues in the state, it centers its politics solely around religion."
"The BJP accuses opponents of corruption while carrying Adani and Ambani on its shoulders. It tries to undermine the rights of the indigenous population by luring Bangladeshi Hindus with promises of CAA. It halts MGNREGA funds and indulges in such tactics, hoping to win elections in the state," he alleged.
On the other hand, the BJP MLA lauded TMC saying, that the ruling party in the state, armed with 26 different "pro-poor schemes" such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, Gitanjali Housing Scheme, Krishak Bandhu Scheme, Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi, Rupashree Prakalpa, Shishu Sathi Scheme, and Student Credit Card, quietly works at the grassroots level.
"Now, you decide who will win the elections. I have never seen a culture of self-criticism within the BJP; otherwise, this outcome wouldn't have occurred," he added.
Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC.
With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rose to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally, on the other hand, dropped to 69, from 77 in 2021.
