Two more bodies recovered at landslide site at Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district
Bengaluru: Two more bodies were recovered on Thursday during the search and rescue operations in Shirur village in Uttara Kannada district, where a massive landslide claimed lives of six people two days ago, officials said.
Vehicular traffic has been temporarily suspended on National Highway 66, where the incident occurred on Tuesday, they said.
After an intensive rescue and search operation by the local police, a team of National Disaster Response Force, fire and emergency services and officials of other agencies amid rains, four bodies were recovered by Tuesday evening.
"Search and rescue operations have been going on since the past two days and with the help of all agencies, we have recovered six bodies so far," said Narayana M, Superintendent of Police (Karwar).
Among the four dead were members of the same family, who ran an eatery along the national highway.
They have been identified as 47-year-old Lakshman Naik, his 36-year-old wife Shanti Naik and their children Roshan (11), Avantika (6).
The two other deceased has been identified as drivers.
According to the officials, seven people were feared dead. Out of which, the bodies of six people have been recovered so far. Search operations will continue until all the bodies are recovered.
Following the incident, the state government had said that three gas tankers had pulled up at the eatery for a tea break when mud and rocks plunged down the hill.
The landslip triggered by incessant rains also swept away two of the three tankers into the Gangavali river flowing on the other side of the road.
According to the state government, the National Highways Authority of India, while building National Highway 66 "cut the hill steep instead of a 45-degree slope, resulting in the accident".
Meanwhile, vehicular movement has been banned till July 22 in Seethalayanagiri-Mullayanagiri area of Chikkamagaluru taluk due to the collapse of hills and severe damage to the road surface owing to heavy rains.
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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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