Above average monsoon expected from July to September in several districts of Karnataka this year
Bengaluru: A Cabinet sub-committee meeting chaired by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has reviewed Karnataka's preparedness for the upcoming monsoon season, with expectations of above average rainfall across several districts this year.
According to officials, districts, particularly in north Karnataka, have already experienced good pre-monsoon showers, and more than average rainfall is anticipated from July to September across the state, as reported by The Hindu on Friday.
As of now, the water storage in Karnataka’s 14 major reservoirs stands at 422.11 tmcft, compared to 280.02 tmcft at the same time last year.
However, Gowda expressed concern over subpar water levels in some dams and instructed officials to account for potential water losses due to evaporation in the coming months, the report added. He emphasised the priority of ensuring adequate water supply for drinking purposes over irrigation needs.
Twelve districts, including Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, among others are likely to face acute drinking water shortages. Specific instructions were given to identify issues being faced by RO drinking water units in Bengaluru city. The minister asserted that they should receive 24/7 power supply and repaired when need arises on priority.
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Class 12 final exams of Odisha board begin amid tight security
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The class 12 final examinations of the Odisha board began on Wednesday amid heavy security, officials said.
A total of 4.01 lakh students are appearing for the exams being conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Odisha, across 1,364 centres, they said.
The exams began with Science papers, while those for the Arts and Commerce streams will start on Friday. The exam will continue till March 28, they added.
A total of 2.56 lakh students are enrolled in the Arts stream, 1.14 lakh in Science, and 24,621 in Commerce, CHSE's Controller of Examinations Prasanta Kumar Parida said.
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There are also 5,932 students of vocational studies, he said.
The exam began at 10 am and will end at 1 pm, he added
Parida said live streaming of all examination centres has been made available, while 211 question paper hubs are being monitored with "AI technology".
Special squads have been deployed to conduct surprise inspections to check any malpractices, he added.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended greetings to all the students appearing for the examination.
"The examination is a beautiful reflection of your knowledge and hard work. There is no need to put any fear or stress in your mind for it. Remember, your performance will be of high quality only if you appear for the examination not under pressure, but with patience," he posted on X.
The practical examinations were conducted between January 2 and 15.
