ACB raids on officers’ houses: Property worth crores found
Bengaluru, July 25: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths raided on the houses of two officers including a joint director of a department on Wednesday and unearthed property disproportionate to their known sources of income worth crores.
The ACB teams raided on the house and offices of Karnataka Udyoga Mitra joint director HM Revanna Gowda and found two houses, two sites, four acres of agriculture land, three industrial sites, 1.5 kg gold, 17.5 kg silver, Rs 12 lakh cash, three cars, three bikes, Rs 4 crore in savings accounts and deposits and household articles worth Rs 26 lakh.
The ACB sleuths also raided the house and offices of Kalaburagi Regional Health and Family Welfare Training Centre’s district health education officer Devindra and found two houses, five sites, 10.37 acres of agriculture land, 222 gm gold, 2.112 kg silver, one car, two bikes, Rs 2 lakh deposit and household articles worth Rs 23.77 lakh.
The ACB sleuths conducted raids on the houses and offices of these two officers in seven places. The ACB officials have continued their investigation, sources said.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
