Amarnath flashflood: CM Bommai says no report of Kannadigas affected so far
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said there has been no report of any untoward incidents related to Kannadigas so far, following the flashflood triggered by a cloudburst near the cave shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir where the death toll has risen to 16.
He said the Karnataka government has taken steps to rescue people from the State stranded in Amarnath.
According to the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), as of now, there are details of around 350 yatris in groups hailing from Karnataka spread in various locations of the yatra route.
"As per initial reports, there are, presently, over 100 Kannadigas there, and most of them are safe. There is no report of any untoward incidents related to Kannadigas. We are in contact with the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Union government," Bommai said earlier today.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the Karnataka government has launched a helpline to assist those in need of help.
"Already, about 15-20 people have contacted and shared details of their location, we will do all that is necessary to rescue them. Officials of the Union government, BSF and ITBP are engaged in the rescue operations. The Karnataka Chief Secretary is in direct contact with the Union government. Those in trouble could contact the helpline so that they could be rescued immediately," he added.
Later KSDMA, in a statement, said the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) has received 48 calls from the relatives of yatris, mainly because of mobile connectivity and the fact that only mobiles with prepaid SIMs can be used to communicate compounded the communication problem.
It said the details of yatris received at SEOC have been shared with NDRF control room and integrated command and control centre under the Divisional Commissioner's Office, Kashmir, and Amarnath Shrine Board to provide any assistance on priority.
According to officials, the cloudburst that occurred at around 5.30 PM on Friday caused copious rain and streams of sludge rolled down the mountain slopes into the valley. The gushing waters hit the base camp outside the shrine in south Kashmir, damaging 25 tents and three community kitchens where the pilgrims are served food.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
