Citing COVID-19, BJP MLAs request Karnataka govt to stop Congress' padayatra entry into city
Bengaluru, Jan 12: Ruling BJP legislators from Bengaluru on Wednesday urged the Karnataka government not to allow Congress' padyatra, demanding implementation of Mekedatu project across Cauvery river, from entering the city to avoid further spread of COVID-19 infections here.
BJP MLAs like Arvind Limbavali, Satish Reddy, Ravi Subramanya and Uday Garudachar in a joint press conference, even requested the Congress to call off the march citing the interest of the people of Bengaluru.
"At a time when corona is peaking, is there a need for it (padayatra)? So, we request them (Congress) to call off the padayatra. If not, we urge the government to take strict measures to stop them. If there is a need, arrest them," said Limbavali, an MLA from Mahadevapura constituency.
Satish Reddy, from Bommanahalli constituency, too called on Congress leaders to call off the padayatra that may spread the virus in the city, as he warned that BJP may have to start 'peaceful protests' against them, if they don't stop.
"I want to tell my Congress friends, Bengaluru has about 1.25 crore population. Once it spreads here, it will spread across Karnataka and may lead to loss of lives... As the cases are spiking, immediately call off the padayatra. If not, people and legislators of Bengaluru know how to stop it... people of Bengaluru will reject you," Reddy said, as he also urged the government to take steps to stop them.
Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya, requested the opposition party to keep aside politics and stand with the people in their sufferings, so as to avoid another lockdown.
"Stop it for now... in the days to come we will all work together for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru," the legislator said, as he asked the government not to remain silent and take strict action in the interest of the people of the state.
Chickpet MLA Uday Garudachar said his constituency which comes in Bengaluru's central business district is a thickly populated area, and asked Congress not to bring padayatra there as it may lead to COVID-19 spread among a lot of daily-wage workers and traders.
"Please don't enter Bengaluru in the interest of its citizens of the city," he said.
Led by state Congress President D K Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, the padayatra on its fourth day on Wednesday covers a distance of about 15 km from Chikkenahalli to Ramanagara. They are likely to reach Bengaluru city on Friday night.
The 10-day padayatra with the theme 'Namma Neeru Namma Hakku' (Our water, Our right) that began at Sangama, the confluence of Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers at Kanakapura in Ramanagara district on January 9, will be spanning a distance of nearly 139 kms.
The march from Mekedatu to Bengaluru, passing through Kanakapura, Ramanagara and Bidadi, is scheduled to culminate at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru on January 19.
Reporting another spike, Karnataka on Tuesday had registered 14,473 fresh cases, out of which 10,800 were from Bengaluru Urban alone.
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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.
