CM Siddaramaiah expresses displeasure over 'unscientific' work leading to landslide in Shiradi ghat
Mysuru (Karnataka), Aug 3: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday expressed his displeasure over the 'unscientific' road construction work by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) that led to landslide on Shiradi ghat stretch in the state.
Accompanied by Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Siddaramaiah visited Shiradi ghat and assessed the destruction caused by the natural calamity.
The CM expressed his displeasure over cutting the hills in a vertical manner at 90 degree angle instead of maintaining a slant of 45 degrees to minimise the destruction.
He gave an earful to the officials of NHAI for making the 'unscientific' roads.
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The Chief Secretary briefed him on road work progress, saying the 35 km of the 45 km highway project had been completed. Still, no safety measures were implemented based on soil quality tests.
After inspecting the landslide site in knee-deep mud, the Chief Minister held discussion with the State Disaster Response Force team engaged in the mud clearance operation at the site.
He then directed Rajneesh to write a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari about the overall situation.
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Security forces destroy 23 illegal bunkers, seize 18 IEDs in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): Security forces have destroyed 23 bunkers illegally constructed in Manipur's Ukhrul and seized 18 IEDs in Tengnoupal district in separate operations, a police statement said on Saturday.
The bunkers were destroyed on Thursday in the hill villages of Mongkot Chepu, Shongphel, Mullam, Sirarakhong and Ringue in Litan police station area, it said.
A 12-bore pump action gun, 17 cartridges of different calibres and 111 empty cases of fired bullets were also seized.
At least seven people have been shot dead in different firing incidents and more than 30 houses have been torched since violence broke out between Tangkhul Naga and Kuki communities in Ukhrul district in February this year.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Wednesday, security forces seized a cache of arms and explosives in T Bongmol village in Moreh police station area in Tengnoupal district.
Two single-barrel rifles, four 9mm pistols with magazines and 18 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were seized. The explosives were destroyed on the spot, it added.
