CM Yediyurappa urges Centre for early approvals for Mekedatu, Kalasa-Banduri Nala projects
Yediyurappa, who is in Delhi today met Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar and requested to direct the concerned authorities in the Ministry to grant the Terms of Reference for Mekedatu Project, the state Information Department said in an official release.
He also sought first stage forest clearance for Kalasa and Banduri Nala Projects in the state.
Later, the CM also met Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and sought early approvals and clearances for irrigation and drinking water projects including Mekedatu and Kalasa Banduri Nala to utilise the precious water resources allocated to the State.
Mekedatu balancing reservoir and Drinking water project involves construction of a balancing reservoir across river Cauvery near Mekedatu, with a capacity of about 67.16 tmcft.
The total cost of the project is worked out to be Rs 9,000 crores, aiming to provide drinking water facilities to Bengaluru Metropolitan region and its surrounding areas (4.75 TMC) and generate 400 MW of power as an additional benefit.
Despite assurance that the project will in no way affect Supreme Court order to release 177.25 tmcft Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, the lower riparian state has been vehemently opposing it, raising apprehensions that it will be affected if the project takes shape.
On the other hand, the Kalasa-Banduri Project in the Mahadayi river basin aims to bring water to the drought-prone regions of Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi and Gadag districts by diverting water from the inter-state Mahadayi river to the Malaprabha river in Karnataka.
Goa has opposed the Kalasa-Banduri project claiming it would cause "ecological devastation" and increase the salinity in the waters of the Mahadayi river.
The Chief Minister also urged the Jal Shakti Minister to declare irrigation projects like Upper Krishna Project Stage- III and Upper Bhadra Project as "National Projects".
These were also among the developmental issues pertaining to the State that Yediyurappa had discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the meeting, earlier in the day.
A release said, Yediyurappa also called on the Union Minister for Petroleum, National Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan and requested to expedite the process of disinvestment of the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited.
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Mumbai police arrest actor Sahil Khan in Mahadev betting app case
Mumbai, Apr 28: The Mumbai cyber cell's SIT on Sunday arrested actor Sahil Khan in connection with the Mahadev betting app case, a police official here said.
The actor was apprehended from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after the Bombay High Court rejected his pre-arrest bail plea, he said.
He was subsequently brought to Mumbai and placed under arrest, the official said.
Khan was recently questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed in connection with the case.
The actor, known for films like ‘Style’ and ‘Excuse Me’, has become a fitness expert.
The Mumbai police had earlier arrested one person in connection with the case, the official said.
Khan is the second person to be arrested by the city police in the case, he said.
The SIT has been conducting a probe into the alleged illegal transactions between certain financial and real estate firms in the state and the promoters of the controversial Mahadev betting app.
The size of the scam is about Rs 15,000 crore, as per the first information report (FIR) registered by the Matunga police here in the case.
An investigation is underway against Khan and 31 other individuals. The probe involves examining their bank accounts, mobile phones, laptops, and all technical equipment, according to the police.
While the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating money laundering angle in the Mahadev betting app case, Mumbai police have registered a separate case against 32 persons.
Notably, Chhattisgarh’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)/Economic Offence Wing (EOW) on April 24 said it has arrested two persons - from New Delhi and Goa - in connection with the alleged illegal operations of the Mahadev online gaming and betting application that purportedly involved senior politicians and bureaucrats from that state.
The ED has separately arrested nine persons so far as part of its probe in the money laundering-linked case.
#WATCH | Actor Sahil Khan brought to Mumbai from Chhattisgarh. He has been arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch's SIT in connection with the Mahadev Betting App case.
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2024
“I believe in the judiciary of the country, " he says pic.twitter.com/HirOzizuXb
#WATCH | Mahadev Betting App case | Mumbai: Actor Sahil Khan's lawyer Mujahid Ansari says, "They wanted a remand to investigate. They had produced their ground in the Session Court and the High Court that there are 2000 SIM cards and 1700 bank accounts... The court has sent him… pic.twitter.com/rsJNeZ5VMo
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2024
