Cong will politically counter opposition's foot march to Mysuru over MUDA 'scam': CM Siddaramaiah
Mysuru, Jul 29: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the ruling Congress will "face politically" opposition BJP and JD(S)' week-long foot march from Bengaluru to Mysuru from August three in protest against the alleged scam in allotment of sites to land losers by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), including to his wife Parvathi, and financial irregularities in a state-run corporation.
Home Minister G Parameshwara said the police will not give permission for the foot march officially, but will also not stop them.
"We will face it politically...What is there in MUDA to put a black spot on me? I have already formed a judicial commission to probe into it. Have they (opposition) ever formed a judicial commission during their tenure? There is no fault on my part, still, as there should be no suspicion in the minds of the people, a judicial commission has been formed," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
Asked whether he was "dejected" over the issue, he said: "why should I be dejected? If I committed a mistake, I would be dejected; when I have committed no wrong, why should I be dejected?"
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"BJP is expert in blackmailing, lying and making lies the truth," the Chief Minister further alleged, and said: "What ideology do they (BJP) have? They are against social justice, secularism, democracy and the constitution. On the other hand JD(S)' Kumaraswamy speaks so much, in 1984 he had taken a site and possession certificate, and then applied for an alternative site. How many sites (H D) Deve Gowda had got for his family members in the past?"
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said: "We will not give permission for the 'padayatre' (foot march), let them (BJP-JDS) do it, we won't say no, but the police department will not officially give any permission."
He said: "Let them protest. There will be several legal matters so we don't give permission. Even we were not given when we held the padayatre (When BJP was in power). We did it too (without permission). We won't stop them...we will facilitate and ensure no problem happens to them."
Asked whether the Congress is making any plans to counter the opposition's foot march, Parameshwara said the party state president D K Shivakumar is preparing a strategy.
"We will have to counter it. They are doing politics, so we too will have to do politics. We will do it from the party, not by using the government ," he said, pointing out that the inquiry commission has already been formed.
It is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
Several supporters of Siddaramaiah too have allegedly "benefitted this way," BJP leaders alleged.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where MUDA developed a residential layout.
The controversial scheme envisages allotting 50 per cent of developed land to the land loser in lieu of undeveloped land acquired for forming layouts.
The government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the charges.
Regarding the alleged financial irregularities in the state-run Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, Siddaramaiah, while admitting that there is a scam, claimed that false allegations are also being made by the opposition against his government.
"It is true that there is a scam, but not Rs 187 crore, it is Rs 84.63 crore. Who has done it ? for that SIT probe is on. Also CBI and ED are also probing," he said. "Didn't corruption take place during their (BJP) tenure? I have listed 21 scams during their period, inquiry is on in some cases," the Chief Minister said.
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Nearly 700 km of Karnataka rivers polluted; cities, towns depend on contaminated water
Shivamogga: A total of 693.75 of river stretches across Karnataka are polluted, and water from several of these rivers is being supplied to towns and cities, the State government informed the Legislative Assembly.
According to a report published by The New Indian Express on Monday, replying to an unstarred question by Thirthahalli MLA Araga Jnanendra during the winter session in Belagavi, Forest, Environment and Biodiversity Minister Eshwar Khandre said rivers are classified into five categories, P1 to P5, based on Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, with P1 being the most polluted.
He reportedly said untreated domestic wastewater from urban and rural areas is the main reason for river pollution. Arkavati, Lakshana Teertha, Tungabhadra, Bhadra, Tunga, Cauvery, Kabini, Kagina, Krishna, Shimsha, Bheema and Netravati are the polluted rivers and so far, 112 polluted drainages along these rivers have been identified.
Khandre explained that rivers are classified into five pollution categories P1 to P5. The Arkavati River has been placed in the P1 category, while no rivers fall under P2 and P3. Tungabhadra, Bhadra and Shimsha are categorised under P4, and eight other rivers fall under P5.
Khandre allegedly said domestic wastewater from municipalities, towns and villages along riverbeds is being discharged into at least 17 rivers, identified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). This is the primary cause of river pollution.
According to the report, the minister said drinking water is being supplied from polluted rivers in districts such as Mandya, Ramanagara, Vijayapura and Shivamogga. In parts of Uttara Kannada, Ballari, Vijayanagara and Bagalkot, local bodies are also drawing water from polluted river sources.
In 2022-23, CPCB identified South Pinakini, Aghanashini, Sharavathi and Gangavali rivers too as polluted. But wrote to CPCB, stating that these rivers are not polluted and sought their removal from the list. An action plan is being prepared for the South Pinakini River, he said.
On remedial measures, Khandre reportedly said the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board is setting up sewage treatment plants as per the directions of National Green Tribunal.
As per the report, under 12 river rejuvenation plans, the state generates 817.31 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage. While 41 STPs with a capacity of 614.1 MLD are operational, 203.21 MLD of sewage remains untreated.
Work is underway to establish 19 STPs with a capacity of 248.91 MLD, while 39 more STPs with a combined capacity of 357.92 MLD are in the planning stage. Progress is being monitored and reported regularly to the NGT and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The minister reportedly said the state government gave its approval for underground drainage works worth Rs 535.56 crore in 2021 for 24 cities/towns besides Rs 523.80 crore for nine UGD projects.
