Farmers' outfit instigating striking transport employees in Karnataka, says CM Yediyurappa
Bengaluru, Dec 12: The Karnataka government on Saturday alleged that a farmers' outfit was instigating striking employees of state transport corporations, whose stir over various demands entered the third day, and said it would rope in private operators from December 13 to offer services.
Urging them to call off their strike, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, in a statement, alleged that Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha President Kodihalli Chandrashekhar was 'instigating' the workers to continue their stir and damage buses by pelting stones at them
Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who holds the transport portfolio, said the government would make arrangements to rope in private operators from Sunday
The ticket fares would be similar to that charged in government buses, he said.
The minister said the government was willing to end the logjam by holding discussions, but the employees should return to work.
However, employees of Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation are firm on their demand that their salaries be on with state government staff.
Their other demand includes compensation similar to the COVID-19 front line staff in the event of an employee dying due to the virus
On Saturday, very few buses of BMTC and other corporations operated as staff stayed away from work and staged protests at bus terminuses in district and Taluk headquarters.
Barring sporadic incidents of stone pelting on some buses, the protests were by and large peaceful, police said
There were also some instances were drivers and conductors were allegedly abused by the workers, they said
In Bengaluru, some workers on a protest at Majestic, the Central Bus stand of the KSRTC and BMTC, were taken into custody
Officials at KSRTC and BMTC said these two corporations themselves had suffered loss of Rs six crore in revenue in the last three days due to the strike.
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Delhi's maximum temperature settles at 41.9 deg C
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi on Sunday recorded a maximum temperature of 41.9 degree Celsius, 1.5 notches above the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The minimum temperature settled at 25.9 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning, 0.6 notches below the seasonal average, the IMD stated.
The weather department predicted strong surface wind during the Monday morning, with the maximum and minimum temperature expected to hover around 44 degrees Celsius and 26 degree Celsius, respectively.
Relative humidity was recorded at 28 per cent at 5.30 pm.
The air quality was recorded in the 'moderate' category at 4 pm, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 174, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
