Forest Minister Khandre inspects Hesaraghatta area for development of reserved grasslands
Bengaluru: Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Saturday visited and inspected the 5,678-acre grassland area including the Hesaraghatta Lake, which has been declared a reserved grassland by the state government a few months ago.
The minister warned against pollution of River Arkavathy and the Hesaraghatta Lake, which provides water to more than 10 lakh people in a year.
“Conservation of the natural grass on the site is important, along with ensuring its growth on a further. Cooperating with the families living in the neighbourhood areas, especially the shepherds and the cowherds, is also important. The area can be further developed with the help of the local gram panchayats too,” Khandre said.
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Stressing on the fauna in the grassland, the minister said pointed out that it was a breeding ground for several species of birds. “In addition, there are sources of several water bodies here. Various species of local tree, fruit trees for food and sedges for birds to nest in must be grown in the area,” he directed the officials.
Khandre instructed Meenakshi Negi, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Forest Force Chief, who was present at the spot to formulate an action plan to utilize CSR funds for the comprehensive conservation and development of the Hesaraghatta area in cooperation with the Minor Irrigation Department, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the local bodies. The plan will include allocation of funds from the Forest Department.
APCCF Kumar Pushkar, Bangalore DCF Ravindra Kumar N and others were present on the occasion.
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EC hands over probe into gherao of seven judicial officers in Bengal's Malda to NIA
Kolkata (PTI): The Election Commission of India on Thursday handed over the probe into the gherao of the seven judicial officers in West Bengal's Malda district to the NIA, following a Supreme Court directive.
Observing that West Bengal was the "most polarised state", the Supreme Court delivered a stinging indictment of the state administration after seven judicial officers engaged in SIR exercise were held hostage by protesters in Malda district and directed a CBI or NIA probe into the incident.
In an April 2 letter to the National Investigating Agency, the poll body referred to the apex court's order and directed it to probe the Wednesday incident.
Talking to PTI, a top official of the poll body said the NIA team would reach West Bengal on Friday.
Slamming the state administration for its "complete failure" and inaction over the "deplorable" gherao and attack on the officers during the Special Intensive Revision(SIR) of the voters list, the court also asked the EC to "requisition adequate Central Forces and deploy them at all places where judicial officers are adjudicating the objections".
West Bengal will have a two-phase poll -- on April 23 and 29.
The Supreme Court further said the incident was a "brazen attempt not only to browbeat the judicial officers" but also amounted to a challenge to the authority of this Supreme Court.
The top court gave the order after it took suo motu cognisance of a letter from the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court detailing a harrowing night where the judicial officers, including three women and a five-year-old child, were held captive by a mob for over nine hours without food or water.
The incident occurred during the SIR exercise in the Kaliachowk area of Malda district, and as per the order, seven judicial officers were gheraoed by "anti-social elements" at a BDO office starting at 3:30 PM on Wednesday.
The officers were rescued by security forces around midnight on Wednesday after they were gheraoed over the alleged deletion of names from the electoral rolls, officials said.
