Government will proceed with Bidadi township: Deputy CM Shivakumar
Ramanagara (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said the state government will proceed with the Bidadi Township.
He said he was not ready to go to jail like former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa by notifying lands for the project.
Addressing farmers protesting at the DC's office against land acquisition, he noted that he is also from Ramanagara district and reminded them of the 16,000 acres acquired earlier for the Bidadi industrial area, where several companies, including Toyota, set up factories. He added that he personally lost 12 acres of land for the industrial area.
Shivakumar said there had been discussions about borrowing Rs 10,000 crore to provide fair compensation to farmers.
He clarified that no additional land needs to be acquired, but lands already notified cannot be released as per the law.
About 70 per cent of landowners, including Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy's wife and son, have sought compensation, indicating consent for acquisition, while 30 per cent are yet to give consent, Shivakumar noted.
The DCM explained that there is no legal provision to make a special decision for Bidadi, as any such move would set a precedent across the state.
Shivakumar highlighted that former MP and his brother DK Suresh and MLA H C Balakrishna have been actively working to support farmers.
He also noted that land acquisition plans are in place for the Upper Krishna and Mekedatu projects, while compensation is being paid for the Rs 27,000 crore Peripheral Ring Road project.
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
