Heavy rain wreaks havoc in Kodagu
Madikeri, August 08: After a respite for few days, heavy rains lashed the district on Wednesday and wrecked havoc as streams and rivers were in spate and public property was damaged.
Due to heavy rain that has been lashing since Tuesday night, the water level in the Cauvery river has increased considerably due to which, the roads in Bhagamandala and surrounding places were inundated. A private bus parked beside a stream at Kakkabe was inundated in the rainwater on Wednesday morning. In other parts of the district, the water level has been increasing submerging the roads and obstructing the vehicular movements.
Madikeri taluk has been receiving heavy rains. Rainwater gushed into the houses at the Cauvery layout in the city. A house was damaged as a tree fell on it at Mangaladevi Nagar. But the inmates of the house were escaped unhurt. On LIC road, the water level was increased up to bridge. Following heavy rains, the district administration is taking precautionary measures. Somavarapete and Virajpet taluks also received heavy rains.
Landslide on Madikeri- Mangaluru road
One side of the Madikeri-Mangaluru road was collapsed around 300 ft down due to heavy downpour. The vehicle drivers were the witness for this incident on Wednesday morning. As a result, the electric poles on roadside are under threat of damage. If the same situation continued for some time, there are chances of the entire road would get damaged. Though it is not safe to travel on the road, the authorities have allowed the movement of vehicles in one side of the road. Police officials visited the spot and took precautionary measures by putting barricades.
Heavy rains
As on Wednesday morning at 8.30, the district has received 65.91 mm rain. Compared to last year on the same day, just 5.13 mm rainfall was recorded. Since January, the district has got 2713.87 mm rainfall this year against last year’s 1,339.36 mm rainfall.
Harangi reservoir water level
The water level in the Harangi reservoir has reached 2857.89 ft against maximum level of 2859 ft. Last year, the water level on this day was 2858.61 ft. The inflow into the reservoir is 6868 cusec while outflow is 6068 cusec of water and 1500 cusec of water is being released into canal.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
ALSO READ: Budget session: Law Min. HK Patil introduces Microfinance bill in Karnataka assembly
“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
