Karnataka cabinet decides on acquiring Palace Grounds land for road widening
Bengaluru, Mar 14: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided that it will require the Palace Grounds land for road widening purposes, ahead of a contempt case regarding the matter coming up for hearing in the Supreme Court.
The cabinet also decided to give Transferable Development Rights (TDR) against the acquisition of land, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told reporters.
According to the minister, the apex court has sought the personal presence of Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary in the Urban Development Department and the Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the urban local body governing Bengaluru city.
He said that in 2006, the Karnataka government had decided to acquire 15.5 acres of Palace Grounds near Mekhri Circle for road widening.
Accordingly a compound wall was built inside the Palace Grounds, but the previous BJP government decided that it did not require it.
The Mysuru Royal family approached the Supreme Court against the government decision saying that in 2006-07 the compound wall was built inside the palace grounds for acquisition of land, but now they do not need it for road widening.
"The SC converted the case into a contempt of court case. Since the land has been acquired, compensation has to be paid. The Court directed the government to come to a conclusion if the land was required or not," Gowda said.
The minister said that in 1996, Karnataka government through a law declared the Palace Grounds as a park and open space. The law was upheld by the High Court.
However, the Mysuru Royal family filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging the Act, which ordered a status quo, he explained.
Gowda said the CM on Thursday sought to know why the matter was continuing as a status quo.
"The Chief Minister said the government did not fight the case strongly. He even asked them to hire good lawyers to present our original suit. Once the original suit is resolved, all the other cases will be disposed of," the minister said.
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.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
