Karnataka gets Rs 46 cr for relief work in flood-hit Kodagu
Bengaluru, Aug 27 : Karnataka has so far received Rs 46.15 crore as funds for relief and rehabilitation of people in flood-hit Kodagu district, an official statement said.
"The Chief Minister's relief fund has received a total of Rs 46.15 crore through contributions from various state's institutions, private firms and employee associations," a statement from Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's office said.
Demand Drafts (DD) worth Rs 14 crore were received through 153 different individuals and organisations, while more than Rs 9 crore was transferred to the relief fund through internet banking and digital wallets.
Kodagu's villages, towns and public infrastructure were severely damaged after torrential rains caused floods and landslips in the hilly district during the southwest monsoon from August 14-22.
According to preliminary estimates, the district has suffered losses worth Rs 1,140 crore to public and private property as a result of the rains, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner P. Sreevidya earlier said.
At least 34 village panchayats have been badly damaged.
Apart from the Chief Minister's relief fund, several Kannada media houses, private organisations and non-governmental organisations have also been collecting funds to help the region in distress.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit to the district last week announced Rs 1 crore aid from Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), being a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka.
She had also said Rs 7 crore will be given to the affected district from the state-run defence organisations' corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.
While Karnataka has sought Rs 2,000 crore interim relief from the Centre for rehabilitation measures in the hilly district, Sitharaman had said the aid will be announced only after an assessment of the losses.
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.
