Karnataka legislators to oppose Centre's draft notification on Western Ghats
Bengaluru (PTI): Legislators from Malnad region will meet under the leadership of Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on July 18, during which they are likely to adopt a resolution opposing the Centre re-issuing a draft notification on Western Ghats eco-sensitive area.
Several public representatives from the Western Ghats area are of the opinion that the Centre's move is detrimental to people living there.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had recently re-issued the draft notification of the Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA) in Western Ghats, of which 20,668 sq. km. is in Karnataka.
With the lapsing of the earlier notifications, the MoEF&CC has reissued the same.
Karnataka Forest Minister Umesh Katti too has recently said he will hold a meeting with the department officials, legislators and stakeholders from the region to decide on the next course of action.
"In case if this notification gets implemented, it will lead to gloominess to the lives of people living in the Malnad region, developmental works will get affected and it will cause severe economic distress," Jnanendra was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office.
He noted that the Karnataka government has already rejected the Kasturirangan committee report and has repeatedly made its stand clear.
"It is the strong opinion of the legislators from the region that there should be no change in that stand taken by the state, and a resolution will be adopted by legislators at the Monday meeting opposing the draft notification," the minister said.
The Kasturirangan report of 2013 had also recommended 20,668 sq km of ESA in Karnataka. The Centre has notified a total 46,832 sq km spread across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
The draft notification has been rejected multiple times by the states concerned, including Karnataka.
Declaring Western Ghats as ESA would regulate certain human activities including mining and constructions among others, that many say pose a threat to fragile ecosystems.
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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
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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.
