Sharavathi power project: K'taka to ask Centre to restore home for thousands of displaced families
Belagavi (K'taka), Dec 28: The Karnataka government on Wednesday said it would appeal to the Central government for its approval to rehabilitate thousands of families displaced by a power project in Shivamogga district.
"The government is seized of the matter and is in touch with the Central government to resolve the issue," said State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy in the Assembly.
The Minister was replying to BJP MLA from Sagar in Shivamogga, Hartal Halappa.
Halappa pointed out that over 7,000 farmers and their families were displaced from 9,000 acres of forest-land by the Sharavathi power project in the early 1960s. These people have been deprived of their land-rights and waiting for a solution.
He said the State government cancelled its order of diversion of the forest land following a High Court order.
"I appeal to the State government to move the Supreme Court and seek Centre's intervention in the issue," Halappa said.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah backed Halappa over the issue.
Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa had twice met the Union Minister for Environment and Forest Bhupendra Yadav in this regard, Madhuswamy said. He further said the State government would renew the demand for rehabilitation.
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Pune journalist booked on voyeurism charge for filming woman at lodge
Pune (PTI): Police have registered a case of voyeurism against a television journalist in Pune for allegedly filming a woman in an objectionable position without her consent at a lodge in the city, officials said on Saturday.
The FIR was filed against Rohan Kadam under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 77 (voyeurism) and 3(5) (common intention) at the Vishrambaug police station here, while the complaint mentions that he was accompanied by three other journalists, they said.
The incident took place on April 8 when the accused had checked into a room at a lodge in Budhwar Peth, which houses a red light area.
In her complaint, the woman said that while she was wearing her saree after establishing "physical relations with a customer", she realised that an unidentified person was filming her through a net above the partition wall between the rooms.
She opened the door of her room and knocked on the adjacent door, asking the person to come out, the FIR said.
"The woman sought clarification from Kadam, who gave vague answers and refused to show his phone. When the lodge operator, the woman and others questioned him, he claimed that they were a group of four journalists conducting a sting operation," it said.
Police said Kadam was assaulted when he allegedly tried to flee from the spot.
The woman later approached the Vishrambaug police station and lodged a complaint.
"We have registered a case in this regard and further probe is on," a police officer said.
Meanwhile, the Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ) has written a letter to city Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, seeking action against the journalist for the alleged act.
In the letter, the journalists' body said there were murmurs that some journalists and others were trying to ensure that no offence is registered in the matter.
"We do not agree with this and clarify that PUWJ will not come in the way of the probe," the letter stated.
