Many questions linger over BBMP Deputy Mayor’s death
Bengaluru, Oct 06: Many doubts have arisen over the death of Ramila Umashankar(44), who died on Friday after getting elected as the deputy mayor of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) a few days ago, reports the Newindianexpress.com.
The hospital, where Ramila was taken after she complained of breathlessness, has reportedly claimed that she was ‘brought dead.’ But, doctors were unable to establish the cause of death though she was there for a few hours, said the report.
However, another doctor who was not associated with that hospital certified it as a natural death due to cardiac arrest.
The New Indian Express has also reported that Ramila, the first-time councillor from Kaveripura ward in Govindaraja Nagar assembly constituency, was initially taken to a nearby hospital at around 12.50 am where the hospital authorities said she was ‘brought dead.’
The report also mentioned that the hospital was unable to certify the death as being caused due to cardiac arrest while informing the Basaveshwara Nagar police about the deputy mayor’s death. It also said no post-mortem was conducted to establish the cause of death. The certification of the cause of death was, instead, issued by a different doctor known to the family.
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.
No proposal to shift control of PU officials to Zilla Panchayats, says Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa on Tuesday asserted that there is no proposal to transfer administrative control of Pre-University education officials to Zilla Panchayats.
The minister's clarification comes in the wake of lecturers threatening to boycott evaluation work over this reported move to shift control.
Reacting to this issue during zero hour of the state's legislative council, the minister said that he had already discussed the subject with legislators and stakeholders and clarified the government's stand. He also warned against pressure tactics such as boycotting the evaluation, stressing that it would harm students' interests.
"I clearly stated that there is no such proposal and we will not do it under any circumstances," Bangarappa said, reiterating that no government order had been issued in this regard.
The government has not taken any decision to shift administrative control of Deputy Directors of PU education to Zilla Panchayats, he added.
On pending dues, the minister said financial clearances have been obtained, and payments would be credited to lecturers' accounts "by around the 20th." The minister further said that resorting to a boycott call after discussions "amounts to acting against the interests of children," and urged teachers to resolve issues through dialogue.
"The welfare of students is paramount... laws and decisions must ultimately benefit children," he said, appealing to lecturers to reconsider their stand.
Earlier, Congress MLC Puttanna raised the issue, citing media reports that lecturers were opposing the move to bring PU colleges under Zilla Panchayats and that they had threatened to boycott evaluation work. He cautioned that such a move would lead to "interference from multiple levels" and "a decline in quality of education," besides creating administrative confusion.
Puttanna also urged the government to continue to maintain PU education's control under the education department and to immediately revise the evaluation honorarium, which he said had not been updated for three years. He demanded clearance of pending dues and timely payments henceforth.
JD(S) MLC Bhojegowda echoed similar concerns and sought the withdrawal of a proposed file on the issue. He also called for revision of lecturer-student ratios as per NCERT norms, restoration of the examination division under the PU Directorate, and withdrawal of orders affecting aided college lecturers.
Bhojegowda warned that if demands were not met, lecturers and staff were considering a statewide boycott of PU-II answer script evaluation and an indefinite protest in Bengaluru.
Reiterating the government's position, Bangarappa said discussions remained open but emphasised that "in the interest of children, we will not proceed with this."
