Mechanic in Kudremukh forest shares 11-year bond with wild boar that visits him daily
Chikkamagaluru: A mechanic from Kudremukh, who has spent his entire life caring for animals has formed an unusually close friendship with a wild boar who pays him daily visits.
According to a report published by Deccan Herald, Reuben moved from Mumbai to Kudremukh in 1979 and earns a living by repairing a few motorcycles that come his way. Whatever he earns is shared generously with the animals around him. Over the years, he has fed scores of stray dogs and cats, even as he built a simple life for himself in an abandoned workers’ camp area that turned into forest land after the closure of the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company.
Living in a small shed he built along the roadside, Reuben is surrounded by animals that treat his home as their own. A wild boar, once drawn to the leftover bones kept out for dogs and cats, slowly began trusting him. Today, that boar, affectionately called Chinniputti, is the closest to his heart.
For the past 11 years, the boar has arrived at his doorstep every evening around 5 pm, after staying in the forest during the day and eats alongside the dogs and cats and often sleeps nearby at night. At around 4 am, Reuben feeds it again before it returns to the forest.
Though a vegetarian himself, Reuben buys meat and fish especially for the animals in his care. He says Chinniputti responds instantly when he calls out, even if it hesitates when strangers are around.
Over time, several wild animals have begun stopping by for food, but the presence of the boar is the most striking, given the species’ reputation for staying away from humans. Another wild boar once visited regularly as well, but Reuben recalls with sadness that it was killed by miscreants. He also remembers losing more than 200 rabbits he had raised to similar attacks.
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SC slams freebies culture, says states should open avenues for employment
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies culture, saying it was high time to revisit such policies that hamper the country's economic development.
Taking note of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd's plea, which proposed to provide free electricity to all irrespective of financial status of consumers, the top court said it was quite understandable if states hand-hold the poor.
“Most of the states in the country are revenue deficit states and yet they are offering such freebies” overlooking development, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said.
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The bench said economic development of the nation gets hampered with this kind of largesse distribution and states should work to open avenues for employment instead of giving free food, cycles, electricity to all.
The top court, however, issued notice to Centre and others on the plea of the DMK government-led power distribution firm which proposes to provide free electricity.
The power firm has challenged a rule of the Electricity Amendment Rules, 2024.
“What kind of culture are we developing in India? It is understandable that as part of the welfare measure you want to provide to those who are incapable of pay the electricity charges,” the bench asked.
“But without drawing a distinction between those who can afford and those who cannot, you start distributing. Will it not amount to an appeasing policy,” the CJI asked.
The bench asked as to why the Tamil Nadu firm suddenly decided to loosen the purse strings after the electricity tariff was notified.
“The states should work to open avenues for employment. If you start giving free food from morning to evening then free cycle, then free electricity then who will work and then what will happen to the work culture,” the CJI said.
The bench said states, instead of spending on development projects, do two jobs - paying salaries and distributing such largesse.
