Mekedatu project: CM Kumaraswamy presides important meeting
‘Government is ready to convince Tamil Nadu’
Bengaluru, Dec 6: As the Central Water Commission has agreed to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on Mekedatu project, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy chaired an important meeting of former chief ministers, irrigation ministers and legal experts at the Vidhana Soudha here on Thursday.
Former chief ministers Siddaramaiah, Jagadish Shettar, leaders H.K Patil, K.S. Eshwarappa, Basavaraj Bommai, Ministers D.K. Shivakumar and R.V. Deshpande and others participated in the meeting. As Tamil Nadu is preparing to file its objection against the Mekedatu project, the meeting discussed in length on taking up the project at the earliest. As the implementation of the project would not have any impact on Tamil Nadu, the state government has decided to convince its neighbouring state.
It will help TN
Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar said that “the objection from Tamil Nadu over the project is not fair as we are going to implement the project on our land. We have planned to utilize the water which flows into the sea and this will help Tamil Nadu”, he said.
Speaking to reporters after meeting, Shivakumar said that Tamil Nadu has been opposing the Mekedatu project for political reasons. The proposed project would not affect Tamil Nadu. Instead, it would help that state. The state government was ready to convince Tamil Nadu. Let the central government invite the chief ministers of both the states and solve the problem, he said.
Tamil Nadu government has convened a special Assembly Session to discuss the Mekedatu project. Karnataka would not use its water for irrigation purpose. Instead, it would just use it for drinking purpose. Tamil Nadu should not move the court in this issue, Shivakumar appealed.
A primary report of the Rs 5,916 crore project was ready. The government has taken one step forward. Total 4,996 hectare land would come under the project area, of which 380 hectare of land belonged to Revenue department and remaining land belonged to the Forest department. Since the Central Water Commission has given its green signal for the project, Karnataka would not backtrack from the project, he clarified.
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Man held for cheating IT official by posing as 'parrot astrologer'
Bengaluru (PTI): A 59-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax department official by posing as a "parrot astrologer" and promising career growth and better life through rituals, police said on Wednesday.
With the arrest of the accused astrologer Shekar, police claimed to have recovered gold ornaments weighing 124 grams and silver articles weighing 796 grams, with a total value of Rs 20.60 lakh.
The matter came to light after the victim, who is a senior administrative officer in the Income Tax department, lodged a complaint at Bharatinagar police station here on March 5, police said.
According to police, in the complaint, the victim stated that while passing near Sri Circle, he was approached by a person claiming to practise parrot astrology. The accused called him over, claimed he could predict the future by looking at his face, and convinced him to perform a ritual.
Initially, the accused collected Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Later, he allegedly told the victim that an elaborate ritual was necessary for career promotion, transfer, and overall improvement in life, and threatened that failure to do so would bring misfortune, he alleged.
"Under this pretext, the accused took 194 grams of gold ornaments and 1.3 kg of silver articles from the complainant, assuring they would be returned after the ritual," police said.
When the complainant later demanded the return of the valuables, the accused allegedly threatened him, they said.
During the investigation, police gathered credible information and apprehended the accused near Cantonment Railway Station on March 12 and upon interrogation, he confessed to committing the offence with the intention of making quick money, a senior police officer said.
He was produced before a court on March 13 and taken into police custody for five days.
During sustained questioning, the accused revealed that he had sold the stolen gold and silver items at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Based on his information, police recovered 124 grams of gold ornaments and 796 grams of silver articles from the shop on March 15, valued at Rs 20.60 lakh, the officer said.
The accused was again produced before the court on March 17 and was remanded to judicial custody, he added.
