Mekedatu project: TN's objections "illegal" and "meaningless", says CM Bommai
Davanagere, June 16: Expressing confidence that Karnataka's DPR on the Mekedatu project will get approval, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday termed Tamil Nadu's objections to Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) discussing the project at its meeting as "illegal" and "meaningless".
He reiterated that CWMA has the powers to discuss and decide on the matter.
"We need not respond to everything they (TN) say; there is no stay from the Supreme Court; already the matter has been referred to CWMA; 15 meetings have taken place, and CWMA has the powers and accordingly it may call a meeting next week. We have put forward our case and we are confident about our DPR (Detailed Project Report) getting approved," Bommai said.
Addressing reporters here, he said there is nothing that is legal or has any meaning in what Tamil Nadu is saying.
Bommai was responding to a question regarding Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan taking strong exception to his statement on the neighbouring state's (TN) letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to restrain the CWMA from discussing the Mekedatu project in its meeting next week.
Mekedatu is a multi-purpose (drinking water and power) project proposed by Karnataka, which involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district. Neighbouring Tamil Nadu has been opposing the project, raising apprehensions that the state would be affected if the project takes shape.
The project, once completed, is aimed at ensuring drinking water to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas (4.75 TMC) and also can generate 400 MW power, and the estimated cost of the project is Rs 9,000 crore.
To a query on holding zilla and taluk panchayat polls, Bommai said once Justice Bhaktavatsalam committee tasked with three-step verification of political representation of OBCs, submits it report, the government will provide reservations accordingly and hold elections.
"The process of providing backward class reservation is on; in the first stage it is being looked into for Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by the (committee), after that the entire state's zilla and taluk panchayats will be looked into," he said.
On the textbook controversy, the CM said, he has asked Primary and Secondary Education Minister B C Nagesh to rectify whatever needs to be in the revised textbook.
"We are open to any suggestion, so I have asked the textbooks to be posted on the website. There are certain objections regarding the revised textbooks and the previous textbooks, the contents of which have not been changed and kept as it is in the revised text book. Our government is open to rectifying if anything needs to be," he said.
Hitting out at the Congress for holding protests against ED questioning its leader Rahul Gandhi, the CM said, "for the grand old party to protest against a corruption case is a tragedy. If they continue it, people will ask them to permanently go home."
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.
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
===================
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.
