Mekedatu project will benefit Tamil Nadu more than Karnataka: D.K. Shivakumar
Chennai: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar today said that the Mekedatu project, if implemented, would benefit the people of Tamil Nadu more than those in Karnataka. He made this statement during his visit to the Srinivasa Solid Waste Management Unit in Chennai on Tuesday. Responding to questions from the media about Tamil Nadu's opposition to the Mekedatu Dam, he said, “Varuna Deva has been kind to us this year. If the Mekedatu scheme is implemented, it will be more beneficial for Tamil Nadu than for Karnataka. However, we will not discuss this much now.”
Shivakumar, who was in Chennai to study the city’s solid waste management model, was accompanied by 15 officials. “I came here to learn about gas generation from garbage and solid waste management. We’ve gained valuable insights from the waste management practices here. I had been planning to visit for the past year and finally had the opportunity. We will implement some of the good practices in our state as well,” he said.
He also pointed out that while power generation from solid waste has not been successful in many places, Tamil Nadu has made significant progress. “We have been permitted to generate electricity from waste in 10 locations. Earlier, I visited Hyderabad, and here in Chennai, they have efficiently set up a CNG manufacturing plant in the middle of the city. We have also achieved some good results, but their work here is commendable,” he added.
When questioned about the alleged irregularities in Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) CA land allotment by BJP Rajya Sabha member Lehar Singh, Shivakumar asserted that the allotment had been done legally. “There is nothing illegal about this. We have not allotted the site to an individual but to a charitable trust,” he clarified.
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Seven arrested in Manipal for ganja, LSD peddling, consumption
Udupi (Karnataka), Aug 18 (PTI): Seven individuals were arrested in Manipal on charges of peddling and consuming narcotics, including ganja and LSD, police said here on Monday.
Four of the accused—Ajish (28), Vipin (32), Bipin (24), and Akhil (26), all from Kerala—were first apprehended after their samples tested positive for ganja consumption. Interrogation revealed that they were being supplied by Manish (34) of Kasaragod.
A raid at Manish’s flat in Vidyaratna Nagar on August 17 recovered 653 grams of ganja, digital scales, a crusher, cash, and a mobile phone. He has been remanded to judicial custody and is counted among the seven arrested.
Separately, a raid on August 16 at a rented room in Ishwara Nagara led to the arrest of Afshin (26) from Kerala and Shivanidhi Acharya (20) of Udupi. Police recovered 1.237 kg of ganja, 0.038 grams of LSD strips, and related paraphernalia.
Investigations indicated that the accused had been targeting both students and migrant workers in Manipal and Mangaluru. The operation was coordinated under the guidance of Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar.
