R Ashoka appointed as Mandya district in-charge Minister ahead of Assembly polls
Mandya, Jan 24: With ruling BJP focused on winning more seats in the 'Old Mysuru' region, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday appointed Revenue Minister R Ashoka as the Mandya district in-charge Minister.
The Vokkaliga dominated Mandya district is a major constituent of the Old Mysuru region, and Ashoka is considered to be a prominent BJP leader hailing from the community.
Ashoka will replace Excise Minister K Gopalaiah, who was in-charge of the district along with Hassan.
Stating that Gopalaiah was appointed as district in-charge Minister for Mandya on January 24, 2022, an official notification said, Minister R Ashoka has been appointed replacing him, with immediate effect.
It said, the notification has been issued on the directions of the Chief Minister.
The BJP is considered to be weak in the Old Mysuru region, especially in Mandya district, and is focusing on this belt to gain complete majority in the Assembly polls scheduled in May.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to Mandya had asked BJP leaders and workers to work towards winning more seats in the region and the district, which is the bastion of JD(S), where Congress too is considerably strong.
Out of seven Assembly constituencies in Mandya district, presently six are represented by the JD(S), and BJP one.
Narayanagowda, who had won 2018 Assembly polls on Congress' ticket from Krishnarajpet (K R Pet), later defected to the BJP and won the 2019 bypolls on its ticket from the same segment, giving the first ever win for the saffron party in the district. He is now a Minister in Bommai-led government.
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Toxic waste from 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy to be transported today
Indore: The process of transporting toxic waste from the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy began early on Sunday. Approximately 337 tonnes of hazardous waste will be moved 225 km to Pithampur, where it will be incinerated and safely disposed of.
Director of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation, Swatantra Kumar Singh, has already written to senior officials in Indore, Bhopal, and Dhar, urging them to prepare for the operation. Several GPS-equipped trucks have been deployed to transport the waste.
On December 3, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed that this dangerous waste be disposed of within four weeks. The toxic materials, stored at the now-closed Union Carbide factory, had remained untreated for decades. The court criticised officials for the delay, stating, "Are you waiting for another disaster?"
The waste disposal process involves two stages: incineration and secure burial. Once transported, the waste will be handled by Pithampur Industrial Waste Management Private Limited, located near Tarapur village in Pithampur. An initial test incineration of 35.6 tonnes will be conducted to determine the safest and most efficient method. Sources indicate that trial runs will incinerate the waste at rates of 135 kg/hour, 80 kg/hour, and 270 kg/hour. Based on the results, the remaining waste will be disposed of accordingly.
