Rain subside in Kodagu: Two bodies found in Mukkodlu village
Amidst grief of losing everything, people fearing thieves
Madikeri, August 20: Though the intensity of the rain is subsidized in the district, Madikeri taluk has received rainfall even on Monday. People heaved a sigh of relief as its raining moderately. But the quantity of the loss is increasing with the fresh landslides. The rescue operations were continued even on Monday.
Bodies of mother and son were found at a ravine in Mukkodlu village. While searching for the missing people at Mukkodlu village, the NDRF team found the bodies at the ravine. But it was not sure whether they were washed away or trapped in the ravine while escaping.
Fear of thieves
Amidst the grief, the distressed people of the district have been facing another threat. When they were taking shelter at relief camps, their houses were being robbed in their villages. The reports of theft cases are being reported in some villages like Jodupala where the thieves entered the abandoned houses and made away with the valuables. As this region has access from the Dakshina Kannada district through Sampaje, the authorities have been checking all vehicles coming through Sampaje gate.
As the Chamundeshwari Nagar and Indira Nagar extensions in Madikeri are deserted, the thieves have been doing their business. It is said that TVs and gas cylinders in some houses were stolen.
Hanging bridge collapsed
The hanging bridge constructed across the Cauvery river six years ago near Kudige village to connect 20 villages of Periyapatna of Mysuru district was damaged due to the force of water. The force of water was increased in the confluence of Harangi and Cauvery rivers, the ropes of the hanging bridge on either side were damaged.
Four houses damaged
Two houses which were submerged in the water were collapsed at Cauvery extension in Kudige gram panchayat limits and two more houses at Seegehosur and Sita Colony were also collapsed.
Connecting bridge collapsed
A bridge constructed to connect Mysuru district Kanagalu hobli with Madikeri, across the Cauvery river at Hanumantapura village was damaged as the road on either side of the bridge was collapsed. As a result, movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge was suspended.
Relief camp opened
Total four relief camps were opened in Kudige and Kudumangaluru gram panchayat limits. Hundreds of distressed people were given shelter at the relief camps at Kudige, Madalapura, Hulugunda and Mullusoge government schools. Local administrations and voluntary organizations have been supporting them.
The water level is receding gradually. As a result, residents have been cleaning their houses. Following the order of the district administration, bleaching powder and phenols are being distributed for cleaning purpose.
Manure washed away
As more water is released from Harangi reservoir, the water gushed into the Kudumangaluru cooperative society godown situated on the river bank and around 5 loads of chemical fertilizer was washed away in the water.
Before the water gushed into the godown, the locals and fire brigade personnel have shifted around 7 loads of fertilizer to safe places. Along with the fertilizer, 20 bags of rice was also damaged, sources said.
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Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
