Sakaleshpur: Over 25 injured in head-on collision between two KSRTC buses
Sakaleshpur: More than 25 passengers were injured in a major accident involving a head-on collision between two KSRTC buses near Maranahalli on National Highway 75 in Sakaleshpur taluk.
The incident took place on Thursday when one of the buses was travelling from Bengaluru to Mangaluru, while the other was headed from Dharmasthala to Bengaluru. The collision occurred on the Shiradi Ghat stretch, a known accident-prone area due to its curves and narrow lanes.
According to preliminary reports, at least eight passengers, including a driver, have sustained serious injuries. All the injured were immediately shifted to Crawford Hospital in Sakaleshpur for medical treatment.
The impact of the collision was so severe that the front portion of one of the buses was completely mangled. Rural police personnel rushed to the spot and carried out preliminary investigations.
Traffic on the busy highway was affected for some time due to the accident. Police have taken up a case and further investigation is underway.
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TN seeks duty-free cotton imports to support textile sector: CM Vijay writes to PM
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the import duty on cotton.
In his first letter to Modi after taking over as chief minister of the state, he said Tamil Nadu is the country’s largest textile and apparel exporting state.
Lakhs of people are dependent on this sector for both direct and indirect employment, especially women from rural and semi-urban backgrounds, Vijay pointed out.
Stating that the industry is facing a severe crisis due to an increase in cotton prices and consequently yarn prices, he said, “I understand this is caused primarily due to a shortage in cotton production and increased trading activity in the country.”
Pointing out that the price of cotton has increased from Rs 54,700 to Rs 67,700 per candy—an increase of 25 per cent over the last two months—while yarn prices have increased from Rs 301 to Rs 330 per kg, he said, “In this situation, the continued supply of raw material can be ensured only through imports.”
However, there is an import duty of 11 per cent on cotton, he said, adding that in such a situation, permitting duty-free cotton imports will help the industry meet increasing export commitments and remain globally competitive.
Vijay said that after agriculture, the textile and apparel sector is one of the largest employment-generating sectors.
“There is a significant responsibility on the government to safeguard the employment of lakhs of people and ensure the sustainability of the textile value chain," he said.
“Hence, I request your intervention to remove the import duty on cotton from the existing 11 per cent to 0 per cent to ensure the availability of raw material. This measure will enable the textile and apparel industry to remain globally competitive, enhance exports, and protect jobs,” he added.
