Schools, colleges shut in rain-hit coastal Karnataka
Mangaluru, May 30: All schools and colleges across coastal Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district will remain shut on Wednesday and Thursday as heavy rains disrupt normal life, said an official.
"We have advised all state-run and private schools and colleges across the district to remain closed for two days as a safety measure due to heavy rains flooding roads and localities in the district," Deputy Commissioner Sasikant Sentil told reporters here, about 350km from state capital Bengaluru.
A record 40mm rainfall on Tuesday in the port city of Manganluru inundated several areas, including roads and housing colonies and commercial hubs due to storm-water drains overflowing and garbage blocking their movement.
"Though the south-west monsoon is set to enter the state in the next two days, a cyclonic storm, low pressure and strong surface winds have brought moderate to heavy rains in the coastal areas since Monday," a weather official told IANS.
Forecasting rain or thundershowers over the next two days in the coastal districts and south interior areas due to favouring conditions, the official said fishermen have been advised not to venture into the Arabian Sea and tourists were told to stay away from beaches facing high tides.
"Took stock of the situation in Dakshina Kannada due to heavy rains since Tuesday across the coastal district and directed the administration to take assistance of the coast guard to prevent loss of life and mitigate hardship," tweeted state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy from Bengaluru.
Pre-monsoon rains were also reported from Udupi, Honnavar, Agumbe, Karwar in the coastal region, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad and Gadag, affecting movement of people and goods and causing damage to crops.
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Cong 'pocketed' Rs 150 cr per annum from Assam healthcare budget during 15 yrs of rule: Shah
Guwahati (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday alleged that the Congress, during its previous 15 years of rule in Assam, "pocketed" Rs 150 crore per annum from the state healthcare budget.
Inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for healthcare projects worth Rs 2,092 crore in Assam, Shah said the BJP works for affordable healthcare for all sections of society and lauded Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for bringing the state's medical facilities at par with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
"Assam's healthcare was in shambles 10 years ago as Congress worked only for the financial health of its leaders' families," he said.
Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that no Indian supports his acts of "defaming" the country in his bid to oppose the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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He lambasted the Congress for its "shirtless" protest at the recent AI summit in New Delhi and Gandhi for having 'chai-pakora' on the stairs of Parliament House.
"We were also in the opposition and staged protests against the government, but there is a right platform for it," he said.
"Parliament is a sacred seat of democracy. Its stairs should not be used for even dharnas. And Rahul Gandhi was having 'chai-pakora' there. Doesn't he know where to have his breakfast?" asked the Union minister.
Shah inaugurated the Rs 675-crore Pragjyotishpur Medical College and Hospital in Guwahati, at a programme held on its premises.
He also virtually inaugurated two cancer centres at Golaghat and Tinsukia, both under Assam Cancer Care Foundation (ACCF), constructed at a cost of Rs 135 crore each.
Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for super-speciality hospitals at Diphu Medical College and Hospital (Rs 220 crore), Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (Rs 310 crore), and Barpeta Medical College and Hospital (Rs 284 crore).
The foundation stone for a Rs 218-crore Swasthya Bhawan in Guwahati, and the Abhayapuri District Hospital (Rs 115 crore) were also laid by the Union home minister.
Shah arrived here on Saturday evening on a two-day visit to Assam, his fourth visit to the northeastern state in four months.
