Senior govt official suspended after motors fail at irrigation project launch by CM
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has suspended a top official of a state-owned electricity supply company after motors failed to function at the launch of a lift irrigation project by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, causing a major embarrassment.
The project is to replenish 150 lakes across 79 villages in Periyapatna taluk in the chief minister’s home district of Mysuru.
When Siddaramaiah pressed the button to launch the project on 24 January, the motors did not work at the event attended by a large gathering, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and some other ministers.
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Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) Managing Director CN Sridhar has now been placed under suspension pending an inquiry on the charge of dereliction of duty.
According to the suspension order, Sridhar was not present at the venue to oversee the arrangements in view of the chief minister’s visit despite the Mysuru deputy commissioner instructing him to ensure electricity supply and take precautionary measures at the venue in a 23 January letter.
The action was taken against the official until further orders based on a report from the Mysuru deputy commissioner. Also, a departmental inquiry has been initiated against him.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
