Should handle COVID-19 third wave with 'total seriousness': Karnataka Governor
Bengaluru(PTI): Cautioning about the third wave of COVID-19, Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot on Wednesday, called on the citizens to handle the situation with "total seriousness" and said there should be no room for negligence.
Delivering his address after unfurling the national flag on the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day here, he complimented the state government for succeeding in reducing the effect of COVID-19 efficiently.
"We are now facing the 3rd wave of COVID-19. We should handle this situation with total seriousness and negligence has no room now. We must continue to observe the SMS mantra of - Social Distancing, Masking and Sanitization for the sake of everybody's health," the Governor said.
"My Government has worked day and night and with the support of the public we have succeeded in reducing the effect of COVID-19 efficiently. We have used this crisis as an opportunity to build on our strengths, to create additional health infrastructure and enhance production capacity of Oxygen cylinders and Ventilators," he said.
This is Gehlot's first Republic Day as the Governor of Karnataka.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, few of his cabinet colleagues and top government officials were among the select invitees, who attended the low-key event held at the Manekshaw Parade Ground here, by following the COVID protocols.
The Governor said different fields like management of Covid war room, Telemedicine, identifying the infected and quarantine observation were managed efficiently with advanced technology and this has resulted in less number of deaths in Karnataka when compared to other parts of the world.
"I also salute our field staff, Disaster Management Teams and the District Heads who effectively handled the challenge and mitigated the disaster of heavy rain in the North Karnataka region," he said.
Noting that Karnataka, being one of the progressive States in the Country, is implementing many schemes and programmes on the occasion of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' (75th Anniversary of Independence), Gehlot said, the State has announced 14 Amrit Mahotsav programmes and has prepared an implementation roadmap with targeted outcomes till August 15, 2023.
He also highlighted the government's focus on Watershed development, mobile and technology based crop survey, among others.
The Governor said an amount of Rs 14.23 crore from the Union Government and 13.39 crore from state government has been released under the modernization scheme for procuring weapons, vehicles and scientific equipment etc. to various units of police departments.
He said Rs 9.14 crore from the union government and 6.09 crore from the state government has been released for procurement of wireless equipment and added that Rs 30 lakh compensation has been paid to 173 families of Police personnel who died due to Covid-19.
Gehlot also noted that the Forest department has planted 2.39 crore saplings of different varieties in 37,745 hectares and 1.87 crore saplings were distributed to public to grow in agricultural and private lands.
Incentive of Rs 4.39 crore has been distributed to the farmers under Agriculture Forest Encouragement scheme.
Further, by taking action for comprehensive protection and conservation of the dwelling places of wildlife the State has 524 Tigers in its forest area and has been identified as the second State having the highest number of Tigers.
As per the census of 2017 there are 6,049 Elephants in Karnataka. This covers 25 percent of the Elephants in India, and the state stands first by having highest number of Elephants, he said.
The Governor also said that the classes for post-matric girl students, training them in self defense skills like Karate, Judo and Taekwondo have been started in backward class hostels.
"My Government prioritises women centric budgets and provides nutrition based food to pregnant ladies and nursing mothers, under Matru poorna scheme. This has been implemented in all districts of the State and 9.36 lakh beneficiaries have availed this facility," he added.
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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.
