Arts and Culture

Shivaji’s story retold in exhibition

For history lovers, stories about Chatrapathi Shivaji are fascinating, and there have been many attempts to highlight the heroic deeds of this great Maratha King. In one such attempt, Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT) has organised an exhibition of colour pictures along with historic records that trace the life of Shivaji. The exhibition is on in Mainy Sadana on Lavelle road till October 5. (Prajavani, Sunday, Sept 28)

Business

ITC push carts for vegetable vending may come to Bangalore

After successfully trying their hand in supermarkets, big players like ITC have now set their eyes on push carts. In a venture that will directly impact small time vendors, ITC has started a pilot project of selling low cost vegetables in push carts in Pune, Gurgaon and Hyderabad. This is likely to be extended to Bangalore also. The National Institute of Design has designed special carts for ITC. (Udayavani, Wednesday, Oct 1)

Crime

Solar panel thieves on the prowl

The government is carrying out an awareness drive on the uses of solar energy. This must have impressed thieves too. After trying their hand at jewellery, mobiles phones and cash, thieves are now targeting houses in the outskirts of the city, and stealing the expensive solar panels put up on terraces. (Vijaya Karnataka, Saturday, Sept 27)

Forest route to bombs suspected

Police sources in Bangalore say that the bombs used for the recent series of blasts in different parts of India were supplied from Wynad in Kerala. They were transported via Udupi and Mangalore. It is learnt that forests attached to Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala have at least five terrorist training centers. The brain behind these centers is suspected to be terrorist Yahya Khan who was arrested by Bangalore police recently. (Udayavani, Monday, Sept 29)

Education

Meagre scholarship to study Sanskrit

Did you know that the government granted a royal sum of Rs.4 to Rs.20 per month as scholarships to poor students to study Sanskrit, for 10 months? This was disclosed by none other than Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri. The minister promised to raise the amount after holding discussions with officers. (Vijaya Karnataka, Friday, Sept 26)

Private education institutions to adopt government colleges?

Commissioner of Collegiate Education Dr Nagalambika Devi has said that the department is contemplating on handing over government degree colleges to private institutions for adoption to develop learning skills and provide infrastructure facilities. She was speaking in a seminar on challenges before Karnataka Degree Colleges, organised by State Degree College Principals Association in Bangalore. The Commissioner disclosed that the department had already initiated talks in this regard with the principals of colleges in Bangalore, Mysore, Dharwad university limits. (Udayavani, Saturday, Sept 27)

New rule at Agriculture University deters flow of information

"The Board of Regents of the Agriculture University in Bangalore has made it mandatory for its staff to get a clearance from its ‘editorial board’ before publishing anything on research and activities of the university. The faculty of the university resent this new rule, fearing that it may curtail the smooth flow of information to farmers. They also claim that the editorial board rejected the submitted articles giving unconvincing reasons. " (Udayavani, Monday, Sept 29)

Environment

A NICE gesture

Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Company Ltd (NICE), which is constructing the Bangalore-Mysore express corridor, has set a new trend in afforestation. It has replanted about 25 trees of different varieties which would have been otherwise chopped off to make way for a link road. The company uprooted the trees near Hoskerehalli off Mysore Road and planted them beside a toll plaza. The exercise cost Rs 3 lakhs for the company, but gave a new lease of life for the trees. (Prajavani, Friday, Sept 26)

Lake near techpark turns dumpyard

The Nallurhalli lake in Mahadevapura is turning into a dumpyard as wastes from the nearby International techpark (in Whitfield) are dumped here. Many companies pour wastes into lake, which used to supply drinking water before it was encroached. Open drainage pipes connected to the east pour wastes into the lake. (Prajavani, Tuesday, Sept 30)

BBMP neglects park

"Bavi Park in Jayanagar 4th block has lost its charm due to negligence on the part of BBMP. The Palike renovated the park two years ago at the cost of Rs 4.90 lakhs. However in just two years, sensitive fountains in the park stopped working due to bad maintenance. Rusted implements in the park reflect the indifferent attitude of BBMP. " (Prajavani, Wednesday, Oct 1)

Government

No Govt fund for RGUHS

The political wrangle between BJP and JDS has a direct effect on the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to come up in Ramnagaram. There was an unsuccessful attempt to shift the university from Ramnagaram by the present BJP government. But RGUHS has now been asked to raise its own fund to build the campus. Earlier, the Kumaraswamy government had decided to construct the campus through the PWD. (Prajavani, Saturday, Sept 27)

BPL cards foster corruption

With the government deciding to make Below Poverty Line (BPL) cards mandatory for its various welfare schemes, rampant misappropriation and corruption is creeping in. Those who have this card are eligible to have ration at cheaper rates, besides being direct beneficiaries of populist schemes like the Bhagyalaxmi scheme where girls are given cycles. The real beneficiaries allege that BPL cards are sold for money. A study done by CIVIC, an NGO, says that BPL cards are not reaching the poor because of the wrong policies of the government. (Vijaya Karnataka, Saturday, Sept 27)

Government files affidavit against its own corporation

The state government has filed an affidavit in the high court saying that KSRTC does not have the capacity to ply its buses everywhere. The affidavit is considered as an attempt to promote private bus operators. This stand of the government and the transport department in particular is in sharp contrast to KSTRC, which announced that it will run sufficient buses everywhere. A case was filed by an individual in the high court against the government’s intention to run private buses in Hubli-Dharwad. (Kannada Prabha, Tuesday, Sept 30)

Formation of farmers’ Self Help Groups on anvil

The agriculture department is giving final touches to the formation of farmers’ Self Help Groups on the lines of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs). NGOs will be entrusted with the responsibility of forming these groups and training them. The SHGs will be provided information on cultivation for a successful yield, and they will in turn educate the farmers. The groups will thus act as bridge between the agriculture department and far
mers. (Vijaya Karnataka, Thursday, Oct 2)

Heritage

Hazardous practices at Vanivilas

The government owned Vanivilas Hospital in KR Market is alleged to have been careless with lives of babies. It has come to light that three new born babies with different infections were kept in a single incubator recently. Public allege that this is the common practice in the hospital, which may prove hazardous. The hospital has cases where babies have died due to suffocation in incubators. Alarmingly, hospitals records show a very high percentage of deaths among babies admitted. (Kannada Prabha, Sunday, Sept 28)

KSRTC’s Dasara Dhamaka

KSRTC has much to celebrate in Mysore this Dasara season. The state carrier has come up with a number of unique offers, and has sent a fleet of 600 buses to Mysore. A trip in Mysore to any point in Volvo buses will cost just Rs 5. Sight seeing and lunch is offered for Rs. 50. A daily pass to visit all tourist places is priced at just Rs 30. (Vijaya Karnataka, Tuesday, Sept 30)

Infrastructure

Underpass turns into a gutter

The much talked about Magic Box built by the BBMP near Cauvery junction is in the news for wrong reasons yet again. The Magic Box, built by precast elements, was inaugurated last February. But within six months, the asphalt is gone and the road is turning into a gutter with water gushing from below, proving the allegation that the underpass was not built scientifically. (Vijaya Karnataka, Saturday, Sept 27)

After Magic Boxes, BBMP comes up with ‘phataphat’ subways

Even after mishandling the Magic Boxes, the BBMP is not likely to rethink its similar future plans. Now it has come up with new concept called ‘phataphat’ subways. BBMP commissioner Dr S Subramanya announced that construction of the new subway will hardly take 48 hours. Five such subways are likely to come up behind Vidhana Soudha, exclusively dedicated to pedestrians. BBMP has taken this initiative taking into account the demand for separate pedestrian paths in this busy area. (Kannada Prabha, Monday, Sept 29)

Six lane airport highway delayed

The completion of the six lane highway on Bellary road that connects Devanhalli airport is further delayed. The work should have been completed in February this year itself, but the slow pace, for reasons best known to BBMP, has resulted in the delay. BBMP officials say 75 per cent of the work is over. (Kannada Prabha, Thursday, Oct 2)

Literature

Kannada Sahitya Parishad faces competition from rival association

The Kannada Sahitya Parishad (Ka Sa Pa – the supreme body of Kannada literature), now has a serious competitor. Dr C Veeranna, who unsuccessfully ran for the presidentship of Ka Sa Pa, has launched a rival association called Karnataka Sahitya Parishad, bringing the differences among Karnataka literateurs into sharp relief. The new association, of which Jnanapeeth awardee Dr U R Ananthamurthy is a member, will come into existence on October 2. The association has already swung into action already by appointing office bearers in all the districts. (Kannada Prabha, Monday, Sept 29)

People

Tamilians seek more clout in state

‘Tamils should get power in their hands in Karnataka in order to protect themselves. Tamilians should try hard to get at least five Tamil MLAs elected in Karnataka’. This was the resolution passed in a General Body Meeting of the Tamil Sangha recently. Kannada associations allege that this resolution is an attempt to instigate Kannadigas. After rows over Cauvery, Hogenakal, etc., Tamils in Bangalore seem to be giving rise to a new controversy. (Vijaya Karnataka, Tuesday, Sept 30)

Society

Besotted fan cites divine intervention, seeks security

The office of the state Director General of Police (DGP) got a strange request recently. A youth approached the its public relations cell and submitted a memorandum requesting security to take Kannada film heroine Rakshita with him. He claimed that God appeared in his dreams and urged him take the damsel, who is married to cine actor Prem. Apparently, the PR cell of the DGP’s office comes across such strange requests all the time. (Prajavani, Friday, Sept 26) ⊕