Business
International passengers drop by 40 per cent at BIA
Recession in US and European countries has its impact on BIAL. The number of international passengers in Bangalore has dropped by 40 per cent in the last six months and flight operations have dropped by 1.5 per cent. This has made life miserable for taxi operators as well as ticket booking agents. Many agents are likely to go bankrupt if the situation continues for another six months. Jet Airways has stopped flights between Bangalore and Chennai. Other companies too are likely to follow suit. (Udayavani, Saturday, Nov 22)
Crime
Boy beaten up for eating bread
A case was filed in the Sanjaynagar police station by parents of a minor alleging torture to him by his employer. Vijaykumar (13) was working in the house of Basavaraju Nadagowda, brother of Sindhanur MLA Venkatarao Nadagowdar. He was allegedly beaten up by Latha, the former’s wife, with a hot cooker plate. His crime was eating bread. The boy’s hands were burnt and his head too was badly injured. (Kannada Prabha, Monday, Nov 24)
Education
300 PU colleges headless
The government had started hundreds of new PU colleges in an effort to bring radical changes in pre-university education. However the initiative could not be sustained, as more than 300 colleges are still without Prinicipals. Even though the list of promotees to be appointed as Principals of these colleges is already with the education department, no action has been taken so far. The PU Board seems to be not bothered about it either. (Prajavani, Saturday, Nov 22)
Illiterate skilled workers to get training
The government has come up with a scheme to provide training to illiterate skilled workers. Most of these workers lose out on opportunities as there are no certification courses tailored for them. Now the Employment and Training Directorate has identified more than 300 training centers to provide them training and give certificates. This programme will be launched during December this year. Training will be in the fields like agriculture, fishing, hair and beauty care, fishing etc. Government will also be giving stipend to the selected students. (Vijaya Karnataka, Sunday, Nov 23)
Entertainment
Kannada films face Friday blues
Friday is considered a sacred day for the release of new films. The Kannada film industry has so far released at least one new film every Friday. But not this week. 100 Kannada films were released in the past 11 months, but very few of them succeeded at the box office. Fearing a lukewarm response from the public, no producer has come forward to release a film this Friday! (Kannada Prabha, Friday, Nov 21)
Censor board goes online
The Karnataka Regional Board of Film Certification goes online now under website www.cbfcindia.gov.in. Besides providing indepth details about the board, its functioning and dos and don’ts to film producers, it also allows the latter to apply for certification for their films online. There is also a provision for the public to question the decision of censor board on the website. (Vijaya Karnataka, Tuesday, Nov 25)
Environment
First ever garden with solar lights
Bangalore has got its first ever garden lit up with solar lights in Mahalaxmi layout. With electricity becoming dearer by the day, the renewable energy department has come up with this garden to popularise usage of solar power. There are 40 solar lights in the garden which can light up for 12 hours a day. Due to this unique initiative the garden glows with lights when whole area plunges into darkness during late-evening powercuts. (Prajavani, Thursday, July 27)
Government
NRIs to give new lease of life to temples
Most of the historic temples in Karnataka which are in a dilapidated stage will get a new lease of life soon if an initiative by the state government succeeds. The government has sought NRI’s help in rejuvanating 20,000 temples including 157 in Bangalore. The response has so far been encouraging, with a number of rich NRIs coming forward with donations. The Religion and Endowment department has launched a website www.karnatakatemples.gov.in to create awareness in this regard. (Vijaya Karnataka, Friday, Nov 21)
Government body recommends dismissal of 172 employees.
The State Civil Rights Enforcement Directorate has recommended dismissal of 172 employees who have got into service providing fake caste certificates. These employees work under both state and central government. 70 of them are located in Bangalore alone. The Directorate got 951 complaints against such offenses in the past year alone. This is the first time that it has recommended such severe action though, as precious little has come out of such inquiries before. (Kannada Prabha, Friday, Nov 21)
CJ moots evening courts
Chief Justice of India Justice Dr K G Balakrishnan has advocated the neccessity of setting up of evening courts in the wake increasing number of pending cases with various courts. Inaugurating a video conference project by Karnataka High Court in the court premises, Balakrishnan said that evening courts were successful in Tamil Nadu, and could be emulated by Karnataka too. He also advised the courts to reserve one day of the week to deal with petty cases like cheque bounce, insurance relief and the like. (Prajavani, Sunday, Nov 23)
ACP scalp for JDS-induced traffic jam
The recent JDS-induced traffic jam not only created a flutter among Bangaloreans, the police too have incurred their wrath for mishandling the situation. The Assistant Commissioner of Police may now be suspended for the lapse. The Police Commissioner’s report to the government is said to have blamed the ACP incharge of traffic. However his wireless set and mobile were apparently switched off during the chaos. (Kannada Prabha, Monday, Nov 24) (Citizen Matters adds: The Kannada Prabha report does not name the police officer.ACP Traffic for Bangalore is Praveen Sood).
City MLAs urge to waive off all dues of slum dwellers
BJP MLAs from Bangalore urged the government to waive all pending dues of slum dwellers, during a legislatures’ party meeting on 24th Nov. These slum residents have not paid electricity and water charges for years due to poverty. MLAs also demanded that more parking malls be set up in different areas of the city to solve the problem of parking. (Kannada Prabha, Tuesday, Nov 25)
Jail inmates take SHRC for a ride
Officials of the Central jail were temporarily in a soup, with inmates complaining to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) that they were not provided toothpaste. Earlier they had used the SHRC weapon to get good food and other facilities. Upon inquiry by SHRC, jail officials revealed that the government did not give them funds to buy toothpaste, and that rules clearly barred providing toothpaste and bath soaps to inmates. They could however purchase them from the jail canteen. (Vijaya Karnataka, Tuesday, Nov 25)
20 acres
of land registered illegally
20 acres of valuable agriculture land near Devanahalli has been allegedly registered illegally for Rs.25 crores. As per law agricultural land can be sold only to farmers. However the land was sold to an individual from Rajastan who allegedly brought the land in black. Citizen Bhaskar sought details of this transaction under the RTI act. However the Devanahalli Tahsildar has declined to comment on the same. A petition regarding this issue is now lying with the Information Commission. (Prajavani, Wednesday, July 26)
Health
Emergency treatment hospital network proposal in cold storage
The government is not showing any interest towards a proposal to have an emergency treatment network linking government hospitals. The network, which intends to build effective coordination among all government hospitals for emergency treatment, would save patients a lot of time and effort. The Lokayukta apparently recommended establishing such a network long ago. The proposal took a final shape at a high level meeting of health department officials during January this year. (Prajavani, Tuesday, Nov 25)
Dengue fever claims NRI baby
A eight-month old baby, whose parents came to India from the US for a vacation, died due to dengue fever in a city hospital. BBMP’s claim that there were no deaths due to dengue fever are no longer valid. The baby died in Church of South India Hospital, where doctors are treating more than 20 patients for this dreaded fever. Patients are predominantly from Tannery road area. (Kannada Prabha, Wednesday, July 26)
Infrastructure
Police department to install 500 more surveillance cameras
Due to the increasing threat of terrorism, the city police department has decided to step up its modernisation drive. 500 surveillance cameras are to be installed in different parts of city at the cost of Rs.10 crores to help police trace criminals easily. 77 such cameras have already been installed in the Vidhana Soudha. The process to inviting global e-tenders is already on. (Kannada Prabha, Thursday, July 27)
People
He carries his passion to work
A KSRTC bus plying between Bangalore-Mysore-Gundlupet is more than a bus. It also acts as a champion of Kannada, thanks to its conductor M Nataraj. Many posters glorifying Kannada and personalities of Karnataka adorn this bus. Nataraj funds this passion for Kannada-nadu himself, and even distributes sweets to all commuters on Rajyotsava day. This mannina-maga may be contacted on 9900478868. (Vijaya Karnataka, Sunday, Nov 23)
Society
Family of senior cine artiste in distress
Rajanand, a senior, talented actor from the Kannada film industry, died in poverty four years ago. His family is now in distress. His daughter and son-in-law too died recently leaving behind their only son. The widow of Rajanand, Vimalamma, and her orphaned grandson now lead a miserable life in a tiny house in Mysore. Their repeated requests of financial help to the film chamber have fallen on deaf ears. (Vijaya Karnataka, Monday, Nov 24)
Farmers happier this year
There is good news on the farmer front. There is a remarkable decrease in the number of suicides by farmers in Karnataka. 185 farmers have taken this extreme step this year, compared to 340 during 2007-08 and 2,360 during 2000-01. There were no suicides in six districts, namely, Chikkaballapur, Udupi, Bangalore urban, Bangalore rural, Kolar and Chamarajanagar. (Kannada Prabha, Tuesday, Nov 25)
Sports
Chinnaswamy stadium to go hi-tech
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is planning to go hi-tech. KSCA President Srikanthadatta Wodeyar has said that Chinnaswamy stadium will have hi-tech floodlights, permanent seats, a different electronic score board, cushion seats and so on very soon.These initiatives are the first of its kind in India, he adds. A global tender for the same will be invited soon. (Prajavani, Saturday, Nov 22) ⊕