Ego amidst calamity: Defence Minister loses her cool in flood-ravaged Kodagu

coastaldigest.com web desk
August 25, 2018

Madikeri, Aug 25: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who paid a visit to Karnataka’s flood-hit Kodagu yesterday to review the army's relief operations, lost her cool at a press conference and blasted district in-charge minister Sa Ra Mahesh publicly.

The union minister got upset after the Karnataka minister asked her to wind up the press conference at the district commissioner PI Sreevidya’s office citing lack of time. The Defence Minister said she was not at fault for following a "minute-to-minute" itinerary given to her by the district administration.

“I am following a minute-to-minute programme, minister. If officials are important, my parivaar (family) is also important.... Central minister follows the minister in-charge here. Unbelievable," she rebuked Mr Mahesh at the dais.

When told this conversation was getting recorded on cameras, Ms Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, shot back "Let it get recorded." Asked her to speak in the mic by media persons, Ms Sitharaman, still visibly upset, said "Record whatever you want."

Confusion prevailed at DC office over who should brief the union minister. As Mahesh has begun a Power-Point presentation, Ms Sitharaman snubbed him and asked Sreevidya to take over. Angry exchanges continued as the minister proceeded to a review meeting. Ms Sitharaman’s staff was apparently unhappy that the media was allowed to attend the review meeting. Ms Sitharaman later held a meeting at the DC’s office separately.

At press conference, Ms Sitharaman said the Centre will announce flood relief to Kodagu after receiving a comprehensive report from the central and the state government teams. She said she will work as a messenger and declined to reply to questions on an interim package.

The three defence public sector undertakings will contribute Rs 7 crore towards the relief works under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. “From my MP Local Area Development Scheme, I will release Rs 1 crore,” she said.

“I will work as the messenger about the flood fury and the landslides in Kodagu district to the Union government. I will discuss flood-related issues with the prime minister, finance minister, road transport minister and others. Once the central and the state teams submit the report on the loss, the central government will release funds," she said.

Meanwhile, speaking to media persons, Mahesh said the Union minister had “disappointed” him. “We were waiting for an interim relief package. In Kerala, the Union government announced interim relief. But here she didn’t announce anything,” he said. “I will meet the Union government authorities and ministers with CM HD Kumaraswamy, seeking an early package for the flood- and landslide-hit Kodagu," he said.

Torrential rains have hit the Kodagu district hard over the last week, killing 17 people and leaving a huge trail of destruction.

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News Network
November 18,2024

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Mangaluru: The Ullal police have arrested Manohar, the owner of Vazco Beach Resort, and its manager Bharath in connection with the drowning of three college girls from Mysuru at the resort’s swimming pool on November 17.

City Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal confirmed the arrests, stating that a case has been registered under Section 106 of BNS. The bodies of the victims, all in their twenties, have been handed over to their parents. The women had arrived at the resort for a weekend getaway on November 16.

Following the tragic incident, the resort was sealed by officials led by Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner Harshavardhan. The trade license of the resort, issued on June 13, 2024, has been suspended, and the tourism department has temporarily revoked the resort's registration. These actions prohibit the resort from engaging in any tourism-related activities until further notice.

Someshwara TMC Chief Officer stated that the suspension was due to the resort's failure to implement adequate safety measures, which resulted in the loss of three lives. Further investigations are underway.

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News Network
November 27,2024

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Gaza health authorities say Israel’s military has "erased” over 1,400 Palestinian families in the besieged territory over the past year.

The Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the Israeli regime "completely erased about 1,410 families, numbering 5,444 people, from the civil registry during the same period.”

It said that there were 3,463 families with only one survivor, while 2,287 families had more than one survivor.

In northern Gaza, Israel’s warplanes have continued dropping bombs over Palestinian families, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

It said one airstrike hit a family home in Jabalia, causing numerous casualties on Tuesday.

According to Gaza's civil defense agency, at least seven people were killed and several others wounded in the attack.

Another person was killed in a strike on a house in nearby Beit Lahia, a town in northern Gaza, which has been declared “a disaster area" by the municipality due to "the Israeli war of extermination and siege, and it has no food, water, hospitals, doctors, services, or communications."

The health ministry said, “Israeli forces killed 14 people and injured 108 others in three massacres of families in the last 24 hours.”

“Many people are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them.”

International organizations and leaders believe that Israel’s genocidal war, now in its second year, is a deliberate attempt to destroy the population of Gaza.

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News Network
November 28,2024

Udupi: A 53-year-old woman fell victim to a sophisticated online fraud, losing ₹19.7 lakh to scammers posing as officials from telecom companies and the police.

According to the complaint filed by Vidya, the incident began on October 4 when she received a call from an individual claiming to be from Airtel. The caller alleged that a SIM card linked to her Aadhaar was being misused in Mumbai for spam and fraudulent activities. They warned her that all her mobile numbers could be blocked and connected her to a supposed "Sahara police station."

A man identifying himself as Mohan Kumar, an "investigation officer" from the Sahara police station, then contacted Vidya. He alleged that a fraudulent bank account had been opened in her name at an SBI branch in Mumbai. This account, he claimed, was being used for human trafficking and money laundering activities by someone named Vivek Das. He insisted that all her bank accounts needed to be reviewed.

On October 5, the scam escalated when Kumar, posing as a police officer, threatened Vidya with arrest and warned her not to leave her location without his permission. He demanded that she transfer funds from her accounts to specific UPI IDs and bank accounts under the pretext of "reviewing" her finances. Fearing legal consequences, Vidya complied and transferred ₹19.7 lakh in installments between October 16 and November 7.

The fraud came to light only after she realized she had been deceived. A case has been registered at the CEN (Cyber, Economic, and Narcotics) police station, and an investigation is underway.

Public Warning:

  • Beware of unsolicited calls claiming to be from telecom companies, banks, or police stations.
  • Never share sensitive personal or banking details over the phone.
  • Always verify the identity of callers through official channels before taking any action.
  • If in doubt, contact your local police or cybercrime cell immediately.
  • Stay vigilant to avoid falling prey to such scams!

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