Environmental norms violated in SEZ, Surathkal highway widening:?CAG

[email protected] (News Network)
March 11, 2017

Mangaluru, Mar 11: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)?has named the Phase 1 of Mangalore Special Economic Zone, widening of a highway near Surathkal and four other projects in Karnataka among the violators of environmental norms.

Surathkal
These projects were accorded green approval with conditions that the project proponents were to follow to improve the ecological condition of the surrounding areas. However, a reality check by the CAG came up with a completely different picture, exposing the flaws in India's environmental regulatory system.

For instance, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was given approval for a project to widen the Kundapura-Surathkal highway with a stipulation that 14,956 trees would be cut. But 18,400 trees were felled as NHAI implemented the project without any approval for cutting down more than 3,400 additional trees.

The environment management plan of the first phase of the Mangalore Special Economic Zone project had a capital component of Rs 600 crore and an annual Rs 100 crore revenue expenditure. The money was to be spent on pollution control monitoring system, green belt and social welfare.

However, the project proponent incurred a capital expenditure of Rs 186.71 crore and no revenue expenditure on the EMP, leading to a shortfall of 72% on the money needed for improving the environment, the CAG said in its report tabled in the Parliament on Friday.

The private sector is no better. The environment clearance given to mining projects lists out the conditions on how the over burden dumps are to be managed in an ecologically sustainable manner. But two projects to enhance the iron ore production of M/s V S Lad and Son Iron Ore mine in Ballari and M/s Ashwathnarayana Singh were found gross violators.

In the first project, the mining dumps were not protected against erosion and thick plantation of native trees were not carried out. The violations actually led to the cancellation of the mining lease. In the second project, the dumps were not properly stabilised.

These are among the 352 projects that the CAG examined to check if the project developers follows that environmental clearance conditions while executing their projects.

Other violators from Karnataka are a 1.12 kilo litre per day capacity molasses-based distillery unit of Nirani Sugars Ltd at Bagalkot and Sri Rameshwara Lift Irrigation Scheme of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited in Belagavi.

The distillery unit was found deficient for not installing effluent treatment plants, non-construction of the rain water harvesting system and shortfall in emergency preparedness plan. The lift irrigation scheme on the other hand did not implement the catchment area treatment plan to check soil erosion.

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News Network
May 2,2024

suraj.jpg

Hassan, May 2: JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna on Thursday said that the scandal and charges of sexual abuse levelled against his brother and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna was a "conspiracy to weaken their family politically".

He claimed that he has no information about the whereabouts of Prajwal Revanna, who has been served a notice by the Special Investigation Team over the alleged sex scandal involving him.

He termed the scandal and charges of sexual abuse against his brother and his father and MLA H D Revanna, a former Minister, as a conspiracy to weaken them politically, and expressed confidence about Prajwal's win in the Lok Sabha polls.

H D Revanna is the son of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda. Prajwal, grandson of Deve Gowda, was the BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to the polls on April 26.

"The (sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna) case has been handed over for investigation (to SIT), whatever has to be proved will get proved there. How can I react to it? I don't have information about Prajwal Revanna," Suraj Revanna told reporters here.

On an FIR being registered against his father H D Revanna too, he said, "Let them put a thousand more (FIRs), what has to be proved will ultimately get proved. People of our taluk and district know what Revanna is. I don't want to react."

"Anyone can do anything out of political malice. If you take Hassan politics, there is no competitor for Revanna. There is no one who has done politics like him. To weaken him, all these conspiracies are being hatched," he added.

Scores of explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna had started making the rounds in Hassan recently. The state government has constituted an SIT to probe the alleged sex scandal involving the MP.

The SIT on Tuesday issued notice to Prajwal Revanna and his father Revanna, who have been booked for alleged sexual harassment at the Holenarsipura police station in Hassan district on April 28, based on a complaint by a woman who worked in their house, directing them to appear for investigation.

Prajwal who reportedly left for Germany on April 27, the very next day of the polls, on Wednesday sought seven days' time to appear before the SIT.

Regarding reports of his meeting with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Suraj said they were mere speculations and that he had met the former in January, and after that no such meeting had taken place.

Asked whether JD(S) leaders and workers seem to be in some sort of confusion following the developments around the alleged sex scandal, the MLC said there is no confusion. "Even yesterday there were meetings held to take stock of the situation after the polls. Hundred percent Prajwal Revanna will win."

"Let anyone charge anything, let's wait and see what comes out of the SIT probe," he added.

Victims under pressure?

Meanwhile, victims in the videos of the alleged sex scandal involving the MP, are reportedly refusing to come before the SIT which is probing the case.

Some of the victims are said to have told the SIT officials that they don't want to talk to them about the case, while a few are not reachable, sources said.

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News Network
May 4,2024

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mullai Muhilan MP said that election for the South West Teachers and Graduates constituencies will be held on June 3.

The notification for the same will be issued on May 9. The last date for filing nominations is May 16. The nominations must be submitted to Regional Commissioner in Mysuru and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is May 17.

The counting of votes will be held on June 6.

As of December 30, 2023 there are 6753 voters in DK district in the South West Teachers Constituency out of which 4520 are women. On the other hand, there are 16,869 graduate voters in the district for the South West graduates constituency.

The voters can submit their application for enrollment in electoral list of the South West Teachers and graduates constituency till May 6. The applications can be submitted at Mangaluru City Corporation or all the taluk offices.

Bulk applications can be submitted by Bar Association, Doctors association, Chartered Accountants Association, registered engineers association for the graduates constituency.

Those who are graduates prior to November 11, 2020 can enroll for voters list in the graduates constituency  by submitting Form 18 along with photo copy of marks card, Aadhaar card, voters' identity card and residential address.

For getting oneself enrolled in the teachers constituency voters, an individual should be teaching for minimum three years prior to November 1, 2023 in high school or higher educational institutions.

For the teachers constituency, educational institutions can submit applications in bulk. If wrong details are furnished in these applications, then they will be punishable under Section 31 of Representation of People Act, warned the DC.

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News Network
May 5,2024

Karwar, May 5: What commenced as a mere exchange of words between spouses swiftly transmuted into a calamitous ordeal, resulting in the heartbreaking loss of their innocent offspring. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded in the serene confines of Halamaddy village in the picturesque expanse of Dandeli, nestled within the idyllic expanse of Uttara Kannada district.

In the throes of a fervent dispute with her spouse, the aggrieved wife, succumbing to an overwhelming surge of emotions, callously propelled their tender six-year-old progeny into the somber depths of a nearby canal, thereafter alerting the local populace to her grievous act.

Promptly apprised of the distressing occurrence by concerned bystanders, the authorities were swiftly summoned to the scene to confront the harrowing aftermath.

Responding to the distress call, the diligent officers of Dandeli rural police swiftly converged upon the site where the innocent child had been cast into the unforgiving waters of the canal, subsequently effecting the retrieval of the child's lifeless form. 

Regrettably, it was discerned that a portion of the child's remains had been tragically claimed by the lurking jaws of a predatory crocodile.

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