Heavy rains lash parts of Karnataka including DK, Udupi; roads turn into rivers in Bengaluru

News Network
May 18, 2022

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Bengaluru/Mangaluru, May 18: Even before the monsoon sets in, many parts of Karnataka are receiving heavy to very heavy rainfall and the same situation is likely to continue throughout the week.

Most parts of Bengaluru recorded heavy rainfall early last night, flooding streets and homes, jamming traffic and stopping road users in their tracks. 

Heavy rains along with thunderstorms lashed Mangaluru and other parts of coastal Karnataka. Chamarajanagar, Tumakuru, Shivamogga, Hassan and other parts of south-interior Karnataka received moderate spells of rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds up to 30-40 kilometre per hour during the evening. 

Rainwater entered many homes in a slum in Narasimha Colony, South Bengaluru. 

The BBMP control room received complaints of flooding from 15 localities, including Indiranagar, Mahadevapura, Hosakerehalli, Jeevanbima Nagar and Mahadevapura. 

According to data recorded at 10 pm, at least three zones in the BBMP received about 10 cm of rainfall in just half an hour. These were East (10.05 cm), South (11.3 cm), and West (10 cm). 

A group of citizens who run a Twitter account dedicated to Bengaluru’s weather said the rainfall had crossed 10 cm in some places. 

Authorities have declared an orange alert for Bengaluru on Wednesday, meaning there will be heavy rainfall in several parts of the city and authorities must be prepared. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a generally cloudy sky with a few spells of rain or thundershowers for the next five days. 

Throughout the week

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded orange and red alerts (heavy to very heavy rainfall) in all districts of coastal Karnataka on Wednesday and Thursday. The rains will mainly occur as a result of moisture-laden strong westerly winds in the Arabian Sea and a few other systems, according to the weatherman.

“The strong westerlies are blowing towards the coasts of Kerala and Karnataka at 1.5 km above sea level. There is also an upper air cyclonic circulation at 3.6-5.8 km above sea level in Lakshadweep, which is prevailing over Tamil Nadu and its neighbourhood. There is a north-south trough extending 900 metres above mean sea level from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu across interior Karnataka. All of this will result in heavy rainfall in the State for the next few days,” said a scientist at IMD Bengaluru.

In all, districts of south-interior Karnataka, yellow alert has been issued on Tuesday and orange alert has been issued on Wednesday and Thursday by the IMD. Ahead of the alerts in coastal Karnataka, district administrations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have advised people to stay cautious and not enter waterbodies. They have also advised the fishermen to not enter the sea for three days.

Even though the intensity might subside for a while before monsoon sets in, the rainfall across the State is expected to continue through next week too. “It can be said that summer is mostly over in the State. These rain spells will be followed by the monsoon, which will set across the State between June 7 and 10,” a scientist explained.

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Media Release
March 5,2025

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New Delhi: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to develop a state-of-the-art missile defense system called the ‘Golden Dome’, inspired by Israel’s ‘Iron Dome.’ Addressing a joint session of Congress, Trump declared his intention to build “the most powerful military of the future” and pledged funding for a comprehensive missile shield to protect the U.S. homeland.

A Modern Take on Reagan’s Vision

Trump claimed that former President Ronald Reagan had envisioned a similar system decades ago but lacked the technology to bring it to life. The initiative he referred to was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) of the 1980s, which aimed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) but was eventually abandoned following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

How Will the ‘Golden Dome’ Work?

The U.S. already has several missile defense systems in place. Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ would likely integrate existing technologies, including:

🔹 Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) – Satellites that provide early missile launch warnings.

🔹 Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) – Interceptors in Alaska and California designed to shoot down ICBMs.

🔹 Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) – A naval-based system for intercepting short- to intermediate-range missiles.

🔹 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) – A mobile system to destroy medium- and intermediate-range missiles.

🔹 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) – Interceptor missiles designed to counter Chinese hypersonic threats.

Comparing with Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’

Israel’s multi-layered missile defense includes:

✅ Iron Dome – Protects against short-range rockets.
✅ David’s Sling – Targets mid- to long-range missiles.
✅ Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 – Designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles.

With the U.S. contributing over $3.7 billion toward Israel’s Arrow defense system, Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ could follow a similar model but on a much larger scale.

While the feasibility and timeline of this ambitious project remain unclear, Trump's announcement signals a renewed push for advanced missile defense in an increasingly volatile world.

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Media Release
March 14,2025

Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, on Friday said that he will neither retract his recent statements against the RSS and BJP nor will he apologise for them, while the two saffron outfits demanded that he be arrested for his remarks.

Gandhi, during the recent unveiling of a statue of the late Gandhian P Gopinathan Nair at Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram, had referred to the BJP and RSS as "dangerous and insidious enemies" who have entered Kerala.

He had also termed the RSS as "poison", following which BJP-RSS workers shouted slogans and blocked his car.

On Friday, speaking at an event in Aluva near Kochi, Gandhi said that once he said "those things", he does not believe in retracting them or apologising for them.

"What this incident has done is strengthen my resolve to continue to expose the traitors. This is a fight which is even more essential than the freedom fight. We have a common enemy now, the Sangh. They must be exposed," he said.

He also said that he was worried that "the descendants of my great grandfather's murderers" will go to Mahatma Gandhi's statue and fire bullets at it "as they are habituated to do".

The BJP hit back at him by saying that he is just someone who was "by default" born as a descendant of Mahatma Gandhi and has been trying to "monetise" his great grandfather's name.

Former Union Minister of State and BJP leader V Muraleedharan alleged that Tushar Gandhi has been for several years trying to "monetise" Mahatma Gandhi's name.

Muraleedharan, speaking at a BJP protest against Tushar Gandhi at Neyyattinkara, further said that those who invited him for the statue unveiling probably were not aware of his background.

He further said that just because Tushar has the Gandhi name, it does not entitle him to the same respect or honour reserved for the Father of the Nation.

He demanded that Tushar Gandhi be arrested for his statements based on the BJP's complaint.

The BJP leader also criticised the Pinarayi Vijayan government for arresting five RSS-BJP workers a day ago for raising slogans against Mahatma Gandhi's grandson.

A case was registered against the five people under Sections 189(2), 191(2), 190, and 126(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on charges of unlawful assembly, rioting, and wrongful restraint.

According to the police, a small group of people, allegedly linked to the Sangh Parivar, raised slogans against Tushar Gandhi at the end of a function he attended at Neyyattinkara on Wednesday evening.

Vijayan had strongly condemned the alleged "Sangh Parivar attack" on Tushar Gandhi, stating that actions that suppress freedom of expression cannot be allowed in a democratic society.

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News Network
March 15,2025

Mangaluru: Parents in coastal Karnataka are facing a significant financial burden as private schools across the region have implemented a sharp 20% or higher fee hike for the new academic year. This marks a drastic increase compared to the 6-15% annual hikes over the past four years. Schools justify the rise by citing increased teacher salaries and rising operational costs.

A parent from a CBSE school in Moodbidri reported that last year, his child's school fee was Rs 23,000, excluding transport and books. This year, it has jumped to Rs 29,000. "Fees for all classes in our school have been hiked by Rs 6,000," he shared.

Similarly, Jean D'Souza, whose two children study at an ICSE school in Mangaluru, said the school has increased fees by Rs 5,000 this year, from Rs 46,000 to Rs 51,000. Another parent from an ICSE school on the outskirts of the city reported a 20% hike and urged the government to intervene and regulate school fee increases.

Additional Costs Add to Parents’ Burden

Parents highlighted that beyond tuition fees, they also bear expenses for transport, uniforms, and books. Monthly transport fees range between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500, while book costs amount to Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per child annually. However, some relief comes from schools allowing fee payments in installments. "Many schools permit two to four installments, which helps ease the financial strain for parents," said a school management representative.

Schools Defend the Fee Hike

A school principal explained the reasons behind the steep fee increase this year. "Most schools refrained from major fee hikes after the pandemic. However, teacher salary demands have increased, and with a shortage of trained educators, retaining them is difficult without annual pay raises," he said.

Other rising costs include electricity, water, building maintenance, government fees, and general operational expenses. School managements argue that these factors make the fee hike necessary to sustain quality education.

While parents express frustration over the rising costs, the debate over striking a balance between affordability and sustaining quality education continues. Many now call for government intervention to regulate private school fee structures, ensuring that education remains accessible to all families.

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