Rain continues in parts of Karnataka; flood situation eases in coastal region

News Network
September 22, 2020

Bengaluru/Udupi, Sept 22: Even though rains continued, the flood situation eased up in coastal, southern and central districts on Tuesday disrupting normal life, an official said.

Kodagu, Shivamogga, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru received 74 mm of rainfall during the last seven days against the normal of 39 mm for the same period, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

The four districts have received 228 mm of rains for the period of September 1 to 20 against the normal of 114 mm for the same period.

Bhagamandala and surrounding regions in Kodagu – the catchment area for the Cauvery – continued to be battered by heavy rain as a result of which the volume of water in the river increased. The district received 64.19 mm of rainfall for the 24 hour period as against 66.75 mm of rain received on Sunday. Bhagamandala that bore the brunt of nature’s fury last month resulting in a major landslip, continued to receive rains for the third consecutive day.

The district administration was on its toes for the last 48 hours clearing roads blocked by fallen trees and uprooted electricity poles.

The outflow of water from the Harangi reservoir rose to the rate of 11,854 cusecs. The rate of inflow into the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in the downstream region also increased during the last 48 hours. The water level in the dam was at 124.52 feet against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.8 feet. The outflow was increased to 50,000 cusecs from 40,000 cusecs on Tuesday.

Similarly, the inflow into the Kabini reservoir in HD Kote in Mysuru district was at the rate of 28,906 cusecs and the outflow at 35,000 cusecs. The water level in the reservoir was 2283.09 feet against the FRL of 2,284 feet.

Meanwhile, life in parts of the Malnad region continued to be hit by heavy rains. Landslips have occurred at Charmadi Ghat, where travellers had a tough time negotiating deep curves. Continuous rainfall also formed many waterfalls along Charmadi Ghat, prompting travellers to take a break for photos. Rivers are flowing in spate and the inflow at the reservoir has been on the rise.

The rain continued to lash different parts of Chikkamagaluru on Tuesday. The gusty wind uprooted several trees in the Malnad area.

A huge tree, which was uprooted, fell on the road at Kelagooru near Kottigehara blocking the vehicular movement. In Mathikatte, the roof of a house was damaged after a tree fell on it.

Meanwhile, there was a brief respite in the heavy rains that struck Udupi district. But floodwater has still not completely receded in many parts of the district and the full picture of the damages is yet to be known. The Udupi district administration on Monday ordered the temporary closure of Mala-Kudremukh Ghat (NH 169) connecting Karkala with Sringeri/Kudremukh for two days.

A temporary magisterial order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Udupi Jagadeesh said the ghat section had been witnessing landslips and tree falling since Saturday night following heavy rains. the DC said, adding no one was injured.

Since rain was continuing to pour and there was every chance of fresh landslips and tree falls, the road would be closed till Tuesday midnight, he said.

Meanwhile, district administration estimated suffered loses of more than Rs 100 crores in 2 days.

The district administration has started taking action against spreading of infectious diseases in flood-affected areas.

In many parts of Udupi district, it started raining again from Monday evening.

In Dakshina Kannada district, 32 houses and nearly 199.2 hectares of agricultural land were damaged.

The meteorological department has forecasted heavy rainfall over the next four days. Red, Orange and Yellow alert has been issued for September 22, 23 and 24 respectively in all the three coastal districts.

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News Network
November 18,2024

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Mangaluru: A 14-year-old boy, Subodh, tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning while sitting outside his home in Kedila village, Bantwal taluk, on Sunday evening.

The incident occurred around 5:30 PM while Subodh, an 8th-grade student at Kalladka Shriram High School, was seated outside his house. Lightning struck him, leaving him unconscious. 

Family members rushed him to a nearby clinic and later to a private hospital in Puttur, where doctors confirmed his death upon arrival.

The boy's body was sent to Puttur Government Hospital for a post-mortem.

Tahsildar Archana Bhat has directed revenue officials to assist the grieving family. Vitla Revenue Inspector Prashanth Shetty, Village Administrative Officer Anil Kumar, Kedila Panchayat President Harish Valtaje, and panchayat members visited the family to offer their condolences and support.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the unpredictability of nature’s fury, leaving a community mourning the untimely loss of a young life.

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News Network
November 22,2024

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Bengaluru, Nov 22: For the second day running, the Karnataka BJP on Friday staged a statewide protest condemning the government’s alleged move to notify land of farmers as Waqf property.

The BJP staged a protest before the offices of Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters.

The BJP leaders are vehemently demanding that the state government cancel a 1974 Gazette notification in this regard.

The agitators are also demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

The BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs gathered in the premises of Freedom Park and staged a protest under the leadership of Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and slammed the state government.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa led the protest in Mysuru and hundreds of party workers and farmers staged the protest under the leadership of former MP Pratap Simha in Kodagu.

Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh led the agitation in Mandya.

This was the first time that Sumalatha took part in the party’s programme after the Lok Sabha elections.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed, “The Congress government in Karnataka is issuing notices to farmers claiming the ownership of their lands to the Waqf Board and pushing them on the streets overnight.”

In the first week of December, three teams formed by the BJP will travel across the state and record the grievances of farmers.

“The state government is attempting to snatch away the lands belonging to temples as well,” Vijayendra alleged and added that the teams would comprise all senior leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik into custody while staging a protest march to the office of Zameer Ahmad Khan in Bengaluru.

Muthalik along with Hindutva activists was planning to lay siege to Zameer’s office over the Waqf row.

The police stopped Muthalik and requested him to submit the memorandum by reaching the minister’s office in a vehicle. However, Muthalik refused to go with the police and continued his footmarch. The police took him into custody following arguments.

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News Network
November 13,2024

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In the heart of Mangaluru, where rising air pollution is spurring public health worries, voices are calling for a greener, cleaner shift in the city’s public transport. Leading this call is APD Foundation, a Mangaluru-based environmental NGO, which has urged Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre to mandate electric vehicle (EV) adoption in public transport.

Abdullah A Rehman, CEO of APD Foundation, emphasized in a formal letter to the minister that Mangaluru’s public transportation system—efficient and organized with both government and private players—could transition smoothly to EVs in stages. He suggested that government-backed financial incentives, partnerships with EV manufacturers, and collaborations with environmental groups could streamline the switch.

Rehman stressed the potential of EVs to cut down emissions, enhance air quality, and reduce noise levels, noting the quieter operation of electric buses. He confirmed that a copy of his letter was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner as well.

However, Dilraj Alva from the Dakshina Kannada City Bus Association noted potential challenges, explaining that the shift might take up to two years due to infrastructure and budget hurdles. Most EV buses, he explained, are procured through aggregators, not directly by individual operators. The addition of charging stations and other essential infrastructure further complicates the transition.

Alva also raised the economic concern: while diesel buses are priced between ₹30-40 lakh, electric buses can cost up to ₹1 crore. Reflecting on recent meetings with companies, including one in Manipal, he questioned the assumption that EVs are an absolute solution to pollution. “EVs aren’t entirely eco-friendly, especially when considering battery disposal,” he cautioned.

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