Two House panels halt 'study tours', but another holidays in Australia

December 27, 2013

Siddu
Bangalore, Dec 27: Public criticism has forced two legislature committees to put on hold their proposed 'study tour' abroad. But, nine members of another legislature committee have already landed in Australia.

They are scheduled to visit New Zealand and welcome 2014 in style at a private hotel on the Fiji Islands, where the sun rises first in the whole world. On Thursday, sources in the secretariat said that the Estimates Committee's study tour to Brazil, Argentina and Peru had been postponed indefinitely after the adverse reactions, mainly in the media, to their trip.

While the chairman of the committee Malikayya Guttedar, the Congress MLA, is reportedly not ready to yield to the pressure to scrap the 'study tour', several members in the Estimates Committee are now sceptical about going on the tour. JD(S)?MLA?Shivashankar, who till Wednesday was for the trip, on Thursday said that he was not bothered with it any more.

“I have not given any thought to the trip,” he told Deccan Herald. Guttedar remained incommunicado.

According to officials in the secretariat, the Urban Local Bodies and Panchayat Raj Committee too had obtained sanction for its 'study tour' abroad. Now, this committee - with B Sriramalu and D?K?Shivakumar as its members - has also decided to postpone its trip.

The members of the Committee on Welfare of Backward Classes and Minorities is presently 'holidaying' in Australia.

The tour of the nine members, including three officers, is on till January 5, 2014. The members have already drawn an advance of Rs 96 lakh towards the trip. The balance 10 per cent of the funds will be claimed by the members once they return. This amount is exclusive of the TA/DA which the members will claim after they return.

None in the legislature secretariat is coming forward to give information regarding the tours of the various committees, though public money is being spent on them.

It is a known fact that no legislator bothers to submit a report on the 'study tour' or at least discuss about the 'knowledge' they gain, on the floor of the House.

BSR?Congress MLA from Kudachi P?Rajeev, who is also a member of the committee, told Deccan Herald, “I?do not think it is wrong to travel abroad. MLAs who visit foreign countries gain knowledge which can be used for developing their constituencies.”

Rajeev said even he was all set to go on the tour, with the visa coming through for the three countries.

However, due to constituency-related matters, he decided to drop out at the last moment. Four other MLAs also dropped out of the 'study tour' due to personal or constituency-related matters.

Commenting on the trips, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “I have no role play in this regard. It does not come under my purview. The MLAs have taken a decision to tour and they have gone ahead with it.”

When Jagadish Shettar was the chief minister, he had cancelled the trips of certain legislature committee members as there was public criticism. He had said that due to the drought-like situation in the State, it was not right on the part of the MLAs to tour abroad.

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News Network
September 17,2024

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Mangaluru: In an act of extraordinary selflessness, a young lecturer and mother, Archana Kamath, tragically passed away just days after donating a portion of her liver to a relative. She was 33.

Archana, who had devoted her career to shaping young minds as a lecturer at Canara College and most recently at Manel Srinivasa Nayak MBA College, was a loving mother to a four-year-old boy. Her sudden passing has left her family, students, and colleagues reeling in shock and grief.

The story of her untimely demise began when a relative of her husband, CA Chethan Kumar, required a life-saving liver transplant. 

With no other matching donors in sight, Archana stepped forward, her heart full of compassion. Her blood type matched, and without hesitation, she made the brave decision to donate a part of her liver—an act that would ultimately cost her life.

The surgery, performed 12 days ago in Bengaluru, seemed successful. Archana appeared to recover well and was discharged, bringing hope and relief to her loved ones. 

But just days after returning home, she suddenly fell ill and passed away on September 15 in a Mangaluru hospital. The cause of her sudden decline remains a mystery, compounding the sorrow of those who knew and loved her.

Her final act of love saved a life—the relative who received her liver is said to be recovering well. But Archana’s loss is felt deeply by her husband and their young son, who are now left to navigate a world without her warmth and strength.

As family and friends grapple with this tragic turn of events, Archana’s memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew her as a caring educator, devoted mother, and a woman whose ultimate sacrifice was made out of love.

The full story of her passing is still unfolding, and her untimely death has left an irreplaceable void in the lives of all who knew her.
 

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News Network
September 16,2024

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Mangaluru: Police have arrested five miscreants belonging to saffron outfits for pelting stones at a masjid at Katipalla near Surathkal on the outskirts of the city last night. 

The arrested have been identified as Bharat, Chennappa, Nitin, Manu and Sujit all residents of Surathkal and surrounding areas. Among them, Bharat is said to be a rowdy sheeter. 

The miscreants, who came on two motorbikes late on Sunday night, pelted stones at Masjidul Huda, located at 3rd block of Katipalla on the eve of Miladunnabi.  

Confirming the incident, City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal said that investigation is in progress and a case has been registered at Surathkal police station.

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News Network
September 20,2024

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Mandya: The Deputy Superintendent of Police of Nagamangala town in Mandya district has been suspended for "negligence and dereliction of duty" in connection with the clashes that broke out between two groups during a Lord Ganesh idol procession, police said on Friday.

This is the second suspension of a police officer over the clashes on September 11 following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension here.

The situation in the town has since returned to normalcy and most of the shops have started operating. However, adequate security forces continued to be stationed here as a precautionary measure, according to police.

Sumeeth A R, DySP (Nagamangala), was suspended on Thursday for negligence and dereliction of duty, Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baldandi told PTI.

"He (Sumeeth) was not present at the spot nor was he at the police headquarters when the incident occurred. He arrived late at the spot despite the sensitive nature of events," he said.

Earlier, Police Inspector Ashok Kumar posted at Nagamangala town police station was suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the violence.

A total of 55 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

According to police, an argument broke out between two groups, when the Ganesh idol procession by devotees from Badarikoppalu village reached a place of worship on September 11, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.

The police had used mild force to disperse the crowd to control the situation.

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