QBengaluru: Heavy Rains Expected for Next Five Days & More

Latest news updates from Karnataka

Commuters struggle through a water-logged street after heavy rains in Bengaluru.

(Photo: IANS)

1. South, Coastal Karnataka to see Heavy Rainfall for Next 5 Days

Heavy rains are likely to lash south and coastal Karnataka for the next five days. Fishermen have been advised not to enter the sea from Friday until further notice.

The Meteorological Centre, Bengaluru, has issued heavy rainfall alert for Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Chamarajanagar, Chickballapur, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagaram, Shivamogga and Tumakuru districts till 9 October.

Heavy rainfall warning has been issued for all districts of coastal Karnataka for 8 and 9 October.

The region is reeling under the combined impact of two depressions – one in South East Arabian Sea off the coast of Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands, and the other in South West Bay of Bengal off the coast of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka – said CS Patil, in-charge director, Meteorological Centre, Bengaluru.

Source: The Hindu

2. Byelection Effect: Cabinet Rejig may be Deferred

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and his deputy G Parameshwara greet each other after their coalition government won the trust vote.(Photo: PTI)

The proposed Cabinet expansion in Karnataka is likely to be deferred till the Election Commission of India (ECI) announces the dates for bypolls to Ramnagar and Jamkhandi Assembly constituencies.

Since the ECI is likely to announce the poll dates of these two Assembly segments along with those for five state Assembly polls any day, Congress and JD(S) leaders have come to a decision that, in such a situation, an expansion should be held only after elections, a senior leader from Congress said.

The decision also stems from their apprehension that possible dissident activities as a fall out of the Cabinet expansion and the appointment of chairmen for boards and corporations may impact the candidates of both coalition partners in the bypoll, said the leader.

Source: Deccan Herald

3. FIR Against BWSSB Officials for Dumping Sewage in Stormwater Drain

File image of the BBMP headquarters. (Photo: BBMP)

Irked by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s (BWSSB) inaction on its staff dumping sewage into a stormwater drain on 19 September, a citizen delegation, led by 100-year-old freedom fighter HS Doreswamy, lodged a police complaint on Wednesday.

Based on the complaint, Ashok Nagar Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against BWSSB officials under multiple sections.

The FIR has been registered under section 268 (public nuisance), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection), 277 (fouling water of public spring or reservoir), 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health), 290 (punishment for public nuisance), 426 (punishment for mischief), 430 (mischief by injury to works of irrigation) and 120B (whoever is party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence) of the Indian Penal Code.

Source: The News Minute

4. Metro Line to Anjanapura, Kengeri delayed

Bengaluru’s Namma Metro. (Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Citizens will have to wait till 2020 before they can use the metro to commute to Anjanapura and Kengeri. The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), which had earlier set 2019 as the deadline to start commercial operations on the extended lines on Kanakapura Road and Mysuru Road, said that both routes will now be operational by 2020.

BMRCL managing director Ajay Seth said that the extended metro line on Kanakapura Road will be made operational first.

“Civil works on the extended line will be completed by April 2019, and system works will follow,” he said. This means that the lines will be operational only by 2020.

When asked about whether the crisis at IL&FS has hit the ongoing metro work on Mysuru Road, Seth said, “As far as Mysuru Road is concerned, they have done 75 percent of the work and there are no issues.”

Source: The Hindu

5. Panel to Look into Bengaluru’s Traffic Woes

About 1.18 million residents of Bengaluru waste 600 million man hours a year travelling, causing a loss of Rs 3,700 crore. Image used for representational purposes(Photo: Reuters)

Over the past few years, several reports have highlighted the snail's pace of Bengaluru's traffic, which has become a major concern for residents of the city as well as the local administration.

In order to address the city’s continuing traffic woes, a committee of representatives from various government agencies and domain experts is expected to come out with solutions.

The panel, which was recently formed following directives from Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar, will look into various problems affecting mobility in the city.

Bengaluru Metro Corporation Ltd MD Ajay Seth will be the chairman of the committee. The committee will also consist of members from the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Directorate of Urban Land Transport, BBMP, BDA and the city police, among others.

Experts from various institutions such as IISc and NGOs working in the sector will also be a part of the committee.

Source: The New Indian Express