Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Foreign job racket busted

Source: Thehindu  :


One tout held

Bidar police have busted a ring of touts sending unemployed young people, promising them jobs, overseas. A team of officials arrested Sanjay Hegde, an agent from Kitta village, in this connection. He was working through M. Rafiqe based in Mangalore. These agents however, obtained tourist visas for the job seekers but lied to them that they were getting work visas.

They began working on this trail after a complaint from Digambar Patil, a farmer from Chalkapurwadi village in Bhalki taluk. Mr. Patil told Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Reddy that his brother Dattatri Patil had been jailed in Malaysia for staying without a proper visa and other documents.

“We began working on two levels. I contacted my batch mates from the Indian Foreign Service and other friends to get in touch with Malaysian authorities. We also began tracking the agents,” Mr. Reddy said.

Police contacted families of some other youth who had gone outside to work. They found out that the agent had sent scores of youth from Bidar to various countries including Malaysia. He was arrested soon. Police say they had information about other such agents operating in Bidar and surrounding areas and they would be arrested soon. Meanwhile, officials contacted their counterparts in the Malaysian government. “They demanded a letter and some documents to prove Dattatri’s credentials and we sent them. They assured to consider repatriation of the victim,” a senior officer said.

“We learnt that all agents followed the same procedure. They would sent these youth on tourist visas and promise that their contact in that country would meet them once they arrived. The ‘contact’ would take away their passports and other documents like education certificates. These people effectively became bonded labourers working without any valid documents. Once the host country’s government came to know about it, they would be arrested as they did not even have passports,’’ a member of the investing team said.

Patil’s family members say the young man is safe and healthy. “We approached MP Bhagwanth Khuba with a request. He spoke to the External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, and assured us that Dattatri will return to India in one or two days,” Digambar Patil, the victim’s brother, said.




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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/foreign-job-racket-busted/article7579176.ece

Showcasing the youth power


Source: deccanherald  :

Water sources and heritage sites in Bidar are no more neglected, thanks to an increased awareness among the people of the city. A visit to the public well at Ramachandra Nagar, which was contaminated due to open defecation and waste disposal until a few months ago, will give you an idea.

The residents now know the consequences of using polluted water and keep a constant watch. Other wells scattered across Bidar are also assessed for their water level and quality, and efforts are on to ensure necessary treatment. All these activities are anchored by Team Yuva, an association of the city’s youth, that is striving to build a proactive society.

It all started three years ago when Vinay Malge, a member of the Team, realised the need for improving the communication skills of the youth of the region. He teamed up with like-minded friends and decided to guide and empower youngsters by giving them proper exposure and training. The Team, which consists of people from different professional, social and economical backgrounds, was launched on December 2, 2012.

Now, the Team has over 60 members of whom 25 reside in Bidar and get involved in day-to-day activities, while others who live in different cities support the cause in their own way. Some promote the efforts through social networking, while others support by sharing their knowledge and experience. Influenced by the Team’s activities, a large number of college students participate in its activities as volunteers.

The Team believes in being apolitical in nature and stresses majorly on social work. It has been conducting workshops for rural students of Bidar, Aurad and Bhalki taluks to help them get good results in the SSLC exam. It also organises programmes to create awareness on the harmful effects of open defecation and the need to maintain clean surroundings.

The members are also making people aware of Bidar’s historical significance and the city’s potential to grow as a tourism centre. “Heritage monuments are the strength of Bidar and their conservation would have a positive impact on the social and economic status of the city. We are working towards developing a model tourism destination, where all stakeholders sustain and prosper,” says Vinay. They have initiated a cleaning drive at many historical places of the city. They have also collaborated with the Archaeological
Survey of India to convey the significance of these monuments to localites and tourists. One of their initiatives is to conduct heritage walks for the public and the school children, to enable them to appreciate and protect the city’s rich culture and architecture.

Team Yuva is also a big supporter of the district administration’s effort to revive the ancient karez system, a tunnel-shaped underground water supply set-up, which taps into natural springs and supplies water to man-made water reserves. Acknowledging the Team’s efforts, the district administration has assigned it the task of monitoring the revival work. They are conducting heritage walks along the karez to help people explore this unique system of underground waterways. “Geologist Govindan Kutty has been guiding us in this effort,” acknowledges the Team.

Team Yuva has shown a constructive way of utilising the youth power in achieving a benevolent goal. It can be reached at malgevinay@gmail.com.

Chandrakanth Masani
(Translated by Anitha Pailoor)



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Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/497061/showcasing-youth-power.html

Five killed in Nanded Express accident near Anantapur


Source: The Hindu 
August 24, 2015






The mangled remains of a coach of the Bangalore-Nanded Express which rammed into a lorry in Anatapur district on Monday morning. Six, including a Karnataka MLA, died in the accident.





Special ArrangementThe Bangalore-Nanded Express collided with a lorry early Monday morning resulting in derailment of four coaches.




One of the deceased is an MLA from Karnataka who was travelling to his constituency from Bengaluru.

Five people died in a freak accident near Madakasira Railway Gate 14 k.m. from Penugonda in the district when a truck carrying a granite boulder rammed into the Nanded bound Bangalore-Nanded express train at around 2:30 AM today.

Speaking to The Hindu, the Anantapur superintendent of Police, S.V. Rajasekhar Babu, who along with the district collector Kona Sasidhar reached the accident spot, said that the brakes of the truck carrying the granite boulder, weighing several tonnes, had failed leading it to ram into the S1 coach of the Bangalore - Nanded express.

While five including the truck's cleaner, who is yet to be identified, have been pronounced dead by doctors at the Hindupur government general hospital, more than 30, mostly from the S1 coach were injured. Five out of them belonging to the same coach were learnt to have sustained severe injuries and have since been sent to Bengaluru for better treatment.

One of deceased have been identified as Venkatesh Naik, the legislator from Devadurga Assembly constituency of Raichur district in Karnataka, who was travelling to his constituency from Bengaluru.

Party workers pay last respects to Venkatesh Naik

The other deceased identified, as of now, are Sayyad Ahmed, a railway technician from Karnataka; Pulla Rao, a farmer from Richard district of Karnataka; VST Raju, general manager of a private company in Bengaluru. One more deceased remains to be conclusively identified, said the railway police, speaking toThe Hindu.

Following are the official Helpline numbers:


Bangalore City Railway Station 080 22354108, 09731666751, 080 22156553
Bangalore Cantonment 080 2333 9163, 58885
Hindupur Station 08556220444
Penukonda Station 0855220244
accident spot 09701374062, 09493548005, 09448090399, 00873-763945549.
South Central Railway Anantapur :- 09100992941, 09676903449; 08554-236444, Dharmavaram: - 08559-222555, Guntakal:- 09676903466, Yadgir:- 078999300084; 08473250365, Tandur:- 08411-272010, Vikarabad:- 08416-252013 , Bidar:- 08482-226329, Parli:-02446-222008, Nanded:- 09730471077




“The boulder got deposited onto the S1 coach which has been the most damaged and accounted for all deaths until now except one, the truck's cleaner,” said Mr Rajasekhar Babu.

The lorry broke the closed gate at a manned level crossing between Rengapalli and Penukonda station in Anantapur district and rammed into the Banglore-Nanded Express (Train no: 16594) due to negligence of the lorry driver. It resulted in derailment of four coaches, said Railway Ministry spokesperson.

Of the injured those brought to Bengaluru include Suresh, a contract employee who distributes bedrolls, who has two fractures in his leg. Mr. Jagmohan Gupta and wife who sustained minor injuries and were treated. "Track restoration work has already started. We will post updates once it is completed," said Sanjiv Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager, South Western Railway.

Meanwhile, several trains - Rajdhani express, Bidar express and Sholapur express - have been stopped in their tracks and various places in the district while several others are being diverted through Pakala line from Guntakal junction.

The railway authorities have opened up helpline numbers - 08555-220249, 08559-222555 and 08554-236444 - even as they said that more than 20 of the injured were declared to be out of danger by doctors at Hindupur. The condition of five more is learnt to be stable.

Meanwhile, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted offering condolences to families of the deceased:



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source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/bangalorenanded-express-accident-in-anantapur/article7574384.ece

Heritage homestays to debut in Bidar



Source: the Hindu :-








Visitors to Bidar will soon be able to stay in heritage houses within walking distance of national monuments or pilgrimage centres and enjoy the hospitality of the family. This is part of the government’s plan to promote heritage homestays in the historic city.

The process that started in 2011 seems to have culminated now. Resource persons of the Indian Heritage Cities Network have mapped around 350 heritage houses, mostly in the public enclosure outside the fort’s main gate. The unique features of these houses were registered in the Bidar Heritage City Development Plan. The first workshop on heritage houses was held in 2012 in which Debashish Nayak, Director, Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad University, spoke to officials and NGO representatives.

In the next phase, the district administration plans to expose the owners of these houses to the concept of heritage homestays. Those interested will be trained in sprucing up the houses and treating guests.

“Promoting homestays is a very interesting way of developing tourism as it engages the common man in the development of the city,” Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, told The Hindu . It brings in revenue to the people directly and creates jobs. More importantly, it builds cultural relationships between the guest and the host, he said.

“First, we need to sell the idea to the house owners so that they are willing partners in the initiative,” he said. Another parallel task would be to involve tour operators and tourism promoting agencies. This is to ensure that while we create facilities for tourists, we should also make sure that the number of tourists visiting the city increases, Mr. Tewari said. He was confident that his experience as the Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu would help him in promoting the concept in Bidar.

Tourism Department officials said they were in touch with tour operators. A meeting of the operators from Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other nearby cities would be organised soon, they said. “We will be happy if we can turn at least 10 per cent of the 350 heritage houses in Bidar city into homestays,” said Kishor Joshi, Assistant Director, Tourism.



Govt. to promote 350 such houses to develop tourism in Bidar city




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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/heritage-homestays-to-debut-in-bidar/article7573713.ece

For residents, the wait gets longer for 24X7 water

Source: The Hindu  :



Cost of each installation is Rs. 6,500

Bidar residents may have to wait 2-3 months to get 24X7 water supply in their homes, officials of the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation announced in Bidar on Saturday. Though the work of installing door-to-door tap connections would start this week, families had to wait for 2-3 months for water to flow from those pipes, they said.

S. Lakshman Rao, executive engineer KUIDFC, Bidar, informed the City Municipal Council at a meeting that the work of branching out the main supply pipe and providing door-to-door connections will start from Monday.

The CMC approved the KUIDFC’s proposal that the cost of each installation would add up to around Rs. 6,500. Each connection would be metered and the users would have to pay money for the water they used.

Move opposed

Most members said that they would have no objection to any of the policies or actions of the KUIDFC as long as water supply was assured. Mansur Quadri, member, however, opposed the move and said there was no need for 24X7 water supply as it would be “very costly”.

People in the city have got used to getting water thrice every week. We should continue this, without increasing the tariff, he said.

Round-the-clock water supply is a scheme funded by the Asian Development Bank. The project is being implemented by the KUIDFC.

CMC president Fatima Anwar Ali, vice-president Gangamma Mahantayya and other members spoke.


‘Users will have to pay money for the water they use’

The scheme is funded by Asian Development Bank



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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/for-residents-the-wait-gets-longer-for-24x7-water/article7570949.ece

Bidar taluk will be drought-free in four years: Kheny



Massive rainwater harvesting measures will be taken up to make Bidar taluk drought-free in three to four years, according to Ashok Kheny, MLA.

He was addressing the Karnataka development programme review meeting in Bidar on Friday.

According to him, building small check dams would be more efficient and economic way of harvesting water. We can spend less money and make micro watershed structures, he instructed engineers.

He said he had identified around 850 sites for construction of check-dams. As much as Rs. 12 crore would be needed to build 200 check dams. So a proposal to that effect has been sent to the State government, he said, adding that besides increasing the number of check-dams, lakes will also be rejuvenated.

No encroachments

Mr. Kheny also said that Kamathana tank spread across 1,000 acres of land, and built in the medieval era will be cleared of encroachments and cleaned so that water can be stored in it. The MLA informed the meeting that he had sought the State government’s funds to develop the Changalera Shiva temple into a tourist spot. He reprimanded officials for the delay in energising irrigation pump sets. Contractors who do a shoddy work shall not be paid but those who do quality work should be paid on time, he said. Action would be taken against officials who are engaged in irregularities, he threatened.



The MLA says he has identified 850 sites for construction of check-dams


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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bidar-taluk-will-be-droughtfree-in-four-years-kheny/article7570945.ece

Bidar getting ready to embrace postal ATMs



Source: The Hindu :-


Bidar Head Post Office has begun preparations to provide Automated Teller Machine (ATM) facilities to depositors. This, the officials say, is among the initial steps to roll out the payment banking operations recently approved by the Reserve Bank of India.

India Post branches are already offering ATM services in cities such as Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Kalaburagi. Bidar is included in the second phase, where over 1,000 ATMs are being installed.

As a first step, complete computerisation of data has been achieved. Core Banking Solutions platforms are being built to integrate records of savings bank deposits with the department’s branches pan-India.

“We have demarcated a secure room for installing the ATM. The machine would be installed soon,” S.S. Kandimath, superintendent of posts, told The Hindu.

The Bidar division of India Post has 170 post offices and rural branches. The post offices and branches have a total of 3,50,004 Savings Bank accounts. “This is our most popular scheme. We also offer eight other financial services and two insurance schemes,” Mr. Kandimath said. Recurring deposits, monthly income schemes, term deposits and public provident fund schemes add up to another 2 lakh accounts.

When the department started issuing ATM cards, the first ones to get them were the employees. “We are also encouraging our regular customers to opt for these cards. A minimum of 1,000 cards are being issued in the first phase. We anticipate a higher demand and have sought release of more cards from the central office,” a senior officer said, adding, “In our division, we have more savings bank accounts than all the branches of all banks in the district put together. It shows our trust levels. We will build on that.”

Another officer said that a section of the staff will be deputed to banking and financial operations very soon. They will work from the same premises, but will have distinct functions, said an officer with knowledge of the financial transactions 

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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bidar-getting-ready-to-embrace-postal-atms/article7566237.ece

Officials suspended for dereliction of duty


source: The Hindu :


Deputy Commissioner Anurag Tewari has suspended two revenue officials on the charges of dereliction of duty and negligence, among others. Aravind Biradar, land surveyor, and S. Jhareppa, second division assistant, both from Bhalki Tahsildar Office, have been suspended. The other charges against them are of unauthorised absence, misbehaviour and delay in clearing files.



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source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/officials-suspended-for-dereliction-of-duty/article7562030.ece

‘Urs was a leader who took bold decisions’



Source: the Hindu :-




D. Devraj Urs, the late Chief Minister, was a leader who took bold decisions for the welfare of the poor, Bhagwant Khuba, MP, has said in Bidar on Thursday. He was speaking at the Devraj Urs centenary year celebrations organised by various departments and the district administration.

In the eight years that he was the Chief Minister, he strived for the overall development of the State with a special focus on the welfare of backward classes. He asked deprived classes to be self-reliant and develop a sense of dignity, he said.

Urs brought about laws to redistribute land among the landless, abolish bonded labour and improve the economic condition of the poor, the MP said.

Raghunath Malkapure, MLC, said Urs’s ideology continued to influence social welfare schemes across the country.




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Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/urs-was-a-leader-who-took-bold-decisions/article7562053.ece

Two arrested for murder of Congress leader


Source: the Hindu :-  

Bidar police have solved the murder case of Bidar block Congress committee Ghulam Mateen Ghulam Hussein, and arrested the two accused within 12 hours of the incident.

Ghulam Mateen (39) was killed on Friday night by Rasheed Sharief (58) and his son Firoz Rasheed (26) both from Barud Galli in the old city. The duo were upset that M. Waheed, a trader from Bidar, had rejected a girl from their family, and married Mateen’s sister.

The father and son attacked Mateen in front of their home with knives and ran away after injuring him severely. Mateen died in the hospital.

A team led by S. S Alamelkar, deputy superintendent of police, circle inspectors Basaveshwar Heera, Vishwanath Kulkarni, Ali Sab, S. Raghavendra, Srimant Illal, T. Raghavendra, Parsappa Vananjkar, Vijay Kumar Biradar, Prakash Yatnur and others conducted the investigations and arrested the accused, police said.

Ms. Umashree, district in-charge minister, visited Mateen’s home and consoled his family members.


source:: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/two-arrested-for-murder-of-congress-leader/article7544416.ece

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Bidar DC seeks report on charges against Jaffer



source: DeccanHerald :-    



The Bidar deputy commissioner on Friday asked the assistant commissioner to submit a report on the allegation that Dr P C Jaffer, during his tenure as Bidar DC, had alienated Wakf lands.

“ Four acres of land in survey number 15 of Chidri village and two acres in survey number 61 of Halladakeri (K) belong to Wakf Board. A complaint has been received stating that these two pieces of land have been alienated in favour of private persons in violation of rules.

Since the minister has sought to know the real facts of the case, a probe has been ordered into the charges,” deputy commissioner Anurag Tiwari said.

The assistant commissioner has been asked to submit a report by August 20. IAS officer Dr Jaffer was recently appointed as the registrar of Lokayukta. However, he is yet to take charge.

District Wakf Officer Kuddus said that the two lands belong to the Wakf Board as per the gazette notification and it had come to notice that the they had been alienated in favour of private persons. However, the facts of the case would become more clear only after a detailed verificat-ion of the documents, he said.

When contacted, Dr Jaffer said that there was no clear reference to the lands in question in records and they had been converted for non-agricultural purposes only after verification of documents.

“Everything is legal. All the documents are with the Bidar district administration and anyone can ascertain truth by perusing them,” he said.


source:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/495302/bidar-dc-seeks-report-charges.html

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August driest month so far for Bidar

Source: The Hindu :-








 The district in-charge Minister has asked officials to prepare a contingency plan for supplying drinking water.— File Photo





Around 300 villages suffer from lack of drinking water

The district is going through one of the worst droughts of the century, with rainfall less than half of the aggregated annual average.

As per the annual aggregated average, Bidar receives around 900 mm of rainfall. Of this, 200 mm is received in August, the rainiest month of the year.

However, August has proven to be the driest month this year. Rainfall scarcity in the five taluks is around 70 per cent till August 12.

The overall rainfall scarcity is around 55 per cent.

Drinking water is scarce in around 300 of the 900 villages and hamlets, officials informed the district in-charge Minister at a recent meeting.

The Minister has asked officials to prepare a contingency plan for supplying drinking water and implement it after approval from the State government.

Fodder scarcity is another issue haunting farmers. Most farms lack green grass and few farmers can afford to buy dry fodder or oil cakes to feed animals.

“Most of us are cutting down trees on the road side to feed bulls or sheep,” Raghunath Ramshetty, a farmer from Markhal village, said.

The State government has decided to close down the lone goshala in the district and has asked the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry not to open any more.

This decision was taken after some farmers organisations complained of irregularities in running goshalas, officials said. “We have been asked to sell grass and fodder at subsidised rates to animal rearers, by setting up fodder banks at the hobli-level or Raitha Samparka Kendras,” a Veterinary Department officer said. The price of one bundle of hay has been fixed at Rs. 6.

Crop loss

The initial rain spurred sowing on nearly 90 per cent of the targeted area of 3.4 lakh hectares. These crop has either dried up or become stunted as rainfall reduced drastically later.

This also ensured that farmers would suffer huge losses as they will not get the return on their investment, seeds, fertilizers and land preparation.

Agriculture Department officials said that at least half the crop would be lost.

District administration sources said that though the State cabinet had decided to declare drought in 98 taluks, official orders were yet to reach the districts. “We are ready to take up drought relief works,” Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, said.

“Our contingency plan includes reviving the existing drinking water sources, setting up fodder banks, starting works in rural areas to contain migration, and ground surveys to estimate crop loss. We have sought additional financial assistance from the State government to take up scarcity relief works,” Mr. Tewari said.

Earlier droughts according to district statistical office

1931

1972,

1983,

1992

2005

Rainfall

June – 99 mm out of the normal of 127 mm

July – 57.5 mm out of the normal of 186 mm

August- 47 out of the normal of 71 mm

Sowing

Sown area- 3.18 lakh hectares out of the target of 3.39 lakh hectares

Tur- 69,634 hectares,

Black gram- 21,984 hectares

Green gram – 25,141 hectares

Jowar- 25, 400 hectares,

Sugarcane- 30,000 hectares,

Minor millets, fodder grass and others – 1.5 lakh hectares.



Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/august-driest-month-so-far-for-bidar/article7537506.ece




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Farmer groups stage nightlong dharna in Bidar





Source: the Hindu :- 




Members of various farmer associations began a nightlong dharna demanding drought relief measures in Bidar on Tuesday. They gathered inside a tent put up before the Deputy Commissioner’s office, listened to speeches by their leaders, and submitted a memorandum to the government.

They had a mass lunch and had come prepared to sleep in tents.

Crop insurance

Their demands included universal crop insurance, hiking crop loss compensation to Rs. 10,000 per acre, ensuring payment of all arrears to sugarcane growers, fresh loans at zero per cent interest and other benefits. D.K. Sidram, the former zilla panchayat member who organised the protest, demanded that the State government declare Bidar a drought-hit district immediately.

He said that rainfall scarcity was the most severe in several decades and farmers were suffering. He said cattle had no fodder and housewives were tired of getting drinking water from far off places. He vowed to continue to lead the protest till the State government announced drought relief measures.

Veerabhushan Nandagave, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader, expressed deep displeasure at the Union and State governments for “neglecting the issues haunting farmers”. He said the government needs to battle farm crisis on priority. Members of Hasiru Sene and other farmers associations were present.



source:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/farmer-groups-stage-nightlong-dharna/article7528366.ece

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Bidar staring at one of its worst droughts’

source: The Hindu :-



BJP legislators and members protesting against the State government at Bidar Zilla Panchayat on Friday.— Photo: Gopichand T..
 




 People are undergoing untold suffering. There is really no way we can console them.

MLA demands beginning of relief measures immediately

Bidar is facing the worst drought in over 40 years, said Eshwar Khandre, MLA, here on Friday.

He was speaking at the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting at the zilla panchayat. “People are undergoing untold suffering. There is really no way we can console them,” he said.

He demanded that the State government declare Bidar a drought-hit district, start relief measures such as supplying drinking water, setting up fodder banks, creating jobs under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), and assessment of crop loss. He argued that most water sources had dried up across the district and it was time to start providing water through tankers to villages.

‘Last option’

Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, said the State government had asked officials to consider using tankers for water supply as the last option.

“First we will explore using water from surface sources, and then take up cleaning and de-silting of tanks and wells, and then flushing and deepening of borewells. When none of them yield water, we will look at tankers,” he said.

Mallikarjun Khuba, MLA, said officials had not done a proper job of assessing crop-loss. Few have visited fields and prepared reports after meeting farmers. Most have done it from their offices, he said. “Officials keep saying MNREGA is not attracting labourers. I believe that is due to delays in payment to MNREGA labourers,” he said. He asked the officials to speed up payment and create rural jobs under the scheme.

District in-charge Minister Umashree, who was also present, said the government had a fairly clear idea of the scarcity situation. “We are releasing money to Deputy Commissioners to take up water supply works and starting MNREGA works,” she said.


People are undergoing untold suffering. There is really no way we can console them.



Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bidar-staring-at-one-of-its-worst-droughts/article7514612.ece

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Farmers demand immediate drought relief measures



Source: The Hindu :-


Farmers protesting against the delay in drought relief steps in Bidar on Friday.— Photo: Gopichand T.



Members of farmers’ associations protested against district in-charge Minister Umashree, demanding immediate drought relief measures in the district.

The protesters were waiting at the Bidar Fort and met the Minister, who was on her way to the Zilla Panchayat. Their leaders made speeches, submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, and dispersed.

Mallikarjun Swamy, farmers’ leader, complained that the government had completely neglected farmers. He criticised the government for its failure to start drought relief works in north Karnataka.

“We are dying here, but the government in Bengaluru is yet to decide on whether drought should be declared,” he said.

He demanded hiking the crop-loss compensation amount to Rs. 1 lakh per acre. His demands included easy access to loans, subsidies for farm inputs such as seed and fertilizers, higher remuneration for farm produce, protective irrigation, and universal crop insurance. He suggested promotion of solar energy, taking up cloud-seeding to get rains, and support to sugar factories to start crushing from the next season.

Sri Shivakumar Shivacharya Swami said it was the responsibility of the State and society to prevent farmers’ suicides. He said the government had to act immediately and address the agrarian crisis.

Ms. Umashree promised to convey their demands to the Chief Minister. Later, she said the government was collecting data from all taluks before taking a decision on declaring drought. Revenue Minister V. Srinivas Prasad is meeting officials at the division levels, she said.




Source:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/farmers-demand-immediate-drought-relief-measures/article7514614.ece


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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

ರಾಯಚೂರು ವಲಯ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್‌‌: ಬೀದರ್‌ಗೆ ಭರ್ಜರಿ ಜಯ


Source: Enaadu India .



Published 04-Aug-2015 10:04 IST

 à²­ಾನುವಾರ ಹಾಗೂ ಸೋಮವಾರ ಬೀದರ್‌ನ ನೆಹರು ಕ್ರಿಡಾಂಗಣದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆದ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ, ರಾಯಚೂರು ವಲಯದ ಒಂದನೇ ಆವೃತ್ತಿಯ ಎರಡು ದಿನದ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ಪಂದ್ಯಾವಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಟಾಸ್‍ಗೆದ್ದು ಮೊದಲು ಬ್ಯಾಟಿಂಗ್ ಆಯ್ದುಕೊಂಡ ಜೈ ವಿಜಯ ರಾಯಚೂರು ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ತಂಡ ಮೊದಲ ಇನ್ನಿಂಗ್ಸ್‌‌ನಲ್ಲಿ 175ರನ್‍ಗಳಿಗೆ ಸರ್ವಪತನಗೊಂಡಿತು.

ನಂತರ ಬ್ಯಾಟಿಂಗ್‌‌ ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದ ಗಜಾನನ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ತಂಡ ಮೊದಲ ಇನ್ನಿಂಗ್ಸ್‌‌ನಲ್ಲಿ 379ರನ್ ಗಳಿಸಿದರು. ತಂಡದ ಪರವಾಗಿ ಪೃಥ್ವಿರಾಜ 114 ರನ್, ಕೇದಾರನಾಥ 72ರನ್, ಸಲೀಮ್ ಅಖ್ತರ್‌‌ 45ರನ್ ನಿತಿನ್‌‌ 34ರನ್‍ ಗಳಿಸಿ ಗಜಾನನ ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ಕ್ಲಬ್ ಮೊದಲ ಇನಿಂಗ್ಸ್‌‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಮುನ್ನಡೆ ಪಡೆಯಿತು.

ಎರಡನೇ ಇನಿಂಗ್ಸ್ ಆಡಲು ಇಳಿದ ಜೆ.ವಿ.ಸಿ ರಾಯಚೂರು ತಂಡ 190 ರನ್‍ಗಳಿಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ವಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಇನಿಂಗ್ಸ್ ಹಾಗೂ 14 ರನ್‍ಗಳ ಹೀನಾಯ ಸೋಲು ಕಂಡಿತು. ಬೀದರ್‌‌ ತಂಡದ ಪರವಾಗಿ ವಿಕ್ಕಿ ಅತವಾಳ 3, ಪೃಥ್ವಿರಾಜ 2, ಯುವರಾಜ ಉಣ್ಣೆ 2 ವಿಕೆಟ್‌‌ ಪಡೆದು ಸಂಭ್ರಮಿಸಿದರು.

ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿಕಾಂತ್ ಆಗಮನದ ಬಳಿಕ ರಾಯಚೂರಿನ ನಿವಾಸಕ್ಕೆ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಭದ್ರತೆ ನೀಡುವ ಸಾಧ್ಯತೆ ಇದೆ. ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿಕಾಂತ್ ವಾಪಸಾದ ಬಳಿಕ ಜನದಟ್ಟಣೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯತೆ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಕ್ರಮ ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಠಾಣೆ ಪೊಲೀಸರಿಗೆ ಹಿರಿಯ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಈ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಸೂಚನೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

Source:http://kannada.eenaduindia.com/Sports/Cricket/2015/08/04100409/Raichur-Zone-Cricket-Bidar-team-won-the-match.vpf

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Bidar and other towns to get water once a week


Source: The Hindu: 


Some drastic measures will be initiated as part of a contingency plan to be implemented to combat drought in Bidar district. Bidar and other towns will get water once a week, Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, announced at the officers’ meeting on Tuesday. Such rationing will help us fight scarcity for the next few months, he said.

He reacted after officials told him that water in the Karanja reservoir, the main source of water for Bidar, Humnabad and Chitaguppa, was at its lowest level of 0.56 tmc ft. The dam was built to impound 14 tmc ft of water. Its annual average holding has been 9-11 tmc ft.

The law empowers officials to take over private drinking water sources in times of crisis, he said. He directed officials to take over wells and borewells.

“In case you have to supply water through tankers, they will have to be fitted with GPS. Each supply has to be documented along with signature and mobile numbers of some beneficiaries of the area supplied,” he said.

E.V. Ramana Reddy, district nodal secretary, asked officials to complete all pending drinking water works.

source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bidar-and-other-towns-to-get-water-once-a-week/article7499178.ece


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Pandurang Dahi Handi celebrated

Source: The Hindu :


Believers celebrated Pandurang Dahi Handi in Bidar on Saturday.

They marched to the Pandurangana Pada (Panduranga’s foot) in the old city of Bidar singing bhajans and abhangs (devotional songs). They performed puja at the Panduranga Temple and broke the Dahi handi, (pot of curds) that had been tied to a long pole.

Belief


Bidar residents believe that Damaji Pant, a devotee of Panduranga was rescued by the lord when the King wanted to initiate legal action against him for feeding the poor during a famine.

The place where Lord Panduranga is supposed to place his foott is called Pandurangana Pada.


source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/pandurang-dahi-handi-celebrated/article7491068.ece



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An AC with a 550-year warranty


Source: The Hindu  




The wind-catcher at the Takht Mahal in Bidar fort.— photo: gopichand t.


This natural cooling system is in existence in the old Bidar fort

What is the warranty period on your air-conditioning system — five, seven or at the most 12 years? How about a system that has a warranty of 550 years?

Bidar fort houses this system. The Gagan Mahal, or the grand palace that has the takht (throne), has just such a natural cooling structure.

Local guides call it the ‘Bahmani AC’. Built by the Bahmani kings in the 15th century, it still functions.

Cool air gushes out from the bottom of the twin tunnels that are connected to towers on the ceiling. However, the roof of the building has collapsed, depriving visitors of a real air-conditioned experience.

The technique involved is simple. Hot air, sucked in from the surroundings, moves up a quadrangular pillar. It gets cooled, gains weight and comes down. Air is thus cooled by convection and evaporation.

The walls of the tower, exposed to the sun, attract cool humid air towards them. This happens through multiple vents, providing ample supply of cool air. Two such pillars are fixed in each room, on opposite sides of the hall.

These structures, called Badgeer, Malqaf or Hawa Khamba (wind-catcher), are also found in other buildings, including the Rangeen Mahal, Turkash Mahal or Queen’s Palace, and the Diwan-e-Khas or VIP enclosure.

There are some such structures inside the city too. Havelis of zamindars and the rich had these structures. “I had saw them while growing up in the old city,” says historian Abdul Samad Bharati.

V. Govindan Kutty, groundwater expert who has worked on the Surang Bavi system of medieval era aqua ducts in Bidar, said the method of cooling buildings involved both wind tunnels and underground water canals.

“There were several wind-catchers along the Jamuna Mori or the Shukla Teertha channels originating in the old city and ending in the Bidar fort. Some houses had basements where people would collect water. The combination of wind-catchers and underground channels led to general cooling of these houses,” Mr. Kutty said. He points out that this system is used extensively in Iran, where multiple wind-catchers are built over cisterns to chill water.

“The government should take steps to conserve these structures” says Digambar Thakur, heritage enthusiast.

This natural cooling system is in existence in the old Bidar fort



source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/an-ac-with-a-550year-warranty/article7483795.ece


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Digital assessment process zone to come up in Bidar

Source: The Hindu.   


Tata Consultancy Services will set up an iON digital assessment process zone in Bhemmanna Khandre Institute of Technology in Bhalki on August 6.

R.V. Deshpande, Minister for heavy industries and tourism will inaugurate it. Ganesh Subramanian, head, DEMAT services, TCS; Rajshekar Patil, MLA; Sharanappa Mattur, MLC; Khaji Arshed Ali, chairman, Bidar Urban Development Authority; and Eshwar Khandre, MLA, and president of the college committee, will be present.

Mr. Deshpande will also inaugurate the new building of the government polytechnic. Umashree, district in-charge Minister; Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli, MLA; and Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner; would be present, said a press release issued by Hosalli Prabhu, principal.


Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/digital-assessment-process-zone-to-come-up-in-bidar/article7497760.ece

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Bidar ZP starts ‘shramdan’ to clean wells


Source: The Hindu  :


The Bidar Zilla Panchayat has begun a ‘shramdan’ programme across the district.

Workers and farmers can enrol in schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and they will be paid wages even if they clean wells or create water harvesting structures such as farm ponds on their own farm. Open wells on public or private land will be taken up for cleaning.

The project was launched on Sunday and the first well to be cleaned was in Sirgapur village in Basavakalyan taluk. Sharat B., Bidar Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer, got down into the well and began removing stone, silt, garbage and weeds. Other officers joined him too.

The well was cleaned after four hours of labour. Heavy rain had breached the Sirgapur tank bund last year, carrying silt and small stones into the wells.

“We are using village heralders to spread the message. We are urging village residents to utilise the facility and get job cards,” Mr. Sharat said. Work on dredging 36 of the 120 major tanks was under progress, he said. One third of the 600 villages are suffering from water scarcity in Bidar district that has received only 60 per cent of the aggregate annual rainfall this year. According to sources, most of these villages have drinking water schemes or locally available groundwater sources that can be harnessed. Existing borewells will be flushed and cleaned to increase yield.

According to a report sent to the State government, the district has 826 rural drinking water schemes. They consist of large cisterns in which water from nearby borewells was being filled. Water flows as an effect of gravity to mini-water tanks in different residential areas.

The problem, however, is that only 322 of these schemes have power supply. Taluk panchayat executive officers have requested the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company to provide power supply to these units.

The power distribution agency has approved only 74 requests till now.

Meanwhile, fodder is in short supply in the district. Veterinary Department officials estimate that standing green grass and fodder stock can last only six weeks.

“We have plans to set up fodder centres and cow sheds in case of fodder scarcity,” officials said.

One third of villages suffering from water scarcity in the district


source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/bidar-zp-starts-shramdan-to-clean-wells/article7497718.ece

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Demand to declare Bidar drought-hit

Source: The Hindu


Members of the Bidar Zilla Panchayat have urged the State government to declare the district as drought-hit and start relief works. At a general body meeting on Wednesday, the members complained that water scarcity and crop loss were troubling farmers.

Venkat Rao Biradar said that women were breaking off marriage in some villages as they were tired of collecting water after walking several km every day. Chandrashekar Biradar, member, asked officials to start dredging of open wells and tanks. Some members complained that though borewells were drilled in some places, they did not have pump sets or pipelines to supply water to houses.

Sharat B., Chief Executive Officer, said the demand had been conveyed to district in-charge Minister Umashree, who has promised to raise the issue with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Mr. Sharat said the district administration and the zilla panchayat had taken up dredging of tanks under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act. Agriculture Department officials said the district received only 156 mm rain, against the average of 296 mm and the deficit was 48 per cent.

Of the targeted 3.4 lakh hectares (ha), sowing had been completed only on 2.9 lakh ha, officials said.


‘Women breaking off marriage as they are tired of collecting water after walking several km’


Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/demand-to-declare-bidar-droughthit/article7479574.ece

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