Karnataka   

Briefly

250 forest guards to be recruited

Bangalore: Minister for Environment and Forests C. Chennigappa assured the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that 250 guards would be recruited in July for the Bandipur and Nagarahole National Parks.

Replying to B.A. Jivijaya and Krishna Byre Gowda (both Congress), who raised the issue during Zero Hour, Mr. Chennigappa said that the post mortem reports on two tigers killed in the sanctuaries recently were awaited after which action would be initiated. He said a squad headed by a Principal Chief Conservator of Forests had been constituted to patrol the sanctuaries and curb the killing or hunting of animals, including tigers. — Staff Reporter

No tax on buttermilk, curds: Yediyurappa

BANGALORE: The Government on Tuesday clarified that buttermilk and curds had not been brought under VAT. Making a suo motu statement in the Legislative Council, Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said no tax of any kind had been levied on those two products, and any discussion on the subject is uncalled for.

"The people of Karnataka may consume as much buttermilk and curds as they want, without any fear that they will be taxed for it," he said. — Staff Reporter

Minister to meet cement manufacturers

Bangalore: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Govind Karjol informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that he would convene a meeting of cement manufacturers shortly to discuss the steep rise in price of the product. Replying to Jayaprakash Hegde (independent) during Zero Hour, the Minister said the Government did not have powers to direct cement producers to reduce the price as the Cement Control Order had been withdrawn.

Transport Minister N. Cheluvaraya Swamy assured Mr. Hegde that he would urge Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to reduce the police verification fee collected from youth seeking passports from Rs. 6,000, which was on the high side. — Staff Reporter

Nafees Fazal yet to be given security

BANGALORE: The former Minister Nafees Fazal (Congress) has her own doubts about how serious the Government is about bringing down the incidence of crimes against women. Some months ago, she received an anonymous letter threatening that acid would be thrown at her, she said in the Legislative Council on Monday. She promptly wrote to the then Chief Minister, and the Police Commissioner promised to give her adequate security.

However, nothing had been heard from the police, and she is still to be provided security, she said. "If this is the situation for someone who has been a Minister and continues to be an MLC, I shudder at the plight of ordinary women," she said. — Staff Reporter

21 cases of exam malpractice reported

BANGALORE: Twenty-one cases of malpractice were reported during the second-year pre-university examination in Biology (Part 2) and Statistics on Tuesday. Nine cases were reported from Bijapur, six from Gulbarga and one each from Bangalore South, Bangalore Rural, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur and Haveri districts, according to officials. — Staff Reporter

BSP threatens to stage protest

BANGALORE: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has threatened to stage a protest outside Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's residence on April 19 if the police protection given to the housing society formed by Krishnappa, MLA is not withdrawn.

State BSP president B. Gopal said at a press conference here on Tuesday that the housing society is developing sites at Raghuvanahalli and Vajarahalli. He pointed out that the matter was before the Supreme Court, which had ordered that status quo be maintained. However, Mr. Gopal claimed, Mr. Krishnappa had started construction work in the area under police protection. — Staff Reporter

Wipro chairman meets YSR

Bangalore: Wipro chairman Azim H. Premji met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in Bangalore on Monday and sought land for his company in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. . As part of its expansion plans in Andhra Pradesh, Wipro has sought additional land to build campuses in over 300 acres in Hyderabad spread and in 50 acres in Visakhapatnam. — Special Correspondent.

MSPL power generation

Bangalore: MSPL Limited, the largest iron ore mining and exporting company in the State and India's largest wind energy generator, has added another 5.20 MW at their Harihar wind farm in Karnataka. The company commissioned nine turbines of 600 kW capacity at Harihar last week. With this, its total capacity has gone up to 110.8 MW. — Special Correspondent

Dravidian varsity programme

KOLAR: Dravidian University in Kuppam has introduced a three-tier postgraduate programme which includes a five-year choice-based credit system, two-year regular master's degree programme and postgraduate diploma linked off the campus system, G. Lakshminarayana, Vice-Chancellor, said at a press conference on the university campus on Tuesday. — Correspondent

Assessment zone

Bangalore: MeritTrac Services, Skills Assessment Company on Tuesday set up an Assessment Zone, an integrated facility for assessments-led recruitment in Bangalore. It was inaugurated by K.Balaveera Reddy, Vice Chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technolgical University (VTU). — Special Correspondent

Sentenced to life imprisonment

BELLARY: K.J. Hosur, District and Session Judge, Bellary, has sentenced Chandregowda to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 2,000 for murdering former Hospet Taluk Panchayat president M. Suryanarayan.

Chandregowda had shot dead Suryanarayan when the latter was saluting the National Flag at a Republic Day function in 2003. Prior to opening fire, Chandregowda had hurled a machete at Suryanarayan, which missed its target.

Chitawadigi police had registered a case and filed the charge-sheet. — Staff Correspondent

Doctor killed in accident

DAVANGERE: Apoorva (27), teacher in radiology at S.S. Medical College and Hospital here, was killed in an accident near Vidya Nagar in the early hours on Tuesday.

The police said Apoorva was taking a stroll when a tractor hit him. According to an eyewitness, he died on the spot. It is said that he had planned to go to the U.S. for higher studies in pathology next week. — Staff Correspondent

Convict dies in hospital

GULBARGA: A convict undergoing life imprisonment at the Gulbarga Central Jail died at the Government General Hospital after prolonged illness.

Official sources said here on Tuesday that Gopal Narayan Rathod (36) was suffering from tuberculosis and died after failing to respond to treatment at the Government General Hospital here on Monday. His body was handed over to his mother after conducting the post-mortem.

Sources said Rathod was sentenced to life imprisonment in a dowry death case in 2004. — Special Correspondent

Lorry seized

BIDAR: Forest Department officials seized a lorry laden with smuggled wood at Meenkera village in Humnabad taluk on Sunday.

A team led by Assistant Conservator of Forests N.R. Patil seized the lorry near Meenkera Cross on the Mumbai-Hyderabad National Highway.

The lorry is liable for confiscation under the Karnataka Forest Act, as it was used to smuggle wood, it is learnt. — Staff Correspondent

Held on rape charge

Raichur: The Raichur police arrested Muneer, an autorickshaw driver, on the charge of raping a 20-year-old girl in Yergera village near here on Monday. He has been remanded in judicial custody.

The police said the accused allegedly entered the house of the girl in the village in the early hours of Monday and raped her. He escaped when the victim raised an alarm. But the police arrested him.

The Yergera police have registered a case. — Staff Correspondent

Labourers die

Raichur: Basavaraj (20) and Shivalingappa (22), labourers, who developed serious breathing problems when they inhaled a pesticide while they were working at a field in K. Hosalli in Sindhanur taluk on Monday, died at the Government hospital at Sindhanur town. The Turvihal police have registered a case. — Staff Correspondent

Parking for SP rally

HUBLI: In view of the State-level rally of Samajwadi Party to be held in Hubli on Wednesday, the police have made separate parking arrangements for the vehicles that come from various parts of the State. The police have appealed to the party activists and leaders to park their vehicles at the stipulated places. The roads and the parking area are: Gadag Road- Andhra School; Navalgund Road- Keshwapur Saraswati Layout; Dharwad Road, KMC Ground; Gokul Road, Muzahid Ground (Behind Glass House); Karwar Road- M.T.Mill Ground; and Bangalore Road, M.T. Mill Ground. — Staff Correspondent

`Samaritan purses' for slum children

HUBLI: "Samaritan purses", gift packs received from Minneapolis, U.S., through Gospel Mission of India, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, were distributed among 100 slum children studying at the Capitano School here. A.V.R.K. Sainath, Public Relations Officer, South Western Railway, distributed the gift packets. Iris, Superior Sister, explained the objectives with which the school was established and activities were undertaken by the school. — Special Correspondent

Ginger growers protest at Mudigere

CHIKMAGALUR: Farmers organised a protest at Mudigere on Monday to draw the attention of the Government to the plight of those who have cultivated ginger. They dumped ginger on the road in front of the bus stand demanding that the Government take steps to buy ginger and announce a support price. Addressing the farmers, Ginger Growers' Association general secretary Manjunath said the Government should compensate farmers for the loss incurred by them. He said farmers had borrowed heavily from private sources for ginger cultivation. — Correspondent

`Chikmagalur Sahasotsava'

CHIKMAGALUR: Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta has said that a State-level adventure sports programme "Chikmagalur Sahasotsava 2006" will be held in the district from April 17. In a press release, Mr. Gupta said the activities will include archery, target shooting, wall climbing, horse riding and obstacle course in the district stadium, kayaking and canoeing in Ayyanakere tank, trekking and mountain biking at Mullayyanagiri and parasailing and paragliding at Bababudangiri.

For details, contact the Department of Youth Services and Sports office. — Correspondent

Volvo bus to Hyderabad

HUBLI: North Western Road Transport Corporation has introduced the Volvo bus services between Hubli and Hyderabad. Every the bus will leave Hubli at 7.30 p.m. and reach Hyderabad at 5.30 a.m., the next day, a release said.

The bus will run via Gadag, Koppal, Gangavati, Raichur and Mehboobnagar. In the return direction the bus leaves Hyderabad at 10 p.m. and reaches Hubli at 8 a.m. the next day.

Seats can be reserved could be made at the old and new bus stands in Hubli and Dharwad, the release said. - Staff Correspondent

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