Karnataka   

Briefly

Law soon on rural service for doctors

Bangalore: Health Minister R. Ashok on Thursday said in the Legislative Assembly that a law would be enacted making it mandatory for medical college graduates to serve in rural areas for at least three years.

Replying to K. Prabhakar Bangera, the Minister said the required Bill would be placed before the House during the session. Mr. Ashok said 1,500 doctors would be recruited and posted to government hospitals. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioners had been empowered to appoint doctors temporarily. Government doctors were getting around Rs. 14,000 a month, which was much below the scale fixed by the Pay Commission. The salary would be increased, he said. — Staff Reporter

Parishat puts off annual meet

HASSAN: Close on the heels of the postponement of the Vishwa Kannada Sammelan at Belgaum, the Karnataka Sugama Sangeeta Parishat has put off its 5th annual meet, which was scheduled to be held on Saturday and Sunday. The decision follows the volatile situation in the State after the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal announced its final award.

District convener of the parishat H.B. Madan Gowda told presspersons here on Thursday that an announcement would be made later on when the sammelan would be held. It is likely to be held in April or May. — Staff Reporter

`Resume telecast of Tamil channels'

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Tamil Makkal Iyakkam has urged the Government to ensure that resumption of telecast of Tamil channels that were taken off the air on Monday soon after the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal pronounced its final award.

In a press release here on Thursday, it said the blacking out of Tamil channels was an arbitrary act.

The Iyakkam would extend its support for the success of the bandh to be observed on February 12 to protest against the award. It urged the Government to protect Tamil-speaking people and their property on the day of the bandh.

— Staff Reporter

Official held for demanding bribe

BANGALORE: Lokayukta officials trapped an Assistant Director of Horticulture in Koppal on Tuesday while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 5,000 from a farmer.

A Lokayukta press release said Assistant Director of Horticulture P. Chandrashekar Gowda had demanded a bribe of Rs. 5,000 from Prakash Kumar, a resident of Basapura village, to release subsidy for the cultivation of pomegranate trees.

On a complaint by Mr. Kumar, Mr. Gowda was arrested while accepting the bribe. He was arrested and released on bail.

— Staff Reporter

Elect Council Chairman: Rathod

Bangalore: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Prakash K. Rathod, MLC, has accused the ruling coalition, the Janata Dal (Secular) in particular, of violating the rules governing the functioning of the Legislative Council and preventing the election of a Chairman.

Mr. Rathod said in a press released here on Wednesday that Governor T.N. Chaturvedi should direct the Government to ensure the election of a Chairman. The ruling coalition had decided to postpone the election since it was in a minority in the Upper House, he said.

If the State Government had some regard for the Constitution and democracy, then it should get a Chairman elected, he said. — Special Correspondent

Activists perform `Urulu Seve'

HASSAN: Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists resorted to an Urulu Seve (rolling on the road) on the main Bangalore-Mangalore road in Hassan on Thursday protesting against the award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. The Urulu Seve started from Hemavathi Circle, passed through N.R. Circle and culminated at Deputy Commissioner Office.

On Wednesday night, activists of the vedike took out a torch light procession in the streets of Hassan.

— Staff Correspondent

Journalists held silent protest

HASSAN: Hassan District Working Journalists' Union led by their president Shivananda Tagadur took out a silent protest rally by wearing black badges. They also formed a human chain at N.R. Circle for some time disrupting traffic. They garlanded the Hemavathi Statue and presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner.

Mr. Tagadur who read the memorandum before handing it over to

in-charge Deputy Commissioner K.P. Honakeri, said the award of the Cauvery tribunal was unscientific.

— Staff Correspondent

Nursing students hold demonstration

SHIMOGA: Students of the Nandini Nursing School, Sanjay Institute of Para-medical Sciences and Nursing Training Centre held a demonstration on the premises of the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Thursday in support of their demands. They blocked the traffic at the Mahaveer Circle for sometime. They complained that the sudden closure of the college on February 5 without any notice had put them in a state of uncertainty. The students sought the Government's intervention in the matter. — Staff Correspondent

Award

SIRSI: Noted artist G.M. Hegde Targod has been conferred the "Karannnatakashreta Ratna" award by Sri Sri Ravishankar of the Art of Living during a programme held in National College Bangalore under the auspices of the "Abhimani Sangama" and "Janamana" organisations of Bangalore, according to a release on Tuesday. — Correspondent

Expansion plans

PANAJI: The ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, a joint venture between ICICI Bank and Prudential of U.K., is set to expand its coverage cross the country. Anup Rau, vice-president, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, said here on Thursday referring to company's growth since April 2006, " The plan is to consolidate on this by higher penetration into new locations and better coverage in existing locations." The companywith 362 locations, 472 branches and 1.76 lakh advisers plans to expand the reach of its innovative health solution products such as diabetes care to non-metro areas, he said. — Special Correspondent

Protocol signed

PANAJI: The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has signed a protocol with the Associacao Commercial de Lisboa (ACL), a Portuguese trade body, here on Thursday.

The protocol was signed during the visit of a delegation from Lisbon, headed by the Vice Lord Mayor Carlos Fontao de Carvalho(Camara Municipal de Lisboa\ATL), on the GCCI premises. President of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nitin Cuncoliekar was present.

Secretary General of ACL Pedro Madeira Rodrigues said they had chosen three countries with which they would strengthen ties and India was one of them.

— Special Correspondent

Results

DHARWAD: Karnatak University, Dharwad, on Thursday, announced the results of M.Sc. third semester Physics, M.Sc. third semester Physical Chemistry and M.A. Final (Distance Education) History and Archaeology and Kannada examinations held during December 2006, according to a release. — Staff Correspondent

Campus interview

HUBLI: The B.V. Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology, Hubli, is coordinating a campus interview for Mistral Software Private Ltd., Bangalore, on February 15 for engineering graduates in Computer Science, Electronics and Communication, Electrical and Electronics and Instrumentation who passed out in 2006 from any college in North Karnataka and for MBA candidates (Sales and Marketing) with 60 per cent aggregate marks in B.E/ B.Sc. and MBA. For details contact A.S. Kittur (0836- 2378127/ 420, 9449483012). — Staff Correspondent

Felicitated

HUBLI: P. Manivannan, Commissioner, Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, felicitated senior advocate G.R. Ron here on Thursday during the review meeting of the corporation. The felicitation was in recognition of his efforts in the speedy disposal of five cases against the corporation in December. Special Officer S.H. Naregal and others were present. — Staff Correspondent

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