27 new cities including Mangaluru make it to Smart City list

Bengaluru, Apr 1: The price of petrol and diesel will go up by Rs 1.60 and Rs 1.59 per litre, respectively, from Wednesday. This is in line with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s decision to hike the rate of tax on petrol from 32% to 35% and diesel from 21% to 24%.

He had announced this in his March 5 Budget for 2020-21 fiscal. At present, a litre of petrol costs Rs 71.97 and diesel Rs 64.41 in Bengaluru.

The government decided to roll out the hike from Tuesday midnight going into Wednesday, April 1, after briefly considering a postponement in view of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Finance Secretary (Budget & Resources) Ekroop Caur confirmed to DH that the hike will be rolled out. 

The 3% hike on fuel tax was a key resource mobilisation measure that Yediyurappa announced in his Budget. The hike is expected to fetch the government Rs 1,500 crore. 

Yediyurappa had also announced a 6% additional excise duty on Indian Made Liquor (IML), which could help the government mop up Rs 1,200 crore. However, the sale of liquor has been prohibited during the lockdown period. Plus, hiking fuel prices during the lockdown will not hit citizens very hard. 

Mangaluru, July 5: Two children died after getting trapped under the debris of a landslide which occurred at Banglagudde in Kaikamba on the outskirts of Mangaluru today.

The deceased are identified as Safwan (16) and Sahala (10).

The rescue teams including personnel from NDRF, fire service and police brought out the body after four hours of rescue operation.

According to sources, landslides occurred at 12:30 pm and of the five members, three ran out of the house. The two kids got trapped in the debris.

The heavy rain in the last two days has softened the soil of the hillock. An Auto-rickshaw, lorry and a bike too have buried under the soil.

It was said that caving in of the hillock continued even when the rescue operation was in progress, thus making the rescue operation difficult.

District-in-Charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary who visited the spot said two houses have been completely damaged and inmates of 14 houses that are facing the problem in the vicinity will be shifted to safer locations.

House collapse due to landslide in Gurupura; 2 children reportedly trapped under debris pic.twitter.com/ntyZRkum4e

— coastaldigest.com (@coastaldigest) July 5, 2020

Bengaluru, Jul 25: Kalmane Kamegowda, the lake man who was recently praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a recent Mann Ki Baat, is in serious condition after he tested positive for COVID-19, former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said on Saturday.

"The health condition of Lake Kamegowda is serious. It is our responsibility to save him. I demand that the state government make appropriate arrangements for emergency treatment," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

"The Prime Minister also praised him in Mann Ki Baat. Chief Ministers expressed appreciation. Only praising doesn't help him at this point of time. The government needs to come forward to treat him in a good hospital when he's sick," he said in the following tweet.

Kamegowda of Dasanadoddi village in Malavalli taluk had drawn the attention of the Prime Minister in the 66th 'Mann Ki Baat' for constructing ponds to conserve rainwater during the summer.

Responding to Kumaraswamy's remark, State Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar K said that he has already called up the Mandya Medical College and directed the hospital to admit and treat Kamegowda.

"As soon as I noticed the seriousness of Kamagowad's health, I called the director of the Mandya Medical College and informed him that he should be admitted to the hospital and treated. I pray to the Lord that the Kamagowadas who inspire the whole country will heal soon," Sudhakar K tweeted.