Entire coastal Karnataka to be declared open defecation-free on Oct 2

Bengaluru, Apr 18: Virtually defending the Gowda family for conducting a marriage reportedly defying lockdown restrictions, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said it was performed in a simple manner and well within their limits, "for which they are to be congratulated."

"All the necessary permissions were given and the marriage was performed in a simple manner. There is no need to discuss about it. They had done it well within their limits for which I congratulate them," Yediyurappa said to a query from reporters during the post-COVID-19 briefing.

Scores of people had thronged a farmhouse on Friday to get a glimpse of the wedding of former Prime Minister and JD (S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda's grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy, ignoring appeals not to visit the venue in view of the ongoing lockdown to check the COVID-19 outbreak. Nikhil, son of former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, tied the nuptial knot with Revathi, the grand-niece of former Karnataka housing minister M Krishnappa.

The marriage was solemnised at Kumaraswamy's Kethaganahalli farmhouse at Bidadi in the neighbouring Ramanagara district, a JD(S) stronghold. Kumaraswamy had taken to Twitter after the marriage, thanking his party MLAs, leaders and workers for staying away from the event and blessing his son from their houses. In a series of tweets, he had said social distancing was maintained and all precautionary measures were taken throughout the event.

BJP had hit out at the JD(S) first family for flouting the norms, alleging that at least 150 to 200 vehicles were given permission to attend the event, that too at at time when social workers wanting to serve the badly affected poor people were not being allowed to ply any form of transport JD(S) leader N H Konareddi and MLC T A Sharavanna had denied the charges, saying the union government guidelines had been followed and that social distancing was maintained.

Mangalore, Jan 21: Former city councillor and social activists Naveenchandra and social activist Vidya Dinker have been invited to participate in two-day National Level Consultation on Urban Governance which will take place on January 22 and 23 at Juniper Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Urban governance stakeholders of 20 states and one union territory will be participating in this national level consultative seminar. The participants will include elected representatives, NGO representatives and urban planning experts. The seminar is being organised by Mumbai based Prajna Foundation, which has undertaken an in-depth study of the governance of the 20 states and one union territories.

Having served several terms as a corporator of Mangaluru City Corporation, Naveenchandra is knowledgeable in matters relating to urban governance. He is very popular in his constituency. Vidya Dinker is a well known city based social activist. She is the Coordinator, Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development.

Bengaluru, Mar 21: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan on Saturday said that all the IT companies in the state have agreed to close their offices and have also allowed some employees to work from home in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic.

"IT companies agreed to close their offices and allow employees, except for those discharging essential services, to work from home during a video conference with companies' representatives yesterday," said Narayan.

The Deputy Chief Minister said a circular regarding it will be issued soon.