Potential tragedy averted: Drunk woman pilot of Mangaluru-Dubai flight suspended

Bengaluru, May 20: A mysterious "boom" heard in large parts of Bengaluru this afternoon left residents of the city and social media users puzzled. While the source of the sound is being investigated, the Indian Air Force (IAF) indicated that it could be the result of "routine test flights that necessitate going supersonic a times".

The sound was heard from as far as the Bengaluru airport in Devanahalli to the IT hub of Electronic City 54 km away. It was also heard in Kalyan Nagar in east Bengaluru, central Bengaluru's MG Road and areas such as Marathahalli, Whitefield, Sarjapur and Hebbagodi.

IAF said no aircraft of training command was flying in the area. "However, ASTE (Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment) and HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) could have been undertaking their routine test flying, which necessitates going supersonic at times. These are done well beyond the city limits in specified sectors. However, considering the atmospheric conditions and reduced noise levels in the city during these times, the aircraft sound may become clearly audible even if it happened way out from the city," said the air force statement.

Many people had speculated that the sound could have been caused by a fighter jet such as a Mirage 2000.

"We have also asked the Air Force Control Room to check if it was a jet or supersonic sound. Bengaluru police are awaiting confirmation from the Air Force," Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said in a statement.

It was not an earthquake, Karnataka's state disaster monitoring centre had tweeted earlier.

"Earthquake activity will not be restricted to one area and will be widespread. We have checked our sensors and there is no earthquake activity recorded today," the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre said, quoting its director Srinivas Reddy.

"The activity reported in Bengaluru is not due to an earthquake. The seismometers did not capture any ground vibration as generally happens during a mild Tremor. The activity is purely a loud unknown noise," the agency tweeted.

#Bangalore and #BangaloreBoom was among the top trends on Twitter this afternoon.

"We are trying to ascertain the source of the noise," a senior police officer said. "In Whitefield area, we have searched on the ground and so far, there is no damage to any property," he added. There were no calls to the police control room reporting any damage.

Bengaluru, Feb 4: The possibility of defeated MLA CP Yogeshwar being inducted into chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s cabinet is causing ripples within the ruling BJP, with many legislators, especially from Kalyana-Karnataka region, raising a banner of revolt.

Several MLAs led by Surapur legislator Narasimha Nayak, also known as Raju Gouda, held a meeting at the Legislators Home on Monday and voiced their opposition.

"When there are more than two dozen MLAs aspiring for a cabinet berth, making a former MLA a minister is beyond logic," Gouda said. "We will convey our feelings to Yediyurappa and state BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel." Murugesh Nirani, Paranna Munavalli, Rajkumar Patil, Dattatreya Patil Revoor, Basavaraj Mattimud are among others who attended the meeting. MP Renukacharya, political secretary to the CM and Honnali MLA, was also present at the meeting. "Some more MLAs will join us when we meet again tomorrow," Gouda said.

The MLAs highlighted the issue of caste and regional imbalance in the council of ministers to further their cause. With four from Bengaluru and three from Belagavi district set to take oath on February 6, the share of MLAs from these districts in the cabinet will rise to seven and five respectively. Currently, 16 districts have no representation.

Sources say Yediyurappa and BJP’s national leadership decided to reward Yogeshwar with a cabinet berth for his "active" role in getting 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs to resign and join the BJP, enabling the party to grab power. The party also believes he has the potential to become the Vokkaliga face of the BJP in the Old Mysuru region, where the party’s organisation is weak.

If Yogeshwar is inducted, he will be the second former MLA to make it to Yediyurappa cabinet after deputy CM Laxman Savadi, who lost the 2018 assembly polls. Several party MLAs were unhappy with Savadi’s elevation and are now upping the ante against the party leadership.

"Let Yogeshwar be made Rajya Sabha or council member. We have no problem. But making him minister is not acceptable. If they want to make defeated MLAs ministers, then why not AH Vishwanath and MTB Nagaraj, whose sacrifices brought BJP to power?" said Gouda.

Reports say Yediyurappa has promised Vishwanath and Nagaraj, the disqualified MLAs who lost the bypolls, that they would be made ministers in June. Both met Yediyurappa and secured this assurance. The two were demanding that they be inducted into the cabinet on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Vijayapura MLA Basavanagouda Patil Yatnal urged the CM to evaluate the performance of existing ministers and drop those found non-performing. "Many ministers don’t even come to the Vidhana Soudha. What is the use of having such ministers?" he asked.

Yediyurappa also continued to face pressure to induct Athani MLA Mahesh Kumatalli into the cabinet. The Jarkiholi brothers, Ramesh and Balachandra met Yediyurappa separately on Monday with a request to make Kumatalli, their confidant, a minister.

Bengaluru, Apr 13: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the COVID-19 situation has thrown the state into a deep financial trouble and there is a need to to find ways to overcome the present crisis, as he announced certain measures aimed at resource mobalisation.

He said the state government was awaiting guidelines from the Centre regarding the implementation of lockdown during the next two weeks, and noted that discussions were on regarding relaxations on the sale of liquor and the decision will be taken after April 14.

Yediyurappa on Monday held a meeting with officials of various departments along with his cabinet colleagues and the chief secretary.

"The possible situation once the lockdown is released, was widely discussed in the meeting. Discussion was also held about the financial situation of the state government and how to mobilise resources. Many suggestions were given and it was decided to implement those suggestions," the Chief Minister said.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, "...the COVID-19 situation has thrown our state into deep financial trouble and there is a need to to find ways to overcome present financial crisis."

Yediyurappa said it was decided to speed up the disposal of cases related to regularisation of unauthorised constructions which are pending before the High Court and Supreme Court, during the meeting.

"If the court decides the matter, thousands of people who own unauthorised houses will be relieved," he said, adding that this will also help government in mobilising resources for fund starved development works.

He said in addition to this the government is planning to auction more than 12,000 corner sites lying idle in Bengaluru, and it was also decided to allow auction of corner and vacant sites in respective urban development authorities across the state.

"By auction of corner sites in Bengaluru, we plan to mobalise about Rs 14,000-15,000 crore. BDA is preparing for it, only if we get good market value we will sell or else no," he added.

It was also decided to amend the law governing permission to allow sites in private and co-operative housing societies, the Chief Minister further said, adding that hundreds of societies were waiting for approval from government for releasing the sites.

Yediyurappa said it was decided to use Rs 1,000 crore available in Rajiv Gandhi Health University to upgrade medical college hospitals.

It was also decided to distribute free milk to slums and poor for one more week, the Chief Minister said while appealing to sugar factory owners to clear the pending payment to the tune of Rs 2,834 crore to farmers in 11 districts.

The government has also released Rs 45 crore compensation for the loss of paddy crop in Raichur and Koppal District due to hailstorm based on report submitted by Deputy Commissioners, he added.

Responding to a question, Yediyurappa said, still no guidelines have come from the Centre on lockdown implementation for next two weeks, we are waiting for it.

Once the guidelines come it will help us to speed up the process of lockdown, and also relaxations if any.

Asked what plans does the government have if states are asked to decide on relaxation, he said, already Prime Minister has said that guidelines will be given, if they say on certain matters states can take decision, we will decide on what needs to be done to improve the state's economy.

To a question on relaxation on sale of liquor through Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) outlets, he said, discussions are on, after April 14, we will take decision in this regard.