Energy dept EEs who switch off mobile phones to be suspended

June 3, 2017

Bengaluru, Jun 3: Executive engineers (EEs) working in the Energy Department will face suspension if they keep their official mobile phones switched off while on duty, Energy minister D K Shivakumar has said.Shivakumar

“There are complaints that the executive engineers working with escoms in the state are not properly responding to public grievances. There are also complaints that they are not available for communication when needed. The government has decided to suspend officers for switching off their official mobile phones while on duty,” the minister told reporters on Friday during his visit to Karnataka Vidyuth Karkhane Limited.

The decision has been taken to make the staff accountable and redress public grievances at the earliest. Accountability would be fixed on officers of all ranks, to redress grievances of the public.

“There are complaints that some executive engineers keep their phones switched off. The vigilance squad has been directed to keep an eye on such officials,” he said.

“Instructions have been given to all factories to manufacture only five-star transformers from July 1. The government has made it mandatory to use four-star transformers in rural areas and five star transformers in urban areas. About 25% of power can be saved by using the five-star transformers, while expenses may go up by just 5%,” the minister said.

Officials taken to task

Energy Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday is learnt to have pulled up Bescom officials for “failing to live up to the expectations of people” in attending to power related complaints during the recent rains in Bengaluru.

At a review meeting at his residence in Bengaluru, Shivakumar is said to have referred to the recent incident wherein there was a power cut at Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office for 10 minutes when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was addressing a press conference along with AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal.

“You people made me a laughing stock..... you are lowering my respect in the eyes of the people,” Shivakumar is said to have stated in his outburst.

He also sought details on the action taken by Bescom officials in various jurisdictions on attending to power-related complaints.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 8,2020

Dubai, Jul 8: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revoked landing permits issued to UAE-based private jets flying Indian expats who are willing to fly back to UAE. With this the operation of private jets from India to the UAE has stopped.

The development comes days after DGCA stopped UAE airlines from chartering repatriation flights to India. 

The DGCA’s decision has come as a huge disappointment for desperate expats who are trying every means possible to return to the UAE, and were shelling out up to Dh15,000 per ticket.
 
All charter flights were operating with the appropriate permissions and clearances for the specific mission, route and destination, said the charterers.

DC Aviation Al-Futtaim, the only integrated VIP handling and hangar facility in DWC, said in an official statement: "As a result of the DGCA suspension of flights into India, our Challenger 604 aircraft which was scheduled to land in Dubai today has been affected."

Afi Ahmed, managing director of Smart Travels, said he has received news from official sources that all approvals for operation of private jets have been barred until July 10.

"Even the flights that had been given approvals stand cancelled. Some flights organised on July 9 have also been grounded," said Ahmed, who was also stranded in Kochi, Kerala, till July 4 but returned home in the UAE on-board Global 6,000, the largest business jet, organised by a Dubai-based aviation company.

Ganesh Rayapudi, a UAE-based businessman who has been trying to organise flights from India to UAE, said: "The government has kept on hold all charters. At least 52 passengers were desperately waiting to come back from Hyderabad on these flights and were willing to collectively cough up Dh400,000."

He added: "I agree that it is unfair to those who cannot afford these prices. However, UAE residents have commitments here; they were tired of waiting and willing to go any lengths, including taking the expensive route."

On July 3, India's DGCA announced via an official circular that scheduled international flights will remain suspended till month-end and only those on a case-to-case basis will be allowed to operate. These flights were suspended on March 22 due to the ongoing pandemic.

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News Network
March 21,2020

Hubbali, Mar 21: South Western Railway suspended an employee on Thursday, for allegedly hiding her son's travel history who returned from Spain. The employee's son has now been kept under isolation.

Earlier it was reported that the man had a travel history of Italy- among the worst affected countries by Coronavirus.

He was working in Germany and had taken a flight from Spain to return to India.

In an order issued by General Manager of South Western Railway, the employee was further asked to leave the headquarter without obtaining permission from the competent authority.

The suspended Railway Officer is posted in Bengaluru.
According to the official data, the total number of Covid-19 cases in India has risen to 206, according to ICMR. Timely diagnosis and isolation have been considered vital to check the spread of the deadly disease.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 18,2020

Udupi, May 18: G Jagadeesh, Deputy Commissioner of Udupi today warned that criminal cases would be filed, if people under quarantine roam around, as they put the lives of others in risk, by coming out.

He said: "There are more than 6,000 people under quarantine in hotels, hostels, schools etc in different parts of the district. They include those who returned from other countries and other states.”

“We have allowed them to return to the district. Now I am receiving complaints that many of them are violating quarantine guidelines and venturing out. This is unacceptable.”

“As it is a risk to the whole society, severe action will be taken against the neglect and apathy of the persons under quarantine,” he said.

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