MLA Bava accuses Samiti of blocking Suratkal-Kana-MRPL road repair work

[email protected] (CD Network)
October 27, 2016

Mangaluru, Oct 27: Accusing the Kana Nagarika Horata Samiti of trying to mislead people of his constituency by holding unnecessary protests, Mangaluru North MLA B A Mohiuddin Bava said that he left no stone unturned to accomplish the Suratkal-Kana-MRPL road repair work at the earliest.

bava copyResponding to the allegations that he ignored the protesters and refused to pay heed to their agony, Mr Bava said that he could not stop his car at the protest site on Wednesday as he had to reach Mangaluru International Airport on time.

“After reaching Saudi Arabia I came to know through coastaldigest.com that the protesters had levelled several baseless allegations against me. Yes, I did not stop the car. Had they asked me to visit them and to accept memorandum, I would have definitely visited them before going to Airport,” he said, accusing the Samiti activists of resorting to personal attack against him.

Double standard

Mr Bava went on to claim that the leaders of Nagarika Horata Samiti, which is comprised of left-wing activists, in fact made all possible efforts to delay the road repair work in order to mobilize people to stage a protest.

“The Mangaluru City Corporation was about to start the repair work. However, the office bearers of the same Samiti did not allow them to commence the work and questioned how could they start work without formal approval of the tender,” he said adding that the real intention of the agitators is politicising the issue and building public opinion against local MLA. “They are trying to portray me as a joker,” he lamented.

He said that he had even taken the Deputy Commissioner to the spot and convinced him the seriousness of the issue. “When we exert pressure on the authorities to commence the work at the earliest, they exert pressure to delay the work. People should understand their double standard,” he said.

Mr Bava said that a couple of days ago, residents of Kana and surrounding areas under the banner of another organisation had staged a protest with the same cause, i.e. the speedy repair of Suratkal-MRPL-Kana road, and they had invited him too. “I visited them and they put forth their demand without any drama. They did not even insult me,” he said.

He also promised to complete the road repair work within 30 days even if the Samiti tried to create hurdles for the work.

Permanent solution

The Congress MLA said that he never sat idle thinking it was MRPL and other companies' responsibility to repair the road. “I am longing for a permanent solution to the problem of the 4.5 km stretch. I have personally met chief minister and held a meeting with state level authorities,” he said adding that modalities of Rs 50 crore project will be worked out soon.

Development works

Mr Bava also said that as an MLA he has concentrated more on developmental works and that his constituency witnessed more development in last three years compared to the term of his predecessors. “If anyone has any doubt on my claim they can clarify it through RTI,” he said.

Also read: MLA Mohiuddin Bava snubs road agitators, flies to Saudi Arabia

Comments

Rikaz
 - 
Saturday, 29 Oct 2016

Great job Mr. Bava.....All the best....dont listen to so called samiti...ignore them....do your good job as usual.....

Daily Commuter
 - 
Thursday, 27 Oct 2016

Ayyo..whom to believe?..If what Mr. Bava is saying right then shame on so called Samithi leader..If not shame on our MLA..anyhow suffered long enough..lets wait another 30 days..hope my problem will be solved soon

Parvez
 - 
Thursday, 27 Oct 2016

Looks like some vested interests are behind tarnishing the emage of MLA. Give MLA a bit time. He is a man of action. He will do the needful.Don't try to do the politics.

Mohamed
 - 
Thursday, 27 Oct 2016

MLA sir, go ahead with your working style. do not pay attention to few jobless ppl, as of now, you have done good job, keep it up

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News Network
May 17,2020

Bengaluru, May 17: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Laxman Savadi on Sunday wrote to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting to issue new lockdown guidelines including permission to operate public transport and said the lockdown has caused a financial loss of Rs 16,00 crore to all four Karnataka Transport Undertakings.

In view of these problems, the state Transport Minister requested Gadkari to permit the deployment of Non-AC buses on scheduled routes to ensure the adequacy of services.

The four State Transport Undertakings (STUs) in Karnataka which are providing bus-based public transport services within the state and to the neighbouring states are Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).

"KSRTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC operate buses for mofussil services i.e. Interdistrict, intradistrict and interstate, whereas BMTC operates only in urban and suburban areas in the city of Bengaluru. The four STUs put together hold a fleet of about 24,900 buses including 1,520 air-conditioned buses and operate about 71.00 lakh km. per day and carries about 98.00 lakh passengers every single day," Savadi outlined in the letter.

The Minister said due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown that ensued have brought regular bus operations and functioning to a grinding halt.

"This has caused a devastating impact on the operations of all the four STUs due to the combination of lack of revenue and continuing fixed costs such as salaries and pensions to staff, payables against existing loans etc. It has been estimated that the lockdown has caused a financial loss of INR 1,600/- crore to these four STUs," he added.

Savadi said even after post-COVID lockdown, operations and revenues won't reach its previous demand& supply patterns in the next six to eight months due to reduced economic activity and users' perceived risk of contacting COVID in public transport.

In addition to that, "occupancy should be allowed up to seating capacity (without standees). This is essential to meet minimal demand," he said in the letter.

"The crew should wear facemask and hand gloves. The crew with health issues should not be deployed. The face masks should be made mandatory for all the passengers. Only asymptomatic persons should be allowed to travel in public transport. The Government of India may consider staggering working hours for various sectors to reduce peak hour traffic demand," the minister listed out these recommendations in the letter.

Savadi said that with social distancing norm of reduced seating capacity in public transport, it will not be possible to provide transport facility to all the daily passengers. This will create demand for more buses, which cannot be met.

"Restrictions on public transport will lead to passenger commute by overcrowding in smaller vehicles like cars, maxi cabs, goods tempos etc. which will adversely affect preventive measures," he added.

Therefore, Savadi requested Union Minister to look into the above matter and issue fresh guidelines to all the states / UT's.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 16: Three students from Kashmir studying at a private engineering college in Hubballi district of Karnataka were arrested on sedition charges for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans and posting a video of it on a messaging platform, police said on Saturday.

Police said, according to preliminary information, the students are from Shopian in Kashmir and action has been taken on the basis of a complaint from the college management.

"We received information that three students hailing from Kashmir studying at the KLE Institute of Technology had raised slogans supporting Pakistan. They had made a video about it which has gone viral. Immediately our team headed by Inspector Gokul Road station went to the spot and arrested them," Hubli-Dharwad Police Commissioner R Dileep said.

Right wing activists, including those from Bajarang Dal who had gathered near the college, demanded stringent action against the three.

As the students were being taken to the police station with their faces covered, an activist tried to attack them, but police escorted them safely.

The FIR has been lodged under IPC sections relating to sedition and affecting communal harmony, the official said.

"We are investigating, and whatever comes out as per evidence, law and facts, we will take further action. We will look into their background, whether anyone has tried to mislead them," Mr Dileep said, adding that the arrest should not be seen as action against any particular community or region.

According to officials, the selfie video of the three has gone viral as they posted it on WhatsApp. In the video one of them can be purportedly seen initially uttering something with background music on, after which they chant ''Azadi'' one after the other. Then joining chorus to the music that is playing, they purportedly say "Pakistan Zindabad."

The music they played is said to be Pakistani military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) song, which police said needs to be ascertained.

The video seems to have been recorded at the college hostel, where the students were put up. College principal Basavaraj Anami said the college has given complaint to the police and the students will be suspended.

The students were admitted under central quota and two are doing their first year civil engineering, while the other is a third year student in the same stream, he said.

According to him, the three had made the video and posted it on WhatsApp.

"It came to our notice in the morning, following which I called the students immediately to my office, and informed the police," the principal told reporters.

"In the video, they have purportedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans allegedly in the backdrop of the Pulwama attack anniversary yesterday," he added.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi, who hails from the district, described the act unfortunate and demanded strict action against those involved.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 3: A banner that read "Veer Savarkar Flyover Pumpwell" surfaced on the sidewall of the Pumpwell flyover in Mangaluru on Tuesday night.

It is suspected that activists of Bajrang Dal put up the controversial banner. Though it was removed later, it sparked debates on social media and photos of it went viral.

The development comes amid the controversy over the naming of a flyover at Yelahanka in Bengaluru after Savarkar.

A Hindutva ideologue, Savarkar has tendered apology to British imperialists and pledged to support them following his arrest during India’s freedom movement.

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