Mumbai’s shame: Dying woman molested on bridge during stampede

Bengaluru, Apr 14: Bracing for post-lockdown hard times, the Karnataka government on Monday decided to auction about 12,000 BDA sites and regularise unauthorised constructions across the state in a bid to shore up its already-thin finances.

"Some 12,000 corner sites (developed by Bangalore Development Authority, or BDA) are lying idle in Bengaluru. We hope to net about Rs 15,000 crore from the auction of the sites," chief minister BS Yediyurappa said after chairing a meeting with senior ministers and officials to discuss ways to raise funds.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown Karnataka into a deep financial crisis. There's a need for such measures," the chief minister said in defence of the decisions.

The sites – mainly of 40x60ft and 50x80ft dimensions – are in nine layouts. Also, the state government will auction corner and vacant sites in layouts formed by development authorities in other major cities of Karnataka.

Industry experts said that in a tepid market, it wasn’t easy to find buyers for the sites, each of which costs about Rs 1 crore. The CM said, “Since it’s an open auction, I’m confident of a good price since corner sites are always in demand. If we don’t get the expected price, then we will stop the process.”

The meeting decided to fast-track disposal of the cases related to regularisation of unauthorised constructions pending before courts. “If courts decide these cases, then thousands of people will be relieved, besides helping the government in mobilising resources to take up development works,” the CM said.

The government hopes to get about Rs 4,000 crore from the layout-regularisation move.
The government decided to amend the law to allow hundreds of private and cooperative housing societies to allot residential plots.

Udupi, Jan 30: Fishermen in Udupi’s Malpe have netted ‘spanner crab’, a rare variety of deep sea crab, mostly found in Australia and Hawaiian coast.

Hundreds of onlookers were surprised to the see the catch when it was brought to Malpe harbour by the fisherman Prashanth Kunder and others on Tuesday evening.

Dr Shivakumar Haragi, Assistant Professor at Karnatak University, PG Centre Department of Marine Biology, Karwar identified this crab variety as ‘spanner crab’ and the scientific name of this crab is Ranina Ranina.

Ranina Ranina is mainly nocturnal as it remains active during night and is found buried in sand during the day .It is easily distinguished from other crab species in its habitat due to its red carapace and elongated midsection.

Resembling a frog in its shape, this crab species is found mainly in Africa, Hawaiian coast and also in the Great Barrier Reef, located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Its lifetime is seven to nine years and each crab weighs around 400-900 grams.

Prashanth Kunder and his associates have also netted a rare fish variety called yellow-edged lyretail. Another unique variety fish netted by Prashanth is epinephelus flavocaeruleus.

Newsroom, Apr 23: During the ongoing lockdown in India so as to break the chain of Coronavirus infection, Islamic scholars across India are appealing Muslims to stay indoors and observe fasting with steadfastedness in the blessed month of Ramadan.

They have urged the people to offer taraveeh and other Namaz at homes, do iftar at home and enjoy with one's family only.

During Ramadan, social distancing would be of utmost importance in order to contain the disease, they urged. 

Shahi imams of Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid in the city have also appealed to Muslims to offer namaz during the holy month of Ramadan at home and follow lockdown guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus.