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Siddaramaiah rules out halting demolition drive by BBMP

August 9, 2016

Bengaluru, Aug 9: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said there was no question of stopping the BBMP’s ongoing drive to demolish structures on stormwater drains.

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“The properties of builders and developers — however influential they might be — which have come up on lakebeds and stormwater drains, will not be spared. The government will not succumb to any sort of pressure,” Siddaramaiah told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Bengaluru.

He rubbished charges that the government was targeting only the poor and middle-class families. “If the drive is not taken up, there will be disastrous repercussions every time it rains. Thousands will have to suffer due to waterlogging and flooding. Bengaluru can turn into another Chennai,” Siddaramaiah said, referring to last year’s floods in the Tamil Nadu capital. The chief minister said houses constructed on lakebeds were bound to be flooded when it rains, but ultimately the BBMP?had to take the blame. He said an enquiry has already been ordered against officials who had violated rules by permitting such constructions. Action will be initiated against such officials, he said.

Siddaramaiah has also sought details of encroachment of rajakaluves (stormwater drains/ feeder canals) which had led to flash floods on July 28 and 29.

Replying to queries on the demolition drive to evict encroachment of rajakaluves, in the BBMP Council on Monday, Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said the chief minister has asked him to fix the responsibility on the officials who issued ‘A’ Khatha (revenue document) and sanctioned building plans on the rajakaluves.

Prasad told the Council that the width of a primary stormwater drain at Kasavanahalli was reduced from 50 metres to 10 metres.

He said Avani Sringeri Nagar Layout and Shubh Enclave were among those formed on stormwater drains.

The chief minister has assigned Additional Chief Secretary for Urban Development Department, Mahendra Jain, to head the panel to look into the files pertaining to the approvals and initiate criminal action against the officials responsible for giving permission. The Joint Commissioner of Bommanahalli Zone has been directed to provide the files.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: India's gold demand in 2020 is expected to fall to the lowest level in 26 years with domestic bullion prices hitting a record high and as falling disposable incomes could curtail retail purchases, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Thursday.

Lower demand by the world's second-biggest bullion consumer could limit a rally in global prices, which hit a record high earlier this month, although it could also reduce India's trade deficit and support the ailing rupee.

"Fast rising gold prices could act as headwinds," said Somasundaram PR, the managing director of WGC's Indian operations.

Local gold futures have jumped 35% so far this year after rising a quarter in 2019.

India's gold consumption in the first half of 2020 plunged 56% on-year to 165.6 tonnes. Meanwhile, the coronavirus-triggered lockdown also slashed demand by 70% in the June quarter to 63.7 tonnes, the lowest in more than a decade, the WGC said in a report published on Thursday.

Millions of Indians have lost their jobs or taken a pay cut after the country imposed a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people to curb the spread of the virus that has infected more than 1.5 million Indians.

Consumption is generally high during the June quarter due to weddings and key festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya, but lockdown restrictions kept shoppers indoors this year.

The weak demand in the first half could drag down India's gold consumption in 2020 to the lowest since 1994, when demand stood at 415 tonnes, Somasundaram said, adding that it is still difficult to provide an estimate for full-year demand as the coronavirus crisis is still unfolding.

"Indian demand has previously jumped as much as 300 tonnes in a quarter. Latent demand could come out in the second half," Somasundaram said.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Jan 27: The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet passed a resolution on Monday setting in motion the process for abolishing the state Legislative Council.

A similar resolution will now be adopted in the Legislative Assembly and sent to the Centre for necessary follow-up action.

With just nine members, the ruling YSR Congress is in minority in the 58-member Legislative Council. The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has an upper hand with 28 members and the ruling party could get a majority in the House only in 2021 when a number of opposition members will retire at the end of their six-year term.

The move by the Andhra Pradesh cabinet came after the Y S Jaganmohan Reddy government last week failed to pass in the Upper House of the state legislature two crucial Bills related to its plan of having three capitals for the state.

Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Chairman M A Sharrif on January 22 referred to a select committee the two bills -- AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, and the AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act (Repeal) Bill -- for deeper examination.

The chairman had said that he was using his discretionary powers under Rule 154 while referring the Bills to the select panel in line with the demand of the TDP.

Following this, the chief minister had told the Assembly, "We need to seriously think whether we need to have such a House which appears to be functioning with only political motives. It is not mandatory to have the Council, which is our own creation, and it is only for our convenience."

"So let us discuss the issue further on Monday and take a decision on whether or not to continue the Council," he had said.

In fact, the YSRC had on December 17 first threatened to abolish the Council when it became clear that the TDP was bent on blocking two Bills related to creation of a separate Commission for SCs and conversion of all government schools into English medium.

As the Legislature was adjourned sine dine on December 17, no further action was taken. But last week, the issue cropped up again as the TDP remained firm on its stand on opposing the three-capitals plan.

The YSRC managed to get two TDP members to its side, but the government failed to get the three capitals Bills passed in the Council.

"What will be the meaning of governance if the House of Elders does not allow good decisions to be taken in the interest of people and block enactment of laws? We need to seriously think about it… Whether we should have such a House or do away with it," the chief minister had said in the Assembly.

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News Network
July 1,2020

Sopore, Jul 1: Police rescued a three-year-old boy from getting hit by bullets during a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan and a civilian lost their lives after terrorists fired upon a CRPF patrolling party in Sopore.

Two of the injured CRPF jawans are known to be in critical condition. Three CRPF personnel were also injured in the attack, as per CRPF.

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