VHP leader Ashok Singhal dies at 89

Bengaluru, May 8: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said his government is clear in its stand on extending every possible help to the farmers. The Chief Minister spoke to the farmer-leaders of the state, who wanted their concerns to be heard and addressed, with regard to the problems the agrarian community has been facing in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown.

"We will soon make our position clear on supporting the farmers. We will not allow any hindrance to come in the way of agriculture activities," Yediyurappa told the farmer- leaders.

The Chief Minister told the delegation that the pre-monsoon activities are in full swing in the state.

The government has also set up help centres and been providing agriculture equipment on rent, the Chief Minister said. In most of the places, at least 80 per cent of the standing crops have been harvested.

Arrangements have been made to bring equipment from neighbouring states to harvest the standing crop, he said.

Yediyurappa said fertilisers and seeds are available in abundance in the state.

He informed the farmer-leaders about the arrangements made to transport flowers, vegetables and fruits to other states.

Similarly, the market has been developed for the farmers to sell their products, said the Chief Minister.

He said the government is working out a compensation for farmers who lost their crops due to hailstorm in Raichur, Koppal and Ballari. Agriculture Minister B C Patil, Horticulture Minister Narayana Gowda, Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar and Development Commissioner Vandita Sharma were also present in the meeting.

Bantwal, Jun 5: A very rare white python, which had entered a house at Kavalakatte in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada, was caught by snake catcher Snake Kiran on Friday handed over to the authorities of Pilikula Nisargadhama.

This extremely rare white coloured python known as Albino was seen in the house of one Naushad.

The occupants of the house as well as residents of the area were panicky over seeing it. 

Later a friend of Naushad informed Snake Kiran who caught it and handed over to the care of Pilikula as per the advice of forest officer Sridhar.

Newsroom, Jun 16: A 35-year-old Kannada lecturer died in a motorbike accident at Tumkuru in Karnataka.

The deceased is K N Swamy, who was a guest lecturer in Department of Kannada at Central University of Kerala located at Periya in Kasaragod district.

The accident occurred on Sunday afternoon when he was riding his motorbike.

Swamy was also a writer and poet in Kannada.