With 160 taluks dry, almost entire state may be declared drought-hit

January 13, 2017

Bengaluru, Jan 13: Almost the entire state is likely to be declared drought-hit with 160 taluks of the total 176 taluks facing severe water shortage.

During the kharif season in 2016, the state government declared 139 taluks as drought-hit and sought Rs 4,702 crore funds from the Centre for drought relief works. During the rabi season, the list has gone up to 160 taluks.

With 25 of the 30 districts facing severe rainfall deficit in 2016, Karnataka could feel the drought effect during 2017 too, since rainfall is expected only in June.

Of the 30 districts, only one district—Bidar—had received excess rainfall. The four districts which have received normal rainfall are—Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar and Kalaburagi.

The state is facing hydrological, meteorological and agricultural drought as it failed to get rains during the pre-monsoon, south-west monsoon as well as north-east monsoon, according to G?S?Srinivas Reddy, director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre.

Reddy said the average normal rainfall for the state is about 1,155 mm, while the actual rainfall received was 831 mm from January to December last. The deficit was around 28%. “Rainfall recorded in 2016 is the lowest in the past 45 years. We have not considered the records prior to 1971. We will be staring at the present dry period till we get rains which could be in June,” the director said.

Drinking water

It's not just agriculture in the Cauvery basin that will be hit by water shortage. Even meeting drinking water needs would be a challenge in the coming months. The four major reservoirs in the basin—KRS, Harangi, Kabini and Hemavathi— can impound 104.55 tmcft of water. As on Thursday, the available water was 15.4 tmcft.

On an average, 3 tmcft per month is required to meet the drinking water requirement of 40 towns including Bengaluru and Mysuru in addition to 600 villages in the Cauvery basin. Of the 15.4 tmcft available, only 11 tmcft would be available due to seepage and other losses. “For the next five months or till we get rains, we would have to manage with 11 tmcft. So, the available water has to be managed efficiently,” Reddy said.

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Mangaluru police issue alert over fake traffic fine payment Apps and links

coastaldigest.com news network

December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy has issued a high-alert warning to vehicle owners regarding a surge in cyber fraud targeting those looking to pay traffic violation fines. Fraudsters are reportedly exploiting recent government discount schemes on traffic penalties to deceive citizens.

The Scam: How Fraudsters Strike

Criminals are using SMS, WhatsApp, and social media to circulate suspicious links and APK files (Android application packages). They claim these apps allow users to pay e-challans at a discount.

• Device Hacking: Downloading these unauthorized apps gives hackers full access to the victim's smartphone.

• Financial Theft: Once the phone is compromised, fraudsters intercept OTPs and personal data to drain bank accounts.

• Phishing Sites: Fake websites mimicking official portals are also being used to harvest banking credentials.

Already, two residents within Mangaluru city limits have reported significant financial losses after falling victim to these fraudulent apps.

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Post-Sabarimala pilgrimage drinking party turns fatal in Udupi; youth killed in midnight brawl

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December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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