BSY, son visit DKS, sparks speculation of political alliance

News Network

November 28, 2018

Benagluru, Nov 28: Political circles were abuzz with speculation on Wednesday after BJP president and opposition leader in the legislative assembly BS Yeddyurappa paid a surprise visit to Congress troubleshooter and water resource minister DK Shivakumar at his official residence here.
Yeddyurappa, accompanied by son and Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra, met Shivakumar for over an hour.

While the visit was ostensibly to seek his intervention in expediting some long-pending irrigation projects in Shivamogga, there was speculation that the former CM reportedly made an offer for a political alliance.

However, friends-turned-foes Shivakumar and Yeddyurappa dismissed this speculation, saying “there was nothing political’’ about the meeting. The BJP opposition leader said his visit was triggered only on account of urgent requirements of home district Shivamogga in the face of drought.

“I met him and urged him to provide funds to four pending lift irrigation projects in Shikaripura (Yeddyurappa’s home constituency), Shivamogga Rural and Soraba constituencies,’’ Yeddyurappa said after the meeting.

During the meeting, Raghavendra said they sought Rs 2,000 crore for the lift irrigation projects and they got a positive response. “The discussions happened between two leaders in the presence of officials from the forest department, water resources department and the PWD. There was no room for political discussions,” he said.

Shivakumar said Yeddyurappa wanted to meet him two months ago but couldn’t because of his hectic schedule. The absence of Kumar Bangarappa, BJP MLA from Soraba, and KB Ashok Naik, Shivamogga Rural MLA, fuelled talk about a political alliance.
During the meeting, sources said Shivakumar summoned forest minister R Shankar and asked him to ensure speedy clearance of the Sigandur Bridge.

The foundation stone was laid by Union surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari but an objection was filed and the Union ministry of environment and forests had not given the clearance. “We requested the forest minister to look into the matter,” said the Shivamogga MP.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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