All farmers suicides are not due to debts: D K Shivakumar

TNN

July 26, 2018

Bengaluru, Jul 26: Water resources and medical education minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday stirred a controversy when he claimed several farmer suicides in the state could be due to personal reasons.

“If a farmer commits suicide it is not necessarily because he was in debt,” Shivakumar said. “There can be various reasons for a farmer to commit suicide.” His comments come a day after BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa alleged that the state government has been apathetic towards the increasing number of farmer suicides in the state.

Shivakumar also cited an example to support his statement.

“Not all accidents happen because of the driver’s fault,” he said. “Some happen also because of the fault of the driver of the other vehicle.” He said the media should stop reporting farmer suicides as it only encourages more farmers to take extreme step.

His remarks sparked instant criticism from the BJP and farmer organisations, which said it exposed the ruling party’s “insensitivity” towards farmers’ plight. “How can a minister, who is the custodian of farmers’ issues make such an insensitive statement?” questioned a BJP member. “Officials or NGOs making such remarks is acceptable but not a minister.”

Mahadayi dispute

The state government is expecting a favourable verdict from the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal which it is expected to deliver its decision next month, Shivakumar said. “The government has given all the documents including photographs on the amount of water used by Goa to the tribunal to seek justice,” Shivakumar said.

The minister was speaking in the wake of a team of officials from Goa visiting Karnataka’s Kanakumbi village, located in the Malaprabha basin adjoining the state’s border, and alleging that Karnataka was already diverting and using Mahadayi water.

Rubbishing the charges, Shivakumar said Karnataka has not been utilising the water from Mahadayi and sought evidence from Goa.

Comments

True. +1

D K Sivakumar wants to loot more money from farmers' loan waiving plan.

NB: Raid On Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar Finds 300 Crores 'Undisclosed Income': Sources (reported in 2017)

Media reports never encourage farmers to do extreme steps. Media showing the plight. If media dont report such things then govt wont listen or wont take any action.. even govt wont know such incidents

Sivakumar, 95% of farmers are commiting suicide due to debts. They wont do for pleasure. Please dont utter rubbish statements

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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Mangaluru: Youth arrested for misleading Instagram post targeting police

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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