Rain continues in parts of Karnataka; flood situation eases in coastal region

News Network
September 22, 2020

Bengaluru/Udupi, Sept 22: Even though rains continued, the flood situation eased up in coastal, southern and central districts on Tuesday disrupting normal life, an official said.

Kodagu, Shivamogga, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru received 74 mm of rainfall during the last seven days against the normal of 39 mm for the same period, according to Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC).

The four districts have received 228 mm of rains for the period of September 1 to 20 against the normal of 114 mm for the same period.

Bhagamandala and surrounding regions in Kodagu – the catchment area for the Cauvery – continued to be battered by heavy rain as a result of which the volume of water in the river increased. The district received 64.19 mm of rainfall for the 24 hour period as against 66.75 mm of rain received on Sunday. Bhagamandala that bore the brunt of nature’s fury last month resulting in a major landslip, continued to receive rains for the third consecutive day.

The district administration was on its toes for the last 48 hours clearing roads blocked by fallen trees and uprooted electricity poles.

The outflow of water from the Harangi reservoir rose to the rate of 11,854 cusecs. The rate of inflow into the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir in the downstream region also increased during the last 48 hours. The water level in the dam was at 124.52 feet against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 124.8 feet. The outflow was increased to 50,000 cusecs from 40,000 cusecs on Tuesday.

Similarly, the inflow into the Kabini reservoir in HD Kote in Mysuru district was at the rate of 28,906 cusecs and the outflow at 35,000 cusecs. The water level in the reservoir was 2283.09 feet against the FRL of 2,284 feet.

Meanwhile, life in parts of the Malnad region continued to be hit by heavy rains. Landslips have occurred at Charmadi Ghat, where travellers had a tough time negotiating deep curves. Continuous rainfall also formed many waterfalls along Charmadi Ghat, prompting travellers to take a break for photos. Rivers are flowing in spate and the inflow at the reservoir has been on the rise.

The rain continued to lash different parts of Chikkamagaluru on Tuesday. The gusty wind uprooted several trees in the Malnad area.

A huge tree, which was uprooted, fell on the road at Kelagooru near Kottigehara blocking the vehicular movement. In Mathikatte, the roof of a house was damaged after a tree fell on it.

Meanwhile, there was a brief respite in the heavy rains that struck Udupi district. But floodwater has still not completely receded in many parts of the district and the full picture of the damages is yet to be known. The Udupi district administration on Monday ordered the temporary closure of Mala-Kudremukh Ghat (NH 169) connecting Karkala with Sringeri/Kudremukh for two days.

A temporary magisterial order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Udupi Jagadeesh said the ghat section had been witnessing landslips and tree falling since Saturday night following heavy rains. the DC said, adding no one was injured.

Since rain was continuing to pour and there was every chance of fresh landslips and tree falls, the road would be closed till Tuesday midnight, he said.

Meanwhile, district administration estimated suffered loses of more than Rs 100 crores in 2 days.

The district administration has started taking action against spreading of infectious diseases in flood-affected areas.

In many parts of Udupi district, it started raining again from Monday evening.

In Dakshina Kannada district, 32 houses and nearly 199.2 hectares of agricultural land were damaged.

The meteorological department has forecasted heavy rainfall over the next four days. Red, Orange and Yellow alert has been issued for September 22, 23 and 24 respectively in all the three coastal districts.

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News Network
November 22,2025

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate on pending traffic and transport fines. The discount is available from November 21 to December 12.

The rebate applies to all traffic e-challans and violation cases booked by the RTO between 1991–92 and 2019–20. Officials clarified that the offer is not applicable to pending tax dues and is restricted only to traffic-violation fines.

Across Karnataka, more than 4 lakh RTO cases remain pending, including those involving transport vehicles. While thousands of vehicle owners have already cleared their dues, the department expects to generate substantial revenue through this limited-period rebate.

How to Pay and Avail the Discount

There are three ways to check and pay your pending fines:

1. Through Mobile Apps
Available on both Play Store and App Store:
•    Karnataka State Police (KSP) app
•    KarnatakaOne app
•    ASTraM app

Steps:
•    Enter your vehicle number in any of the above apps
•    Verify the photo/details of your vehicle
•    Pay the fine with the 50% discount applied

2. Visit a Traffic Police Station

You can pay your pending fine at any nearby traffic police station.

3. Visit the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)

•    Location: First Floor, Infantry Road, near Indian Express, Bengaluru

Transport Commissioner Yogeesh A M said, “We don't issue e-challans, so there's no online payment system.”

The department estimates ₹52 crore in pending RTO fines up to March 2020. “With the 50% rebate, we expect to collect around ₹25 crore if all dues are cleared,” he added.

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News Network
November 26,2025

students.jpg

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

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News Network
November 24,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 24: The original departure time of 11.10 pm was a distant memory for scores of Dammam-bound passengers at Mangaluru International Airport last Friday night, as their Air India Express flight was abruptly cancelled at the eleventh hour, sparking hours of frustration and chaos.

The flight, IX 885, initially scheduled to depart at 11.10 pm on November 22, was subject to two back-to-back reschedules—first pushed to 11.45 pm and then significantly postponed to 1.40 am—before the final, crushing announcement of cancellation was made. For the travellers, many of whom are likely expatriate workers with tight schedules, the last-minute change marked the beginning of a distressing ordeal.

"There was no drinking water, no food, and absolutely no proper guidance. We were left stranded like refugees," complained a stranded passenger.

According to multiple passenger accounts, the airline's ground staff failed to provide adequate support or essential amenities following the cancellation. Complaints poured in about the total absence of drinking water, food provisions, and any reliable guidance from the carrier's representatives. Travellers alleged they were left stranded for a considerable period, with no immediate arrangements or clear communication offered regarding accommodation or alternative travel to send them back home.

The incident has highlighted serious concerns over the carrier's contingency planning and customer service protocols during flight disruptions at one of India's key international gateways. The airline is yet to issue a comprehensive statement addressing the alleged lapse in passenger care.
 

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