UK High Commissioner endorses Karnataka's climate change, green energy initiatives

News Network
November 20, 2020

BTS-DCM.jpg

Bengaluru, Nov 20: UK Deputy High Commissioner Jan Thompson lauded the Karnataka government's effort to become a leading state in tackling climate change and rapid adoption of green energy.

Speaking at the ongoing Bengaluru Tech Summit 2020, he said that it is interesting to note that Karnataka is leading the green initiative in India with more EVs on the road, more charging stations and moving towards green energy.

“We have initiated more partnerships with the Karnataka government, especially for electric vehicle ecosystem building and also reducing pollution. We're also doing a green fund for more investment in the tech startup in climate change and green energy", she added.

Jan Thompson also lauded the city-level partnership with Bengaluru for its Clean Air Testbed Drive initiative on Church Street to reduce pollution.

“We don't have to scale up to green-tech, but at an industrial level, but at an individual level too and a cleaner development path. Green-tech also helps us have a sustainable and prosperous future", she said.

Commenting on the UK's initiative, she said during fiscal 2020 the country has halved emission and made sense economically. Besides planning to hold the UN Climate Change Conference in 2026, she also highlighted the UK's continuing action and cooperation with India.

Speaking at a panel discussion, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwathnarayan said Karnataka is recognized as the 'Startup Capital' and 'Innovation Capital' of the nation and the home of the Silicon Valley of India, Bengaluru.

“Karnataka is the undisputed leader in the country in sectors such as Information Technology, Machine Tools, Aerospace, Biotechnology, Electric Vehicles, and Electronics. I am delighted to say that Karnataka has also launched a number of initiatives aimed at promoting and increasing the use of green technology, ” he added.

The Minister highlighted the fact that Karnataka was the first state in India to introduce an electric vehicle policy to a battery-run green vehicle.

“The state is aiming for 100 per cent electric mobility in certain vehicle segments. Our capital city, Bengaluru, is home to e-mobility startups like AtherEnergy, SUN Mobility, NDS Eco Motors, Yulu and Mahindra Electric.”

He said that Pavagada Solar Park, developed in the Tumkur district is the largest solar park in the world and aims to shift its focus from conventional power resources to eco-friendly energy resources.

“The UK is one of our most important GIA partners, and we are indeed delighted to see our relationship strengthening over the years. The UK has been known for its startup and innovation strengths and achievements in Artificial Intelligence, Fintech, Regulatory Sandbox and Creative Tech among others. Karnataka and the UK will continue to work together to strengthen and grow our partnership", he added.

“Creative Tech, Data Science and AI and Regulatory Sandboxes will be the UK counterparts for Karnataka to work together for a few areas. I would like a successful session for the UK and looking forward to further strengthening our partnerships,” he added.

UK Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Lord Tariq Ahmad said, the impact of the global recovery on economies of scale is Covid-19, and this is the time to look to the future.

“We must take the opportunity and build back to create a world that is green, clean and sustainable. COP26 at the Global Action Plan to Mobilize India is the lead by example for both of us,” said Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon.

Speaking at the debate, Deputy High Commissioner Karnataka & Kerala Jeremy Pilmore-Bedford said the application of green technology is at the heart of the UK's ambition to build back from the current Covid crisis.

"The UK and India will be key to addressing climate change issues and safeguarding the future of the planet," said Jeremy Pilmore-Bedford.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
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.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

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.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.