Work on Yettinahole only after MoEF nod, says?Water Resources Minister

December 5, 2015

Bengaluru: Dec 5: Water Resources minister M B Patil on Friday said work on the Yettinahole drinking water project would be resumed only after obtaining permission from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for diverting 14 hectares of forest land.

yethinahole 5

A meeting with the officials of MoEF regional office in Bengaluru has been convened on December 18. The State government will seek permission from the Union Ministry for the diversion of forest land required for the project. The work will resume after obtaining the MoEF’s permission, he told reporters.

The minister had earlier attended a meeting convened by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss what stand the government must take in the wake of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) objecting to the project without MoEF nod.BJP leaders K S Eshwarappa and R Ashoka and JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti attended the meeting held at the CM’s home office ‘Krishna’.

Patil said the next hearing by the NGT being on December 7, the government will seek more time to spell out its stand. The government has already given an undertaking to the NGT that it would not go ahead with the project even in non-forest areas until further orders, he added.

The NGT had asked the government to state its stand on the appropriateness of taking up the project without obtaining MoEF permission to divert forest land. The Tribunal had observed that taking up work even in non-forest land without MoEF clearance was illegal and had asked the Karnataka government why the project should not be stayed, Patil pointed out. Eshwarappa told reporters he had advised the chief minister to skip the process of conducting a social impact assessment for acquiring private land. Conducting the assessment is a lengthy process. A lot of time can be saved if it is skipped.

The government should ensure that the project is implemented at the earliest. People in the water-starved districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Tumakuru and Hassan are eagerly waiting for the project, he added.

JD(S) leader Horatti said he had suggested to the government to convene a meeting of the elected representatives from the coastal districts and impress upon them the importance of implementing the project.

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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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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

•    Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

•    State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

•    Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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