Rahul Gandhi pens letter to Union ministers, seeks help for flood-hit Wayanad

Agencies
August 27, 2019

New Delhi, Aug 27: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written letters to Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari seeking help to rehabilitate flood-hit Wayanad.

"The recent floods in Kerala have already claimed the lives of over a 100 people and uprooted lakhs of people from their homes," Rahul said in his letter to Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan.

"It is critical to strengthen capacity of the existing healthcare infrastructure and provide additional manpower, medicines, temporary infrastructure to meet the critical healthcare needs of the affected communities," he added.

Rahul went on to share that during his recent visit to Wayanad, he "received representations regarding setting up medical relief camps staffed by health specialists in Nilambur."

"I hope that the MoHFW will take immediate action in this regard," he said.

In his letter to Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Rahul said, "While Kerala is still reeling under the devastating impact of the 2018 flood, the deluge this year has derailed the reconstruction process."

"My Parliamentary constituency Wayanad, is one of the worst affected areas. Landslides, road caving and other mishaps have caused extensive damage to the national highways. Restoration of damaged roads must be accorded highest priority for ensuring early recovery," he said.

Rahul further shared particulars of National Highway stretches in Wayanad that "need to be repaired on war-footing basis."

"I sincerely hope that under your leadership, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways extends all possible support to the brave people of Kerala in their hour of need," he said.

In his letter to Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Rahul wrote, "In the past, the Ministry of Rural Development has made special dispensation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA natural calamities) in calamity affected Villages/Blocks/Taluks/Districts notified by the state government."

He added, "Furthermore, Section 3 (4) of the MGNREGA Act, 2005 empowers the central government to increase the number of days of employment beyond the guaranteed period. I would like to request you to expand the scope of works under MGNREGA for the state of Kerala for enabling the state take up needed flood rehabilitation works and also increase the minimum guaranteed days of employment to a family to 200 days."

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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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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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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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