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Time of India
3 days ago
- Climate
- Time of India
C'magaluru dist officials directed to clear encroachments, address rain damages
Chikkamagaluru: District in-charge secretary Rajender Kumar Kataria has directed the district administration to remove the encroachments in the Amrit Mahal Kaval area. During a review meeting at the zilla panchayat on Friday, Kataria expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of action despite previous instructions to clear the encroached land. He instructed officials to conduct a joint survey and reclaim the Amrit Mahal Kaval area. He also expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of action against aided schools that scored less than 60% in the SSLC exams. The deputy director of public instructions reported that notices were issued to schools with less than 60% results, and the recognition of 13 aided high schools with less than 50% results is being revoked. Instructions were given to implement a 29-point programme effectively for the 2025-26 SSLC results, he said. Deputy commissioner CN Meena Nagaraj, highlighting the rain damages, said that from June to date, 1,273 electricity poles were damaged due to rain and wind, causing a loss of Rs 2.2 crore to Mescom. The replacement of damaged poles is under way, with specific numbers replaced in various areas. The district also suffered damage to 11.5 km of state highways and 10.1 km of district main roads, with significant financial losses. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Artificial Intelligence Might Be More Fun Than You Think Artificial Intelligence Course | Search Ad Undo A total of 16 bridges were damaged, resulting in a loss of Rs 4.5 crore. Additionally, 525.4 km of rural roads were damaged, incurring a loss of Rs 2.8 crore. In rural areas, 28 bridges and culverts were damaged, with a loss of Rs 4.40 crore. During the same period, 11 govt school buildings were damaged by rain, causing a loss of Rs 22 lakh. Two primary health centres in Chikkamagaluru taluk were also damaged, with a loss of Rs 4 lakh. Overall, govt building damages resulted in a loss of Rs 26 lakh. Since June, 38 houses were damaged due to rain, with 9 completely damaged and compensation was provided to eight. Compensation for the remaining 16 houses is pending, she informed. ZP chief executive officer HS Keerthana, superintendent of police Vikram Amathe, additional deputy commissioner Narayanareddy Kanakareddy, and officials were present.
The Hindu
20-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Glimmer of hope for residents of Uralagallu in Sagar taluk: Mescom proposes to supply power to the village
Mangaluru Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) has proposed to take up electrification of 54 households of Uralagallu village, located amid the forests of Sagar taluk in Shivamogga. The proposal is a glimmer of hope for the villagers, who have been waiting for electricity for over six decades. All these years, they faced stiff opposition from the Forest Department to lay a power line in the forest area of the Kargal range. Following repeated demonstrations and a protest march in 2022, Mescom officials have worked out a proposal to supply power by providing six transformers and laying 26.8 km of underground cable and 17.25 route km of overhead low-tension line (LT line). The Mescom officials submitted the proposal for forest clearance on March 28, 2025. For the project, with an estimated cost of ₹6.4 crore, the agency requires 1.13 hectares of forestland and non-forestland of 0.63 ha. Praveen P., assistant executive engineer of Mescom in the Sagar division, told The Hindu that the proposal was under the scrutiny of forest officials. When The Hindu contacted Prasanna Krishna Patagar, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) in Shivamogga, he said that the proposal was being verified technically by the Information Communication Technology (ICT) wing of the department. 'The team will verify the technical details and maps submitted by the project proponent. Later, it will be considered for clearance,' he added. Displaced Families, who settled in the village after they were displaced owing to the construction of the Linganamakki dam, have been struggling without basic amenities. The villagers without access to a proper road and school, send their children to residential schools at a young age. Only the parents are left in the village, looking after their plantations. Whenever the schools resume after the vacations, the parents walk about 10 km in the forest area to drop their children at the nearest bus stop. 'For several years, no officer representing the State government took the trouble to visit our village. Forget senior officers in Shivamogga, the representatives of the Bankuli panchayat have not visited the village as there is no road,' said Nagaraj S., a resident of Salakodu, a hamlet in the village. Urualagallu is spread over Cheekanahalli, Salakodu, Dasanamane, Hebbanakeri, Munduvala, and Melur. The residents said that their forefathers moved to the village in the 1960s, when they were displaced by the Sharavathi Hydro Electrict project. They felt the land was fertile for agricultural activities and settled there. They grew paddy and later shifted to plantation crops, including areca. All these years, they have not had an anganwadi centre, a school, or a health centre. Even during the elections, they have to walk at least 10 km to vote. The nearest anganwadi centre is at Kanur, about 10 km from the village. Following a series of protests and appeals, senior officers of the Shivamogga district administration assured the people of visiting the village. 'But the officers did not visit us. They held a meeting at the gram panchayat office and returned,' said Mr. Nagaraj.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Efforts on to drive away elephant
Mangaluru: Following the death of a 60-year-old man, who was reportedly attacked by an elephant at Southadka Gundi on Thursday, forest department has intensified drive to track and chase away the elephant. The minister of forest, ecology and environment, Eshwar Khandre, announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Balakrishna Shetty. "It is a matter of great sorrow that a 60-year-old man died due to an elephant attack near Sautadka in Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. In this time of grief, the govt stands with his family," said the minister. Khandre also instructed officials to immediately pay a compensation amount to the close relatives of the deceased and to take urgent measures to drive the elephant back to the forest. Uppinangady RFO Raghavendra said elephant trackers have been brought from Dubare elephant camp to resume the drive to track two elephants. "With help from the Dubare team, we will launch drives in the deep forest and its periphery. As per the SOP, a holiday should be declared for schools and colleges in the area. Mescom will have to shut down the power supply to the areas when the drive is on. The department has prepared a roadmap on the routes where the drives need to be carried out," he explained. In the past 3-4 days, there were elephant movements in Kokkada, Periyashanthi, Kapinbagilu, and other places, the officer added.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Zero power bills drop by nearly one lakh in two months in Dakshina Kannada
The zero bills generated by Mescom under the Gruha Jyothi scheme fell by nearly a lakh in May when compared to March in Dakshina Kannada. The company sources attribute the dip to higher electricity consumption in the peak summer month of May, when Gruha Jyothi consumers exceeded their free consumption limit of 200 units per month. According to Mescom, 551,116 consumers registered for the scheme in March. Of this, 3.13 lakh (56.9%) received zero bills, while 2.37 lakh (43.1%) were billed according to their power consumption for the month. In May, the number of registered Gruha Jyothi customers increased to 5,51,150, with the addition of 34 new consumers. Of them, however, 2.15 lakh (39.02%) consumers received zero bills, while the rest, 3.36 lakh (60.97%), received regular power bills—an increase of 98,572 from last year. Bharath Mundodi, Chairman of the District Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee, told The Hindu that it is puzzling to note that the number of zero bills dropped by nearly a lakh in two months. 'Due to paucity of time, we could not discuss this matter in the Karnataka Development Programme Review Committee meeting held in Mangaluru on July 30. I will take it up with Mescom officials in the meeting of the guarantee implementation committee to be held soon,' Mr. Mundodi said. A Mescom official stated that electricity meters were read using the probe reading method, where hand-held billing machines are connected to the meters via a wire, and the exact meter reading is recorded, according to which the bill is generated. There is no scope for tampering with the meter reading through this method, the official said.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Power agencies launch National Electrical Safety Week
Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom), Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL), and the Electrical Inspectorate Department jointly launched National Electrical Safety Week here on Thursday. Inaugurating the safety week, Mescom Director (Technical) K.M. Mahadeva Swamy Prasanna released a handbill to create awareness about electrical safety. Mr. Prasanna said officers and personnel could ensure safety by strictly adhering to rules and guidelines in their workplace. Additional Chief Electrical Inspector G. Girish said during the safety week, awareness programmes would be conducted in educational institutions and public places, including malls and markets, by distributing handbills and displaying short video clips. MESCOM Chief Financial Officer Muralidhara Nayak, Chief Engineer Ravikanth R Kamath, Deputy Chief Electrical Inspector K.M. Kantharaju, office-bearers of recognised electrical contractors' association and others were present.
