2 DECCAN HERALD

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Metro Recognition to flawed MEd colleges withdrawn

Inchara Mukdapu

Over 7,000 acres acquired in excess for BMIC project

States government in a reply filed in Supreme Court
BANGALORE: In its additional reply filed before the Supreme Court on February 7, in a case pertaining to the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, the State Government has said that it has acquired excess land to the tune of 7,709 acres towards the controversial project being executed by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE). The documents relating to the additional reply filed by the Government was released to the media here on Tuesday by the BMIC (NICE) Viruddha Janandolana. In the additional reply, as per annexure 5, the State Government has said: The State Government is supposed to have acquired 13,237 acres of private land including 5,500 acres for the toll road and 7,737 acres for five townships according to Schedule -I of the Framework Agreement. However, the State government has issued notifications for an extent of 20,946 acres of private land under Section 28 (1) of the KIADB Act from time to time, thereby 7,709 acres are notified in excess.

Task Force had found shortcomings galore, but varsity failed to act
BANGALORE: The National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) has withdrawn the recognition given to five City-based MEd colleges and one in Bangarpet, Kolar district, affiliated to the Bangalore University (BU).

City girl excels in National Science Olympiad

BANGALORE, DHNS: A class II student from a City school has stood second in the National Science Olympiad held in February this year. At six years, Inchara Mukdapu, a student of Christ Academy ICSE School, has excelled in the national level science Olympiad conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation. The Science Olympiad is an annual event that seeks to nurture scientific temper among students and provide a platform for deeper understanding and reasoning of concepts in science. The school had instructed all students to take part in the contest and Inchara too appeared for it. Her father Krishna Mukdapu said he did not want to pressure his daughter to study in a particular fashion and stuck to giving her basic guidance. He said Inchara loves reading and did most of the preparation for the Olympiad by herself. She reads a lot. Nobody coached her for this. She went through the Olympiad Foundation Book and also made use of the Foundations website for preparation, said her mother Sowmya Mukdapu. Coaching at school did her a great deal of good, she added.

the showcause notice issued to ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| the university, P Sriraman, a SRC co-ordinator, said. The Task Force was constituted last year to inspect all BUaffiliated teacher education colleges. Abysmal infrastructure After the inspections, the Task Force had recommended that the university disaffiliate colleges with abysmal infrastruc- PROF B THIMME ture and quality, those that did GOWDA, BU, V-C: If the not even have a functional building or never conducted a NCTE has decided to single class the entire academic withdraw recognition to these colleges, the year. However, owing to opposi- university has to abide tion from a section of the Syn- by its decision. dicate members, the varsity has not implemented the recommendations, despite both the | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | decision-making bodies (Aca- having passed the report. The demic Council and Syndicate) Higher Education Department

The decision to withdraw the recognition for Vijaya Teachers College, Bangalore City College of Education, KIET College of Education, Smt Mehras College of Education, St Pauls MEd College and Gold Field College of Education in Bangarpet was taken during a meeting of the Southern Regional Committee (SRC) of NCTE held between March 29 and April 1. The decision was based on the report of the BU Task Force on BEd and MEd colleges and

issued a show cause notice to the university in February 2013, for failing to take action against the blacklisted colleges. If the NCTE has decided to withdraw recognition to these colleges, the university has to abide by its decision, Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof B Thimme Gowda said. He said that the university has issued notices to over 50 other blacklisted teacher education colleges.

Force members had grabbed their records during the inspection, the colleges are seeking an impartial inquiry. Three-member panel Gowda said that the university will constitute a three-member committee consisting of educationists from outside Bangalore University to look into the issue. The State government too has approved the same, he added. Meanwhile, principal secretary to the department of Higher Education Rajneesh Goel has addressed a letter on March 14 to Prof Seethamma, Registrar, Bangalore University, asking the varsity to update the department on the action taken against the controversial teacher education colleges.

Surprise inspections On whether they would be disaffiliated, Gowda said the colleges were alleging that the Task Force conducted surprise inspections similar to CBI raids and that they were not given a fair chance to represent themselves. Complaining that the Task DH News Service

BBMP annuls acquisition of 40 acres of Kodiyala Karenahalli land

G Manjusainath BANGALORE: Nipping in the bud a move that could have snowballed into a major controversy, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has cancelled the acquisition of 40 acre of land outside its limits at Kodiyala Karenahalli off Ramanagara, done through Transferrable Developmental Rights (TDR).

The reply also states that of the 7,709 acres, about 2,728 acres have been denotified on March 25, 2004. There has been largescale demand from various organisations and landowners for denotification of the remaining 4,981 acres which are not required for the project and they have been protesting, stating that the project company is seeking excess land particularly close to Bangalore and the same are being handed over by the Government to help the project financially. The State has said that it will abide by the directions of the Supreme Court, as to the excess land which has been determined already. The Janandolana has asked the State Government to denotify the rest of the 4,981 acres and scrap the project immediately. What is the purpose in waiting for the Supreme Court directive when the State Government has already identified the extent of land that is in excess? The State can take action immediately and even scrap the project on its own, said activist Vinay Sreenivasa.
DH News S ervice

Registration for borewell ends today

BANGALORE: The deadline

Expect more rain in City

BANGALORE, DHNS: The City is likely to receive rains over the next four days also, the Meteorological department has predicted. The rain on Tuesday night had a cooling effect for the Citys residents, who are feeling the summer heat. The forecast is that there will be rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, in the evening/night. The City received a total of 0.6 mm of rainfall on Tuesday and the temperature was around 34.9 degrees Celsius. Till April 4, the maximum temperature will be around 35 degrees Celsius, the department said. Rainfall will continue to occur in south interior Karnataka, coastal and north interior Karnataka, Kerala for the next 48 hours. Rainfall may also occur at isolated places in Telangana, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu. In Gujarat, Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and coastal Andhra Pradesh, dry weather will continue, the weatherman predicted.

set by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board ends on Wednesday. The Board has come out with guidelines for the process. New borewells
As per Section 11 of Kar-

Deccan Herald had exposed the fraudulent acquisition in a report titled Middlemen strike gold in the garb of ridding garbage, published on March 13. BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah, on Monday, struck down the land acquisition process, and also cancelled relinquishment deeds the Palike had entered into with middlemen to acquire land from the owners through TDR. In a missive to the government, stating that BBMP has no power and competence for issuing TDR for lands outside the Palike, Siddaiah noted: In our anxiety to have the land in view of the garbage crisis, we seem to have missed out on jurisdictional and competence aspects of acquiring lands outside BBMP limits under TDR scheme. He referred to the Government Order (UDD280 MNG:2011 dated March 1, 2013), saying that it too did not make things very explicit. We noticed that power and competence for issuing TDR for lands outside BBMP have been removed under Section 14(b) of Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act and in case BBMP desires to acquire any lands for whatever purpose or facility outside its limits, the same shall be through compe-

DISASTER AVERTED: The scenic place near Kodiyala Karenahalli, off Ramanagara, was chosen by the BBMP to convert it into a landfill site. DH PHOTO

tent authority and in our case, Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority (BMICAPA), the commissioner said. Observing that the government could rectify the errors that have crept in, although TDRs have been issued, he said, the relinquishment deeds stand cancelled and the TDR certificate issued consequently shall be withdrawn. He has sought fresh direction from the State government, on whether or not the BBMP could still go ahead to

acquire land through Trans- in possession of a single family, ferrable Developmental Rights. BBMP appointed authorised representatives to acquire land Garbage is gold for it, instead of approaching When the City was in the them directly. Instead of cash, throes of garbage after the clo- it chose to pay through TDR, sure of all landfill sites around ignoring the fact that TDRs can the City due to protests by local be issued only within BBMP villagers, BBMP began looking limits and not outside its jurisdiction. for alternative sites. Yet, there were forces comThe deputy commissioners of neighbouring districts were pelling BBMP to acquire land pressed into service to find out through TDR, since it would alternative landfill sites for have fetched about Rs 150 BBMP. One such was Kodiyala crore without spending anything. The strategy was that Karenahalli. Although the said land was middlemen would enter into

an agreement with land holders, get general power of attorney and pay them Rs 40 lakh per acre. While landlosers would have got returns at Rs 92 per sq ft, middlemen would have earned about Rs 930 per sq ft selling TDRs to builders. The strategy adopted by middlemen and their political bosses had the imprint of the infamous KIADB scam that landed former ministers Krishnaiah Setty, Katta Subramanya Naidu and his corporator son Katta Jagadish behind bars.
DH News Service

Personality test postponed

BANGALORE, DHNS: The

personality test for 362 posts of Gazetted Probationers scheduled to be held from April 3 to 24, by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), has been postponed due to the letter received from the Principal Secretary to the government (DPAR). The next date of the personality test will be announced later for the information of the candidates, a press release by the KPSC stated.

Give ID proof to redraft flawed In two months, over six lakh apply for Hebbal voters list, says EC
A few politicians are hand-in-glove with the agency that prepared the draft list
BANGALORE: The Election Commission, following a memorandum submitted to it by JD(S) leader Abdul Azeem, has stated that the draft electoral roll of Hebbal constituency will be revised on furnishing valid identity and address proof. In December 2012, a memorandum was submitted to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and he was urged to look into mistakes/errors in the constituencys voters list. Azeem sought the Election Commissions intervention to rectify the errors. He had alleged that a few powerful politicians aspiring to contest the Assembly polls are hand-in-glove with the agency that prepared the draft list. In his complaint, Azeem stated: In Hebbal Assembly

nataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2011, those who desire to drill / dig a well / borewell for any purpose shall apply for grant of permission. The Form No 1A for drinking purpose and Form No 1B for commercial / industrial purpose can be downloaded from the www.bwssb.org or are available at all divisions and subdivisions and Central office of maintenance zone of BWSSB. The filled application form shall be submitted to the office of Deputy Chief Engineer, Maintenance Zone along with payment of prescribed fee of Rs 50 for drinking purpose and Rs 500 for commercial / industrial purpose. The prescribed fee can be deposited at any branch of Canara Bank, Bangalore to the current account No 0788201052332. All the 160 branches of Canara Bank in Bangalore Metropolitan area are authorised to collect this amount. Deputy Chief Engineer, Maintenance zone, BWSSB will issue the registration certificate with due verification from Senior Geologist, Mines and Geology Department, and after clearance from Ground Water Authority will issue the permission within 60 days from date of application. Existing borewells
As per Section 12 of Kar-

City weather
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rain or thundershowers to occur in some parts of City TEMPERATURES Maximum 34.9 C Minimum 23.2 C Rainfall 0.6 mm Humidity 42 pc Sunrise 6.14 am Sunset 6.31 pm Moonrise 00.27 am Moonset 12.17 pm

constituency alone, 45,000 names were deleted, compared to the draft voters list of 2008. When contacted by Deccan Herald, Special Officer (Elections) of BBMP, Dr R Vishal said an investigation was taken up and a detailed report was sent to the CEO for his perusal. The electoral list did have certain anomalies on account of deaths, voters moving out of the constituency and other such factors, he said. Workers of various political parties have highlighted how names of as many as 120 families in Ganganagar were delet- DH News Service

ed from the draft list at once. Moreover, all the families belonged to minority communities. Sources indicate that in this particular area, Revenue Inspectors had not updated changes. In certain instances, the change in the name of Gangekondanahalli to Ganganagar was never effected, thus leaving a majority of the people out of the electoral list. One of the major mistakes shown in the memorandum is how the name and photograph of S Vijaya, a resident, appeared nine times under different epic card numbers in the electoral list. On the memorandum, Anil Kumar Jha, Chief Electoral Officer, said: We have already reviewed the complaint by JD(S) leader Abdul Azeem. The recent deletion list has been handed over to the complainant. If he finds any mistakes in the list, the same can be brought to our notice. We are open to additions to the voters list, if only documents furnished are authentic.

voters list enrolment

BANGALORE: Ahead of the

nataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2011, every existing user of ground water either through borewell / open well shall apply for registration in prescribed Form No. 4. The Form No.4 can be downloaded from www.bwssb.org or are available at all divisions and subdivisions of maintenance zone of BWSSB. The filled application form shall be submitted to the respective executive engineers of maintenance zone along with payment of prescribed fee of Rs 50 for drinking purpose and Rs 500 for commercial industrial purpose. The registration fee can be deposited at any branch of Canara Bank, Bangalore to the current account No 0788201052332. All the 160 branches of Canara Bank in Bangalore Metropolitan area are authorized to collect this amount. The respective executive engineer will issue the registration certificate with due verification within 30 days from date of application.

May 5 Assembly elections, a whopping 6.28 lakh people have applied for enrolment in the voters list in the State in the past two months. Surprisingly, 50 per cent of the applicants are from various Assembly constituencies in BBMP areas. The Election Commission of India has already verified and included the names of 60 per cent of the applicants in the electoral rolls. State Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha on Tuesday said the progress of voters registration in Bangalore has been good and they were expecting to achieve 65 per cent (of total eligible voter population) enrolment.

Till April 7 Total number of voters under constituencies in BBMP area, till Tuesday, was 64,41,788. The enrolment and updating process is open till April 7, 2013. Jha also said that on an av- DH News Service

erage 40,000 people were applying for new registrations every day and deputy commissioners have been directed to hasten the processing of applications. People can log on to website www.ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in for clarifications on voters list or related matter. Those already enrolled can look for polling booths and other necessary information on the website. About the proposal by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to revise power tariff in the State, Jha said he has received all necessary details from the KERC. Final call on permitting KERC to announce the power tariff will be taken soon, he added. Jha said he has already conducted a meeting with the Excise officials and Karnataka State Beverages Corporation Limited on bulk production at distilleries and, necessary directions have been issued.

Palike to set up waste collection points in all wards

BANGALORE: The Bruhat

Bangalore Mahanagara Palike will set up waste collection points in all the wards of the City and appoint requisite staff to monitor garbage segregation and transportation. Palike Commissioner Siddaiah informed the High Court on Tuesday that the waste collection points will be set up on 30 ft x 40 ft site in all the 198 wards. During the hearing of a petition on garbage crisis, Siddaiah told the Court that the Palike had assured land to bulk generators of garbage to set up processing plants. The Division Bench comprising Justices N Kumar and B V Nagarathna directed the court to include a clause on garbage management while issuing trade licences. It directed the Palike and the Karnataka State

Pollution Control Board to educate citizens on segregation of garbage. The Bench felt that garbage menace cannot be tackled just by court orders and insisted on creating public awareness. On performance basis Justice N Kumar observed that instead of allotting garbage transportation tenders to only certain contractors, tenders should be allotted to all those who have applied and the contract should be renewed on the basis of their performance. Siddaiah submitted that a report containing the details of all the garbage processing units will be presented to the court on the next date of hearing. The matter was adjourned to April 26.
DH News Service