Nearly 300 wards across the State no longer get piped drinking water

Searing summer heat and drought have hit piped water supply quite hard in urban areas. According to a report on drinking water crisis, prepared by the Department of Municipal Administration (DMA), residents of about 300 wards in various urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State are no longer getting piped water supply.

Steel giant cites low iron content in mines; move casts shadow on GIM-II

At a time when the State government is preparing for the second edition of Global Investors’ Meet (GIM), it has come to light that the world’s largest steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal has withdrawn its application seeking iron ore mining lease at Donimalai forest range in Bellary, citing inferior ore quality.

With the State’s revenue taking a beating due to the blanket ban on iron ore mining, the Finance Department (FD) has decided to make good the shortage by enhancing the rates of other non-tax revenue sources, including user charges on various services being provided by the State government.

In a recent circular issued by the FD, heads of all departments have been directed to initiate steps to revise the rates of user charges and conduct a thorough review of all non-tax revenue sources. Besides, the FD has asked the department heads to launch a vigorous drive to collect arrears.

Chennai-B’lore-Coimbatore- Ernakulam route will also cover Mysore

The Indian Railways has given a go ahead for conducting a feasibility study on its most ambitious plan to introduce high speed train on the Chennai-Bangalore-Coimbatore- Ernakulam route.

Boost to protection of green belt around Bangalore

In a big boost to the protection of green belt around Bangalore, the State Minor Irrigation Department has taken up a project to rejuvenate and fence 18 tanks located within the green belt limits, after clearing encroachments.

To hold meeting in the wake of HC quashing acquisition of 250 acres of land

The State government is likely to take a re-look at the size of the proposed Bellary Green Field Airport project in the wake of Karnataka High Court quashing acquisition of about 250 acres of land meant for the project

Govt proposes fixing meters to pumps to check over extraction
Commercial use of groundwater, especially in Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts, will soon become a costly affair.

The decision of the State government to promulgate an ordinance to regulate stone-crushing units in Karnataka is likely to hit the existing operators really hard.

Land for industries: Farmers, government at loggerheads
Acquiring land for industries has become a major challenge for the BJP government.

PWD, the nodal implementation agency, says it has no details
Fifteen years after conceiving the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, the State government now claims it has no clue where exactly the controversial project is being implemented.

A file photo of the BMIC project.The Public Works Department (PWD), the nodal agency for the project implementation, has declared that