A steep hike in water rates without any transparency has shocked consumers in Mysore resulting in protests and demonstrations demanding a rollback.

Water rates of both domestic and commercial consumption have been raised three-fold from May 1. The minimum charge of Rs 60 has gone up to Rs 175 from May 1. The MCC has however defended the steep rise by saying it had been raised throughout the state. Among those who opposed the hike was former minister and sitting N R constituency MLA Tanveer Sait (Congress).

Even though the Indian Railways has taken over the catering service it has not been able to implement its policy on the desired lines and the problem of drinking water continues to be acute and a matter of concern in stations and moving trains.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee headed by T.R. Baalu in its report, which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, expressed concern that during inspection, the committee found that normal tap water was being used for drinking at most stations.

The urban greens demand that the rural poor live in conflict even where it does not help conservation
THE ONLY potentially dangerous wildlife that still survives in our cities is the occasional snake, largely because it is difficult to spot. Whenever one is found, it is either killed or rescued (read dumped outside the city limits). Anything bigger stands no chance at all. Intruding leopards trigger lynch mobs. Straying elephants face gunshots or are violently chased away.

Projects to improve infrastructure discussed at Vision-2020

With an eye on improving waste management in the city, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) is planning to install a computer controlled chip in each house, which would indicate if garbage has been collected. Think tank: Alert Citizens Team president Prof Shivaram Malavalli shares a point with district in-charge minister S A Ramdas in Mysore on Wednesday. Deputy commissioner P S Vastrad and police commissioner K L Sudheer are seen.

The move will improve Mysore's connectivity and spur growth: Chief Minister

The high-speed ‘bullet train' service proposed between Chennai and Bangalore will be extended up to Mysore to improve connectivity with Mysore and spur industrial growth in the region. This was announced by Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda after inaugurating the Mysore Region Business Development Summit here on Friday.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday told the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) that the company will not be able to get possession of land for undertaking the ambitious multi-thousand crore Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) till the issue of land compensation was resolved.

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice R M Lodha refused to hear further a contempt petition filed by NICE seeking action against the State government for failing to acquire land for the project.

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.

As the Coimbatore Corporation Mayor and Commissioner take off to New Delhi to attend a conference on the eve of the sixth year of the implementation of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, things on the ground are not all that good.

Almost all the projects the Corporation is implementing with funds under the Central Government-funded scheme remain incomplete even after pushing the deadline more than once. Pilloor Phase II and underground drainage projects are a case in point.

“The bio-medical wastes pollutes water, soil and air. The medical waste pollution can lead to disastrous health hazards. A proper disposal of bio-medical waste can curtail up to 80 per cent of diseases,” the deputy commissioner remarked.