Author: Indmedia

Hubballi: The proposal to shift Karnataka Bal Vikas Academy (KBVA) from Dharwad to Bengaluru has triggered anger among child rights activists in North Karnataka. The academy, set up in 2009 after an agitation, was built on 33 guntas at a cost of Rs 5.3 crore and inaugurated in 2015. Activists say it has played a key role in raising awareness of children’s rights and in the development of children aged 0–18 years. They are planning an agitation against the proposal.MLA Mahesh Tenginkai, who also served as KBVA chairman, said the idea was floated even during his tenure in 2011. “To…

Ludhiana: The PAMETI recently organised a 15-day course on integrated nutrient management to enable trainees for starting a fertilizer business. Dr. Kirpal Singh Aulakh, former PAU vice-chancellor, graced the occasion as chief guest. Dr KB. Singh, director, PAMETI, said the programme was meant for the new fertilizer entrepreneurs and dealers so that they could serve the farming community in a better way as para-extension workers. He added that the training would aid the fertilizer entrepreneurs and dealers in Punjab in starting their new ventures in the field and increase their efficiency.Dr Aulakh said by adopting the right technology for the…

Mangaluru: Acting chairperson of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), T Sham Bhat, said the commission would recommend additional compensation to the Manjanady landslide survivor if a technical report by the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal, confirmed negligence by local authorities.Ashwini lost both her legs in the landslide that occurred in May 2025. She also lost her two children and mother-in-law in the tragedy. She met Sham Bhat outside the Netravati Hall at the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat and sought a govt job and housing support, alleging official negligence. Her family members told the commission that the…

Madikeri: A priest at Sri Basaveshwara Temple in Ponnampet showed honesty by returning a gold bracelet that a woman had lost during last year’s Mahashivratri.HB Kamala from Jodubeeti village had visited the temple with her granddaughter in 2025. During the visit, the bracelet worn by the child went missing. Kamala became upset and scolded her granddaughter. The temple priest, Panchakshari, noticed this and asked what had happened. He and some devotees searched for the bracelet, but could not find it. Kamala later went back home.After some time, the bracelet was found near the footwear stand. The priest shared the information…

Panaji: Many govt jobs reserved for persons with disabilities often remain unfilled. Now, the Ignou, Goa regional centre, and the commissioner for persons with disabilities are in talks to set up a coaching centre to help disabled candidates prepare for various govt job exams.The centre’s director, G Shrinivas, said persons with disabilities often get stuck at some stage of their education or during their job search due to lack of guidance.“The commissioner for persons with disabilities, Guruprasad Pawaskar, recently called a meeting to discuss a solution. We spoke to various associations representing persons with different disabilities. One question was how…

Shimla: Apple growers across Himachal Pradesh are still awaiting payments worth Rs 6.12 crore, as fraud complaints against commission agents or arhtiyas continue to rise.Over the last three years, 379 complaints were registered against commission agents, accused of failing to pay horticulturists after procuring their produce, agriculture minister Chander Kumar informed the state legislative assembly during the third day of the ongoing budget session on Wednesday.Of the total cases, only 59 have been fully resolved and 10 were partially settled, resulting in the recovery of just Rs 1.93 crore. However, the majority of the dues remain unpaid, raising concerns among…

Patna is on a transformative journey towards sustainable waste management, with plans to eliminate 20 lakh metric tonnes of outdated waste by May 2026. The city is currently employing an innovative biomining technique that categorizes waste into valuable resources like fuel, bio-soil, and inert materials. Patna: The reclamation of land led by the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) at Ramchak Bairiya aims to process approximately 20 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste. Since biomining began two years ago, the three agencies engaged in the project have cleared more than eight lakh tonnes of legacy waste.During a recent inspection, municipal commissioner Yahpal…

Jaipur: The Rajasthan Assembly witnessed sharp exchanges during Question Hour Wednesday over the collection of “counselling fees” from private students in state-funded universities. Congress MLA Manish Yadav alleged that three universities — Mohanlal Sukhadia University (Udaipur), Raj Rishi Bhartrihari Matsya University (Alwar), and Rajasthan University (Jaipur) — were charging Rs 1,000 per student, amounting to nearly Rs 240 crore, without providing any counselling services.Raising the issue, Yadav questioned the legality of collecting fees from nearly 24 lakh students. “Neither any counselling session was conducted nor was any counselling centre operational in any of these universities. On what basis are you…

Rajkot: The Rajkot Special Operations Group (SOG) on Tuesday detained four Bangladeshi women for allegedly residing in India without valid documents.The women, aged between 29 and 30, were apprehended from the Aji Dam police station area after the SOG received specific information about their presence.SOG police inspector Sanjaysinh Jadeja said the women had travelled from Bangladesh to Kolkata and then to Surat before arriving in Rajkot around four days ago in search of employment. Based on the input, a team conducted a check in the area and detained them for verification.During interrogation, the women reportedly admitted that they had entered…

Hazaribag: Residents of various villages under Churchu block of the district, who have been living under the long shadow of the herd of elephants which killed seven people last week, are worried as the lone 108 ambulance in the block, which is equipped with advanced life support systems, remains out of order for nearly a week.As the herd of five hovers between Purpania and Jhumra Hills in the neighbouring Bokaro district, locals on Wednesday demanded that the ambulance, which could very well be the differentiator between life and death for someone who is injured by the herd, be repaired at…