Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: Savings light up consumers’ lives as Gruha Jyothi completes a year, and more

It has been a year since the Congress government started providing free electricity up to 200 units for domestic consumers in Karnataka under one of their five poll guarantees — the Gruha Jyothi scheme. Although the first zero bills were issued in August, free power supply began on July 1. 

Ever since the registration process for the scheme on e-governance portal Seva Sindhu was kickstarted on June 18, 2023, as many as 1.65 crore domestic consumers (out of over 2 crore) have registered for the scheme up until May 2024. From tuition fees to groceries for home, lakhs of beneficiaries, especially in rural areas, have been able to save money, thanks to the scheme. However, complaints about the inconsistent quality of power supply across the State continue to be heard.

The historic Sri Krishnarajendra Silver Jubilee park, that was laid out in 1927 to mark the completion of 25 years of rule of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, is now in a sorry state due to neglect by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The lung space, which stretches between Town Hall and Jumma masjid in Bengaluru, had hundreds of trees during its bygone days.

Over the past 15 years, the park has lost its aesthetics. Thanks to the construction of a flyover and the BBMP’s apathy in maintaining the space, it has now turned into a dumping yard and illegal parking spot. At night, a portion of the park, opposite Jumma masjid, is used for parking vehicles that carry flowers to the market. The waste generated is dumped in the same place.

Farmers in the Cauvery belt have reiterated their opposition to trial blasts at KRS reservoir, near Mysuru, during a round-table meeting in Mandya. Activists of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) have resolved to lay siege to KRS reservoir in Srirangapatna, if the Mandya district administration and Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) decide to go ahead with trial blasts again.

The efforts of the authorities to carry out trial blasts has been blocked thrice by farmers’ outfits, including KRRS. The last attempt was in March this year when a team of experts from Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) arrived in Mandya to prepare the ground for trial blasts in the vicinity of KRS reservoir.

In an effort to keep their personnel fit and fine on par with the armed forces and instil a healthy lifestyle, the Tumakuru district police has launched a BMI workshop for around 160 personnel of the total 2,000 workforce in the district to improve fitness within a target period of six months.