B’lore’s garbage War: DKS fires fresh warning

OB Bureau

The city’s festering garbage row has turned into a full-blown political slugfest, with Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar firing a blunt warning at BJP MLAs blocking waste trucks in their constituencies.

“We will not tolerate obstruction of garbage disposal operations,” said Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, speaking to the press in the city midweek, before leaving for Guwahati. His message was sharp and unsparing.

“Let them not allow the garbage trucks to dump garbage. Whichever MLA stops garbage vehicles, we will not remove garbage from their constituencies. We will make announcements on mikes. Do we have to touch their feet?” he said.

The Deputy CM made it clear that garbage would be dumped only at designated locations and that the sites currently being used were identified during previous administrations as well as under the present government.

The government, he said, is planning to identify four additional dumping sites. However, land-related issues are causing delays. Tenders have already been called for two of the proposed locations.

Referring specifically to Mahadevapura in Bangalore, where garbage trucks were reportedly stopped, Shivakumar questioned the logic behind the move.

“Whose garbage is it? It is the people’s garbage. In Mahadevapura, they have stopped garbage trucks. What if we order authorities not to clear garbage from the Mahadevapura region? But we will carry out our duties,” he said.

The garbage confrontation comes a day after the Karnataka BJP and the Congress government traded sharp words over the issue. BJP state president and MLA BY Vijayendra asserted that there was no question of fearing what he described as “hollow threats” issued by Shivakumar.

Earlier in the week, the Deputy CM had lashed out at BJP legislators, accusing them of blackmail and of obstructing essential civic services. He had warned that if such actions continued, garbage might have to be dumped in front of BJP offices and residences of BJP leaders.

Shivakumar also appealed to RTC staffers who have decided to resort to protests, urging them to reconsider. He said employees should be satisfied with what the government has provided and asked them to take into account the state’s financial situation and cooperate with the administration.

For now, though, the spotlight remains firmly on Bengaluru’s garbage battle – with trucks, tenders and tempers all in motion. As dumping sites turn into political flashpoints, the city’s waste crisis has once again spilled into the heart of a high-decibel war of words.

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HL: Dog menace bites again: 5 kids injured

OB Bureau

Kalaburagi woke up to anger and anguish on Friday after five children, including toddlers, were bitten by a stray dog in the Devinagar locality of the city.

The children were playing in front of their houses when the dog attacked. The victims sustained serious injuries to their eyes, ears and chest and have been admitted to GIMS Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

The incident has triggered sharp outrage among residents, who have accused the Municipal Corporation of failing to contain the stray dog menace.

Locals alleged that dog bite cases are reported almost every day in the area, but authorities have turned a blind eye.

More details about the latest attack are awaited, but for many in the locality, the fear is all too familiar. The district has witnessed a string of disturbing incidents involving stray dogs in recent weeks.

On February 7, a video from Kalaburagi went viral on social media showing a little girl, a toddler, being surrounded by a pack of fiercely barking stray dogs. The footage showed the girl, wearing a hijab and school uniform, bravely shooing the dogs away and standing her ground even as they returned.

The dogs eventually backed off. The video also showed her mother coming out of the house with a stick much later.

Following that incident, stray dogs that allegedly tried to attack a little girl in Rehman Colony were captured after swift action by corporation authorities, who maintained that safety measures were then put in place.

In another case, five children were injured after being bitten by a mad dog in the Mominpur area of the city. The menace has not been limited to Kalaburagi alone.

On January 28 and 29, a dog attack in Bailahongal town of Belagavi district left seven children and an elderly person injured in a tragic incident.

The recurring attacks have intensified public anger, with residents demanding stronger and sustained action rather than temporary crackdowns after viral videos or protests.

For families in Devinagar, the latest attack is a grim reminder of the risks children face while doing something as routine as playing outside their homes.

As the injured children recover at GIMS Hospital, the spotlight is once again on civic authorities and on what concrete steps will follow to prevent the next attack.

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HL: BJP cries ‘Emergency’ over press curbs at Vidhana Soudha

OB Bureau

A fresh political storm has erupted in Bangalore after the Congress government issued an order restricting the movement of media persons inside the Vidhana Soudha complex. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka launched a sharp attack on the Siddaramaiah-led government, accusing it of displaying an “anti-democratic and authoritarian attitude”.

“This is an emergency situation in Karnataka. In an attempt to cover up its failures, blunders and corruption, the Congress-led Karnataka government has once again displayed its anti-democratic and authoritarian attitude by moving to impose restrictions on the media,” Ashoka said.

Ashoka asserted that Vidhana Soudha does not belong to any political party. “Vidhana Soudha is not the office of your Congress party. It is the people’s House, a seat of power belonging to seven crore Kannadigas. No one has the authority to restrict media personnel from entering it,” he charged.

Calling the order “unconstitutional”, he demanded its immediate withdrawal. BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra echoed the criticism, saying the party strongly condemns the restrictions imposed on journalists inside the Legislature complex.

He alleged that the decision reinforces what he described as a growing perception of incompetence. “I do not understand why such decisions are being taken. During the Belagavi session, the government brought in a law related to hate speech. If we observe closely, each decision of this government appears to undermine democracy. This is certainly not right,” Vijayendra said.

“We cannot accept restrictions being imposed on the media. This is an anti-democratic move,” he reiterated, urging the government to roll back the order.

Vijayendra also alleged that the government had failed to curb slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad”, claiming that even when such slogans were raised inside Vidhana Soudha, the government maintained there was no evidence. He criticised the Congress government for allegedly failing to act against what he termed anti-national elements.

The controversy stems from a directive issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), which instructed that journalists must conduct interviews with legislators and seek reactions only at a designated location; the portico near the West Gate of Vidhana Soudha.

The order further states that the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers and other dignitaries should not be followed within the premises for comments. In a letter sent by the DPAR Secretary to the Director of the Information and Public Relations Department, officials were asked to issue necessary instructions to ensure compliance by all media persons.

The state government, however, has defended the move, stating that the restrictions are necessary for safety and security.