1. Bengaluru Will Run Out of Groundwater in 2 Years, Warns Niti Aayog Report
A Niti Aayog report has warned that Bengaluru will run out of groundwater by 2020, even as it placed Karnataka among the top five states on its composite water management index.
“Most states have achieved less than 50 percent of total score in augmentation of groundwater resources. An estimated 54 percent of India’s groundwater wells are showing a decline in levels due to extraction rates exceeding recharge rates and 21 major cities are expected to run out of groundwater as early as 2020, affecting 100 million people,” the Niti Aayog Composite Water Management Index report says.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Kumaraswamy Appeals to Centre for Farm Loan Waiver, Hopes for 50% Support
Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 50 percent support to waive loans of farmers in the state. Kumaraswamy raised the issue of agrarian distress in the state while speaking at the fourth meeting of the NITI Ayog governing council in New Delhi.
He pointed out that about 85 lakh farmers have outstanding debts in banks. "Due to recurring droughts, the distress of the farmers is even more severe. I request Government of India to provide 50 percent support for our loan waiver initiative.," Kumaraswamy said in his speech.
(Source: The News Minute)
3. Finding No Valuables, Robbers Take Techie’s Bike
A software engineer, who was returning home after work on Saturday night, was stopped by a gang of robbers in Prakash Nagar, Rajajinagar. Finding nothing valuable on him, the robbers took his high-end bike that costs over Rs 1.5 lakh.
Vaibhav, a resident of Rajajinagar 6th Block, had parked his bike at his colleague's house in Prakash Nagar and gone to work in the office cab. Around 2.30 am, the cab dropped him back in Prakash Nagar from where he took his bike and headed home.
On the way, a car obstructed his path. Four men got down from the car wielding lethal weapons. They demanded that Vaibhav hand over all his valuables. They eventually left with his high-end bike
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Bengaluru Metro Clocks Over 12 Crore Ridership in One Year
Sunday, June 17, marked the one year anniversary of the completion of Phase 1 of Namma Metro.
The opening of the line last year, made phase 1 of the project complete, by ensuring end-to-end connectivity for the city, consisting of the purple and green lines running from Byappanahalli to Mysore road and Nagasandra to Yelachenahalli. In the last one year, the Phase 1 has registered a ridership of over 12 crore with an average ridership of 3.3 lakh every day.
(Source: The Times of India)
5. Gauri Lankesh Murder: SIT Questions Sri Rama Sene's Vijayapura Chief
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Gauri Lankesh murder case questioned Vijayapura district Sri Rama Sene Chief Rakesh Math for over six hours on Saturday to examine his links to alleged shooter Parashuram Waghmare.
The investigation came hours after the Sri Rama Sene published a Facebook post, appealing for people to financially support Waghmare's family.
The SIT team probing the case questioned Rakesh Math for over six hours, till late on Saturday night. They suspect Waghmore had been working for Sri Rama Sene and was an active member of the organisation.
(Source: The News Minute)
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