BENGALURU: The Karnataka cabinet on Monday discussed the controversial Nanjangud temple demolition, and details of a new bill to protect places of worship, which was tabled in the assembly later in the day. With former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa seeking to approach the Supreme Court against the Nanjangud temple demolition, the cabinet hopes to push the Karnataka Religious Structures Protection Bill through in the monsoon session, though there are only three days left. The new bill will ensure that all places of worship, regardless of religious affiliation, are protected.
Religious Endowments Minister Shashikala Jolle had been was instructed to get the legislation ready in time for the cabinet meeting to discuss the bill. The cabinet also decided to instruct the departments concerned to notify dates for election of the mayor and deputy mayor for the cities of Kalaburagi, where neither the Congress nor the BJP has a clear majority, and both sides are dependent on Dal councillors. The dates for the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections for Belagavi and Hubballi-Dharwad will also be notified suitably, to allow MLAs and MPs to attend.
The complaint of sewage flowing into lakes around Bengaluru was taken up, with the cabinet approving setting up of a project under Shubra Bengaluru, at a cost of Rs 22.40 crore, to ensure that raw sewage does not flow into Mallathahalli Lake. Among the other issues which the cabinet approved was making a three-year technical education diploma equivalent to PU II. The cabinet approved amendments to the research wing of the forensic sciences department of state police. The dismissal of the Kalghatagi Taluk Panchayat executive officer M S Meti was approved, after an inquiry by the Upa Lokayukta.
The cabinet accorded administrative approval to the drinking water scheme of 17 villages around Untajji of Muddebihal taluk of Vijayapura, at a cost of Rs 38.78 crore. The supply of welfare kits to ST students studying pre-matriculation and post-matriculation at a cost of Rs 69.49 crore was also approved, and the lease of the Veerashaiva Vidyavardhaka Sangha Munirabad Vijaynagar Samyukta First Grade College was extended by 30 years.