1. KRS dam breaches 100 ft mark, Kabini almost full
The water level at Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) across river Cauvery breached the 100 ft mark against the maximum level of 124.80 ft on July 5. Exactly a week ago (June 28), the reservoir level at KRS was hovering at 90.28 ft. The rise in reservoir level was facilitated by a spell of heavy rains that lashed parts of Kodagu, including Bhagamandala which constitutes the catchment area for the Cauvery.
In a 24-hour period, Bhagamandala recorded 211 mm of rainfall and the first flooding of the season was reported last week. This helped augment the inflow into the KRS. However, dam authorities at the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Ltd (CNNL) have pointed out that the increase in water levels will turn progressively slower beyond the 100 ft mark as the span of the backwater widens.
2. BWSSB to go for pre-commission trial of Cauvery V Stage by end of July
Though all work on Cauvery V Stage is complete, residents of 110 villages near Bengaluru, who have been waiting for piped water for over a decade, may have to wait a little longer. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is expected to start the pre-commission trial of Cauvery V Stage by the end of July.
The board is waiting for power connection to the pipeline network, and an on-site inspection by Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, who also hold the Bengaluru Development portfolio, to begin the pre-commission trial. Many residents fear that the board will encounter gaps in the pipeline network.
3. Tourists head to Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru to enjoy monsoon in Karnataka
After a dull monsoon in 2023, rain has picked up this year in Karnataka, especially in the coastal and Malnad regions along the Western Ghats. Tourists, especially from Bengaluru, are heading to destinations in these regions to enjoy the rains. Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu seem to be the destinations most favoured by tourists.
Karnataka Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) has seen a slight increase in the number of bookings to Madikeri (Kodagu district) and Jog Falls (Shivamogga district). Rather than going for traditional lodging options, tourists are now looking to stay in homestays and resorts on the outskirts, away from the buzz of cities.
4. Police control room struggles with crank calls, some even from NIMHANS patients in Bengaluru
While crank calls have always been a concern for Bengaluru City Police’s (BCP) Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) — Namma 112, some of these calls have begun to come from even mentally-disturbed inmates of NIMHANS. According to staff at the control room, several mentally disturbed people call the control room as ‘they want someone to lend them an ear’.
Between January 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, the control room, which has been outsourced, received 786 crank calls. “These calls might not be from 786 different persons. There are some repeated callers,” said a supervisor.
5. Children must engage in performing arts more often: Ranga Shankara founder Arundhati Nag
Theatre has played a huge role in conveying complex topics to children for many years now and Ranga Shankara (RS), the popular theatre space in JP Nagar in Bengaluru has been one of the key contributors to theatre for children in India.
Back with their 14th edition of Aha! International Theatre for Children Festival 2024, Arundhati Nag, managing trustee and founder of RS, shares her thoughts on the importance of this art form for children. Read the full interview here.
Published - July 05, 2024 05:13 pm IST
