Increasing use of solar energy to protect environment and address the growing need for power across the country was stressed at a green summit here Thursday.

Farmers, elected representatives in Kodagu district want route realigned

 The controversial proposal to draw a high tension power transmission line from Kaiga in Uttara Kannada district to Kerala via Kodagu and Mysore districts is back in focus with the State government seeking a report on the pros and cons of the proposed project of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

The panel, in its previous meetings, had decided to review the state-owned polluting industries set up in the ecologically sensitive zone.

Green activists and conservationists are up in arms over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement in the Budget for 2014-15 that the State government would organise a Netrani Beach Festival to promote tourism on the ecologically sensitive island in Uttara Kannada district.

Uttara Kannada District In-charge and Tourism Minister R V Deshpande said: “We have sent a proposal to the Central government seeking permission for tourism development there. I have been told the tourism ministry has taken it up on a priority basis, and work could start by 2015. During the beach festival, people can visit the rare spot and enjoy scuba diving.”

The government will set up an official committee to monitor adherence to environmental laws by factories and industries in the State.

Addressing presspersons here on Wednesday, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment B. Ramanath Rai said the proposed committee, comprising officials of the department, would visit industrial areas and conduct inspections of small, medium and large-scale industries in the private and public sector.

Perceived As A Threat To Elephant Habitats; Task Force Report Pointed To Fraudulent Clearances Being Granted To These Projects; Green Crusaders Welcome HC Directive

Karnataka is facing a strange phenomenon: it's in the grip of a drought and floods at the same time. The floods have followed two successive years of drought.

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday ordered issue of notices to the Central and State governments in connection with a petition seeking allocation of a gas agency to the coastal pilgrimage and tourist town of Gokarna.

The petitioners, Shankar J Markhande and two others, had moved the High Court seeking directions to the Union government to allocate a gas agency so that the scarcity of cooking gas in the temple town is overcome.

The Karnataka government has informed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) that it has prepared a proposal for upgrading the infrastructure facilities in villages close to the Kaiga Atomic Power Plant in Uttar Kannada district.

The NDMA, an unit under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, had carried out mock exercises in association with different state governments at all nuclear installations to assess the preparedness of various agencies in the event of nuclear disaster.