Start Volvo buses to Manipal, CM tells KSRTC officials

DHNS

• ‘Committee will be constituted to conduct study on production cost of arecanut’

Mangalore, 22 March 2010: ’’Do not wait for ministers, start Volvo bus services on Mangalore - Udupi - Manipal route soon,’’ Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa directed the KSRTC officials. 

 
Speaking to media persons at the Circuit House here on Sunday, Yeddyurappa said that he has already directed officials not to wait for minister. Hence, the bus service will be started on the route soon, he added.

‘Shift jail from city’

Yeddyurappa said that he has asked the officials to identify alternative land to shift the Mangalore Jail from the city. He said that the government has plans to shift all jails, which are situated within the city limits across the State, to outskirts. Fund has already been released for the shifting of Shimoga jail from the city. “The ongoing construction work of the new jail building in Mangalore city will be stopped and it will be shifted to outskirts at any cost,” he asserted.

‘Hyder Ali, Akbar, Tipu     opposed cow slaughter’

Talking about the Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill, the CM said that even Muslim rulers Hyder Ali, Akbar and Tipu were against cow slaughter. “It Hyder Ali, who asked his men to cut the hands of those who slaughter cows. Cow slaughter ban was implemented during Mughal ruler Akbar’s tenure,” he added.

Yeddyurappa said that states including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and Jammu Kashmir have already implemented ban on cow slaughter under the provisions of Article 48 of Indian Constitution. “Ours is a nation of agriculture tradition.
Hence, we are committed to protect the cows. There were only 300 abattoirs during the British rule in India. It is unfortunate that the number of abattoirs has crossed 35,000 now,” he added.

Campco unit in B’lore

The government will take a decision in the cabinet with regard Campco’s demand for 10 acres of land in Bangalore to set up a chocolate manufacture unit, Yeddyurappa said.

On arecanut purchase, Yeddyurappa said that the government has already released Rs 5 crore to purchase arecanut at a support price of Rs 75 per kilogram. Campco has already purchased a total of 6,715 quintals of arecanut so far and it will continue till June, he said adding that the government will release additional Rs 3 crore soon.

An expert committee will be set up to conduct study on the production cost of arecanut.
The report will be submitted to the central government, Yeddyurappa informed.

District-in-Charge Minister J Krishna Palemar, Coastal Karnataka Development Authority Chairman B Nagaraj Shetty, MLC Bharathi Shetty and MLA N Yogish Bhat were present.