Govt to impose fine on farmers drawing power unauthorisedly

Bangalore, Feb 3 (PTI) Karnataka Government today decidedto snap power supply and impose fine on those farmerswho were drawing power unauthorisedly for irrigation pump setconnections after this January.

The state cabinet meeting , chaired by Chief Minister B SYeddyurappa, to check the menace of illegal pumpsets whichcast impact on supply of energy, however decided to regularise1.50 lakh such connections that existed prior to December 31,2010.

Farmers will have to pay Rs 10,000 and money towards twomonth deposit for regularising unauthorised connections andrespective ESCOMs (Electricity Supply Companies) spend Rs35,000, Minister for Higher Education Dr V S Acharya toldreporters briefing the decisions adopted at the cabinet.

The meeting decided to levy toll from road users on about5,000 kms of road developed under Karnataka State HighwayProject and Karnataka Road Development Corporation, he said.

The government was yet to decide on the date of levy oftoll and also the quantum, Acharya said.

The South India''s first ever State Data Centre wouldcome up here with an investment of Rs 56.27 crore, forwhich the Centre will extend Rs 52.80 crore assistance.

The Remote Sensing Agency will undertake mapping of slumsin 10 districts of Mysore, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwad, Mangalore,Belgaum, Bellary, Davanagere, Tumkur, Bangalore and Shimogaunder the Central funded Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojan to turn thesecities as slum free.

The exercise also aimed at curbing multiplication of slums,Acharya said.

The Cabinet decided to write to the Centre to accordpermission to develop its 320 kms coastline as tourist spotsby applying CRZ norms applicable to Zone-II for the placesthat categoriesed as Zone-III.

While coastline of Goa and Kerala witnessed tourismdevelopment, the state''s coastline could not go head withtourism projects in the wake of curbs imposed by CRZregulations, he pointed out.

The norms stipulated for CRZ-II zone apply for developedzones.

The cabinet sanctioned Rs 25 crore special grants to UdupiCity Municipality which is celebrating its platinum jubilee totake up some development works, he said.

The meeting gave permission to private institutions toestablish new nursing colleges and three paramedical collegesin opthalmology and to open a government nursing college inBelgaum during 2011-12 academic year.

Rs 10 crore was sanctioned for Karnataka Border DevelopmentAuthority to implement development works in border areas. PTIMSR BH RC