Category: Blog

The Mysuru district administration has taken the recent fire accident at a restaurant near Dattagalli seriously and ordered action against bars and restaurants operating on temporarily built second or third floors without fire safety measures. Deputy Commissioner Lakshmikanth Reddy, at a meeting with excise, police, fire, and emergency services officials, directed inspections of all bars and restaurants within and outside the city. He asked officials to submit a report within a week on properties lacking fire safety measures. “Bars and restaurants must mandatorily require multi-zone fire safety measures, have to set up automatic kitchen fire suppression systems, mention highly visible escape routes, train employees to avoid tragedies and loss of properties. Bars and restaurants must ensure the safety of all guests,” he said.

Flagging risks, the DC said many establishments use ornamental illumination and rooftop designs involving inflammable materials, and asked officials to list such properties. He directed the excise department to verify licences and identify bars and restaurants operating illegally. Raids must be conducted in establishments in city outskirts, outer ring roads, and homestays, he said. Reddy also instructed the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and civic bodies in the outskirts to carry out surprise inspections to check safety compliance. He said fire and emergency services officials are ready to provide one-day training to civic and excise staff on fire safety measures. Applications should be rejected and licences not renewed if establishments fail to comply, he added. City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar said police will coordinate with excise and MCC officials during raids. SP Mallikarjuna Baladandai, ZP CEO S Ukehskumar, and District Fire and Emergency Services Officer Gururaj were present.

In Mysuru, Karnataka, anganwadi workers are facing additional responsibilities, including verifying Gruha Lakshmi (Home Lakshmi) beneficiaries and serving as booth-level officers for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), on top of their existing duties. Earning a monthly honorarium of Rs 10,000 and working seven hours a day from 9am, anganwadi workers are now tasked with verifying the living status of Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries as part of an ongoing review, with the goal of removing deceased women from the database. According to K Somashekar Yadgir, state president of the Karnataka State United Anganwadi Workers Association, in a few districts, anganwadi workers are being asked to submit the status of Gruha Lakshmi beneficiaries. An officer from the Women and Child Development Department confirmed that, along with anganwadi workers, supervisors are also being used to verify beneficiary status.

M Umadevi, the association’s secretary, stated that workers are now also being asked to join the SIR, which is taking place during the peak admissions period in anganwadis. Umadevi expressed concerns that their primary responsibilities, such as caring for children, newborns, lactating mothers, and pregnant women, are being disrupted due to the additional duties. When workers cite that their work is being disrupted, they are being asked to work after anganwadi hours, sometimes till late in the evening, which can be challenging for women in villages. Officials from the department stated that the decisions were made by senior officials in accordance with Election Commission directions, and that only the government can intervene to help these workers, as per the rule that anganwadi workers cannot be hired for non-Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS)-related works.

In Mysuru, 59-year-old Bhagya, a Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation employee from T Narasipura, has finally fulfilled her long-cherished dream of buying a Mysore Silk saree after spending nearly 30 years producing the world-famous sarees. Bhagya, who has worked at the silk filature unit for almost three decades, recently purchased her first-ever Mysore Silk saree at a concessional rate offered by the KSIC, describing it as one of the happiest moments of her life. The opportunity came after KSIC introduced an initiative to honour workers who recently fought to protect the T Narasipura silk unit from losing its land to a proposed sports stadium project. The state government had earlier ordered the transfer of five acres of KSIC land for stadium construction, prompting employees to launch a protest demanding that the order be withdrawn. A total of 202 workers participated in the agitation, with 187 employees sacrificing 12 days’ wages during the protest. Following sustained pressure from workers, the government eventually revoked the order. As a recognition of their contribution and commitment, KSIC made nearly 200 Mysore Silk sarees available to employees at discounted prices, offering concessions of up to 20 percent. Bhagya, whose husband also worked at the same unit for 15 years, said financial responsibilities had prevented them from buying a Mysore Silk saree earlier. After her husband’s death, she continued working while raising and educating their two sons. Bhagya said, “Buying a Mysore Silk saree always remained a dream. Today, I am delighted to own my favourite purple-coloured saree.” KSIC Managing Director Zehra Nasim said many workers who dedicate their lives to producing Mysore Silk are often unable to afford the premium product themselves. The initiative, she added, was aimed at recognising their invaluable contribution to preserving Karnataka’s iconic silk heritage.

Mysuru District Commissioner G. Laxmikanth Reddy has directed officials to take action against pubs and restaurants that do not have fire safety measures in place. He was speaking at a meeting of officials at the district-level office complex in Siddharthanagar on Friday. Reddy stated that the district administration is taking the recent fire incident at a restaurant near Dattagalli seriously and has ordered officials to submit a report within a week and cancel the licenses of establishments that do not comply with fire safety norms. He also instructed officials to inspect rooftop pubs and restaurants and cancel their licenses if they are found to be violating norms. Reddy warned that action would be taken against officials who fail to take necessary measures. The meeting was attended by City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, SP Mallikarjuna Baladandi, and other officials. Latkar assured that the police department would provide necessary support to the excise and municipal authorities during their raids. Baladandi suggested that the excise department should investigate the possibility of unauthorized liquor sales at home stays and restaurants on Vartula Road.

The Mysuru City Police’s seizure of nearly 280 kg of ganja last week, followed by the recovery of another 110 kg in neighbouring Mandya district on Wednesday, has exposed a growing narcotics corridor linking the cannabis-producing regions of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh with southern Karnataka. Investigating officers said these are not isolated incidents but part of a well-established supply chain that has been operating for years. Large quantities of ganja cultivated in remote forest belts along the Odisha-Andhra border are finding their way into the Mysuru region through a network of transporters, middlemen and local distributors, turning the area into a major transit point for the illegal trade across South India.

Police sources said traffickers are increasingly using the highway network to move consignments from eastern India. Vehicles carrying ganja often enter Karnataka through Andhra Pradesh before reaching Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and neighbouring districts. From there, the narcotic is either sold locally or transported further to Bengaluru, Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu. What concerns investigators is the frequency with which large consignments are being intercepted. Despite repeated seizures running into hundreds of kilograms over the past few years, the flow of ganja from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh has shown little sign of slowing. The profits involved are enormous, with consignments purchased at relatively low prices near cultivation zones fetching several times their value in urban markets. Officials believe Mysuru’s strategic location has made it an attractive base for drug syndicates. The district is well connected and serves as a gateway to Kerala and southern Karnataka. Traffickers often use tourist vehicles, private cars, goods carriers and even public transport to evade detection, concealing the narcotic among other goods and agricultural produce.

Mysuru is being positioned as the next major cricket development hub in Karnataka, with the Karnataka State Cricket Association laying out an ambitious roadmap centred on grassroots growth, infrastructure expansion and talent development across the state. Speaking at the launch of the official Maharaja Trophy T20 2026 Anthem in Mysuru on Thursday, Karnataka State Cricket Association Secretary Santosh Menon said the city has consistently reflected a strong cricketing culture and will now play a crucial role in the association’s long-term vision for the sport in Karnataka. He said Mysuru has always hosted cricket in style and continues to remain one of the most important centres outside Bengaluru.

Menon said the association’s focus is not only on conducting tournaments but also on building a strong ecosystem that can produce high-quality cricketers for the future. He noted that franchise-based T20 tournaments in Karnataka, including the Karnataka Premier League and Maharaja Trophy, have already helped several players progress to the Indian Premier League and higher levels of competitive cricket. He also acknowledged the long-standing association and support of Mysuru-based franchise stakeholders, including Mysore Cycle, which has been part of Karnataka’s cricket ecosystem since the early days of the state’s T20 league structure.

Highlighting the broader development plan, Menon said the Karnataka State Cricket Association has rolled out cricket academies across six zones within months of the new administration taking charge. The academies currently cater to multiple age categories for boys and girls, including U-14, U-16 and U-19 groups. He said the response from women’s cricket has been particularly encouraging, reflecting growing participation at the grassroots level. Menon said Mysuru remains a traditional cricketing hub, with the region having produced several notable players over the years. He expressed confidence that young cricketers from Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts would benefit from the expanded academy system and go on to represent Karnataka and higher levels of cricket in the future.

On infrastructure development, he announced plans for an indoor cricket facility at Gangotri Glades, aimed at ensuring uninterrupted training during the monsoon season. He also confirmed a long-term partnership with JSS College, including a 10-year lease agreement and joint investment for ground development works. He said the Karnataka State Cricket Association is also exploring similar collaborations across Mysuru to improve access to quality cricket facilities for players from both urban and rural backgrounds. The aim, he said, is to ensure that talent from all parts of the region gets a fair pathway into competitive cricket.

Menon praised the efforts of Karnataka State Cricket Association Mysuru convener Srinivas Prasad, saying he has played a key role in managing tournament operations, ticketing, and administrative coordination across events. He also acknowledged the support of senior former India cricketers associated with the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s developmental vision, including Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Joshi, who have been actively contributing to strengthening cricket structures in the state. Calling for stronger media engagement, Menon urged print and electronic media to give greater visibility to grassroots performances, saying recognition of young cricketers would play a vital role in motivating emerging talent across Karnataka.

Mysuru City Corporation has decided to install public dustbins at 100 identified locations across the city to improve waste collection and ensure scientific disposal. The initiative will cover busy markets, bus stops, commercial streets, parks, and other public spaces. As part of the pilot phase, dustbins have been placed along Devaraj Urs Road and around Mysuru Palace premises. Civic authorities hope the initiative will help reduce littering and improve cleanliness standards in high-footfall areas before the project is expanded to additional locations across the city.

The dustbins have been arranged under the CSR funds provided by SBI Foundation and Green Squad. Currently, it has placed steel dustbins to collect dry and wet waste separately at every 100 meters distance along the 900-meters stretch of D Devaraj Urs Road and Mysuru Palace surroundings. Vendors doing business on D Devaraj Urs Road and Mysuru Palace surroundings have been instructed to ensure their customers use the dustbins installed by them on the streets, besides sensitizing public, tourists, citizens visiting their shops.

Also, civic workers have been directed to clear the waste that accumulates in these dustbins three times a day, depending on the amount of waste collected, and transport the waste to the dumping yard. A Green Squad has been entrusted with the monitoring work in these places. They must ensure these places look clean, tidy, without any dumping of waste by shopkeepers, vendors, and the public. Mysuru City Corporation has also provided the squad with a brooming machine worth Rs 85 lakh to ensure the streets near Mysuru Palace, D Devaraj Urs are kept clean.

Depending upon the success of this new initiative, Mysuru City Corporation has decided to place similar kind of steel dustbins to collect dry and wet waste separately near prominent tourist spots like Mysuru zoo, Karanji Lake Park, St Philomena’s Cathedral, Chamundi Hills, among other spots. Mysuru City Corporation Swachata nodal officer KS Mruthyunjaya said that Mysuru City Corporation has decided to place public dustbins in prominent tourist spots, busy commercial, shopping streets to curb roadside littering, besides to ensure cleanliness of these places. Mysuru City Corporation has also sensitized street vendors, D Devaraj Urs Road Tenants Association, and other stakeholders in the city to cooperate with the civic body to keep the city clean and to promote tourism.

The Mysuru City Corporation has decided to launch a special drive to recover long-pending water cess dues from defaulters across the city. The civic body is yet to collect Rs 209 crore in pending water cess, making it one of its major outstanding revenue components. Domestic consumers account for Rs 168 crore of the dues, while various government departments and agencies owe Rs 41 crore. Officials said the campaign will focus on identifying chronic defaulters and ensuring faster recovery. MCC plans to issue notices and initiate action against those who continue to default despite repeated reminders. Out of 1.8 lakh drinking water connections in the city, around 60,000 connections—both domestic and commercial—account for the pending Rs 209 crore. Despite issuing several reminders and notices, and announcing a one-time settlement scheme with an interest waiver on outstanding bills, the civic body has seen little response, officials said. Among major defaulters, Indian Railways owes Rs 20.8 crore, Mysuru City Police Rs 8.5 crore, the department of education and literacy Rs 3.3 crore, and the health department Rs 1.1 crore. Collection has become more challenging after MCC revised domestic water tariffs by 30% and underground drainage cess by 30% to 40% this year.

Speaking to TOI, MCC commissioner Sheikh Tanveer Asif said, “We have decided to launch a special drive to recover pending bills and will take strict action, including disconnecting water connections if dues are not cleared.” Former mayor Bhyrappa said that as MCC is struggling to arrange funds, the civic body must act tough. He suggested that staff should follow the example of CESC by disconnecting water connections of defaulters who fail to clear their dues.

Students from the Okkaliga community in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts are invited to apply for the Pratibha Puraskar award by the District Okkaliga Sangha. The award is open to SSLC and PUC students who have scored 90% and above in their exams (85% and above for government school students). The award will be presented on June 27, during the 517th Kempegowda Jayanti celebrations in Mysuru. Interested students must submit their applications, along with their marksheet, Aadhaar card, caste certificate, and a recent photograph, to the Sangha’s office on 2nd Main Road, Vidyaranypuram, Mysuru, by 5 pm on June 22.

The Chamarajanagar district administration has identified 8,530 ineligible beneficiaries under the Gruha Lakshmi (Household Lakshmi) scheme, including 6,013 deceased persons whose accounts continued to receive government deposits. Officials of the women and child welfare department identified and removed these beneficiaries during a verification drive. A total of 2,80,860 women have registered under the scheme since its launch in the district. The department has been depositing nearly Rs 56 crore every month into beneficiaries’ accounts over the past three years. Of the 8,530 ineligible beneficiaries, 2,500 were GST and income tax payers, despite being ineligible for the benefit.

Under the Gruha Lakshmi (Household Lakshmi) scheme, the state government provides Rs 2,000 per month to the woman head of a family. Officials said assistance was cleared till the end of March but withheld for 16,000 beneficiaries among the 2,80,860 due to technical reasons and pending verification. After receiving complaints that family members were withdrawing money from accounts of deceased beneficiaries using ATM cards, the department stepped up verification. It is now tracking such cases by gathering information through anganwadi workers and assistants, who have been instructed to report deaths immediately to higher authorities and taluk child development programme officers (CDPOs). Officials said the government is introducing modifications for re-verification, issuing fresh guidelines for resubmission of applications and collecting one-time biometric identification in the form of thumb impressions. They added that verification helps save public funds and include more eligible beneficiaries.

Speaking to TOI, Chamarajanagar District Guarantee Implementation Committee chairman HV Honganur Chandru said the government has cleared assistance to all beneficiaries till the end of March. The withheld assistance for 16,000 beneficiaries will be credited shortly, he added. He said there was no need for concern over the fresh verification, as it is aimed only at identifying genuine beneficiaries.