INFOSIS EMPLOYEE DIES IN ABBI FALLS;

Ajay, 24, an employee of Infosis, Mysore died here today after drowning in the Abbefalls waters.

Ajay came to Madikeri as a tourist along with four other colleagues and visited Abbi falls, flowing full with gushing waters. According to police who were present there the group did not listen to their plea not to get into water. The youth who were reportedly drunk and playing in waters with bottles in hand invited death, by ignoring police warning.

The deceased who stood on a rock posed for a photograph and slipped into water. His colleagues, out of fear ran away. But the police along with the villagers frisked the body immediately out. Though the frisking operation was done immediately, Ajay had already breathed his last. The doctors in the hospital declared him dead.

The body is kept in the mortuary. Messages are sent for the family members to come. Ajay, a resident of Nalagunda in Andhra Pradesh is the son of one Shankar Reddy.

THIS ONE MAN MAKES THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT!

This might sound weird. But the fact can’t be denied that the whole of Small Savings department in the district is run by one assistant development officer!

A visit to this office at Madikeri will convince that nearly half a dozen chairs here are empty and vacant. The assistant director has gone on a long leave. A clerk is in prison, accused of stealing an office file. Another staff posted from Bangalore spent a few days here and went back, never to return!

This is the pathetic situation of the Small Savings Department her which has branches in rest of the two taluks at Virajpet and Somwarpet, again without staff!

The lone officer present, Mr.S.S.Basavaraju says that around seven vacant posts in the department are vacant since a long time. The government or the district administration never gave heed to the repeated plea. As far as the department is concerned, the government behaves strictly only once in a year, to collect small savings fund which comes to the tune of fifteen crores! It is possible to raise money as it is done through other agents and departments. Long live government!

TEAK WOOD THEFT; FOUR UNDER CUSTODY;

The DFO Mr.Rangegowda told here that four persons are taken to custody to enquire about their involvement in the teak wood theft from Athur forest, near Kushalnagar.

He said that RFO Mr.Kumar is instructed to investigate the matter. He will also visit the spot today to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, RFO Mr.Kumar told this correspondent that a reward would be announced to those who give clue about the theft and the whereabouts of the stolen wood.

Besides, a reliable source said that a forest guard was recently suspended on false charges as he complained to higher ups about the series of thefts directly under the nose of the department.

RAIN DAMAGE;

As much as 49 houses have reportedly collapsed or damaged in the whole of district till yesterday causing huge loss, according to revenue authorities. Around 11 houses at Madikeri, 16 at Virajpet and 22 houses at Somwarpet have collapsed.

The PWd officials have said that 150 KMs of road in the district is damaged, 9 bridges and culverts, 4 irrigation tanks suffered loss due to breakage. Landslides have occured in more than eleven places. Their loss is estimated at rupees three lakhs.

The KPTCL is the heavy loser with more than five hundred polls fallen or damaged. They said that over twenty one lakh loss is estimated so far.

The Executive engineer stated that they are hiring extra men and vehicles to restore power and replace the damaged polls in a war footing. Mains towns in the district are given power from today.

People are letting a sigh of relief today as they saw Sunshine after a battering, dreading fortnight of tough monsoon.