Latest news with #BasavarajHoratti
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
State govt. is not bothered about schools, education, children, says Horatti
Expressing concern over the sorry state of government school buildings, Chairman of Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti has said that children are being forced to attend classes in such buildings as the State government has no concern towards school, education and children. He was speaking to presspersons after offering Ganga Puja and Bagina to the overflowing Unkal Lake in Hubballi on Friday. Mr. Horatti said that he has written letter to Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangarappa urging him to immediately take up repairs to school buildings, especially those which have become fragile due to lack of maintenance. Mr. Horatti said that while getting school buildings repaired and making alternative classroom arrangements are the responsibility of officials, 90% of the officials lacked understanding of the problem. 'They have become like the officials of Public Works and Revenue departments. Because of their foolishness, the problem is worsening. The district in-charge Minister should take note of this,' he said. He said that distributing eggs, milk and bananas in government schools is not the work of teachers. 'Barring the responsibility of teaching children, teachers should not have any other work. Exclusive staff should be appointed for other such work,' he said. Mr. Horatti said that those starting private schools and colleges should mandatorily follow the rules and regulations of the Education Department. However, they are not being followed. Instead, private schools are being established around government schools and colleges and this should be immediately acted upon, he said.
New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- New Indian Express
More children falling prey to online sexual abuse in Karnataka
BENGALURU: A growing number of children in Karnataka are falling prey to online sexual exploitation and abuse, but most parents, teachers, and even government officials remain unequipped to handle or prevent such threats, a state-level study has found. Released by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) in partnership with ChildFund India, the study, focused on online sexual exploitation and abuse of children, raises red flags about children's online safety, especially following the Covid pandemic, which, as per the findings, saw increased screen time and unsupervised internet use among children. The report was released on Friday by Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. The study covered 903 school-going children aged 8–18 years across five Karnataka districts Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Raichur, Chikkamagaluru and Belagavi using multi-stage random sampling. Six schools from each district were selected, and 30 students from each school were interviewed, spanning three age groups - 8–11, 12–14, and 15–18 years.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
Karnataka parents raise alarm over rampant online child exposure & abuse
Bengaluru: Unchecked and unregulated online exposure has put the lives of children at peril, with online abuse, exploitation, bullying and forging forced online friendships emerging as tools of blackmailing children into submission. These were some of the takeaways from a study report launched by Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and child-focused development organisation ChildFund India, which examined online risks faced by children in five districts of Karnataka. At a state-level consultation on child safety here Friday, a class 10 student from Mysuru said, "We can't tell our friends or parents when morphed videos are used to blackmail us because of the stigma. We need counsellors in schools." The study, covering 900 children aged 8 to 18 years and conducted from Dec 2024 to March 2025, revealed alarming trends. For instance, 80% of parents interviewed said police must respond more promptly to cases of online abuse, especially when it involves coercion or exploitation. Among the children surveyed, 31 said they met online strangers in person, several connected with people online in the hope of forming friendships. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo In cases of online sexual exploitation and abuse, the report found that 19 of 44 affected students were bullied, 18 were sexually coerced, and in 22 cases, parents responded by deleting social media accounts. However, only 15 informed law-enforcement authorities. Despite existing structures such as special juvenile police units (SJPUs), stakeholders at the discussion admitted that child-friendly stations remain on paper. Child-friendly stations have not been implemented, said a police officer, adding, "There are SOPs in place and helplines like 1930, but awareness has to come from other departments too." Legislative council chairman Basavaraj Horatti asked police personnel to share with the public the Pocso case data and action taken. Education department officials proposed printing remedial measures on textbook covers, while IT-BT officials called for app bans and awareness campaigns through state media like Doordarshan. One official from the science and technology department said even conferences on topics like quantum computing that the govt hosts could be used to spread awareness about cybercrimes affecting children. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- The Hindu
Study on online child sexual abuse recommends inclusion of digital literacy in school curriculum
A pilot study on online sexual exploitation and abuse of children in Karnataka has recommended that digital literacy and online safety should be a compulsory part of the school curriculum, starting from the primary level. Protecting children from online risks requires the concerted efforts of parents, educators, policymakers, and communities, said the study jointly conducted by ChildFund India and Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR). A report on the study titled 'Online Risks of Children: Focus on Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children' was released by Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti in Bengaluru on Friday. 'This report is a comprehensive effort to understand the digital experiences of children in Karnataka, capturing insights from children themselves, as well as from parents, teachers, and child protection stakeholders. It provides a holistic view of children's vulnerabilities in the digital realm,' said KSCPCR chairperson K. Naganna Gowda. Objectives of study The major objectives of this study were to investigate the nature and prevalence of 'Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children' (OSEAC) in Karnataka by estimating the prevalence of OSEAC among children aged 8 to 18 years. In the first stage, five districts from Karnataka (Chamarajanagar, Raichur, Chikkamagaluru, Belagavi and Bengaluru) were selected. In the next stage, schools of various types were sampled from the rural and urban areas, which constituted the Second-stage Sampling Units (SSUs). Subsequently, individual respondents were sampled, who constituted the Ultimate Sampling Units (USUs) in the study. Six schools were selected from each of the five districts and 30 students (10 each from 8-11 years, 12-14 years and 15-18 years categories) were sampled from each of these schools. Two out of school children from the vicinity of the sampled schools were also included for interviews. Overall, 903 school going children were covered under the study. Key recommendations The study noted that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased children's exposure to online risks, underscoring the urgent need for corrective measures. Parental supervision, teacher training, and digital literacy emerged as critical areas for prevention and mitigating risks. However, underreporting and societal stigma continue to pose significant challenges, discouraging victims and families from seeking help. Addressing OSEAC comprehensively requires a collaborative effort involving schools, parents, NGOs, and law enforcement, with a focus on awareness, support services, and stricter enforcement of child protection measures, the study recommended. Open communication between parents and children about online risks and safe behavior should be encouraged and community awareness programmes should be conducted, it added. Digital literacy and online safety should be included in school curriculum, and age-appropriate toolkits should be developed. Peer-led education and workshops should be used to teach parents, especially in rural areas, about monitoring children's internet use. Children should be involved in designing safer online spaces and creating community and 'Digital Safety Champions' for first-response support. The other recommendations included setting up a Karnataka OSEAC Task Force to oversee prevention and rehabilitation.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Revving up excitement: Automobile aficionados flock to Times Mobility Utsav in Hubballi
Hubballi: The Times Mobility Utsav, organised by The Times of India at Hotel Naveen, Hubballi, is attracting automobile enthusiasts. Inaugurating the two-day Utsav, Basavaraj Horatti, chairman of the Karnataka legislative council, slipped into nostalgia, sharing that he has retained his three cars since 1983. "My first purchase was an Ambassador, which I still use often. Since it is my lucky car, I use it during my election campaigns. Later, I bought an Innova in 2007 and a Qualis in 2014. Though I own advanced cars now, my sentiments do not allow me to part with the older ones," he shared. He visited all the stalls and launched Tata's all new Altroz car for the first time in North Karnataka. He attentively listened to the new technologies and facilities installed in the new cars. Being a farmer, he appreciated cars like Isuzu's S-Cab Z, which is meant for tough jobs, and Toyota's Hilux. Police commissioner N Shashi kumar observed the safety measures in modern cars and said customers should understand the safety features installed in their vehicles. "Nowadays, almost all automobile companies are giving priority to safety and security. Such expos are useful to sensitise customers on the same," he commented. MLA Mahesh Tenginakai Was delighted to see Royal Enfield bikes, including models like the Classic 350 and Bullet 350. He sat on them and enjoyed the updated versions of the bikes. He enthusiastically enquired about the Volvo C40 Recharge and XC60 cars. He also checked out Mercedes' New GLA car for its comfort level. Former CM and Belagavi sitting MP Jagadish Shettar commented that the expo saves customers from visiting various showrooms. "As they get information on all vehicles under one roof, it will be easy for them to choose a vehicle as per their need and taste," he opined. Serial entrepreneur Naveen Jha commented that such expos boost the automobile industry and the economy of the region. "Especially youngsters have an opportunity to see electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. Apart from all companies' stalls, the stall of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is helpful to check the authenticity of the product with ISI mark, Hallmark, BIS certification, and it also shares information on how to register a complaint regarding the quality of products or misuse of the mark," he shared. Satish Patil, a high school teacher, said the expo conveyed that even middle-class people can own a car within their budget. "As Canara Bank has also installed a stall, bank officials explained the loan facility," he noted. Ather company attracted people by showcasing its e-bike Ritza, while Maruti Suzuki displayed the Nexa Jimmy 4-seater and Baleno. Other cars like BMW The 3, The X3; External, Urban Cruiser, Hyryder, and Mahindra's BE6 were displayed at the expo. Sunday Last Day The Times Mobility Utsav is a unique platform, bringing together leading automobile brands to showcase their latest models to the right customers, all under one roof. From luxury vehicles, SUVs, MUVs, and mid-size sedans to bikes, EVs, scooters, and fuel-efficient passenger vehicles, the expo is featuring over 15 top automobile brands. Canara Bank is offering attractive financing options for buyers during the expo, which will close on Sunday by 6 pm at Naveen Hotel.
