Latest news with #SantoshLad
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Unmaintained open sites in twin cities pose danger to public health
Hubballi: Open sites in twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad have emerged as a major concern for public health and safety. These neglected plots have turned into breeding grounds for mosquitoes and shelters for stray animals. The unchecked growth of wild vegetation in these areas has led to the formation of mini-jungles within residential zones, posing difficulties for safe movement. As per Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) records, there are 1,30,000 open sites in the city, many of which are contributing to hygiene and security issues in localities. The uncontrolled growth of vegetation in these sites has created mini-jungles within residential areas, making it difficult for residents to move safely around their neighbourhoods. HDMC has begun taking measures to address this issue following the directive from district minister Santosh Lad. The civic body will now issue formal notices to site owners, requiring them to clear and maintain their properties. The owners will have a week to comply with these notices. The HDMC has outlined a three-step enforcement plan. Firstly, owners who fail to respond to initial notices will face substantial monetary penalties. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid WellnessGuide Learn more Undo Secondly, if the sites remain uncleaned despite the fines, the authorities will undertake the cleaning work and charge the expenses to the owners. Finally, in cases of continued non-compliance, the municipal corporation has been authorised to acquire these plots. Local residents have welcomed this initiative, as these neglected sites have been causing various problems, including increased incidents of dengue and Chikungunya. The presence of stray animals has also led to safety concerns, particularly for children and elderly residents in these areas. The municipal authorities have started mapping these sites and creating a database of property owners. They will also conduct regular inspections to ensure sustained compliance with cleanliness standards. This systematic approach aims to transform these problematic spaces into well-maintained areas that contribute positively to the urban landscape of the twin cities. Ashok Kumar, a resident of Gokul Road, said the open plots have become overgrown with vegetation, transforming residential areas into breeding grounds for mosquitoes and providing refuge for stray dogs, cattle, and pigs. The authorities should initiate stern action against the owners of the land. Rudresh Ghali, commissioner, HDMC, mentioned that district minister Santosh Lad recently gave instructions for strict action against open sites. He stated that they will begin proceedings against open sites and have instructed all zonal officials to gather information about open site owners and send them notices. He also indicated that if owners do not comply, they will conduct an extensive open sites cleaning operation, with the expenses being recovered from site owners during property tax collection.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
'I'm not for it, people are already...': Karnataka labour minister opposes controversial 12-hour workday proposal
Jun 24, 2025 12:29 PM IST Karnataka's Labour Minister Santosh Lad has expressed reservations about a recent government proposal that would extend the standard workday from nine to ten hours. The state government is reviewing an extensive overhaul of its labour regulations. Discussions are underway around potential amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act. These changes could permit workdays stretching up to 12 hours and increase the allowable overtime limits considerably. Discussions are underway around potential amendments to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act.(Freepik) ALSO READ | 'Indians are the most overworked people on Earth': YouTuber's viral post sparks discussion "To me, right now it doesn't look good, as people are already working for nine hours. The new proposal suggests increasing work hours from nine to 10 hours daily, with a cap of 48 hours in a week. I will call every stakeholder, unions and talk to them and take their opinions as the proposal has come from central govt. Prima facie, I am not for it," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI. ALSO READ | 'Narayana Murthy must be dancing': Karnataka's 12-hour workday proposal triggers meme fest Specifically, proposed updates to the 1961 Act and its 1963 Rules would move the legal daily work limit from 9 to 10 hours and authorize up to 12 hours of overtime in a single day. Moreover, the current ceiling of 50 overtime hours over three months could rise dramatically to 144 hours under the new plan. ALSO READ | 'Modern-day slavery': Karnataka trade unions condemn proposal to extend workday to 12 hours The proposals have triggered sharp criticism from several labour unions, who argue that such measures risk undermining employee welfare. Some have labelled the proposed change as 'modern-day slavery.' Critics warned that longer workdays could erode work-life balance and heighten job insecurity, particularly in sectors like IT. Union leaders are now calling for collective resistance from workers to prevent these changes from taking effect.
News18
5 days ago
- Business
- News18
'I'm Not For It': Karnataka Labour Minister Says 10-Hour Workday Proposal Came From Centre
Last Updated: The minister said he does not support the proposal in its current form and that a final decision would be taken only after discussions with all concerned parties Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad on Monday clarified that the proposal to extend daily working hours from nine to ten in the state had come from the central government and not the Congress-led Karnataka government. Speaking to news agency ANI, Lad said he does not support the proposal in its current form and that a final decision would be taken only after discussions with all concerned parties. 'To me, right now it doesn't look good, as people are already working for nine hours," Lad said. 'Prima facie, I am not for it," he added. #WATCH | Bengaluru | On a proposal to increase work hours in Karnataka from nine to 10 hours daily, Karnataka Minister Santosh Lad says, 'To me, right now it doesn't look good, as people are already working for nine hours. The new proposal suggests increasing work hours from nine… — ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2025 He further explained that the idea for the proposal came from the Central government. 'I will call every stakeholder, unions and talk to them and take their opinions as the proposal has come from central government," he said. Lad's comments come amid mounting opposition to the proposal, which has triggered concern among workers' groups, especially in the IT and IT-enabled services sectors. The Karnataka government had drew attention after circulating a draft amendment to the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, which proposes increasing the daily work limit to 10 hours, while keeping the weekly cap at 48 hours. The proposed changes would also allow work shifts of up to 12 hours per day including overtime, and raise the quarterly overtime limit from 50 to 144 hours. The draft was shared with stakeholders during a meeting held by the state's Labour Department last week. While the state has maintained that the weekly limit remains unchanged, unions have strongly criticised the move, raising concerns about employee wellbeing, fatigue, and work-life balance. Just last week after the proposal was made public, Lad had issued a formal clarification supporting the draft. At the time, he had stated that the proposed 10-hour workday includes a one-hour break, meaning actual work time would still be nine hours per day. He also assured that the amendment aligns with International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions and Indian labour laws. 'There is no violation of any international convention or standard," he stated.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Minister Santosh Lad participates in cleanliness drive
Hubballi: District minister Santosh Lad visited various areas of the city, including Siddhroodha Mutt, Arudha Nagar, and Ganeshnagar, and joined hands with civic workers in a cleanliness drive on Sunday. Lad took the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) officials to task for poor waste management in twin cities. He also insisted that officials should not just spend time in their cars or offices but should conduct spot visits and field visits. They should be informed about the areas under their jurisdiction and the problems there every day. Speaking to reporters, Lad said the programme is not for posing or a picnic; it is to create awareness among the citizens about the environment, cleanliness, and hygiene, and to make the municipal employees perform their duties conscientiously. Lad said that the complaints handed to him by the public made it clear that the officers who fail to understand the problems of the area and who only provide statistics and information at progress review meetings without responding to the complaints of the public are not performing their duties efficiently and within stipulated time. "Every morning, for at least two hours, all the officers and staff, including the commissioner of the corporation, should visit various areas of the city and pay attention to the problems, cleanliness, and works there. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Information should be given to the officials concerned to solve it, and it should be followed up. Everyone should make sincere efforts to make Hubballi and Dharwad beautiful and clean," he said. "As many as 622 black spots where residents throw garbage have been identified in important public places. These should be cleaned continuously. There are about 82,000 empty sites in the corporation area. The owners of these empty sites are also at fault for spoiling the beauty of the city. Most of these sites do not have a compound, no wire fence, and are not clean. They are filled with overgrown weeds. Others bring their household garbage and throw it in. Poisonous animals and pigs are living in these sites. The commissioner should consider this seriously, issue a public announcement in this regard, and direct the site owners to clean their sites within a week," Lad said. MLA Prasad Abbayya, deputy commissioner Divya Prabhu, HDMC commissioner Rudresh Gali, and others were present. Santosh Lad accused the BJP of building party offices by collecting donations from betting apps and those who slaughter cows, while exporting beef. "These BJP people are making money through Electoral Bonds and other smart apps. The BJP is building party offices by collecting donations from people. We worship the cow as mother but our country stands third in the world in beef export," he said. Lad asked the BJP govt where the Rs 2,000 notes were. "Rs 40,000 crore was spent to make Rs 2,000 notes. Will the BJP talk about this?" he questioned. Before demonetisation, there were 16,33,000 crore notes in circulation. Today, there are 35 lakh crore notes in circulation. Rs 2,000 notes are missing," he said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Minister Santosh Lad assures action after children drown in lake
Pic: Labour minister Santosh Lad visits the bereaved family which lost two kids to drowning in a lake at Yarinarayanapura village in Kundagol taluk Hubballi: Labour and district minister Santosh Lad said that there are many lakes in the district, which are sources of drinking water. As a precautionary measure for the safety of people, officials have been instructed to construct retaining walls for these lakes. Speaking to reporters after offering condolences to the family whose children drowned in a lake recently at Yarinarayanapura village in Kundagol taluk on Saturday, Lad said that during the rainy season, lakes in rural areas fill up. The public and officials should take action in advance to prevent children from roaming around water bodies. Steps are being taken to build barriers for lakes in the district. A retaining wall will be constructed for the lake in Yarinarayanapura village, he informed. Sharifasab Chandukhan's sons, Muzammil and Mushir, from Yarinarayanapur village under Gudenakatti GP, died after drowning in a lake on June 19. Lad assured that he would personally meet the chief minister and request him to provide compensation to the family members from the CM's Relief Fund. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like (1) Your Antivirus May Require Activation Click Here Undo Lad said since the lake is very large, even after a barrier is built, parents should be careful not to let their children go towards the lake. "Anganwadi workers have been careful not to let children towards the lake, but children have been going near it. That is why this accident happened. The anganwadi centre located next to the lake in the village will be shifted. It is the responsibility of the parents and villagers to protect the children. It is necessary to pay attention to the anganwadi centres," he appealed. The Santosh Lad Foundation distributed Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased. MLA MR Patil, deputy commissioner Divya Prabhu, and other officials were present.
