Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

1. Karnataka RTC employees’ union calls off bus strike, impact felt across State

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of transport corporation employees decided to postpone the indefinite strike, which began at 6 a.m. on August 5 across Karnataka. KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president Ananth Subbarao has instructed all members and RTC employees to resume work immediately. Bus services across the state are expected to return to normal shortly.

Except Bengaluru, the impact of the strike was felt severely in other parts of the State. As of 4 p.m., the overall operational rate across Karnataka was 63.8%. The Karnataka High Court had directed trade unions to put the strike on hold for at least a day. Despite this, the JAC went ahead with its protest, citing the failure of talks with the State Government to address their demands.

In Bengaluru, BMTC services ran mostly as usual, with the city witnessing only a 10% drop in services during the morning hours. However, in other parts of the State, passengers were left stranded owing to disrupted operations. As of 4 p.m., out of a total of 18,434 scheduled departures across all four transport corporations, only 11,752 buses were operated. 

In Mysuru, about 60% of services were affected, causing severe inconvenience to intra-city passengers who were stranded at the city bus stand. Public transport was paralysed in Belagavi district, with neither city, inter-district or inter-State NWKRTC buses, leaving the bus stand in the morning. In Mangaluru, the strike had a partial impact with about 75% services operating, officials said.

2. Customs Dept officials bust international smuggling racket, nab accused smuggling star tortoises

The air intelligence unit of the Customs Department busted an international smuggling racket and arrested a 29-year-old mule trying to smuggle Indian star tortoises from Bengaluru to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), concealed in check-in bags.

The scanning staff at Bengaluru airport noticed something moving in a bag and alerted officials, who, in turn, checked three bags carried by Ashik Ali Shahul Hameed from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu. The bags contained 10 tortoises and tobacco products. Tobacco products are banned in Malaysia.

The accused had used adhesive tapes in an attempt to restrict leg movement of the tortoises, and concealed the animals in socks, hidden between tobacco pouches.

3. Passengers seek railway station at Kaniyooru to serve over 25 villages in three taluks of Dakshina Kannada

Puttur-Subrahmanya Railway Users’ Association has lent its support to passengers requesting Indian Railways to develop a full-fledged railway station in Kaniyooru town, in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, by relocating the existing halt station about 1 km to the east at Yeladka.

Kaniyooru on the Manjeshwar-Puttur-Subrahmanya State Highway is the pivot for about 25 villages in Sullia, Kadaba and Puttur taluks, including Belandooru, Savanooru, Bellare, Kalmadka, Balila, Ninthikallu and Charvaka. Developing a full-fledged station abutting the State Highway would serve a large populace, according to the association.