20th June, 2025 - Notes on Daily Karnataka Current Affairs

ಈ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಅನ್ನು ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಓದಲು, ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ

Notes on Daily Karnataka Current Affairs

Case Study for GS IV

From Grease-Stained Hands to the Gates of IIT

Every evening in the quiet village of Megaravalli in in Tirthahalli taluk of Shivamogga in Karnataka, young Sushanth Prabhu could be seen crouched beside his father, covered in engine grease, helping repair bikes in a modest two-wheeler garage.

For most, it was just another rural child lending a hand to his struggling family. But within that garage, dreams were quietly being engineered.

Sushanth's father, Narasimhamurthy, had studied only up to SSLC. His mother Sujatha stitched clothes to make ends meet. Their dream was simple — a better life for their children. With no exposure to elite institutes or coaching centres, Sushanth studied in a government school till Class 10, oblivious to what IIT or NIT even meant.

That changed in 2022. Guided by his teacher Raghavendra Bhat, Sushanth developed a ‘self-chain adjustment system’ for bikes — a frugal innovation that earned him a spot at the national Inspire Awards – Manak competition. It was during a visit to NIT-Suratkal as part of this programme that he first saw what a premier engineering institute looked like. “If you study hard, you could come here,” his teacher told him.

And he did — but went a step further.

Sushanth not only cleared the SSLC exam with 620/625, but also gained admission to a residential PU college in Bengaluru run by Rashtrotthana Parishat, which offered free coaching for IIT aspirants from rural areas. He worked relentlessly, driven not by prestige, but by purpose. In 2025, he earned a seat in IIT-Kanpur for Chemical Engineering.

Yet, Sushanth’s ambition doesn’t end with IIT. He says, “I want to become an entrepreneur, and one day, prepare for the civil services. I want to give back.”

Ethical Takeaways for Civil Services

• Perseverance and Grit: Adversity was never an excuse.

• Gratitude: He never forgot his roots — or those who helped him rise.

• Role of Mentorship: One teacher, one spark, can transform a life.

• Integrity of Purpose: Education wasn’t a ladder to luxury, but a path to uplift.

• Empathy and Social Responsibility: His dream now includes serving others.

The Suraksha (Surveillance System to Track Suicide and Self-Harm) Project:

• By NIMHANS in collaboration with the State government and Himalaya Wellness Company.

• A comprehensive suicide prevention initiative.

• The initiative aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “LIVE LIFE” framework and India’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy, addressing Karnataka’s high suicide rate, which was 19.5% in 2021, above the national average of 12%.

• Launched in February 2023 in Channapatna taluk, Ramanagara district

• Target Groups: Farmers, laborers, daily wage workers, students, media professionals, women’s groups, and other stakeholders.

• Early identification of suicidal thoughts and self-harm behaviors

• Crisis intervention and timely referrals through local health networks

• Establish a self-harm registry for ongoing monitoring

• It aims at building a robust community network of trained gatekeepers, including police personnel, teachers, anganwadi workers, and other frontline stakeholders

Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd at Events and Venues of Mass Gathering) Bill:

• New bill to prevent the stampede like situation that killed 11 people during RCB’s victory celebration

• The bill targets "sponsored events and venues of mass gathering" such as political rallies, conferences, jatras, and commercial events like sports or circuses.

• Exemptions: It does not apply to religious or traditional gatherings, including Jatra (fairs), Rathotsava (chariot festivals), Pallakki Utsava (palanquin processions), Teppada Teru (boat festivals), Urs, or other religious events related to any religion, caste, or creed.

  
  

Responsibilities of Event Organizers:

• Organizers must obtain prior permission from the jurisdictional police, who can approve, modify (e.g., change venue or timing), or cancel events based on risk assessments.

• Organizers are financially and criminally liable for incidents like stampedes, deaths, or injuries resulting from poor crowd management or failure to comply with regulations.

• Compensation must be provided to victims or their families in case of injury or death. If organizers fail to pay, the government can recover the amount as land revenue arrears, including auctioning the organizer’s property.

  
  

Penalties for Violations:

• Commercial Event Organizers: Face up to 3 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹5 lakh, or both for violations such as failing to obtain police permission, mismanaging crowds, or not compensating victims.

• Non-Commercial Organizers (e.g., political or religious groups): Face up to 3 years in jail, a fine of ₹5,000, or both.

• Offences are classified as non-cognizable and non-bailable, triable by a first-class magistrate.

• Aiding or abetting violations at events is also punishable, with up to 3 years of imprisonment.

Powers of Authorities:

• District magistrates (typically deputy commissioners) and local police have broad powers to regulate, curb, cancel, or relocate events if there is a risk of disorder, violence, or communal tension.

• Orders issued by district authorities remain in force for 30 days, extendable to 60 days in special cases.

• The government and its officers are protected from legal action for decisions made in good faith under the bill.

  
  

Bengaluru’s Skydeck

• 250 meter tall. Tallest in South India. ₹500 crore project.

• The Karnataka government has finalized a 30-acre site in Kommaghatta, near NICE Road. This site is owned by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB)

  
  

Organ Donation Drive in Karnataka: Ballari & Dharwad Lead:

• Organ and tissue donation pledges have increased in Karnataka in the past year.

• Karnataka registered 38,412 donors, making it the top-performing state in South India.

• Ballari and Dharwad are leaders in the state. Ballari is highest. Has Over 9,273 registrations. Ballari is not only top in Karnataka but in entire South India in terms of pledges.

• A single donor can save up to 6 lives by donating vital organs (heart, liver, lungs, kidneys) and tissues (corneas, skin, bone marrow, tendons, etc.).

• Organ donation promoted under the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO)

• Karnataka’s official nodal agency is SOTTO (State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation), also known as Zonal Coordination Committee of Karnataka for Transplantation (ZCCK). Karnataka’s SOTTO is called Jeevasarthakathe.

  
  

Current Challenges

• India’s organ donation rate remains low: 0.65 donors per million population.

• Several districts in Karnataka still show very low registration numbers.

  
  

Government Initiatives

• Awareness campaigns, community outreach, and registration centres set up at government programmes.

• Zone-wise ECs (Educative Campaigns) being intensified in low-performing districts.

• Plans to honour organ donors through public recognition by the Karnataka Chief Minister.

• Focus on youth mobilisation through colleges and student-led pledging.

  
  

Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary – ESZ Notification

Background & Importance

• Kappatagudda spans 244.15 sq km across Gadag district, covering taluks like Gadag, Mundaragi, Shirahatti, and Laxmeshwar.

• It was declared a wild life sanctuary in 2019.

• It is called the ‘Western Ghats of North Karnataka’, it contains:

  
  

  • Over 500 rare medicinal plant species.

  • Fauna including leopards, hyenas, grey wolves, four-horned antelope, blackbucks, bar-headed geese, among others

    
    

• Kappatagudda is also a Conservation Reserve for Sloth bear, leopard, etc

  
  

ESZ Final Notification (Issued on 4 June)

• Central government has issued the notification declaring ESZ.

• The struggle to declare the ESZ has been going on for a decade. This will help in the protection of this ecologically sensitive area.

• The ESZ covers an area of 322.695 sq km, of which:

• Includes 62 villages within the zone.

• The ESZ distance varies from 1 km to 4.3 km around the boundaries of this sanctuary.

  
  

Purpose of the ESZ

• Acts as a 'shock absorber' to mitigate human and climatic pressures on the sanctuary.

• Regulates disruptive activities to maintain ecological integrity.

  
  

Land Use & Activity Guidelines

• Permitted/Encouraged Activities:

• Existing legal land use continues.

• Supportive activities include:

• Road widening, civic infrastructure.

• Organic farming and rainwater harvesting.

• Small-scale, non-polluting industries.

• Prohibited Uses:

• Commercial mining, quarrying, and crushing.

• Oil drilling, dredging, large hydroelectric projects.

• Industries causing air/water/soil pollution.

• Introduction of exotic species.

  
  

Zonal Master Plan (ZMP)

• To be prepared within 2 years by the state government with community input.

• Developed by a multi-departmental committee (Environment, Agriculture, Tourism, Revenue, etc.).

• It will:

• Demarcate villages, ecosystems (forests, agriculture, settlements).

• Specify where development is allowed, regulated, or restricted.

• Not disturb existing lawful activity.

  
  

Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) Explained:

• Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs), also known as Ecologically Fragile Areas (EFAs), are designated areas surrounding protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and other ecologically significant regions

• Act as a buffer or "shock absorber" to minimize the negative impact of human activities on fragile ecosystems while serving as a transition zone from areas of high protection to those with lesser protection.

• ESZs are notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

• The ESZ can vary from 1 to 10 kms around the protected areas.

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