Dr.K. Venkatagiri Gowda’s centenary celebration will be held on 17th September 2023 from 4pm onwards at Jnanalyothi Auditorium in Bangalore.
In the divine presence of his holiness, Jagadguru Shri Shri Shri Dr. Nirmalanandanatha Swamji, head of Shri Adichunchanagiri Matha, Shri S.M.Krishna, Former Chief Minister of Karnataka will preside and Shri Siddaramaiah, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka will inaugurate the event. Shri D.K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri. D.V.Sadananda Gowda, Member of Lokasabha, Shri Ramalinga Reddy, Minister for Transport and Mujarai, Shri.K.H.Muniyappa, Minister for Food and Supply and Shri.M.Krishnappa, former minister and MLA will be the chief guests. Former Justice, Dr.H.N.Nagamohan Das will deliver the Keynote address.
Dr.K. Venkatagiri Gowda Memorial National Award will be given to
1) Former Prime Minister of India and member of Rajyasabha, Dr.Manamohan Singh,
2) Former Director of IMF and Chairman of Punjab Sindh Bank, Dr.Charan Singh,
3) Vice Chairman of State Institute of Transformation of Karnataka, Dr.M.V.Rajeev Gowda and
4) Chairperson National Law School, Dr.Abdul Azeez.
Dr.B.S.Srikanta Aradhya, Prof.K.Malliah, Prof. K.C.Basappa and Shri.N.Puttaswami will be felicitated for their contribution to field of education. Talented students from different Universities and schools will be honored on the occasion.
On behalf of Dr.K. Venkatagiri Gowda Centenary Celebrations Committee, I invite you to participate in Dr.K. Venkatagiri Gowda Centenary Celebrations and make it a grand success said Mr. Dr. Ramalinge Gowda Nisarga – Secretary at press meet held at Press Club of Bangalore.
Mr. Mark Rutte , Honourable Prime Minister of the Netherlands officially inaugurated the Consulate-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ new offices at Embassy One, one of Embassy REIT’s flagship properties in Bengaluru. Strategically located near the central business district, Embassy One provides premium office spaces as part of a mixed-use project including the luxury Four Seasons Hotel.
* Circular benefits a small cartel of HSRP manufacturers
* 25,000 people and their families thrown out of business.
The Notification and Circular issued by Karnataka Transport Government, which makes it mandatory to install High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) on two crore old vehicles registered prior to 1st April 2019, is not only a blatant violation of the existing rules but is also designed to benefit a small cartel of manufacturers of such plates.
The said circular issued by Transport Department violates the Central Motor Vehicle Act and Rules (CMVA and CMVR), which requires the affixation of HSRPs through only the vehicle manufacturer’s dealership network, has thrown out of business of around 25,000 people and their families engaged in selling number plates.
The circular, which was ostensibly issued in support of the provisions in Rule 50 of the CMVR, suffers from several flaws as it is framed to get back door entry of a small cartel of HSRP Manufacturers who has money power as well as political influence and to enable them to make huge profit to the tune of more than 500 Crores.
As per the existing provisions, HSRPs for old vehicles can also be supplied through registering authority, Vehicle Manufacturers (OEM) through their dealers, and original HSRP manufacturers (License Plate Manufacturers) through their dealers. It is clarified in the Rule that only OEMs can supply blank plates to their dealers. It is the responsibility of dealers of OEMs to emboss the number on such blank plates and affix the same on the vehicles. Definitely, dealers of OEMs are responsible for billing to the customer. As per Rule, License Plate Manufacturers cannot supply embossed HSRP directly to the dealers of OEMs. License Plate Manufacturers can supply HSRP in the open market only through their dealers.
But Karnataka Transport Department, by creating ambiguity that they are permitting only OEMs and their dealers to affix HSRP on old vehicles, has given back door permission to four influential HSRP manufacturers for direct supply of HSRP in the open market. Even though the Circular mandate HSRP through OEMs andy their dealers, not even a single OEM is supplying HSRP for old vehicles. Booking, payment collection, billing and supplying are being done by the said cartelized License Plate Manufacturers through their own private portals like bookmyhsrp.com and makemyhsrp.com. They have not appointed a single dealer of them for supplying HSRP for old vehicles, but supplying through dealers of OEMs, which is illegal. Transport Department permits this unjust and illegal action, while there are 23 License Plate Manufacturers who are eligible for supplying HSRP for old vehicles. It is clear from the above that Transport Department issued the circular to exclude all eligible License Plate Manufacturers except the four influential. The circular not only provided back door entry to the four influential HSRP Vendors, but also permitted them to supply HSRP without their dealership. At least livelihood of some of our members would be protected, if the circular mandated dealership of these License Plate Manufacturers, for supplying HSRP for old vehicles. But the State Government deceived 25000 families including us and thrown out our livelihood to protect interest of a small cartel, that too is from outside Karnataka. More than 1,200-crore business is solely gone to these four HSRP manufacturers. Definitely there is a scam behind this. Because these four manufacturers are selling HSRP at an exorbitant price, since all their competitors have been eliminated through the Circular.
Irregularities in Circular – Affecting Kannadiga people
In this Circular, vehicle owners in Karnataka are compelled to purchase the product exclusively from a single vendor. Despite the availability of other approved HSRP manufacturers offering the product at lower prices, Kannadiga vehicle owners are unduly limited by this Circular. This effectively infringes upon their fundamental ‘right to choose’.
Additionally, Kannadiga residents in rural areas face the burden of extensive travel to install HSRPs, as the Circular mandates consumers to visit vehicle dealerships. Due to the restrictions placed on approved vehicle manufacturers offering doorstep HSRP supply, Kannadiga residents are forced to bear the additional expense of traveling to dealerships, often surpassing the actual cost of the HSRPs themselves.
Our humble request to the Government is that they should immediately withdraw the circular, which has already thrown out the livelihood of 25000 people and their families in Karnataka and issue a fresh circular protecting the livelihood of us too. We are sure that Government can easily do this, since there is a rule provision. As per rule, dealers of License Plate Manufacturers (HSRP Vendors) can also supply HSRP for old vehicles. There are 23 License Plate Manufacturers in India. Since we have ample expertise in number plate supplying and affixing, we will definitely be considered by these License Plate Manufacturers for their dealership. Or else, the Government may impose such condition in the fresh circular.
More than 50% of our members have been in the number plate business for the past two three decades. Hence, they are unable to move on to another job at this juncture. If the circular is not withdrawn by the Government, they may end up their life. Even though the Government has no concern about the life of common people, we are responsible for protecting their life. If the Government will not withdraw the circular immediately, we along with our families will be forced to protest against this. In fact, hunger strike will be more convenient to us, as we have no income to feed our families.
~A successful pilot study has shown tremendous results on Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Bengaluru, September 13, 2023 – HCG Cancer Hospital Bengaluru, one of India’s leading cancer care chains, is proud to announce a groundbreaking pilot study to transform the treatment landscape for head and neck cancer patients with Low Dose Immunotherapy. Known for its relentless commitment to innovation and value-based care since its inception in 1989, HCG is taking a significant step towards advancing cancer care in India and globally. The successful pilot study on Low Dose Immunotherapya Nivolumab with NACT has demonstrated remarkable efficacy and is highly cost-effective, providing an economical therapy option without additional side effects.
The multicentric, open-labeled, prospective, randomized study assesses the effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy combining low-dose immunotherapy Nivolumab and the TPF regimen (docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil) compared to NACT with the TPF regimen alone. It has a potential role in improving the quality of life and longevity of patients with locally advanced carcinoma of the buccal mucosa.
As part of the pilot study, a total of 12 cases were studied between the age group of 54 to 76 years. All twelve patients experienced significant tumor reduction of over 90%, providing an economical and side effect-free therapy through low-dose immunotherapy. In the pilot study, standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy is combined with low-dose Nivolumab immunotherapy, administering 40 mg every two weeks, as opposed to the full dose of 3 mg per kg of body weight.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr. B S Ajaikumar, Executive Chairman of Healthcare Global Enterprises Limited, said, “HCG has been tirelessly striving to serve the larger cause of cancer care through a breakthrough innovation and value-based care. Cancer is fast becoming a chronic disease, and a sear change has occurred in how we stage cancer as we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. At HCG, head and neck cancer cases represent a significant portion of the caseload. Despite thea comprehensive approach, preventing the recurrence and spread of these cancers remains a significant challenge. Today, with this announcement, we embark on a journey to revolutionize head and neck cancer treatment. This study has the potential to be a game-changer in the sphere of head and neck cancera treatment. The initiative reflects HCG’s commitment to advancing research and academia in India,a positioning the organization as a leader in this vital healthcare domain.”
Dr. Satheesh C T, Consultant – Medical and Hemato Oncology, Director of Clinical Trials HCG Cancer Hospital Bangalore, said, ” Head and neck cancers pose a substantial global health issue, comprising 4.5% of total worldwide cancer cases with a mortality rate of 4.6%. The burden is exceptionally high in Asia, notably in India, where they make up nearly 35% of all cancer cases among individuals aged 40-60. We are enthusiastic about the potential benefits of combining low-dose immunotherapy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in head and neck cancers. This study presents a cost-effective solution without compromising the quality of care. This approach not only delivers promising clinical results but also in a manner that is highly economical for patients.”
Enthused by these promising findings, HCG will initiate a study to explore the potential benefits of low cancers dose immunotherapy alongside neoadjuvant chemotherapy in head and neck cancers. Through this study spanning across multiple HCG centers in India, HCG will strive to unfold a highly effective and affordable cancer treatment option in the management of head and neck cancers.
Bengaluru, September 12, 2023 – Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Pvt Ltd (MBRDI) today announced the successful completion of its ‘Clean Green Nandi’ project, a five-year initiative aimed at restoring the natural splendour of Nandi Hills, Bengaluru, in addition to helping enhance the livelihoods of the local community.
Initiated in 2018, the project was in response to the heightened tourist footfall at the hills, which led to pressing issues of pollution, soil erosion and deforestation resulting in drying up of life-sustaining rivers and the accumulation of plastic waste in the area. Scientifically approached through a topological survey and a holistic study, MBRDI undertook efforts to restore water bodies, set up waste collection infrastructure, influence visitor behaviour and protect the biodiversity of Nandi Hills. MBRDI’s sustained efforts have resulted in the collection and management of 46,000 Kgs of waste, 85 Lakh litres of pooled water, construction of 11 check dams and a 3% reduction in plastic generation.
“At MBRDI, we integrate sustainability into every facet of our operations. Aligned with the global sustainability agenda of Mercedes-Benz, our endeavours aim to create a positive influence on the lives of local communities and the surrounding environment. The ‘Clean Green Nandi’ project is an exemplary demonstration of our dedication to advancing environmental sustainability and fostering social cohesion,” said Shweta Pandey, Vice President and General Counsel, MBRDI.
Integrating employee volunteering into the project, over 500 MBRDI employees clocked in close to 5,000 volunteering hours conducting tree plantations and clean-up drives, further restoring the natural balance of the hills.
Empowering Sustainable Livelihoods and Preserving Heritage: MBRDI undertook a 45-day training program for local women, teaching them innovative ways to transform uprooted Lantana stems into eco-friendly household products. The project cleared 60 acres of Lantana, an invasive weed that poses a critical threat to biodiversity and empowered women to earn sustainable livelihoods through a Self-Help Group.
In tandem with the ecological efforts, MBRDI also engaged in the conservation and protection of cultural heritage at Nandi Hills. The restoration of the Armory at the hilltop, creation of accessible pathways and the installation of informative boards have enhanced visitor awareness about the historical significance of the location.
In line with global ambitions, sustainability is a crucial driver of business strategy at MBRDI. Corporate Social Responsibility efforts are centred around the pillars of Sustainable Mobility and Environmental Sustainability with a clear focus on creating value that is sustainable – economically, ecologically, and socially.
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