In a year marked by extreme weather events, Karnataka was witness to a scorching summer, with the IT capital Bengaluru staring at a severe water crisis. This was followed by bountiful showers during the monsoon season, with the rainfall surpassing the annual average.
The unpredictable weather conditions not only had a bearing on the agricultural yield in the State — widespread crop losses, rise in the price of fruits and vegtables — but also laid bare the poor standard of infrastructure in Bengaluru, which yet again experienced urban flooding.
The year 2024 also saw the announcement of big-ticket projects in the domain of civic infrastructure and mobility. Crime dominated headlines with several high-profile cases, including the Renukaswamy murder involving actor Darshan, the Prajwal Revanna sexual abuse scandal, the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, as well as the many novel cases of cybercrime.
Even as debate around linguistic divide flared up many times during the year, seen in the fracas over 60% Kannada usage in signboards, language wars between Kannnada and Hindi speakers, the uproar over Hindi imposition, jobs reservation for Kannadigas among other issues, the Kannada film industry — a major cultural force in the promotion of the local language — delivered a mixed bag in terms of ideas and impact.
Published - December 23, 2024 05:13 pm IST
