Develop St Mary's Islands
Referring to the news item of Deccan Herald of December 26, 2007, which said that two students of St Aloysius Evening College in Mangalore lost their lives while taking sea bath at St Mary’s Islands, I must say that the incident is unfortunate.
Recently I had been to that islands. There are some dangerous spots in the sea near the islands. There are some people in the islands to caution the tourists against taking bath near those dangerous spots. Some tourists don’t take the advice seriously and go to the same spots and take bath as though they are good swimmers, and think nothing could happen to them. Probably these two students who lost their lives belonged to this category. This is not for the first time such incident is happening there. Yet there is no official warning board to caution the tourists.
So putting up permanent warning boards near the dangerous spots must be done immediately. Further St Mary’s Island groups is a gift of nature to Karnataka. These small but beautiful islands must be developed in a grand way, with biological garden, shelters for tourists, and also sufficient sanitation blocks, to attract more tourists.
At present the existing facilities are totally insufficient. The islands are kept dirty with empty bottles, plastic bottles, waste papers all left over by the tourists. Malpe Development Board charges Rs 10 per tourist as entry fee to visit the islands. But no proper and adequate facilities, including electricity are provided including drinking water to the tourists. Supplying electricity may not be a big problem. The distance of Rameshwaram islands from the mainland is the same as the distance of St Mary’s islands from the mainland. Rameshwaram has been supplied with electricity.
If these islands were to be situated in Western countries, they would have become tourist spot there. The authorities concerned must pay immediate attention to develop these islands on the above lines.
Sukumar Talpady
Scrap Goodshed rail line
Kudos to the local media and many Mangaloreans, who made efforts in one way or another to mark the centenary of the arrival of train services to our city. Various organisations have made different demands with the focus being the commencement of the Mangalore-Bangalore passenger trains and other reasonable demands. Peace-loving citizens of Mangalore quietly hope for better dues in the future.
Going into one aspect that needs express attention from politicians and officials concerned; it is necessary to point at the age old track from the newly labelled ‘Mangalore Central’ to ‘Goodshed’ at Old Port ot Bunder.
Is this stretch of track really needed and from an economic stand point is it of commercial good sense, or even a better civic sense? It may have served vital needs when Old Port was the main trading heaven of Kudla, but for several years now, that need has become obsolete with the New Mangalore Port operating optimally. Now why this rail line, an eye sore and hurdle while moving in the city? This track straddles two high density traffic arteries of the main town, with two out-dated railway gates occupying prime lands.
There is absolutely no justification whatsoever, why NOT these tracks and Goodshed be uprooted and the land be put to use for the welfare of the city and citizens. Actually, the whole locality here needs urgent betterment.
Let all the welfare organisations, individuals, officials and political platforms take up this cause in a united manner and get the redundant rail tracks cleared as a much needed incentive to the convenience, hygiene and beauty of our dear City of Mangalore that is being strangled to death rapidly. Let akramas become true sakramas without delay!
I J S Shet, Mangalore.
Include ‘local flavour’ in Karavali Utsav
It is named ‘Karavali Utsav,’ but for the citizens it is just an “Utsav” to enjoy during the festive season of Christmas and New Year. Unless you really have attractions of our Karavali during this Utsav, it will continue to be like any other exhibition or fair attracting the local citizens.
Fortunately, they have arranged the three-day ‘Beach Festival’ during the Karavali Utsav, which has a distinct local flavour both in culture and cuisine! That is why we witness a very cosmopolitan crowd on the Panambur Beach from far and near. Especially during the last day of the Beach fest, nearly 1.5 lakh people crowded the Panambur beach during the previous Utsav to enjoy the musical evening by the renowned local music director Guru Kiran.
It will be worth considering inviting the best of talents from the three coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi to present cultural programmes from our culture, instead of inviting artists from Mumbai by spending lakhs of rupees.
There must be more of adventure sports during this Utsav, like water surfing, canoeing, boat riding from Thannirbavi to Bengre and, boat rides along the Kulur river upto Maravoor and beyond.
Power boat racing near Sultan Battery river will be a spectacular show for people from outside the coast.
Otherwise, it will be like the Mysore Dasara Utsav, or any other commercial Utsav. “Involve, innovate and evolve” must be the mantra for bringing in new ideas and events during ‘Karavali Utsav’ to attract tourists, who must be provided a package tour of the pilgrimage centres along our coast including the world famous Chapel of St Aloysius College, the holy Syed Madani Darga at Ullal, the Jain Basadi at Moodabidri and such. Let us bring everyone together through these Utsavas.
B N R Rao, Kuloor, Mangalore.
‘Power’ of silence
This is with reference to two news items ‘Prayer hall ransacked, devotees assaulted’ (Deccan Herald dated 24.12.07) and ‘6 churches attacked in Orissa’ (DH dated 26.12.07).
The following cries to be heard: 1. Religion, double-triple refined or just primitive, is no religion, if it prompts or promotes, directly or indirectly, vandalism, burning, rape, killing and the like, whatever be the pretext or provocation.
2. No citizen, however exalted and reached, is entitled or empowered to take law in his/her own hands.
3. When followers and disciples indulge at will in such or worse notorious activities, singly or collectively, the deafening, near defending silence of their priests, teachers, elders, acharyas and gurus, become highly suspicious — for silence is consent.
Fr William, Mangalore
Readers may send their letters to The Editor, Deccan Herald, Yenepoya Chambers, 2nd floor, Balmatta, Mangalore or e-mail to dhmangalore@deccanherald.co.in.
