Speaking after inaugurating the 17th district Kannada Sahithya Sammelan held at Alike Sri Sathya Sai Educational Institution premises, he said S L Bairappa who had won Saraswathi Samman will be felicitated at Banquet hall of Vidhan Soudha and will be presented a sum of Rs five lakh.

He said Kannada medium schools situated on the border areas will not be closed all of a sudden. The schools with less than five students will be closed only if the locals give their nod. The students of closed schools will be sent to the nearby school. The government is committed to protect the interest of the Kannadigas in Belgaum and Kasargod.

All the challenges posed to Kannada by other languages will be faced boldly. “We can not keep quiet for the anti-Kannada policy of Belgaum City Corporation. The State government will initiate measures against such act. We have issued notices to Belgaum Mayor and Deputy Mayor on anti-Kannada policy stand taken by them on Kannada Rajyotsava day.”

“To solve the row over Kannada medium schools in Kasargod and to provide facility to devotees at Shabarimale, I have asked Kerala Chief Minister to provide five acre land. The Kerala CM has responded positively,” said Gowda. The CM said that under the presidentship of Dr Chidananda Murthy, tender has been invited for the development of Kannada software.

Road devt
He said that a sum of Rs 3.27 crore has been released to take up work on rural roads in Bantwal, Kalladka, Alike, Vittal and other places.

He called upon the officials to prepare an action plan and submit the same at the earliest to solve the row over drinking water in Alike, Vittal and Kalladka. The government will release a sum of Rs 10 lakh for district Kannada Sahithya Sammelan, he informed.

President speaks
Sammelan President senior critic Dr Thalthaje Vasanth Kumar said that langauge can not be above culture. If a culture dies, then the language will lose its significance. For any language to grow, it should be given condusive atmosphere.

He said that closing down Kannada Medium Schools citing the reason of shortage of students is unacceptable move. “It is the economically poor students who study in Kannada medium schools. The government should make an effort to bring in reforms in such schools instead of closing it down.”

No river diversion
Nethravathi river diversion scheme should not be implemented. If the scheme is implemented, then the district is likely to become a desert. Hence, there is a need to unitedly fight against the scheme.

All efforts should be made to see that no injustice is meted out at coastal district by the Railways. Akashavani played a vital role in the language and culture of the coastal district, he added.

District-in-Charge Minister Krishna Palemar, Zilla Panchayat President Shailaja Bhat, MLA Ramanath Rai and others were present.

Santhosh Hegde’s remarks irk CM
Earlier speaking to presspersons at Kalladka helipad, he expressed disappointment over former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde’s statement that all institutions are corrupt in the State. In such a case, whether Anna Hazare team which has been demanding Jan Lokpal Bill is corrupt? he asked.

The State government has named S R Bannurmutt’s name for Lokayukta. If Governor opposes the move, then we will hold talks with the Governor.

To a query on denotification case against Minister Somanna, the CM said: “I will not speak against those cases which are before the court. The Court will take its own decision.”