Pics: Nayana J C/Thejaswi U Poojary
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (NJC/TP)
Mangaluru/Udupi, Aug 15: The 80th Independence Day was celebrated with patriotic fervour at Nehru Maidan in Mangaluru and at the Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium in Ajjarkad on Saturday, August 15, organised by the Dakshina Kannada district administration.
District In-charge minister U T Khader hoisted the national flag and later inspected the parade and received the guard of honour while travelling in an open vehicle. He also delivered the Independence Day message.
Mangaluru
Udupi
In his address, Khader paid tribute to the freedom fighters and called upon people to protect the country’s unity, communal harmony and rich cultural heritage. He urged the younger generation to uphold the values of patriotism and contribute towards building a stronger India.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives, he said the five guarantee schemes had benefited lakhs of people in Dakshina Kannada. He also spoke about improvements in healthcare, education, infrastructure and disaster management in the district.
Khader congratulated the students, teachers and parents of Dakshina Kannada for the district securing first place in SSLC and second place in II PUC results in the state.
He called upon citizens to work together to take India to greater heights and concluded his message with “Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka.”
MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLA Vedavyas Kamath, MLCs Ivan D'Souza and S L Bhoje Gowda, deputy commissioner Darshan H V, along with elected representatives and senior officials, were present.
Meanwhile, the 80th Independence Day was celebrated with patriotic fervour at the Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium in Ajjarkad here on August 15. Rizwan Arshad, minister of state for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Udupi district in-charge minister, hoisted the national flag and later inspected the parade and received the guard of honour while travelling in an open vehicle.
Recalling the sacrifices of the freedom fighters, Rizwan Arshad, in his Independence Day message, said the nation remembers with deep gratitude those who laid down their lives for India's independence. He paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr B R Ambedkar, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Chandrashekhar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sarojini Naidu and Dr Rajendra Prasad.
Minister Rizwan Arshad also recalled Udupi district's contribution to the freedom struggle and remembered freedom fighters from the region, including Shivaram Karanth, Paniyadi Srinivasa Upadhyaya, R S Shenoy, Rocky Fernandes, K K Shetty, Haji Abdullah, Ambabai Pai and Pangala Manorama Naik.
“India is a land of peace and harmony and is home to people belonging to different castes, religions, communities and linguistic backgrounds. Despite these differences, we have always upheld the spirit of unity and coexistence,” he said.
Referring to poet Kuvempu's vision of India as a ‘garden of peace for all communities’, minister Rizwan Arshad urged people to rise above differences of caste, religion and language, strengthen brotherhood and work towards protecting national unity, peace and communal harmony.
Highlighting government initiatives, minister Rizwan Arshad said the state government has established the ‘Praja Seva’ department to hear public grievances, petitions and issues and provide solutions within the framework of law. He said the government has also initiated recruitment for 72,186 posts across various departments, creating new opportunities for job aspirants.
Speaking about the rainfall situation, Minister Rizwan Arshad said Udupi district has recorded a 29 per cent deficit in rainfall compared to normal levels. He added that precautionary measures have been taken to protect agricultural activities and ensure fodder availability for livestock. Compensation of up to Rs 40 lakh has also been provided to those who suffered losses to life, livestock, houses and property due to excessive rainfall, he added.
Rizwan Arshad congratulated students, teachers, parents and others for Udupi district's achievements in education and said efforts should continue to maintain excellence in the coming academic years.
On drinking water supply, he said work was underway to ensure round-the-clock drinking water supply to Udupi city by bringing water from the Varahi river to the GLSR at Manipal. The project, estimated to cost Rs 238.63 crore, is expected to be completed shortly, he said.
Emphasising youth empowerment, Minister Rizwan Arshad said this year's Independence Day was being celebrated with the slogan ‘Yuva Karnataka, Nava Bharat’. Chief minister D K Shivakumar has announced that 10,000 Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas would be established across villages in the state, he said.
“Overall, our government has taken decisive steps towards the comprehensive development of Karnataka. It is the responsibility of elected representatives and government officials to ensure that the benefits of these initiatives reach every section of society,” he said.
On the occasion, the Udupi Civic Watch App, developed to facilitate the disposal of garbage lying in public places and implemented in Saligrama Town Panchayat as part of efforts to prioritise cleanliness, was publicly unveiled.
The district administration, in collaboration with V-Care Society, has also taken up a scientific flower-waste management initiative. Flowers used daily in temples across the district are being collected scientifically instead of being discarded indiscriminately and converted into value-added products, including eco-friendly and bamboo-free incense sticks. The initiative was also unveiled.
A mascot was unveiled to promote tourism in Udupi district. The mascot is intended to reflect the region's art, culture, heritage, lifestyle and unique identity and help showcase the district's attractions to visitors.
On the occasion, a patriotic dance competition was organised for higher primary and high school students in the city.
Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna, Kaup MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty, president of the Udupi District Guarantee Scheme Implementation Committee Ashok Kumar Kodavoor, president of the Coastal Development Authority M A Gafoor, Udupi deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K, superintendent of police Hariram Shankar, CEO Pratheek Bayal, president of the Udupi Urban Development Authority Dinakar Heroor, Congress leader Manjunath Bhandary and others were present on the occasion.