Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (GA) - Pics - Dayanand Kukkaje

Mangalore, May 30 (Tuesday, 7-15 pm): Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy visited the rain-hit coastal districts and took stock of the overall situation.  He held meetings with top officials during which he issued orders to undertake immediate measures to face the situation.

After having his breakfast in minister Nagraj Shetty's house, he visited Ullal and surrounding areas from where extensive sea erosion is reported.

He then returned to the city and held a meeting with the officials at deputy commissioner’s office.  Mayor Ashraf, MCC commissioner Chandrappa too were present during the meeting.  The chief minister promised to find a permanent solution to the long pending problem of sea erosion in both Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.  He also ordered the officials to be on alert to the needs and queries of the public.

MLAs Yogish Bhat, Padmanabha Kottari, Abhayachandra Jain, Shakuntala Shetty, former MLA Jayaram Shetty, deputy commissioner Dr H V Parshwanath, KPCC member U T Khader and others were also present at the meeting.

The chief minister then proceed to Malpe in Udupi distict to meet the fishing community which has been in total panic following raging waves and storm winds which have forced them to shun fishing activities.

In the meantime, the sources from Malpe said that out of the total 350 boats which had gone fishing, 200 have reached the Karwar shore and another 130 have reached Malpe safely.  However, 20 boats are missing out of which 5 boats are already sunk in the deep sea.

The Coastal Guards which were pressed on duty have rescued 6 fishermen already.  However, another 6 said to have drowned out of which the bodies of only 2 have been fished out. The bodies of Shivananda Narayan Mogera, Janardhan Kunder Baikady, Anand Baikady and Shankar Nagappa Nayak have not yet been traced.