Pics: Sphoorty Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 4: An association titled ‘Save Mangalore Government Printing Press Action Committee' has been formed by those affected by the proposal to close the press, for the purpose of mustering a strong opinion for retaining the press in the district and to bring pressure on the concerned not to go ahead by the proposal to close it.

President of the Committee Vasant Yeyyadi informed at a press conference held here on Saturday July 4, that the district branch of the Press has been functioning under the primary and secondary education department of the state government at Yeddyadi Industrial Area in the city since the year 2002. The press, equipped with modern machinery, undertakes printing of text books and printing works relating to Wenlock Hospital and other government offices in the district, including local administrations. Printing works relating to Mandya, Mysore and Kodagu too get done here. Out of about 30 full-time workers here, only a few are government employees while others are unemployed locals, he explained.

A couple of years back, the press employed about a hundreds works on piece-rate basis. The press, the only one of its kind in the twin-districts, is necessary for the governent and district administrations but the top officials who have come from other districts, are trying to close the Press by feeding wrong information to the government, Yeyyadi explained. There is a ploy to get the works here done through private presses and shift the valuable machineries of the government press to outside the district. The press has been providing employment to several locals, he pointed out.

In view of the above, he has demanded for retaining the Press in the district and for developing it further, as is needed for the government administrations in the two districts and also as several people from the city have been earning their daily bread through this press.