Mangalore This Week - April 15 to April 21
by Anisa Fathima, Daijiworld.com, Mangalore (MB)
April 22, 2007
It was a holy beginning to the week as seven deacons of Mangalore diocese were ordained by Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza at a solemn ceremony in Rosario Cathedral.
While the celebrity rush to our famed temples continued, and this time not without a bit of controversy with Viveik Oberoi and his dad thought to have timed it keeping the Ash-Abhi wedding in mind, builders in the city heaved a big sigh of relief as the state cabinet cleared pending licences to 66 buildings, thus paving the way for more development of the city.
The end of the week saw Konkani Sahitya Academy announcing literary awards to Adolphus Cutinho (Dolla), Chandrashekhar Kharvi and Melwyn Rodrigues ( a member of the Daijiworld editorial team) for their enormous contribution to Konkani literature and art.
Mangalore Diocese Gets 7 New Priests - Pics
Mangalore: Timing of Viveik, Suresh Oberoi Visit Raises Eyebrows
Mangalore: Real Estate Prices to Easen with High-rise Licences Cleared
Mangalore: Melwyn Rodrigues Among Konkani Academy Award-winners
Hefty Theft, Deftly Done
Talk of a sensational, action packed, planned theft. That is what took place when a gang of 25 robbers attacked the forest official’s office, gagged and bound the staff, and made away with sandalwood worth Rs 5 lac. The theft was so well-planned that the many houses around the area were latched carefully before launching the attack.
The theft is a reflection on the brittle security system that is a feature of not only the forest department as was evident in this case, but also in general. Knowing the sensitivity and the risk in storing sandalwood worth lacs, the security should consist of more than just locks to the doors. True, the staff members were there – but it needs more than a handful of men to confront 25 armed robbers. It is high time technology is adopted in places like the forest department which often stores valuable goods seized from smugglers. For all we know, it might have been accomplices of the smugglers taking revenge on seizing the very sandalwood they officials had caught them with recently.
Mangalore: Sandalwood worth Rs 5 Lac Robbed from Forester's Office
Wenlock Unlocks Plans to Upgrade
Government hospitals in the district are not always known for their cleanliness or advancement in technology; but all that is about to change with the plans to upgrade the paediatric ward of Wenlock Government Hospital at cost of 5.6 crore with the help of Infosys.
It is no doubt a step in the right direction – not only will it make the hospital well-equipped to meet the increasing demand of the latest forms of medical treatment, but also make it more competitive in respect of private hospitals in the city. The challenge now will be to maintain the hospital while also rendering free treatment to some of the patients.
The upgrading of the paediatric ward may well be the first step towards upgrading the entire hospital, phase by phase. Perhaps the next agenda would be upgrading Lady Goschen? Though many may be sceptic about this, it is not wrong to hope, right?
Mangalore: Advanced Pediatric Building for Wenlock Hospital
‘Press’ing Matters of Freedom
Meanwhile, in yet another attack on the freedom of press, the office of Kannada newspaper Suddi Bidugade was alleged to have been receiving end of a forcible entry by a forest officer against who the paper had carried an allegation of inefficiency.
According to reports, the newspaper had alleged that the recent theft of timber in Nada Village had taken place right from under the nose of the officer. Freedom of press has become a sensitive issue nowadays – while on one hand the media does tend to go a bit too far, it will always be the watchdog and a catalyst to bring corrupt officials to book.
The authorities must take serious note of this attack and take appropriate steps other than launching an investigation in to the timber thefts. Probably only a thorough and transparent investigation would reveal the truth.
Beltangady: Official Forcibly Enters Media Office, Abuses Staff
Abhi Aish Bus Karo!
When the entire country is on frenzy over the Great Indian Wedding of Aishwarya and Abhishek, will the hometown of the beauty queen be far behind? Collars went up and heads turned to take a second look as eight of the only 30 people invited for Ash’s wedding turned out to be from our very own city.
Though it was supposed to be a sneaky get away for Ash’s relatives, the even more sneaky media managed to get a whiff of it. In no time we were feeling proud that our daughter of the soil didn’t really forget her hometown as we may have been tempted to believe.
Oh, so what if they were only her relatives? We would be proud anyway. Wouldn’t it be nice if the newly-wedded couple visited the town of the bride’s ancestors or at least sought blessings at the spiritual destinations of the coastal region? Ah, that would be the day when all Mangalore would fall head over heels, with the media industry of entire country tagging along!
Mangalore: Ash-Abhi Wedding - 8 from City Invited
Flight to New Horizons
It was a week marked with success for Bajpe Airport when it announced that it had earned a profit for the very first time, most probably owing to the increased passenger traffic following the introduction of flights to three international destinations.
The Bajpe airport has been growing in leaps and bounds over the last few months and this increase in revenue was only expected. Though there’s a long way to go before it becomes truly international in terms of number of flights, services, infrastructure, facilities and security, there is no doubt that it is well on its way to achieve this dream.
With more facilities and more flights on the cards, the airport is poised to gain more and more revenue as the years pass on. However, the airport authorities should take care that as the passenger traffic increases, the ability to handle security issues also stays on par.
Mangalore: Bajpe Airport Earns Profit for First Time
Action against Act
No more protests, no more processions – that is what the district administration was bent on doing about a month ago when it first issued a draft notification on an Act to curb public gatherings. Forget about implementing it, the district Congress committee is firing all guns in protest of this curb on protests!
Now, let’s see how the situation stands. Taking a cue from the violence that erupted last October after a procession, and the danger posed by such other gatherings, the administration decides to do a good turn by bringing in a draft notification of an order that has been so far implemented only in Bihar. So what happens?
We, as responsible citizens, lunge back screaming at the injustice. Agreed, the Act should not curb the citizens’ rights to protest as this will be akin to violating our basic freedom of expression, but the Act should be brought in force so far as religious processions go. Being a communally sensitive region, we often avoid stepping out of our houses in fear of any religious procession that would be going on - it is this fear that we need to keep a check on.
Also, the Act also makes the organizers responsible for any damage to life and property, which in itself is enough to prevent these processions from taking place.
Mangalore: Protest Held against Notification of District Administration
Murder, Arrest, and then…bail?
Is our coastal region turning out to be a hub for crimes? It was a shocker of a news when a man by name Mithun Shetty was brutally murdered in broad daylight in Karkala. Personal rivalry was said to be the cause, but if so, it must have been quite a deep-rooted enmity.
A sad end to the week, indeed. Yet, though the police were not able to prevent the crime even though it happened in broad daylight, it is commendable that the culprit was caught in a matter of a few hours. Unlike the well-planned robbery I mentioned in the beginning, this crime seems to have been done on the spur of the moment, or without forethought. The victim was supposedly distributing invitation cards for his sister’s imminent wedding, and it is really sad that the family has to suffer for another’s misdeeds. The culprit should be dealt with severely, and not left on a bail backed by some influential hand. Rivalry or not, no reason in the world can justify violence.
Karkala: Man Brutally Stabbed to Death in Broad Daylight
The week then was a blend of sweet spiced up with a pinch of salt and pepper. Crime, awards, celebrities, protests – it had a everything in it. The coming week too will not be short of events, what with events and happenings lined up in plenty.
Until next week, it’s goodbye!
Anisa Fathima
Earlier Weeks:
Anisa Fathima - from 'Exclusive Archives'