Shiradi Ghat closed for 10 days after landslides topple heavy vehicles killing 2

coastaldigest.com web desk

August 16, 2018

Mangaluru, Aug 16: The Shiradi Ghat stretch of National Highway 75 is likely to remain closed for vehicles for next 10 days owing to landslips triggered by heavy rain.

Heaps of rubble falling on the road brushed away two buses and a gas tanker truck, and left hundreds of vehicles stuck on the stretch on Tuesday. One person was found dead, while another is missing as the gas tanker fell off the road to a depth of 150 m.

Vehicular movement has been affected on the stretch for the last three days because of several landslips.

Around 40 passengers were in for a shock when a heap of rubble falling on the road pushed the KSRTC bus they were travelling by into a gorge. Another private bus met with a similar situation. However, there were no casualties in the incidents.

The gas tanker fell off the road late in the night on Tuesday. K. Ranganath, District Fire Officer, said. “The truck has fallen 150 m off the road. We could not go near the truck in the night as it was raining heavily. The staff reached the spot on Wednesday morning. There is leakage of gas from the tanker,” he said.

The staff found a body near the truck. One more person is feared to have died in the incident.

Minister for Public Works H.D. Revanna told reporters in Hassan that the government would take up a project to avoid landslips in the region permanently. “We will work out a plan to stop landslips permanently after the rain recedes,” he said.

Comments

What a pathetic situation. Recently opened for travel. Disaster spoiled everythig. Man's intervention on nature and natural source caused everything

I suggest some experts should study about the Shiradi Ghat and should find alternate way if that not safe for nature and human. Panel should be like Gadgil committee or similar panel

Shiradi Ghat is not safe. That project was not good for nature.

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Fee Hike in Private School across Coastal Karnataka Raises Concerns among Parents

News Network

March 15,2025

Mangaluru: Parents in coastal Karnataka are facing a significant financial burden as private schools across the region have implemented a sharp 20% or higher fee hike for the new academic year. This marks a drastic increase compared to the 6-15% annual hikes over the past four years. Schools justify the rise by citing increased teacher salaries and rising operational costs.

A parent from a CBSE school in Moodbidri reported that last year, his child's school fee was Rs 23,000, excluding transport and books. This year, it has jumped to Rs 29,000. "Fees for all classes in our school have been hiked by Rs 6,000," he shared.

Similarly, Jean D'Souza, whose two children study at an ICSE school in Mangaluru, said the school has increased fees by Rs 5,000 this year, from Rs 46,000 to Rs 51,000. Another parent from an ICSE school on the outskirts of the city reported a 20% hike and urged the government to intervene and regulate school fee increases.

Additional Costs Add to Parents’ Burden

Parents highlighted that beyond tuition fees, they also bear expenses for transport, uniforms, and books. Monthly transport fees range between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500, while book costs amount to Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per child annually. However, some relief comes from schools allowing fee payments in installments. "Many schools permit two to four installments, which helps ease the financial strain for parents," said a school management representative.

Schools Defend the Fee Hike

A school principal explained the reasons behind the steep fee increase this year. "Most schools refrained from major fee hikes after the pandemic. However, teacher salary demands have increased, and with a shortage of trained educators, retaining them is difficult without annual pay raises," he said.

Other rising costs include electricity, water, building maintenance, government fees, and general operational expenses. School managements argue that these factors make the fee hike necessary to sustain quality education.

While parents express frustration over the rising costs, the debate over striking a balance between affordability and sustaining quality education continues. Many now call for government intervention to regulate private school fee structures, ensuring that education remains accessible to all families.

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