Revitalizing adventure: Dakshina Kannada lifts trekking ban

Mangaluru: The block level and District Congress Committee presidents in the state will be changed in the next one month for better reach into society and bring in organisational fortification, said Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president G C Chandrasheker on Saturday.

The All India Congress Committee and KPCC have a vision for bringing a change in how the party works with the last man and woman in the state, he said at a press conference here.

"We are looking at bringing development models into the state with a new vision. We are a party that likes to work with the opposition in the developmental aspects and keep all other matters away that do not relate to the development of the state.

"We have a great respect for the people of the coast who are considered to be forward-looking and perceptible, but it is also true that we do not have the numbers in the upper house and in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)," he said.

"Our endeavour is to not only create a strong pro-development workforce at the base level by strengthening the second and third level leadership in the state," he said.

Chandrasheker, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, said that he and his four colleagues of the rank of working presidents of the KPCC are going to every district to infuse the new thinking in our workers and leaders.

"This move will get a new surge considering the party is facing byelections in Shiggaon, Chennapatna and Sandhur segments and also vacant seats in the legislative council, followed by elections to the Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats" he said.

When asked about the reason for the changes, Chandrashekar said most of the people have already lived their tenures. The party wants to reward those who have not been given tickets to contest in the 2023 state assembly elections and 2024 Lok Sabha elections for political reasons.

There are quite good leaders and hard-working ground level workers who have great potential to lead the party in the coming years, he said.

"Women will get at least one top post in all District Congress Committees and block levels. There is also a move to give responsible positions for the workers and leaders coming from different strata of society, which are deliverable. The party will not shy away from it," he said.

The other two working presidents, Dr Manjunath Bhandary and Vasanth Kumar, were also present at the press conference.

Kumar said some of the regions in the state are dominated by the BJP. "We want to end this run and defeat the divisive models of the BJP." Bhandary said the Indian National Congress was aiming at a high development phase in the state and involve the opposition parties and their leaders in the development plans in the state. 

The Israeli regime has attacked displaced Palestinians in the southern part of the Gaza Strip with US-provided 2,000-pound bombs, killing at least 40 civilians, mostly women and children.

As many as 60 others were injured in the attack that targeted an area previously declared by the Israeli military as a “humanitarian zone” at the al-Mawasi refugee camp in the city of Khan Younis on Tuesday.

The military alleged that it had struck members of the Hamas resistance movement, who were “operating a command and control center” inside the targeted area, a claim that was rejected by the group as a “blatant lie.”

“The resistance has repeatedly confirmed the absence of any of its members among civilian gatherings or the use of such areas for military purposes,” Hamas said.

The bloodletting took place as part of the regime’s ongoing genocidal war on Gaza, which began on October 7 in response to a retaliatory operation staged by the territory’s resistance groups.

So far, close to 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 94,800 others wounded in the brutal military onslaught.

The Tuesday massacre came after the refugee camp witnessed an influx of homeless Palestinians, who had fled there from the death and destruction spree caused by the war elsewhere across the coastal sliver. Between 30,000 and 34,000 people were living upon each square kilometer of the camp at the time of the attack, the United Nations estimates show.

The weapons deployed during the massacre have been identified as American-made MK-84 bombs, which carry 900 pounds of explosives. 

The payload can create a crater about 15 meters wide and over 10 meters deep, besides being capable of causing deadly damage around it within a radius of approximately 73 meters. 

This is not the first time when the regime deploys the ammunition against civilian targets during the war. 

More than 70 Palestinians were killed after it struck the refugee camp with the same bombs in July.

As part of its unbridled military support for the regime, the United States has armed it with as many as 14,000 of the bombs since the onset of the war.

Hamas also called the US “complicit” in such massacres that “are being deliberately carried out without regard for international law, humanitarian law, or resolutions calling for an end to the aggression.”

Mangaluru: Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur said that as a part of the International Day of Democracy, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will hold a 23-km long human chain and plant 1000 saplings in the Bengre area on September 15.

The human chain will be formed from Pavanje bridge to the border of Arkula, which will pass through Nanthoor Junction- Kannur Junction. The event is organised with the objective of creating awareness among the public, particularly the youth, about the significance of democracy. Around 10,000 people, particularly students, will participate in forming the human chain in the city limits, he told media persons.

He said Democratic system in India is a model to the world and we should be grateful to Dr B R Ambedkar for giving the country a beautiful constitution. To make the people, particularly the youth, aware of the Constitution and its preamble, the state government has chalked out a plan to form a mega human chain from Bidar to Chamrajnagar. As a part of it, the programme will be held in Mangaluru. Students from various schools, colleges, various organisations, NGOs should actively participate to make the event a grand success.”

The Mayor said as a part of the celebrations, an arch will be built at Pavanje bridge and Kannur Junction. The Zonal office at Surathkal will be decorated with tri colour along with KPC Circle, Nanthoor Junction, Padil Junction. The main programme will be held at Kadri Circle near Circuit House in Mangaluru, which will be attended by DK MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLAs D Vedavyasa Kamath, Dr Y Bharath Shetty, DC Mullai Muhilan MP and others. Flags will be placed for every 100 metre of the human chain stretch. The participants can click their photos and upload it through https://democracydaykarnataka.in/ to collect a certificate, added the mayor. 

The human chain will be held from Pavanje to Mukka checkpost, Mukka chepost to Mukka Junction, Mukka Junction to NITK gate, NITK gate to Tadambail Junction, Tadambail Junction to Hotel Suraj, Hotel Suraj to Govinda Dasa College, Govinda Dasa College to Kordabbu Daivasthana, Hosabettu, Kordabbu Daivasthana to Honnakatte Junction, Kulai to APMC, Baikampady, Hotel Vishwasagar to Mangaluru traffic police check post , Mangaluru traffic police check post to Panambur circle, Panambur Circle to NMPA railway track, MCF to Kuloor bridge, Kuloor bridge to Gold Finch ground, Gold Finch ground to Kottara Chowki, Kottara Chowki to BMS Hotel, BMS Hotel to SKS apartment, KPT to Saptagiri petrol bunk, Nanthoor Circle to Kaikamba, Maroli Jodukatte till Padil Circle, Padil to First Neuro Hospital – Kannur Junction, Adyar Katte to Sahyadri College, Sahyadri College to Expert Cross (Valacchil), Express Cross to Arkula border.