Kedoor, Jul 8: Three mentally-unsound persons, neglected by their kin and driven to streets to fend for themselves and hence forced to lead a life full of agony and ill-treatment, were given a new lease of life by Spoorthi, a society dedicated to the upliftment of the downtrodden. Three such persons named Babanna, Sudhakar and Chinnu, had been leading animal-like lives in the town since the past few years, with untended hair and beards, clumsy clothes and stinky appearance as they had not taken bath for long. They used to beg for food to satiate their hunger and sleeping on pavements or on the platforms of roadside bus shelters. They never troubled anyone but the onlookers did nothing else than pitying them.

Latha from Sarvaprakashnagar, Ankada Katte near here, who took mercy on the way the trio lived, contacted Spoorthi Society executive Keshav Koteshwar and discussed the possibility of their rehabilitation. On the same day, the three mentally-retarded persons were rehabilitated in the 'Seon' Ashram in Beltangady.

A team led by Spoorthi Society under the guidance of Kundapur circle inspector of police Valentine D'Souza and Latha, started its operations at about 8.30 am on Monday July 7, 2008. Journalist Prabhakar Acharya, Mangalore M V Shetty College MSW students Chitrasri, Yogesh Jogi, social worker from Ankadakatte Ramanna Shetty, Spoorthi Society worker Kumar T Poojari and driver Poornesh formed the rescue and rehabilitation team.  Donors from Sarvaprakashnagar came up with donations to fund the operation. With the total cooperation extended by the local police, the task of rehabilitating these mentally-unsound people was concluded successfully.

Kundapur, Jul 9: The career advancement programme (CAP) cell of Kundapur Varado started classes for IAS training and motivation of the youth on Sunday, July 6. This is aimed at youngsters aspiring for senior government jobs.

Rev Fr Alban D’Souza Vicar Vaar (Vicar Forane), Kundapur Varado, did the inauguration by lighting the lamp.  The director and the principal of Prithvi Institute of Management Education (PRIME), Udupi, administrator Raghupathi Rao, and priest of Tallur parish, were present on the occasion.

Resource persons for the training are being drawn from PRIME. Also present were 38 student aspirants from Varado and their parents besides the CAP conveners. The course is free for students and the cost will be met by the CAP cell through sponsors.

Welcoming the gathering, Thomas D’Mello, the CAP cell nodal officer, explained the need for this program. He said that most youth take up professions like engineering, medicine, dental, or migrate to the Gulf. They are not aware of this unexplored, but important career choice. Hence, it is the need of the hour to train and motivate our youth to try for government jobs and fill this vacuum, D’Mello added. 

Prof Radhakrishna Acharya, and Rev Fr Alban D’Souza, also expressed similar views and stated that the people of Karnataka had not utilized these opportunities fully. 

The vote of thanks was given by Prescilla Menezes, who had a special word of gratitude for the ‘John D’Silva foundation’, for sponsoring the course expenses for a year.  She also added that creative suggestions, comments, or assistance, may be communicated to the D’Mello via e-mail at dmellothomas@rediffmail.com.

Udupi, Jul 3: Normal life in the city has come to a standstill on Thursday July 3, owing to the nation-wide bundh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP), in protest against the controversial decision of the Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) government to withdraw the forest land which was earlier allotted to the Amarnath Shrine Board. 
 
Educational institutions across the district declared a day's holiday on Thursday since attendance was poor in schools and colleges, despite the state government stating that they would function as usual.  The activists of the local unit of VHP rushed into the shops which were kept open in the city and forced them to down their shutters.  Sri Rama Sene activists staged a protest near the Service Bus Stand in the city and held rally on the main roads to garner support from the general public to their cause.

Meanwhile, bundh is so far total and peaceful without any untoward incident having been reported. Citizens were forced to take a day off and spend the day at their houses while  the bundh has not deterred a few motorists who have their own vehicles, in carrying out their day-to-day activities as usual. Moreover, they could zoom away in the deserted roads to their hart's content at least for a day.

The supplementary examination for the II PU classes was held, as announced by the government earlier. However, several students could not appear for the examination because of the problem of transport.

Udupi: The Passport Division, Ministry of External Affairs, has established District Passport Cell in all district headquarters at the office of the Superintendent of Police to speed up the issuance of passports.

A press release here on Tuesday said this help people living in remote regions to submit their passport applications at their respective district headquarters without travelling to Bangalore.

The District Passport Cell is authorised to directly receive the passport application emanating from the concerned district.

As the passport applications are received in the office of the District Superintendent of Police, it expedites the process of police verification.

Submission of passport applications at the District Passport Cell not only saves the applicants from going to the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Bangalore, but expedites the whole process because it ensured speedy police verification.

It was clarified that all passport applications received by the DPC would be immediately sent to the RPO, Bangalore, for further processing as all entries regarding receipt of passport applications were computerised., according to a release.

Kundapur, Jun 28: Under the joint auspices of local unit of Free Legal Aid Society and Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Programme (SKDRDP) a seminar on free legal aid to women was recently held in Government Higher Elementary School of Voderhobly near here.

Presiding over the inaugural ceremony Mohammed Aris, civil magistrate [junior division] said that women must be made aware of their rights as per law of the land and that for a healthy society the process of awareness among them of their legal rights should continue.  This message should reach each and every woman of the society at large, he added.

Kotpadi Udaykumar Shetty, vice-president of the Bar Association presided over the function. Among the chief quests P Gangadhara, block development officer, G Ramanna Shetty, secretary of the Bar Association, Rajesh Adiga, advocate, Ratnakara Shetty, headmaster were present on the occasion.

Advocate U Ganesh Padiyar who was the resource person on the occasion spoke on women and law. Lalitha, supervisor of SKDRDP compered the programme.