Byndoor June 9: Samanvaya Mangalore along with Women Association of Kundapura Deanery of Mangalore diocese had organized a workshop on Women Resource Persons and Konkani Writers at Byndoor Church Hall on June 07, 2009.

The parish priest of Byndoor Rev. Fr Francis Cornelio having inaugurated the workshop said, “the women of Kundapura deanery should utilize the trainings, awareness opportunities to empower themselves”. The president of DCCW Mrs Leena Roche Brahmavar presented her plan of formation of a women resource cell by training at least 100 potential women of Mangalore diocese into expert resource persons.

Sr Mabel D’souza, women co-ordinator of Samanvaya explained the need and method of becoming expert resource persons.  She presented the requirements of a good resource person, method of collection of resource material, need of communication skill for effective delivery of the contents etc.

Rev. Dr Ronald Cutinha, director of Samanvaya guided the practical session through group study, presentation of the findings and constructive criticism.  He also explained the way of writing clear, effective, unbiased and authentic reports for news papers.  Rev. Fr Alphonse D’ lima, parish priest of Gangolli parish explained the way of writing the Readers Letters and analyzing Articles. 

Women of Byndoor Association led the prayer song.  The secretary Maria Pereira welcomed, Shanti D’Almeida proposed vote of thanks and Cecilia Rebero compered.  There were 70 participants from Byndoor, Sastan, Kundapura, Gangolli, Padukone, Basrur, Trasi, Tallur and Piusnagar parishes.  Delicious dinner was organized by Byndoor Women Association. 

Barkur, Jun 8: The heavy downpour of rains did not deter the large number of enthusiastic poetry lovers, who had  gathered on the vast portico of the age-old house of Rippon D'Souza located near Moodhadu village on Sunday, June 7 on the banks of Sita river at Barkur.

They were listening to some of the finest Konkani poets, who had come from various places of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.  The programme, which was held here under the auspices of `Kavita Trust' for the second consecutive year, got lavish praise from all the people 

Kishoo Barkur, secretary, Kavita Trust, welcomed the gathering at the beginning.  Melvyn Rodrigues, poet and president, Kavita Trust, presided over the poetry session.

Melvyn Rodrigues in his presidential speech, expressed concern over the fact that creative minds of the people have of late, been getting numb and jaded, because of various gadgets of the modern world to which the people are geting attracted and addicted to.  He praised the poets of Barkur for keeping the spirit of poetry alive and the general public for their whole-hearted support in appreciating the creativity of the poets.

Catherine Rodrigues, Katapadi, Kishoo Barkur, Gladys Rego, Mahesh Nayak, Claudy Brahmavar, H M Pernal, Richie Pereira, Andrew L D'Cunha, P J Karugalnade, Eric Soans Barkur and Melvyn Rodrigues recited some of their beautiful poems.

Alwyn Andrade cracked some truely hilarious jokes during the programme. Members of 'Expressions' presented Konkani songs.

Andrew L D'Cunha proposed vote of thanks. Urban D'Souza, Richard D'Souza, Frederick D'Souza and members of 'Expressions' supported the plan of organizing the programme here.

Kodavoor, June 6, 2009: Writer Muralidhar Upadhya Hiriyadka said on Saturday that efforts should be made to inculcate reading habit in people, especially students.

He was presiding over the Udupi Taluk Kannada Sahitya Sammelan here.

Prof. Hiriyadka said that reading of books should be encouraged at high school level and there should be a small library in every classroom. Competitions should be organised to encourage students in reading as many books as possible. In the United States, weekly programmes were held to inspire children for reading. Our State should emulate such practices, he said.

The Department of Kannada and Culture, Kannada Book Authority, and other academies kept bringing out books on various subjects. But these books were not being marketed properly. Facilities to keep books published by government departments and academies should be created at district central libraries, he said.

The Government should promote the learning of Kannada software such as “Baraha”, “Nudi” and others.

A subject on Kannada software should be introduced in the curriculum of B.Sc. in Computer Science. The move of the Government to start an academy for translation was welcome. A separate university should be started to study Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, Russian, German and Persian languages, Prof. Hiriyadka said. Travel literature (“pravasa sahitya”) had an important role to play.

The Government should do more to develop tourist spots such as St. Mary’s Island, Hoode, Bengre, and Hangarkatte. Barkur, where there were many temples, could be developed into a national tourist destination. A museum on Alupa dynasty should be opened at Udyavar, he said. Home Minister V.S. Acharya said that Kannada should be the medium of instruction from class one to four. The Government had decided to approach the Supreme Court on this issue.English could, however, be taught as one of the subjects from class one, he said. The Government was giving priority for promotion of Kannada. The State budget had allocated Rs. 190 crore for the Department of Kannada and Culture, Dr. Acharya said.

MLA K. Raghupati Bhat, former president of Kannada Sahitya Parishat Harikrishna Punaroor, and president of Dakshina Kannada District Kannada Sahitya Parishat Pradeep Kalkura were present.

Udupi, Jun 6: Heavy rains lashed all the taluks of the district  and heavy rains coupled with  lightning claimed the lives  of a newly married man and a fisherman in Kundapur taluk while a woman from Karkala taluk also was killed. A house in the taluk also collapsed.

Anand Devadiga (30), from Hoskote Hasiberu in Kergalu Hoskote, Byndoor in Kundapur taluk was struck by lightning while speaking on his mobile phone outside his home. He died on way to hospital. He was married on May 18 this year.  A fisherman named Nagaraj Patel (38), son of Anant Patel, residing near S V College, Gangolly in the taluk collapsed in his boat and  died while he was out for fishing, due to exhaustion of controlling the boat. A house owned by Chikku Mogerti standing by the side of Nempu PU College in Vandse village in the tluk bore the brunt of the lightning due to which, everything in the house including the house itself, were burnt down. Miraculously, Chikku (72), who was present in the house, survived. Loss in this case is estimated at five lac rupees. Lightning also struck a house of Chandu Poojarti near Kaltodu in Kundapur taluk and inflicted some damage.

A woman named Appi Poojarti (65), wife of Mutta Poojary from Kambalabettu House, Kervashe in Karkala taluk was struck by lightning and died instantly, while in her courtyard on Friday afternoon. The house of Gudda Moily in Paddayilu, Bola in the taluk was damaged in the lightning. There are reports of the wiring of a few houses having been damaged by lightning.

Revenue officials are busy visiting places, making arrangements to clear standing water and assessing damages besides assisting the people who are facing problems.