Green Police:Friendly Tourist Police

BANGALORE, JULY 20, 2009: Perhaps, for the first time in the country, Karnataka government’s Tourism Department has decided to deploy an exclusive security force called the Green Police in 30 tourist places to ensure the safety and security of tourists visiting Karnataka.
The security force would offer protection to tourists in cases related to robbery, attacks on tourists and molestation and any other incidents. Several ugly incidents have been reported from different parts of the State which led to reduction in number of tourists.
Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday launched the Green Police force at a simple function in front of Vidhana Soudha and said the force, comprising ex-servicemen and Home Guards, was the first such security agency in the country raised to protect tourists. In the first phase, a 150-member force would serve to provide security for the tourists at key destinations in the State.
The Green Police would be given separate uniforms and deployed at tourist places such as Badami, Aihole and Mysore, Hampi, religious places, and the beaches. However, the Green Police have no powers to take action against culprits and they will act as coordinators of security between tourists and the nearest police.
The Chief Minister said the Green Police force would instil a sense of security among the domestic and international tourists visiting different tourist spots in the State.
Home Minister Dr V.S. Acharya said Green Police personnel, who would be deployed for 24/7 vigil at tourist places and will serve the tourists as friend and guide.
Tourism Minister G. Janardhan Reddy said that the Green Police will not be an alternative to the existing State police. Tourism Secretary K. Jothiramalingam, and top Police officials were present.

Acharya all praise for Dakshina Kannada

Bangalore, July 20, 2009: The Home minister Dr. V.S. Acharya had all praise for the Dakshina Kannada district when he met the Bunts Association of Bangalore on Sunday. He said this district has emerged as a role model for the rest of the country in terms of Human Development Index, which indicates the progress of human life.
Felicitating the South Canara Association of Bangalore, on its golden jubilee Dr. Acharya said that the Human Development Index rating is done on the basis of the various facilities available in the particular area under index rating exercise. Some of the thumbnail aspects were availability of health facilities, education, cleanliness and infant mortality rate. The Human Development Index of the country has rated Dakshina Kannada district among some of the best districts of India.
Appreciating Dakshina Kannada for its contribution to the country’s economic growth, Acharya said Corporation Bank and Canara Bank have the history of 100 years of service to the region and the country much before the liberalisation process. He said these banks have left an imprint overseas as well.

Dr. Achraya appreciated that Dakshina Kannada had an exemplary record of linguistic harmony. In Dakshina Kannada district people spoke more than three languages like Kannada, Tulu, Konkani and Beary but there had been no division on the basis of language nor any social disharmony was experienced due to linguistic diversity so far which means the Human progress had been on the right direction..

(Mangalorean)

Photo of the Week: Beauty of a Black & White image

Image Courtesy: Prajavani

Udupi district: Negative population growth

Udupi, Jul 20: Home Minister V.S. Acharya said on Saturday that Udupi district topped the State in controlling population growth. He was speaking at the World Population Day function organised by the Department of Health and Family Welfare here.
Dr. Acharya said that Udupi district had a negative population growth of minus 25 per cent in the State, while Dakshina Kannada district had minus 20 per cent population growth. But Koppal district had a 2.5 per cent and Bangalore 5 per cent population growth, he said.
The infant mortality in Udupi district was six per 1,000 compared to eight per 1,000 in western countries. Even the maternal mortality in the district was low, but life expectancy was high. “High rate of literacy has led to decline in population growth in Udupi district,” he said.
The family planning programme in the country had passed through many phases. In the 1950s the slogan was: “Hasten the first child, delay the second and stop at the third”. After a couple of decades, the emphasis was on having two children and the current day trend was to have one child. “But one child will always feel lonely. It is better to have two children as they can share their feelings and grow together,” Dr. Acharya said. He said that seven districts in the State were backward in terms of health and other parameters of human index. They were: Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Bijapur, Bagalkot and Bellary. The State Government was spending a lot on civic amenities in these districts, he said.
Speaking at the janaspandana at Kunjal village near Brahmavar, Dr. Acharya said that 467 petitions of the 629 received there had been cleared. The rainfall in Udupi district was the highest in the last 34 years. Consequently, some people had lost their lives and many had lost properties. The Government had released Rs. 5 crore for relief work to the district. Repair of roads in the district would be given priority, he added.
MLA Raghupati Bhat was among those present.

Flood situation assessment

Udupi: Home Minister Dr V S Acharya on Sunday said he had instructed the district administration to submit a complete report to the government on the damage due to rains and floods so that maximum funds could be released from both the state and the centre under calamity funds. Addressing a press meet after meeting officials on the damage caused by the rains since Jul 6, Acharya, also district in charge minister of Udupi, said both Udupi and Dakshina Kannada district are the worst affected by the recent rains. Udupi district, the highest rain fed area in Karnataka, had received 1250 mm rain in July after a 39 year gap,with the total damage at over Rs 30 crore. The district had received 200 mm rain in a single day, he said. He said the government had released Rs five crore each for immediate relief works to six worst affected districts, including Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, Rs two crore each to five districts and Rs one crore each to remaining 18 districts, totalling Rs 58 crore. He also visited the severe sea eroded area at Ermal Bada in Udupi district earlier in the absence of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa who cancelled his visit after the aircraft returned due to bad weather condition. Acharya said that the Chief Minister, soon after reaching Bangalore, had instructed him to hold meetings in Udupi and Mangalore and send an interim report by evening today about the damages in the two districts. Based on his report, the Chief Minister would decide on the quantum of additional funds to be released after discussing it at the cabinet sub-committee meeting. He said the administration had also proposed to submit a proposal to the government for immediately releasing Rs 2.06 crore for emergency sea wall protection work in the district, where 1534 metre road and land had been severely damaged at several critical points. Acharya said the government would soon write to the Prime Minister, requesting that two permanent units of the national disaster response force be set up -- one in Udupi and another in Belgaum -- to handle natural disasters. He said the state government had received Rs 12 crore in the last three years under the calamity relief fund, of which Rs 10 crore had already been paid and Rs 52 lakh had been left over. He said he had instructed the district administration to take up all relief measures soon with the release of Rs five crore yesterday by the government. Dr Acharya said the state government would also recommend to the Centre to enhance compensation for crop loss and house damage from National Calamity Relief Fund. (ZeeNews)
Rs 5.48 crore for flood relief: Acharya

18.07.2009

Crime rates are falling: Acharya

Bangalore : The state government will soon convene a meeting of city legislators to seek their suggestions in preventing rising crime. "We will hold a meeting of MLAs in the larger interest of Bangalore,'' home minister V S Acharaya said, agreeing to a suggestion from the legislative council Speaker Veeranna Mathikatti. Reeling out statistics of the last three years, in reply to questions from members, Acharya said: "Despite the drastic increase of population, the crime rate is actually falling in the city.'' He said the police are deriving new strategies to prevent murders especially of home-alone women. "Growing real estate is a cause for concern with regard to crime in the state,'' Acharya added. (TOI)