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Court hill loses its green cover forever

May 1, 2012

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Mangalore, May 2: Huge trees on the northern slope of the Court hill have been axed to facilitate the work on 'Vakilara Bhavan.'

According to a press release, the northern slope of the Court hill harboured the last patch of the original forest which once covered the entire hill. The patch though small, formed an ecological niche of representative trees of the area. Perched on these trees were lianas – creepers with stems having a girth of a man's arm. It must have taken centuries for them to reach this size. The trees provided a living space for epiphytes like ferns and orchids characteristic of the flora of the region. The tree canopies were a refuge to many a bird in the middle of the city. The early morning walkers on the court road could enjoy listening to them singing to their hearts content in the shelter of the trees. The area was a home to a number of reptiles and frogs which are considered to be endangered.

The uppermost portion of this area below the Museum and the High School Building of St Aloysius College has been preserved as 'Al-Vana,' the biodiversity park of the college. In the past, the authorities had proposed to widen the road by felling the trees on the upper side of the road. However, the proposal was dropped with the agitation. A portion of the green cover was destroyed to make space for the proposed “Ambedkar Bhavan”.

Though this has not materialised till date, the age-old majestic trees which stood there are gone forever.

The Forest Department has given permission to cut an enormous 38 precious trees to make space for the building - and the deed has already been done.

The majestic trees are felled and cut and strewen on the ground. The valuable lianas are dangling, cut off from their base. A condition has been put that the party has to plant two trees for every tree they cut.

It may be said that they will fulfill this condition. But it will not bring back the original tree cover which was there for ages and which forms the last representatives of the original flora of Mangalore.

The cutting of these trees is an irreparable loss for the people of Mangalore and no less for the biodiversity of flora and fauna of Mangalore, said the release.

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coastaldigest.com news network
August 8,2020

Mangaluru, Aug 8: As visuals of the Air India Express flight crash at Kozhikode international airport emerge, one cannot help but be reminded of an eerily similar and unfortunate accident that occurred a decade ago. The August 7, 2020 tragedy brought back memories of the 2010 crash.

It was on May 22, 2010 that an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 flight from Dubai to Mangaluru over shot the runway while landing at Bajpe airport and fell into a cliff. Of the 160 passengers and 6 crew members on board, 158 were killed (all crew members and 152 passengers) and only 8 survived.

Even back then, the plane had split into two. The crash has been termed as one of India's worst aviation disasters.

The final conversations between Air traffic control (ATC) and the pilot prior to the landing showed no indication of any distress.

Like the Mangaluru accident, Karipur crash too happened when the flight was attempting to land.

The captain of the aircraft which crashed at Mangaluru, Z Glucia, was an experienced pilot with 10,000 hours of flying experience and had 19 landings at the Mangalore airport. Co-pilot S S Ahluwalia, with 3,000 hours of flying experience had as many as 66 landings at this airport. Both the pilot and co-pilot were among the victims.

An investigation into the accident later found that the cause of the accident was the captain’s failure to discontinue an ‘unstabilised approach’ and his persistence to continue with the landing, despite three calls from the First Officer to ‘go-around’.

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News Network
May 10,2020

Mangaluru, May 10: The Yenepoya Medical College Hospital at Deralakatte here has become the first private hospital in Dakshina Kannada district to get coronavirus (COVID-19) testing approval.

The laboratory at the hospital has received the nod from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to conduct tests for COVID-19, a release here said.

Dakshina Kannada will now have two centres for coronavirus tests, the first one being the district Wenlock hospital, the designated hospital for Covid-19.

ICMR has approved 33 testing centres in the state of which 21 are government hospitals and 12 are private hospitals.

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News Network
June 24,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 24: About 8,48,203 students will appear in the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examination tomorrow, i.e., June 24, said Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday.

Students have been advised to report to the examination centre three-hour before the commencement of the examination i.e., at 07:30 am. The examination will commence at 10:30 am.

Early entry to the centres will also help maintain social distancing that is very much essential during the pandemic, minister for primary and secondary education S Suresh Kumar said.

"SSLC exams to take place tomorrow. About 8,48,203 students will write the exam. Social distancing needs to be followed and the mask should be used. Minister of Education and I have already held a lot of meetings. Students from containment zones will be carefully handled," said Sriramulu.

Commenting upon the situation arising in the state due to COVID-19, Sriramulu said, "There is a panel of experts to decide about lockdown. There has been an opinion that the COVID-19 test should be increased. Workers, traders, and others should be categorised in 15 categories and tests must be conducted," he added.

Sriramulu further said that there will be a meeting of task force on the coming Monday.

"All the issues will be brought to the notice of the Chief Minister at the task force meeting, then CM will take a call on what needs to be done," he said.

Meanwhile, Suresh Kumar, Minister of Education inspected the schools and places where SSLC exams will be held.

Earlier Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar had announced that SSLC examinations, which were stayed in view of the coronavirus pandemic, will be conducted 'between June 25 and July 4' in the state.

According to the Union Health Ministry, Karnataka has 9,721 COVID-19 cases including 150 fatalities.

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