Mangaluru: Anti-endosulfan activists to protest against govt on April 27

April 17, 2015

Mangaluru, Apr 17: Alleging that the state government were turning a blind eye to the problems and struggles of Endosulfan-affected victims in Dakshina Kannada and other districts, Endo Virodhi Horata Samiti, Kokkada has demanded to know the health department had stopped providing monthly pension to the victims from the past five months without any apparent reason.

Speaking at a press conference in Press Club here on Thursday, president of the association Shridhar Gowda K said that the state health department had stopped providing Endosulfan-affected victims with their monthly pension from December. Although the concerned health officials had been ordered by the deputy commissioner in a meeting held on March 19 to resume the provision of monthly pensions within 10 days, no amount has been credited to the victims till date, he said.

Mass protest on April 27

Demanding better facilities and package from the state government, Endosulfan-affected victims and their families under the banner of Endo Virodhi Horata Samiti, Kokkada, will organise a mass demonstration in front of the deputy commissioner's office in Mangaluru on April 27 from 11 a.m. onwards, informed Mr Gowda.

With respect to free medical treatment to Endosulfan victims, he said that no appointed doctors had been visiting the houses of bedridden victims or providing them with proper treatment as assured by the health department and concerned officials including the health minister. After a couple of visits initially, the doctors stopped their regular visits and check-ups to the villages in Belthangady taluk. The victims are given the same prescriptions as earlier, he claimed.

He said that the district administration had even stopped issuing bus passes to Endosulfan victims or their immediate next of kin.

When asked about the response from health minister U T Khader who hails from the district, Mr Gowda said that although he welcomed the new health schemes and programmes initiated by the minister, he had not seen any health minister as negligent towards Endosulfan victims as Mr Khader.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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