Child labour: Officials raid snack unit

[email protected] (CD Network, Photo by Ahmed Anwar)

August 13, 2012

Mangalore, August 13: A team headed by Labour Officer Nagesh conducted a surprise raid at a petty snack production unit at Panjimogaru near here on Monday, acting on a tip off against alleged child labour activity.

Four children by name Vignesh S/o Ariavalan, Vignesh S/o Balaji, Ajith Kumar S/o Paluswamy and Karnan S/o Kumaran, all hailing from Tamil Nadu were found working at the snack (chakkuli) production unit.

On enquiry, Paluswamy, another labourer working at the unit said that the house belongs to his son in law and the unit by name M T Sweets is owned by one Tankapandy of Madurai. Paluswamy also claimed that Ajith Kumar was his son and the two of them came to Mangalore just three days ago and are scheduled to return to their village in Usulaimattai near Madurai tomorrow.

Vignesh S/o Arivalan said he has been working at the unit for the past 6 months and is being paid Rs. 1,250 per month while Vignesh S/o Balaji said that he is earning Rs.3,000 monthly.

The team comprising of Senior Labour Inspectors Rajesh Jadhav, Ganesh H P and U R Deshpande, along with Balakrishna of Education Department and police personnel have taken the children to Government Wenlock Hospital to subject them to medical tests in order to ascertain their age. The matter would be placed before the CWC if children are found to be under 14 years of age, Mr. Jadhav said.

Although children said that they had not been subjected to any kind of ill-treatment at the unit, a few locals told mediapersons that the kids had complained to the neighbours about them being given torture during work.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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