Dengue spreads across Dakshina Kannada; health officials still in slumber

June 10, 2013

Puttur, Jun 10: Dengue has claimed several lives in Sullia taluk. Though from an outset this incident may show that the disease is prevalent only in Sullia, the fact is that the fatal tentacles of Dengue has held Puttur, Bantwal and Belthangady taluks of Dakshina Kannada district too as captives.

Guthigaru, Nalkuru, Balpa, Murulya regions of Sullia showed signs of dengue evidently and after loss of several lives, the local residents say that if at all the health department had taken prior measures to face the situation, then the scenes would have been a little different here around this time.

Two months ago Nirmala (48) from Nalkuru died of Dengue. On June 6, Jayarama (59) from the same village became victim to dengue. On June 8, Krishnappa Naik (46) of Balpa village in Naringana died due to Dengue.

The lethargic attitude of the health department is compelling people to remember the days when Chikungunya had unleashed havoc in the area and the department officials opted to witness the episodes of deaths, without plunging into action.

Ironically, the health department has no clue of dengue having spread to Bantwal, Puttur and Belthangady taluks till the reports were published in media.

Inactive

Even at this stage, the healthy officials have not taken any measures to control the epidemic. With no action plan in hand, the department has utterly failed to brief the Health Minister and the Government about the disease.

Victims

One startling fact is that the victims of dengue are those who hail from economically backward families and from rural areas. Even Chikungunya had made this section of people as its primary victims.

Hence one fact that the department has to consider while preparing a plan is to focus on the poor and rural landscapes.

Many believe that even at this point of time, if the department fails to chalk out a preventive plan, then the number of victims will only shoot north.

However, the residents of Sullia are perplexed over the statement made by District Survelliance officer who during a meeting at Guthigaru had said that Dengue is not a fatal disease!

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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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