Tug of war becomes a tumble for health minister

June 29, 2015

Mangaluru, Jun 29: In a rare sight, health and family welfare minister U T Khader stepped down in the muddy fields near Konaje on the outskirts of the city on Sunday and voraciously participated in a game of tug-of-war along with students in the field.

A tournament of tug-of-war and other sports had been been organised by Ramakrishna High School in Harekala in Konaje village for Scouts and Guides in the fields.

What made it even more entertaining was the sight of the minister slipping in the mud after the rope snapped into half without warning during an intense round of tug-of-war.

Having arrived at the sports programme earlier, Mr Khader gave in to the requests of the organisers and children to participate in a game of tug-of-war between two teams.

As the game turned into a fierce competition, the rope snapped into two resulting in the minister losing his balance and slipping in the mud. Along with the minister, the students also fell in the mud as the rope gave way.

In the atmosphere of frolic, the zealous students even began to splash mud on the minister which he sportively took in his stride and enjoyed his fall in the mud.

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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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