‘Udupi govt hospital to be upgraded to district-level hospital soon’

April 19, 2015

Udupi, Apr 19: The government Taluk Hospital located at Udupi would be upgraded to a district-level hospital soon, according to Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader.

Speaking after inaugurating the Lions-BEL Burns Centre at the government hospital in Udupi, the minister said that that the poor patients would get more benefits at the hospital in the future.

A model dialysis centre also would be set up at the government hospital here, Mr. Khader said.

He said that BEL, which had spent about Rs. 80 lakh for the centre at the hospital, had set an example on the proper utilisation of funds under the Corporate Social Responsibility scheme.

Persons living below the poverty line (BPL) would get free treatment for burn injuries at the centre, while above the poverty line (APL) card holders would have to avail treatment at a concession of 70 per cent.

When the hospital comes under the Vajpayee Arogyashree Scheme, even APL cardholders would get free treatment.

Shobha Karandlaje, MP, said that young doctors were not keen to serve in rural areas.

Hence the government should increase 50 seats in all government medical colleges. The fees of these students should be borne by the government.

Such medical graduates should be asked to serve in rural areas for a certain period of time.

The State government should not just upgrade the hospital here, but also provide adequate staff, she said.

Presiding over the function, Pramod Madhwaraj, MLA, said that the government hospital would soon have CT scan and MRI scan facilities. L.M. Shanmukh, Director (Human Resources), BEL, inaugurated the female wing at the centre, while Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, inaugurated the male wing.

P. Yuvaraj, president of the Udupi City Municipal Council, K. Suresh Prabhu, District Lions Governor, Raghavendra Rao, executive director, BEL, Veeresh Bevinamarada, General Manager (HR), BEL, Madhusudhan Nayak, District Surgeon in-charge, were present.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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