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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
No legal bar on use of Tulu in panchayat meetings, clarifies language academy chief
Mangaluru , The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy on Friday clarified that there is no legal restriction on the use of Tulu language in gram panchayat meetings, amid concerns raised over a recent advisory issued by the Dakshina Kannada district administration. No legal bar on use of Tulu in panchayat meetings, clarifies language academy chief Taranath Gatti Kapikad, president of the academy, said elected representatives are free to use Tulu during discussions in gram panchayat general body meetings, and that there is no statutory provision that limits the use of regional languages in such forums. The clarification follows a representation submitted by a local civil society group, Yashaswi Nagarika Seva Samsthe, to the Chief Executive Officer of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat. The petition had urged the district authorities to discourage the use of Tulu in panchayat meetings and to give priority to Kannada. Acting on the petition, the ZP CEO reportedly issued a letter to taluk-level panchayat executive officers, directing them to take action "as per rules." However, the ZP CEO's letter does not explicitly mention any prohibition on Tulu, nor does it mandate Kannada-only proceedings. This has led to ambiguity and triggered concerns among Tulu language advocates. "The use of Tulu in local government meetings has been a long-standing practice in this region. Across Karnataka, panchayat members often speak in their native tongues. There is no legal hindrance to this," Kapikad said. He urged the ZP CEO to withdraw the letter to prevent any misinterpretation that could undermine the linguistic rights of local communities. He also emphasised that India's constitutional framework upholds linguistic and cultural diversity. "Respecting all languages is central to our democratic values and the spirit of the Constitution," he added. Tulu, a Dravidian language spoken widely in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, is not among the 22 official languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution but has a strong presence in cultural and social life in the region. The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy has formally appealed to the district administration to retract the advisory in the interest of linguistic harmony and clarity. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Diarrhoea elimination campaign
Dharwad: To prevent life-threatening dehydration caused by diarrhoea in children below five years, a 'Severe Diarrhea Elimination Campaign – 2025' has been launched across Dharwad district. The campaign will run till July 31, said deputy commissioner Divya Prabhu. Inaugurating the campaign at the district hospital in Dharwad on Thursday, she said diarrhoea can lead to dangerous levels of dehydration in children, which can be fatal. She emphasised that this can be prevented by administering the correct dosage of ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) and zinc tablets. The aim of the campaign is to reduce child deaths due to severe diarrhoea to zero. She advised that when a child experiences diarrhoea, ORS and zinc should be administered promptly to avoid dehydration. Parents are encouraged to visit the nearest health centre to avail free treatment. The campaign will be held in all health centres, sub-centres, and hospitals. ASHA and health workers will also conduct awareness programmes in schools and Anganwadi centers. ZP CEO Bhuvanesh Patil stressed that mothers should not stop breastfeeding when children suffer from diarrhoea, as doing so may increase the risk of dehydration.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Whistleblower Gram Panchayat member killed by land mafia
NAGPUR: A 30-year-old Gram Panchayat member and BJP leader was brutally murdered on Tuesday morning in Saoner tehsil, allegedly by individuals linked to the land mafia. The victim, Atul Patil, was stabbed to death at Pipla, which falls under the jurisdiction of Khaparkheda police station in the district. Patil, a vocal whistleblower who had exposed several land scams, had filed multiple complaints against illegal land dealings, including schemes orchestrated by village sarpanch Vishnu Kokadde, a Congress leader and a close associate of former Maharashtra minister Sunil Kedar. The murder has sparked outrage and raised political temperature in the region, especially as the Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections are near. The police have arrested two suspects in connection with the murder - Himanshu Kumbhalkar, 19, who is the prime accused, and Vishnu Kokadde, 41, who had previously faced charges of forgery and cheating in a ZP land allotment scam exposed by Patil. According to police sources, Patil had used the Right to Information (RTI) Act to uncover fake documents used to develop unauthorised layouts. His complaints led to the registration of cases against Kokadde, a Gram Panchayat secretary, and others. It is alleged that Kokadde and his wife, former Nagpur Zilla Parishad president Muktabai Kokardde, misused their political influence to issue fraudulent No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and earn crores of rupees through illegal land deals. Senior Inspector Arvind Katlam of Khaparkheda police station revealed that Kumbhalkar had called Patil out of his house under the pretext of resolving an old dispute. 'As Patil stepped outside, he was ambushed. A brief scuffle broke out, but Kumbhalkar overpowered him and stabbed him multiple times,' said Katlam. Patil was rushed to a nearby private hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Both accused were produced in Saoner court, where Kumbhalkar was remanded to police custody till June 21 and Kokadde till June 19, for further investigation. The murder is also believed to be linked to the political rivalry between Patil and Kokardde in the area. However, police officials maintain that the land scam exposure appears to be the main motive. BJP leaders staged a 'rasta roko' protest demanding swift justice and immediate arrest of all those involved in the conspiracy. The agitation was led by local MLA Ashish Deshmukh and district president Manohar Kumbhare, who accused the authorities of failing to protect a whistleblower. Deshmukh has also demanded that the case be heard in a fast-track court. Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the region to prevent any law and order issues.
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Schools reopen on high note in Kolhapur, dy CM visits ZP school
Kolhapur: After a long summer break, schools across the region reopened on Monday with a festive atmosphere. Students were greeted with aarti, flower petals, chocolates, sweets, and schooling essentials. Several schools also organized welcome rallies using decorated bullock carts and tractor trolleys. The corridors were adorned with rangolis, balloons, and music, creating a celebratory mood for the new academic year. In Satara, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde visited the Zilla Parishad (ZP) school at Kodoli village, where he interacted with students and handed out red roses and chocolates. "Learn with full concentration, take part in sports and other activities. Create a proper balance between studies and sports," he told the students. Shinde was accompanied by MLA Mahesh Shinde and other administrative officials. Under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, an integrated education initiative, free textbooks were distributed to students in ZP, municipal, govt, and private-aided schools. Kolhapur district alone houses 1,958 ZP schools with 1.52 lakh students. The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) runs 58 schools with 10,500 students, while 1,061 private schools cater to over 3.62 lakh students. Sandip Patil, a teacher at a private school in Rajarampuri, said, "The preparations for school reopening started right from June 1 onwards for teachers. The students were welcomed to school on Monday morning by offering roses, sweets, and educational kits comprising a book, notebooks, and pen, pencil. Flower petals were showered over the first standard students as the seniors played musical instruments to welcome them. " Dhawal Sawant, a class seven student, said, "Meeting my school friends once again after a gap of two months was the most interesting thing on the first day of school."
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
State-level yoga for differently-abled held
Anantapur: As part of the 'Yogandhra' initiative, a State-level yoga prog for the differently-abled was organised at the police parade grounds in Anantapur on Saturday morning. The event witnessed active participation from public representatives and district officials. The programme was formally inaugurated with a lamp-lighting ceremony, followed by yoga demonstrations performed by local MLA Daggubati Venkateswara Prasad, District Collector Dr Vinod Kumar V, ZP Chairperson Boya Girijamma, Joint Collector Shiv Narayan Sharma, and other dignitaries. Several key officials participated in the event, including State SC Corporation Director Kamalamma, directors from various corporations, DRO A Malola, Assistant Director of Welfare for Differently-Abled Vinod, DMHO Dr EB Devi, RDO Keshava Naidu, district officers from various departments, AYUSH doctors Dr Ram Kumar and Dr Lalyanayak, yoga instructors, and a large number of differently-abled participants. The event highlighted the importance of yoga for physical and mental well-being and showcased inclusive participation under the state's commitment to welfare and empowerment.
