Here's how people of DK and Kasargod can commute between their Districts
Mangaluru: District Administrations of Kasargod and Dakshina Kannada have issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for people to travel between the two neighboring Districts that are part of two different states.
Hundreds of residents of both districts commute between their respective Districts daily for jobs and studies, the current lockdown due to COVID 19 spread has affected the movement of the people.
With the lockdown relaxed and the nation now heading towards a phased exit from the lockdown, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Sindhu B Rupesh said the students and people of Kasargod working in Dakshina Kannada will be issued special travel passes for daily use.
“People in Kasargod, who wish to get the passes to Dakshina Kannada, should register at https://bit.ly/dkdpermit the applicants should also provide their complete details, the address proof, and details of the employer in Dakshina Kannada, Aadhaar card copy while registering their name.” said the deputy commissioner.
“The passes, which will be issued by Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner, will be valid till June 30,” she added.
The Kasargod district collector has said that people from Dakshina Kannada who need passes to visit Kasargod should register with the Covid-19 Jagratha portal. The passes will be issued by the district administration and will be valid for 28 days.
Both the district administration heads said that the officials at the Talapady check-post will record the pass details of the users on a daily basis. There will also be a round of thermal screening at the check-post and only asymptomatic people will be permitted to enter the other district.
Rupesh warned that people who fail to report their exit from Dakshina Kannada will be put under quarantine by the Taluk administration and action will also be taken against them under the Epidemic Act.
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People must do politics; elected representatives must work, says Actor Prakash Raj
Kalaburagi: Actor and activist Prakash Raj has said that in a democracy, politics must be done by the people, while elected representatives are meant to work and serve after winning elections.
Speaking at the launch of Vartha Bharati's Kalyana Karnataka edition in Kalaburagi on Saturday, Prakash Raj said that once representatives are elected, their only responsibility is service. “This is our tax, our country. Service is the only job of people’s representatives. They come to seek votes every five years; the people do not,” he said.
Releasing the newspaper’s special issue at the event, he asserted that the distinction between people and politicians must never be reversed. “This is our country. Citizens must continuously engage in politics, and politicians must continuously work. Never change this order. Politics belongs to the people,” he said.
ALSO READ: Kalaburagi: ‘Vartha Bharati’ Kalyana Karnataka edition launched
Quoting writer P. Lankesh, Prakash Raj said newspapers, media, artists, and citizens must act as a permanent opposition. “They must be the voice of the people without seeking the patronage of the ruling party. Only then can they work fearlessly,” he said. He stressed the need to clearly tell today’s society who must engage in politics.
Referring to regional imbalance, he said Karnataka has become Bengaluru-centric and confined largely to southern Karnataka. With Vartha Bharati entering the Kalyana Karnataka region, he said the newspaper must contribute to the region’s development by consistently reporting its issues with a strong voice.
Prakash Raj also spoke about the role of independent media, saying that anyone can be swept away in a flood, including dead fish, but to swim against the current requires life. “Independent media have that life. Ravish Kumar, The Wire, and Vartha Bharati have the courage to swim against the flood,” he said.
He warned that fear strengthens authoritarianism. “If we are not afraid, they will be afraid,” he said, alleging that institutions such as the police, Election Commission, courts, and media are being pressured, silenced, and manipulated for political benefit. Expressing concern over the denial of bail to Umar Khalid, he said there is a visible lack of conscience in institutions meant to deliver justice to the people.
Recalling the early years after Independence, Prakash Raj said there was once fear of the police but also faith in the judiciary. “There was confidence that injustice would be addressed in court. Today, that faith no longer exists,” he said. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party are responsible for the present situation.
Using a metaphor, he said India is like a pond disturbed by a demon within it. “A lotus blooms on the surface, that is the BJP. We are fighting the lotus, but the real fight should be against the RSS, the root power beneath,” he said.
Drawing parallels with past global authoritarian regimes, he said leaders like Hitler and Mussolini headed political parties and could be defeated electorally. “The RSS is not a political party. Defeating the BJP alone is not enough. The roots must be uprooted,” he said, adding that despite changes in appearance, the ideological growth remains unchanged.
Prakash Raj also raised concerns over Hindi imposition, delimitation, and what he described as political oppression of southern states such as Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh in the name of elections. He said people must recognise who is responsible for this oppression and understand the role of newspapers like Vartha Bharati in identifying and exposing it.
The event also marked the formal launch of Vartha Bharati's Kalyana Karnataka edition in Kalaburagi.
