CM Bommai inaugurates Parashuram theme park in Karkala
Mangaluru (PTI): The Parashuram theme park, with a 33 feet bronze statue of Lord Parashuram, was inaugurated atop Umikal hill at Bailur in Karnataka's Udupi district by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Speaking after the inauguration on Friday evening in Karkala taluk, the Chief Minister said a master plan will be drawn to promote culture and temple tourism in coastal Karnataka.
Bommai said the coastal region has immense potential for attracting tourists and the government is chalking out a number of schemes to promote tourism.
The government aims to bring in overall development in the region by developing ports and roads. The government does not want to offer promises on packages, but is trying to improve the lives of the people, he said.
Bommai added that the inauguration of the park is historic as Lord Parashuram is said to be the creator of Tulunadu. He was brave and strong and received the blessings of Lord Shiva, the Chief Minister said.
State Minister for Kannada and Culture V Sunil Kumar, who represents Karkala in the assembly, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje who represents Udupi-Chikkamagaluru in the Lok Sabha, Fisheries Minister S Angara, MLAs Lalji Mendon and Raghupati Bhat and noted actor Rishabh Shetty were present on the occasion.
The Parashuram statue installed atop Umikal hill in Bailur, located by the side of National Highway between Udupi and Karkala, is already attracting thousands of tourists from various parts of the country.
The theme park has a bhajan mandir, museum, open air amphitheatre, drawings depicting life of Lord Parashuram, audio-visual gallery and a restaurant. The park was set up by the Nirmiti Kendra in Udupi district.
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Hundreds fall ill after suspected sewage contamination in Jaipur locality
Jaipur (PTI): Hundreds of residents of the Sushilpura area here have fallen ill over the last week, allegedly due to sewage contamination of the drinking water supply, sparking a health scare.
Several residents have reported similar symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, nausea, and fever, with children and the elderly among the worst affected. Locals claim the crisis has impacted nearly every household, forcing many to rely on water tankers or buy packaged drinking water.
Pooran Mal Kumawat, a resident, said his family has been unwell for several days.
"We have all been suffering from diarrhoea and weakness. My wife even had to take injections," he said.
Another resident, Janki Saini, said the situation has become increasingly difficult. "All three of my children are suffering from stomach pain and fever, and we are arranging water from outside," she said.
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Jagdish Sahu, who has spent thousands of rupees on medical treatment so far, highlighted the financial burden caused by the crisis.
"My mother and I are unwell, and I had to take my son for treatment. We are buying water daily, which is adding to our expenses," he said.
According to the residents, the problem began after road construction work in the area allegedly damaged underground pipelines, leading to sewage mixing with drinking water. Overflowing drains and broken streets have further worsened conditions, they said.
Dr Anil Mehta, in charge of a nearby government dispensary, said over 150 patients with similar symptoms have been treated in the last three days alone. Private practitioners in the area have also reported a surge in such cases.
Civil Lines MLA Gopal Sharma, who visited the area multiple times following protests by residents, said efforts were underway to resolve the issue.
"The government and administration are working hard to find a permanent solution at the earliest, and officials have been directed to restore the clean water supply," he said.
Sharma added that teams from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the health department have been deployed, and relief measures such as the distribution of medicines and water supply arrangements are being carried out.
However, former Congress MLA Pratap Singh Khachariyawas alleged negligence on the part of the authorities and questioned the decision to undertake road work.
"If the road was in good condition, why was it dug up? Damage to sewer and water lines due to such work has led to this crisis," he said, warning of protests if the issue is not resolved soon.
Residents, meanwhile, said tanker supply remains inadequate despite assurances, and contaminated water continues to be used for non-drinking purposes.
Authorities said efforts are on to repair damaged pipelines and ensure safe drinking water, even as the health department continues to monitor the situation closely.
