Mangaluru, Sept 01: In a bid to make Dakshina Kannada district a model child-friendly district in the state, Padi Velored, on behalf of the people of the district, submitted a memorandum today.

Padi director Renni D'Souza submitted the memorandum to MLC Ivan D'Souza, in the absence of the district in-charge minister, during the inauguration of the Padi Velored project’s silver jubilee celebration at Don Bosco Hall in the city.

  • To make D.K a child-friendly district, the district administration should call a meeting with child-related departments and various organizations and prepare action plans.

  • Quality education, community participation in the education field, educational research, child rights and promotion of child-related laws and training should take place from time to time. For this, space for constructing a training center should be provided to the Padi organisation.

  • The government’s attention will be grabbed towards the appointment of relevant subject teachers, and physical education teachers at every school to ensure that all children acquire quality education as per the Right to Education Act.

  • Appointment of a child a consultant at least at every taluk.

  • The D.K district has a city Childline Plan for child protection. The complaints related to children's issues are coming increasingly in the five taluks of the D.K district. Therefore the demand for the provision of a vehicle system and city Childline service to taluks has been kept among five significant demands.

MLC Ivan D'Souza, who attended the meeting as the chief guest, said that the district is worthy enough of becoming a child-friendly district, and assured to give full cooperation for the cause.

Inaugurating the program, the District Legal Services Authority Member Secretary Mallanagowda Patil, emphasised the importance of children's rights.

Deputy Director of women's and children's development department Sundar Poojary, Marlyn Martis, Sulochana Kodavooru, Premi Fernandes, BM Rohini, Ismail, Abdusalam, and others were present.

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Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 31: The "explosion-like" sounds, accompanied by tremors, that were heard in the Anakkallu area of Malappuram district a day ago, were apparently caused due to friction and cracking of rocks close to the surface of the earth, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said on Thursday.

According to a joint statement issued by the KSDMA and the District Disaster Management Authority in Malappuram, District Geologist, Ground Water Department Geologist and District Hazard Analyst conducted a site inspection where the noise and vibrations occurred on October 17, 18 and 29.

Based on the inspection, the KSDMA concluded the noise and vibrations were "caused by the friction and cracking of rocks close to the surface of the earth" -- a phenomena which has been reported in many parts of Kerala before -- and were generally not dangerous.

This phenomenon is often caused by subtle natural changes in the earth. They are also caused by the displacement of rocks due to groundwater utilisation and when air contained in small cavities inside the earth escapes through tube wells, KSDMA said in the statement.

It said a decision has been taken to subject the site to a geophysical survey to understand the structure of the area more accurately and for that the Kozhikode NIT has been contacted by the KSDMA.

Regarding the damage suffered by some buildings due to the vibrations, it said that the same was due to their "age and structural weakness".

The authority said that depending on the extent and pattern of the cracks suffered by the buildings, the damage can be repaired by an engineer for continued use.

Nearly 300 people were moved to safety after the "explosion-like" sounds accompanied by tremors were heard by them in Anakkallu area in Malappuram district on Tuesday night.

The first sound was reportedly heard at 9.15 pm on Tuesday, followed by two more at 10.15 pm and 10.45 pm along with mild tremors, and reportedly within a 2-km radius, causing panic among the local residents.

Local residents had said they heard alarming sounds similar to those heard from granite quarries at their place repeatedly accompanied by continuing tremors.

Cracks were also found to have developed in some houses in the area, they had said.