Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)
Mangalore, Sep 28: On the occasion of World Tourism Day, 21 tourist cabs were distributed to the backward class community drivers, with a view to help them as well as to promote tourism.
The world tourism day was celebrated by the Karnataka Tourism department along with the district administration at Pilikula here on Friday September 28.
The tourist cabs were handed over by Dr Harish Kumar, commissioner of MCC along with other dignitaries.
Speaking to Daijiworld, U Jithendranath, assistant director of tourism said that each cab costs Rs 4,57,256 with Rs two lac funded by the tourism department, 45 % by the beneficiaries of the car and remaining 5 % by private sponsors.
He said this year the tourism department selected 21 people in the district, all from backward class and backward community.
On the occasion of world tourism day, elocution competition on 'Tourism and sustainable energy: powering sustainable development' was organized. The department will also hold treasure hunt competition from Panambur beach till Pilikula Park on September 29.
Yathish Baikampady, director of PBTD, Ajith Kumar Hegde, MUDA commissioner, JS Shany, deputy general manager of Syndicate bank, HJ Bhandary, Prasanna Ganeshan, area manager of Tata motors, T Pradeep Mayya, chief executive, Auto Matrix among others were present.
Most of the invited dignitaries were absent for the programme, which was a definite let down for the organizers.