Courtesy: Udayavani

Traffic near eatery at Falnir to be cleared 
 
Mangalore: Action Group for the Elderly (AGE), a non-governmental organisation has submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation and the Superintendent of Police demanding that the traffic congestion near an eatery at Falnir be cleared.

Tables from the eatery were placed on the pavement, and customers park their vehicles just next to them, the memorandum said. Since the eatery was located at a junction, cars parked near the eatery were adding to the traffic problems, Shameem Kunil, president of AGE, said. The organization said the eatery must move the tables to its premises and the junction must be declared a "no parking" zone.

It was important that the pavement be cleared, since it was a pedestrian route in a residential area, she said. B Dayanand, Superintendent of Police, has promised to take action, she added.

The organization has been campaigning for safe pavements in the city as a right of senior citizens. There were no proper pavements on several roads and lanes in the city, she said. Some of these areas include, Bendoor Road, Colaco Hospital Road, Balmatta Road (opposite Government College), and the road from A B Shetty Circle to the Old Clock Tower.

AGE wages war for safe pavements 

Mangalore: AGE (Action Group for Elderly) - Mangalore, has kicked off its war against the misuse of pedestrian pavements in the city.

A press release issued here stated that footpaths in Mangalore are used and abused in many ways, making it difficult for pedestrians, especially senior citizens, to walk along them. The group, in a memorandum submitted to the Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner, points out specific spots like the Mangalore Dosa Camp in Falnir road near Athena Hospital, where the business is conducted practically on the footpath.

The Group has demanded the Commissioner be take steps to restrict the Dosa Corner to its premises and to display a ‘No-Parking’ board at the place, since the spot is busy and parking further obstructs traffic. 
 
NOC from PWD mandatory
 
Mangalore: District Public Works Department has made it mandatory, for persons opening petty establishments on State highway and on important roads under zilla panchayat jurisdiction, to obtain no objection certificate, (NOC) from the department.

PWD, in an official press release, stated that gram panchayat presidents and secretaries were issuing permits for buildings and petty shops on either sides of the road which belongs to PWD.

It is violation of guidelines under State Highway Act and a serious crime. Thus the permits obtained from presidents and secretaries for starting petty establishments and buildings on the land under PWD has been declared invalid. These persons must obtain a NOC from State Highway authority, Executive Engineer PWD Department, the press release stated.
 
Sexual assault evidence collection workshop 
 
Mangalore: Sexual assault on women is on a rise all over the country, irrespective of the rural-urban divide.

Out of a paltry number of cases of this nature that are registered, a majority flop at court due to the lack of proper evidence. Only in 30 per cent of the cases are the accused successfully convicted, says a National Crime Records Bureau report.

Judges lament that in many such cases, that the decision might have been different if medical evidence was collected properly and presented in a systematic manner. Unfortunately, most of doctors are unaware of what they are to do while examining a case of sexual assault.

In this context, the Yenepoya Medical College Department of Forensic Medicine, in collaboration with the Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), is conducting a workshop on ‘Sexual Assault Evidence Collection’.

The workshop will be held at 9 am on June 26, at the Yenepoya Medical College Auditorium.

Chairman Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi of the Islamic Academy of Education will inaugurate the workshop to educate doctors on the correct technique of examining and reporting sexual assault cases.
 
SOS alert handset to be launched 
 
Mangalore: Tata Teleservices and Samsung Telecommunications India Private Limited on Thursday announced the launch of India's first anti-theft mobile tracker and emergency SOS alert CDMA mobile handset.

Priced at Rs 1499, Samsung HERO range of cellphones is available with a standard pack of seven days validity and initial talk time of Rs 50.

The handset includes an anti-theft mobile tracker which sends SMS upto two pre-selected numbers in the event of theft. This SMS would include the personal information of the new user without his knowledge.

The SOS feature sends an SOS message to at least 10 numbers upon pressing the C key 4 times. This will alert receivers that one needs help. Upon receiving the call, the phone automatically engages the call thereby enabling instant communication.