Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (MS)
Kundapur, Mar 11: Demand for the formation of a new Kundagannada district has been laid down after the formation of Vijayanagara district, which is the 31st district of the state.
Kundagannadigas or people of Kundapur taluk are urging the government to separate their taluk from the district of Udupi and form a new district.
The demand for the formation of the Kundapur district is quite old. When J H Patel was the chief minister of Karnataka in 1997, the demand was placed. Patel also had promised to convert the place where the AC office is there as the district centre. However, though Kundapur had district level AC office, all government offices and tourists spots, it was not made a district. Instead, the honour went to Udupi.
Looking at the geographical distribution, Kundapur taluk is on the top spot. The Kundapur taluk has 65 villages which are the highest and also has more area. Though Kundapur has all the required eligibility to be a district, it has been neglected by successive state governments. After every assembly elections also the MLAs of Kundapur and Byndoor are not given minister position for the same reason.
Former MLA of Kundapur, Appanna Hegde says, "People living on the northern side of Swarna river are being neglected as those from Badagu. Kundapur taluk has a unique language and tradition. Many words of the Kundagannada language which is spoken is short as 'Hoika Barka' are hidden in the Kumaravyasa Bharatha. It has an ancient background."
The culture and tradition of the Tulu Nadu people and Kundagannadigas is entirely different. People speaking Kundagannada can be seen living till Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district. People of rural areas of Kundapur have to travel 100 km to Udupi, where the DC office is located, in order to get their government-related work done. The people of Bhatkal, which is 50 km away from Kundapur, depend on the taluk for all their needs. People of Bhatkal have to travel 170 km in order to reach Karwar which is their district centre.
Kundapur taluk is lagging behind in development also. Decades have passed by but the work of flyover is still pending. The development of tourist spots is just an illusion. So people from Bhatkal have also joined hands in the fight for the demand of Kundagannada district. Chief of the committee for the new Kundagannada district movement had informed the scribes that like-minded people who speak Kundagannda have formed a committee and are ready for the fight. We have sent our demand to the respective ministers and CM.
On the whole, demand for a new district is making waves in the state. Kundagannadigas, who were silent so far have now demanded the formation of the Kundagannada district. Will CM Yediyurappa, who bent to the demand of minister Ananda Singh and formed a separate Vijayanagara district, give a nod to the demands of the people of Kundapur that needs to be seen.