10-day ‘Chinnara Mela’ for Koraga students begins

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, May 15: President of the Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC) Dinakar Shetty on Friday urged the members of Koraga community to shed their inferiority complex and take advantage of various government schemes that are meant for their welfare.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 10-day ‘Chinnara Mela’, a residential summer camp for students belonging to the Koraga community organised by the district administration, the zilla panchayat, the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) and the Udupi CMC, here. Eighty-seven students are attending the camp.

Mr. Shetty said that the Koragas were the original inhabitants of Udupi district. But they were subjected to oppression and were now the most backward community in the district.

Equality

“It is necessary to have equality among all the people in true sense. That can happen only if opportunities are created for the Koragas to progress and come forward,” he said.

Mr. Shetty said that the Koraga community should realise the importance of education and they should encourage their children to go to school. Mere textbook education was not enough. Camps such as this one would help in all-round development of personality of the children.

“The CMC is planning to send students belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes on a visit to various tourist destinations across the country next year,” Mr. Shetty said.

Additional Deputy Commissioner T.M. Prabhakar said that summer camps should not become the exclusive preserve of affluent students.

Such camps should be organised for the poor also. ‘Chinnara Mela’ was fulfilling this objective, he said.

Deputy secretary of the zilla panchayat Pranesh Rao urged the organisers to test the aptitude of students attending the camp and motivate them to pursue any field they were most interested in.

Camp director Jeevanram Sullia, CMC Commissioner Gokuldas Nayak and leader of the Koraga Association Gowri were present.
Thehindu