Mangaluru: Ahead of the state cabinet meeting on Sept 18, a delegation from the BJP Dakshina Kannada unit met chief minister DK Shivakumar and submitted a memorandum listing 44 demands for the district.Led by BJP Dakshina Kannada district president Sathish Kumpala, the delegation’s key demand was recognition of Tulu as Karnataka’s second official language. “With the expectation that the demands of our coastal district will be implemented, the BJP presented several development-oriented demands before the chief minister. The foremost among them is recognition of Tulu as the state’s second official language,” Kumpala said.The BJP sought the formation of a special task force to make the coastal districts addiction-free and a special package for temple tourism, including improved road connectivity to historic temples and daivasthanas. On the Kasturirangan report, it urged the govt to declare a zero-buffer zone while excluding residential areas and agricultural land.The memorandum also called for IT parks, promotion of IT and biotechnology institutions, and rural employment centres in every Assembly constituency. It sought a permanent solution to sea erosion in Ullal, development of a fishing jetty there, space for a dock at Ullal Uliya on the Nethravati river, and dredging of the Mangaluru estuary, Nethravati and Gurupura rivers to ease boat movement.Other demands included operationalising the sea ambulance service for fishermen, resolving title deed issues, increasing ICU beds at Wenlock District Hospital, regularising temples on govt land, rationalising sand and laterite stone prices, and establishing industrial zones in all taluks.The BJP further sought Rs 1,000 crore for road development in each Assembly constituency, Rs 10 lakh for every kambala event, and Rs 1 crore for the Rani Abbakka Utsava. It also asked for the release of funds to development boards and corporations, and the creation of a Gau Nigama to promote indigenous cattle breeds and cow-based products.The delegation included MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, MLAs Umanath Kotian, Rajesh Naik, Y Bharath Shetty, Harish Poonja, D Vedavyas Kamath and Bhagirathi Murulya, MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur, Congress MLCs Ivan D’Souza and Manjunath Bhandary, and MLA Ashok Kumar Rai.
