Mangaluru: CPM Dakshina Kannada district committee has urged the state govt to adopt a people-centric development policy for coastal Karnataka and abandon the corporate-oriented public-private partnership (PPP) model proposed for tourism and other projects.Addressing reporters Tuesday, the party district secretary Muneer Katipalla said the special cabinet meeting had raised expectations among people in the coastal districts. The party will hold a march from Naguri Junction to Praja Soudha and submit a memorandum outlining the region’s demands Friday.The party said coastal Karnataka had significant development potential because of the Western Ghats, Arabian Sea, several rivers, ports, airport and road network. However, it alleged that development had not benefited all sections, with the region continuing to face problems related to employment, education, healthcare, housing and livelihoods.Calling for a comprehensive study on migration, the party said educated youth were leaving the coastal districts for Bengaluru, other parts of the country and abroad, while migrant workers from northern states were arriving in the region for employment and contract work. It also sought measures to prevent the exploitation of migrant labourers.Opposing the PPP model in tourism, Muneer said development should involve local communities and youth, protect the region’s environment and culture, and create employment for local residents. The party also opposed casinos and gambling.Among its key demands are establishing units of the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, and Nimhans in Mangaluru; govt medical colleges in Puttur and Udupi; and a govt multispeciality hospital in Uttara Kannada.The party also sought modernisation, the promotion of agriculture- and fisheries-based industries, recognition for Tulu, the maintenance of communal harmony, and the resolution of issues faced by tribals and backward classes, among other demands.
