Mangalore: Due to line block in connection with the commissioning of 4th line between Tiruvallur and Arakkonam, changes will be made in train services between 11 am and 5 pm on Sunday.

Accordingly, train no. 12679/12680 Chennai Central-Coimbatore-Chennai Central intercity-express trains will remain cancelled for the day.

Train no. 12698 Thiruvanathapuram- Chennai Central weekly express will be detained at Arakkonam station for 20 minutes.

Train no. 16628 Mangalore-Chennai Central West Coast Express will be regulated at Katpadi from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Train no. 16627 Chennai Central-Mangalore West Coast Express scheduled to leave Chennai Central at 11:30 am will leave at 3 pm on Sunday.

Train no. 12697 Chennai Central-Thiruvananthapuram weekly express scheduled to leave Chennai Central at 3:15 pm is rescheduled to leave at 3:45 pm.

Train no. 12695 Chennai Central-Thiruvananthapuram express scheduled to leave Chennai Central at 3:25 pm will leave the station at 4 pm.
**********************************************
March to protest privatization of water supply scheme
Mangalore: The Jana Jala Vedike, a forum set up to fight for citizen’s right to water, will organize a march with the slogan ‘Netravathi belongs to us we reclaim our right’ from Thumbe dam to another dam in Sarpady in Bantwal taluk on Saturday.

The march is organized in protest of the state government’s move to privatize water supply scheme.

Vedike co-ordinator Vidya Dinker said that the move under the guise of supplying water 24x7 will compel citizens to beg for drinking water before private corporations.

-The state government has shown a deaf ear to our repeated appeals for water justice. We are concerned with the diversion of river Netravathi to supply water to private industries.

The Peoples’ Campaign for Right to Water, a like-minded organization, will also organize similar protest marches in Bangalore, Belgaum, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwad and Mysore on Saturday,- she said.
****************************************************
Polluted Sowparnika worries devotees

Mangalore: With heaps of garbage strewn around, Kollur Sri Mookambika Temple, one of the most prominent pilgrim centres in south India, gives devotees a picture of neglect and lack proper administration.

River Sowparnika, on the banks on which the temple is situated, is deluged with waste from nearby hotels and restaurants and causes health hazards to devotees who take a holy dip in it.

"There is no check on hotels and eateries which let out sewer waste to the river. It is in a sad state and water from the river is also used for drinking by many people living beside it," said Sudhakar Nambiar, another devotee. "The temple authorities give no significance to cleanliness. There is no proper garbage disposal system here," said Ramakrishna Rao, a devotee.

Devotees point out several voids in providing basic facilities in the pilgrim centre. "There is no portable drinking water available at the temple. We are mentally harassed by the rude behaviour of the security guards. The lodges that collect Rs 500 - 600 for family rooms normally, charge more than Rs 2,000 during festival seasons," Nambiar added.

Without denying the allegations Kundapur assistant commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu, who is the in-charge of the temple, said efforts were being made to solve the issues. "Lack of co-operation from the public and lodge and restaurant managements is the major problem. The gram panchayat had held meetings and served notices to hotel owners, but their response has been very poor," he added.

The temple authorities have purchased a cesspool machine for evacuating septic tanks in the town.

"The gram panchayat, which is operating the machine, is collecting a nominal charge of Rs 600 per toilets. However, the response from the public for the imitative is negligible," Sadashiva said.