KILLER TIGER SUCCESSFULLY TRAPPED;

Madikeri March 18, 2008

The killer tiger spreading terror in South Kodagu was trapped successfully, yesterday the 17th night.

The forest team had laid a cage with the carcass of a bullock inside and the tiger walked into the cage. The bone was placed in a paddy field belonging to one Kartamada Aiyanna. Tiger had killed a high breed cow belonging to Aiyanna on the night of 16th.

Aiyanna heard a heavy sound yesterday by 7.45 pm and noticed that the tiger got itself trapped.

Words went round and people began to gather in hundreds even at night. The department personnel also arrived at the spot and said that the tiger would be shifted to Mysore today.

However tension prevails at Teralu village today as people who have gathered in large number decided not to allow officials to shift the tiger. They are demanding compensation to be paid on the spot to the victims who have lost their live stock. The tiger has so far killed around 32 cows and buffalos. People are demanding that they be paid rupees fifteen thousand each.

They are also demanding the Virajpet DFO to arrive at the spot and take back a complaint he has registered against a journalist and a planter. The duo had been to his office to collect the details about the tiger attacks and the action they are going to take. A furious DFO abused them and lodged a complaint stating that they disturbed him while carrying out official duty.

The protesting villagers have refused to allow shifting of tiger even after the Circle Inspector promised them that they will not take up the case. They are demanding that the DFO should come to the spot.

ACTORS EYE DONATED;

In a first of its kind incident in Kodagu, eyes of an actor and a planter who died here on 17th was donated at the government hospital here.

Actor and planter, Madanda Sabu Aiyappa died yesterday of heart attack at his estate at Bengur near Cherambane. He had come from Bangalore along with his wife for picking coffee and hoped to reap the fruit. However, his wife Divya exhibited courage and brought his body to the government hospital.

Eye specialist Dr. Prashanth removed the eyes in a twenty minutes surgery and sent it to Modi hospital, Bangalore.

According to Prashanth, the donated eye should be transplanted within seven days. He said that the Cornea he has removed should be preserved in MK medium for seven days.

District surgeon Dr.Ajith Kumar told this correspondent that this is the first eye donation they have received in the history of hospital and they will shortly start an eye bank. He said that the required survey was done by the experts and more equipments will arrive.

The state government has a project to open blood banks in all the district centres and Kodagu has already commenced the job. The government aims at eradicating corneal blindness by starting blood banks.

‘INDIA HAS MORE RIGHT OVER TIBET THAN CHINA’; HH DALAI LAMA

by B.G.Anantha Shayana, UNI stringer

A group of journalists were invited to Dharmasala last year.

Tibet government in exile was perturbed by the opening of railway line between China and Nepal. The representatives wanted to show cause why India should not support China in any form and also how it is ill-treating Tibetans living in Tibet and had taken a band of journalists from South India to meet His Holiness.

Before the scheduled meeting with His Holiness, we were made to meet the Prime Minister and elected body. Different NGOs working for the freedom of Tibet were also met. Slides depicting the decade old stories of how his Holiness fled Tibet and entered India, how his men were being tortured till today was also shown.

Finally, a very warm welcome by His Holiness with his usual, Carter smile welcomed us into a closely guarded bungalow.

The journalists had no dearth for questions as half a dozen interviews were already over in the course of our stay and enough materials were on hand to be answered by His Holiness.

He was explaining to us about the greatness of Spiritual bond Tibet has with India. He said that India can stand in the place of a Spiritual Guru to the whole world. Suddenly with a wink he said “India has more right over Tibet than China.”

He was asked, can the difference with China be solved through Spiritual prayers. He replied stating that even the places are also bound by “Prarabdhkarma” which is much more powerful than the Creator. He said that Democratic movement is on the rise in China and they are also exhibiting interest in Spirituality. Many of them want to respect Tibetan culture. But the Chinese government never wants it to happen. He said that more than 200 delegates from China attended his Spiritual discourse at Amaravathi. China should treat us like their younger brother and give us autonomy, he said.

His Holiness said that Tibetans living in Tibet are suppressed, repressed and depressed. They are unhappy and many are brainwashed. They have no liberty to pray in temples and monasteries. Tibetans are considered as second class citizens.

I told him that the leaders of the Youth organizations who met the journalists at Dharmashala were losing patience and they were hinting at ‘do or die’ situation may come one day, if Tibet is not freed. While you are asking for autonomy, they are asking for absolute freedom. Is there a difference of opinion simmering between you and others?

Dalai Lama answered, “They are fighting for their right, and my fight is to save Tibet”. China was told by us to respect Tibet and our culture. For me national boundary is not important. What is important is peace and harmony. He explained how countries remained boundary less in ancient times. I am asking only for autonomy. I want Tibet to remain. I want its culture to remain. I want its people to lead a peaceful life.

Answering a query, he made it clear that “In case the youth take to arms, I will resign, if it turns violent, I resign completely”.

He said that majority of Tibetans support his peaceful way and they have faith in him. In case if China says that we will give autonomy to Tibet without Dalai Lama, I am prepared to accept the offer and will keep away from Tibet and its issues. “Yes, this is Tibetan issue and not my issue”, he quipped. He hoped that China will solve the issue through fruitful and truthful dialogue.