Coastal Karnataka lacks nightlife, says DyCM; urges MLAs to make proposals

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Citing the lack of nightlife in the coastal region of Karnataka as an impediment to the full potential development of tourism activities, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday asked legislators from the region to discuss the matter and come up with a proposal for the government aimed at improving it. He also said that he, along with State Tourism Minister H K Patil will hold a meeting with MLAs from the coastal districts. "Many youngsters have won from the coastal region.

The region has the potential for health tourism, commercial activities, religious tourism, coastal tourism, and many more. My request to legislators from the region is—after 7 pm, the entire Dakshina Kannada district and surrounding region is dead, with no activities. Other than certain religious and folk activities, there are no activities," Shivakumar said in the Assembly. He said, "All of them (coastal region legislators) should discuss and bring in a proposal... After 7 pm, if things are dead, what business will happen? Even Mangalurians don't come out." Noting that it was proposed to expand IT/BT sector industries in the coastal region when S M Krishna was the chief minister, Shivakumar said that only a few have come up now.

Despite the region having the highest number of engineering and medical colleges, the top crème who study there either move to Bengaluru or go to Mumbai or Dubai. "Why is that? If youngsters don't have entertainment opportunities, they won't stay. If a city or region has to be lively, evening life should be there. But there (in the coastal region), it is dead. I have conducted a survey. So, you legislators discuss and submit a report to the government on what should be done," he said. Belthangady BJP MLA Harish Poonja told the Deputy CM that all the legislators from the region and the people are with him in promoting tourism.