Pudubidri: Delay in Kambala grant release; Committee to meet CM

Pudubidri: Dr. Deviprasad Shetty Belapu, President of the District Kambala Committee,  said that the state government has not released the annual grant of Rs. 5 lakh for each Kambala event in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district this year. A delegation will meet the Chief Minister and concerned ministers on June 27 to demand immediate release of the funds.

The decision was made following a discussion with committee members and Kambala organisers during a meeting held at Samaja Mandira, Moodbidri, on June 16, he said.

The state government should encourage and preserve the tradition of Kambala. Although a grant of Rs. 5 lakh each for 24 Kambalas was sanctioned, the funds have not been released. On June 27, under the leadership of Speaker U.T. Khader, key members of the Kambala Committee and managers will meet the Chief Minister, Sports Minister, Tourism Minister, and the Minister of Kannada and Culture in Bengaluru. They will urge for the immediate release of funds and highlight the significance of Kambala, he explained.

Dr. Deviprasad Shetty mentioned that during D.V. Sadananda Gowda’s tenure as Chief Minister, Rs. 1 crore was sanctioned for Kambala, but due to technical reasons, only Rs. 35 lakh was allocated, and the remaining amount was reverted to the government.

Mangaluru Kambala organiser Capt. Brijesh Chowta was congratulated in his absence for being elected as a Member of Parliament.

Strict Rule Implementation

Kambala Disciplinary Committee President Bhaskar S. Kotian stated that a strict rule will be enforced in future Kambalas, allowing each runner to race with a maximum of three pairs of buffaloes per session.