Fr. Valerian Mendonca, by drawing a picture with a paint - brush inaugurated the programme

19.06.10 Mangalore : The Coastal area (3 districts) and Western Ghats being sensitive areas in regard to fauna and flora, it cannot take the weight of heavy industries inside or outside a SEZ, and MSEZ cannot be accommodated here, without mauling the local atmosphere. Therefore industrialization has to be restricted here, to protect a healthy natural ecology without diseases. With this high motive in mind, a special programme called, “Kuncha-Kahale” (Paint brush and horn) was arranged at the Sandesh auditorium at Nanthoor in Mangalore on Saturday.

The new programme was inaugurated by Fr. Valerian Mendonca, by drawing a picture with a paint – brush. Speaking later, he told a gathering that it was to create public awareness towards the colossal harm likely to be done by MSEZ, and to prevent such harm, that this programme was planned to benefit all.

It was not necessary to industrialize this sensitive area between Ghats and the troubled sea. People have to protect their land by taking care of the environment. All painters and artists have to join in this movement by painting together and preventing natural calamities together, said Ganesh Somayaji, a noted painter of the coast.

20 painters of Mangalore and Udupi districts had come together in this “Kuncha-Kahale” programme and already started to paint on the main subject in colours. They are filling up a 40 metre bare cloth with their pictures. The work will be over by 4 pm in the afternoon, organizers stated.

It will be displayed in public on June 21 at the DCO gates, in a protest rally against MSEZ.

The organizer (convener) of the unusual programme William Pais, welcomed the painters and the gathering walter Cyril Pinto of the Catholic Sabha, issued a touching message to the artists on view, who oppose MSEZ at Surathkal