Media must show concern in reporting sensitive issues: Khandre
Emphasizing the need for sensitive and sensible journalism, Minister Khandre stated that issues like communal conflict, caste, and ethnic tensions demand careful and responsible reporting.
Media must avoid instigating or provocative content and focus on peace-building narratives, he stressed. He recalled that alongside the legislative, executive, and judiciary pillars of governance, the media has rightfully earned its place as the 'fourth estate.'
Even during the country's freedom struggle, newspapers played a pivotal role in spreading patriotism and igniting the spirit of independence, with icons like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. BR Ambedkar, and Bal Gangadhar Tilak using print media effectively.
India's press history, he noted, dated back 245 years to the launch of 'The Bengal Gazette' in 1780. In Karnataka, the rich legacy of Kannada journalism began with 'Mangaluru Samachara' on July 1, 1843, marking 182 years of vibrant media tradition.
The Minister also paid tribute to Kannada journalism pioneers like TT Sharma, Mohare Hanumantharayaru, Khadri Shamanna, and RR Diwakar. Highlighting the role of the media in environmental advocacy, Khandre called upon journalists to create awareness against the use of non-biodegradable Plaster of Paris (POP) idols during festivals and single-use plastic items, both of which continue to pose a threat to nature despite being banned. He proudly shared that since taking charge of the Forest Department, over 110 million saplings had been planted and nurtured across Karnataka in just 2.3 years, marking a major step toward ecological preservation. Congratulating recipients of the Madyamashri and Lifetime Achievement awards, the Minister praised their contributions to the field of
journalism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Peacock deaths in Karnataka spark wildlife probe, minister cites pattern of poisoning
Karnataka's Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre has ordered a swift investigation into the death of nearly 20 peacocks in a farmland near Midigesi village in Madhugiri taluk, located in Tumakuru district. The state government has taken serious note of the incident, coming just weeks after a string of wildlife poisoning cases involving monkeys and even a tigress with her cubs. Karnataka forest minister Eshwar Khandre. Reacting to the reports of the unnatural deaths of the national bird, the minister instructed the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) to head an inquiry and submit a detailed report within five days. Preliminary reports in the media have suggested that the birds may have died due to pesticide poisoning. Also Read - 'Justice came, but the fear remains,' says kin of Prajwal Revanna's victim: Report In a communication to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Khandre asked officials to probe two key questions that are, Was the pesticide deliberately used to kill the peacocks? Or did the birds die after feeding on pesticide-laced crops? 'We lost our national animal, a tiger and four cubs, to poisoning just one-and-a-half months ago in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills. Then, monkeys were found killed and dumped near Bandipur. And now, 19 peacocks lie dead. This is deeply distressing,' Khandre said. He added that the government is treating the incident with utmost seriousness and assured that action will be taken according to the law once the investigation is complete. Also Read - BJP was never silent on Prajwal Revanna, law must take its course: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi The minister further directed that every wildlife death involving species listed under Schedules 1 and 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act must be treated with urgency. 'All such incidents must be audited and reported immediately to my office,' he said. Meanwhile, the ecologists and environmental activists are demanding strict laws to curb such unnatural wildlife deaths.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
₹500 crore set aside for laying railway barricades in remaining forest areas: Eshwar Khandre
Minister for Forest, Ecology, and Environment Eshwar Khandre on Monday said that ₹500 crore will be spent on laying railway barricades in remaining forest areas in the next two years in the State. 'Before I became the Forest Minister in 2023, 312.918 km of railway barricades had been installed in the State. But, in the last two years, after I became the Minister, railway barricades have been laid in 115.085 km, and approval has been given for laying the barricades in an additional 193 km to address the human-elephant conflict,' the Minister said. Speaking at the flagging off event of Gajapayana of the Dasara elephants at Veeranahosahalli in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve near here, the Minister said the State government has taken several measures including installation of solar-powered fencing, tentacle fencing, and maintenance of elephant trenches to address the conflicts involving elephants. He informed about the issue of cattle being brought from other States and allowed to graze in the forest areas of Karnataka, resulting in a shortage of fodder for wild animals. Therefore, steps have been taken to prohibit grazing by cattle from outside the State, the Minister said. In memory of Arjuna On the occasion, the Minister announced the award instituted in the name of famed Dasara elephant Arjuna, which died in a tussle with a wild elephant in Hassan two years ago, in memory of the pachyderm and to recognise the services of mahouts, kavadis, and the forest staff, showing excellence in the operations to capture wild elephants, training, and wildlife management. The Minister presented the maiden Arjuna award to Gunda and Nanjundaswamy, the mahout and kavadi of Bheema, the Dasara elephant. The award carries a cash prize of ₹10,000 and a certificate. Mr. Khandre announced that a committee will be constituted to identify suitable persons for the award every year, and it will be presented on the occasion of Gajapayana, which marks the symbolic march of the Dasara elephants, in remembrance of Arjuna, which majestically carried the golden howdah during Mysuru Dasara procession for many years. A memorial for Arjuna was inaugurated recently at the Balle elephant camp in H.D. Kote taluk.
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
K-pop, weather news, and scraping metal: Behind the sounds unleashed at the Korean border
The South Korean government on Monday (August 4) started removing loudspeakers which were placed at its border with North Korea for transmitting propaganda and information about the country. Over the years, these speakers blared everything from Michael Jackson songs and K-pop (Korean pop music) to weather reports. The Defence Ministry described it as a 'practical measure that can help ease inter-Korean tensions without affecting the military's readiness posture'. It follows another decision two months ago by the new President Lee Jae Myung, who ordered the suspension of loudspeaker broadcasts in frontline areas, according to the Korean Yonhap News Agency. It is being seen as part of a softer approach from the new administration, led by President Lee of the liberal Democratic Party. Although just a week ago, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong said the government's 'blind trust' in its alliance with the US, and hostility toward North Korea, made it no different from its conservative predecessor. Why were these rather unconventional tactics employed in the decades-old discord between the two nations, who are still technically at war? The history North and South Korea were formed after the end of World War 2 (1939-45) as the peninsula was liberated from Japanese rule. Soon, the communist Soviet Union and the liberal capitalist United States competed to extend their influence, with the onset of the Cold War. The USSR and the US took control of the northern region and the south, respectively, for what was to be a temporary arrangement. The 38th parallel (or latitude) would be the dividing line, and according to former US Secretary of State Dean Rusk (then a military officer), he and Colonel Charles 'Tic' Bonesteel did it without much thought. Rusk later wrote in his memoir, As I Saw It, 'Neither Tic nor I was a Korea expert, but it seemed to us that Seoul, the capital, should be in the American sector… Using a National Geographic map, we looked just north of Seoul for a convenient dividing line but could not find a natural geographical line. We saw instead the thirty-eighth parallel and decided to recommend that…' The subsequent war and the influence of the occupying powers made the division permanent. An armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, rather than a peace treaty, leaving North and South Korea technically still at war. Today, a buffer zone called the demilitarised zone (DMZ) runs along the 38th parallel to prevent border skirmishes, with both armies guarding it. The DMZ runs for almost 250 km and is around 4 km wide. Over the decades, a range of sounds has been blasted through rows of loudspeakers on either side. South Korean officials have claimed their broadcasts can be heard upto 10 km during the day, while North Korean broadcasts have not been heard as easily. Music, patriotism and more In the book Music and Conflict, musicologist Keith Howard wrote about the sounds in the early 2000s: 'From the North, verbal abuse juxtaposed with music, revolutionary songs, and songs telling of a land of plenty. The South aired a mixture dominated by American pop of the Michael Jackson kind, reflecting that American troops supplement South Korean forces'. What was the idea behind it? In an essay, South Korean researcher Yechan Moon of Seoul's Yonsei University wrote about the 'unique intersection of media technology, sensory experience, and geopolitical strategy' ('Sound and Access to Information: The Political Implications of the Loudspeaker Broadcasts to North Korea'). 'In the case of loudspeakers, the sensory immediacy and omnipresence of sound play a critical role. Unlike print or digital media, sound cannot be easily escaped or ignored when it envelops an environment,' Moon wrote. It assumes particular significance for North Korea, often called the 'hermit kingdom' for its strict control of information and isolationist policies. 'Unlike radio receivers or foreign DVDs (which North Korean authorities can criminalize and confiscate in clandestine raids), loudspeaker broadcasts require no active agency by North Korean listeners,' Moon added. This can make them aware of the world beyond through a common language. Many defectors from the North have said that they knew about South Korean popular culture, such as films, TV shows and music, but accessing smuggled media was difficult and dangerous. Moon wrote that the medium of sound itself is potent in provoking emotional and physiological responses. Furthermore, 'North Korea's own media strategy reflects its acknowledgment of sound's power. Domestically, the regime itself employs ubiquitous loudspeaker systems — every North Korean town has public address speakers that broadcast approved news and martial music every morning — essentially a one-way internal loudspeaker propaganda network.' Shifting policy The sound has been turned on and off periodically, depending on the state of the ties and specific incidents. Last year, under the former conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration, South Korea turned on the loudspeakers for the first time in six years, as Pyongyang launched thousands of trash-carrying balloons across the border. Seoul had previously conducted the campaign after North Korea's fourth nuclear test in 2016, Yonhap News Agency said. This time around, it reportedly included K-pop group BTS's English language mega-hits 'Butter' and 'Dynamite,' weather forecasts and news, and criticism of the North's missile program and its crackdown. The North launched its own propaganda in return. After a few weeks, the Incheon Metropolitan Government said it would request the central government to devise a framework for 'compensating residents near the inter-Korean border who have been affected by disruptive noises,' The Korea Times reported. Residents said they heard high-pitched noises resembling scraping metal, sirens and drums. (With Associated Press inputs) Rishika Singh is a Senior sub-editor at the Explained Desk of The Indian Express. She enjoys writing on issues related to international relations, and in particular, likes to follow analyses of news from China. Additionally, she writes on developments related to politics and culture in India. ... Read More
