Mangaluru: The five day International Children’s Film Festival 2015 which was organised by a Bengaluru based NGO Children’s’ India at Dakshina Kannada and Udupi from 22-26 November, was marred by chaos and confusion.
Sources said that though the State government had released Rs. 25 lakh for the film festival, only Rs 4 lakh were spent by the organisers. The district administration had borne the accommodation, travel and food expenses of the guests and jury members during the events.
ADC Kumara said, “We have borne all the expenses of the guests including their accommodation, food and transportation”. Even the free bus service to pick up and drop the students from schools was organised by the district administration. “Though Children’s India president N R Nanjunde Gowda had promised to make all arrangements for the inauguration scheduled at Town Hall on November 22, the district administration had to make all arrangements after Gowda expressed his inability to get things right on the evening of November 21,” he added.
Students in the rural pockets lost an opportunity to watch movies as the NGO did not have a tie up with the UFO. Though the organisers had promised to hold workshops and interactive sessions, none were organised. The number of movies casted was far less than promised too.
Only airfare for a few delegates and rent of Hotel Goldfinch for valedictory programme was paid by the NGO.
DC of Dakshina Kannada AB Ibrahim said that the NGO embarrassed the district administration on every front. “No details about the movies to be screened or juries were given to the district administration. The NGO did not make any preparation for the fest,” the DC said.
