12 scrap buses, over 1,000 tyres gutted in fire

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 12: At least 66 children have ended their lives in Kerala since the Covid-19 lockdown began on March 25 with youngsters facing stress unable to bear the unprecedented situation where schools are shut and friends are out of reach to share their woes.

According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, there has been an increasing instance of suicidal tendencies among children in the state due to various reasons, including parents scolding them over mobile phone use and failure to attend online classes.

This has prompted the government to launch a teleconsultation facility for children facing stress and also cautioning parents against hurting their sentiments while being concerned about welfare of their wards. It has also ordered a study into the issue. "Among the children an increasing instance of suicidal tendency is being witnessed which will become an extremely serious social issue.

Since March 25, when the national lockdown was imposed, 66 children, below 18 years of age, have ended their lives due to various reasons", Vijayan said. A mother scolding her child for not attending the ongoing online classes, or a parent questioning a child for downloading a sleazy video on the smartphone or the constant rift between the parents were among the reasons which triggered the suicidal tendency, he said on Saturday.

As the schools have not yet re-opened due to the lockdown, the children are unable to meet their friends and share their problems. Vijayan said though the parents were intervening keeping in mind their child's welfare, it was essential to ensure that the young minds were not hurt in the process. To helpthe children facing issues relating to mental pressures, 'Chiri'atele-counselling initiative has been started by the government under its Our Responsibility to Children Programme (ORC), a planned community intervention that connects with people between the age of 12-18 years. The state health department has also launched "Ottakalla Oppamundu" (You are not alone,we are with you) programmeto help children facing any kind of mental distress and to prevent the suicidal tendencies among them.

Health Minister K K Shailaja said under the psychosocial support assistance, her department has so far reached out to 68,814 children and 10,890 children have been given counselling. The changes in the behaviour of their children should be noted by the family members and if they find something amiss, the district psychosocial help desk should be informed, she said. A 15-member team of Students Police Cadets will be constituted in each of the 14 districts to help the children needing any assistance,police sources said. Education should not be a competition, but a means to gain knowledge, Vijayan said.

A society's future lies with the children and it is the duty of the society and the government to ensure their physical and mental well being. Taking a serious view of the situation, the state government has constituteda committee headed byFire and Rescue Services DGP R Sreelekha to conduct a study on child suicides in the state. The aim of the ORC was also to create a multi collaborative platform for government and professional agencies, parents and teachers to equip youth with appropriate know-how to face challenges, officials said. 

Bengaluru, Mar 26: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President Eshwara Khandre on Thursday suggested to the State government to utilize the infrastructure available at the International Exhibition Centre on the outskirts of the City on Tumakuru Road near Nelamangala, about 15 km from here, for quarantine and treatment of people affected with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

In a statement here today, Mr Khandre said that the dreaded disease is spreading like wildfire and according to experts the figure may touch one Lakh in the State. 

Hence there is necessary to have adequate infrastructure found well in advance and utlise if necessity arises. The Center is built on a 57-acre land and there are sufficient space available and since it is on the outskirts of the city there is no threat of the virus spreading to the Bengaluru City.

Hubballi, Jan 15: Leaders of the Muslim community, Dalit organisations, Congress Party, and others are staging a hunger strike at Dr B R Ambedkar Circle in Hubballi, opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, they demanded the withdrawal of the CAA and not to implement NRC.

"India is witnessing such a dictatorship for the first time. The BJP government is trying to divide people into the lines of religion, through CAA and NRC. This move is a threat for peace and harmony in the country," said AICC member Shakir Sanadi, who led the protest.

Sayed Tajuddin Quadri, Moulana Niyaz Alam, Moulana Nayimuddin and others took part in the hunger strike.

Former minister A M Hindasgeri, former MP I G Sanadi, F H Jakkappanavar, Pitambrappa Bilar, and others also extended support to the protest.