Anant Kumar Hegde calls his critics ‘barking dogs’, faces protest from Dalits

Mangaluru, Feb 5: The New Mangalore Port implemented the Centre's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) by screening the crew of cargo ships and passengers of Cruise Vessel for the highly contagious and deadly disease Coronavirus.

Sources in the port said that screening was being carried out at the harbour since the past few days, as a precautionary measure. All the 1,800 passengers and 786 crew of Cruise Vessel 'Costa Victoria,' which stopped at the port, were screened.

Arrangements were also made for screening foreign nationals arriving at the Mangalore International Airport (MIA). 

Besides screening, passengers were also made aware of the Coronavirus and the precautionary steps to be taken.

Mysuru, May 19: Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday announced the results of garbage free-star rating for Indian cities.

He said that Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, Rajkot in Gujarat, Mysuru in Karnataka, Indore in Madhya Pradesh and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra have got a five-star rating.

Puri extended the wishes to the cities who got a five-star rating and said it came at a time when the entire world, including India, are reeling under the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was the intention of my senior colleagues and others to declare the result of star rating of garbage-free cities much earlier but we decided to postpone because we wanted at least some degree of opening to take place and we thought the timing is correct," Puri said.

The minister said that of all the flagship programmes Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced, Swachta Mission is the most important programme for him.

"I have often shared with you my assessment that of all the flagship programmes that the Prime Minister had announced after the 2014 election results. But my personal view, a view I have had a citizen and certainly a view that is fortified by my experience as Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, that the Swachta Mission by far is the most important programme of all the missions," Puri said

Bhatkal, May 8: In a shocking development 12 new coronavius positive cases were detected in Bhatkal town of Uttara Kannada district in a single day. 

Around 20 days ago an 18-year-old girl in Bhatkal was tested positive for the covid-19. The source of this infection was the First Neuro hospital located at Padil in Mangaluru where a covid-19 patient from Bantwal had undergone treatment. 

Now, the Bhatkal girl’s family members and neighbours also have tested positive for the deadly virus. Madeena Colony, Usmainya Colony, Nawayath Colony, Tengungundi Cross, Hindu Colony, Kukti Nagar, Jali Cross and Azad Nagar are sealed down by officials after the confirmation of new cases. 

Those infected include a 5-month-old baby, elderly people aged 60, 75, 83 and children aged 3, 11 and 12 years. 

Meanwhile, Kumata-Honnavar MLA Dinakar K Shetty has written to Uttara Kannada DC urging the complete seal down of Bhatkal taluk.