APD to monitor air quality in Mangaluru during Diwali

coastaldigest.com news network
October 17, 2017

Mangaluru, Oct 17: City based NGO Anti-Pollution Drive (APD) Foundation has set up four stations across Mangaluru to monitor air quality before and during Diwali festival.

Under the ‘Shuddha Gaali’ project, the Foundation has set up air quality assessment stations at four places. The assessment of air quality started on Monday. “We will assess the air quality on Tuesday and again on Thursday and Friday (during the festival),” said Abdullah A Rehman, the founder of APD Foundation.

“Of late, many people are celebrating Diwali without firecrackers considering the ill effects crackers cause on the environment and health of the people. To motivate people to continue this trend, the foundation has planned three projects for the people. Firstly an Eco-Friendly Diwali celebration along with Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) that was held at Bearys Public School on Monday,” he said.

The second project is to assess the air quality to show the impact of firecrackers on environment. “This project will be supported by St George’s Homeopathy. We will be testing the air quality levels in four residential locations for two days starting Monday. Later, on Thursday and Friday, air quality will be again tested at the same locations,” he said adding that report of the air quality assessment will be submitted to the district administration, Mangaluru City Corporation and Department of forest and environment.

In addition, the APD Foundation will also conduct an advocacy drive, he said. “We will be submitting a memorandum to the district commissioner appealing him to take five problems (child labour, untoward incidents, air and noise pollution, effect on mental health and improper disposal) that are caused by fireworks into consideration and take appropriate steps.

The APD Foundation was set up in view of the fact that there is an apparent awareness, information and data deficit amongst the citizens of our country regarding environmental issues. Their key instruments towards obtaining their objective would be through holistic information, data sharing & advocacy campaign where they sensitise the people about the ill effects of pollution and drive the citizenry towards taking a more involved role in sustainable and responsible living.

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A P
 - 
Thursday, 19 Oct 2017

We should encourage these kind of projects  and aim for a green Diwali, hence a cleaner environment.

 

Hope they also come up with a project to measure noise pollution 5 times a day, all 365 days in a year.

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News Network
July 17,2020

Bengaluru, July 17: A 60-year-old woman who tested positive for Covid-19 allegedly ended her life in the Covid ward at KC General Hospital in the early hours of Friday.

The woman, the fourth Covid positive patient to end her life since April, was a resident of Mariyappanapalya near Jnanabharathi in West Bengaluru. She was found hanging from a window grille in the passage of the Covid ward around 5 am. She had used her sari to hang herself.

The police said that the woman was admitted to the hospital on July 1. She was responding well to the treatment and was almost cured. Her son was infected first and admitted to the same hospital. As she later tested positive and got admitted, her son was discharged on July 11. The police suspect that the woman may have resorted to the extreme step due to depression.

An investigating officer quoted doctors telling the police that they were about to inform the woman about her discharge date on Friday. Doctors were waiting for the report on her latest test before discharging her.

The woman’s body will be subjected to an autopsy as per the Covid standard procedure. The Malleswaram police have taken up a case of unnatural death. Investigations are on. 

On July 11, a 70-year-old man ended his life in the toilet of the Covid ward in Victoria Hospital, while a suicide was reported in the same ward on June 26. A 60-year-old woman also hanged herself in the toilet. Her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were also admitted to hospital for Covid-19.

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News Network
July 28,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 28: Several state Congress leaders, including its President D K Shivakumar, among others, were detained by police as they tried to march towards Raj Bhavan here against the alleged attempts by BJP to topple the party's government in Rajasthan.

Shivakumar, along with Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, state Congress Working President Eshwar Khandre, Salim Ahmed among others were stopped by the police midway as they marched from KPCC office towards Raj Bhavan.

Congress leaders then staged a dharna at the place where they were stopped. Addressing the gathering, Shivakumar accused the BJP of trying to "murder" democracy by destabilizing and removing elected governments.

"We wanted to protest against it and submit a memorandum to the President through the Governor," but the Karnataka government by using police was not letting them proceed towards Raj Bhavan, he said. "Despite our being a peaceful protest, the police stopped us," he said.

Siddaramaiah, echoing similar views, said peaceful protests against injustice was the right of every citizen. Alleging that the BJP was attempting to destabilise and remove the elected government in Rajasthan as it did in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, he said the Governor's office there (Rajasthan) was being 'misused'.

The Governor was working like an agent of the central government, he charged. He said, despite repeated appeals by the Rajasthan cabinet, the Governor there had not convened the assembly session, for the floor test to take place and for Congress to prove its majority. Police subsequently detained Shivakumar and some other Congress leaders and took them to a nearby police station.

They were later released. Meanwhile, as the Congress' protest amid Covid19 pandemic did not follow social distancing norms, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar hit out at that party's leaders. In a tweet Sudhakar said, for Congress leaders getting publicity was more important than social concerns.

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News Network
June 28,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 28: Criminal cases will be lodged against people for not adhering to the COVID-19 protocol in the city, said a top police official on Sunday.

"Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and BBMP (officials) are on the streets to enforce wearing of mask and social distancing. Warnings now, criminal cases will follow," said Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao.

He exhorted people to insist on everybody wearing a mask and maintaining social distance.

"Urge every Bengalurean to enforce mask enforcement and social distancing. If people argue, call 100. We are ready to respond to your calls," said Rao.

Assuring the city residents, he said one should not worry about others being high and mighty while making sure everybody follows the Covid precautions.

"Don't bother about high and mighty factor, whosoever it is, just tell people around you to wear mask and not hanging around neck," said the Commissioner.

On Saturday, DCP Rohini Katoch Sepat conducted a special drive to ensure everybody is following the Covid rules.

"Conducted a special drive along with BBMP marshals, imposed fine for not wearing mask and social distancing," said Sepat.

The senior police officer had also sealed down some shops for not conforming to the social distancing directions.

Sepat personally made announcements through a megaphone, spoke to shopkeepers, pedestrians and walked the streets in enforcing the rules.

Similarly, Rao also warned commercial establishments of raids and legal action in the event of Covid rules violation.

"Shops, malls, banks, hotels, offices and establishments. All of you are already aware of precautions to be taken. If you do not implement mask wearing and ensure safe distance, city police will raid and initiate legal action," asserted Rao.

On Friday, Bengaluru North DCP Shashi Kumar closed down some shops which did not follow Covid rules and rewarded some shopkeepers who adhered to them with roses.

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