Porn-gate: Nanga march on Udupi streets

Mangaluru, Jun 7: The Sri Krishna temple at Udupi would not re-open on June 8 although permission has been given to all temples to allow devotees for darshan, Admaru mutt junior seer Paryaya Swami Ishapriya Teertha said on Saturday. He told reporters in Udupi that the mutt has decided not to allow devotees at present to join the fight against COVID-19 by the government, health department and the police.

The seer said the situation would be assessed in the next 20-30 days after which a decision to re-open the place of worship would be taken.

The health of the devotees and the staff at the mutt and temple would have to be protected.

However, pujas and rituals would continue to be held at the temple, he said.

Meanwhile, Dharmasthala dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade said in a press release that the Lord Manjunatheshwara temple in Dharmasthala in Dakshina Kannada district would open for devotees from June 8. He said 800-1,000 devotees would be allowed to have darshan at the temple every day, keeping with the regulations of the government.

Mass-feeding (annadhanam) in the Annapoorna hall would also be organised, maintaining social distance in view of the virus spread.

Bengaluru, Apr 5: The COVID-19 related lockdown has substantially improved the air quality of Bengaluru, taking it from satisfactory level to good, a senior state pollution control board offcial said here on Sunday.

"During the course of the lockdown 19 problem, we reached good position from satisfactory.

It is between zero to 50 AQI (Air Quality Index) now. We have good quality air," the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board member secretary Basavaraj Patil told PTI.

He said the indicator for knowing the air quality in

"If the AQI is zero to 50 then it is good. If it is 50 to 100 then it is satisfactory. 101 to 150 is moderate and if it is 151 to 200, then it is poor, he explained.

Patil said as per available recrods, there has been a 60 to 65 per cent reduction in pollution during the lockdown.

The city railway station and Peenya industrial area, which used to be among the areas with highest AQI, has seen pollution levels come down significantly, he said.

Another major contributor of pollution was construction activities, which too had ground to a halt due to the lockdown, resulting in zero dust emission.

Patil opined that the improved air quality would boost the immune system of the people.

"It will improve the immune system of people, including those who have breathing problems like asthma," he said.

He asked the public to learn lessons from the lockdown and later switch to sustainable means of transport such as public transport, walking and cycling,.

"We can still reduce the pollution load even after the lockdown is over," Patil said.

Udupi, May 18: G Jagadeesh, Deputy Commissioner of Udupi today warned that criminal cases would be filed, if people under quarantine roam around, as they put the lives of others in risk, by coming out.

He said: "There are more than 6,000 people under quarantine in hotels, hostels, schools etc in different parts of the district. They include those who returned from other countries and other states.”

“We have allowed them to return to the district. Now I am receiving complaints that many of them are violating quarantine guidelines and venturing out. This is unacceptable.”

“As it is a risk to the whole society, severe action will be taken against the neglect and apathy of the persons under quarantine,” he said.