Mangaluru: Noted child specialist Dr P N Krishnamurthy passes away

The Himachal Pradesh police have confirmed the arrested a man for injuring a pregnant cow by feeding her wheat flour ball laced with firecrackers. 

The cow’s jaw was blown off-- reprising the tragic story of a pregnant elephant that lost its life after eating a pineapple stuffed with a firecracker in Kerala.

While the incident took place on May 26 in Jhandutta area of Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur district, it came to light only on Saturday, May 6, when the cow’s owner, Gurdayal Singh, uploaded a video of the injured animal on social media.

In the video, Gurdiyal Singh describes how the cow’s mouth had been injured after one Nandlal fed her explosives.

He confirmed that Nandlal works as a mechanic in Singh’s neighbourhood. Singh said that Nandlal has no remorse for his action. Nandlal has said that he is not scared of the repercussions and that he will continue to do whatever he deems fit. “Even the village sarpanch cannot harm me”, challenged Nandlal when confronted by Singh. 

The cow has given birth to a healthy calf since but Singh said the animal is still not able to eat because of an injured jaw and is being administered Glucose.

The video went viral with people demanding strict action against the person who fed firecrackers to the animal.

The practice of studding dough balls with firecrackers isn’t uncommon in Himachal, and farmers resort to this to keep wild animals, especially boards, off their fields. In the Kerala incident too, the explosive-filled-fruit was meant for wild boars. In many parts of the country, including Himachal, the method is also used to hunt for bush meat -- an illegal practice.

Bilaspur superintendent of oolice (SP) Devakar Sharma confirmed the incident and said the cow was fed a highly explosive firecracker popularly called “aalu bomb”. 

Aalu is Hindi for potato. He said a case under Section 286 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act has been registered and the role of the neighbours named by Singh is being investigated.

Mangaluru, Mar 31: With the Dakshina Kannada district administration relaxing the lockdown from 6 am to 3 pm to purchase essential commodities, panic-stricken citizens rushed to the shops early in the morning itself.

The citizens had formed a serpentine line in front of shops and supermarkets in different parts of Mangaluru and on the outskirts of the city to purchase their requirements.

As a precautionary measure, many were seen wearing masks.

“In spite of waiting in a long queue to purchase, we are not able to get the required essential commodities. Why can’t the district administration ensure enough stock of commodities in the shops and supermarkets,’’ asked a customer who had stood in a queue outside a supermarket at Chilimbi.
People were seen crowding outside markets at Kankanady, Mallikatte, Urwa and Central Market, violating the purpose of social distancing.

Consequently, vegetable prices have increased in the markets and shops. This is despite abundant stocks being available in these markets.

Trucks had unloaded the vegetables at Central Market on Sunday, according to sources. The prices of onions are skyrocketing yet again and is sold from Rs 50 to Rs 55 while a kg of carrot costs Rs 100.

"Why can’t the authorities check the rise in the price of vegetables and ensure that the poor are not inconvenienced," asks Lakshmi, a housewife.

Bengaluru, Jul 11: Karantaka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Friday raised questions over claims that Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Project Madhya Pradesh was "largest in Asia" and said a 2000 MW had been built in the state.

"BJP central government is claiming today that it inaugurated Asia's largest solar plant of 750 MW at Rewa, MP. What then is the 2000 MW Solar Plant in Pavagada, Karnataka which was built in just 3 years by Karnataka Congress government and has been operational since 2018?" Shivakumar said in a tweet.

The Congress leader further said that the most unique thing about the solar project set up in Karnataka was that the farmers were being paid yearly rents for the land upon which it was constructed as it had been leased and not purchased from them, helping them retain ownership.

"The unique thing about the 2000 MW Pavagada Mega Solar Park was that not a single acre of land was acquired from the farmers. All 13,000 acres have been leased from the farmers who are being given yearly rent. Karnataka model of renewable energy was accepted as the best in India," he said.

"Union power minister must answer as to how the Central Government can claim that the Rewa Solar Park (750 MW) opened today is Asia's largest when clearly the Pavagada Park in Karnataka is much larger (2000 MW) and was opened two years back!" he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Project to the nation on Friday.