Muslim family kicked off United Airlines flight for how they looked'

New Delhi, Apr 4: The Supreme Court on Friday urged Karnataka and Kerala to amicably resolve their issues concerning a border blockade that has choked the free flow of vehicles carrying essential items and patients in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Karnataka, which imposed the blockade, justified that its border was sealed to “combat the spread of the pandemic by preventing the movement of people from the bordering districts of Kerala to Karnataka”.

The State had moved the Supreme Court, challenging a Kerala High Court order on April 1 to open the border. Kerala has countered that patients from the State cannot be denied access to health care. Besides, the blockade has severely affected the supply of essential items, from medicines to food, to Kerala.

On Friday, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta urged the States to not confront each other in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis. Instead, it asked the Chief Secretaries of both States to sit with the Union Health Secretary and iron out a solution. Meanwhile, the apex court urged Kerala not to take any precipitative action based on the High Court order.

The court issued notice to Kerala on the appeal filed by Karnataka, represented by advocate Shubhranshu Padhi. It listed the case for further hearing on April 7.

Karnataka, in its appeal against the High Court order, said the blockade was put in place in the interest of public health. The situation regarding Coronavirus was “really dire”, it said. It warned that opening the blockade would cause a law and order issue as its local population wanted the border to remain sealed.

Karnataka argued that Kerala was the “worst-affected” State in the country with nearly 194 coronavirus cases. In this, Kasaragod, adjoining Karnataka, was the “worst affected” district of Kerala with over a 100 positive cases.

MP’s plea

The court also separately considered a writ petition by Kasaragod MP Rajmohan Unnithan for an order to forthwith open the State border.

The parliamentarian, represented by advocates Haris Beeran and Pallavi Pratap, urged the court to issue an ex-parte stay on the operation of the blockade imposed by Karnataka with its border States.

Mr. Unnithan said Karnataka’s blockade was “ill-planned and dangerous” and had led to loss of lives. Two patients from Kerala, in need of urgent medical care, died after their ambulances were denied entry at the border by the Karnataka authorities. 

Kasaragod, Apr 29: Kasaragod's General Hospital on Tuesday discharged the last of its 89 COVID-19 patients, who were admitted since the outbreak of the disease last month.

The patient discharged on Tuesday is a native of Anankur in Kerala. He was under treatment for 27 days following his return from Dubai. He was given a warm send-off at 12 noon by the doctors and hospital staff.

Of the 175 positive cases in Kasaragod district, only 12 are under treatment in other hospitals in the district now. Of them, seven had come from the Gulf and the remaining five were those in contact with them.

During a press meet, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while referring the Kasaragod General Hospital's success story, congratulated the doctors, nurses and medical staff for the achievement.

According to Health Department, in spite of treating the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the state with meagre infrastructural facilities and even without the support of a medical college in the district, there have been no deaths.

According to the district administration, Kasaragod has conducted 4,112 tests so far, out of which 3,104 tested negative and the results of 833 are awaited.

The team of doctors, nurses and other staff numbering 250 is led by Dr Rajaram K Kandiyil, Superintendent of the Kasaragod General Hospital.

Bengaluru, Apr 29: Indian women have always been the epitome of beauty, strength, and intelligence. Today, the success of Indian women across various walks of life has proven that they have earned this reputation.

One such dedicated social worker is Dr Sunitha Manjunath, the Founder of 'Sumanaa Foundation' of Sanjay Nagar in Bengaluru.

Sumanaa Foundation, based out of Sanjay Nagar in Bengaluru has been on the forefront to support people in distress due to COVID-19. 

The foundation under the leadership of its founder Dr Sunitha Manjunath procured a total of 20000 kgs of farm-fresh produce in four phases from farmers who are unable to sell it due to the COVID Lockdown and have distributed it across 6000 families across Bengaluru city.

"We have procured these vegetables after identifying farmers who are unable to sell their produce due to the challenges of lockdown.

This initiative not only supports the farmers by helping them get the right price for their produce, but also gives us an opportunity to get vegetables at a reasonable price by escaping all middlemen and commissions. We have identified 6000 poor families mainly around Bengaluru city who have not been able to earn their daily wages and given them coupons.

The foundation members identify genuine cases and give them coupons which can be redeemed in exchange of an essential vegetables kit," said Dr Sunitha Manjunath, the founder of Sumanaa Foundation.

These vegetables have been procured from Chikkaballapura, Doddaballapura, and surrounding villages and included vegetables like onions, tomatoes, capsicum, green chillies, beans, carrots, brinjal, potatoes, beetroots etc. These farmers got a fair price for their produce and were overjoyed to know that their harvest is being distributed free of cost to needy and deserving families.

Sumanaa Foundation has been actively supporting the city administration in fighting COVID-19 pandemic. In the recent weeks the foundation has distributed sanitisers and masks to BBMP Pourakarmikas.

The foundation also cooked food for over 400 people each day. This food was handed over to the city administration, which further distributed this to the police department and other staff working across government departments during these testing times.

Dr Sunitha, an engineer by qualification, had enjoyed a high-flying corporate career with BOSCH. She was offered a global role, which she turned down to setup her NGO, 'Sumanaa Foundation' and to serve the needy in and around her locality. Over the past seven years, the NGO with 70 members has done a wide range of activities to support the poor and needy in Bengaluru.

The core team of Sumanaa Foundation works under the leadership of its president Dr Sunitha Manjunath and includes young and energetic individuals like Manjunath K, Prakash K, Vidya Prakash, Sindu Gowda, Byregowda, Nishita Arjun, Arjun Varadaraj and Manoj Kumar
'Meal of Humanity' is a notable initiative of Dr Sunitha Manjunath and her team. Under this program, over 300 poor people are served mid-day meals every day. 

This is currently a self-sustained program with no external funding. Dr Sunitha Manjunath, her family members, and friends contribute their hard-earned money to bring smiles to hundreds of migrant workers and daily wage laborers.

'Wall of Humanity' is another unique concept implemented by Sumanaa Foundation. People can leave used or unnecessary daily use products like clothes, toys, groceries, etc at a designated area. This can be picked by anyone in need of these items. This self-helping model has touched the lives of hundreds of people in and around the area of Sanjay Nagar.

Regular blood donation camps, eye checkups, scholarship for students, tailoring machine distribution, environmental initiatives, Swacch Bharath programs, wall painting across the roadside are just a few among the hundreds of activities undertaken by Sumanaa Foundation regularly under the leadership of Dr Sunitha Manjunath and her team of friends.

"A life without an aim is worthless and so is a death without achievement. The aim of my life is to touch the lives of the hundreds of people who are not as privileged as you and me. I'd like to thank my husband Manjunath, my In-Laws and my friends from Sumanaa Foundation who work tirelessly alongside me across all our initiatives," said an elated Dr Sunitha Manjuanth on receiving the 'ET Power Icons' award for Excellence in Social Service and Public Initiatives.

Dr Sunitha Manjunath has also been awarded the prestigious 'Kempegowda Award' and many more such awards for her contribution to the society.