Millions rally on Quds Day in solidarity with Palestinians

Mangaluru: Starting April 22, 2025, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will strictly enforce separate disposal of sanitary waste, along with existing waste segregation norms. This decision was formally announced by MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Naik on Tuesday (April 15) during a training session at the Town Hall for civic workers.

What’s Changing?
All households and establishments must now segregate waste into the following four categories:
 
Categories of Waste (Effective April 22)
1.    Wet Waste
– Food scraps, vegetable peels, garden waste, etc.

2.    Dry Waste
– Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, glass, metal, etc.

3.    Sanitary Waste (Now mandatory to separate)
– Sanitary pads, baby napkins, adult diapers, medical dressings, etc.

4.    Rejected Waste / Non-Recyclables
– Broken glass, ceramics, unusable plastics, thermocol, etc.

Rules and Penalties
•    Sanitary waste must be placed in a separate bin and must not be mixed with any other waste.
•    Violators will be fined ₹500 for the first offense, with higher fines for repeat violations.
•    Mixing plastic items like tubs and bottles with wet waste will also attract penalties.
“Improper segregation is a serious issue. MCC areas generate 5 to 10 tonnes of sanitary waste daily,” said Commissioner Naik.

MCC’s Awareness Campaign
To help the public understand the new system:
•    MCC will distribute pamphlets and notices this week.
•    These materials will explain the four waste categories and penalty clauses in detail.

QR Code Monitoring Returns
The MCC is also relaunching its QR code-based tracking system to monitor waste collection and staff attendance.

How it works:
•    QR codes are installed at buildings.
•    Civic workers will scan them using a new mobile app.
•    The app will send real-time updates to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).

Current Status:
•    MCC manages 2.37 lakh properties.
•    90,000 properties in 60 wards already have QR codes installed.
“The new system will help us track both garbage pickup and civic worker attendance more accurately,” said Naik.

Palestinian officials have raised the alarm about the dire situation of abductees held in Israeli prisons. The warning came after several abductees released from Israeli jails gave harrowing accounts of conditions in the regime’s prisons.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) said in a statement on Monday that the number of Palestinian abductees killed in Israeli jails since the regime’s genocide in Gaza started has surged to 65, including a child.

It added that inmates abducted in Gaza account for at least 40 of those fatalities.

The society emphasized that among the slain detainees are 74 whose bodies are still being held by the Israeli regime, 63 of whom have been held since the beginning of the genocidal war.

Meanwhile, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs warned of inhumane conditions at Israel’s Damon Prison, where female abductees are enduring extreme hardship.

The Commission reported that food is scarce and of poor quality, leading to digestive issues and severe weight loss among inmates.

The Commission warned that Palestinian abductees are held in filthy, blood-stained cells, given only a small mattress and no food.

Most of the abductees also face insults and humiliation during their incarceration by the regime.  

It added that prisoner Karam Musa, 53, from the town of Surra in the Nablus Governorate, who was detained on February 25, 2025, was kept in a blood-stained and filthy cell, with no room for prayer, no food, and only a small mattress.

According to Karam, the Israeli Prison Service provides one plate of legumes for eight prisoners. The break period has been reduced to one hour, during which the prisoners shower.

A 44-year-old prisoner named Hanin Jaber lost eight kilograms due to malnutrition during her five months of detention.

Jaber was arrested on December 3, 2024, while out on a walk with her children in the park, on charges of sheltering and feeding her son, whom the Israeli regime claims is "wanted."

Prisoner Fidaa Suhail Assaf, 49, from the town of Kafr Laqif in the Qalqilya Governorate, has been suffering from leukemia for a year before her detention.
 

Mangaluru: On a scorching summer Friday, April 18, the usually quiet locality of Adyar Kannur in Mangaluru transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance and unity. A massive public protest, led by the Karnataka State Ulema Coordination Committee, witnessed an overwhelming turnout of nearly 3,000 people voicing their dissent against the Central Government’s recent amendments to the Waqf Act. 

The protest wasn’t just an outcry—it was a declaration of solidarity, discipline, and deep-rooted concern over the perceived infringement of religious and institutional autonomy.

Organized under the leadership and guidance of the Khazis from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, the protest drew people from all corners of the region including Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts. The protest venue, Sha Garden in Adyar Kannur, turned into a sea of people as participants gathered from various towns and villages despite the scorching afternoon sun.

From 2 PM onwards, people began arriving in large numbers. The influx of participants led to significant traffic congestion on the adjoining highways, compelling authorities to reroute vehicles to maintain order. Inside the city and surrounding areas, many shops remained closed, partly due to the event and partly as it coincided with the sacred Jumma prayers.

Security was handled with tight coordination—police personnel were stationed at all major junctions, crossings, and strategic points. Alongside them, volunteer marshals maintained decorum at the protest site, managing the crowd efficiently and ensuring cleanliness by removing empty water bottles and litter.

Chants of “Azaadi” (freedom) echoed through the grounds as protesters raised their voices in peaceful opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill. Despite the emotionally charged atmosphere, the protest remained peaceful. The organizers consistently appealed to the crowd via loudspeakers to maintain harmony and avoid any provocative slogans.

Drone surveillance and videographers were deployed for complete documentation of the event, enhancing both the security and transparency of the protest. However, the sheer number of participants caused temporary network disruptions, affecting mobile communication in the area.

Adding a patriotic touch, several protestors were seen waving the Indian national flag, reinforcing that the movement was deeply rooted in constitutional values and democratic expression.

Among the dignitaries present were UK Abdul Azeez Darami Chokkabettu, Dr. M S M Zaini Kamil, Abdul Khader Darami Kukkila, Kasim Darami Kinya, Aboobakkar Siddique Montugoli, Mehboob Sakafi Kinya, and Ashraf Kinara. Their presence underlined the seriousness of the gathering and provided moral and spiritual guidance to the demonstrators.

The peaceful protest stood as a clear, disciplined, and democratic expression of the Muslim community’s concern, sending a strong message to the authorities: religious rights and institutional independence are not to be tampered with.