Senior Cong leaders to participate in 'Padayatra' against bad road

November 18, 2011

Mangalore, November 18: Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee is expecting a crowd of at least 10,000 people for its scheduled four-day 'Padayatra' from Sampaje to Mani.

KPCC Secretary Ivan D'Souza addressing a press meet on Friday said that a galaxy of senior party leaders would participate in the rally which will commence on November 21. Amongst them are Union Minister for Corporate Affairs M Veerappa Moily, B Janardhana Poojary, Vinayakumar Sorake, B L Shankar, B R Sudarshan, B A Moideen, Manjula Naidu, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Krishna Bhaire Gowda, Tejaswani Gowda, C M Ibrahim, Abhaya Chandra Jain, U T Khader, K Vasanth Bangera and K S M Masood.

Mr D'Soza said around 500 youth would begin the 'Padayatra' along with their leaders. However, thousands of people are expected to join the rally in the course of 80 kilo metre stretch.

He said during the rally there would be four public meetings in which the congress leaders would address the gathering.

As a prelude to the rally youth Congress workers have created public awareness in Puttur, Sullia, Vittla and Panemangalore blocks.

He said cultural programmes too would be held during the rally, and basic necessities like water and ambulance services have been arranged. People will be made aware about the problems related to roads through small meetings at various bylanes throughout the rally.

“Congress workers from Sullia, Kadaba, Sampaje, Puttur, Kavoor Vittla, Belthangady, Ullal and Mudipu blocks will be participating in the rally, which would culminate on November 24 in Mani, where workers from Mangalore South and North, Surathkal, Gurupur, Mulki, Padubidri and Panemangalore will also converge”, he said.

The rally will begin at 9 am every day and will cover a total of 20 kilo meters on a daily basis.

Mr D'Souza said that meetings at block levels have been held to make the rally successful. Youth Congress and Minority wing too have made necessary preparations

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

Comments