CASK's action against Justice Saldanha condemned

Mangalore, November 25: The People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) and host of NGOs from Dakshina Kannada have condemned move by Catholic Association of South Kanara (CASK) to remove M F Saldanha, former HC judge from its governing council.

PUCL called the move of the association as illegal, vicious, mala fide, motivated and vindictive. "Justice Saldanha is regarded as one of the highly respected members of the Indian judiciary," PUCL noted.

Justice Saldanha had pulled up the office-bearers and members of the association on different grounds, the first being that the association had used the underworld and the mafia to threaten him during the previous election. He had also taken the association members to task for holding a reunion party at the Mangalore Club in which a truck load of liquor smuggled in from Goa was used to treat guests. Other charges of the justice Saldanha include, the association accepting a bribe of Rs 1 crore, and keeping money ( $ 1,19,00) collected for the century fund in a personal bank account outside the country.

It is also said that the association's annual accounts dated 4-6-2011 was published in a blank form without being signed by the president, secretary or treasurer. It was rubber-stamped on the same day by the auditor - Rudolf Rodrigues. In a reply to these charges, the association issued three circulars on June 1, 6 and 9 this year admitting the transactions and also tried to defend them.

Several months later, when the government authorities started investigating these transactions, the president, for the first time disputed the circulars and his signature. Saldanha had placed the material before the deputy registrar of cooperative societies calling upon him to hold an investigation. However, there has not been any order on the issue for thepast five months.

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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.

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