If You are Sick Stay at Home

Doctors say that seasonal viruses are multiplying because of dampness in the air. There is 25% increase in patients with viral infections.It is because people are moving in clusters or not maintaining hygiene. The people with the infection don’t stay at home and therefore the infection spreads faster. However, the number of patients with H1N1 influenza is on the decline.

People should ensure their houses are well ventilated. Because of the cold, they usually keep windows and doors closed but that helps virus breed easily. Also, they don’t wash hands frequently. Children touch objects handled by infected people and this helps the virus spread. The infection starts as a general viral infection but turns into a secondary bacterial infection because the local immunity comes down and that’s when doctors prescribe antibiotics.

Asthmatic patients need to take special care in this season. They should continue with preventive medicine, don’t do strenuous exercise in the morning and protect their faces from the cold wind. The cold weather irritates their windpipes so they suffer more.

DOCTOR’S ADVICE

• Keep yourself warm
• Drink warm liquids, eat warm food
• Avoid frozen food or stale food
• Avoid exposure to people with infection
• Wash hands frequently
• Close mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing
• If You are Sick Stay at Home. This prevents spreading of infection

Times of India

Prices of the vegetable have been steadily shooting up

Prices of the vegetable have been steadily shooting up in the past few weeks. Onion prices – which were already high at Rs30-40 a kg – have now doubled to Rs80-90 a kg in retail markets in the Capital in the past four days.



This was mainly because exports were allowed to continue despite a decline in the supply caused by unseasonal rains in the country’s onion-growing regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat and the southern states. India had exported thousands of tonnes of onion to Pakistan earlier this year when the country was trying to recover from catastrophic floods. After exporting onions to Pakistan, India is now buying some back.

The government on Monday was forced to suspend onion exports till January 15 as retail prices of the vegetable skyrocketed to as much as Rs70-90 a kg in the Capital.On Monday, Onion price in retail markets across the Capital, reached Rs 80-90 a kg.Traders said the supply crisis is expected to continue for another 20-25 days till the fresh stock arrives from Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Source: www.commonfloor.com/stories/onion-price-drives-everyone-to-tears

Demolition operation by BDA sends panic waves

The demolition operation by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to recover its 2 acre-2 gunta-lands on survey number 27 sends panic waves in residents. The operation began on the small sheds on vacant sites and suddenly abandoned by noon. But residents, who are mostly senior citizens, fear the worst. The contradicting replies by the officials there also increased their fears. Even their corporator Kodanda Reddy who was on the spot could do nothing.


On rough estimates, there are at least 15 houses and eight vacant sites on this survey number. Majority of the property owners are senior citizens who invested all their savings on the houses. One of the resident asks that how can the BDA say it is theirs when they have documents of property which included a CMC khata, khata extract, plan sanction by then village panchayat, encumbrance certificate and receipts proving the regular property tax payments to the BBMP till the present block period.

However, the local MLA K J George intervened and halts the demolition `for now'. Not happy with this temporary relief, the residents want to seal this issue with the BDA commissioner and their MLA.

Read more: BDA's demolition drive sends panic waves - The Times of India

Sandalwood industry will come to a grinding halt in the state from December 1

The production and release of movies in the Sandalwood industry will come to a grinding halt in the state from December 1 in protest against non-Kannada movie distributors and exhibitors for screening films other than Kannada.
According to a KCNS member, Umesh Banakar, the less number of screens for exhibiting Kannada movies is becoming a major problem for producers, who end up losing what they have invested into the making of these films.

According to the chamber, violation of its norms would be detrimental to the interests of Kannada films which would find it difficult to get screens.

Sandalwood to halt the production and release of movies in the state from December 1. A decision to this effect was taken by members of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) and the Kannada Chalanachitra Nirmapakara Sangha (KCNS), who argue that due to the attitude of some distributors and exhibitors, Kannada movies are not getting maximum number of screens across the state.

BANGALORE > DNA India Report

1000 BPL card holders got free cell phones instead of the free food grains

It seemed the UPA Government would rather let the food grains rot in open than distribute them for free to the poor reports ibnlive.in.com. Over 1000 Below Poverty Line (BPL) card holders in Rajasthan, got free cell phones, instead of the free food grains. The Government felt it more important to distribute cell phones to the poor in Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology Sachin Pilot's constituency of Ajmer.

The BSNL has supplied 1000 BPL card holders with free connections as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative. But many of the recipients say its more a headache than a gift. "Mobiles will actually add to our expenses. The food grains in the godowns are rotting, why not Government can distribute food grains, said BPL card holder, Govind. One among them is Gyarasi Devi who has no clue what to do with this unwelcome gift. "We could have done with some grains or a job. What will we do with these mobiles, " said BPL card holder Gyarasi Devi. However the truth is many of the BPL families hardly get enough to eat.

However, Union IT Minister Sachin Pilot skipped the function at the last minute. Also conspicuous in his absence was Rajasthan Civil Supplies Minister Babulal Naagar. Babulal was recently caught in controversy after it was shown that the FCI godowns were being used to stack liqour, while food grain rotted outside.

But Sachin Pilot has defended the decision to supply mobile phones instead of food grains. "It is a good start made by the BSNL to make people below the poverty line feel like they too can be part of the telecom revolution. My best wishes are with them, " said Sachin Pilot.

Courtesy: ibnlive

Over 170 govindas were injured in Mumbai

Disaster management officer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated “So far we have sent 170 Govindas to government hospitals, 152 of which have been discharged after treatment.18 are still in hospitals and some of them are critical.”

Over 170 govindas were injured in Mumbai this Thursday on the occasion of Janmashtami.This resulted during the dahi-handi competition where the govindas formed human pyramids to reach the pots of curd. The dahi-handi celebration was observed all over with several places offering prize money of Rs 25 lakhs.

Devotees are of the view that the broken dahi-handi helps to keep away negative influences and mice away from home.

Source:DuniyaLive

Pakistan cyber army threats Indian cyberspace

Pakistan cyber army hacked the liquor baron and Rajya Sabha member, Vijay Mallya's parliamentary website and threatened to make Indian cyberspace into hell. It also claimed that to all Pakistani internet users that they can now do their work in peace because it has back on his work.

"The Pak cyber army was only sleeping, not dead. This is a payback from Pak cyber army in retaliation to the defacement of Pakistani sites! You are playing with fire," stated the Pakistan cyber army. “All Pakistani internet users and website owners, sleep tight, ‘coz PCA [Pakistan Cyber Army] is waking!!! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!!!” it said on Facebook.

Since 2007, the Pakistan Cyber Army has hacked several Indian websites including that of India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. Recently on its Facebook account, Pakistan cyber army claimed that Indian hackers had been playing havoc with Pakistani cyber communities and websites for a long time. The Pakistan Cyber Army alleged that HMG, a group of Indian web hackers, had hacked Pakistan’s official and important websites in the past, and its recent spate of hacking of Indian websites is to show the world that Pakistanis were no lesser than Indians in the field of cyberspace.

The Bangalore-based liquor baron and Rajya Sabha member Vijay Mallya found to his shock that his website, www.mallyainparliament.com, was not only hacked into, but also carried warnings of turning “Indian cyberspace into hell”. Mallya has lodged a complaint with the Delhi cyber police.

Statistics from the Computer Emergency Response Team, an official Indian government organisation which looks into computer security in the country, reveals that more than 4,300 Indian websites have been hacked from January to June, 2010.

India a popular malware destinations

Malware spam, or anything that comes with a virus or Trojan attachment urging you to visit an infected website, was the most popular in Colombia, India, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam. According to the McAfee Threats Report, which was simultaneously released here, Colombia, South Korea, Russia and Vietnam are the other countries in this category. Argentina had the most variety in spam, with 16 different topic areas, ranging from drugs to lonely women to diplomas. Italy came in with the least variety, with just six types of spam, it said.

The report uncovered that malware has reached its highest levels, making the first six months of 2010 the most active half-year ever for total malware production.spam levelled out with only 2.5 per cent growth from Q1 2010. Malware continued to soar in Q2 2010, as there were 10 million new pieces catalogued in the first half of this year. Consistent with last quarter, threats on portable storage devices took the lead for the most popular malware, followed by fake anti-virus software and social media specific malware.

With approximately 55,000 new pieces of malware that appear everyday, globally AutoRun malware and password-stealing Trojans round out the Top Two malware threats, the report said. After reaching its highest point in Q3 2009, with nearly 175 billion messages per day spam rates have hit a plateau. Globally, the most popular types of spam varied from country to country with some interesting findings. For instance, delivery status notifications, or non-delivery receipt spam, were the most popular in United States, Italy, Spain, China, Great Britain, Brazil, Germany and Australia.

Read more: India among the most popular malware destinations: Report - India - The Times of India

India Gate will be the star attraction at Bangalore flower show

Over 250 varieties of flowers and flower plants will be on show at Lalbagh Botanical gardens. The department organizes flower shows twice a year in Lalbagh to coincide with the Republic Day and Independence Day. Lalbagh, in south Bangalore, is spread over 240 acres and is a must see for visitors. It has over 2,000 species of plants and flowers.

A replica of the monument-India Gate with 250,000 roses will be the star attraction at the annual Independence Day flower show here. School students will get a free entry to the show on August 13. On other days, charges for adults are Rs 30 (Rs 40 on Sundays and other holidays) and Rs 10 for children.

Flower Show-2010 at the historic Lalbagh Gardens will commence on August 6 with India Gate, a floral design, as the special attraction. “We want to salute an Indian monument on the eve of Independence Day. This will also be a mark of respect to all the martyrs and freedom fighters of our country,” said N Jayaram, director, Department of Horticulture at a press conference held on Wednesday.

On display will be 260 varieties of anthuriam, circhids, boganvillae, impention, cocks comb and celosia among others. In addition, private companies will exhibit different varieties of plants at the grand show.

Tax-payers have started filing their income tax returns

Tax-payers throng Palace Grounds Bangalore for filing their income tax returns at the stalls specially put up by the Income Tax Department. The Department has set up 40 help desk counters. Ten counters have been set to cater only for those who will file bulk IT returns. There are nearly 90 counters with 160 staff including Assistant Commissioners, Income Tax officers, Inspectors and Tax assistants at the counters.

Citizens will have to bring a copy of their pan card and Form 16 to file their returns. For people interested in the Central government’s ‘Tax Returns Preparer scheme’, the IT department has set up 10 separate counters to help citizens.

Counters of National Securities Depository Limited and Axis Bank, stationery stores and food courts have also been set up.The citizen can also apply for new pan cards here. The stalls function from 9 30 am to 5 30 pm.

Turn your vacant land to parking lot

Until yesterday, a vacant plot may have become garbage dumping places, houses for rats & other dangerous creatures & becoming mosquito hub. Today, a site owner in Jayanagar has turned his vacant residential plot into a parking lot. Interestingly, he is earning more money from the vacant plot than he could have after constructing a building there.

Vishwanath had left his residential plot vacant on 7th Main Road in 5th Block Jayanagar for more than ten years. His neighbors often complained that his site had become a hangout for people looking to carry out illicit acts. Vishwanath was also tired of receiving complaints for a crime he never committed. Recently, he turned his vacant residential plot into a parking lot sensing so much value for his plot.

Vishwanath was tired of receiving complaints from neighbors. Recently, a textile dealer approached him seeking permission to use his vacant plot as a parking lot. At a time when the negotiation was under way, one more businessman, who deals in gold ornaments, contacted him for the same reason. Sensing so much value for his plot, Vishwanath cleaned it up, removed the undergrowth, heightened the compound wall and installed wide gates for the vehicles to pass through.

Finally, he has now signed a rent agreement with a promise of earning Rs. 25,000 a month a huge sum in the neighborhood where many houses have long fallen vacant for lack of tenants. Vishwanath's is believed to be the first private parking lot in the whole of Jayanagar.

Source: Jagran CityPlus

BAS Amateur Astronomy Workshop July 2010

Bangalore Astronomical Society (BAS) is organizing an Amateur Astronomy Workshop. People at some point in their lives had a fascination to learn about Outer-Space and the night sky . This enthusiasm and interest is very easily lost and is buried .People generally tend to lose interest because they don’t get the correct answers and solutions to questions like “What Do I Do Learn More?” ”Which Telescope Should I Use?” “How Do I Explore The Sky And See The Celestial Objects?”

BAS is organizing an Amateur Astronomy Workshop on the 24th and 25th of July 2010. The workshop will be conducted by very experienced Amateur Astronomers ,Astro-Photography experts and Instrumentation specialists from the Organization.

The Workshop is open to all above the age of 15. Registrations for the Workshop have begun and they end on the 22nd of July 2010. The mode and details of Registration are as under:

The registration process is a Two Step Process
In Step 1 you will fill in a form with all the necessary details
In Step, 2 you will make payment for the Registration fee in accordance with the fee structures specified below:

Registration fee for BAS Student members* = Rs. 200
Registration fee for BAS regular members* = Rs.300.00
Registration fee for BAS family members *=Rs. 200 (if the family member is a student) else Rs. 300.00
Registration fee for Students who are not members of the Bangalore Astronomical Society =Rs. 250.00
Registration fee for non members= Rs. 400.00

* members of BAS are to be registered mambers of the society , members of the google group are not considered members

BAS Amateur Astronomy Workshop

Date:24th &25th July,2010
Venue:National College,Jayanagar,Bangalore
Time: 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on both days

(The Workshop is open to all above the age of 15.BAS will not arrange for Transport/food/stay for the participants)

• Fill in your registration information
  

The nationwide bandh pegged the loss of more than Rs. 10,000 crore

The opposition sponsored bandh may have made a strong political point, but it has left businesses reeling under a huge loss. IT companies were directly hit, as the BJP-run Karnataka government gave overt support to the bandh. Shreesh Babu, secretary, Bangalore Traders’ Association also reported that 40 shops on MG Road incurred loss of Rs 50 lakh. Traders in Chickpet incurred loss of Rs 40 to Rs 50 crore. And KSRTC earns revenue of Rs 5 crore every day. Since most of the buses were taken off the roads early they’ve incurred huge losses.

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has pegged the loss to the corporate sector at Rs13,000 crore, while the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) puts it at a more conservative Rs3,000 crore. Ajay Motwani, vice-president, Commercial Street Shopkeepers’ Association said 250 shopkeepers on Commercial Street suffered Rs 10-crore losses.

The nationwide bandh left Bangalore city crippled, with businesses reeling under a loss of more than Rs. 10,000 crore. Airport taxi service officials said only 20 percent of the taxis were plying from BIA to the City centre and back on Monday. Arriving passengers were seen waiting in queues that were as long as half a km at the taxi lounge.Though 35 platoons of policemen were guarding the city to keep anti-social elements at bay, around 68 buses were damaged, resulting in a loss of Rs 5 lakh.

It was a day of suffering and untold miseries. The worst was the situation when the agitators attacked a shoe showroom and started throwing shoes on the streets from the showcase.This was not a lone incident since many parts of the city witnessed rowdism and vandalism on a large scale. Though differing in their objective and purpose, both the opposition and the government sought to justify their action.

However, the circumstances created in the wake of the bandh put the `aam aadmi' (common man) in a no-win situation. Thousands of hapless citizens were caught napping by the action-packed scene on the streets.
Ironically, the worst sufferers of this whole affair were daily-wage earners, who are at the rock-bottom of the social strata and worst sufferers of the price pinch. Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka were among those states which were badly affected by the bandh.

“We took a decision to shut down our operation because the government withdrew public transport. The government, by its action, created a sense of fear and threat of violence in the streets. It’s a big shame that the city had to be close down… We (Infosys) stand to lose close to Rs 50 crore," said TV Mohandas Pai, HR head, Infosys Technologies. The same amount was quoted by Girish Paranjpe, joint CEO (IT business) and executive director on the board of Wipro Ltd, who also added that the company will recover it by working on an alternate day.

Sources:

• news.oneindia.in,
• Times of India,
• Apartments in Bangalore

Fans losing interest in World Cup

With the exit of two football giants Brazil and Argentina from the FIFA World Cup 2010, fans have either lost interest or have found new favourites.As both teams stormed their way into the quarter-finals, expectations soared high, but the enthusiasm was shortlived.The first shock came when five-time champion Brazil lost to the Netherlands on Thursday. Fans had expecting and had their hopes pinned on Diego Maradona's Argentina. But their expectations got a drubbing after Germany outplayed Argentina 4-0 Friday for a semi-final spot.

"After Brazil crashed out of the quarterfinals, the only attraction was Argentina. But everything seems to have gone haywire. Now I am least interested in this World Cup," says a MBA student."It was really pathetic to see the way Argentina lost to Germany," said Saibal Roy, an engineer, who cut short his sleeping hours to see Messi in action.The German victory has broken many hearts here.

The soccer crazy city and fans are now gunning for revenge against Germany and the Netherlands, who knocked out Argentina and Brazil. So Spain and Uraguay are the new favourites that will keep their football appetite alive.

Germany is aiming to reach a record eighth final, while Spain is looking to get to its first. The winner will play either two-time champion Uruguay or the Netherlands in the final at Soccer City on Sunday. The first semi finals will be played on 6th July between Netherlands and Uruguay at 2:30PM. The second semi final match will be played on 7th July between Spain and Germany.

The stage is all set for quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup 2010

The stage is all set for the much awaited quarter finals of the FIFA World Cup 2010.Next round of the fifa world cup-2010 will be starting from 2 July,2010. After fighting hard Eight teams have reached the last 8 (quarter finals) of the FIFA 2010.

Paraguay became the first team in this World Cup to win a penalty shoot-out when they beat Japan 5-3 on spot kicks. Ghana edged to beat the ever-battling USA in the first knockout stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup to book themselves a place in the quarterfinals for the first time. Ghana made Africa proud and by entering quarter final, Ghana emerged the third African country to have ever reached the quarterfinals after Cameroon and Senegal in 1990 and 2002 respectively and also became the first African country to reach that stage in a World Cup staged in Africa.

Schedule of Quarter Finals

• Netherlands Vs Brazil – July 2 at 7:30pm India Time (IST)
• Uruguay Vs Ghana – July 3 at 12:00 am India Time (IST)
• Argentina Vs Germany – July 3 at 7:30pm India Time (IST)
• Paraguay Vs Spain – July 4 at 12:00 am India Time (IST)

Lok Ayukta a role model for the younger generation resigned

Expressing displeasure over Government's non-cooperation in the investigations against corrupt officials, Karnataka's Lok Ayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde on Wednesday resigned from his post. Justice Hegde alleged that the government is trying to fix him politically to overcome the bad name they are getting following his resignation from the office of Lok Ayukta. Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde is a person who is well on his way to becoming a role model for the younger generation.

Justice Hegde has also expressed displeasure over government's order to appoint tainted officials in key positions. "The government’s decision to suspend an honest official who exposed a scam worth several crores at the Belikere port in Ankola district made me think. I have to protect officers whom I direct to do certain critical work. was thinking that if I cannot protect an officer who acted on my direction, it was time for me to pack up and go." said Santosh Hegde.

He sincerely wanted to put down corruption at all levels.He has held various positions throughout his working career that have brought him prestige and honour. Justice Hegde, viewed by many persons as nightmare for corrupt officials.Santosh Hegde is a role model for the younger generation.“The chief minister can pay visits to those involved in illegal mining and sex scandals, why cannot he request such a clean man to continue? What a shame!”, said a II year MBA student.

Cobra bit teenager 31 times and ends his life

Fifteen year-old Mahadev Prasad was down with high fever and sleeping when a cobra bit him 31 times and ends his life. Mahadev Prasad's dreams of becoming a doctor met a venomous end, last Wednesday. Prasad hails from a family of agriculturists in Magadi and his parents were proud of their boy.

He scored 86 per cent in his SSLC exam this year and dreamt of becoming a doctor. He had recently enrolled in PU I science at a private college in Bangalore.His sister recalls how he loved football and cricket. Though he was sick in the past one week, he never missed watching matches in the ongoing FIFA World Cup. Last Wednesday was no different. He was watching a football match despite having fever. After some time he felt restless, switched off the TV and went to sleep. His sister was sleeping beside him.

The doctor who examined Prasad and declared him dead told, "I was really shocked to see the way the snake attacked him. As he was suffering from high fever he may not even have reacted to the bites. I have not seen an incident like this. When a snake bites, it's poison is exhausted in its initial bites. I am surprised how this particular snake bit him 31 times."

Last Wednesday Prasad was watching a football match. He felt restless, switched off the TV and went to sleep. Next morning, he did not respond to his mother's attempts to wake him up. The latter thought he was in deep sleep. His parents then noticed his whole body had turned blue. He was not breathing. Prasad's sister too was suffering with a lot of pain.They then took the daughter to the hospital. A doctor who came to their house and examined Prasad, declared him dead.

Prasad's dreams of becoming a doctor met a venomous end when a cobra bit him 31 times. When a snake bites, it's poison is exhausted in its initial bites. But surprisingly this particular snake bit him 31 times and ends his life.

India regain Asia Cup after 15 years

The victory helped India end their 15-year drought in the Asia Cup, having last won the tournament in 1995, in Sharjah.Chasing 269 for victory, the hosts folded up for 187, handing India an 81-run victory. India had an advantage batting first after Dhoni won the toss. Nehra was the star performer with the ball for India, claiming four for 40 in nine overs, while Zaheer (two for 36) and Jadeja (two for 29) made important contributions.

Openers Gautam Gambhir and Karthik hit boundaries early in their innings. On 7, Gambhir enjoyed two reprieves off successive deliveries in the third over by Kulasekara. First, he was dropped by Thilan Kandamby and off the next delivery, wicketkeeper Sangakkara, standing up to the stumps, failed to hold on to a difficult chance.Gambhir's luck finally ran out. He was run out for 15.

India beat Sri Lanka by 81 runs

It was part-timer Thilina Kandamby, who provided Sri Lanka an important breakthrough when he claimed the wicket of Karthik for 66.Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma batted with caution at the start of their innings as Sri Lanka's spinners again stitched together a few tight overs.Raina grew in confidence and the shots started to flow. But Raina's innings was cut short when he was foxed all ends up Malinga. Raina was dismissed for 29 from 31 balls.

Sri Lanka had managed to check India's charge with a wicket at the right time.India's woes worsened when Rohit Sharma lost his wicket a couple of overs from the end. India failed to find even a single boundary in the last five overs, scoring just 32 runs, to finish on 268 for six in their 50 overs.

Sri Lanka got off to a horrible start, losing a wicket in the very first over.Praveen Kumar struck with the big wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan for a duck. Nehra made it worse for the hosts when he got the wicket of captain Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara was dismissed for 17, leaving his team tottering at 51 for five after 16 overs. Ravindra Jadeja finished things off, having Muttiah Muralitharan stumped for two, as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 187 in 44.4 overs, giving India victory by 81 runs.

Teen kills self after failed to get admission

M Yashaswini killed herself by consuming poison on Tuesday night after she failed to get admission in the college of her choice. She had an argument with her parents who said they could not afford an education at the college due to financial constraints. Yashaswini a 16-year-old girl had passed her SSLC with distinction and wanted to join the Jyoti Nivas College at Koramangala.

She had an argument with her parents who said they could not afford an education at the college due to financial constraints.Yashaswini was speaking to her friend over phone at an STD booth, which her mother didn't approve of. She scolded her and said she would deal with her after returning from work in the evening. Yashaswini consumed Metacid the same evening and was rushed to the Bowring hospital by her brother with help from the neighbours. She died at 2:00 am on Wednesday morning.

The girl's father works as a chef in a small hotel and her mother is an employee at a garment factory. They got her admitted to the Adugodi Government College but Yashaswini wanted to join the Jyoti Nivas College at Koramangala, a college many of her friends attended. She had an argument with her parents who said they could not afford an education at the college due to financial constraints. "We had only one daughter and loved her very much. We are poor but provided her with all that she needed. She wanted to join Jyoti Nivas College but we couldn't afford it. The greatest tragedy in my life is that she died before me," said the girl's father, Manjunath.

Dholakia used his estranged wife’s email ID to send a terror threat

Western Inn, a five-star hotel in Pune, got an email warning of a bomb attack on the property using RDX. The sender demanded Rs 2.5 crore if the attack was to be aborted. The cops got IP address which turned out to be a cyber cafe in Bangalore.

On a complaint from the hotel,the Pune police who investigated the email threat contacted Yahoo as the mail was sent under a Yahoo mail ID. They gave the cops the IP address from where the e-mail was sent, which turned out to be a cyber cafe in Bangalore.

Last Wednesday, a Pune police team arrived at the cyber cafe, where the staffers suspected Dholakia who used to come there regularly. On Thursday, around 4.30 pm, an unsuspecting Dholakia came to the cafe and the cops arrested him. After preliminary questioning, where he confessed, he was taken to Pune.

Suresh Dholakia alias Sunil Suresh Nayak, a native of Pune,married a Mumbai girl in the ‘90s. They had two children, but later separated. Dholakia met Savitha, a Bangalorean, through a matrimonial site and they got married in April 2004. They had a daughter, now two and-a-half years old, but the marriage soon ran into rough weather. Dholakia apparently lived off her income and also physically abused her often. In August 2009, Savitha applied for divorce. Dholakia made repeated attempts at rappraochement but failed to really mend his ways. The couple came to Bangalore in January 2010. As the harassment continued, Savitha filed a complaint against him at Mahalakshmi Layout police station. Dholakia was arrested by the police, but the same day he managed to obtain bail.

Dholakia then threatened to kill her and Savitha again approached the police. Dholakia was arrested and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.Savitha meanwhile returned to Singapore to complete her project. Dholakia couldn’t go to Singapore and harass her as his passport had been seized by the police. According to Mahalakshmi Layout police, it was then that Dholakia, who was privy to Savitha’s email password, hatched the email plots.

Dholakia (40), who heads a HR consultany firm, had sent the mail from his wife’s ID, as a way of getting back at her for divorcing him. His wife Savitha Nayak (38), a HR consultant, is currently based in Singapore. Investigations revealed that in May Dholakia had used Savitha’s email ID to send threatening messages to Australia. The Australian authorities picked up her two siblings residing there for questioning, but let them off after ascertaining that it was a hoax.

On June 1, Suresh Dholakia sent a threat mail from his estranged wife’s email ID to Western Inn, a five-star hotel in Pune threatening bomb attack on the property using RDX. He demanded Rs 2.5 crore if the attack was to be aborted.The Pune cops arrested him here last Thursday.

Bangalore kids will participate in 44th International Children's Games

The International Children’s Games take place under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee, and are held in a different city each year, taking the form of Children’s Olympics.It is for the second time that the Bangalore Schools Sports Foundation (BSSF) team will represent the city in the international competition, conducted by the Olympic committee.

The BSSF was established in 2007 by two former athletes Elvis Joseph and Lionel Johnas. The members of soccer team are from various schools including Mallya Aditi International School, Ebenezer International School, National Academy for Learning, Indus International School, Vidyaniketan Public School, National Public School, Bangalore International School, St Joseph’s Boys High School and Jain Heritage School.

The team members are meeting the expenses of the trip. “We approached many people for sponsorship. But the moment, you mention it’s for children, they backed out from helping us,” says Elvis.

This year the team from Bangalore is going to represent India in soccer, at the age group of under-15 in Manama. Last year there were three schools from which the players were selected, but this year there are children from 10 schools.The event is being supported by the Sports Minister of Karnataka, Gulahathi Shekhar. He will be accompanying the team to Bahrain.This platform will help the BSSF in long term to propose International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be held in India.

The team from Bangalore is going to represent India in soccer and Kids were very much excited about the game and they are working very hard to win the match in Bahrain.The team will fly soon to Bahrain to participate in the international event to be held from June 28 to July 3.

Join BJP and save your encroachment

BJP worker Narayan Reddy pointing to the multi-storey houses built by Nagaraju on the storm water drain.

Last year, a Congressman named C Nagaraj joined the BJP with his supporters in Limbavali’s presence and saved as many as six buildings he built by encroaching a storm water drain in Channasandra, Whitefield. In fact, BBMP Joint Commissioner (Mahadevpur Sub-Division) Heera Nayak inspected the encroached buildings for demolition on October 24, last year. Portions of these structures were marked and notices were pasted. That very same day, Nagaraju joined BJP in the presence of Minister Limbavali and ensured his buildings were not razed.

Before Nagaraju joined the BJP, Limbavali took great interest in preparing the sketch of storm water drain and getting the order from the local tahsildar to raze all buildings belonging to Nagaraju. Nagaraju joined BJP in the presence of Minister Limbavali and ensured his buildings were not razed. Now, Minister Limbavali is guarding encroachments.

Local BJP politician Narayan Reddy alleges, “The huge storm water drain (about 50 feet wide) was filled with sand at night and buildings were constructed in a short span. Due to encroachment by Nagaraju, drain water is changing course and flowing into houses. When I obtained orders to demolish these structures Nagaraju joined our party. Since then, BBMP officials are giving one or the other excuse and not going ahead with demolition. Their latest excuse is that there are many encroachments on the storm water drain and public are opposing any attempt to tear down the illegal structures. Actually, Nagaraju is the only encroacher on the storm water drain.”

These houses are on a storm water drain which passes through survey numbers 124, 128, 129, 130, 131 and 132. These survey numbers are government property. Nagaraju not only built these houses, he has also sold them. When Reddy refused to stay quiet, Limbavali reportedly came to his house and asked him not to make an issue as Nagaraju had now become a party worker.The minister’s U-turn forced Reddy to complain to the Lokayukta and the chief minister’s office (CMO) about BBMP’s refusal to raze encroachments. Lokayukta has already started an investigation and the CMO has directed the BBMP to look into the matter.

Nagaraju is the only encroacher on the storm water drain. He not only built these houses by encroaching a storm water drain but also sold them. Reddy alleges due to encroachment by Nagaraju, drain water is changing course and flowing into houses. Now Limbavali is guarding encroachments and BBMP officials are giving one or the other excuse and not going ahead with demolition.

Courtesy: bangaloremirror.com

Vuvuzelas too distracting World Cup 2010

Vuvuzelas, the plastic horns, have gotten on the nerves of the players, coaches, fans as well as broadcasting companies. Thousands of the vuvuzelas being blown in the stadium creates a buzzing noise that goes on from the start of the match right until the end.

For the viewer, it removes much of the pleasure of watching a football match. You can’t hear the roar of the supporters every time their team launches an attack, the “oohs” every time the ball misses the net, the cheers when it goes in. Indeed, the ebb and flow of sound that is so much part of the whole experience of watching a football match is absent. All you can hear is the monotonous drone of the vuvuzelas.It may be unpleasant having to listen to the vuvuzelas in the comfort of your sitting room but the people really suffering are the players.

The Indian football team may be far from qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, but the Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia certainly feels the pains of the players who are being forced to play with the bee-buzzing noise of vuvuzelas in the background.“It is causing too much of an irritation. It has to be banned immediately. This kind of noise does not help football,” Bhutia said.

The players and the coaches have already raised a cry over the disturbing vuvuzelas while the TV channel have brought to the notice of the FIFA World Cup organising committee that the noise was drowning out the commentary.Over 10,000 England fans have travelled to South Africa to show their support and there are many more fans already there. But forget about the supporters forming a 12th man. If we can’t hear them at home the players certainly can’t hear them in the stadium. They might as well not be there. If this tournament is to be rescued, Fifa needs to ban the vuvuzela straight away.

In a typically wet response, Fifa President Sepp Blatter has refused to entertain any such requests, saying “we should not try to europeanise an African World Cup”. So it’s racist to try and prevent a stadium sounding like a traffic jam is it? What balls, not least because the majority of people blowing the vuvuzelas in the stadiums are the visiting fans. Like Blatter, they think it’s the “African” thing to do.

Courtesy:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tobyyoung/100043517/world-cup-2010-ban-the-vuvuzela/
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/06/15/fifa-vuvuzelas-too-distracting-jabulani-too-fast.html

A Prank Call Sent the City Police into a Panic

A prank call to the police control room on Sunday afternoon sent the city police into a panic and caused a scare in the area. The police control room received a call by an unidentified boy, sounding eight to 10 years old, on Sunday afternoon that a bomb would explode in the upscale M G Road. Though the control room operator felt the caller's voice seemed to be that of a young boy, he alerted the Cubbon Park police station for preventive action.

"The police control room received a call at around 2 pm from a coin box phone in Shivajinagar area informing that a bomb had been placed at a construction site on M G Road and it would explode soon. The caller's voice was that of an 8-10 year boy who dialled 100 number. We rushed a bomb detection squad and a dog squad to inspect the one km long M G Road, especially the stretch where the Bangalore metro rail project work is on. A thorough search of the area by the squads and our beat constables proved the call to be a hoax. We are trying to locate or identify the missing boy as no one noticed him calling the control room in the busy Shivajinagar on a Sunday afternoon. If we succeed in identifying the caller, we will register a case against the boy under section 506 and 182 IPC (Indian Penal Code) for criminal intimidation and false information with intent to cause damage or panic," said Cubbon Park police station inspector Jagdish.

As the prank (hoax) call was from a public booth, the control room and the police could not trace the caller. During the hour-long search operation, the anxious crowds on the popular M G Road were kept at bay. If the caller is identified, the caller will be charged under section 506 and 182 IPC (Indian Penal Code) for criminal intimidation and false information with intent to cause damage or panic. The prank call is made from a coin box phone in Shivajinagar area and the caller's voice was that of an 8-10 year boy.

National PTA and Facebook announced a formal collaboration

National PTA and Facebook announced a formal collaboration to promote responsible and safe Internet use to kids, parents and teachers.The announcement kicks off the National PTA convention in Memphis, Tenn. which marks the 40-year anniversary of the union of two parent associations dedicated to children and when the National PTA became a desegregated association.Together, National PTA and Facebook will establish a comprehensive program that will provide information, support and news to encourage citizenship online, reduce cyberbullying and advance Internet safety and security.


PTA and Facebook are committing to aggressively promoting Internet safety information to their respective audiences. National PTA will use its Website (www.pta.org), and actively reach out to the 24,000 local PTAs across the country with a goal of reaching every American public school. Facebook will raise awareness of the resources among the hundreds of millions of parents, teachers and children using its service through an in-kind Facebook commitment equivalent to $1 million and promotion on other parts of the site, including the safety center.

To stay up to date on the initiative visit the "Safety" tab on the Facebook in Education page at www.facebook.com/education and National PTA's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ParentTeacherAssociation. You can share your thoughts by visiting www.facebook.com/ptafeedback.

Extension of the deadline for late-night party

The state government is finalizing the extension of the deadline by two hours from the present midnight cut-off for star hotels and clubs in the city. The excise ministry has already given an in-principle nod for the extension of the deadline and is now awaiting the completion of formalities before the extension becomes a reality. Bangalore’s nightlife deadline was restricted to 11.30pm in 2008 by the police which later extended to 12 Am.

If the deadline is extended by two hours, star hotels and clubs will remain open till 2am. The decision is being finalized following pressure from the star hotels in the city who were not happy with the midnight deadline. Besides, the restriction was posing inconveniences to the thousands of employees working in call centers and IT firms, who finish work late in the night and struggle for a quick bite or drink.

The excise ministry has given its in-principle approval. But before finalizing discussion on pros and cons of extending the night life in the city will be conveyed with home department and tourism department officials. However, the extension will not apply to the thousands of wine stores and bar and restaurants in Bangalore. The city police have enforced shutting these down by 11.30pm, in some sensitive areas even by 11pm with an eye on curtailing night-time crime in the city.

3rd Anniversary for maxHeap Teachnologies

maxHeap Technologies Private Limited celebrates its 3rd Anniversary on June 5, 2010. maxHeap technologies offers products and service CommonFloor. CommonFloor.com is the largest online group of apartment owners and association members comprising more than 20,000 apartment societies across 70 cities in India.It provides advanced communication to the residents, Apartment Owners, Resident Welfare Association (RWA) and easy management tools to the apartment owner associations.

It's a one stop online destination for all apartment related needs including important Articles, Services and tools including Issue Tracker, Maintenance Dues, SMS Alerts, Residents Database, etc. Last year at this point of time CommonFloor served 8 cities in India and around 3000 communities, now CommonFloor serves over 70 cities in India, over 20,000 apartment communities and 4 more countries US, UK, UAE & Singapore. CommonFloor has young and dynamic team consisting three co-founders Lalit Mangal,Sumit Jain, and Vikas Malpani, two Business Heads Manoj Kumar Singh and Rahul Gupta and more than 25 members.

Avoid Mekhri Circle for Two Days

Global Investors Meet, is being held in Bangalore on the 3rd and 4th of June 2010. The meet will be inaugurated at 10.30am on the 3rd of June, marking the beginning of the 2-day event. The morning session on Day 2 will commence at 10.00am, and the afternoon sessions on both days will commence at 2.30pm. With the Karnataka government holding its ambitious Global Investors Meet (GIM) at Palace Grounds on Thursday and Friday, traffic around Mekhri Circle is bound to be thrown out of gear on these two days.

Since the vehicle flow will be high in these parts, the police have requested regular commuters to avoid Ramana Maharshi Road, Jayamahal Road, Palace cross road, Palace Road, Millers Road and Vasanthnagar Road on these two days. The traffic police, who are expecting a huge crowd, anticipate over 10,000 cars of VIPs, ministers and bureaucrats alone for the two-day extravaganza.The Traffic Police have detailed some directions for people coming to the meet.

Coming from the international airport: VIPs and VVIPs coming from the international airport are scheduled to take Ramana Maharshi Road and take a left near Palace cross flyover on service road and continue on Palace cross road to reach Vasanthnagar railway underbridge, and take a left to reach the main entrance of the meet.

Coming from Tumkur and Bellary: Vehicles coming from Tumkur side to Mekhri Circle are to continue on Jayamahal Road and take a right turn in front of JC Nagar police station to enter Palace Grounds through Mavinakayi Mandi entrance. Vehicles coming from Bellary Road through Mekhri Circle are to continue on Jayamahal Road and take a right turn in front of JC Nagar police station to enter Palace Grounds through Mavinakayi Mandi entrance.

Vehicles coming from Hosur Road, Kanakapura Road, Mysore Road and Bangalore South: Vehicles coming from Hosur Road, Kanakapura Road, Mysore Road and Bangalore South are to take Palace Road, Cunningham Road and reach Cantonment railway station underbridge and reach Jayamahal Road, then take a left at JC Nagar police station junction and enter through Mavinakayi Mandi entrance. Vehicles coming from Cantonment area are to take Cunningham Road, Millers Road and Cantonment Station railway underbridge to reach Jayamahal Road to reach the grounds.

Since the vehicle flow will be high in these parts,the police have requested regular commuters to avoid Ramana Maharshi Road, Jayamahal Road, Palace cross road, Palace Road, Millers Road and Vasanthnagar Road on these two days. Vehicles parked at Shahrukh Khan grounds are scheduled to leave through Mavinakayi Mandi entrance to reach Jayamahal Road.

Adugodi traffic police inspector Jeep adds Traffic woes

Around noon on Tuesday, traffic on the 100-ft inner ring road in Koramangala was completely thrown out of gear for nearly 45 minutes. This was because of traffic police jeep parked in the middle of the road. The 100-ft road near BDA complex in Koramangala already has a traffic problem due to ongoing construction work of an underpass near the Kendriya Sadan complex and traffic diversion of Vehicles moving from Silkboard and electronic city towards Water tank in Koramangala.

“Doesn’t she know that leaving her vehicle in the midst of a busy road would also cause traffic problems? If the traffic cops themselves create this kind of chaos, then only god can protect the city’s traffic,” said a commuter in Koramangala.

Onlookers and motorists initially thought that the jeep had suffered a breakdown. There was also no sign of a breakdown. On her part, Inspector Susheela seemed unperturbed by the chaos she had created. “Yes, I parked my jeep on the road as there was no space around. It was important for me to attend to the traffic jam on the adjoining road in the interest of the public. Why don’t you understand that I did not go there for my personal work,” she retorted.

“I initially did not know what the reason was. But when I got down from my car to see what was happening, I saw a police jeep without any driver parked in the middle of the road. This is certainly not the way in which a public servant should act,” said Alok Kumar Varma, a software employee at a reputed firm in Electronics City, who was struck in the traffic jam for more than half an hour.

Colleges are getting ready to welcome their new students

Colleges across the city are bustling with energy that marks the memorable opening day. Most colleges have scheduled the induction programme on the first day, at which students will be briefed on the college rules and regulations. Various colleges are laying out the red carpet differently. For instance, G R Group of Educational Institutions is going traditional, with a Saraswati pooja and rangoli. “We want to make it eco-friendly. We won’t allow any decorations with paper or plastic,” founder-director Geetha Ramanujam said.

Students need not fear ragging at all, assure college officials. “We don’t need to specifically talk about it but on our campus, we don’t allow ragging. The new students can feel completely safe,” said SBMJ College principal B T Venkatesh. Some colleges are also figuring out dress codes. While most want students to “dress appropriately”, others are putting codes in place. “MES students must follow the code designed by the college, which consists of formal outfits for boys and salwaar-kameez with dupatta for girls,” said principal Prabhavati B G.

Colleges are getting ready to welcome their new students with a colourful rangoli at the entrance, a huge banner saying ‘Welcome to College’, sugar candy for new comers. New Comers may not see familiar faces, but don’t worry. There are many like you who feel the same way. So cheer up, make the first move in extending the hand of friendship.Be punctual and regular to class as many colleges insist on more than 75% attendance. Don’t bunk class, kep your ID card safely and follow the college handbook carefully. Be yourself. Be confident and speak your mind with peers.

Over 100 surgeons gathered to witness surgery

Complex knee-replacement operations are rare in India. The need for such a surgery arises when too much of stress is put on the artificial joint, causing it to losen or break. Only 2% of primary knee-replacement patients need revision surgery. On Sunday, over 100 orthopedic surgeons from Bangalore and other cities gathered at Hosmat Hospital to witness a complex knee-replacement surgery. The surgery was telcast live with the patient’s consent.



The Surgery was conducted by Australian orthopedic surgeon Ray Randle, Hosmat Hospital chairman and senior joint replacement surgeon Dr Thomas A Chandy. Visiting surgeons were given the chance to understand the intricacies of such a surgery. Over 100 surgeons from different hospitals and surgeons from other cities gathered at Hosmat Hospital to witness and understand the intricacies of such a surgery.

Only 2% of primary knee-replacement patients need revision surgery. This type of surgery is rare in India and surgery was telcast live with the patient’s consent.

CommonFloor Celebrated Plant Day

CommonFloor an Online platform that provides a feature rich and private portal for residential community Apartment Complex, Gated Layout, Villas or a Colony all over India celebrated Plant Day in CommonFloor Campus on Saturday 29, 2010. CommonFloor is one of the Green Living supporters who spread green thoughts and green tips through their www.commonfloor.com/green-living.


One and all CommonFloor (CF) Team members actively participated in CF Plant Day by contributing plants and planting them in CommonFloor Campus. CF Plant Day provided an opportunity for CF Team members to know different types of plants and understand importance of planting a tree. Plants are part of the biodiversity system which is vital to the survival of life on earth. Plants absorb Carbon dioxide and provide clean air and water through photosynthesis and complex ecosystems. CF Plant Day is remarkable step by CommonFloor to reduce carbon footprints and save environment.

Award-winning Kannada movies for your weekends

Chitrasamooha, a forum set up by a group of directors, will screen award-winning Kannada movies throughout the year on Saturday and Sunday. Filmmaker Shyam Benegal will inaugurate the festival at 5.30 pm at JSS Auditorium, Jayanagar. Award-winning ‘Vimukti’, directed by P Seshadri, will be screened at Suchitra Film Society in Banashankari at 6.30 pm.

“This is a unique experiment. Meaningful cinema is surviving in Europe and USA, thanks to exclusive (small capacity) and weekend theatres,” says acclaimed director Girish Kasaravalli. “In the West, cinema, especially good films, are surviving because of weekend theatre culture. Who has the time during weekdays? In the next four to five years, the trend is sure to catch up here too,” said P Seshadri.

The idea was there for long, but couldn’t be executed due to several constraints. P Seshadri feels weekend theatre is the future of cinema. In the West good films are surviving because of weekend theatre culture. Soon the trend is sure to catch up here too.

Website: www.chitrasamooha.com Email: chitrasamooha@gmail.com Advance booking: Call 9743531223 / 26711785 Tickets: Rs 40

Event: Screening of award-winning Kannada films Organizers: Chitrasamooha Venue: Suchitra Film Society, Banashankari Every Saturday and Sunday @ 6.30 pm

Contaminated water takes 23 kids to hospital

23 Kids who fell ill because of contaminated water in their orphanage at Bharathinagar were admitted to hospital. Ten children were admitted to hospital on Wednesday and the rest on Thursday. All they remember was eating mangoes and drinking water. All the children are out of danger, however, it will take them at least two days to recover said duty doctor.

All of them were rushed to Isolation Hospital since late Wednesday afternoon. With the increasing numbers, the hospital on Old Madras Road almost ran out of space and had to accommodate them on extra beds in the corridors. Bharathinagar corporator Shakeel Ahmed said: “It seems like an isolated incident. It’s due to the leaking sanitary lines. A thorough inspection must be done. All sanitary pipelines in our area are very old. Civic agencies must take action immediately.”

“Doctors said it was due to water contamination. BWSSB officials visited the place and taken samples for examination. The water tank is close to the sewerage line. The problem will be fixed in a day. Till then, the BWWSB has arranged for drinking water tankers” said Nirmala Vasanthkumar, supervisor, New Life Centre for Girls’ Orphanage, Bharatinagar.

The water tank and sewage lines are too close to each other. Usually, while constructing a building on 20-30/30-40 site, the sump and sewerage tank are built at different corners. In this case, the problem was with the water tank. It might have developed a crack, because of which sewage water would have seeped into it. Says BBMP official.

“Officials have advised orphanage supervisors not to use the water. We have also provided them with ORS and communicable disease medicine; water is being supplied through tankers now. The health department will hold a camp on Friday,” said the PRO.

Passport Seva Project will be launched May 28 in Bangalore

From May 21, the old regional passport office has been closed down and applicants told to apply at the swanky Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) in Bangalore. Nearly an year behind schedule, the pilot phase of the much-delayed Passport Seva Project will be launched May 28 in Bangalore.


'Right now, people may stand in queues for hours. But, at the PSK, we think that a person may finish their work within 45 minutes,' said MEA Joint Secretary (consular, passport and visa) A. Manickam. There had been a number of glitches detected in the manufacture of the software, which has now been relatively smoothened out. The Rs.1,000 crore project was contracted to Tata Consultancy Services in October 2008, to help streamline the passport issuance process.

After the pilot project ends, the rest of the PSKs will be rolled out across the country. The time taken to issue passports will be less than the current system, but there is still expected to be significant delay due to the police verification.'There are 77 passport seva Kendras to be set up. We are looking at a target of end of financial year. There will be some saving of time, as now the applications for verifications will be sent electronically. We are setting up two computers at each district headquarters, Manickam said. The 'brain' of these 77 passport centres is the Network Operations Centre set up in south Delhi.

In Karnataka, four PSK will be opened - two in Bangalore and one each in Hubli and Mangalore. From May 21, the old regional passport office has been closed down. The vision of the Passport Seva Project was to improve the facilities for the public at the centres. The time taken to issue passports will be less than the current system and applicants applying for passport may finish their work within 45 minutes.

Kumaraswamy intervenes on Sholay-themed resort

Former chief minister and local MP H D Kumaraswamy intervenes to stop work on Ramgadh Resort. Kumaraswamy conducted a meeting of officials at the Ramanagar DC office to verify documents relating to the land. Ramgadh in Ramanagar village on the outskirts of Bangalore is where Sholay was shot.

Work on Ramgadh Resort has been officially stopped.The government will now conduct a fresh survey of the land before deciding on the matter."After studying the documents I could make out some discrepancies in the demarcation. Only a fresh survey can throw light on this and till then work will not begin." said Kumaraswamy.

"The revenue and forest departments will conduct the joint survey and an alternative piece of land will be given to those who are claiming ownership." said an official.

Out of 314.14 acres in survey No. 107 in Ramanagar taluk, Kasaba Hobli, Hallimala village, 255 acres was declared forest land in 1917. In 1978, government granted 80 acres to SC/ST beneficiaries but part of the land was within forest limits. Manjunath purchased 6.2 acres of land from the beneficiaries in 2004 and subsequently sold it to Anantara Hospitality that planned to develop a Sholay-themed resort there.

K Ravishankar, managing director of Anantara Hospitality, said, "It is a fair decision and I hope we get justice. If it is proved to be forest land, let them give us alternative land and we will move."

In the meantime, heritage lovers, who pledged to launch a protest to save the land, will meet today to chalk out plans for the planned Ramnagar bundh that would be announced in the first week of next month. "We will continue to protest till the land is handed over for developing a sanctuary for the long-billed vultures that are naturally habituating there."The decision to stop work and hold a joint survey is our victory," said M Shivananjaih, leader of the protest.

Pre-monsoon season brings virus back

Long queues at the out-patient departments of government hospitals and increasing waiting list of patients at private hospitals indicate coming back of virus in the city. There is a an increase in the number of viral fever cases reported from hospitals in the city and various parts of the state. At Bowring Hospital and Lady Curzon Hospital, 40 viral fever cases are confirmed a day on an average.

As on Monday, 22 persons with severe symptoms of viral fever have been admitted and put on IV fluids. Similarly, at K C General Hospital, an average of 30 viral fever patients are being attended everyday. According to BBMP chief health officer Dr L T Gayatri , in 113 BBMP hospitals and dispensaries, there have been a regular flow of viral fever cases with more than 100 cases being reported everyday.With the recent rain providing an opportunity for mosquitoes to breed, dengue and fever with dengue-like symptoms are also increasing. From the BBMP hospitals alone, 22 dengue and 27 positive chikungunya cases have been reported.

According to the State Surveillance Unit (SSU), 23 out of the 29 districts in the state are affected by gastroenteritis caused mainly due to lack of access to clean drinking water. According to SSU, most significantly , malaria cases are increasing tremendously, especially in districts like Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Tumkur, Kolar , Dakshina Kannada, Udupi urban, Chitradurga and Bellary. Chikungunya cases are also on the rise in districts like Gadag , Bidar, Yadgir, Hassan, Belgaum and Kolar.Influenza-like illnesses are predominant in Mysore , Mandya and Belgaum.

The district programme officers, health officers and staff at PHCs have been alerted to create awareness about precautionary measures. Maintain the cleanliness of water sources Promote hygienic sanitary facilities. Use only clean and safe drinking water. Avoid stagnant water and control mosquito breeding.

Higher cut-off percentages for Bangalore girls

Gender discrimination in cut-off percentages has been a practice in some reputed Bangalore pre-university (PU) colleges, which keep the cutoff for girls higher than that for boys. Girls have consistently beaten boys to the top ranks in Class X board exams, but their diligence is proving to be a curse. In some Bangalore pre-university colleges, Std XI cut-off percentages for girls is higher than boys.

MES Pre-University College Senior assistant, Purushotham , said that the physics, chemistry, maths and biology (PCMB) cut-off for boys is 594, while it is 599 for girls. The commerce cut-off is 553 for boys and 580 for girls. Colleges claim boys find it difficult to get admission to such courses. “We’d like to have an equal number of boys and girls in a class. As girls score higher, we have to bring down the cut-off percentage for boys.’’ said Purushotham.

At National PU College, officials have been segregating cut-offs based on gender for four years. The RBANMS degree college, however, gives priority to girls who stay within a 5-km radius. There is no separate cut-off for boys and girls for SSLC board students.

Bahubali on its way to Gujarat

Bahubali 41-foot tall statue weighing 400 tonnes is perhaps one of the world's largest statues of Bahubali. Sculpted out of a single block of 400-tonne granite, from Koira near Devanahalli, by renowned artist Ashok Gudigar and his 10-member team.Bahubali statue made in Bangalore is now on its way to Gujarat, where it will be installed.The idol is being transported on a special vehicle with 140 wheels in 45 days.

It took them 14 months to complete the statue. The statue has a height of 41 feet, width of 14 feet and thickness of 6.5 feet sculpted out of a single block of 400-tonne granite. The idol will be installed at Songadh village of Sihor taluk, Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, on a hill where Digambar Jain saint Pujya Kanji Swamiji had preached the principles of Jainism over a period of 45 years.

"It's my masterpiece. We've worked hard for it and it will remain in memory forever," said the 40-year-old artist Ashok Gudigar, a gold medalist and national award winner sculptor.From sculpting his first crude idol of Lord Ganesha 30 years ago to this mammoth 41-foot Bahubali idol in 14 months, it has been an eventful journey for Ashok Gudigar. Ashok has sculpted 4-5 big statues till date, including a 38-foot tall statue of Lord Hanuman at Haridwar four years ago and another 28-foot idol for a temple in Chennai.

This 41-foot tall statue weighing 400 tonnes is perhaps one of the world's largest statues of Bahubali. The idol will be installed at Songadh village of Sihor taluk,Gujarat. The 41 foot Bahubali idol is masterpiece of artist Ashok Gudigar who hails from a family of sculptors in Sagar, Shimoga.

160 feared dead in Air India crash Mangalore

An Air India Express passenger plane from Dubai crashed outside an airport in Mangalore on Saturday. Mangalore deputy police commissioner R Ramesh said the flight from Dubai - a Boeing 737 carrying 160 passengers and six crew - crashed at around 6:30 am (0100 GMT) after overshooting the runway.

Mangalore airport has a table-top runway which means that it is located on a hill top, which demands accuracy with no room for error while landing. According to reports, Z Glucia was an experienced pilot and familiar with Mangalore terrain and had been on this route several times before.The pilot did not report any malfunction to the Airport Traffic Control (ATC), before landing.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that there may have been a tyre burst, which made it difficult for the pilot to bring the aircraft to a halt. Most of the passengers on the flight were from Kerala.The flight IX-812, operated by a Boeing 737-800, had 163 passengers, four infants and six crew members on board.

"At least 160 passengers have died in the crash, five to six people have been taken to hospital, their condition is not known." said V.S. Acharya, home minister Karnataka. "It is a great tragedy. I express deep sympathy for them. About 160 people were on board. I am rushing to Mangalore by emergency helicopter.It is feared that most of the people are dead," said Yeddyurappa

TV images showed it struck a forested area. Flames were seen blazing from of some of the wreckage as rescue workers fought to bring the fire under control.

"The plane had broken into two. I jumped out of the plane after it crashed. I saw two other people also come out," Abdullah, a survivor from the plane, told local channel from hospital.

Helpline Numbers

• Mangalore Helpline Numbers: 0824-2220422, 0824-2220424
• Delhi Helpline Numbers: 011-25656196, 011-25603101
• Air India Express Dubai Airport Telephone Numbers: 00971-4-2165828/00971-4-2165829