Mangaluru: The State government has proposed to have a sentinel surveillance centre for malaria, dengue and vector-borne diseases at the Government Wenlock Hospital here. The new centre is to further strengthen the mechanism for detection, treatment and mitigation of vector-borne diseases.

Talking to reporters here on Tuesday, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader said the sentinel surveillance centre would be set up by the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) of the Union Health Ministry. The new centre would help in taking effective measures in malaria treatment and vector control.

Joint Director of NVBDCP Pradeep Srivasatava said the Government Wenlock Hospital has been treating a good number of patients diagnosed with malaria, dengue and chikungunya. At the sentinel centre, reports of patients will be analysed thoroughly to identify probable places where preventive action could be taken. Reports of these centres help in taking preventive steps, much before the outbreak of vector-borne diseases, he said.

Dr. Srivasatava said such sentinel centres have been set up places in the north east. It had been set up in Kalaburagi and few other places in north Karnataka.

“We will be considering the request of the State government to have the centre at Wenlock,” he said.

Mangaluru: District in charge minister Ramanath Rai on Monday informed that the newly-concreted 13 km stretch of Shiradi Ghat connecting Mangaluru and Bengaluru will open for motorists from August 10th. 

Addressing a press meet at the Circuit House here, Rai said, "We have already held discussions with the minister for public works and decided to open the Shiradi Ghat on10th of August, after completing all the pending works like installation of crash barriers, signboards and shouldering works along the route."

He also said that he and state minister for public works H C Mahadevappa along with former union minister Oscar Fernandes will visit the Ghat  on  9 th ofAugust  and from very next daymotorists would be allowed on the route.

On Shishila-Byrapura road work, he said, "We have discussed this with the public works department and the forest department will give permission for the work."

When media persons questioned about the delay in arresting the Gopal Gowda who allegedly cut off Dalit Sundara Malekudiya's fingers at Neriya in Beltangady, Rai said, "The department of police has to look into the matter."

He also denied allegations that the government was protecting the accused and said, "No one is protecting anyone. Our government is against suppression of any form. Proper action will be taken against the offender".

Regarding water scarcity in the city from two days, mayor Jacintha Alfred said, "It is due to the damage caused to two main pipelines (at Kannur)."

Former mayor Shashidar Hegde added, "Repair work is going on and in two days the entire city will get water."

Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim, MUDA chairman Kodijal Ibrahim and others were present.

Mangaluru: Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader said here on Saturday that the district early intervention centre to treat children with disabilities will be opened at Government Wenlock Hospital here within a month.

Addressing presspersons, he said that children up to 18 years would be treated for free at the centre.

The government has identified 622 children with disabilities who require treatment in Dakshina Kannada.

It would also be the first such regional pediatric speciality centre in the State.

The centre would treat disabilities, disorders, defects and diseases under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) and it aims at covering about 15 diseases under (birth) defect and disability.

He said that the children found with defects or symptoms of possible defects would be referred to the centre to start early treatment so that its severity could be reduced.

The Minister said that “stimulation technique” would be used to treat children like having visual defects and hearing defects and various specialists would offer their services at the centre.

H.R. Rajeshwari Devi, district surgeon and medical superintendent, Government Wenlock Hospital, said that the early intervention centre would be a day-care centre.

Those who required special operation would be taken to the Regional Advanced Pediatric Care Centre in the premises of the hospital. However, the RAPCC did not have facilities for heart operations.

“Children who require specialised cardiological treatment may avail treatment in RBSK empanelled hospitals in any part of the State,” Mr. Khader added.

He said that the early intervention centre would work like a single window agency to treat various diseases and defects of special children.

The Minister said that those above 18 years would be treated at the district disability and rehabilitation centre.

U.V. Shenoy, nodal officer, district early intervention centre was present.

Mangaluru: The simple minister of State, health minister U.T.Khader broke the protocol by coming in auto to a press meet he had called and the reporters who were waiting for his red light car were stunned to see him getting down from an auto. He went straight away to the press meet. And later when he was forced to reveal the secret he said that his car was stuck in traffic. But to reach on time to the meet, he hired a Rickshaw and came on time.

UT khader the minister of state stands different from the crowd through his simplicity. He works without rest even on Ramadan.

Mangaluru:  Indian Journalist Union® and Karnataka Journalist’s Union National and State Conference will be held at Vaibhav Hall in Mangaluru on 4th and 5th July.

KJU district president Sudesh Kumar said in a press brief held at Patrika Bhavan that on 6th of July all the Journalists from all over India will be taken to tourist spots in Mangaluru and Moodbidri. More than 40 journalists from all the states will be participating in the conference. And 40 journalists from the state will be present.

In the wake of the event on 4th July journalist’s confluence will be held at Besant College Hall at 5 p.m. senior journalist will Jayaram will give a talk on “Visual Media Then and Now”. Minister Ramanath Rai will inaugurate the program. Murugesh B Shivapooji will preside over the function.

  Ministers U T Khader  and Abhayachandra Jain,  MP Nalin Kumar Kateel,  MLA’s J R Lobo and  Moideen Bava, DC A B Ibrahim, DG S Murugan, National president of IJU Kishan Bal Pandit, Mayor Jacinta, SCDCC president Rajendra Kumar, Jagnnath Shetty Bala and many other eminent personalities will embrace the function as chief guests.

Senior journalists S Jayram, Gangadhar Matti, Ahmad Anwar and senior distributors S Taranth Kamat and Ananth Ray Bhat will be felicitated on this occasion.

Dr. Shivasharan Shetty vice president, Karnataka Patrakartara Sangha, Chief sec. Sathish Kapikad, treasurer Mahammad Hakim, member Bhava Padrangi were present at the meet.

Bengaluru: Karnataka attracted about Rs 1 lakh crore of investments during the first two years of his term, said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

He was addressing the media at an event organised by the Press Club of Bangalore to mark the completion of two years of his term. This, despite some states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana being more in the news on investments because of the many incentives extended to them by the Centre, and the tax benefits offered by the two states.

Karnataka has been ranked first for its healthy business climate and for attracting investments by the World Bank's Investment Climate Index. This is despite the incentives being extended to investors, such as e-commerce firms, by the newly-formed states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

"Karnataka continues to be the preferred investment destination for e-commerce firms like Amazon and Flipkart," Siddaramaiah said adding that they would not leave the state.

The state was the first to come out with an industrial policy and has introduced policies so as to sustain growth over the years.

Despite the skewness brought about the incentives extended to neighbouring states of AP and Telangana, the chief minister said, once the GST comes into force during 2015-16, such incentives will be neutralised as there would be a uniform tax system across the country.

Siddaramaiah expressed satisfaction over his two years' administration as chief minister of the state and said he has fulfilled 100 out of 165 promises made during the elections in May 2013 through the budgetary grants.

Facing fire from various quarters, especially the opposition parties for the clearing of encroachments that has left many people homeless, Siddaramaiah today threw the ball back into opposition's court and said it was during the period that the BJP-JD(S) combine ruled the state that many of the encroachments had taken place. Also, he said that the government will act against the officials responsible for clearing the projects and take strong action against them.

He added that those not guilty of being involved in any illegality, but had been duped by land sharks would be considered for rehabilitation. He refuted the Opposition charge that the government had turned a blind eye to the plight of those displaced by the demolitions.

He said, "Contrary to the allegations, we are working day and night to find solutions to the problems of the innocent."

Siddaramaiah said that the problem would not have become so complex had the BJP and the JD(S) prevented the encroachments when they were in power, adding that when the Congress came to power, the government handed over 10 lakes to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) so that it could develop them and protect them from encroachments. "The innocent are now suffering due to the lapses of the previous governments," he said.

On the plans to trifurcate the BBMP or the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike as it had grown too unwieldy, he said the situation would not have come to this if the area under the BBMP was not expanded by bringing so many areas under it, and expanding the BBMP jurisdiction from about 200 sq km to over 800 sq km.

"The garbage situation had become so bad only because of the unplanned expansion of the BBMP's jurisdiction without understanding the consequences of such a move," he said.

Mangaluru: Against the implementation of Land Ordinance Bill, the South Canara Congress will hold a protest march on 11th of March. The protest will be held held in front of the DC office here in Mangaluru said temporary President Ibrahim Kodijal.

Talking to a press meet he said UPA government has passed many pro farmer bills. But BJP government has no concern about poor. There will be a protest march against this attitude of BJP he said.

Ex-MLC Ivan D’souza, Ex-MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty were at the meet.

Putturu: P.V.Mohan, spokes person Congree Party in a press meet said that BHP, a newly formed sanghatan at Putturu by Congress leaders must be eschewed immediately. People who formed BHP must shun it as soon as possible.

Everyone must stick to party’s ideologies. People who are in position must act responsibly. One must unite the party and try that state’s scheme must reach up to the common man. Must not pull religion into party and create confusion said Mohan.