The coaches will have spaces for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, besides arrangements to install medical equipment.
PTI Photo
Mangaluru:
Southern Railway have begun work on converting 20 train coaches into isolation wards for treatment of Covid-19 patients here on the instructions from the Railway Board.
Twenty coaches have reached the central railway station here and two of them have already been converted into isolation wards for suspected coronavirus patients. Work on setting up toilet facility and bathroom in the coaches after removing seats and modifying their design is under progress in the remaining coaches which will also be converted into isolation wards within a week, Southern Railway (Palakkad division) public relations officer Gopinanthan said.
The coaches will be kept at the second entry of the central railway station here and handed over to the health department.
The coaches will have spaces for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff, besides arrangements to install medical equipment.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by PTI / April 03rd, 2020
A team of researchers has developed a low-cost indigenous prototype of polymer swab which can be used for collection of samples for coronavirus testing.
If it is approved for production, the country will not need to depend on imported swabs, said Dr Milind Kulkarni, a senior polymer scientist with Pune-based Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) on Saturday.
“We import testing kits and polymer swabs primarily from Italy, Germany and the United States. But due to import restrictions and international lockdown, we could soon face a shortage of these kits,” said Kulkarni, who led the project.
It was a joint project of C-MET (which comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology), SRI Research FOR Tissue Engineering Private, Rangadore Hospital, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and Additive Manufacturing Society of India, he said.
As per the guidelines of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, polymer swab is used for collection of a sample from the upper respiratory tract of a patient.
To develop prototype of the swab, the researchers used a speciality polymer from polyester family and a rod made up of Polypropylene, Kulkarni said.
“Prototype samples are ready to go for further sterilization and clinical trial and testing,” he added.
Dr K N Shridhar, urologist from Rangadore Hospital in Bangaluru, had given the responsibility to develop the polymer swab to CMET, Kulkarni said.
“Dr Shridhar will conduct testing of the swabs by tying up with a lab which is approved by the Indian Council for Medical Research in Bengaluru,” he added.
CMET has developed two types of swabs which are required to collect samples, he said.
One is nasopharyngeal swab (NP swab) which is used for collecting nasal secretions and other is Oropharyngeal swab which is used for collecting throat samples, he said.
Once samples are taken, the swab is inserted into a tube of Universal Transport Media (UTM). Kulkarni said that as it is a one-time use kit, India will need millions of such swabs to collect samples in the days to come.
The swabs developed by his team could cost a third of the price of imported swabs, he said.
“Using a special automated machine, 1000 to 2000 swabs can be made in one minute,” he claimed.
The number of coronavirus infection cases in the country had crossed 3,250 as of Saturday late afternoon.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Science & Environment / by PTI, Pune / April 04th, 2020
Since 1720, the brown salt business has operated in Sanikatta, one of the oldest places engaged in this business in the country.
Labourers packing salt
Years ago, Karnataka villager Venkat Nayak used to curse the saline water gushing into his fields from the Arabian Sea. He was unable to farm his one-acre plot on the banks of the Aghanashini river which passes by Sanikatta village near Gokarna. And then he decided to follow an old practice, which revived the fortunes of farmers like him. He decided to turn the unusable water to his advantage. And struck salt.
“I now have little reason to complain about my land,” says Nayak. He is not alone in having found a fortune in the river waters, which fill nearby fields with a mineral-rich decoction. The farmers of Sanikatta are now a flourishing community, having found a thriving market for the natural, brown salt, which carries the name of their eponymous village. Sanikatta salt may not be as popular as polished white salt, but continues to have a large dedicated customer base comprising people who realise its benefits due to the presence of natural minerals, including iodine.
“We produce salt from the Aghanashini river water using a natural process, which is why its colour is brown,” says Arun Nadakarni, chairman of Nagarbail Salt Owners Cooperative Society. “This salt is a medicinal product, containing nearly 96 per cent minerals, with 4 per cent of them being rare minerals. We only add potassium iodide,” he adds, pointing out the huge demand for brown salt in Ayurveda and naturopathy treatment. Even doctors often ask patients to consume the salt.
Since 1720, the brown salt business has operated in Sanikatta, one of the oldest places engaged in this business in the country. However, it became an organised sector only after the cooperative society was formed. The extraction of salt is done by the villagers, who work in pans spread over 564 acres on the bank of the Aghanashini. While they would market it individually earlier, they came together in 1952 to form the cooperative society. Since then, they have been making 10,000-12,000 metric tonnes of salt every year, which is sold mainly to Ayurveda and naturopathy centres, direct customers at the production unit, and e-commerce platforms.
The society does not spend any money on advertising and marketing. Nadakarni says the total net profit is shared by the salt field owners, who pay the society for its functioning. The salt fields and the production unit employ around 200 labourers from Sanikatta and neighbouring villages. They are all covered under various government schemes for wages, healthcare and other welfare measures. The salt field owners, who have land measuring from 10 guntas to 50 acres, earn up to Rs 50,000 profit per acre per year. For land, which does not support crop cultivation, salt is their sweet deal.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Arunkumar Huralimath / March 29th, 2020
Bengaluru-based startup firm Bione Ventures Pvt Ltd, a B2C platform for genetic and microbiome testing, has launched a rapid at-home screening kit for COVID-19 that delivers results within minutes. The company said it will make available the product for sale on their platform within a week.
“We are importing this screening kit from one of our partners in the US, which has secured USFDA approval for the product. In India, we have secured certification from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The screening kit can provide respite from the impending fear of the COVID-19 contagion,” Surendra K Chikara, a genomicist and founder of the company told DH.
The simple point-of-care home screening kit renders quick results, without having to step out in the wake of the lockdown. It will foster timely detection of the disease while acting as a preventive tool for others in proximity to the user, by isolating the carrier immediately, he said.
The kit is likely to be priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 depending upon the global supply, to increase its affordability for the masses, he said.
COVID-19 screening test kit is an IgG & IgM-based tool which takes 5-10 minutes to deliver the results. Upon receiving the kit, the user is required to clean the finger with an alcohol swab and use the lancet provided to finger-prick. The cartridge provided reads the results from the blood sample thus obtained, within 5-10 minutes, the company said in a statement.
Bione was founded in 2019 in Bengaluru by Dr Surendra K Chikara, who was among the pioneers in bringing NGS sequencing in India.
The company is well-equipped to supply 20,000 kits per week and intends to build its manufacturing facilities in the coming months to cater to the demand, he added.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Business> Business News / by Mahesh Kulkarni / DHNS, Bengaluru / April 02nd, 2020
The initiative which started on March 27 aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown period in Bengaluru and has already provided close to 23,000 meals.
The initiative aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown
Bengaluru :
With the ongoing lockdown leaving scores of daily wage workers and the underprivileged without food and shelter, three Bengalurean businessmen have come together aiming to put a halt to the starvation. Venkat K Narayana, CEO, Prestige Group, Juggy Marwaha, executive MD, JLL India and K Ganesh, co-founder, Big Basket have launched the initiative ‘Feed My Bangalore’ with a plan to serve 10,000 – 15,000 meals every day to daily wagers, underprivileged and homeless children and frontline workers.
The initiative which started on March 27 aims to provide 3 lakh meals by the end of the lockdown period in Bengaluru and has already provided close to 23,000 meals. Adding to this, Narayana said, “India is overpopulated with 269 million people still living below the poverty line. Given the density of population, social distancing is a luxury for most.
The government is doing the best they can, but it’s not going to be enough. We as conscious citizens need to do our bit too. As I keep hearing my two-year old son reiterate at home, ‘Sharing is caring’ and that has to be our motto for this crisis.”
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / April 01st, 2020
A SpiceJet flight lands on the south runway at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The much-awaited second runway, New South Parallel Runway (NSPR), at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), saw its first landing on Thursday, March 20. According to a release by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), SpiceJet Flight SG497 landed on the newly built run way at 9:41 am on Thursday.
“With regulatory clearances, the south runway is now equipped to handle both arrivals and departures. BIAL is working with various stakeholders to commence rehabilitation project of the North Runway (old runway),” a BIAL spokesperson said.
In the first week of December 2019, the new runway became operational after an Indigo flight took off. However, the KIA did not get clearance from DGCA and other agencies to use the runway for landing as some compliances were pending.
The new runway is 4,000 m in length and 45 m in width, powered with LED airfield lighting, which is a is part of the KIA’s ₹13,000-crore expansion project. Once the operation on the new runway stabilises, the existing old runway will be upgraded.
BIAL had said that the new runway would be operated as per CAT I specifications and later would progressively evolve to CAT III B specifications, which would operate flights even in inclement weather, fog and low visibility.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> States> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Bengaluru – March 20th, 2020
A SpiceJet flight lands on the south runway at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The much-awaited second runway, New South Parallel Runway (NSPR), at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), saw its first landing on Thursday, March 20. According to a release by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), SpiceJet Flight SG497 landed on the newly built run way at 9:41 am on Thursday.
“With regulatory clearances, the south runway is now equipped to handle both arrivals and departures. BIAL is working with various stakeholders to commence rehabilitation project of the North Runway (old runway),” a BIAL spokesperson said.
In the first week of December 2019, the new runway became operational after an Indigo flight took off. However, the KIA did not get clearance from DGCA and other agencies to use the runway for landing as some compliances were pending.
The new runway is 4,000 m in length and 45 m in width, powered with LED airfield lighting, which is a is part of the KIA’s ₹13,000-crore expansion project. Once the operation on the new runway stabilises, the existing old runway will be upgraded.
BIAL had said that the new runway would be operated as per CAT I specifications and later would progressively evolve to CAT III B specifications, which would operate flights even in inclement weather, fog and low visibility.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Bengaluru – March 20th, 2020
K A Muthana (Retd), Chief Test Flying (Fixed Wing), the aircraft took-off from HAL Airport at around 1230 hours, the Bengaluru-headquartered defence PSU said in a statement.
LCA Tejas. (File | EPS)
Bengaluru :
Tejas, the first Light Combat Aircraft in Final Operational Clearance-standard (SP-21) took to the skies for its maiden flight here on Tuesday, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said.
Piloted by Air Cmde. K A Muthana (Retd), Chief Test Flying (Fixed Wing), the aircraft took-off from HAL Airport at around 1230 hours, the Bengaluru-headquartered defence PSU said in a statement.
It was airborne for 40 minutes.
This flight signifies exemplary teamwork between various stakeholders of the LCA Tejas programme such as HAL, Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification, Indian Air Force and Aeronautical Development Agency, HAL CMD, R Madhavan said.
“HAL achieved the momentous feat within a record time of 12 months after the release of Drawing Applicability List (DAL) and SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) by CEMILAC”, the statement said.
“This would pave the way for the production of remaining 15 fighters from FOC (Final Operational Clearance) block, which are planned to be delivered during the next financial year”, it said.
The FOC aircraft are equipped with advanced features such as Air-to-Air refuelling and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile system.
“It imbibes a lot of manufacturing improvements which were based on the operational feedback of LCA IOC (Initial Operational Clearance) fleet with IAF”, HAL said.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by PTI / March 17th, 2020
The post office is located in Rajajinagar Industrial Estate.
The Department of Posts, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, launched an all-women post office on Monday.
Only women staff will look after the post office and attend to postal related works. The post office is located in Rajajinagar Industrial Estate.
According to a release, the post office was inaugurated by playback singer Latha Hamsalekha and G. Rama Prasad, AGM, Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation Limited, Bengaluru.
Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, Bengaluru West division, B.S. Umesh, presided over the event, the release stated.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter / Bengaluru – March 10th, 2020
Puneeth Rajkumar flanked by Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner M.R. Ravi (left) and Minister Suresh Kumar, in Bengaluru on Saturday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Actor accepts request from new DC; to highlight development efforts
Chamarajanagar district will have a brand ambassador in Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar.
The proposal was made by the new Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner, M.R. Ravi, who wrote to the actor and the later has given his consent.
The district in-charge Minister Suresh Kumar and the DC also called on Mr.Puneeth Rajkumar at his residence in Bengaluru on Saturday and thanked him for accepting their request.
The actor was felicitated with a shawl and Mysuru headgear (Pettah) on the occasion.
The appeal addressed to Mr. Puneeth Rajkumar drew attention to the current status of Chamarajanagar district that was rich in culture and tradition besides folk arts. The district is rich in natural beauty, being home to Male Mahadeshwara Betta (M.M. Hills), Biligirangana Betta (BR Hills) and Himavad Gopalswamy Betta, said Mr. Ravi, urging the actor to help take forward the vision to develop Chamarajanagar which is also the native place of Puneeth Rajkumar. It was also mentioned that the district and its people took pride in the fact that Kannada thespian Dr.Rajkumar was a native of Chamarajanagar.
Development plans
The district administration has plans for the comprehensive development of the region besides taking steps for conservation of natural resources, environment and wildlife, and beautification of towns and urban areas, said Mr.Ravi.
Literacy drive
There are plans to launch a literacy drive to cover nearly 2.5 lakh people and also take up industrialisation of the region so as to help generate jobs for the local people.
The authorities wanted the help of Mr. Puneeth Rajkumar in drumming up support for the cause.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – March 07th, 2020
