Bird flu detected in Kerala
Kochi: The Kerala Animal Husbandry Department on Monday confirmed that the death of thousands of ducks in Kuttanad in Alappuzha district in the past couple of weeks was due to Avian flu. Officials of the department said that the High Security Animal Disease laboratory in Bhopal had confirmed the presence of the Avian Influenza virus in the ducks after examination of samples. About 12,000 ducks had died due to the attack of the virus in the past couple of weeks in Kuttanad, known as the Rice Bowl of Kerala, causing huge losses to farmers.
Use and pay toilet pass introduced
Bangalore: Mahalingapura town municipality in Bagalkote district in north Karnataka officials is introducing passes for using toilets in an attempt to help people develop a healthy habit of attending to their nature calls in a hygienic place instead of going out in the open. The municipality has introduced low cost passes for its population. While men have to pay `60 for getting a monthly pass, women can have it at 50 per cent less rate and children at `20. However, for the aged the pass will be issued free of cost."People spit gutkha and dirty the toilet by throwing bits of beedis and cigarettes. It is necessary to keep the place hygienic by cleaning frequently and hence, the cost of the pass is little high", the official said.