Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): A major fire gutted an oil mill at Karuvanchal in this district on Saturday, officials said.

According to Fire and Rescue Service officials, the fire broke out at Gramika Oil Mill at Vayattuparambu, Karuvanchal, around 6.30 am.

Two fire tenders from Thaliparamba and one each from Peringome and Kannur stations reached the spot, and firefighting operations began by 7 am.

All equipment and dried coconut stocked at the mill for oil production were destroyed in the fire, an official said.

The blaze was brought under control after a two-hour-long firefighting effort.

Preventive measures were also taken to stop the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings, including a nearby church, officials said.

Firefighters suspect an electrical short circuit may have triggered the fire, but the exact cause will be confirmed only after further examination, the officer added.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman led the statewide pulse polio vaccination drive on Sunday.

While Siddaramaiah kicked off the campaign along with state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Home Minister G Parameshwara at his residence 'Kaveri' here, Sitharaman, who is in Vijayanagara district in the state, holding Chintan Shivir, administered pulse polio drops to children below five years of age in Kamalapura.

"Smt @nsitharaman launched the Polio Immunisation Drive in Kamalapura, Karnataka, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to safeguarding child health and ensuring a polio-free India," a post on her 'X' account said.

The post further said that children under five years of age were administered Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) drops, "reinforcing the collective effort to protect future generations through timely immunisation."

According to the details shared by the health departments, about 62.4 lakh children have been identified for it.

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"Under the routine immunization programme, every Child is given 5 doses of OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) and 3 doses of IPV (inactivated injectable polio vaccine) and Government of Karnataka is committed that no child should miss these doses," a government statement said.

Apart from all hospitals in the state, special focus will be given to immunise children living in villages, hilly areas, brick kilns, slums, migrant areas, farmhouses, urban slums. Booths will also be set up in railway stations, metro stations, airports and Seaports, the statement said.

The state health department has set up 33,258 booths and deployed 1,030 mobile teams, 2,096 transit teams, 1,13,115 vaccinators and 7,322 Supervisors.

All children below five years of age will be administered the oral polio vaccine on December 21, 2025.

"Even if your child has received any number of doses of OPV before, it is very essential to immunise your child again during this round," the department said.

In order to allay concerns, the department said the polio vaccine is completely safe and people should not to believe in any false rumours.