Karnataka youth hoists Kannada flag atop Kilimanjaro of Tanzania
Bengaluru, October 14: A Kannadiga youth from Karnataka literally followed the words of Kuvempu - “Elladaru Iru Entadaru Iru, Endendigu Nee Kannadavagiru”- by hoisting Kannada flag atop mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, of Tanzania to express his love towards Karnataka.
Ashutosh Bhaskar (23), working as a marketing executive in A company called Mozi which sells adventure materials, climbed the Mt. Kilimanjaro, the fourth highest peak in the world, when he visited Tanzania as part of his official tour from the company, and hoisted the Kannada flag. " Right from the beginning of my tour, I was dreaming of climbing the mountain. But I didn’t know that I would get this opportunity”, he explained.
“As a customer of the company cancelled the proposed meeting, I have got the opportunity to climb this African mountain which is 5895 mts above the sea level. Basically, I am from Karnataka. Before climbing the Kilimanjaro, it was flashed in my mind that I should hoist the Kannada flag as soon as I reached the peak of the mountain”, Ashutosh said.
When I was in Tanzania, I found that there were few people who could speak English. More than half of the population speaks Swahili language and I felt that I have lost my country and mother tongue”, he said.
Suddenly, he went to a tailor and asked him to stitch Kannada flag. He managed to purchase the cloth with the help of locals. “I spent six hours to get the required cloth and I prepared the flag at 5 dollar”, Ashutosh who is a resident of Jayanagar in Bengaluru said.
He started his mountaineering on September 21 and reached the peak of Kilimanjaro in six days.
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Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk claims unfounded: FSSAI
New Delhi (PTI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorically dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, terming them "misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm".
In a statement issued on Saturday, the food safety regulator clarified that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and that reports alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances in eggs lack a scientific basis.
The clarification comes in response to media reports and social media posts claiming detection of nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) -- substances purportedly linked to cancer -- in eggs sold in India.
FSSAI officials emphasised that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
The regulator explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites -- but solely for regulatory enforcement purposes. This limit represents the minimum level that can be reliably detected by advanced laboratory methods and does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.
"Detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply any health risk," an FSSAI official said.
FSSAI said India's regulatory framework is aligned with international practices. The European Union and the United States also prohibit the use of nitrofurans in food-producing animals and employ reference points for action or guideline values only as enforcement tools.
Differences in numerical benchmarks across countries reflect variations in analytical and regulatory approaches, not differences in consumer safety standards, the authority noted.
On public health concerns, FSSAI cited scientific evidence indicating that there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans.
"No national or international health authority has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk," the regulator reiterated.
Addressing reports related to the testing of a specific egg brand, officials explained that such detections are isolated and batch-specific, often arising from inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and are not representative of the overall egg supply chain in the country.
"Generalising isolated laboratory findings to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect," the statement said.
FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, reiterating that eggs remain a safe, nutritious, and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.
