105-year-old great grandmother from Kerala clears fourth standard equivalency exam
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 5: A 105-year-old great grandmother from Kerala, who appeared for the fourth standard equivalency examination, has come out in flying colours, making her the oldest student in the country to clear the papers.
The centenarian Bhageerathi Amma, had appeared for the examination, conducted by the state literacy mission, at Kollam last year and the result was announced by the literacy mission on Wednesday.
The elderly woman, who had always yearned to study and gain knowledge, had to give up her dream of educating herself after her mother died as she had to take care of her younger siblings.
Fate dealt another blow when she became a widow in her thirties and had to shoulder the responsibility of bringing up her six children.
Due to her advanced age, she had difficulty in writing the exams and took three days to complete the 3 question papers on Environment, Mathematics and Malayalam, literacy mission sources said.
Bhageerathi Amma, who had left formal education in class three at the age of 9, became the oldest 'equivalency learner' in the Kerala State Literacy Mission programme to date.
She scored 205 out of a total of 275 marks and scored full marks in maths.
One of her six children and 3 of her 15 grandchildren are no more.
The woman has 12 grand and great-grandchildren.
Literacy mission director P S Srikala visited the woman at her house in Kollam, about 80 km from here, to congratulate her.
Bhageerathi Amma said she was keen to appear for the tenth standard equivalency examination.
A total of 11,593 candidates wrote the fourth standard equivalency examination of which 10,012, including 9456 women, cleared it, a literacy mission release said.
Ninety Six-year-old Karthiyani Amma had secured 98 marks out of 100 in "Akshara Laksham", a flagship programme of the state-run Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority in October 2018 and became a role model for thousands of people who wish to be part of the literacy programmes.
The aim of the Literacy Mission is to make the state fully literate in four years.
According to the 2011 census, there were around 18.5 lakh illiterates in the state.
To wipe out illiteracy completely, the Mission has chalked out several programmes, especially among marginalised groups like tribals, fisherfolk and slum dwellers.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
