Vaccination of people above 18 in Karnataka may be delayed: Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar
Bengaluru: Vaccination of people above 18 years of age, which was supposed to start from May 1, may be delayed as the vaccines have not yet arrived, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Friday.
"We have made orders to Serum Institute in Pune for over one crore doses but the official news is that they are still not prepared to give it to us from tomorrow as scheduled," the Minister told reporters here.
He asked people who have enrolled themselves on the Cowin portal for inoculation to refrain from going to vaccination centres on May 1.
The Minister said the government will intimate the eligible people after confirmation from Serum Institute of India about the arrival of vaccines.
"We have already paid Rs 400 crore to purchase one crore doses of Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune," the Minister said.
According to him, the Serum Institute has the capacity to produce five to six crore doses in a month while the Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech can produce one to 1.5 crore doses.
Russia's Sputnik has given licence to Dr Reddy's Laboratory to produce the vaccine but they have not informed the government officially when they will be able to supply it.
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Fishing community in Karnataka deprived of burial ground for two decades: Report
Chikkamagaluru: Around 150 families from the Shillekytha fishing community (Scheduled Caste) in Menasuru Ravuru Camp, located near the backwaters of the Bhadra River in NR Pura Taluk, have reportedly been living without a burial ground for nearly two decades.
As a result, they are forced to bury their dead in an islet located a few kilometers away, often using traditional coracles to transport the bodies for the last rites, as reported by The New Indian Express on Friday.
One community member shared the struggles they face, particularly during the monsoon season. “We find water as we start digging a pit. We cover the pit with leaves to prevent water from seeping in before burying the body there,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
During summer months, when the Bhadra backwaters recede, the community members resort to burying bodies along the shore. However, even these temporary solutions come with their own challenges. In some cases, families have had to reuse burial spots where previous bodies were laid to rest.
Repeated appeals to local authorities, including the gram panchayat, taluk administration, local MLA, and other elected representatives, for a burial ground, housing, electricity, and other basic amenities have reportedly gone unanswered.
Meanwhile, a local leader stated that the members of the Shillekytha fishing community are nomads, frequently moving from place to place. He added that this nomadic lifestyle is the reason why the community has been deprived of basic amenities, including access to a burial ground and essential services.
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