Mangaluru: 32 new cases of Dengue fever were reported in the Dakshina Kannada District in a single day on Wednesday, indicating the severity of the situation in the District. Over the last one month, the District Administration has been busy trying to cap and prevent the number of cases of Dengue in the District.

31 new cases of Dengue were reported in Mangaluru Taluk on Wednesday while another case was of suspected Dengue was reported from Bantwal Taluk.

The District Administration, Health Department and Mangaluru City Corporation have taken steps to prevent the disease and are trying to cap the number of cases. The officials have also been visiting the areas where cases have been reported and have been advising people to take precautionary measures.

Fogging is also being carried out in the areas where Dengue cases have been reported and penalties are also being imposed on those violating the precautionary measures and have sources of water logging and stagnation of water at their homes.

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Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Nearly 4,000 Indian pilgrims on Friday set sail for the uninhabited Katchatheevu islet to participate in the annual two-day festival, which will officially commence at 4 pm at the St Antony’s Church, officials said.

The festival marks a significant moment of shared cultural and religious heritage between India and Sri Lanka.

The first batch of devotees was flagged off from the Rameswaram fishing harbour at approximately 6 am by Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon.

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According to official records, a total of 3,996 registered pilgrims -- comprising 3,033 men, 726 women, and 150 children -- are crossing the Palk Strait in a fleet of 118 boats, which includes 92 mechanised trawlers and 26 country boats.

The festival will officially commence with a traditional flag-hoisting ceremony. This will be followed by the 'Way of the Cross' procession and a late-night chariot festival, where the statue of the patron saint will be carried around the shrine by Sri Lankan Navy personnel, sources said.

Strict security measures are in place, with the Indian Coast Guard and Customs department conducting a three-tier verification process at the Rameswaram jetty. All pilgrims were required to produce their Aadhaar cards and a mandatory Police No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Authorities have strictly prohibited the carriage of plastic items, alcohol, and excessive jewellery.

According to official sources, all vessels are equipped with adequate life jackets and are being escorted by Coast Guard hovercrafts up to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

The festivities will reach their peak on Saturday morning with a Special High Mass conducted by the Bishops of Jaffna and Colombo in both Tamil and Sinhala. The event will conclude with the lowering of the flag, after which the Indian pilgrims will begin their return journey.

To facilitate the event, the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department has enforced a total fishing ban in the region until March 1, leaving over 1,000 local boats moored at the docks to ensure clear passage for the pilgrim fleet.

The islet was ceded to Sri Lanka by India by ways of two agreements in 1970s.