Mangaluru: Udupi Qazi, Alhaj Bekal Ibrahim Musliyar on Saturday requested the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner to extend the lockdown in the Coastal Karnataka till the end of Ramadhan.

The Qazi asserted that the Muslims in the region have been co-operating with the authorities and have barred Iftar gatherings, prayers, taraweehs and congregational prayers at mosques, dargahs and elsewhere during the holy month of Ramadhan under the instructions of State Waqf Board. He then added that relaxation in the lockdown at the time of Eid can result in increased traffic and movement in the region and that it can lead to spread of COVID-19 once again. He further urged the Deputy Commissioner to extend the lockdown at least till the end of Ramadhan to cap the spread of the deadly desease.

He also opined that in case the administration decides to relax the lockdown regulations, it will result in Muslims rushing into the markets to buy new clothes and festive goods and maintaining physical distancing will also be a major problem. He also added that Muslims in the region were ready to celebrate the Eid with simplicity.

The Qazi also requested the authorities to relax the lockdown after Eid to prevent the virus from spreading in the region.

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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.