New year parties, dance programmes banned in pubs, clubs in Karnataka due to COVID-19
Bengaluru, Dec 17: In a fallout of COVID-19, Karnataka will miss the usual New Year day eve celebrations in clubs, pubs and restaurants among other places with the state government banning special DJ dance programmes and parties for four days from December 30.
The government on Thursday issued an order prohibiting such programmes between December 30 and January 2 at clubs, pubs, restaurants and other places where people gather for new year celebrations, citing the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
Ahead of Christmas and New Year, the government also issued a set of guidelines, including barring public from making hand shakes or hugging during the celebrations.
However, there will be no restrictions on pubs, clubs and restaurants in carrying out normal operations in a routine way, the order said.
The guidelines, which also mandated use of green crackers alone during the festivities, will be effective from December 20 till January 2 and were aimed at controlling the spread of the pandemic.
"Keeping in mind public health, there is a need to celebrate Christmas and New Year in a simple and meaningful way. In the wake of this mass parties have been banned across the state at public places, establishments and places where large crowds gather without maintaining social distancing," the order by Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar said.
Organisers and supervisors at Churches must ensure that a large number of people don't gather at a time and social distance was maintained. Also people should not indulge in hand shakes or hugging during the festivities.
From December 30 to January 2 parties, special DJ dance programmes and special events at clubs, pubs, restaurants and other places that attract people in large numbers without social distancing have been prohibited.
Gathering of people at public places and roads for celebrations stands prohibited, but normal routine activities can be carried out at these places.
In the guidelines, the Police Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners have been given the authority to impose more restrictions at certain specific roads or places in their jurisdiction.
The order also calls for adhering to COVID related guidelines or restrictions that are already in place to control the spread of virus whose overall count in the state stood at 9.05 lakh as of Thursday with 15,205 active cases.
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Kerala: 'Kallakkadal' red alert revised to orange warning
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services on Saturday withdrew a 'red alert' issued for 'Kallakkadal' in the coastal areas of Kerala and the south Tamil Nadu coast and revised it to an 'orange alert'.
'Kallakkadal' is a phenomenon of sudden sea swells causing rough waves in coastal areas.
As part of the phenomenon, the low-lying areas of the Kerala coast are likely to experience rough sea and sea surge due to extremely strong waves of 0.5 meters to 1.5 meters till 11.30 pm on Sunday, the INCOIS said.
The low-lying coastal areas of south Tamil Nadu are also likely to experience a similar situation and high waves of 0.5 meters to 1.8 metres may cause sea surge there till tomorrow night, the agency warned.
INCOIS, the central agency that issues weather warnings for fishermen in the country, advised people to safely moor their fishing vessels in the harbour.
Authorities advised people to continue their caution and avoid trips to the beach and completely stay away from activities at sea.
The term 'Kallakkadal' literally means a sea that comes suddenly like a thief.
INCOIS has earlier said that the swells result from strong winds in the southern part of the Indian Ocean at certain times, and that they occur suddenly without any particular indications or warning which is why it is named 'Kallakkadal'.
