Bengaluru, Aug 11: Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting would offer scholarships for higher education to girls from economically weaker families in the three southern state of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the company said on Saturday.

"About 900 girls from the three states will be given 3-year Santoor women's scholarship, with Rs 24,000 for each of them per annum to do under-graduation," said the city-based privately-held company in a statement.

Santoor is the leading brand name of Wipro's toilet soap.

The company initiated the annual programme in 2016 in collaboration with Wipro Cares to financially support underprivileged girls for completing under-graduation.

The scholarship will be used for tuition fees and expenses incidental to education.

In the last two years, 1,800 young women benefited from the scholarship to become graduates.

"Girls who pass 12th class from a state-run school or college and secure admission in a recognized degree course will quality for the scholarship," said the statement.

Students can apply for the scholarship on www.santoorscholarships.com till September 15 or in state-run colleges across the three states.

"The scholarship is an attempt to empower women to change their life and the world. Enrollment ratio of women pursuing higher education in the country is low and many give up higher study due to lack of financial support," said Wipro Consumer Care Chief Executive Anil Chugh in the statement.

About 60 per cent of the scholarship is earmarked to encourage students to study humanities, liberal arts and sciences.

About 50 per cent of the scholarships are reserved for applicants from the backward districts in the three southern states.

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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.