Santosh Trophy: Kerala emerges champion
Kolkata: Kerala beat Bengal via the tie-breaker to claim its sixth Santosh Trophy title at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Sunday. In a keenly-contested final, Kerala missed umpteen chances to let the match remain undecided at 2-2 after extra time.
However, the Satheevan Balan-coached side rode on two saves by keeper V. Midhun to win the penalty shoot-out 4-2 and emerge champion after 14 years.
Kerala banked on its robust gameplan to keep Bengal at bay in the first half.
The host showed aggression but Ankit Mukherjee and Jitin Murmu failing to capitalise on good chances.
While Kerala marked the Bengal players tightly, the home team valued ball possession.
Nevertheless, Kerala showed its perfected art of scoring off counter-attacks. S. Seesan precise long ball set up an unmarked M.S. Jithin, who ran unchallenged into the Bengal box before beating goalkeeper Ranajit Majumder in the 19th minute. Bengal's steady moves earned it a few opportunities but hit a compact wall built by Rahul V. Raj, Vibin Thomas and S. Lijo.
Dead-ball specialist Tirthankar Sarkar's aerial attempt was collected by Midhun and Bidyashagar Singh's effort from close was saved by an alert G. Sreerag.
Kerala found a few more chances, but Jithin Gopalan could not connect one from the edge of the box and V.K. Afdal shot over the bar to waste a superb move crafted by P.C. Anurag on the right and M.S. Jithin on the left.
A wasteful Kerala allowed Bengal to fight back in the second half as Anurag missed a sitter after receiving a fine pass from M.S. Jithin.
Bengal’s efforts bore fruit in the 68th minute. Substitute Rajon Barman worked his way up on the right, squared it up inside the area for Murmu to strike high into the net.
Even as Bengal maintained pressure, Kerala had its chances. However, Jithin Gopalan could not score off a rebound while Afdal hurried on a shot and the action stretched into extra time.
After Bengal lost Barman to a red card for crashing into the rival ’keeper while crafting a move, Kerala scored through Thomas. He rose high to head in a Jestin George cross from the left.
Tirthankar's low left-footer free-kick from just outside the box beat Midhun in the dying moments to take the match into the shoot-outs.
The result: Kerala 2 (M.S. Jithin 19, Vibin Thomas 116) bt Bengal 2 (Jiten Murmu 68, Tirthankar Sarkar 120); Shoot-out: [Kerala 4 (Rahul V. Raj, Jithin Gopalan, Jestin George, S. Seesan) bt Bengal 2 (Tirthankar, Sanchayan Samadder).
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
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.
