Karnataka imposes fresh restrictions amid covid surge; shuts gyms, swimming pools

News Network
April 2, 2021

Bengaluru, Apr 2: Amidst fresh spike in covid cases, the Karnataka government today ordered the closure of gyms and swimming pools and capped the seating capacity in theatres at 50 per cent in a new set of guidelines. 

The new restrictions will be in force till April 20, Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar said in his order. 

Besides the closure of gyms and swimming pools, the government has ordered apartment complexes to shut common facilities such as party halls and clubhouses. 

“In cinema halls, alternate seating subject to a maximum of 50 per cent seating capacity only shall be allowed in the districts of Bengaluru Urban and Rural, including BBMP, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Bidar and Dharwad,” the order stated. 

Gatherings and functions are prohibited in places of religious worship, but individuals are allowed to visit them and offer prayers, the order specified. Restrictions on public gatherings and congregations during religious festivals and jathras/fairs will continue, it added. 

The government has also clamped down on rallies, dharnas irrespective of the reason. 

The order stated that classes 6-9, including Vidyagama, will be suspended, but that classes 10-12 can continue. However, physical attendance is not a must. Even college classes will be closed, except those due for board or university exams. 

Similarly, boarding schools and residential hostels will be closed, except for students of classes 10-12 and college-goers appearing for exams, the order stated. 

Public transport will function normally without exceeding seating capacity. 

The new curbs signal the alarm within the B S Yediyurappa administration as the number of Covid-19 cases in Karnataka breached the 10-lakh mark this week. “It has been observed that there has been a persistent rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the state during the last one month,” the order pointed out. 

In the districts of Bengaluru Urban and Rural, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Bidar and Hubballi-Dharwad, the number of customers in pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants is capped at 50 per cent. 

“Strict Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) like ensuring wearing of masks, physical distancing, provision of hand sanitiser/hand wash shall be enforced. If there is any violation in pubs, bars, clubs, restaurants, the facility shall be closed till the pandemic is over,” the order stated. 

The above rule will apply to shopping malls, closed markets and departmental stores, which will be closed if violations occur. 

The number of persons allowed for various activities will remain the same: 500 people at marriages if it is an open space, 200 in a hall or a closed space; 100 people at birthday celebrations in open spaces and 50 in closed spaces; 100 people at funerals in an open space, 50 if closed; 50 people at cremations and burials; 100 people in all other congregations; 500 are allowed in religious and political gatherings in open spaces.

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News Network
March 27,2025

nandini.jpg

The Karnataka government has announced that Nandini milk will become ₹4 costlier per litre starting April 1, 2025. This is the second price hike this year.

The decision was made during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna and Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh said the increase is meant to support dairy farmers by covering the rising costs of producing and processing milk.

Officials also said that:

>> The extra money from the price hike will go directly to the milk producers.

>> The earlier ₹2 price hike (announced on June 26, 2024) will be withdrawn.

>> The new price hike of ₹4 will apply to both 500 ml and 1-litre packets.

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coastaldigest.com news network
March 20,2025

Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), Karnataka’s second busiest airport, has seen 148.5kg of gold smuggled between 2019 and December 2024, with 90% arriving from the UAE. Customs officials recorded 346 cases, averaging 30kg of gold seized per year (2.5kg per month). Most smugglers are from Kerala and Bhatkal.

A senior customs officer revealed that MIA sees at least five gold smuggling cases per month. Numbers dropped during the pandemic but surged after flights resumed. Many offenders are first-time carriers, while some are habitual smugglers. With fewer flights, customs thoroughly checks passengers, making smuggling harder.

Smugglers constantly innovate concealment methods. Hiding gold in the rectum remains common, but gold is also found in trolley bags, mobile covers, chocolate boxes, milk powder, biscuit packets, and clothing layers. Electronic devices like car speaker magnets, LED bulbs, AirPods, wristwatches, and ballpoint pens have been used.

Unusual tactics include hiding gold in a woman’s hairband, a baby’s diaper, and even a kheer mix packet (347g). In one case, a passenger attempted to smuggle 100g in his mouth under a mask but was caught.

Officials note that while the UAE remains a key source, smugglers now bring gold from other Gulf countries, continuously adapting to evade detection.

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News Network
March 28,2025

chaos.jpg

When the ground violently shook beneath his feet, Prem Kishore Mohanty, an Indian expatriate in Bangkok, was attending his five-year-old daughter's school sports day. What began as a routine event—children competing, parents cheering—quickly turned into a moment of panic as tremors struck.

"I felt my head spinning and had to sit down. The overhead lights swayed, and chairs moved," said Mr. Mohanty, 44. The school's PA system quickly announced an emergency evacuation, directing everyone to the outdoor field while warning against using nearby lanes lined with high-rise towers.

Water from rooftop swimming pools, including those at the InterContinental Bangkok, cascaded down buildings, as captured in viral videos.

Fear and Chaos as Bangkok Shakes
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter in Myanmar, sent powerful tremors into Thailand, bringing Bangkok to an abrupt standstill. Public transport was suspended, traffic snarled, and people evacuated buildings, waiting anxiously for the all-clear.

Earthquakes are rare in Bangkok, a city more accustomed to heat and monsoons than seismic shocks. For the Mohanty family, who live in a high-rise apartment in Sukhumvit, confusion and fear gripped them as the evacuation began.

"It was terrifying. We were told to take the fire escape stairwell and wait outside. There was no time to think," Mr. Mohanty recalled.

Now safe, he remains shaken by the unexpected jolt that turned a normal day into a moment of chaos for his family and thousands across the city.

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