Poultry banned on trains

Following reports of bird flu cases, the Southern Railways has decided to impose a total ban on booking, loading and carrying poultry and poultry products on trains and at railway stations.

The ban will come into force immediately and would be extended if required according to a press release from Southern Railways.

Meanwhile, Health Minister U T Khader has said that bird flu cases have not been detected in Karnataka till now. Speaking at a meeting of health department officials here on Wednesday, the minister said that the flu had been detected in Kerala and the health officials of the districts bordering Kerala had been asked to be on high alert.

He said that the government would launch a programme to tackle hearing impairment. The project will be launched on a pilot basis at Natekal primary health centre in Dakshina Kannada on December 7. Cochlear implant surgery will be conducted free of cost on 50 patients under the programme.