Amidst protests foundation stone laid for Koosamma Shetty Haji Abdulla hospital

[email protected] (CD Network)
October 30, 2016

Udupi, Oct 30: Amidst opposition from several quarters, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah laid the foundation stone for the new building of the controversial Government Koosamma Shambhu Shetty Haji Abdulla Memorial Maternity and Children's Hospital here on Sunday.

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The State government has signed a memorandum of understanding with a private entity, BRS Health and Research Institute Pvt. Ltd. (BRSHRI), owned by NRI businessman B.R. Shetty.

Under the MoU, 3.88 acres of land of the District Maternity and Children's Hospital has been given to BRSHRI to construct and run a 200-bed Government Koosamma Shambhu Shetty Haji Abdulla Memorial Hospital, a 400-bed super-speciality hospital, and a community service centre under public-private participation mode.

The BRSHRI will construct the new charitable maternity and children's hospital near the existing 70-bed Government District Government and Maternity Hospital, which will make way after a year for the construction of a 400-bed super-speciality hospital. The 3.88 acres of land (three adjoining sites) has been leased to BRSHRI for a period of 30 years that can be extended by another 30 years.

In his speech, Mr. Siddaramaiah made it clear that the District Maternity and Children's Hospital was not being privatised. Mr. Shetty would only be constructing and running the new maternity hospital, but it will be under the control of a committee under the Deputy Commissioner.

The intention was only to provide better healthcare facilities to the poor and not privatisation. The poor would be treated free at the maternity hospital.

Those referred from the maternity hospital would be treated free at the 400-bed super-speciality hospital, he said.

“Is it wrong to provide free and better healthcare facilities to the poor? In fact, my government had taken steps to check reckless activities of private hospitals,” he said.

Meanwhile, nearly 200 workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by former MLA Raghupati Bhat, Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar and MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, staged a protest against what they termed privatisation of the hospital at Jodu Katte here. They were taken into preventive custody.

The district units of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Janata Dal (Secular) also staged dharnas against the “privatization” move. U.R. Sabhapathi, former MLA, and P.V. Bhandary, convener of Mahila Hagu Makkala Aspatre Rakshana Okkoota, observed a day's fast against the move.

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Members of the district unit of the BJP being taken into preventive custody in Udupi on Sunday.

Comments

abdullah
 - 
Monday, 31 Oct 2016

BR Shetty can construct like this 100 or more hospitals.
Then why is he taking the government land which is donated by Haji Abdullah for poor people???!!!

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News Network
August 6,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 6: No private hospital in Karnataka can turn away a patient without attending to him or her, irrespective of the Coronavirus status, an official has said.

"Private medical establishments shall not deny treatment and admission to any patient approaching the establishment irrespective of the fact that such patient may or may not be suffering from Covid-19," an official from the state Health and Family Welfare Department said on Wednesday.

Likewise, no private hospital can insist on a patient for a Covid-19 test report, said the official invoking the Disaster Management Act.

"The establishments also cannot insist for Covid test report," he said, directing all private hospitals to strictly abide by their responsibilities.

According to the department, it is the duty of every private hospital to provide first aid and take lifesaving steps when any patient approaches it.

"It is the duty of every private medical establishment to provide first aid and take lifesaving measures to stabilise the patient," he said.

The department also invoked statutes from Karnataka Medical Establishments Act 2017, under sections 11 and 11 (A) to drive home the message.

The directives assume significance at a time when several cases of private hospitals denying admissions and fleecing patients across the state have emerged.

"It has been noticed that some of the private hospitals are refusing treatment and admission to emergency patients, causing distress and this has resulted in complications, leading to death in certain cases," said the official.

The district authorities have been directed to take action on the erring hospitals as the department reiterated the responsibilities of private medical establishments.

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News Network
February 27,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 27: Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has again kindled hope for several ministerial aspirants by suggesting he will expand his council of ministers in April. A dozen senior BJP legislators are aspiring for ministerial berths, but there are only six vacancies in Yediyurappa’s cabinet.

However, Yediyurappa suggested on Tuesday he will fill only three spots, one of which would go to Hukkeri legislator Umesh Katti. With this, lobbying has intensified for the two remaining berths as the expansion exercise is expected soon after the budget session that ends on March 29.

The aspirants include Murugesh Nirani, S Angara, Appachhu Ranjan, SA Ramdas, Aravind Limbavali, Narasimha Nayak and GH Thippareddy besides others.

Yediyurappa, it is being said, is keen on inducting Katti and Limbavali since they are close to him. He will leave the decision on choosing legislators for the remaining two berths to the party’s central leadership.

On more than one occasion in the past, Yediyurappa has publicly stated that his wish is to induct Katti, a former minister, into the cabinet. In fact, the CM had wanted to induct Katti in the previous expansion that took place last month, but dropped the idea at the last minute due to pressure from party bosses.

The CM is also under pressure to induct Athani legislator Mahesh Kumatalli, who was among 17 Congress-JD(S) MLAs who resigned to help the saffron party form the government. Several BJP MLAs and Lingayat seers have been piling pressure on Yediyurappa to make Kumatalli a minister as promised.

Kumatalli was denied a cabinet berth only to accommodate Katti. Both are Lingayats and from Belagavi district. As the Lingayat community already has a lion’s share in cabinet berths, the CM cannot afford to induct both.

Nirani, who has been leaving no stone unturned to secure a spot, reiterated his wish to become minister, but insisted he will not lobby for the post.

Yediyurappa has been upset with Nirani for lobbying for a berth through Panchamasali Mutt seer Vachananand Swami. The former minister was also part of the team of alleged disgruntled MLAs which met Jagadish Shettar at his residence to put pressure on the CM for cabinet berths.

However, while expressing confidence of being made minister when Yediyurappa’s expands his cabinet next, Nirani said, “Yediyurappa is not upset with me. My relationship with him is that of father and son. He knows me and what I am.”

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March 24,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 24: Amidst uncertainty and fear in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, the prices of vegetables and fruits have shot up in the coastal city of Mangaluru.

Fearing complete closure of shops, people arrived at the market to purchase vegetables in large numbers today morning.

Encashing the situation, the traders too increased the prices of vegetables and fruits.

Tomatoes that were sold for Rs 15 to 20 per kg in the last few days were sold at Rs 40 to 60 per kg. 

Long yard beans were sold at Rs 50 per kg while okra fetched Rs 60 per kg in the market. Onions were sold at Rs 40 to Rs 60 per kg.

Owing to rumours, the price of chicken was reduced to Rs 50 per kg. On Monday, it had increased to Rs 70 to Rs 80 per kg.

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