Bengaluru: Workers' protest turns violent; highway blocked for 10 hours

April 19, 2016

Bengaluru, Apr 19: Protests by thousands of garment factory workers against the Centre's new policy on provident fund (PF) withdrawal here on Monday turned violent, forcing the police to resort to lathi-charge and firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.

violentAt least 22 police personnel, a press photographer and scores of agitators were injured in the violence. The police were caught unawares as the workers held meetings inside their factory premises around Bommanahalli area after the management announced that they will implement the new PF policy which prevents employees from getting the employers' contribution if they quit before attaining 58 years of age.

The protesters resolved to march to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation office at Singasandra, near Bengaluru-Hosur national highway, and submit a memorandum. As they reached the highway, they decided to block the road, bringing traffic to a grinding halt for more than three hours as vehicles were stranded from Silk Board junction to Attibele Gate.

The police, who were outnumbered, decided to summon additional forces to deal with the situation. By the time forces reached the spot, the mob went berserk. After several warnings, the police used force to disperse the protesters.

On Bannerghatta Road, around 10,000 women garment workers, employees of Shahi Exports Pvt Ltd and K Mohan and Co Exports Pvt Ltd, staged a protest between Hulimavu and Arkere signals. Police fired tear gas shells after their efforts to persuade protesters from lifting the road blockade proved futile.

Cop thrashes press photographer

A policeman in plain clothes attacked press photographer Srikanta Sharma R who was clicking pictures of the brutal lathi-charge on women protesters on Bannerghatta Road on Monday.

The policeman, attached to the Hulimavu station, not only injured Sharma on his left thigh, but also broke his camera lens and then confiscated it, knowing very well that Sharma was just doing his job. When asked if he had permission to use force, the policeman turned furious and verbally abused Sharma, and even punched him in the face.

The camera was recovered only after DCP (South) Lokesh Kumar and other senior police officers intervened. Such was his audacity, that when asked why he attacked a photojournalist, the policeman threatened Sharma of serious consequences in the presence of his higher-ups.

Highway blocked for 10 hrs

Thousands of vehicles were stranded on the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway for more than 10 hours after 4,000 garment employees blocked the road near Maddur on Monday.

Comments

KhasaiKhaane
 - 
Tuesday, 19 Apr 2016

Can Any of the Sanghis explain this Modimnomics of PF withdrawal ?

#ACHEDINAGAYE

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News Network
August 7,2020

Madikeri, Aug 7: Two days after massive landslides triggered by heavy downpour in Kodagu, five people including a priest are still missing. 

The landslide, which originating at Brahmagiri Hills in Talacauvery, swept away two houses on Wednesday night.

This missing people are: Talacauvery temple chief Narayana Achar (70), his wife Shantha (70), brother Ananda Theertha Swami (87) and two assistants — Ravi Kiran (26) and Srinivas (30). Achar’s neighbour had shifted out of Bhagamandala earlier, fearing a landslide. 

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to stop rescue operations due to bad weather. The operations resumed today. 

“There are many minor landslides on the way to the spot,” said Kodagu Deputy Commissioner C Annies K Joy, adding that the flood situation at Bhagamandala was not permitting earthmovers to reach the spot. Heavy rain between Wednesday and Thursday triggered landslides. 

Bhagamandala Panchayat Development Officer Ashok said a notice was issued to the priest’s family to shift out of the house, but they chose to stay back. 

On Thursday morning, when the Talacauvery temple staff went to check on Narayana Achar, as he had not reached the temple for the daily puja, they found levelled land and debris where Achar’s house stood. Utensils, puja material and clothes were found nearly 2 km away at Cherangala. 

As rains continued over the last few days, many rivers are flowing above the danger levels, forcing people to move to safer places.

 Responding to the situation, which is turning grimmer by the day, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is currently undergoing treatment in a private hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, directed ministers to visit rain-hit areas and supervise relief efforts. He has also assured of providing required financial assistance for those affected.

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News Network
March 27,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 27: India should take a cue from the UK and Italy and allow final year medical students to skip exam and bring them into the hospital system immediately to fight the war against COVID-19, noted cardiac surgeon Devi Prasad Shetty on Friday said.

The Chairman and Founder of the city-based Narayana Health said there should be some reforms in medical education like the UK and Italy.
In the UK, he noted, final year medical students have been told that they don't need to appear for the exam, and they will be given pass based on the past performance and they can get into the hospital system to fill the shortage.

Italy got 10,000 more doctors following the move to cut short the duration of MBBS by nine months, according to him.

COVID-19 battle can be only won by young doctors and young nurses. Its like a war, Shetty told PTI.

He said: Senior doctorsnone of them will be able to touch the patients because they are past the age of 50. A person who is past the age of 50 is very vulnerable himself.

This is a very contagious disease. "But we dont have that many battalion (of doctors). We need one and half lakh doctors to manage all these government
hospitals and private hospitals (to fight COVID-19)", he added.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Bengaluru, May 11: As many as 343 Indians returned to Bengaluru from London by a special Air India flight on the fifth day of 'Vande Bharat Mission' on Monday. They arrived at the Kempegowda international airport at 4.40 am.

All passengers were found to be asymptomatic on arrival except one 27-year-old woman who had had an incomplete abortion and had vomiting on arrival. She has been shifted to KC General Hospital in Malleshwaram.

Dr Prabhu Dev Gowda, an officer on duty for COVID-19 screening at Kempegowda International Airport, said, "A 27-year-old woman has had an incomplete abortion of her three-month-old foetus before taking the flight from London. She was vomiting on arrival. She was shifted to Aster CMI Hospital for emergency care.”

“Thereafter, she and her husband were shifted to KC General Hospital in Malleshwaram. They will be in isolation there. Since there is nobody to look after her, we have to let the husband accompany her to the hospital where they will be in quarantine."

The patient was famished and was provided a few idlis on arrival, he added.

After she recovers at the hospital, the couple will be shifted to a hotel. As per protocol, their throat swabs were taken for COVID-19 testing too. All passengers whether symptomatic or not are being tested for COVID-19.

Dr Manjula Devi, District Health Officer, Bengaluru Rural district said that all passengers were found to be asymptomatic on arrival except this woman who is being treated as a non-COVID-19 emergency.

Ajith Rai, Devanahalli Tehsildar told DH, "All passengers have chosen to go to hotels over government hostels. We're yet to tabulate how many have chosen budget hotels, three-star and five-star hotels. Twenty of them are still here. The process is on."

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