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Belagavi, Jul 23: As many as 14 persons have been arrested following last night’s violence at Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) - District Hospital.

Angered over the death of a Covid-19 patient, family members had turned violent and damaged the BIMS with stones and set an ambulance on fire alleging medical negligence. 

The 55-year-old male had been admitted to the hospital for treatment on July 19, for treatment of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) and was positive for Covid-19 according to the report received on Wednesday. He died on Wednesday night while being shifted to Intensive Care Unit for treatment of respiratory problems.

Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Two persons were detained in the spot and 12 persons later. The matter is under investigation and the police have launched a manhunt to nab the other accused.

During the violence, a police personnel and five other hospital staff suffered injuries.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in the areas surrounding the hospital to prevent crowd gathering. 

Deputy Commissioner M G Hiremath visited BIMS on Wednesday night and held a meeting with the doctors and nurses treating the patients and those who were at the receiving end of the violence.

Hiremath said that he instilled confidence among the doctors and nurses and assured them that safety measures would be taken. Security arrangements will be made and prohibitory orders will be imposed. Presently entry of people has been banned, he said.

Police Commissioner Dr K Thiyagarajan said that cases will be filed against all those responsible for the violence. People whose vehicles have been damaged can also file complaints.

Mangaluru, Jul 26: Rubbishing reports about cancellation of institutional quarantine for international passengers in Mangaluru, local health authorities have clarified that 14 day isolation including first seven day institutional quarantine must for international passengers. 

For past couple of days rumours were doing rounds on social media that the government has done away with quarantine for international passengers. A few Mangaluru-based news portals also had published it as news without quoting any reliable sources. 

Meanwhile, district health officer in his clarification message said that neither Karnataka government nor Dakshina Kannada district administrant has revised the quarantine norms for international passengers. 

“Those who arrive from overseas must remain in isolation for 14 days. Out of this, seven days have to be spent in institutional quarantine (in hotel or lodge). During this period, the throat swab sample of the person will be sent for covid-19 testing. If the report is negative, then they will be sent to home quarantine for another seven days."

He said that concession in terms of number of days has only been given for people with other health conditions, children and the elderly. "For children below 10 years, pregnant women, elderly above the age of 60 years and other with other ailments, the throat swab will be collected on the second day of institutional quarantine. If the report turns negative, they will be sent to home quarantine for 14 days."

Bengaluru, Feb 28: The Liquefied Petroleum Gas penetration in Karnataka is 'absolutely 100 per cent' due to the Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana, Indian Oil Corporation Karnataka Executive Director D L Pramodh said here on Friday.

In 2014, LPG penetration in the State was only 68 per cent, but after the PMUY, massive number of gas connections were given in the last five years, he said, adding, "It is absolutely 100 per cent today."

"There are 1.6 crore LPG connections out of which around 31.5 lakh -- or around 20 per cent -- come under the PMUY. The 100 per cent LPG penetration in the state will help women in rural areas to make their kitchens smokeless. Against the national average of 2.88 cylinders per family per PMUY annually, the figure is Karnataka 3.4 cylinders in Karnataka," Pramodh told reporters.

On the initiative of blending ethanol with petrol, he said it's 8.6 per cent in Karnataka, the highest comparedto other states, where it's five per cent to 5.5 per cent. The state aims to increase it to 10 per cent. By March 31, the IOC would commission the Rs 10 crore Vapour Recovery System at the Devanagonthi terminal on the city outskirts which would ensure that vapour does not go out in the air when tankers are being filled with fuel. "This is an important measure taken tominimise pollution", he said.

Pramodh also said the IOC has started mobile fuel dispensers, delivering fuels at the doorsteps.

Regarding the IOC's preparedness for Electric Vehicle charging stations, Pramodh said the Ministry of Power has given the company a target to set up 500 charging stations across India in the first phase. The IOC has already signed MoUs with NTPC, Power Grid Corporation Limited, Hyundai Motors, Tech Mahindra and Tata Power in this regard.

In Karnataka, 58 sites have been identified for setting up charging and battery swapping stations.

"Total electric vehicle charging facilities planned by IOC in Karnataka by March 31 is 34, out of which 26 will be EVcharging sites and eight battery swapping stations," Pramodh said.