Now, Bengaluru eyes Odd-Even formula to check traffic, pollution

Bhatkal, Mar 24: Two people, who arrived from Dubai at Mangaluru International Airport on March 21, were tested positive for coronavirus.

A 40-year-old man has been tested positive for the dreaded killer disease Covid-19 while 65-year-old man, who arrived on same day from Dubai, has also been tested positive for the virus. The person reportedly took train from Mangaluru to Bhatkal after arriving at Mangaluru International Airport.

Both of them hailed from Bhatkal and are currently hospitalised and their direct contacts are being traced by the authorities.

Mangaluru, May 4: No major crowds were seen in the coastal city of Mangaluru today except in front of the liquor shops after the district administration relaxed the lockdown norms for 12 hours a day (between 7am and 7pm).

There was no mad rush of vehicles either on city roads when the relaxed lockdown began. There were fewer people to buy essentials in front of grocery and vegetable shops as they had time till late evening.

There was no let down in the number of police pickets as well as curbs on vehicular movement across the city either. 

The government has allowed sale of liquor in CL2 (standalone wine shops) and CL 11 (MSIL outlets) to mop up revenues when Lockdown-3 commenced from Monday. Compared the other parts of Karnataka, the size of queues in front of liquor shops in Mangaluru were smaller. 

Like other parts of the country, the lockdown was imposed in the coastal district on March 24 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Prior to that, a curfew was imposed in the district from March 22 midnight. The lockdown did not apply to essential services such as sale of food, groceries, milk, vegetables, fruits, and meat and fish. Gradually the district administration had to intensify the lockdown and allow those shops to remain open only between 7 a.m. and 12 noon. 

With the lockdown relaxation extending till 7 p.m., Mangaluru today witnessed people and private vehicles moving freely in the afternoon for the first time in more than a month. However, only those who had to go for work and do other essential activities were seen on roads. After 7 p.m. movements of all kinds of vehicles will be prohibited. 

The relaxation was to facilitate economic activities that had come to a standstill during the first two phases of lockdown. Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Dr P S Harsha, meanwhile, warned the people against misusing lockdown relaxation and venturing out without any genuine reason.

Bengaluru, Jul 2: Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused BS Yediyurappa-led state government of "failure" to protect the citizens from coronavirus, stating that Karnataka was suffering due to lack of co-ordination in the cabinet.

In a series of tweets, the JD(S) leader slammed the state government for wasting their time in giving out contradictory statements regarding COVID-19 figures instead of learning lessons from the Kerala government.

"It is shocking to see COVID-19 patients being turned down by the hospitals due to lack of beds. The government has failed in its duty to protect the citizens. The CM and his cabinet colleagues wasted precious time in mere talking for the last three months. As the escalated Covid numbers stare them in the face, they are now helpless," Kumaraswamy wrote.

"Even when you have a proven model in Kerala government's success in Covid management, the ministers waste time in issuing contradictory statements and doing nothing. Karnataka suffers due to lack of co-ordination in the cabinet," he said.

Urging the government to act together, he said that if the government does not get its act together, the day is not far when Covid patients would be "condemned to die on the streets."

We are already seeing heart-wrenching stories of patients denied treatment," he added.

Kumaraswamy also appealed to the Karnataka government to consider the suggestions he had made earlier and not to indulge in party politics in these testing times.

"I appeal to the government to consider the suggestions I made earlier and act accordingly. This is not the time for party politics."