Arathi Krishna meets NRK businessmen, labourers in Jubail

Kalaburagi, Feb 16: Fourteen years of life in jail has not deterred Subhash Patil from fulfilling his dream of becoming a doctor.

The 40-year-old man from Afzalpura in Karnataka's Kalaburagi was put behind bars in a murder case while doing MBBS in 1997.

Speaking to media, Patil said, "I joined MBBS in 1997. But, I was jailed in a murder case in 2002. I worked at the jail's OPD and was released in 2016 for good conduct. I completed my MBBS in 2019."

Earlier this month, Patil completed a one-year mandatory internship for getting the MBBS course degree.

Police arrested Patil in 2002 in a murder case when he was in his third year of MBBS course. A court sentenced him to life imprisonment in 2006.

He was put behind bars but he did not give up his childhood dream of becoming a doctor.

In 2016, police released Patil on Independence day for his good conduct.

Bengaluru, April 7: Karnataka government on Monday allowed bakeries and related product food units in the state to open and function with minimum staff amid a coronavirus nation-wide lockdown.

A circular issued by Rajendar Kumar Kataria, Secretary to the government said, "The Central government has permitted the functioning of food units engaged in bakery and biscuit, condiments, confectionery and sweet for manufacturing, supply and operating retail outlets with minimum staff/labour."

The circular said these units shall strictly follow the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka government with regard to the preventive measures to be ensured for combating COVID-19.

"It is stated that all employers shall ensure that these units maintain high standard of health, hygiene, sanitation and social distancing. The units shall not permit serving/dining in the premises and only parcel/takeaways are permitted," the circular added.

Bengaluru, Jul 10: Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers under the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) on Friday held protests in different parts of Karnataka, demanding personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and a salary of at least Rs 12,000 per month.

According to Madhu Kumari, an ASHA worker from Kalaburgi, ASHA workers currently receive a salary of Rs 3,000 per month.

"Our demand is to increase our wages to at least Rs 12,000 per month. We have been making this demand for the last six months but we have not received any response from the authorities. We will not go back to work until we are given an appropriate response. We did not want to create a difficult situation but the government has given us no choice," Kumari told ANI.

Clad in their signature pink saris, the women were holding posters in their hands and raising slogans to demand appropriate salary for their work and the necessary equipment to protect themselves from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Farhana, an ASHA worker protesting in Shivamogga, said that the women have been making demands for PPE kits since June 30. "We have been taking care of COVID patients for the last few weeks but have not received adequate PPE kits. A few of us received some in the beginning but they were not enough. We are not even given hand sanitiser or masks to protect ourselves," she added.

"We have sent letters to the District Commissioner's Office and to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare but our pleas have gone unheard. We are protesting to get the attention of the concerned authorities," she added.

They also demanded that authorities to conduct their COVID-19 tests as they have to deal with patients infected with the virus.

Sajida, an ASHA worker in Kalaburagi said, "We are very stressed about the COVID situation. We take care of sick people day in and day out, but no one is there to take care of us. We want the government to conduct COVID tests for all ASHA workers in the state."