Cong, JDS gear up for coordination panel meeting amid fears of operation Kamala

Bengaluru, May 3: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday said that his government has allowed labourers to travel to their hometowns in the state on KSRTC buses free of charge for three days starting on Sunday.

"Labourers have been allowed to travel in KSRTC buses free of charge from the district centres and capital Bengaluru to their hometowns in Karnataka for three days from today," Yediyurappa said.

"The government will bear the cost of travel. The concern is that a large number of labourers should not assemble at any bus stop," he added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 1, issued an order to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from May 4 and also allowed the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places, by special trains.

Mangaluru, Jun 3: Mangaluru MLA and former minister U T Khader has urged the state government and Dakshina Kannada district administration to take steps to facilitate the return of Indians stranded in foreign countries amid covid lockdown.

A delegation comprising Mr Khader, DCC President K Harish Kumar, and MLC Ivan D’Souza met District In-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary and submitted a memorandum on Tuesday.

“Kannadigas who are working outside the state are in distress due to the lockdown. More than 50,000 people had uploaded applications on Seva Sindhu portal seeking permission to return to their villagers and are waiting for permission. With the authorities failing to take any decision, they are worried,” said the delegation.

The government should initiate measures to get them back and quarantine them, urged the delegation.

Mr Khader said, “Many workers stranded in foreign countries are eager to return home. The district administration should make arrangements to quarantine those returning from foreign countries and other states.

There are thousands of migrant labourers from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar stranded in DK. They are waiting to return to their families. The state government should facilitate their return journey, the delegation urged.

MLC Ivan D’Souza said, “Assistance should be provided to private bus staff, beedi workers, tailors, garage labourers and street vendors who are in distress. The price of Covid-19 tests in private laboratories should be reduced.”

The delegation informed that after Wenlock Hospital was converted into the designated COVID-19 hospital, poor patients are facing many inconveniences. A portion of the hospital should be earmarked for treating other patients, they said.

Bengaluru, Mar 5: Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal's wife Priya Bansal has filed a dowry harassment case against the entrepreneur at Kormangala police station in Bengaluru, sources said.

Priya alleged that ahead of their wedding, her father had spent Rs 50 lakh for the arrangements and given Rs 11 lakh in cash to Sachin instead of a car. Further, she has also alleged that Sachin has been pressurising her to transfer all the properties that were in her name to him. However, after refusing to do so her in-laws started harassing her.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against Sachin and three others at Kormangala police station in Bengaluru.

The police are investigating the matter.

Further details awaited.