BSY dares Cong to face bypolls on Dec 5

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 20: One more person tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 25, as the Left government announced a Rs 20,000 crore financial package to tide over the present crisis being faced by the southern state in the wake of the virus outbreak.

The multi-crore special package includes Rs 500 crore health package, Rs 2,000 crore loans and free ration.

The man who tested positive had returned from Dubai and hailed from the northern Kasaragod district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters after a COVID-19 review meeting.

He said 65 people were hospitalised on Thursday.

"At least 31,173 people are under surveillance, of whom 237 are in observation in hospitals across the state" he said.

Detailing the financial package, Vijayan said loans worth Rs 2,000 crore would be made available to needy families through all-women network 'Kudumbashree' during April-May.

Rural employment guarantee programmes worth Rs 1,000 crore each will be implemented in April-May, he said.

Social security pension of Rs 1,320 crore, to be given in April, would be distributed this month, he said, adding that 50 lakh people are benefited through the pension scheme.

Those belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) and Anthyodaya, who are not receiving social security pension, would be given Rs 1,000 each, for which Rs 100 crore would be earmarked.

Cutting across APL and BPL families, 10 kg free ration would be given and Rs 100 crore would be set apart for the purpose, he said.

A string of 1,000 low-cost hotels, providing food at Rs 20, would be opened across the state next month, the chief minister added.

The 'fitness' charges of autorickshaws and taxis and one month tax of stage and contract carriages would be waived, Vijayan said.

Wayanad/Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 24: Amid the strict lockdown, a school teacher travelled from Thiruvananthapuram to Muthanga in Wayanad -- a distance of about 465 km -- on her way to neighbouring Karnataka en route to Delhi following which cases have been registered against her and an excise official.

The woman, Kamna Sharma, said to be working in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, undertook the journey on April 21 along with her two year-old daughter, police sources told news agency PTI.

An Excise Circle Inspector, Shahjahan, had provided his vehicle to travel allegedly on the instructions of Malappuram excise officer, in whose private vehicle, the woman and the child had reached Wayanad border from Thiruvananthapuram, the sources said.

The two were charged under the Kerala Epidemic Act and various sections of the IPC including sect 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection) and 271 (disobedience to quarantine rule).

Because of the lockdown even inter-district travel is not allowed by police and district administration, unless there is an extremely genuine reason.

A senior police official in Thiruvananthapuram said he does not remember issuing any such pass.

The woman may have "misused" government machinery as private vehicles would have been stopped somewhere during the long journey, he said.

She came to Kalpetta in Wayanad allegedly in an official car of the excise department.

Wayanad District police chief R Elango said that an FIR has been filed based on preliminary information and investigations have begun.

"We will check if she has followed procedures in obtaining a pass and if she made any false claim to get the pass."

As per preliminary information the woman came in an excise official's car from Thamarassery (Kozhikode) to Muthunga(Wayanad), he said. Her mode of transport before that--from Thiruvananthapuram to Wayanad--will also be investigated, he said, adding they have no information if she has reached Delhi.

"We will track down her movement," he said Meanwhile, theWayanad district administration has intensified the lockdown protocol from Thursday to prevent people's movement within and from outside the district/state.

Interception at all the check posts on district an state borders of the district, bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, will also be intensified. No one would be allowed to travel frequently to and fro the district under the pretext of official duty.

Wayanad collector Adhila Abdulla said officials from outside the district will no longer be allowed to commute daily.

"Elderly people above the age of 65 should confine to their homes unless it is extremely urgent or unavoidable. Cases will be registered against family members who allow elderly people to go out for buying medicines and other essentials," she said.

Senior citizens, who live alone, can call either the Fire (101) or Police (100) departments for any help and to get things they need, the collector said.

Whatever relaxations were in place have also been withdrawn with effect from Thursday, she added.

Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram come under the "Orange B" zone where there are some relaxations.

However, Thiruvananthapuram city limits falls under the hotspot area.

Police said a case was also registered against a doctor and her husband who entered Kerala from Tamil Nadu border.

Bengaluru, May 31: Karnataka government on Sunday issued guidelines, which will come into force from June 1 and continue till June 30.

According to the new guidelines, religious places and places of worship for the public, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services, and shopping malls will be permitted to open from June 8.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday announced new guidelines for phased re-opening of "all activities outside containment zones for the next one month beginning June 1.

In an order, Karnataka government said that phased re-opening of areas outside the containment zones, all activities will be permitted, except the following, which will be allowed, with the stipulation of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

PHASE I

The activities will be allowed with effect from June 8 at religious places/places of worship for public, hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality services, shopping malls.

PHASE II

For the opening of schools, colleges, educational/training/ coaching institutions, the State government will hold consultations at the institution level with parents and other stakeholders. Based on the feedback, a decision on the re-opening of these institutions will be taken in the month of July.

PHASE III

Based on the assessment of the situation, dates for re-starting activities will be decided -- international air travel of passengers, except as permitted by MHA, Metro Rail, cinema halls, gymnasiums, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places, social/political/spoils/ entertainment/academic/cultural/religious functions and other large congregations.

The State government said that it will follow the MHA's national directives for the coronavirus management, including compulsory use of face masks and social distancing norms.

"Face coverings are compulsory in public places, workplaces and during transport. Individuals must maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet in public places. Shops will ensure physical distancing among customers and will not allow more than 5 persons at a time," read the directives issued by the MHA.

In the order, State government has said that night curfew will continue to remain in force on the movement of individuals for all non-essential activities outside containment zones till June 30.

Lockdown limited to Containment Zones

* Lockdown shall continue to remain in force in the Containment Zones till June 30.

* Containment Zones will be demarcated by the district authorities after taking into consideration the guidelines of Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

* In the Containment Zones, only essential activities shall be allowed. There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining a supply of essential goods and services.

* In the Containment Zones, there shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance, and other clinical interventions, as required. Guidelines of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka shall be taken into consideration for the above purpose.

* District authorities/BBMP authorities may also identify buffer zones outside the Containment Zones, where new cases are more likely to occur. Within the buffer zones, restrictions, as considered necessary, may be put in place by the District authorities.

Movement of persons, goods

* There shall be no restriction on inter-State and intra-State movement of persons and goods. No separate permission/approval/e-permit will be required for such movements.

* Based on reasons of public health and assessment of the prevalence of Covid-19 in various States separate orders will be issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department regarding the inter-state movement of persons to Karnataka.

* Movement by passenger trains and Shramik special trains; domestic passenger air travel; movement of Indian Nationals stranded outside the country and of specified persons to travel abroad; evacuation of foreign nationals; and sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers will continue to be regulated as per SOPs issued.

The State Government in its guidelines advised persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities, pregnant women, and children below the age of 10 years, to stay at home, except for essential and health purposes.

Guidelines for Aarogya Setu App

* Aarogya Setu enables early identification of potential risk of infection, and thus acts as a shield for individuals and the community.

* With a view to ensuring safety in offices and workplaces, employers on best effort basis should ensure that Aarogya Sew is installed by all employees having compatible mobile phones.

* District authorities and BBMP Authorities may advise individuals to install the Aarogya Setu application on compatible mobile phones and regularly update their health status on the app. This will facilitate timely provision of medical attention to those individuals who are at risk.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday said that lockdown will continue in containment zones till June 30 and only essential activities will be allowed in those areas.

"Lockdown shall continue to remain in force in the containment zones till 30 June. In the containment zones, only essential activities shall be allowed. There shall be strict perimeter control to ensure that there is no movement of people in or out of these zones, except for medical emergencies and for maintaining the supply of essential goods and services. In the containment zones, there shall be intensive contact tracing, house-to-house surveillance, and other clinical interventions, as required," MHA said in its guidelines for #Unlock1.

It also issued new guidelines for phased re-opening of "all activities outside containment zones for the next one month beginning June 1."