Hahaha..! How will Dr' Kanhaiya treat his patients, wonders Hindutva leader

Mangaluru/Mysuru, May 19: Though the Karnataka government permitted the private buses, operators in Dakshina Kannada district have decided not to operate buses until May end. In Mysuru district too the private buses remained off the roads.

Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners’ Association President Dilraj Alva said “Technically, private bus operators are not able to operate services as all of us have surrendered our permits. If we start services we will have to pay the tax for entire month. Hence, we have decided to resume bus services from June 1.”

The private buses had suspended their services since March 24.

In addition, bus owners also have two more demands which the state government needs to consider on priority, he said.

“We have requested the government to exempt private buses from paying tax for the next six months. We were not plying buses during lockdown and it will be tough for us in the next three months to operate as per new conditions.”

“The government has allowed only 30 persons in each bus to maintain social distancing. In addition, we have been urging the state government for bus fare revision since 2013. The government has revised the bus fares of KSRTC twice after that,” Alva said adding that bus owners will be meeting Mangaluru RTO on Tuesday.

Bengaluru, Jul 3: Over 35 acres of land in nine villages on the outskirts of Bengaluru have been earmarked for burial and cremation of bodies of COVID-19 victims after concerns were raised over the safety of funerals being held in burial grounds located in residential areas.

Deputy Commissioner of Bengaluru Urban District GN Shivamurthy issued an order setting apart about 35.5 acres in the villages under four Taluks of Bengaluru North, Bengaluru South, Anekal and Yelahanka.

The order directed the respective Tahsildars to register these chunks of land as reserved for burial grounds and not to use for any purpose.

According to the sources in the district administration, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu and Revenue Minister R Ashoka had directed the officials to identify places on the city outskirts to dispose of the bodies of COVID-19 victims.

Mr Sriramulu had on Wednesday said COVID-19 victims will not be laid to rest in burial grounds in the city and separate places will be earmarked on the outskirts in the backdrop of safety concerns raised by public.

He had also warned against unscientific disposal of used Personal Protection Equipment kits worn by the families of the victim for the final rites, referring to reports about such instances.

In some places, people have also expressed concern over bodies of those who died of the coronavirus being buried in their neighbourhood.

New Delhi, Jan 24: A nurse from Kerala employed at a hospital in Saudi Arabia has tested positive for the deadly novel coronavirus, Union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan said on Thursday.

The minister confirmed that about 100 Indian nurses working in the Saudi Arabia hospital were tested following the threat of coronavirus and one of them was found infected by the deadly virus.

Taking to Twitter, MoS (MEA) Muraleedharan said, "About 100 Indian nurses mostly from Kerala working at Al-Hayat hospital have been tested and none except one nurse was found infected by Coronavirus. Affected nurse is being treated at Aseer National Hospital and is recovering well."

Earlier in the day, he had said that he was in touch with the Indian consulate in Jeddah to provide all possible support to the nurses quarantined at Al-Hayat hospital.

"Spoke to @CGIJeddah on Indian nurses quarantined at Al-Hayat Hospital, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia due to Corona virus threat. They are in touch with hospital management and Saudi foreign Ministry. Have asked our Consulate to provide all possible support", he had tweeted.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday wrote to the external affairs ministry seeking intervention in Corona outbreak among Kerala nurses in Saudi Arabia

"Corona outbreak among nurses in Azir Aba Al Hayat hospital in Saudi Arabia should be considered serious and necessary steps must be taken", he had said through the letter.

The chief minister had also requested MEA to communicate with Saudi Arabia to ensure proper treatment and protection for the patients.