JDS-Cong govt is functioning as a commission agent: Yeddyurappa

Bangalore, Feb 1: Following the Directions from department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of Karnataka, to set up Isolation ward for the admission and treatment of the Novel Coronavirus infected patients, Fortis Hospital, Bangalore has allocated 5 isolation beds, 4 at its Bannergatta unit and 1 at Cunningham Road Unit.

According to a statement issued here on Friday, Dr A Nagasubramaniam, Medical Director, Fortis BG unit said, “We are following the guidelines and protocols as suggested by Department of Health and family welfare and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases in line with WHO guidelines for managing any suspected case. We will accordingly notify the health authorities.”

The management has been educating the hospital staff members, visitors and patients about the virus and the precautionary measures on a timely basis. A health advisory on Coronavirus has also been put up at the lobby and the canteen to educate the patient attenders, nurses and staff members, the statement added.

Mumbai, May 13: Members of the Muslim community helped in performing the last rites of their 72-year-old Hindu neighbour in Sewri area here after the deceased's relatives could not reach for his funeral due to the lockdown.

Pandurang Ubale, who was paralysed since the last few months, died at his residence in Zakaria Bunder area of Sewri on Monday. He had been staying there along with his wife and son since some decades.

After his death on Monday, his relatives staying in suburban Mulund, Belapur in adjoining Navi Mumbai and Alibaug in neighbouring Raigad district could not come over to his place in the wake of the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

As Ubale's wife and son were unable to make all arrangements for the funeral, they informed their neighbours, who came forward to help and even prepared the bier.

A neighbour, Asif Sheikh, who attended the funeral, said, We knew Ubale uncle since a long time. He always participated in our festivals and we used to be a part of their festivities. We all came forward to bid him a farewell and helped in performing his last rites."

Last month also,some Muslim men carried the body of a Hindu neighbour in suburban Bandra on their shoulders to the cremation ground after the deceased's relatives were unable to attend the last rites due to the lockdown.

Lucknow, Feb 4: Even as anti-NRC protests continue to rage across the country, the Lucknow University has queered the pitch by demanding citizenship proof from RTI applicants.

The Lucknow University (LU) refused to provide the information sought by the people who filed the Right to Information (RTI) unless they furnished the proof that they were Indian citizens.

Alok Chantia, one of the RTI applicants who was refused information by the varsity, said that he had lodged a complaint with the vice-chancellor of the varsity but even then he could not get the desired information.

"It is shocking how the university has twisted the RTI law as per its whims and fancy. It does not have any authority to do so," said the RTI applicant.

Chantia, also a faculty member at a degree college here, had sought details of appointment of teachers for self-financed courses and their pay scale.

"It is possible that some applicants who may not be familiar with the provisions of the RTI, may have furnished proof of their citizenship to the varsity to get the information but that cannot become a rule," he pointed out.

When contacted, university officials admitted that such a practice had been going on in the varsity for the past few years.

"This practice started during the tenure of the former vice-chancellor S.P. Singh and still continues," said a senior varsity official.