'Kundapur accident that claimed lives of 8 students could have been avoided'

Bengaluru, Jul 7: Former Health minister and Congress MLA UT Khader has alleged that the state government has purchased coronavirus equipment for more than twice the actual price.

"Rs 500 sanitizers have been purchased for Rs 900 and Rs 9,000 has been paid to Rs 1200 for the thermal metre by the government. Instead of asking to allow him to work, Mr B Sriramulu, being health minister he must work for the people," he said.

He said that three months have passed since the pandemic started but the state government is still struggling to send ambulances to needy patients.

"Instead of ambulance it is sending final rights vehicle to needy people," Khader said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 23,474 coronavirus cases in Karnataka including 13,255 and 372 deaths.

Bengaluru, Apr 9: 10 new positive cases have been confirmed in Karnataka, apart from the recent fatality of an 80-year-old woman from Gadag district, the health department said on Thursday.

The fresh cases have been reported in the state from last evening to Thursday noon.

Till date, 191 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed, which includes 6 deaths and 28 discharges, the update said.

Among the 10 positive cases, eight are contacts of patients who have already tested positive- one each from Belagavi, Mandya and Chikkaballapura, two from Mysuru, and three from Bagalkote; while two from Bengaluru city are with a travel history to Delhi.

Three cases from Bagalkote are children- two boys of 4 and 13 years of age, and one girl of 9 years old.

The elderly woman died on April 8 in Gadag, the department said in its mid-day situation update.

Confirming that her reports tested positive on April 7, officials had said, she had a history of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).

Bengaluru, Feb 22: Karnataka legislative assembly speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri has issued a notification banning entry of journalists in the Legislators House.

"Electronic media and print media cannot enter the Legislators House any time," the notification issued by the Speaker's office read.

The notification which was issued on February 18 said, "The legislators come to Legislators House from their constituencies during the assembly session. It is their private time when they stay there. When journalists come to Legislators House to meet them, it's an invasion of their privacy."

"Arrangements will be made for journalists to speak to MLAs outside the gate. No journalist or camera person will be allowed inside the gate," the notification added.

The Legislators House is located near the Vidhan Soudha, the state legislative assembly.