Mangaluru: Expert PU College hosts career guidance program–2017

Mangaluru/Udupi, Mar 23: The coastal district of Dakshina Kannada including the city of Mangaluru today refused to return to normalcy from yesterday’s Janata Curfew, as the government imposed lockdown in the district till the month end to contain the Covid-19 caused by the deadly novel coronavirus.

The lockdown coupled with the prohibitory orders under Section 144 has forced all the commercial establishments barring few to remain closed in the district.

The police started issuing stern warning to the people through loudspeakers against venturing out of their homes unnecessarily. People are allowed to move only in case of any emergency or basic needs.

The police warning came after a few people started ignoring the lockdown and ban orders. A few private buses also were seen plying on the roads in the morning.

Under the proibitory orders, the district administration banned from venturing out of their homes except in case of emergency or extreme necessity. All public programmes including religious ceremonies, cultural programmes also are banned. All shops, commercial establishments, workshops and godowns with other unessential goods are supposed to remain closed. Bus service, both government and private, are to suspended. Mass prayers and religious ceremonies are not allowed in temples, mosques and churches. Beaches and other tourist spots are closed.

Udupi

The lockdown in 9 districts of Karnataka has forced many private buses in Udupi to stay off the roads for second day on Monday. Some buses plying between Udupi to Kundapur have resumed service a day after Janata Curfew, with very minimum occupancy.

Due to lockdown in Dakshina Kannada, all services operating from Mangaluru to Udupi, Manipal, and Kundapur have been suspended till the month end. Buses on Karkala-Udupi route have also stopped their operations.

Bengaluru, Jun 23: Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar's wife and daughter have tested positive for COVID-19, a day after his father was confirmed to have been infected with the virus.

"Test results of our family members have come. Unfortunately, my wife and daughter have tested positive for #Covid19 and are undergoing treatment," the minister tweeted on Tuesday.

He said he and his two sons have tested negative.

Sudhakar's father P N Keshava Reddy tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. He was admitted to the hospital with a cough and fever.

Earlier, the domestic help of the minister had tested coronavirus positive and was admitted to a hospital.

In April, Sudhakar was quarantined along with three other ministers for coming in contact with a journalist who was coronavirus positive.

Karnataka reported 249 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths on Monday taking the total number of cases in the state to 9,399 and the death toll to 142.

Test results of our family members have come. Unfortunately, my wife and daughter have tested positive for #Covid19 and are undergoing treatment. My two sons and myself have tested negative. I am grateful to everyone for their best wishes and prayers.

— Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) June 23, 2020

With the steep hike in excise duty in the past couple of months, an average consumer of petrol now pays over 275% in taxes to centre and states on a litre of the fuel.  The base price of petrol is just about Rs 18. The taxes are close to Rs 50 and the pump price is over Rs 72.

India imports 85% of all its crude oil demand.  After a steep hike in excise duty in the past two months despite a hold on daily price revisions by the oil public sector undertakings (PSUs), Indian consumers now pay 275% collectively in excise duty to state and centre. 

The central government hiked excise on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 and Rs 13 respectively last month. The excise duty on petrol is taxed around Rs 33-a-litre while the same on diesel it is Rs 32.

The Value-Added Tax (VAT) on both petrol and diesel is Rs 16.44 and Rs 16.26 respectively. Both the taxes together are around Rs 49 while it is sold at petrol pumps at 73-per-litre.

These two taxes cumulatively account for 69% of tax which is higher than anywhere else in the world. The same is taxed at 19% in the US, 47% in Japan, UK 62% and 63% in France. The government does not pass on the benefit of lower crude oil prices to the customer.

It is to be noted that Indian consumers continued to pay Rs 70-a-litre even when crude oil prices hit a paltry US $ 20-a-barrel on April 12.

Former finance minister and Congress leader recently took a jab at the Centre over rising prices stating, “Fuel selling prices raised twice in two days, following tax hikes two weeks ago. This time to benefit oil companies. Government is poor, it needs more taxes. Oil companies are poor, they need better prices. Only the poor and middle class are not poor, so they will pay”.