Mangaluru: Mescom officer Rahman ends life by jumping off Netravati bridge

Bengaluru, June 27: In the wake of mounting covid-19 cases across Karnataka, the state government has decided to extend the night curfew hours and to re-impose Sunday lockdown. 

Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa held an emergency meeting on Saturday with the state's top officials to discuss measures to further contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. 

During the meeting, it was decided that a state-wide lockdown will be imposed on each Sunday starting July 5. Only essential services and supplies will be allowed on Sundays.

Timings of the night curfew have also been revised to 8 PM - 5 AM from the earlier 9 PM - 5 AM. “We have decided to impose a curfew starting Monday, June 29, from 8 pm to 5 am every day. Right now, the curfew timing is 9 pm to 5 am, but it’ll be advanced by an hour to 8 pm,” said Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai

Commissioner of Bengaluru's civic body, BBMP has been directed to set up more wholesale vegetable markets to deter large crowds.

Meanwhile, government offices in Karnataka will open only five days a week and the weekend will be off for government employees.

It was also decided during the meeting on Saturday that a centralized bed-allocation system for Covid-19 patients will be taken up to ensure that each patient gets a bed without overwhelming the healthcare infrastructure.

Yediyurappa has also instructed officials to increase the number of ambulances for Covid-19 patients to 250 apart from arranging separate vehicles to carry mortal remains of victims. The police control room will aid officials in identifying the location and easing the movement of ambulances.

Information about nodal officers working for COVID management will be published. Joint Commissioners of 8 regions will be given additional responsibilities and KAS officers will be appointed to assist them.

The services of 180 ESI doctors appointed by the Labour Department will also be relied on by the state government. CM Yediyurappa has also asked officials to reserve wedding halls, hostels and other institutions in Bengaluru as COVID Care Centres.

Bengaluru Urban DC, on the other hand, was instructed to identify more places for the last rites of patients and also to form more teams for this purpose. 

The BBMP Commissioner has been told to notify reservation of 50 per cent beds in medical colleges and private hospitals.

Mangaluru, June 10: Former minister and Mangaluru MLA U T Khader has hit out at the Karnataka government for what he opined that it is misusing the Epidemic Diseases Act to target opposition parties. 

The statement comes in the backdrop of state government’s move to scuttle oath taking ceremony of KPCC president designate D K Shivakumar.

Asserting that the oath taking will be a grand affair, Mr Khader said that Congress will not be browbeaten by the tactics of the BJP.

Citing the blatant violation of all norms laid down under the Act by minister for health B R Sriramulu at Chitradurga earlier this month, Khader told reporters that the BJP is using the Act for its narrow political gains.

“KPCC has twice deferred swearing in ceremony of Shivakumar after being given the oral go ahead,” Khader claimed, adding the state government must explain to people the issue it has with the Congress organising this function.

Referring to the back-to-back virtual political rallies – one for Bihar and the other for Odisha – on Sunday and Monday that union home minister Amit Shah conducted, Khader wondered if the Act did not apply to the BJP leadership.

Hubli, Feb 17: A local court here on Monday sent three Kashmiri students who were arrested on charges of sedition to judicial custody till March 2.

They were arrested for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans and posting a video of the same on social media, told police.

All three were taken into custody by the police on Sunday night and were produced before a local court on Monday.