Mangaluru: Youth turns crime fighter, catches chain snatcher after chase

Tumakuru, Apr 12: Fearing the spread of COVID-19 in Muddenahalli village, the villagers shifted to living in tents in nearby fields with most of their belongings.

Kariyappa, one of the villagers said, "We were scared of the COVID-19 spread, so we came here."

Around 60 families of the village lived in tents for three days, before they returned to their houses on the advice of the Tehsildar.

So far, 214 COVID-19 cases, including six deaths, have been reported in the state of Karnataka.

With 34 deaths and 909 new positive COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of coronavirus cases in India on Sunday reached 8356, including 716 cured and discharged, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Bengaluru, Jan 29: Ramesh Jarkiholi on Tuesday demanded that he and all the newly elected MLAs, who won the bypolls after defecting from the Congress and JD(S), be inducted into the cabinet — likely on January 31 — as promised by chief minister BS Yediyurappa.

"We are hoping all 11 MLAs will be made ministers," Jarkiholi said. "That is what the BJP and the CM promised us and we hope they will keep their promise." This is the first time Jarkiholi has spoken in public on cabinet berths, ever since reports surfaced of the party high command not being in favour of inducting all the turncoats into the council of ministers.

Jarkiholi also said fellow rebel AH Vishwanath should be given a ministerial berth.

Vishwanath, formerly of the JD(S), had lost the bypolls. Jarkiholi said the rebellion would not have succeeded had it not been for Vishwanath.

"Those of us who rebelled against the JD(S)-Congress coalition government got a shot in the arm when Vishwanath supported us," Jarkiholi said. "It is imperative that we support him," he said, even as he sought to distance himself from comments made by newly-elected MLAs ST Somashekar and D Sudhakar, who said Vishwanath cannot demand a ministerial post.

Meanwhile, the BJP issued another deadline — January 31 — to expand the cabinet. "In all likelihood, cabinet expansion will take place on Friday," said an aspirant for a berth. But several BJP functionaries are skeptical of meeting the new deadline.

"Till now, the CM has not been given the green signal by the high command. This is all I can say," said a senior minister in Yediyurappa’s cabinet, while insisting he wouldn’t be surprised if the exercise was postponed till the Delhi elections are over.

Former minister and independent R Shankar, who along with Mahesh Kumatalli and Shrimant Patil accompanied Jarkiholi to a trip to Nanjangud, Mysuru district, has upped the pressure on Yediyurappa to field him in the bypoll to the lone vacant council seat. "I am confident the CM and the BJP will honour promises made to me," Shankar said.

The former minister had joined the BJP during the rebellion, but was not given a ticket to contest the bypolls.

In Chikkamagaluru, deputy chief minister Govind M Karjol insisted he is prepared to step down if needed to enable new entrants into the cabinet. "I’m a disciplined solider of the party. If the BJP directs me to submit my resignation, I will do so and return my official car and take a bus to Bengaluru," Karjol said. He said anyone who doesn’t respect the party line will not grow. "It is imperative to toe the party line," he said.

Bengaluru, Apr 14: The Karnataka government has decided to adopt “remote monitoring” of COVID-19 positive patients in order to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals - the frontline warriors against the pandemic.

Two doctors treating COVID-19 patients tested positive recently and in to check such instances in future, the Department of Medical Education is planning remote monitoring, which reduces doctors’ exposure to patients.

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar has consulted some of the doctors in the United States who are already using this technology to treat the COVID-19 positive cases. The minister is also having a meeting with representatives of some of the companies which provide such technology.

“I spoke to a team of epidemiologists and heads of certain departments at the United States to know about the remote monitoring technology they are using. I am also meeting the representatives of a few such companies which can provide us with the technology at our hospitals,”  Dr Sudhakar said.

Track state-wise coronavirus cases here

The minister added, “We have heard reports of many doctors and other health professionals succumbing to COVID-19. We don’t want to take risk.” Explaining the technology, Dr Sachidanand, Vice Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences said that remote monitoring uses a software with which specialist doctors can monitor health condition of patients and treat them by not getting exposed directly.

The presence of all the doctors in COVID-19 is not necessary when patients are monitored remotely.