Young medico's book released

Mangaluru, May 19: An Indian expatriate worker hailing from Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, who was undergoing treatment for covid-19, passed away in Kuwait.

He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter. His family resides at Kashimath, Vittal in Bantwal taluk.

According to sources, he was unwell for past one month and had been diagnosed with covid-19 infection.

The last rites were conducted in Kuwait. Under the guidance of the priests of the local church, prayer and other last rituals were performed at his home in Bantwal.

He had visited this hometown last year for the wedding of his daughter, sources said.

Bengaluru/Ballari, Jan 7: Former minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan of the Congress set a one-week deadline for the BJP government on Monday to arrest Ballari City BJP legislator G Somashekhara Reddy for his recent speech warning Muslims of dire consequences if they continue to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Police have already booked Reddy, younger brother of tainted mining baron G Janardhan Reddy, under section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) of the Indian Penal Code.

However, Khan took the fight to Reddy a step further. “If the government fails to arrest Reddy by January 13, I will stage a dharna outside his house in Ballari, come what may. Let them do whatever they want,” Khan told reporters in Bengaluru.

In his speech at a pro-CAA rally organized by BJP workers and ABVP activists in Ballari, the BJP legislator had said, “We [Hindus] are 83% and they [Muslims] are 17% and if we take law into hands, you know what will happen.”

Khan said on Monday, “I challenge Reddy, the coward, to unsheathe his sword and cut me down first. It is absolutely shameful for a legislator to speak such things against a particular community. Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who often says Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, silent?”

On his part, Reddy on Monday said he stood by what he said. “What I meant was you Muslims should not get swayed by CAA protests and damage public property. We [Hindus] are sons of the same mother and live peacefully. However, they [Muslims] should not test our [Hindu] patience. I stick by my words 100%,” he said.

A delegation of the Ballari district Congress unit also submitted an appeal to the deputy commissioner, inspector general of police and superintendent of police on Monday to arrest Reddy for his provocative speech.

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.