Owaisi to campaign for JD(S), BSP candidates in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Jul 2: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Thursday launched the ICU Telecard, developed by CISCO to address the concerns of doctors treating coronavirus patients.

Wi-Fi networks and Cisco Health platform help to protect the entire medical team dealing with the infected person by ensuring that doctors do not have to be inside isolation wards and COVID ICUs.

The ICU Telecard has been installed at Victoria and KC General hospital.

"This technology is a necessity to safeguard health of our doctors and it should be implemented in all hospitals. We will discuss about this in the task force meeting and decide regarding the use of this technology in all COVID hospitals in the state. For now, we have installed one at Victoria and KC General hospital" said the minister.

Addressing the complaints of non-release of dead bodies without coronavirus testing, Sriramulu said: "Experts have discussed the same in a meeting with the Chief Minister yesterday, who has ordered for an increase in the number of testing labs. This should resolve the issue. We are also contemplating the conduct of plasma therapy in all districts."

The minister said that the government has also decided to reserve two ambulances for every ward to address the issue of non-availability and will procure more ambulances on rent if the existing ones are insufficient.

He further informed that those who were seen dumping the bodies in a pit in Ballari have been suspended and notice has also been served to officials in Yadagiri.

"We will ensure such instances do not repeat in the state," he said.

Hassan, Mar 13: In what could have been a major tragedy, an under construction flyover across Hassan-Mangaluru railway level crossing, near the new KSRTC Bus stand here collapsed today.

Fortunately no casualties occurred despite six concrete beems of 50 feet height, collapsed and broke into pieces.

The much awaited project was completely neglected by the successive governments for over a decade due to politics.  It was sanctioned eight months ago.

The Rs 42 crore project was taken up by a joint venture between state, center and South Eastern railway. The contractor or the Engineer were not present when the incident occurred.

Blaming the contractor, the locals alleged that poor quality of work led to the incident. No contractor or engineer was present even during construction, they added. Siddaiah, who runs an eatery near KSRTC bus stand said that it could have been a major tragedy if people were underneath the flyover when it crashed. The incident should be probe and the contractor should be punished, he added.

May 28: The Karnataka State Election Commission on Thursday announced postponement of gram panchayat polls citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Out of 6,025 gram panchayats, the tenure of 5,800 gram panchayats will end by June-August 2020.

"After examining the feasibility of conducting general elections to gram panchayats, the State Election Commission, considering the current situation as exceptional circumstance, has decided to temporarily postpone the general elections to the gram panchayats," the SEC said in a release.

It said after examining the situation in the days to come, the decision will be taken on holding the general elections to the gram panchayats.

The CEC also states that report by Deputy Commissioners of districts on holding the elections was verified and it has been found that district administrations are involved in COVID-19 related work and there will be shortage of staff and transport facilities for the elections. Besides, there would be a problem in maintaining law and order.

Last week through a letter to Deputy Commissioners of districts, the commission had sought opinion on holding panchayat polls amid the COVID-19 crisis. It had also pointed out that electoral roll needs to be prepared and reservations had to be allocated as per the new amendments.

Stating that the state election commission's decision to postpone gram panchayat elections was against the provisions of the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act 1993, the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said the Congress will question this "undemocratic act" in the court of law.

He accused the commission of playing to the BJP's tune and said the congress will protest the decision at gram panchayat level.

Opposition parties in the state, especially congress, have been demanding elections.

The government was in favour of postponement of polls and wants to have administrative committees to govern the panchayats, until the polls are held, according to government sources.

The Congress, raising apprehension about administrative committees, has accused the government of conspiring to have ruling BJP workers as its members.

A congress delegation had last week submitted a petition to State Election Commissioner B Basavaraju and urged the Commission to hold elections.

The congress had even suggested continuation of sitting panchayat members until the polls are held, instead of appointing administrative committees.