A rainy welcome for Miss World Manushi Chhillar in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi

Mangaluru, May 22: Following requests from Kannadiga entrepreneurs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and persistant efforts of former deputy chairperson of the NRI Forum of Karnataka government Dr Arathi Krishna, the government of India has finally approved the repatriation of stranded Indian expatriate workers amidst prolonged covid-19 lockdown through chartered flights arranged by their employing companies particularly in Gulf region and elsewhere. 

The government has also issued a Standard Operation Protocol (SOP) to be followed to be followed by those who hire the flights. The government's nod will not only allow repatriation of larger number of citizens, who are on wait-lists, but also allows private airlines to get their aircraft, crew, and operational staff actively working again in preparation for resumption of scheduled flights. 

Zakaria Jokatte, CEO of Al-Muzain Est. and K S Sheik, Director of Operations at Expertise Contracting Co. Ltd - both Mangalurean entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia - were among those who had sought permission to hire chartered flights for the immediate repatriation of their hundreds of employees. 

The NRI entrepreneurs in Gulf have thanked Dr Arathi Krishna for continuously persuading the authorities concerned to issue green signal for the operation of chartered flight at a time when there were only a few scheduled flights under Vande Bharat Mission. 

Welcoming the move Dr Arathi Krishna told coastaldigst.com that Indians stranded in any foreign country can utilize this facility. "Initially, I was approached by Mr Zakaria and Mr Sheik who wanted chartered flights to help their employees fly back to India. I asked them to write to the Indian Ambassador in Saudi Araia Mr Ausaf Sayeed. Then I requested the ambassador to forward the request to Joint Secretary Dr Nagendra Prasad, who is in charge of gulf division in the Ministry of External Affairs, and then to Secretary on charge of Gulf and then I requested Secretary of Economic Relations Mr T S Tirumurti who was also in charge of Gulf to follow this up," she said. 

"There were similar requests for chartered flights from African countries too. Then I persisted officers constantly to take it up to the Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and now all the people requesting this from Saudi Arabia have got confirmation from the ministry and communicated by embassy to those who had requested for the chartered flights," she said.

Kalaburagi, Apr 20: With no COVID-19 case reported here on Sunday, the total number of virus-infected people in the district stood at 22.

While three persons have succumbed to the infection in the district so far, three others have been cured and discharged.

"No COVID-19 case was reported in Kalaburagi district today. Total 22 positive cases and 3 deaths have been reported in the district till date. Three persons have been cured," said District Magistrate B. Sharat.

Karnataka's total count of coronavirus patients has surged to 390, said the State Health Department on Sunday.

"Six new cases have been confirmed for COVID-19 in the State from 5 pm on Saturday till 5 pm on Sunday. Cumulatively, 390 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state," it said.

Mangaluru, Apr 12: A 10-month-old baby who tested COVID-19 positive on March 27 completed treatment and discharged from hospital on Saturday.

He was the youngest positive case in Karnataka, from Sajipanadu village in Bantwal taluk.

The child had been with his mother to a relative's house at Monetepadau village, situated on the Karnataka-Kerala border in the first week of March.

A few days later the child developed an acute respiratory illness and tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Treating the breastfeeding child was challenging for doctors as he had to be isolated. A team of doctors from Wenlock Hospital took up this challenge and successfully cured the baby.

Test reports on his mother and grandmother too have returned negative. They too had been under quarantine and were discharged with the baby.

Another positive development was that no COVID-19 case has been reported from the child's village.  

The entire Sajipanadu village was completely sealed after the child tested positive and the district had provided all the necessary supplies to the villagers.