Seer defends iftar party in temple, says 'didn't hurt sentiments'

Bengaluru, Apr 12: Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday appealed to the Central government to announce the rent rebate scheme for the benefit of tenants in the wake of economic activities coming to a grinding halt due to COVID-19 related lockdown.

In a series of tweets, Kumaraswamy said people are facing difficulty in paying rent as usual and hence the rent rebate scheme should be initiated.

"Many countries have already announced rent rebate scheme for tenants during COVID19 emergency. It is surprising that Indian Govt has not announced any such relief even to residential tenants. I urge the PM to immediately come to the rescue of everyone living in rented housing," Kumaraswamy tweeted.

He said a considerable workforce and students in metropolitan cities live in hostels and rented houses.

As all economic activity has come to a grinding halt, it is very difficult for them to pay the rent as usual.

The Prime Minister must announce rent rebate scheme, he added.

Highlighting the plight of the tenants, Kumaraswamy said, "If the landlords insist on rent, the tenants cannot even go searching for new accommodation due to the emergency. Hence the government intervention is essential. The PM must announce a comprehensive national rent rebate scheme for COVID-19 emergency."

Bengaluru, May 7: Karnataka has revised its standard operating procedure (SOP) for international passengers. The first group of passengers will arrive in the state on May 8.

The number of categories has been reduced to two from three. Category A includes passengers symptomatic on arrival while Category B passengers are those asymptomatic on arrival. These are passengers who are either healthy or those having co-morbidities.

As per the revised SOP, the passenger will be released on the seventh day, if tested negative, to strict home quarantine for another seven days with stamping.

This norm is in contradiction to the Ministry of Home Affairs’ SOP for international passengers. As per the MHA’s SOP, the passengers (asymptomatic) will be under institutional quarantine for 14 days. Testing negative after 14 days, they will be allowed to go home and will undertake self-monitoring of their health for 14 more days.

On the contradiction, Pandey said, "We don't take chances as we rely on tests instead of just quarantining. Other states may be depending on just 14-day institutional quarantine."

"GOI SOP doesn't talk about Covid tests on international passengers. We have put an additional safety layer of three Covid tests on returnees -- one on arrival, second from 5-7 days and last on 12th day. This will ensure definite identification of positive cases even if they are asymptomatic and their subsequent treatment. We should look at the spirit behind the order," he added.

On the 14-day additional reporting period for category B, he said, "It is implied as category B patients should report to us for 14 days after their first 14-day quarantine period is over."

Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said that the State would follow the Centre’s norms.

Till Tuesday, Karnataka’s SOP had three categories. Under Category A (symptomatic), 14-day institutional quarantine at COVID-19 Health Care Centre was mandatory followed by 14-day reporting period. Under Category B (asymptomatic above 60 years with co-morbidities), seven-day institutional quarantine at hotel/hostel followed by seven-day home quarantine and 14-day reporting period had been recommended. The 14-day home quarantine and 14-day reporting period was mandatory for Category C (asymptomatic).

Dubai, Jun 9: A young NRI engineer in Dubai, who supported his pregnant spouse to file a plea in the Supreme Court of India for early repatriation from the UAE amid the coronavirus lockdown passed away in his sleep of suspected cardiac arrest.

The deceased identified as Nithin Chandran (28) and his wife Athira Geetha Sreedharan (27) had hit headlines in the past after the latter filed a writ petition seeking assistance to be repatriated to India, following the suspension of flights to the country, as she was due for the delivery of their first baby in the first week of July.

Chandran, a mechanical engineer was working at a construction firm in Dubai. According to the reports, he had stayed back in UAE after sending his wife home on the first day of repatriation from Dubai on May 7 under the Vande Bharat Mission.

The deceased was receiving the treatment for high blood pressure and a heart condition and is suspected to have died of a heart attack while asleep, his friend said. However, the exact cause of his death is yet to be known.