Sehwag replies to Kargil martyr’s daughter's anti-ABVP post

Belagavi, Mar 7: Karnataka Urban Development Minister B A Basavaraj on Saturday said that government would a take decision very soon regarding conducting city corporations election in the state.

Speaking with the media after review meeting at Belagavi city corporation (BCC) here he further said that delimitation exercise of the wards has to be done followed by reservations.

The minister stated that discussions would be held with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and would arrive at a decision to conduct the election in about a month’s time.

Mandya, Apr 25: An FIR was registered against JD(S) MLC KT Srikante Gowda, his son, and three others for protesting against coronavirus testing of journalists in Karnataka's Mandya city on Saturday.

According to the police, JD(S) MLC KT Srikante Gowda, his son Krishik Gowda, Chandrakala Aythu, Jagadish, and Raju have been named as accused in the FIR filed at Mandya West police station.

The FIR has been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Disaster Management Act including unlawful assembly, rioting, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, negligent act likely to spread infection of a deadly disease, etc.

Gowda, along with a group of locals, had created a ruckus objecting to the coronavirus testing of journalists at Ambedkar Bhawan in Mandya here earlier today.

Police said that a journalists' association had filed a written complaint seeking the registration of an FIR in the matter.

As per an order by the state health department, medical professionals were conducting health tests of journalists at Ambedkar Bhawan in Mandya when Gowda along with some locals started protesting, officials said.

Further actions are being taken, police said.

Mangaluru, May 6: Amidst delay in repatriation of Kannadigas stuck in Gulf countries including UAE and Saudi Arabia, on behalf of the office bearers, the executive committee and members of the Bearys Chamber of Commerce & Industry, its president Mr S M Rasheed Haji and executive committee member U T Ifthikar Ali today (May 6) called on authorities concerned in Dakshina Kannada to persuade them to follow up with the State and Central level authorities.  

The duo met Nalin Kumar Kateel, Dakshina Kannada MP, who immediately contacted Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, over phone and urged him to take up the issue with the external affairs ministry. Mr Joshi told Mr Kateel that efforts are still underway to bring back Kannadigas stranded in Gulf countries. However flights schedules are yet to be finalised.

The duo then met Kota Srinivas Poojary, district in-charge minister, who said that the government is prepared to handle the repatriation flights and passengers. 

The duo also met IAS officer Rahul Shinde, who is in-charge of affairs related to international passengers coming to Dakshina Kannada amid covid-19 crisis. Meanwhile, Zakariya Jokatte, president of Jubail unit of BCCI, spoke to Mr Shindhe over phone.

The official explained that the govt has made elaborate arrangements to conduct medical test of passengers on arrival at the Mangaluru International Airport. 

The passengers will be categorised into A, B and C groups depending on their symptoms and co-morbid conditions. The category A passengers (symptomatic passengers) will be sent to isolation hospitals which may be Covid care centres. Category B passengers (asymptomatic but suffering from co-morbid conditions) will be quarantined at hotels, hostels, guest houses etc. Category C passengers (asymptomatic and healthy) will be home quarantined.

The minister and official also sought BCCI’s cooperation in handling the situation. 

Quarantine accommodation facility 

Yenepoya group has already offered two of their hotels as quarantine accommodation and promised to offer one more.  Entrepreneur U Kanachur Monu and many others too have offered their hotels as quarantine accommodation in Mangaluru. 

District administration has asked Treebo, a hotel aggregator to list such willing facilities on their website.