Shettar seeks probe on Indira Canteens violating quantity specifications

Bengaluru, jul 6: With coronavirus cases surging and hospitals saturated with patients, the Karnataka government is setting up intensive care units (ICUs) at COVID Care Centres (CCC) in the state for severe cases needing oxygen, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Sunday.

Covid Care Centres are usually meant for patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

"Initially, 10 ICUs will be set up at every CCC in Bengaluru and in other cities and towns across the state subsequently," Narayan said in a statement in Bengaluru.

The state government has set up CCCs at the GKVK campus, the Haj Bhavan and the Art of Living Foundation campus in the city so far. The government has also set up a more than 10,000 bed CCC facility in BIEC, on Tumkur road, on the outskirts of the city.

"About 100 ICUs will be set up soon at the new CCCs opened at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Ayurveda College, and Koramangala Indoor Stadium," said Narayan.

The sprawling BEIC in the city's northwest will soon have 10,100 beds for treating Covid patients and asymptomatic cases from state-run hospitals.

The state government has also relieved all Health Department employees from administrative and non-medical duties to depute them at the CCCs.

On complaints about the poor quality of food served to Covid patients and the medical staff, Narayan warned the vendors of cancelling their contracts if they did not supply good quality food as per the guidelines.

The minister also directed the Health Department to ensure adequate supply of drugs and medical equipment to all CCCs and state-run hospitals for treating Covid patients.

With a record 1,925 new cases reported on Sunday, the state's tally touched 23,474, including 13,251 active after 9,847 were discharged (including 603 on Sunday), while 372 succumbed to the infection since March 9, with 37 more deaths on Sunday.

Of the total cases across the state, Bengaluru accounted for 1,235, taking its tally to 9,580, including 8,167 while 145 died so far.

Bengaluru, Mar 3: Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that the party's protest will continue until the Speaker will allow them to discuss BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yathnal's recent comments on freedom fighter HS Doreswamy.

"Our protest in the well of state assembly will continue until Speaker allows us to discuss about Basanagouda Patil Yatnal," Siddaramaiah said.

Congress MLAs staged a protest in the Karnataka Assembly and entered the well demanding BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yathnal's apology for his 'Pakistani agent' remark.

Earlier, Congress leaders on February 26 staged a protest on the same issue in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Vidhana Soudha.

Yathnal, on February 25, called Doreswamy a fake freedom fighter and a Pakistani agent while addressing the media. His comments triggered a controversy drawing sharp remarks from Congress and other parties.

Bengaluru, Apr 7:  A group of Muslim philanthropists including a woman were allegedly assaulted by a group of people while they were distributing necessary food items to the needy at Dasarahalli of Amruthahalli Police Station limits in the city.

An FIR has also been registered in this regard and two people have been taken under police custody.

Twenty-three-year-old Syed Tabrez, son of Zarin Taj, secretary of Swaraj Abhiyan's local unit and his mother and friends were attacked by some unknown miscreants at Dasarahalli of Amruthahalli police station limits on Monday while they were distributing essential items to the needy amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

"The incident occurred on Monday. An FIR was filed by the woman stating that she was assaulted by some people. On receiving the information, our officers rushed to Ambedkar Hospital and spoke to one of the victims. As per the complaint, Vidyaranya Pura and Amruthahalli Police have secured two people.

The investigation is underway. It is not a case of communal hatred," said Dr Bheemashakar Guled, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North-East Bengaluru.

Tabrez has suffered minor injuries on his right hand and right leg while others have also suffered minor injuries. They have been discharged from the hospital.

The incident occurred at around 6 pm yesterday when some people came on a motorcycle, carrying bats and started thrashing Tabrez along with others, as per the FIR. Later, the injured people went to Amrutahalli Police Station and filed a complaint there.

Later they went to the Bowring Hospital which was closed. Then, they went to Dr Ambedkar Hospital in KG Halli.

Syed's mother said the accused persons threatened us, saying that "Muslims are poisoning the rations. You people will not deliver the food here. Muslims will have to leave the slum and relocate themselves somewhere else."