Will terminate pact if 108 failed to ensure better service: UT Khader

Davanagere, May 3: Karnataka's Davanagere district on Sunday reported 21 COVID-19 positive cases, said Mahantesh Beelagi, Deputy Commissioner.

The number of COVID-19 patients has suddenly taken a giant leap in the district.

"We had sent 94 samples on May 1, on May 2 we sent 72 samples. Today we sent 164 samples for testing. In the last two days, 21 samples have tested positive for coronavirus, we are tracing to know how did all of them came in contact with COVID-19 infected person," said Mahantesh Beelagi.

"Our surveillance team and police team have started tracing the primary and secondary contacts of all 21 people," he added.
Davanagere is currently in the Green Zone.

Meanwhile, 13 new COVID-19 positive cases were reported in Karnataka till 5 pm on Sunday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 614, according to the State Health Department.

Bengaluru, May 1: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday announced Rs 30 lakhs compensation for corona warriors, in case they lose lives while carrying out their duties.

"Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has announced Rs 30 lakhs compensation for Anganwadi workers & assistants, civil workers, and police personnel who die after getting infected by COVID-19 while carrying out their duties," State Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

According to Union Health Ministry website, a total of 557 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state so far including 223 cured and 21 deaths.

Meanwhile, With 1,823 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours and 67 deaths, India's total count of coronavirus cases has gone up to 33,610, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

Is it highly impossible to have flights to Mangaluru under Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate the stranded Mangalureans in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries? The present mood of the govt seems so are more politics and less actions are seen. 

Amidst covid-19 lockdown, thousands of people from Mangaluru and surrounding areas are stranded in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. They include visitors, job redundants, people who need immediate medical attention, senior citizens, pregnant women, students and people who are eager to visit their ailing family members, especially aged parents back at home. They are all stuck over there seemingly with hopelessness.

It's reported that around Karnataka NRIs (KNRIs) have registered their names under the Mission in the Indian Embassy in Riyadh alone. A majority among them are apparently from coastal districts of Karnataka who are eagerly waiting for the flights to Mangaluru. 

The promises of elected representatives including MLAs, MPs, state and central ministers have remained unfulfilled so far. Now, things are being thrown from politicians to politicians and from politicians to the district authorities and vice versa. It's said that without proper quarantine facility in the district, the repatriation flights can't be approved to Mangaluru. 

Rumours are doing rounds that the hotels in Mangaluru are not ready to facilitate for the KNRIs quarantines; the hoteliers collectively snubbed the instruction of the district authorities. Now, they are, as informed, persuading the hoteliers to allow for the quarantine facility. 

If the hoteliers are stubborn to follow the instructions of the district administration, then why the authorities are not taking action against them under relevant statutory procedure including the revocation/cancellation of their licenses? Are they above the law or govt? For whom the authorities are waiting for? These questions are now being asked by the KNRIs and others. 

Considering this condition, the central ministers and MPs are simply giving evasive answers without any forward thinking. Each one is simply uttering the same dialogue "no quarantine; no flights to Mangaluru". 

A few KNRI businessmen in Saudi Arabia have already chartered flights to transport their stranded employees and others to Mangaluru with the approval of the govt of India. But, the inconsolable thing is that the govt didn't arrange this simple thing that too with the expense of the travellers. 

The people-especially then distressed NRIs still remember late prime minister V P Singh and then external affairs minister I K Gujral for the repatriation of the NRIs during 1990s Gulf war. Everything was free of cost and immediate special flights were arranged to airlift the NRIs in the affected countries. 

Now both Karnataka and India are ruled by the BJP. Then why the non resident Kannadigas, especially those in Saudi Arabia, are direly neglected at this point in time?. Why it's highly impossible for the govts to do this simple job for the KNRIs?  The NRIs are always big assets to the govt. Also, the KNRIs remit billions of rupees to the state in the form of foreign exchange. But, they are now simply ignored. The state govt should immediately look into this dire situation of the Kannadigas in Saudi Arabia and act immediately to schedule special flights to Mangaluru from Saudi Arabia.