Youth carries father's body in hand cart as hospital denies vehicle

Bengaluru, Jul 2: Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused BS Yediyurappa-led state government of "failure" to protect the citizens from coronavirus, stating that Karnataka was suffering due to lack of co-ordination in the cabinet.

In a series of tweets, the JD(S) leader slammed the state government for wasting their time in giving out contradictory statements regarding COVID-19 figures instead of learning lessons from the Kerala government.

"It is shocking to see COVID-19 patients being turned down by the hospitals due to lack of beds. The government has failed in its duty to protect the citizens. The CM and his cabinet colleagues wasted precious time in mere talking for the last three months. As the escalated Covid numbers stare them in the face, they are now helpless," Kumaraswamy wrote.

"Even when you have a proven model in Kerala government's success in Covid management, the ministers waste time in issuing contradictory statements and doing nothing. Karnataka suffers due to lack of co-ordination in the cabinet," he said.

Urging the government to act together, he said that if the government does not get its act together, the day is not far when Covid patients would be "condemned to die on the streets."

We are already seeing heart-wrenching stories of patients denied treatment," he added.

Kumaraswamy also appealed to the Karnataka government to consider the suggestions he had made earlier and not to indulge in party politics in these testing times.

"I appeal to the government to consider the suggestions I made earlier and act accordingly. This is not the time for party politics."

Bengaluru, Feb 28: The Liquefied Petroleum Gas penetration in Karnataka is 'absolutely 100 per cent' due to the Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana, Indian Oil Corporation Karnataka Executive Director D L Pramodh said here on Friday.

In 2014, LPG penetration in the State was only 68 per cent, but after the PMUY, massive number of gas connections were given in the last five years, he said, adding, "It is absolutely 100 per cent today."

"There are 1.6 crore LPG connections out of which around 31.5 lakh -- or around 20 per cent -- come under the PMUY. The 100 per cent LPG penetration in the state will help women in rural areas to make their kitchens smokeless. Against the national average of 2.88 cylinders per family per PMUY annually, the figure is Karnataka 3.4 cylinders in Karnataka," Pramodh told reporters.

On the initiative of blending ethanol with petrol, he said it's 8.6 per cent in Karnataka, the highest comparedto other states, where it's five per cent to 5.5 per cent. The state aims to increase it to 10 per cent. By March 31, the IOC would commission the Rs 10 crore Vapour Recovery System at the Devanagonthi terminal on the city outskirts which would ensure that vapour does not go out in the air when tankers are being filled with fuel. "This is an important measure taken tominimise pollution", he said.

Pramodh also said the IOC has started mobile fuel dispensers, delivering fuels at the doorsteps.

Regarding the IOC's preparedness for Electric Vehicle charging stations, Pramodh said the Ministry of Power has given the company a target to set up 500 charging stations across India in the first phase. The IOC has already signed MoUs with NTPC, Power Grid Corporation Limited, Hyundai Motors, Tech Mahindra and Tata Power in this regard.

In Karnataka, 58 sites have been identified for setting up charging and battery swapping stations.

"Total electric vehicle charging facilities planned by IOC in Karnataka by March 31 is 34, out of which 26 will be EVcharging sites and eight battery swapping stations," Pramodh said.