Bengaluru, Jul 17: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday said lockdown is not the solution for controlling COVID-19 and made it clear that there was no proposal before the government to extend it in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru urban and rural areas are currently under "complete lockdown" since 8 pm of July 14 and it will be effective till 5 am on July 22.
With the spike in cases, speculations were rife that the current lockdown is likely to be extended for 15 days, as that much time is required to break the chain.
"Lockdown is not the solution to control COVID. There is no proposal before the government to extend the lockdown," Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
The Chief Minister today chaired a meeting with Ministers who have been made in-charge of eight zones in the city and officials regarding the COVID-19 situation in Bengaluru.
Earlier too, on July 13, the eve of the lockdown, Yediyurappa had said the government did not plan to extend it in Bengaluru urban and rural districts, and had appealed to the people to cooperate by not paying heed to rumours.
However, earlier today city Mayor M Goutham Kumar and commissioner of the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike B H Anil Kumar had favoured its extension.
They had said that in their personal opinion, a 15 day lockdown would be good, as that much time is required to break the chain.
The Opposition Congress too had asked for a minimum of 15 days lockdown after taking expert opinion.
"Respected Chief Minister, you have imposed lockdown in Bengaluru, but it is difficult to expect results from this lockdown, which has been imposed just for for the sake of it.
Take expert opinion and enforce strict lockdown in Bengaluru at least for 15 days.
If not, even if God comes,it will be difficult to protect Bengaluru," KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre tweeted.
Speaking to reporters after attending the meeting chaired by the CM, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said lockdown will not be extended and all activities can resume as usual from July 22.
"Lockdown will not be extended. I'm saying this after discussing with the Chief Minister. There is no such thinking before the government.
CM has got report from the experts, it was discussed in the meeting.
By lockdown we can only postpone things, we have taken that breathing time.
If we continue lockdown it will keep on continuing," he said.
The Minister said the process of sealing places, wherever required, would continue.
He said the plan to conduct more tests was discussed at the meeting and all the required zone wise arrangements would be made
"We also discussed about beds and shortage of ventilators and steps will be taken to arrange for them," he said.
As of July 16 evening, cumulatively 51,422 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 1,032 deaths and 19,729 discharges.
Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 25,288 infections.
Out of 4,169 fresh cases reported on Thursday, a whopping 2,344 were from Bengaluru urban alone
At the meeting, the Chief Minister said all necessary steps should be taken to clear all the difficulties faced by infected patients in getting admitted to hospitals.
The CMO statement quoted Yediyurappa as directing Ministers to hold meetings with private hospitals to ensure that COVID and non COVID patients get treatment.
Warning of strict action against private hospitals if they don't allocate beds for COVID patients,he said volunteers and nodal officers would be appointed to gather information about admission of such patients and availability of beds
The Chief Minister said rapid antigen tests should be conducted on those dying at hospitals or homes and necessary action taken to hand over the bodies or to conduct last rites as per the procedures, depending on the cause of death.
Recruitment was on to appoint doctors to resolve shortage, he said,adding that volunteers have been identified in each ward for micromanagement and ambulances allocated.
Marriage halls and lodges have been selected in all wards for those not having separate quarantine facilities, Yediyurappa said and stressed on increasing testing.
Deploying extra police force at places where there are chances of people gathering in large numbers, ensuring beds availability and ambulances within two hours of a patient testing positive- with decentralized monitoring, giving priority to those symptomatic above 65-years during allocation of beds were among directions given by the Chief Minister.
In a release issued here, he said that some people were spreading false messages regarding the functioning of customs, immigration, security and airlines at the airport. But all operations were running smoothly, he said.
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NOT AT ALL WELL ... if someone want to experience the Truth then just Go to Mangalore Airport and see how they treat Burka and Beard Clad commuter, and the Emigration and CISF / Security personnel attitude which is very pathetic and too bad and sometime they make their Security DOG to snip the luggage and also sometime snip the said passenger.
you find lots of discriminate and bias right from luggage porters to the Emigration personnel...
....
I have seen officials at Mangalore Airport abusing Muslim men and women (Kerala) arriving from Gulf. If it is not for their hard earned money of these young men and women working in Gulf and spending in India. India would have become another Somalia.
Guys it is time to hit them were it hurts their wallet. Soon you guys can fly to Kannur Airport until then fly Cochin International Airport or Bombay International Airport ( they have improved their customer service) You have the power to stop the abuse...
Dear Airport Director,
Please install CC camera on each and every counter and all the places, then you will realize that your these INNOCENT staff's rude behaviour. They are making problems only for one community and blind for others. Please treat us also Indian, we are not from any other country. Please ask your people to behave with us atleast we are humans and we do have our self-respect. Hope you could do this. Tnx.
Bribery is very common in customs
All is not well,
I will share my experience when I traveled from Mangalore to Dammam.
We were 3 friends together travelling, along with us there was a guy travelling first time to KSA. One of my known friend told me that to take care & help his relative because he is first time to Saudi. We started together & we 4 got boarding pass. Then we 3 finished emigration check & 4th one was new guy, emigration staff didn't process his emigration work, I was waiting for him to come for 10 min. Then I went back to emigration counter & asked what is the problem. And our conversation was like below
Emigration staff :new guy was mentioned his profession as driver in the form.
Me : what is the problem with that ?
Emigration Staff : he don't have Indian driving license
Me : so what ?
Emigration Staff : Without Indian driving license how he will work in Saudi, I wont allow him to travel
Me : with Indian driving license he cannot drive in Saudi, he has to get Saudi license to drive
Emigration staff : no way
Me : Pls allow him,
Emigration staff : no way, you go away or give me your passport I will fix you the case against you
Then I left from & another guy from our group went & same conversation happened with them.
Flight was ready to take off, we are waiting for him, at last minute he came. He told us Emigration staff was demanding for money about 10,000 rupees, he had only 1,000 rupees & he gave him.
First thing to do is terminating Radhakrishna is the best solution & Emigration, custom staffs.
I request the authorities please donot be partial to one community. Donot give communal colour to customs checking atleast. Of course we love our city and would like to travel via mangaluru only. As you said we rely on your words. Kindly do the needful assistance for the travellers
I traveled many times from Dammam to mangalore I want to share my experience here tooo please airport authority take seriously ..
when we go to the immigration line .. there is one guy for stamping go out he behaves like we are coming from central jail .. he treats us like we are his slave and he behaves like a boss
asking wen u came last time y u r coming every 6 month this is none of his business his job is once we reach there check in his pc if the passport is matching to indian authority
after that wen I went to collect language realy very bad asking wt is that wt is this they are sreening if they have doubt they have to open and tie it properly and give back if any muslim ladies looking for gold wt they wear ...
but mom muslim men if he wear chain no question....
soon kannur airport is going to open.. then mangalore will learn soon..
Mumbai airport is better then mangalore as by my experience because I dnt want o say everyone need to take their own experience as specially muslim...
All is not well, CBI should inquire about this situation....harassing innocent people is not at all acceptable....custom officers have different kind policy towards Muslims....even if they carry authorized amount of gold still they check every parts of body....it is obnoxious...should not be allowed....it is better airport director come and see what is going on around at the time of arrival and till all passengers left from airport....
Ibrahim Hussain Udupi, CISF personnel are not kept for communicating in local languages but to look after the security of the Airport and us. It is very good that they have not kept local personnel. The immigration officers have to ask the new recruits many questions as there is lot of fraud visas being issued and they turn up at the Gulf countries and have to be put in jail or have to be deported back (many cases in the papers) for which I think you do not contribute (you would have know if you had contributed). Why bring religion into this as we know that educated Muslims are not targeted as myself and my family members have not faced any such questions in any of the Airports in India. I have flown out of Mumbai, Bengaluru,Delhi, Kochi, Calicut. How come you were scared to request muslims to stand against the comment of the MP from North Kanara but jump to comment on this subject. Do not be selective in standing up to issues of muslims. We do not require support who have double standards and double speak.
There must be some problem. Otherwise, the passengers would not have expressed their anger over social media.
The main reason for this is, losing faith in system or with the concerned authorities. They are still not sure that the authorities will help them for their smooth travel.
1st thing we need to understand that, all those who travel trough the airport are not smugglers or thieves. Yes security should be tightened but should not look at them with some prejudice. And the truth is that, smugglers keep very good relationship with the airport authorities and they will make sure that, they have hassle free travel. No question of religion/caste/creed comes here.
What the Director should do now is that, instead of wasting the time with media persons, Call the entire Airport staff and give them an excellent 2 day customer service training, So that, they will learn how to deal with the passengers who spend a lot and come there. And ofcourse , as you know the long journey in flight is really tiring for most of them.
Most of the complaints read and read, looks sending Free of cost 'WHATS APP\ really most of the Patience gone out of order, very, simple example to say After long struggling at least we Mangaloreans got International Airport, which we passengers or Public using a lot by Mr Ibrahim Hussian's community is saying nonsense, Language, The question to Him Why Your speaks, not Joining this Job?? you are always Job less Job Likers!!!!! at least wake up, and 99% of Gold Smugglers in your Great Group Mr Ibrahim, Question in Emigration is required getting afraid baseless, sure Uneducated cannot understand then complaining????.
Be perfect first then look others man!!!!
Jai Hindustan
Jai Siddaramanna
Jai Radhakrishna."
As far as my experience is concerned, I don't have much concerns about the security checking. But, in terms of maintenance, the authorities need to pay attention. Here, I would like to share my experience;
Few days back when I had to travel via Mangalore Airport, I was desperately searching for a dustbin to throw a coffee cup. I was running from counter to counter for at least three places thinking that the Emigration officers might have such an arrangement to throw a waste paper. Unfortunately I didn't find anything. Finally I was directed towards restroom.
I just wonder why Airport Authority of India fails to meet a traveler's basic needs despite being collecting huge amount in the name of airport maintenance.
look at the below fare details in rupees for a ticket from Kuwait to Mangalore;
Economy class Air fare 2000
Fuel Surcharge 5233
user Development Fee 856
passenger Service Fee 237
Passenger Service Charge 74
Development Charge 300
Total 8700
Now, my fellow CD readers have to tell; Are we enjoying the equal benefits for what we pay? Most of them might have traveled through Mangalore Airport. For me, All's not well these!
There are lots of ambiguity in Mangalore Airport. The CISF personnel are from north India, except Hindi they cannot speak no other languages. Their attitude in security checks at the departure is horrible. Insulting passengers specially aged people deplorable. At Immigration counter at departure, they ask many questions to the new recruits where they were harassed without any faults. For Muslim passengers there is double standard in immigration and security checks as they treat very badly.
Recently, during my travel back from Saudi Arabia, a Muslim girl was detained for several questions at customs check. She was so afraid of these customs officials. Later she was allowed to walk free. I think and propose Mr. Radhakrishna, must have a look at these counters solving agony of the passengers. The NRI's coming from the gulf countries are not thieves or smugglers. They work hard and bring lots of foreign exchange to the nation that cannot be ignored. To their contribution to the country, in return they do get no facility example is recent budget. From their earnings thousands of families living with peaceful life. Comparing to Mangalore airport, Mumbai airport is better these days for international passengers, only the problem is transit for Mangaloreans.
Because of problems only now most of the Gulf passengers like to travel via Bombay airport. They don't like to travel FROM Mangalore Airport directly. Who said don't have problem???
Dear Sir, are you sure that people will get help???
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