Dr Arathi Krishna urges immediate evacuation of stranded Kannadigas from Saudi Arabia, free quarantine facility

Bengaluru, May 3: Renowned Kannada poet KS Nissar Ahmed passed away on May 3.

Winner of several awards including Karnataka Sahitya Akademi Award for Poetry, Rajyotsava Award, Padma Shri among others, Ahmed died at the age of 84

Bengaluru, Apr 28: Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday demanded that the Karnataka government announce a "special package" for unorganised sector workers, street vendors and autorickshaw drivers, among others, all daily wagers whose lives are affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. "..a special package needs to be announced to this section of people, this is the demand," Siddaramaiah, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, told reporters here.

Alleging that the government has failed to control the spread of coronavirus, he said it is the government's responsibility to take care of the basic needs of those from the unorganised sector, whose lives have been impacted by the lockdown. "It is the duty of the government and they should do it immediately. The package should also be announced. I will hold discussions with leaders of other opposition parties like JD(S), CPI, CPI(M) and BSP in this regard and also on trouble faced by farmers," he added. Alleging discrimination in supply of food packets and ration kits, Siddaramaiah said it was being supplied properly only in constituencies represented by BJP legislators.

"Politics is being played out in supply of food materials to the needy, keeping corporation elections in mind.... We don't want to do politics at this point in time as there is lockdown. If things continue to be the same after the lockdown ends, we will protest on the streets," he said.

Siddaramaiah on Tuesday interacted with representatives of auto rickshaw and cab drivers, street vendors, barbers, unorganised workers organisations, among others, to understand the difficulties faced by them during the lockdown and to know whether help from the government has reached them. He said most of them don't have work and it has become difficult for them to lead their normal lives.

They raised several issues like auto and cab drivers being unable to pay road tax and EMI, he said, adding that he would write a detailed letter to the Chief Minister in this regard The former Chief Minister pointed out that there is about 21 lakh registered organised workers, 1.32 crore lakh unorganised workers and also agriculture labourers in the state.

"Among organised workers only 12.5 of the 21 lakh are said to be getting Rs 2000, that too from the Employees Welfare Fund, while others could not get any money, citing reasons like they have not renewed it," he said.

On the other hand, unorganised sector workers don't get money and were also not getting proper food or ration kits, he alleged Though the labour department claimed that it was supplying one lakh food packets and 1.5 lakh ration kits, as also corporations, there were leakages and it was not reaching the beneficiaries properly, he said.

Bengaluru, Jul 21: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that everyone has to fight COVID-19 while maintaining a stable economy and lockdown is not the solution.

While briefing the media after a meeting with Health Minister B Sriramulu and officials here, CM Yediyurappa said, "There will be no lockdown from tomorrow, people need to get back to work, the economy is also very important. We have to fight COVID-19 while maintaining a stable economy. Lockdown is not the solution, now restrictions will be placed only in containment zones."

"People who came from Maharastra and Tamil Nadu added to the COVID-19 cases in Karnataka. Experts have suggested a 5T strategy - Trace, Track, Test, Treat and Technology. Our COVID warriors are working day and night to safeguard the people of the state, we have to maintain social distance, wear a mask while going out," he added.

CM Yediyurappa further said that more than 80 per cent COVID-19 cases in the state are asymptomatic.

"Five five per cent need ICU or ventilators, 11,230 beds are kept ready for the use of people including private hospitals, medical colleges. The real-time dashboard is ready to serve the people. Now onwards, test report will be given within 24 hours. SSLC exams were conducted successfully. More than 8 lakh students wrote exams in such a situation," he said.

Commenting upon the allegations of COVID-19 mismanagement labelled by opposition leaders, CM Yediyurappa said, "I request all the opposition leaders not to make unnecessary comments. I request Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar and others to suggest us valuably to fight corona together."

"We will give all the details which are required to D K Shivakumar, Siddaramaih, H D Kumaraswamy. Not even one-rupee corruption is done in COVID-19 management. We will give you all details. No official misused any funds, being opposition leaders, you have all rights to check documents, we will provide them," he added.

Taking to Twitter, Health Minister B Sriramulu said that the decision to raise the salary of 2,000 AYUSH doctors to Rs 45,000 was taken in the meeting.

"The decision to raise the salary of 2000 AYUSH doctors to Rs 45,000 was taken at a meeting chaired by our Hon. Chief Minister Shri @BSYBJP. Assurance has been given that the demand of private AYUSH doctors too will be reviewed and a decision regarding the same will be taken at the earliest. All doctors who were protesting for the same have withdrawn their resignations and reported to work," he tweeted.