Now devotees in Karnataka can meet their 'gods' online as govt mulls live streaming of pujas, sevas

Bengaluru, Apr 30: The Karnataka government on Thursday decided to allow migrant workers, tourists, students and others stranded in different parts of the state due to the ongoing lockdown to return to their native places, a day after the Centre issued guidelines for the process.

This will be a one-time movement and the government would arrange buses for those in need but they should bear the expenses, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said. He also said people willing to return to the state would have to undergo tests for COVID-19. The decision was taken at the state cabinet meet and it might come into effect from Friday as the Chief Secretary will have to issue an official order, he said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken decision on movement of people and the Centre had issued a circular in this regard. Following this we have decided to permit interstate and inter-district movement," he told reporters here.

Travel expenses should be borne by those willing to return and if they want the government can provide buses from the state transport corporations. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued orders allowing migrant workers, tourists, students and other people stranded in different parts of the country to move to their respective destinations with certain conditions, giving a big relief to the distressed people. Decision on opening of salons and liquor shops will be taken after May 3, he said.

Madhuswamy said permission would be given for one-time movement of labourers and others who want to go from one district to other for work or any other purpose. Those operating industry or establishment and want to move from place to place for management purpose will be given passes with strict scrutiny and through checks.

Responding to a question, the minister said, "we don't know yet how many are willing to go, where they will go, if some one asks for permission, we will permit." "One family or two or three people want to go, they can use taxi. If too many people want to go, we will provide facility through transport corporation buses," he said.

Bengaluru, Jul 19: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa convened a meeting with Private Medical College Hospitals on Saturday to assess COVID-19 management and directed them to provide 50 per cent of the beds, as promised, with effect from Sunday.

The chief minister said that private medical college hospitals need to cooperate as there is a sharp rise in COVID-10 cases in the city. He further said that it has come to the notice of the government that some institutes are denying treatment of COVID-19 as well as non-COVID patients.

The chief minister expressed his concerns over media reports stating several people died as they didn't get timely treatment due to denial from the hospitals. He said that Bengaluru should continue to lead the country as a role model in COVID-19 management.

During previous meetings, private medical colleges had agreed upon providing around 4,500 beds, which would make the total beds available in government and private medical colleges 6,500.

The chief minister expressed dismay over some colleges not providing the number of beds as promised and also about certain lacunae which were noticed by ministers during their visit.
During this emergency situation, we should show humanity. COVID and non-COVID patients shall not be denied treatment and the balance in healthcare system shall be maintained, he advised.

He assured them of all support, including providing doctors and nurses if need be.
The private medical colleges had assured to provide 50 per cent of beds and some colleges offered 80 per cent of the beds for COVID treatment.

Nodal officers have already been appointed to monitor the availability of beds in these medical colleges.

It was decided to issue a notice to Vaidehi Medical College for their absence in the meeting.

Bengaluru, Jun 1: Karnataka's Department of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday released the protocol for inter-state travellers to the State during phased reopening --#Unlock1.

Five points protocol in this regard are: 1. Mandatory Self- Registration on Seva Sindhu Portal by all travellers before entering Karnataka:

a. Name, Address and Mobile Number to be provided

b. No approval required

c. Use of same Mobile number for multiple registrations not allowed except in the case of a family.

d. Business visitors to give details (name, mobile and address of persons in Karnataka they intend to meet).

e. Transit travellers to provide an address in destination state and indicate exit check post from Karnataka.

2. Health Screening of all incoming persons at entry points.

a. Border Check-posts, Airports, Railway stations and Bus stand

b. Home Quarantine hand-stamping on hand for 14-days period as per quarantine norms

3. Quarantine norms are based on three parameters

I. Symptomatic on arrival from any State: 7 days of Hospital isolation at COVID Care Centre(CCC)/Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) followed by 7 days of home quarantine or manage as per symptoms.

II. Test immediately on arrival: If positive, shift to Dedicated COVID-19 Hospital (DCH). If negative, no further test required

III. Asymptomatic on arrival:

* For persons coming from Maharashtra

a) 7 days of institutional quarantine followed by 7 days of home quarantine

b) Test if they develop symptoms during the quarantine period

c) Exceptions for Special Category Asymptomatic persons--14-days home quarantine (one attendant to be permitted) and Special category passengers--Death in the family, Pregnant Women, Children aged below 10 years, Elderly aged above 60 years, Serious illness, Human Distress

d) Business travellers from Maharashtra: To establish that one is a business traveller, a person should show confirmed return flight/train ticket which should not be more than 7 days later from the date of arrival.

In case one is coming by road, he/she should provide the address proof of person in Karnataka he intends to meet. In addition, the person should produce -- one having COVID-19 negative test certificate, which is not more than two days old -- exempted from quarantine.

One does not have a COVID-19 negative test certificate, such a person should go for institutional quarantine of two days within which COVID-19 test should be conducted at his/her own cost. After the test result is negative, the person is exempted from quarantine. No hand stamping of the business visitor is required.

e) All travellers from Maharashtra who come with COVID-19 negative test certificate from an ICMR approved lab, which is not more than two days old from the date of arrival, are exempted from seven days of institution quarantine. They can be asked to go for 14 days of home quarantine.

f) Transit traveller from Maharashtra: To establish that one is a transit traveller, a person should show flight/ train ticket for the onward journey which should not be more than 1 day later from the date of arrival. In case one is travelling by road, he/she should provide the identity proof and address proof in the destination state. Such traveller should be hand stamped if travelling by road as "Transit Traveller."

*For persons coming from other States

a) 14 days of home quarantine

b) Test if they develop symptoms during the home quarantine period

c) For persons where home quarantine is not possible, then institutional quarantine should be done, especially when we have a large family or no separate room for home quarantine, slum or overcrowded areas where home quarantine can not be followed.

d) Business visitors from the Other States: To establish that one is a business traveller, a person should show confirmed return flight/train ticket which should not be more than 7 days later from the date of arrival. In case one is coming by road, he/she should provide the address proof of the native State. No quarantine, and no hand stamping for business visitors from other states.

e) Transit traveller from the other States: To establish that one is a transit traveller, the person should show flight/train ticket for the onward journey which should not be more than one day later from the date of arrival. In case one is travelling by road, he/she should provide the identity proof and address proof in the destination state. Such traveller should be hand stamped if travelling by road as "Transit Traveller."

4. Home Quarantine: Home quarantine follow-up for all incoming persons except business visitors and transit travellers

A. For Rural Areas--

* Home quarantine poster on the home door.

* Information to two neighbours

* Gram Panchayat Task Force to carry an overall responsibility of Home Quarantine

* 3-Member team in every village to monitor

* Flying Squad: FIR against violation of home quarantine and shift to institutional quarantine

* IVRS Call-centre outbound calls

* Quarantine watch App-daily self-monitoring upload-Temperature, Finger-tip pulse-oximetry for elderly and persons with co-morbidity

B. For BBMP and other Urban Areas--

* Home Quarantine Poster on the home door.

* Information to two neighbours and resident welfare/apartment owner's association.

* Ward level team to carry an overall responsibility of home quarantine

* 3-member team at booth level to monitor along with the involvement of Resident Welfare/Apartment Owners' Associations

* Flying Squad: FIR against violation of home quarantine and shift to institutional quarantine

* IVRS Call-centre outbound calls

* Quarantine watch App: Daily self-monitoring upload- temperature, finger-tip pulse-oximetry for elderly and persons with co-morbidity

Karnataka government on Sunday issued guidelines, which will come into force from June 1 and continue till June 30.

According to the new guidelines, religious places and places of worship for the public, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality services, and shopping malls will be permitted to open from June 8.

Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday announced new guidelines for phased re-opening of "all activities outside containment zones for the next one month beginning June 1.

In an order, Karnataka government said that phased re-opening of areas outside the containment zones, all activities will be permitted, except the following, which will be allowed, with the stipulation of following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be prescribed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

According to the Union Health Ministry, there are 2,922 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the State including 1,877 active cases, 997 recovered and 48 deaths.