Bangalore news live: Karnataka government geared to mitigate impact of possible Covid-19 second wave

The Karnataka government on Thursday said a monkey sterilisation programme is being planned to rein in its menace in parts of the state, especially in Shivamogga region. "Male monkeys will be sterilised.. how many that data is not available for now and it will be provided at a later stage," Industries Minister Jargadish Shettar informed the state assembly, on behalf of Forest Minister Arvind Limbava.

Karnataka labour minister A Shivaram Hebbar on Thursday said over one lakh women who were employed in garment factories in the state are left without a job, as many units that were shut due to COVID-19 pandemic related situation, have not reopened. "As many as 983 garment factories were functioning last year and 2,86,747 women employees were working, this year almost over 1 lakh women have not been able to join duty yet as many garment factories have not opened yet, after COVID. Garment factories are in such a state today," Hebbar said.

With fears of a second wave of Covid-19 infections mounting, wedding hall owners are jittery their business will take another massive hit as people are already cancelling bookings made for April and May. “Customers are cancelling, citing restrictions including number of guests and fears of a second wave,” said Ramesh N Reddy, president, Karnataka Marriage Halls Welfare Association. The association is scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss their problems. They then plan to approach the government for help. The industry turnover which runs into several crores of rupees annually has suffered since the outbreak of the pandemic. The association said there are about 2,000 wedding halls across Karnataka, and they fear they will have to shut operations. The association came into existence last year after their businesses nosedived due to the nationwide lockdown. Currently, 55 hall owners have registered with the association.

The CID that has begun an inquiry into the alleged sale of a luxury car and money-doubling case, has seized Jaguar, a high-end car that was sold to a private firm employee in Bengaluru. An investigating official told TOI that according to the present vehicle owner, the 2012-model car was sold for Rs 14.5 lakh. READ FULL STORY

The health and family welfare department has issued a showcause notice to three institutions — a deemed-to-be university, a nursing college and a PU college — over Covid-19 cases. Dakshina Kannada DHO Dr Ramachandra Bairy told TOI the colleges have been given three days to reply to the notice. If the answer is not satisfactory, then a criminal case will be booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act. The health department has questioned the registrar of the deemed-to-be university as to why students were allowed to go home. It has also sought answers from two other colleges as to why preventive measures during the initial stage of infection when 1-2 cases were reported was not taken, he said. The department is keeping a close watch on education institutions. Of the 72 positive cases reported on Wednesday, 25 cases are from a paramedical college, two from a PU college and three from a first-grade college. About 13 cases are from patients with an international travel history.

To curb the spread of the virus, the health and family welfare department has revised testing targets to one lakh per day from the present 70,500 tests. KV Trilok Chandra, the health commissioner, has issued a circular to this effect to all districts. Targets have been revised based on recommendations from the state’s Covid-19 technical experts committee (TAC). The circular says those involved should conduct 88,500 RT-PCR tests and 11,500 rapid antigen tests. Bengaluru has a target of 40,000 tests a day, followed by 3,700 for Dharwad, 3,600 for Bagalkot, 3,500 for Tumakuru, 3,050 for Chikkaballapura and 3,000 for multiple districts including Belagavi, Bidar, Dakshina Kannada and Mysuru.

An infected Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) candidate was barred from taking the exam on Wednesday due to a lack of clarity on whether these students can sit for the test. The 17-year-old student from Chikkalasandra learnt he was infected on March 5. His father said he called the test centre — iCRIS Pareeksha Centre, Adugodi — on Monday and told them of his son’s Covid status. The father says the test centre told him that his son can take the exam and that they would make special arrangements for him. However, when the student turned up at the centre – in PPE and an ambulance provided by BBMP – on Wednesday and informed officials that he was infected, they barred him from taking the test. The student is asymptomatic.

Karnataka State Board of Waqf on Friday clarified that the prohibition of use of loudspeakers will not apply for morning azaan, which usually starts around 5am. On March 9, the Karnataka State Board of Waqf issued a circular asking all mosques and dargahs not to use loudspeakers between 10pm and 6am. The circular, officials said, was based on the guidelines of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. READ MORE HERE

The proposed railway division in Kalaburagi, the regional headquarters of Kalyana Karnataka, announced seven years ago, has been dropped by the government for the time being. In a reply given to Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the railway ministry has stated that the project has been stalled as per the recommendation of a committee of senior railway officers. READ MORE HERE

In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the Karnataka govt mulls banning hookah bars in the state.

Following requests before the government to start Covid vaccination in apartment complexes, old age homes and long-term care homes for the elderly, the CM requested the Centre to allow vaccination in such places. Karnataka also urged the PM to allow vaccination across age groups.

The campus of Manipal Institute of Technology was on Wednesday declared a containment zone after 27 engineering students tested positive for Covid-19, according to Udupi DC G Jagadeesha. Udupi district reported 41 cases during the day. Sources said most of the infected students were asymptomatic. “The college has now decided to conduct all theory classes online and defer contact classes (like practical and lab sessions) to a later date,” they added. Remaining BTech examinations have been postponed.

The state government is considering restricting the use of loudspeakers during azaan at mosques, contending that it contributes to noise pollution. Haj and wakf minister Anand Singh told reporters on Wednesday that the government would soon call a meeting of Muslim leaders and maulvis and request them to stop using loudspeakers five times a day. READ FULL STORY

Owing to Covid-related restrictions on visitors to Central Prison (Parappana Agrahara), inmates who would have received money from family members and friends during visiting hours are now allegedly extorting it online. They identify their targets, threaten them over phone or by sending men and share a mobile number or bank account number, where the cash has to be transferred either online or via UPI. Police have cracked two such cases in three months and arrested three men - two undertrials and a convict - in one. They suspect more such online extortion rackets are being run from the jail. READ FULL STORY

Notwithstanding the ready availability of information on our fingertips, it would still be a daunting task for most to recite names of all countries in under half-an-hour. Such being the case, the stunning feat of a three-yearold boy from Hiriyur in Chitradurga is worth marvelling over. He has written himself into World Book of Records (United Kingdom), Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records-2021 by reciting the names of capital cities of all 195 sovereign nations in the world in just 27 minutes and 21 seconds. READ FULL STORY

With 154 fresh Covid-19 cases in the past 10 days, Bellandur leads wards in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits with over 50 cases, followed by BTM Layout (96) and Hagadur (82). BBMP health officials say a majority have travel history and are from economically weaker sections of society. “Many people, mostly from poor sections, are returning to resume jobs,” said a BBMP official. “These people do not follow health protocols of getting a Covid test done and this is aggravating things.” READ FULL STORY