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No one held responsible for Chamarajanagar oxygen shortage tragedy: DKS

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Karnataka Congress Chief D K Shivakumar

BENGALURU: KPCC President DK Shivakumar on Thursday raised the Chamarajanagar hospital tragedy to pin down the government. He alleged that the those who had died due to oxygen shortage had been “murdered” by the system, but no one was officially held responsible for the tragedy. 

He alleged that everyone, right from the minister to officers, had information about oxygen shortage, yet measures were not taken to rectify the situation. He said he had visited the families, and one of the victims was the mother of a national level shooter. “He was traumatised after he saw his mother passing away before his eyes. They tried to shift the bodies from there to cover up,” he alleged.

Among the dead, 80%  were less than 40 years old, and one of the victims was a mere 3-month-old infant, while another was married for just three months. “I will take up these issues in the assembly,” he said.

Shivakumar alleged that there was also a mix-up and one of the victim’s bodies was handed over to the wrong family. “The victim’s families were also denied death certificates, which is why they are not getting compensation. The government has ‘murdered’ people and is now trying to certify some of them as natural deaths,” he said. Shivakumar distributed Rs 1 lakh to each family on behalf of the party. 

Sunanda Pushkar death case: Delhi Court adjourns to July 27 orders on framing of charges against Shashi Tharoor

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NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday once again adjourned the passing of order on the issue of framing of charges in Sunanda Pushkar death case to July 27.

Tharoor, former union minister, who is currently on bail in the case, was chargesheeted by Delhi Police under Sections 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Special Judge Geetanjali Goyal recently had kept the order reserved after prosecution and defence counsel concluded their arguments on the issue of framing of charges. Public prosecutor stressed that Pushkar has undergone mental cruelty which led to her bad health. Public Prosecutor also argued that it was not an accidental death and relied on the post mortem report which suggests that the cause of death is poisoning which could be oral or injected.

Prosecutor also said due to the mental cruelty caused to Pushkar, her health became worse. The prosecutor further added that Pushkar was earlier not facing any health issue but problems began due to “stress and betrayal”.

Tharoor’s Defence counsel and Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa said the prosecution is not able to establish evidence against the leader and the theory of injecting poison is in the air and can not be admissible.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. Tharoor was later charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including for abetment to suicide and cruelty. 

Kargil team for statehood to Ladakh, return of Article 370

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NEW DELHI: An 11-member delegation of leaders from Kargil region on Thursday demanded that the Centre restore the special status granted under Article 370 of the Constitution and also sought the power to decide on permanent residents as well as full statehood for Ladakh.

During that meeting, the Centre had urged them to help in the progress of the delimitation exercise. It had not made promises on any immediate statehood to the union territory. During Thursday’s meeting which lasted for more than two hours, Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) leader Asgar Ali Karbalai said they called for the need for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, and full-fledged statehood for Ladakh. He expressed confidence that more meetings would take place. 

Qamar Ali Akhoon, another leader, said that they were against creation of the UT of Ladakh and sought statehood. The delegation also discussed development issues, he added. According to sources in the MHA, the delegation was given patient hearing in the meeting with top officials.

Digital India drawing world’s attention, says PM Narendra Modi

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said digital solutions India prepared in the Corona period have attracted attention worldwide. He said that the world’s largest digital contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu, has helped a lot in preventing corona infection.

Modi said the campaign helped the country during the pandemic. 

“At a time developed countries were unable to send aid money to their citizens due to the lockdown, India was sending thousands of crores of rupees directly to the bank accounts of the people. Digital transactions have brought an unprecedented change in the lives of farmers,” said the Prime Minister.

He added that India has shown passion for innovation and ability to adapt rapidly. “Digital India is the instrument for Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Digital India is a manifestation of a strong Indian that is emerging in the 21st Century.” 

The Prime Minister, adding “Digital India” is empowering the common citizen by reducing the gap between government and people, system and facilities, problems and solutions. He noted that Digital India has changed the lives of the beneficiaries. 

​“Digital India means opportunity, facility, and participation of all, including everyone’s access to the government system.”

Maharashtra announces Rs 50 lakh aid to kin of police personnel who died due to COVID-19

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PUNE: Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil announced compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the families of police personnel who died on duty due to COVID-19.

Assuring the police force of his support to them, Patil added, “The proposal that a constable should retire as an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) in the department is in the pipeline.”

“The issue of utmost importance- housing for the department will also be addressed with the Rs 700 crore allocation made in the budget,” he added.

Patil, along with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar inaugurated two Police Welfare Petrol Pumps in Pune today. The units will be operated by women staff.

The petrol pumps are located near the rural police headquarters in Pune and the revenue generated from the two would be used for rural police welfare.

During his address at the inauguration ceremony, Patil said that the police department works under challenging conditions to save society, and the pressure on the department due to the COVID-19 pandemic increased immensely.

Highlighting the police department’s hard work during the times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dy CM Pawar said, “If we take care of each other and take responsibility for each other, then only can we be able to control the situation.” 

Dominica PM on claims that his govt was involved in Mehul Choksi’s abduction

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NEW DLEHI: Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has termed “total nonsense” the claims that his government was involved in alleged abduction of diamantaire Mehul Choksi, wanted in Rs 13,5000 crore scam in Punjab National Bank, from Antigua and Barbuda, neighbouring local media there reported.

Skerrit refuted the allegations of a plot between India and Dominica government to kidnap Choksi from neighbouring Caribbean country Antigua and Barbuda, where he was staying since 2018 as a citizen, after fleeing from India, and bring him to Dominica, the news portal reported.

“To say that the government of Dominica and the government of Antigua along with India colluded in any way, give me a break, that’s total nonsense. We don’t get involved ourselves in those kinds of activities, those practices, not at all. I mean that is absurd and we reject it and it is unfortunate that anybody would want to propagate this unsubstantiated claim by a gentleman who is before the courts,” he was quoted as saying by Dominica News Online.

He further said “whether it would be fair for a local who commits murder in Dominica and flees to another country, is allowed to roam free or instead be apprehended and sent back to Dominica to face his charges”.

Citing the case of a Dominica citizen wanted by the United States whose extradition proceedings are going on in courts to counter opposition on Choksi, Skerrit said the country cannot treat people differently depending on who they are or how much money they may have.

“All of us are subjected to the laws irrespective of our position or how much money we may have or how much we don’t have. And I believe that in this circumstance…Dominica has a right and obligation to apprehend this person and bring the person before the courts and let the courts determine,” he said.

“We here in Dominica with the opposition talking about Choksi but there is a young boy from Grand Bay…Where there is an extradition request by the United States government on allegations that he committed a crime in St Thomas and we are mandated and obligated to apprehend him.

“And the police acted on the instruction of the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) arrested the young man and he is remanded at the state prison awaiting his extradition hearing. His lawyers will fight his case. If the courts believe that there is no reason to extradite him to the United States then he will go freely,” Skerrit said.

Choksi’s lawyer in Dominica Justin Simon claimed that United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police, known as Scotland Yard, has started looking into allegations of torture and kidnapping of Choksi as citizens there were allegedly part of the plot, the news site reported.

Simon told media that there will be international implications if Dominica or Antigua turns out to be involved in the alleged plot, it said.

Israel strikes Gaza after Hamas launches incendiary balloons

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JERUSALEM: Israeli fighter jets struck a weapons manufacturing site in Gaza overnight in response to incendiary balloons launched over the frontier into Israel, the military said early Friday.

It was the third time Israel has carried out airstrikes in Gaza since the end of the 11-day war it fought with the territory’s militant Hamas rulers in May. Each came after activists mobilized by Hamas launched incendiary balloons that caused fires in nearby Israeli farming communities.

Hamas uses such tactics to pressure Israel and international mediators to ease a crippling blockade imposed on Gaza when it seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel has vowed to respond to even minor attacks.

Egyptian and international mediators have been trying to shore up the informal cease-fire that ended the most recent war. In recent days, Israel has eased restrictions to allow in Qatar-funded fuel, extend Gaza’s fishing zone and permit increased cross-border commerce.

Israel says such steps are contingent on Hamas preserving calm along the frontier.

Karnataka plans more easing up of Covid restrictions, experts advise caution

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BENGALURU: While neighbouring Maharashtra has decided to continue with its curbs, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is expected to announce further relaxations and may even lift the weekend curfew in the state from July 5.

While a meeting in this regard will be held on Friday evening, experts from the Technical Advisory Committee were unaware of the development. They have expressed concerns over the hurry in opening up all economic activities or lifting curfews at a time when neighbouring states, including Kerala, are witnessing a surge.

“A meeting will be held with the CM on Friday evening to decide on the issue,” said Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan who also heads the State’s Covid 19 Task Force. However, experts feel that the state should perhaps wait for the next two weeks before announcing more relaxations. 

“It would be better to watch for two weeks before we announce total relaxations. At least night curfew should continue in the state. If you look at the first and second waves, we have seen a surge in cases in Karnataka four weeks after it happened in Kerala and Maharashtra. Now, with many people coming into the state, we may have an increase in cases here too.

Gatherings should definitely not be given permission at any cost,” said Dr C N Manjunath, Director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and member of the TAC. According to medical experts, though the state cannot stall commercial activities for a longer time, it may make sense for the government to probably do away with the weekend lockdown.

“We should ideally open up economic activities in a very controlled manner and not encourage social and entertainment activities. We can continue with the night curfew or extend it by an hour’s time,” felt Dr Vishal Rao, Dean, Centre for Academic Research, HCG Cancer Centre and expert committee member of the Covid-19 task force.

Interestingly, the number of new daily cases is still in the 2,500-3,500 range. Dr Manjunath pointed out that in the first wave, the state saw the number come down to three digits and felt this should be the ideal scenario in the second wave too. “People cannot afford to let their guard down. Life vs livelihood has to be remembered. They have to come out, I agree. But, every single citizen has to be responsible and follow Covid-19 norms. Or else, there will be multiple lockdowns and multiple waves,” Dr Manjunath warned.

No RT-PCR report needed for vaccinated travellers from Kerala to Karnataka

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KARNATAKA: The Karnataka government announced that passengers from Kerala carrying a vaccine certificate of at least one dose will be exempted from producing negative RT-PCR reports, as the state has taken special surveillance measures for people coming from Kerala.

However, an exemption has been provided to the people who have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine, or are constitutional functionaries, health workers and children below two years of age. In case of dire emergency situation like death in the family and medical requirements, the passengers shall be allowed even without these requirements after collecting their swabs along with details of identity. 

Centre rushes teams to six states reporting high number of Covid cases

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NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday deputed multi-disciplinary teams to Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Manipur in view of the high number of COVID-19 cases being reported by these states.

The two-member high level team to these states comprises a clinician and a public health expert, the statement said.

The teams will visit the states immediately and monitor the overall implementation of COVID-19 management, especially in testing, including surveillance and containment operations; Covid Appropriate Behaviour and its enforcement; availability of hospital beds, sufficient logistics including ambulances, ventilators, medical oxygen etc., and COVID-19 vaccination progress.

The teams will monitor the situation and also suggest remedial actions, the statement said.

The Central teams will assess the situation and suggest remedial actions on public health activities to the respective state governments.

The team to Manipur will be led by Dr L Swasticharan, Additional DDG and Director EMR; team to Arunachal Pradesh will be led by Dr Sanjay Sadhukhan, Professor AIIH&PH; for Tripura Dr RN Sinha; for Kerala Dr Ruchi Jain, Public Health Specialist Gr. II, RoHFW; for Odisha Dr.

A Dan, Public Health Specialist AIIH&PH and for Chhattisgarh Dr Dibakar Sahu, Assistant Professor, AIIMS Raipur.

As an ongoing effort to strengthen efforts of various state and UT Governments for Covid management, the Central Government has been deputing Central teams from time to time to visit various states and UTs.

These teams interact with the state and UT authorities and get a first-hand understanding of the challenges and issues being faced by them so as to strengthen their ongoing activities and remove bottlenecks, if any, the statement said.

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