SS Nakul, the District Collector of Karnataka’s Bellary, where the wedding was held, has said that action will be taken against the persons concerned

Visuals from a Karnataka Congress MLA son’s wedding showed no social distancing practiced

The wedding of a Karnataka Congress MLA’s son has attracted attention after visuals showed an estimated 800 people, including high-profile guests like Health Minister B Sriramulu, Siddaramaiah, Leader of the Opposition, and G Parameshwara, former Deputy Chief Minister, gathering in defiance of social distancing protocols in force during the coronavirus outbreak.

Multiple videos of the wedding of the son of Congress’ PT Parameshwar Naik, who was the Labour Minister in the Siddaramiah government and now represents the Hoovina Hadagali constituency, showed hundreds gathered outside a large white tent set up in an open field in Laxmipura in Bellary district.

One of the videos showed a crowd of reporters, some without face masks, waving mobile phone cameras and rushing to take photographs as a white helicopter lands.

Another showed the newly-wed couple posing for photographs inside the tent as more than a dozen men and women, some of whom were, once again, not wearing face masks, stood shoulder-to-shoulder smiling for the camera.

A third showed close to a hundred people seated inside the tent during the marriage ceremony; the people sitting in the chairs were within touching distance of each other.

Congress MLA’s son’s marriage in Karnataka’s Bellary defied social distancing rules

Bellary District Collector SS Nakul has said that action will be taken against the persons concerned. According to local police, the wedding organisers had taken permission for 50 guests – the number currently allowed at a marriage.

Mr Naik later asked the media to “co-operate and not to hype it (the incident)” as he made repeated requests on social media asking people to stay away from the wedding.

The massive crowd outside and inside the wedding tent was in direct defiance of at least two National Directives set out by the centre to manage the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

This is the second political wedding in Karnataka where no social distancing was practiced

One states that the number of guests at wedding must not exceed 50. A second states that individuals must maintain a minimum of six feet distance from each other while in public spaces.

The apparent defiance of these guidelines comes around two months after another high-profile marriage ceremony made news.

In April the marriage of Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, to Revathi, the grandniece of a Congress leader and former minister, was criticised after photos showed absolutely no social distancing.

Meanwhile, a similarly high-profile wedding took place in Kerala, where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter married a young CPI(M) leader. Registered under the Special Marriages Act, it featured fewer than 30 guests, sources close to the Chief Minister said.Promoted

India has seen a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases over the past few weeks, particularly since the centre announced plans for “Unlock1”, or the phased relaxation of lockdown guidelines, including the re-opening of shopping malls.

There are over 3.32 lakh COVID-19 cases in the country, with more than 9,500 deaths linked to the virus. Karnataka has reported 7,000 cases (and 86 deaths) so far, while Kerala has 2,461 confirmed cases (and 19 deaths).

With 99 travellers from Maharashtra testing positive for the coronavirus in Kalaburagi in a single day, the district has 759 cases in all, and the highest number in Karnataka.

BENGALURU: With 99 travellers from Maharashtra testing positive for the coronavirus in Kalaburagi in a single day, the district has 759 cases in all, and the highest number in Karnataka. In all, 308 fresh patients reported positive on Monday, taking the state tally to 5,760 cases. The death toll in Bengaluru continued to mount for the second consecutive day, with three deaths on Monday, taking the state toll to 64. On Sunday too, two Bengalureans lost their lives to the virus.

A 67-year-old man diagnosed with Influenza Like Illness, Ischemic heart disease and left ventricular dysfunction, was admitted on June 4 and died four days later. The second death was of a 48-year-old woman diagnosed with ILI, fever and breathlessness, who was admitted on June 4 and died the next day. The third death was of a 65-year-old woman diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness, dizziness and breathlessness. She was admitted on June 4 at a private hospital, shifted to another private hospital the next day and died on June 5.

Bengaluru Urban, with 18 new patients, saw two ILI cases, one case from a containment zone, 13 contacts of patients, one SARI case and one Tamil Nadu returnee.One of the ILI cases is from JP Nagar, while a 30-year-old policeman from Soladevanahalli Police Station tested positive as well. A 41-year-old staffer from Apollo Hospitals in Tamil Nadu, who had come to Bengaluru on official duty, tested positive in the Apollo Hospitals lab on Bannerghatta Road. Seven contacts of patients from Parvathipuram and Kalasipalyam areas.

Yadgir (66), Bidar (48) and Udupi (45) followed Kalaburagi, with most of their cases being returnees from Maharashtra.Ballari saw eight cases, including six primary contacts and two travellers from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh each.Gadag reported six cases and Shivamogga four cases, all of whom were from Maharashtra, while Dharwad saw four Rajasthan returnees.A person from Bengaluru and two from Maharashtra tested positive in Hassan, two from Maharashtra and one from the UAE tested positive in Dakshina Kannada.In all, 387 people were discharged today, taking the total discharges in the state to 2,519.

As numbers stand, Congress will win two MLC seats of the seven for which elections will be held. The frontrunners are former minister HM Revanna and AICC secretary NS Bose Raj.

BENGALURU: Lobbying has started in the Congress for vacancies at various levels in the party. As numbers stand, Congress will win two MLC seats of the seven for which elections will be held. JDS will win one seat. One of the seats has to be given to a minority member because three minorities — Nasir Ahmed, Abdul Jabbar and Iqbal Ahmed Saradgi — are set to retire.

The reading is that one of them will be retained and the other seat could be allocated to the Backward Classes category. The frontrunners are former minister HM Revanna and AICC secretary NS Bose Raj.
In states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, where office-bearers were appointed under the new scheme just as in Karnataka, the formula is 1+5 — meaning one state president and five working presidents. By that yardstick, there are two vacancies of working presidents. Lobbying is on for those positions too, with KPCC president DK Shivakumar being Vokkaliga and three working presidents from other communities — Eshwar Khandre (Lingayat), Saleem Ahmed (Muslim) and Satish Jarkiholi (ST). The two remaining positions could be filled up by a BC member and an SC member. The Congress will go by the principle of social justice.

With Shivakumar taking charge as president, there will be a dual power centre system after a long time. Earlier, it was Siddaramaiah running the show because former KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao was his nominee, and all decisions were virtually unilateral. But Congress sources pointed out that Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar can only make recommendations, and it is for the high command to finally decide. They will aim at unity and opt for a candidate who will not divide the party.

The other key vacancy is a lone Rajya Sabha seat. Although there are two retirees — Dr Rajeev Gowda and BK Hariprasad — the man emerging a clear favourite is former Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge. But Congress sources did not rule out Hariprasad getting renominated because the Rajya Sabha vacancy is for a Backward Caste (BC) or Scheduled Caste (SC). L Hanumanthaiah is already in the Rajya Sabha, and by accommodating Kharge, they will take one position out of the BC bowl. Similarly, if Rajeev Gowda is renominated, it will mean that the Congress is sending two Vokkaligas to the RS, since JDS requires Congress support, and the only options before the party are former PM H D Deve Gowda or sitting RS MP Kupendra Reddy.

Bengaluru: In the latest development of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, the state on Sunday reported an alarming 299 cases which has now taken the total toll in the state to 3211.

The toll of fatalities due to the deadly virus has also crossed the 50-mark with two death being reported in the state on Sunday. Total death counts in the state now stand at 51.

In an official release the Health and Family Welfare Department on Sunday added that the state has recorded 299 cases from Saturday 5 pm to 5 pm on Sunday.

A 50-year-old man, who had returned from Mumbai and was kept under quarantine in Raichur district, died in a hospital on May 29. His test report shows that he was infected with Covid19. In another case, a 75-year-old man in Bidar district was admitted to a hospital with fever and severe breathing problems. He died on May 29. His test report too shows that he was infected with the virus.

Of the people who tested positive for Corona infection so far, Raichur has 83 cases, Yadgir 44, Bidar 33, Kalaburagi 28, Vijayapura 26, Bengaluru Urban 21, Dakshina Kannada 14, Mandya and Belagavi have had 13 cases each, Udupi 10, Davanagere six, Uttara Kannada five, and Ballari, Kolar and Shivamogga districts have had one case each.

Also, of the 3,221 positive cases in the state, 1,218 people have recovered. Of them, 221 patients were discharged from the hospital in one day. There have been 51 deaths while 1,950 people are being treated, said the Health Department.

Kasargod on Friday reported four fresh cases of Corona Virus while one patient also recovered from the virus and was discharged from the hospital, the latest health bulletin informed.

A 42-year-old man who is a resident of Paivalike with travel history to Maharashtra, a 63-year-old resident of Badiyadka, a 31-year-old Mangalpadi resident, a 58-year-old Udamu resident who returned from Dubai have tested positive for the deadly virus.   

A 28-year-old man who was diagnosed with the COVID has recovered and was discharged from the hospital on Friday. He was admitted to Kasaragodu Medical College in Ukkinadka.

A total of 3665 people have been kept under observation in the district. Of these, 3081 are under home quarantine and 584 are in hospitals. Similarly, 238 people have completed their quarantine period.

On Friday, 485 new people have been admitted to the isolation Ward.

Bengaluru: Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda was at the centre of a controversy on Monday after he did not undergo quarantine on arrival from Delhi by a flight here as stipulated, but defended it, saying he came under the exempted category being in-charge of pharmaceuticals, an essential sector.

The Karnataka government came to his defence and said the Centre had issued orders exempting such people handling essential sectors from quarantine norms.

It also made public an addendum issued on May 23 to the standard operating procedure (SOP) for inter-state passengers, exempting Ministers of union and state government, also officers on official duty from quarantining.

The Minister, also Bengaluru North MP, drove off in an official car with out undergoing institutional quarantine as mandated by the Karnataka government for air travellers coming from high COVID-19 prevalence states after arriving here by a commercial airline flight, services of which resumed after two months.

It triggered a controversy with several people taking to social media accusing him of violating norms while others saying rules are only meant for citizens and not for VVIPS, including ministers.

The (SOP) issued by the government on May 22 mandates passengers coming from high COVID-19 prevalence states- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh- to go for paid institutional quarantine for a period of seven days.

Defending himself, Gowda said he being a Minister in- charge of Department of Pharmaceuticals, which comes under essential supplies, he is under the exempted clause and hence has been allowed to proceed.

“…you need people to work for the control (of COVID-19) right? If you say no one should come out can you stop this? As a pharma minister I need to check production, supplies, and ensure it reaches last point, it is my responsibility,” the Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister told reporters.

“I come under the exemption clause and I have the exemptions…Arogya Setu App on my phone also shows I’m safe.

After checking every things we conduct ourselves in a responsible way. Modi (PM Narendra Modi) also wont spare us, if we move around according to our wish,” he added.

State Minister S Suresh Kumar, who is spokesperson for COVID-19 in Karnataka said, “He (Gowda) is exempted in his capacity as a minister handling pharma sector… orders have already been issued by the central government (in this regard).”

The May 23 addendum to the SOP, made public hours after the controversy involving Gowda, said: “The ministers of Union Government or state governments or officers on their official duty who are travelling across states will be exempted from requirements of quarantine…”

Gowda, who later held a meeting with state Ministers and officials, also said his body temperature was checked before he left the airport.

The Minister said he has not come in contact with any one and there were only 11 passengers in the flight.

The senior BJP leader also said though he could have opted for a special flight much before, he waited for domestic flights to resume as “I am not a person who misuses things.”

According to the SOP, at the end of the seven days, the passengers coming from these six states would be sent to home quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19.

Those coming from other states have been asked to follow 14 days of home quarantine.

In special cases involving businessmen coming for urgent work, they are permitted without quarantine if they produce negative test report of COVID-19 from ICMR approved laboratory obtained within two days ahead of their travel date.

Mangaluru: Private bus services in Dakshina Kannada will resume from June 1, with 50% of the buses plying back on the road after over two months of nationwide lockdown due to the spread of Corona Virus in the country.

Usually, about 325 city busses ply the Mangaluru roads from 6:00 am to 10 pm routing and connecting several parts in and around city. In an official statement by the bus owners’ association, it was informed that about 150 buses will start service. Meanwhile about 450 service busses, 70 contract carriages and 150 tourist busses will start services in the city from June 1.

A compatible mechanism will be planned out in next two days about how, where and how many number of busses will commence on particular roads, a top KSRTC official said.

DK DC Sindhu B Rupesh has asserted that a meeting of bus drivers and owners with the RTO officials will be organised and strict instructions and measures will be sent out to them to be followed.

Dakshina Kannada district recorded its fifth COVID-19 death on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department, an 80-year-old woman, a resident of Kulashekhara in Mangaluru, succumbed to the infection at the COVID Hospital. She is the second coronavirus victim in the limits of Mangaluru City Corporation. 

The woman, who was suffering from high blood pressure and stroke, had tested positive for coronavirus on April 26.

TOTAL INFECTIONS CROSSES 900 MARK

Bengaluru: Total number of COVID-19 infections in Karnataka has breached 900 mark, with the state reporting 42 new corona positive cases, the health department said on Tuesday.

Interestingly, Hassan that had not reported a single case so far, has confirmed five new infections.

“42 new positive cases have been reported from last evening to this noon…. Till date 904 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed. This includes 31 deaths and 426 discharges,” the department said in its bulletin.

Forty two new cases include- fifteen from Bagalkote, nine from Dharwad, five from Hassan, three from Bengaluru urban, two each from Dakshina Kannada, Yadgir and Bidar, and one each from Ballari, Chikkaballapura, Mandya and Kalaburagi.

Among the cases, 25 are with travel history to Ahmedabad in Gujarat, six are with travel history to Mumbai in Maharashtra, seven are contacts of patients already tested positive, two are from containment zone in Bidar, one with history of Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and the others contact is under tracing.

At least four out of these 42 cases are children.

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Kalaburagi: Forty-six persons who were in direct contact with the 76-year old man who died on Tuesday night due to co-morbidity and coronavirus infection have been placed under quarantine, district officials said on Friday.

Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Sharat B said 31 of them have been categorised as “high risk” and the remaining 15 RPT 15 as “low risk”.

The high-risk persons are being shifted to ESIC hospital here.

Officials said four family members of the man have displayed flu symptoms and their swab samples have been sent for testing in Bengaluru.

A senior Union health ministry official said yesterday the death of the man, who had visited Saudi Arabia from January 29 to February 29, “is confirmed to be caused due to co-morbidity and has also tested positive for COVID-19”.