Karnataka COVID-19 panel against reopening schools in December
Bengaluru: The Technical Advisory Committee for COVID-19 in Karnataka has recommended to the state government not to reopen schools in December ahead of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's a key meeting on Monday to take a call on the matter.
"After extensive deliberations it was unanimously resolved not to reopen the schools in December, proceedings of the COVID-19 52nd Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting held on Sunday said.
The COVID-19 scenario shall be reviewed in the last week of December to consider reopening of schools at an appropriate time subsequently, it said, adding that this recommendation was for the consideration of the government in the larger public interest of the state.
The schools have remained closed since March when the national lockdown was first enforced to combat COVID-19.
The proceedings of the meeting, headed by Chairman Dr M K Sudarshan, said, the current scenario of COVID-19 in the state was showing a declining trend with around 1,700 cases and 20 deaths reported daily.
It was important to consolidate gains made after great efforts in the last eight months to contain the disease in the state, the panel said, pointing to the spike or resurgence of cases in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and others.
Besides, the months of December and January due to winter are cold and conducive to occurrence and spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, it said, adding that the epidemiological perspective based on a state survey done in September is that there may be a spike in cases in the districts with low prevalence.
Chief Minister Yediyurappa and Primary and Secondary Education minister S Suresh Kumar are holding a meeting on Monday with the Education Department and other government officials to discuss reopening of schools.
The government has also taken suggestions from parents, health committee officials and educational experts, and other stakeholders.
Ahead of the meeting Yediyurappa said, "After taking note of the opinion expressed in the meeting, gathering suggestions from every one, we will take a decision. We will discuss and let you know the outcome."
"Schools had to open in June, six months have gone.
There are various opinions like not to open schools, to open for selective clases. Also government school students in rural areas are not getting the benefit of online classes," Kumar said.
There were also social problesms arsing with reports about child labour and child marrigaes, he said.
The graduate, post-graduate, diploma and engineering colleges have reopened on November 17 in the state with preventive measures for COVID-19, but the attendance of students is said to be very poor so far.
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3 DRG personnel killed, 1 injured as IED goes off during demining operation in Chhattisgarh
Kanker (PTI): Three personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), including an inspector, were killed and another jawan was injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) went off while they were trying to neutralise it in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, police said.
This was the first blast incident linked to Naxalite activity in the state since the country was declared free from armed Maoists on March 31.
The explosion occurred in a forest area under Chhotebethiya police station limits, near the Narayanpur district border, when a DRG team was conducting a demining operation to locate and defuse IEDs planted earlier by Naxalites, a police official said.
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During the operation, the security personnel detected an IED. However, the explosive went off while they were in the process of defusing it, seriously injuring four personnel, he said.
Inspector Sukhram Vatti, constable Krishna Komra and constable Sanjay Gadhpale succumbed to their injuries on the spot, the official said.
Another injured constable, Parmanand Komra, is undergoing treatment and receiving necessary medical care, he said.
Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam said, based on inputs from surrendered Maoist cadres and other intelligence over the past few months, security forces had recovered and neutralised hundreds of IEDs planted earlier by Naxalites across the Bastar range, comprising seven districts, including Kanker.
"However, in today's unfortunate incident, the IED accidentally exploded while the Kanker district police team was trying to defuse it, resulting in the death of three personnel and serious injuries to one," he said.
