Lockdown is not solution to control COVID, no proposal to extend it in Bengaluru: CM Yediyurappa
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday said lockdown is not the solution for controlling COVID-19 and made it clear that there was no proposal before the government to extend it in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru urban and rural areas are currently under "complete lockdown" from 8 pm of July 14 and it will be effective till 5 am on July 22.
With the spike in cases, speculations were rife that the current lockdown is likely to be extended for 15 days, as that much time is required to break the chain.
"Lockdown is not the solution to control COVID. There is no proposal before the government to extend the lockdown," Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
The Chief Minister today chaired a meeting with Ministers who have been made in-charge of eight zones in the city and officials regarding the COVID-19 situation in Bengaluru.
Earlier too, on July 13, the eve of the lockdown, Yediyurappa had said the government did not plan to extend it in Bengaluru urban and rural districts, and had appealed to the people to cooperate by not paying heed to rumours.
However, earlier today city Mayor M Goutham Kumar and commissioner of the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike B H Anil Kumar had favoured its extension.
They had said that in their personal opinion, a 15-day lockdown would be good, as that much time is required to break the chain.
The Opposition Congress too had asked for a minimum of 15 days lockdown after taking expert opinion.
"Respected Chief Minister, you have imposed lockdown in Bengaluru, but it is difficult to expect results from this lockdown, which has been imposed just for for the sake of it.
Take expert opinion and enforce strict lockdown in Bengaluru at least for 15 days.
If not, even if God comes, it will be difficult to protect Bengaluru," KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre tweeted.
Speaking to reporters after attending the meeting chaired by the CM, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said lockdown will not be extended and all activities can resume as usual from July 22.
"Lockdown will not be extended. I'm saying this after discussing with the Chief Minister. There is no such thinking before the government. CM has got report from the experts, it was discussed in the meeting. By lockdown we can only postpone things, we have taken that breathing time. If we continue lockdown it will keep on continuing," he said.
The Minister said the process of sealing places, wherever required, would continue. He said the plan to conduct more tests was discussed at the meeting and all the required zone wise arrangements would be made
"We also discussed about beds and shortage of ventilators and steps will be taken to arrange for them," he said.
As of July 16 evening, cumulatively 51,422 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 1,032 deaths and 19,729 discharges. Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 25,288 infections. Out of 4,169 fresh cases reported on Thursday, a whopping 2,344 were from Bengaluru urban alone
At the meeting, the Chief Minister said all necessary steps should be taken to clear all the difficulties faced by infected patients in getting admitted to hospitals.
The CMO statement quoted Yediyurappa as directing Ministers to hold meetings with private hospitals to ensure that COVID and non-COVID patients get treatment.
Warning of strict action against private hospitals if they don't allocate beds for COVID patients, he said volunteers and nodal officers would be appointed to gather information about admission of such patients and availability of beds
The Chief Minister said rapid antigen tests should be conducted on those dying at hospitals or homes and necessary action taken to hand over the bodies or to conduct last rites as per the procedures, depending on the cause of death.
Recruitment was on to appoint doctors to resolve shortage, he said, adding that volunteers have been identified in each ward for micromanagement and ambulances allocated.
Marriage halls and lodges have been selected in all wards for those not having separate quarantine facilities, Yediyurappa said and stressed on increasing testing.
Deploying extra police force at places where there are chances of people gathering in large numbers, ensuring beds availability and ambulances within two hours of a patient testing positive- with decentralized monitoring, giving priority to those symptomatic above 65-years during allocation of beds were among directions given by the Chief Minister.
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Udaipur Police arrest three, including company CEO, in alleged gang rape of employee
Udaipur: The Udaipur Police have arrested three people, including the chief executive officer and a senior executive of a private company and the executive’s husband, in connection with the alleged gang rape of a female employee in a moving car, officials said on Thursday.
The arrests were made after the survivor filed a complaint. Following her complaint, her statement was recorded and a medical examination conducted, as reported by India Today. District Superintendent of Police Yogesh Goyal said the medical report noted injury marks that prima facie support the allegation of gang rape.
Police said the accused, identified as Jeetesh Sisodia, the CEO of GKM IT Private Limited, his colleague Gaurav, and Gaurav’s wife Shilpa, were being produced before a court for further legal proceedings.
According to the complaint, the incident took place after a birthday and New Year party hosted by the CEO at a hotel in the Shobhagpura area on December 20. The survivor said she reached the hotel around 9 pm and the gathering continued until about 1.30 am. The CEO, a senior female executive, and her husband were among those present.
The survivor stated that after she began feeling intoxicated, she was offered a lift home. She alleged that instead, she was persuaded to join an after-party. Around 1.45 am, she was seated in a car with the CEO and the executive’s husband, while the executive later joined them. The group allegedly stopped at a shop to buy smoking material, after which she was made to smoke and subsequently lost consciousness.
In her complaint, the woman said that when she regained partial awareness, she found the CEO molesting her and alleged that all three accused sexually assaulted her. Despite repeatedly asking to be taken home, she was dropped only around 5 am.
The survivor further reported that after fully regaining consciousness, she noticed injuries to her private parts. She also found that some of her belongings, including an earring, socks and undergarments, were missing.
Police said a webcam installed in the car used during the incident recorded audio and video, which might be useful during the on going investigation.
