Mangaluru: Funds getting released for the North Karnataka districts is at a very low level, as the funds in the state budget are not being distributed equally. There is a need to form a new commission for the development of the North Karnataka, opined YSV Datta.
He delivered a special lecture on Akhand Karnataka during Alvas Nudisiri in a seminar held at the Ratnakar Vedike in St. Shishunal Shareef Hall in Moodabidri.
If three hoblis of south Karnataka are joined, it will be equal to one hobli of North Karnataka. Consequently, North Karnataka is becoming a mirage during the budget allocation. The need to review this has become most significant that ever. Money should be adequately distributed to build Akhand Karnataka, he said.
North Karnataka has been cheated in wealth distribution. Deposits in the nationalized banks in the districts of North Karnataka are at the highest level. Belagavi has Rs. 13,350 crore, Dharwad Rs. 10,919 crore, Ballary Rs 7,280 crore, Uttar Kannada Rs. 6,200 crore, Gulbarga Rs. 5,444 crore, Bagalkot Rs. 4,265 crore, Raichur Rs. 3,229 crore, Haveri Rs. 2,300 crore, Bidar Rs. 2,000 crore, and Gadag has Rs. 2081 crore deposit. The cash flow of North Karnataka, except Vijayapura, Haveri, Koppal and Yadgir districts, is higher than the average cash flow of the state. While the 21.2 is of the state, it is 40 of the North Karnataka. Even after this, priority was not given for the North Karnataka in the budget, he said.
Alva's Nudisiri president Dr. Mallika S. Ghanti, Alva's Foundation Chairman Mohan Alva and others were present.
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Palghar (PTI): A 26-year-old pregnant woman from Maharashtra's Palghar district died while being taken to hospital in an ambulance which was not equipped with oxygen and other necessary facilities, authorities said on Wednesday.
Palghar's Civil Surgeon Dr Ramdas Marad said the health department has repeatedly raised concerns with authorities about the lack of specialised ambulances in the region.
The woman, who was in labour pain, was brought to a rural hospital here in a critical state on Tuesday evening.
"If she had come earlier, we could have saved her," the health official said.
Palghar Lok Sabha member Dr Hemant Savara said the health department should take necessary action into the matter and ambulance services should have adequate facilities.
Pinki Dongarkar, resident of Sarni village, went into labour on Tuesday evening.
Her family immediately rushed her to Kasa rural hospital, but due to the critical nature of her condition, the staff there referred her to neighbouring Silvassa city (in the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu) for further medical attention.
However, despite frantic attempts by her family to secure an ambulance equipped with oxygen and necessary medical facilities through the '108' emergency service, their requests went unanswered, a health official said.
They were eventually provided with a regular ambulance by the Kasa rural hospital.
While en route to Silvassa, the woman succumbed to complications and the foetus also did not survive, health officials confirmed.
Dr Marad said the woman was brought to the Kasa rural hospital in a critical state.
According to him, the woman suffered from a condition called Intrauterine Fetal Death (IUFD), where the foetus died in the womb. The exact time of the foetal death could not be determined.
Upon arrival at the hospital, the woman was semi-conscious and showed signs of severe infection.
On issues with the 108 emergency ambulance services, which are privately operated, Dr Marad said the ambulance might have been unavailable due to high demand.
The health department has repeatedly raised concerns with authorities about the lack of specialised ambulances in the region, he said.
Talking to PTI, Palghar BJP MP Savara said, "This is a very sad incident. The health department should take necessary action in this connection. Also, such an incident should not happen in future for this reason."
"The ambulance services should have adequate oxygen and cardiac support facilities. Also, a doctor is required to accompany the patient. I will follow it up with the government," he said.
CPI (M) leader Vinod Nikole, the newly-elected assembly member from Dahanu in Palghar, said he had raised the issue in the House during his last term, but no action was taken.
He criticised the government over "indifference" towards improving healthcare facilities, particularly in tribal areas, and accused the state of prioritising other programmes, such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, over the urgent needs of healthcare in rural regions.