Karnataka gears up for possible COVID-19 second wave; Purchases equipment, drugs
Bengaluru, Dec 11: Gearing up for a possible second wave of coronavirus in the state, the Karnataka government has approved over Rs 82 crore for the purchase of oxygen generator for various hospitals, testing kits and drugs among others, Health Minister K Sudhakar said on Friday.
The government wanted to equip itself adequately to meet any exigency in the next three months when the state might witness another surge, he said, asking people to take all necessary precautions, including avoiding large congregations.
"We have decided to have oxygen generators in 10 district hospitals, 30 taluk hospitals. We have given administrative approval to buy oxygen generators.... at an estimated cost of 37.72 crore," Sudhakar told reporters after chairing the COVID-19 Task Force meeting.
The government has also sanctioned Rs 45 crore for purchase of equipment, including ten lakh rapid antigen test kits at a cost of Rs 11.32 crore, and emergency drugs worth Rs 22.50 crore, he said.
"Just because the positivity rate of coronavirus is less, we should not believe that we can escape the second wave. The Technical Advisory Committee (on COVID-19) has recommended enhancing the testing," he added.
As the second wave might occur from December 20 to January 2 next year, the minister recommended avoiding new year celebrations, marriages, religious events and cultural programmes where a large number of people may congregate.
As of Thursday, the state has reported 8.97 lakh positive cases, including 8.66 lakh discharges and 11,912 deaths.
The Health Minister warned private hospitals against overcharging patients for anti-viral drug remdesivir. While each vial of it was available in government hospitals for Rs 1,800, the private hospitals were charging Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 per vial, he added.
"We will initiate disciplinary action against the hospitals if we come to know about sale of the injection at an exorbitant price," the minister said.
He added that the government has also restructured the COVID-19 Task Force by appointing Deputy Chief Minister Govind Karjol as its chairperson.
The other members of the task force are Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar, Mines and Geology Minister C C Patil, and the Chief Secretary of Karnataka, T M Vijay Bhaskar.
The Task Force held a detailed meeting with the officials from the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Ballari, Yadgir, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, Bidar, Haveri and Udupi, which Sudhakar said were conducting less tests. Under no circumstances, targeted testing should be reduced.
On the plans for delivery of the vaccine once it was available, Sudhakar said a new mobile application has been developed.
The officials have been asked to input details of vaccine administering centres in the application and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) portal.
The first vaccine beneficiaries of the vaccine will be the front-line workers including healthcare personnel in private and government hospitals treating COVID patients.
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'Engineered narratives': West Bengal guv on alleged molestation charges against him
Kolkata, May 2: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not be cowed down by “engineered narratives” and the "truth shall triumph” after TMC leaders claimed that a woman working at Raj Bhavan levelled allegations of molestation against him.
In a statement, the Governor said, “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,”
To the Raj Bhavan staff "who expressed solidarity with him following some derogatory narratives that were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties," a communication by Raj Bhawan said.
The Governor’s statement came after senior TMC leaders claimed this evening in a series of social media posts that the woman, who had levelled the allegations, has been taken to a police station to complain against Bose.
Though police sources said they received a verbal complaint, there was no official word on whether a formal complaint had been registered.
“BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of molesting a woman. How utterly appalling and Horrifying. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today. The complainant has been taken to the Hare Street police station for filing a complaint. The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.
Fellow TMC MP Saket Gokhale also posted on his X account regarding the issue.
West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said it is “shameful” that the Governor has maligned his post and has used it to “torture a woman”.
“It is appalling and shocking to see such an incident. This is the same Governor who had reached out to Sandeshkhali to talk about women’s rights and Nari Shakti. This is shameful that the Governor sought undue advantages in the pretext of giving her a permanent job. We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be addressing rallies in Bengal tomorrow to react on this issue,” she said.
According to sources in the Governor's House, the "woman employee with the help of her alleged boyfriend who is also an employee of the Raj Bhavan was blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India.
"When she was reprimanded for that, she went outside and alleged molestation. She is in the habit of throwing tantrums against her colleagues because of some disease," a Raj Bhavan official said.
The West Bengal Governor and the TMC government have shared an acrimonious relationship since he assumed office in November 2022 and had several run-ins on various issues.
The BJP said it has to be seen whether this a “conspiracy by the TMC” or has an “iota of truth in it”.
“We all know that the TMC is politically cornered on the issue of SSC scam and is looking for a breathing space. So this needs to be seen whether this is a conspiracy by the TMC or it has any iota of truth in it,” BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said.
BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj…
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 2, 2024
Shameful that a constitutional office holder should try to prejudice an impartial investigation by attacking the motive of the complainant. We have seen this happen in that infamous Saturday Hearing of the Supreme Court. Respect women! https://t.co/E6eJLQvFXO
— sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) May 2, 2024
