Third COVID wave scare: Public advised to defer plans to visit Kerala till October-end: K'taka govt
Bengaluru, Sep 7: ln view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in Kerala, Karnataka government on Tuesday advised public to defer their plans to visit the neighbouring state till the end of October, if there is no emergency or urgency, with a view to avoid third wave of COVID-19 and in larger interest of public health.
The government in an advisory has also advised all administrators or principals of the educational, nursing, paramedical institutions to instruct their wards who have not yet returned to Karnataka from Kerala, to defer or postpone their return till the end of October.
Similar advice has been given to all administrators or owners of hospitals, nursing homes, offices, hotels, factories, industries, etc.
The advisory signed by Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Jawaid Akhtar, further asked the administrators or owners to advise their wards not to travel to Kerala till the end of October.
Noting that in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in Kerala, special measures are already in place for arrivals from there, the state health department said, it has been observed that students and employees arriving from the neighbouring state though bringing negative RT-PCR reports, they are testing Covid positive during repeat tests and number of such cases are considerably high in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
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If asked for commission, contractors should approach Lokayukta: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday suggested that if anyone has demanded commission from contractors to pay their bills, then they should file a complaint with Lokayukta.
His reaction comes a day after the Karnataka State Contractors Association (KSCA) alleged that the menace of commission was now more severe than the previous BJP government.
They claimed that "unseen hands and brokers" were active in the offices of Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and two other senior Cabinet Ministers.
Responding to these allegations, Shivakumar denied involvement of ministers and said, "If anyone has asked for commission from contractors to pay bills, they should file a complaint with the Lokayukta. Our ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Boseraju are not involved in this."
Interacting with to reporters in vidhana soudha, Deputy CM said, If contractors are asked for commission, they should file a complaint with the Lokayukta. Shivakumar questioned as to why should contractors ask the minister regarding bill payment? "Are they (contractors) not aware of the department's budget? How did they take up the contract when there is no grant?"
"During the BJP tenure, contracts worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore were awarded by my department alone. MLAs are requesting for payment of these contract bills," he said.
He stated that during the BJP government, they had warned the contractors a year in advance before the assembly elections.
"We warned them not to take up any work without funds. However, without listening to us, they are now issuing letters of request for payment of bills through political leaders," he added.
On Thursday, KSCA president R Manjunath said "brokers" were active in Shivakumar's office and he also alleged interference by one relative of Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi in the affairs concerning his department.
He further claimed that Minor Irrigation Minister NS Boseraju's son (Ravi Boseraju) "makes all the deals".
While Shivakumar asked the contractors to lodge a complaint in writing, Boseraju and Jarkiholi have denied the allegations.
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