In a notification issued by the Director of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, the Guest House has also been instructed to limit bookings to a maximum capacity of 33 per cent of the total. Photo: KSTDC
Karnataka Bengaluru Coronavirus June 25 Highlights: Around 8.5 lakh students in Karnataka are expected to attend the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) examinations beginning today.
With several leaders of the opposition suggesting the government to avoid possible risks in times of the pandemic as the number of fresh cases goes high on a daily basis, the situation has become challenging for officials across departments.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru about the preparations in place to conduct SSLC exams Education Minister Suresh Kumar stressed, “Conducting the exams is purely part of the government’s commitment, duty, and responsibility towards our young citizens and never a prestige issue.”
Meanwhile, 397 fresh cases and 14 more deaths were recorded in Karnataka on Thursday, as the tally crossed the 10,000 mark.
According to BIAL officials, the KIA campus will be open to cyclists every Sunday from 6 am to 9:30 am. (Express Photo)
New cases: 442
Total cases: 10,560
Discharges: 6,670 (519 today)
Deaths: 170 (6 today)
Active cases: 3716
Fatality Rate: 1.61%
Recovery Rate: 63.16%
The Department of Health and Family Welfare Services Thursday identified 11 more private medical colleges as dedicated facilities for Covid-19 treatment in Bengaluru, citing the increase in the number of cases in the past few days.
According to an order issued by the Directorate of Medical Education, the addition is to increase the number of Covid-19 beds for managing patients who test positive for the infection.
"The number of Covid-19 cases has been on the rise due to the opening of economy and movement of people across districts and states. Bengaluru city (BBMP and surroundings) which is the economic hub of the state has seen large number of travellers and returnees," the order mentioned.
The private medical colleges identified as Covid-19 facilities in Bengaluru are:
Akash Medical College, Devanahalli
BGS Global Institute of Medical Sciences
Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College
East Point Medical College
Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences
M S Ramaiah Medical College
MVJ Medical College
Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences
St John's Medical College Hospital
Oxford Medical College & Research Institute
Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences
While 2200 beds of the total 10,689 beds available in these private hospitals will be reserved for Covid-19 patients, 281 ICU beds and 120 ventilators in total will also be available for patients affected by the infection.
Further, 104 beds, 12 ICU beds, and 12 ventilators will be made available for coronavirus treatment in SDS Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases as well.
According to KSEEB statistics, 555 students out of the total 614 students who had registered for the Karnataka SSLC exams from neighbouring states including Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana attended the exam on Thursday.
“These students had to cross the state border to reach their respective exam centres. Elaborate arrangements were made to ensure that they reach the centre safe and healthy,” an official said.
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As much as 98.3 per cent of students who registered for the Karnataka SSLC exams attended the same on Thursday, the first day.
According to KSEEB officials, 7,71,878 students out of the total 7,85,140 students who had to appear for the Second Language (English/Kannada) paper held today, attended the exam.
Comparing the statistics to that of the previous year, Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said, "The same statistics last year, on Day-1, was 98.7%. The huge turnout indicates the confidence of the students and parents in the arrangements taken by the government (amid COVID-19)."
The exams are scheduled to continue till July 4.
As many as 978 students residing in Covid-19 containment zones were allowed to attend exams on the first day of Karnataka SSLC exams in special classrooms after complete health screening, Education Minister S Suresh Kumar confirmed.
Further, 201 students who had fever/cold-like symptoms were also allowed similarly, he added.
As Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru continues to spike at an alarming rate, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has convened an all-party meet on Friday to discuss the strategy to contain the same.
After meeting leaders associated with the capital city from his own party (BJP) in Vidhana Soudha, he said, "I will discuss strategy to control the spread of coronavirus in Bengaluru with all ministers and MLAs across parties from the city. Bengaluru has been a model city in controlling covid19 cases when compared to other cities in the country. However, we have seen a sudden spike in fresh cases in the last 16 days."
He further urged citizens to be more careful while stepping out of their homes and requested them to maintain social distancing norms. "Citizens should cooperate with the government and adhere to all guidelines if they do not aspire for another seal down in the city," he said.
As the first day of the SSLC examinations held in Karnataka amid the coronavirus pandemic concluded, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar thanked various stakeholders for their support.
"My deep gratitude to parents for their faith in the government, and heartfelt thanks to teaching and other govt staff members, police for their tireless work and dedication. Children will fondly remember their care for a long time to come," he said.
Further, he added that he was "humbled" by the huge turnout of students (even amid Covid-19 scare) and that he observed "enthusiasm, confidence, and discipline" among them.
Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K conferred degrees to graduates of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences in a video conference on Thursday. Sudhakar, who is also the Pro Chancellor of the varisty, is in home quarantine after his father, wife, and daughter tested positive for Covid-19.
This is the 22nd Annual Convocation of RGUHS, only public university in Karnataka that manages colleges running medical and paramedical courses. The event took place at NIMHANS Convention Center in Bengaluru while only 200 people were at the venue, following social distancing norms. As many as 36,434 candidates 'virtually' received their degrees at the convocation.
A parent of an SSLC student, soon after dropping her daughter for the exams that began today, said that she was tensed even as the government had promised paramount security measures in the wake of Covid-19.
The Karnataka government Thursday issued an order to convert 100 deluxe rooms in Bengaluru's iconic Kumara Krupa Guest House to 'Covid Care Centres' exclusively made available for MPs, ministers, MLAs, MLCs, and senior government officers.
In a notification issued by the Director of the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, the Guest House has also been instructed to limit bookings to a maximum capacity of 33 per cent of the total.
Confirming the same, Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K tweeted, "One wing of Kumara Krupa guest house will now serve as Covid Care Centre."
The order reads, "One wing of Kumara Krupa Guest House with 100 rooms of individual occupancy having all facilities is reserved to work as Covid Care Center (CCC) for the management of ministers, members of parliament, legislative assembly and council, senior officers of government above secretary rank for clinical management."
A chartered accountant who allegedly murdered his estranged wife at a flat in Bengaluru on Sunday evening, before returning to Kolkata and killing his mother-in-law and himself the following day, left his 10-year-old son in a car in the apartment block while allegedly executing the murder of his wife, Bengaluru police have found.
Analysis of CCTV footage at Brigade Metropolis apartment complex, in Whitefield area of Bengaluru, has led the police to believe that Shilpi Agarwal, 35, who was also a chartered accountant, was murdered by husband Amit Agarwal, 36, around 8.30 pm on Sunday.
According to a police source, the CCTV footage reveals that Amit sat his 10-year-old son in a car and returned to the 15th-floor flat where his estranged wife lived. “He returned to the flat for around 20-30 minutes after leaving his son in a car. And this was when the murder was committed,” the source said.
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BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar Thursday urged citizens to avoid panic in the wake of numbers of Covid-19 cases rising in the city. “The govt is constantly monitoring the situation & any plans to enforce a lockdown or seal down will be communicated officially,” he said requesting people to avoid spreading rumours.
The Karnataka government is contemplating a partial lockdown of Bengaluru in the wake of rising Covid-19 cases, even as the civic body on Wednesday ordered sealing of the old City Market area after 20 fresh cases were reported there.
Forty-one out of Bengaluru’s 198 wards may have to be sealed, which would amount to a partial lockdown, sources said. With Class 10 Board exams scheduled from June 25 to July 8, a full lockdown is not being considered, city officials said.
The doubling rate of the infection in Bengaluru is eight days, as against 18 days for Karnataka and 19 for the country. Compared to 358 confirmed cases reported in Bengaluru between March 8 and May 31, as many as 1,320 positive cases have been reported since June 1. The presence of 1,124 active cases in the city has put healthcare services on the edge, especially after several healthcare and police personnel were reported infected by the virus across the city.
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All 367 students from Kerala who had registered for the Karnataka SSLC exams arrive in their respective centres, education department officials confirm.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will resume operations of air-conditioned buses, all to destinations within the state from today.
According to KSRTC officials, buses from Bengaluru will operate to Mysuru, Mangaluru, Kundapura, Madikeri, Chikkamagaluru, Davanagere, Shivamogga, and Virajpet and vice-versa from Thursday.
"The temperature inside the buses will be maintained at 24-25 degree Celsius as per the norm. Further, as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of Covid-19, blankets will not be provided in the night service buses. The passengers are requested to carry their own blankets," KSRTC said in a statement.
As the SSLC exams in Karnataka is set to begin today amid the Covid-19 pandemic, 27 examination centres located in COVID-19 containment zones across Karnataka were located. Of these, 12 are in Bengaluru falling within 476 active containment zones identified by the BBMP.
According to Karnataka Secondary Education and Examination Board (KSEEB) officials, fresh hall tickets mentioning the new centre were issued a day prior to the exams.
"Further, buses have been arranged from old centres. Officials will also be on the field to help students reach the new centre on time," an official said.
Denying claims that the question paper of the SSLC exam was leaked on social media a day before the scheduled date, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said such posts on social media were "baseless."
"Soon after the issue was raised to the Education Department, our experts found that the so-called 'leaked paper' was that of the preparatory exam held earlier. The perpetrator has just changed the title part of the same to SSLC Exam 2020. A case has been filed against the same at the Cybercrime department," he said.
Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai Wednesday said that over 7,000 police personnel have been deployed across the state to ensure SSLC exams are conducted issue-free.
“While the District Superintendents of Police across 30 districts will oversee the process for the Home Department, as many as 5758 police personnel will be deployed at examination centres," he said.
Further, at least 1246 cops will ensure security on routes of question and answer papers. 5758 volunteers from Scouts and Guides have been deployed to assist the cops for conducting the exams smoothly, according to the Minister.
Bommai added that prohibitory orders invoking section 144 of the CrPc will be in place in areas around 200 metres’ radius next to each exam centre.
The Karnataka government has made transport arrangements for candidates travelling from rural areas and from across the borders of neighbouring states like Kerala and Maharashtra.
According to officials of the Department of Public Instruction, buses arranged in collaboration with the State Transport Department will ferry such students to and from the exam centres.
“Students will be charged in a way to cover only the fuel costs of the transporter,” an officer said.
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As many as 19 students in Karnataka — 10 who tested positive for Covid-19 and nine under quarantine as primary contacts — will miss attending the SSLC exams scheduled to begin today.
However, according to education department officials, these students will be considered fresh candidates when they appear for the supplementary examinations.
Earlier, Minister Suresh Kumar had announced the same provision for those in containment zones as well.
"We will not conduct SSLC examinations for students residing in containment zones. They will be instead treated as fresh candidates and will be allowed to attend the exams later. Fresh sets of hall tickets and marks cards will be issued for such candidates," Suresh Kumar had said last month.
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