Karnataka HC asks state to let citizens flag COVID norm violations via WhatsApp & Telegram

The Karnataka High Court on Saturday suggested the setting up of a facility to allow the citizens to lodge complaints over violations of COVID norms via WhatsApp and Telegram. The suggestion was made while a division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj was hearing a plea lodged by an NGO seeking stricter implementations of COVID norms in the state. Earlier in the week, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa had announced an extension of the statewide lockdown as the battle against the second wave of COVID continues even as the state has seen a decline in the number of cases reported on a daily basis.

Directing the state government to give adequate publicity to the grievance redressal mechanism that it had notified on June 2, the Karnataka HC bench noted that it would be appropriate for the Karnataka government to enable citizens to send their complaints on violation of COVID norms through WhatsApp or Telegram. The notification, which was issued by the Government of Karnataka on June 2 regarding the setting up of a grievance redressal mechanism, asked citizens to report COVID norm violations toll free numbers which are 1912, 100 and 112 in Bengaluru or via sending email on: cabkarnataka@gmail.com while in other districts citizens can complain via the following toll free numbers - 104, 100 and 112, and via sending email on cabkarnataka@gmail.com.

COVID lockdown extended to June 14 in Karnataka

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday announced the extension of the COVID lockdown in the state until June 14 as the state's battle against the second wave of COVID continues. Announcing the extension of lockdown, CM Yediyurappa also unveiled a Rs 500 crore financial package. As per sources, Rs 3000 will be provided to power loom workers,  ASHA workers, fishermen while assistance will also be provided to Anganwadi workers, cinema workers and others.

Karnataka's COVID situation

Karnataka on Friday reported 16,068 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 364 deaths, taking the number of infections and fatalities to 26,69,514 and 30,895 respectively, the Health Department said. The State has 2,80,186 active cases whereas the total number of patients discharged stood at 23,58,412 with the recovery of 22,316. The infections in Bengaluru Urban district remained the highest in the State with 3,221 infections and 206 fatalities.

The city has so far reported 11,77,496 infections and 14,482 deaths. There were 1,31,179 active cases.  Mysuru district emerged as the second major COVID hot spot with 1,265 and 18 fatalities.