Bengaluru unlock 2.0 news: Today's updates

As the Central and state governments allow phase-wise relaxation in curbs to get the life up and running again following over two months of lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19, we bring you the latest updates from across Karnataka.
*Update at 9.53pm: 19 deaths and 1,502 new Covid-19 cases reported in Karnataka till 5pm on Thursday; the total number of positive cases in the state is now 18,016, reports ANI quoting health department
*Update at 8.23pm: Over 35 acres of land in nine villages on the outskirts of Bengaluru have been earmarked for burial or cremation of bodies of Covid-19 victims in the backdrop of safety concerns raised over funerals held in burial grounds located amidst residential areas.(PTI)
*Update at 6.50pm: Mangaluru City North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty tests positive for Covid-19
*Update at 5.14pm: Rs 57.39 lakh fine collected for not wearing masks and not maintaining social distancing, in the month of June: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Karnataka (ANI)
*Update at 4.50pm: Karnataka health dept permits district health Depts to appoint doctors with #MBBS, on a contractual basis with permission of concerned District Health Officers & Commissioners.(ANI)
*Update at 4.02pm: The Karnataka government has issued orders to provide quality nutritious food suggested by dieticians to Covid-29 patients receiving treatment in designated hospitals, an official said on Thursday. (IANS)
* Update at 2.37pm: IndiGo says it will give a 25 percent discount on airfare to doctors and nurses till the end of 2020 as they are at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
* Update at 1.50pm: HRD ministry forms panel to review situation for conduct of entrance exams NEET and JEE.
* Visitors to BDA office must take appointment
In view of increasing Covid cases in the city, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has opened a helpline for registration of visitors to its office.
Public, farmers and site allottees have to contact the office on the helpline number and only those registered can visit during the allotted hours. Applications can be sent through registered post; applicants have another option of emailing to the office.
A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by BDA commissioner HR Mahadev. For appointment, email bda.appointment123@gmail.com or call 080-23368435/23368036.
* After lockdown, costly fuel hurts transport operators
Private bus, cab, truck and lorry drivers in the state are dealing with a twofold blow — first the impact of Covidtriggered lockdown and now rising fuel prices.
In Karnataka, petrol was priced at Rs 83 per litre and diesel at Rs 76.5 per litre on Wednesday. Private operators say business is increasingly becoming unviable due to rising fuel costs. The rise in diesel price is likely to push up rates of essential food items, they say. Fuel prices have been going north for 22 of the past 25 days. “These hikes will have a debilitating effect on the public transport sector, which is already under severe distress due to policy apathy,” said Prasanna Patwardhan, president of Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India (BOCI).
* Update at 9.41am | 434 deaths and 19,148 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Positive cases in India stand at 6,04,641, including 2,26,947 active cases, 3,59,860 cured/discharged/migrated & 17834 deaths: Ministry of health & family welfare
* Facing shortage of beds, the Karnataka government may soon make monitored home isolation mandatory for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients, who are below 60 years and without comorbidities.
Healthcare experts, with whom CM BS Yediyurappa held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss treatment and management of Covid-19 pandemic in the coming days, suggested monitored home isolation to reduce the burden on hospitals and healthcare staff. It will also ensure availability of beds for patients with severe symptoms.
* A majority of 507 MBBS doctors working with the Karnataka health and family welfare department on contract resigned on Wednesday. The doctors were demanding regularisation of service and hike in salary. They had met the CM in this regard. Most doctors were on Covid-19 duties.
* Notwithstanding a decent yield, more than one farmer, on an average, committed suicide every day during the lockdown months of April and May in Karnataka, with at least 75 cases reported in 61 days.
TOI has reported multiple instances of farmers throwing away or burying their yield as they could not sell them due to restrictions on movement and lack of demand. Farmer leaders say the distress is disheartening and should send a message to the government.
* The pandemic forced Raju, a construction worker, to leave Bengaluru and return to his hometown in Vijayapura district. After weeks of struggle without work and wages, he returned to the city as his employer offered him free transport.
Many other companies, which saw an exodus of labour during lockdown, are ferrying migrants back to places of work. The trend is not just limited to intrastate movement. Workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are also gradually returning to Bengaluru.