BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the state government to issue direction to all hospitals to supply data on beds available regularly so that it can be updated on the online portal for status on Covid beds. A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Alok Aradhe issued the direction after the state government informed there is no real-time data on beds available but it will be updated online when hospitals provide the details.
The bench asked the state government to inform whether the risk allowance being given to Group-D employees can be extended to employees working at hospitals on contract basis also. The bench asked whether the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan insurance scheme can be extended to contract workers and cleaning and sanitisation staff in government hospitals.
Meanwhile, BBMP Counsel V Sreenidhi informed the court that salaries of pourakarmikas are being directly credited to their bank accounts and PPE kits have been given to all. “A compensation of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25,000 for funeral expenses have been paid to relatives of four workers who died of Covid. All the hospital charges were also borne by the BBMP,” he said. Meanwhile, the bench said it is the duty of BMRCL to ensure that contractors take steps for safety of workers.