Belagavi: In an effort to protect Good Samaritans and medical professionals from civil and criminal liabilities and to ensure quick medical aid for road accident victims, a Bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
The Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation During Emergency Situations) Bill, 2016, says incidents of accidental deaths were increasing globally and therefore persons on the spot at the time of an accident could play a crucial role in taking the victim to the nearest hospital. Noting the likely harassment arising from police or legal proceedings, it said onlookers hesitate to assist or render immediate help to victims and stressed on the need to build confidence among people. Therefore, it intends to provide such protection by establishing supportive legal environment, obligations of hospitals, clinics and for matters connected with accidents.
Spelling out obligations on the part of hospitals and clinics to ensure timely treatment to save a patient’s life, the Bill envisages expenditure of Rs five crores a year.
In addition, the Bill also aims at imparting training in first-aid and emergency care to students in Karnataka. Besides, the courts could award compensation to Good Samaritans who, as witnesses, attend court proceedings during an inquiry and trial.
‘Govt blind to political murders’
Launching a scathing attack on the state government for the deteriorating law and order situation, BJP leaders in the Assembly demanded that the government table a white paper on political killings of its party workers.
Claiming that the government was turning a blind eye to the killings of RSS and BJP workers and tacitly helping Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Popular Front of India (PFI) spread their tentacles. the leaders said, “PFI and SDPI are offshoots of the banned SIMI. These groups play into the hands of Pakistan based agencies like ISI to create instability in the country. The government needs to table a white paper on law and order,” BJP leader, C. Narayanswamy demanded.
Tribute paid to Nagrota martyrs
The Assembly paid tribute to seven soldiers killed in the terror strike at Nagrota army camp in Jammu, and termed it as a "cowardly" attack on human society.
Speaker K.B. Koliwad made the obituary reference and said the attack on the army camp was an act by enemies unable to digest India's progress, and called on the humanity to join hands in fight against terrorism.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he had spoken to the father of Major Akshay Girish Kumar, an army officer from Bengaluru, who was martyred during the terror attack. "He is in Jammu to get the body. I have been told the body may reach Bengaluru by tomorrow," he said.
Sand mafia to blame for scarcity
Alleging that the sand mafia was behind non-implementation of M-sand units, MLAs charged that the officials were creating an artificial shortage of sand.
The sand mafia was thriving in the state and was preventing M-sand from getting popular. Even bureaucrats were hand-in-glove with the sand mafia and were stalling marketing of M-sand, they alleged.
Minister for Mines and Geology Mr Vinay Kulakarni said he would look into the issue and initiate action.
Good news for Neera lovers
In an effort to encourage farmers to harvest Neera, the Karnataka Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2016, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
The bill envisages granting permission to members of Coconut Growers Federation to harvest Neera in limited quantities from coconut trees. Meanwhile the government tabled Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to enable agricultural labourers get registration as owners in respect of a house built on land not owned by them.
Podi cases: Still a long way to go
Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa said legislators were not interested in making the state free from Podi (joint property after division wherein the revenue officer or CTS authority gives numbers to the divisions) cases.
Replying to Mr N Appajigowda of JD(S) in the Council, he said the drive launched by his predecessors to make all villages free from podi cases had failed to yield results. Of the total 40,000 plus villages, 2,729 villages had been declared 'podi-free'. Going by the current speed, it may require a few more years to achieve the objective, he added.
