Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jul 21: "The government has not committed any wrongs in acquiring health protection equipment relating to corona management. Therefore, ordering any investigation into it is out of question," said deputy chief minister (DCM) of Karnataka, Dr Ashwathnarayan. He strongly defended the action of health minister, B Sriramulu, and added that the government has given added importance to improvement of health facilities along with regulating spread of COVID infection. He said that for everything the government will provide accounts backed by documents. By offering to provide answers to every question, he hit back at former chief minister Siddaramaiah, and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D K Shivakumar, both of whom are demanding accounts, alleging irregularities.

Referring To the allegation that Karnataka government has been buying ventilators worth Rs 5.60 lac and 18 lac as against four lac rupees spent by Tamil Nadu on them, he said that the ones acquired by Tamil Nadu are mobile ventilators that are used in ambulances. He said that one ventilator was bought for Rs 18 lac for use in the intensive care unit with special features. The others too are specialised ventilators. Decision to purchase them was taken after getting advice from technical experts. When Shivananda Patil was health minister during the JD(S)-Congress government, ventilators were bought thrice at Rs 15.1 lac each," he said.

Minister B Sriramulu, gave expenditure under different heads like ventilators, PPE kits, surgical gloves, N-95 masks etc. The state has asked deputy commissioners to provide details of items bought at their end under the delegated powers.

Additional chief secretary in health and family welfare department, Jawaid Akthar, said that items worth Rs 290 crore were bought after March till now and all purchases were made through Drugs Logistics and Warehousing Society.