Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary on Saturday urged the general public to cooperate with the administration when it takes some tough decisions to combat COVID-19. So far, no positive cases have been reported from Dakshina Kannada.
Chairing a high-level meeting of legislators and senior officials from the district here, Mr. Poojary said all the 89 samples sent for test turned out to be negative. Yet, the administration would have to take tough decisions in the coming days if positive cases are reported and hence people should abide by such decisions.
The Minister also said the administration’s proposal to have a laboratory to test COVID-19 disease in Mangaluru is likely to get the government’s nod soon. The administration has already ordered postponement of all programmes, functions and gatherings in the district and said strict action would be initiated against those violating the directive.
The Minister asked the public to inform the administration if they come across movement of unknown persons or COVID-19 affected persons in the district. If air-travellers, who have been stamped on their arrival at the Mangaluru International Airport, were found to be roaming around, they would be arrested. People also may intimate the administration by calling 104 or 1077, Mr. Poojary said.
Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, asked the administration to put curbs on movement of public passenger vehicles on important routes in the district for the time-being. Despite concern about the virus, movement of people in the district has not come down, which is alarming, he said.
Former Minister and MLA U.T. Khader suggested closure of outpatient department services in all hospitals for the time-being and allowing only emergency treatments. Action should be initiated against those violating government directives, he demanded.
Legislative Council Chairman K. Pratapchandra Shetty; MLAs D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Y. Bharath Shetty and Rajesh U. Nayak, MLAs; Ivan D’Souza, MLC; Zilla Panchayat president Meenakshi Shanthigodu; Mayor Diwakar; Deputy Commissioner Sindhu B. Rupesh and others were present.
Passenger vessels banned
The Dakshina Kannada district administration on Saturday restricted entry of all kinds of passenger vessels entering the Mangaluru Old Port with immediate effect till March 31.
The ban is in addition to the ban imposed from Saturday afternoon on movement of vehicles between Kerala and Karnataka through Dakshina Kannada. District in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari on Saturday said out of 17 roads connecting Kerala and Karnataka through the district, 16 have been closed. People can undertake travel only in emergency circumstances through Talapady on NH 66 in addition to vehicles transporting essential commodities, he said.
Suggestions to restrict entry of vehicles to the district from other parts of the State were not feasible. However, the administration would decide to curb vehicular movement on roads in the coming days, he said.
