Border facilitation centres wound up

The Wayanad district administration has decided to end the functioning of border facilitation centres on Kerala-Karnataka borders in the wake of Central and State governments announcing relaxations in norms for crossing inter-State borders. Three such centres had been set up at Muthanga, Thopletty and Bavaly to check travellers as part of containing the spread of COVID-19, District Collector Adeela Abdulla said. Sectoral magistrates will also not function in the district as the district administration withdrew Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code on Sunday. As many as 26 gazetted officers had been appointed as sectoral officers with the powers of special executive magistrate to monitor the COVID situation and ensure compliance with protocol.