Close on the heels of Dakshina Kannada district reporting two COVID-19 deaths this week, neighbouring Kerala erected a border checkpost at Talapadyon Thursday to check entry of people from Karnataka.
Karnataka had sealed all its inter-state borders, including that of Kerala, in the third week of March. Dakshina Kannada district administration had also decided not to entertain medical emergencies from Kasargod district following huge number of COVIDd-19 positive cases in that district. The State government on March 30 invoked the provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, to support its move.
The Supreme Court intervened in the matter following a batch of petitions and ensured both the States agreed for movement of medical emergency cases from Kasargod district to Mangaluru as per agreed terms on April 7.
Border demarcation
When Kerala police erected the checkpost about 100 metres away from Karnataka’s checkpost on NH 66 at Talapady village on Thursday, Talapady Gram Panchayat objected to it saying the area belonged to it.
A joint survey was taken out to determine the border and it was found the location was in Kerala, said Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner C. Madan Mohan.
Strict lockdown
Mangaluru Police Commissioner P.S. Harsha told The Hindu both the States have been ensuring strict lockdown at the border. Movement of general public is allowed only as per the agreed protocol, including medical emergencies, births and deaths. Movement is not allowed for any other reason.
City Police have installed eight CCTV cameras at its checkpost that remain live round the clock; it is also connected to Kerala police, Dr. Harsha said adding there was absolute transparency.
‘Heated atmosphere’
Prakash Manjeshwar, a reporter with a Kannada daily working in Mangaluru and resident of Manjeshwar in Kerala, said the border appeared like an international border with police on both sides turning away people to the other side. “The atmosphere has become heated,” he said.
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