Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary on Thursday urged Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to declare members of local bodies —gram panchayats and urban local bodies — as frontline COVID-19 warriors and arrange their inoculation against COVID-19 on priority basis.
Submitting a memorandum to Mr.Yediyurappa at Bengaluru, Mr. Poojary said there were over 95,000 members in more than 6,200 gram panchayats in the State and they were part of COVID-19 task forces at panchayat levels. They would be in regular contact with the general public and visit houses of residents thereby exposing themselves to the pandemic. Similar was the case with members of town panchayats, municipalities, city municipal councils and city corporations.
Therefore, it was prudent to consider them COVID-19 warriors and administer vaccines on priority, the Minister said.
Mr. Poojary also urged the Chief Minister to augment health infrastructure in Dakshina Kannada district where COVID-19 positive cases were on the rise.
Government approval was needed to recruit additional 40 Arogya Mitra executives; conduct RT-PCR tests at KVG Medical College, Sullia; conduct sample tests from Puttur and Sullia taluks; empanel KVG Medical College, Sullia, under AB-ARK scheme; sanction cryogenic tanker for Dakshina Kannada in view of shortage of oxygen in the district; supply 50,000 doses of Covaxin and 1 lakh doses of Covishield vaccines; and appoint doctors and nurses on ad hoc basis.
‘Release funds’
Mr. Poojary also urged the Chief Minister to immediately release ₹100 crore to the district from the Natural Disaster Relief Fund in view of extensive damage to property in the district following Cyclone Taukte.
The Minister said extensive stretches of roads belonging to Public Works Department, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department, and Fisheries Department were eroded on account of heavy rains and sea erosion. Public infrastructure worth ₹126 crore, including ₹48 crore belonging to PWD, ₹18 crore of RDPR and ₹30 crore of Fisheries department, was damaged. Sea erosion in the district was estimated to have caused a loss of ₹30 crore.
Fisheries Minister S. Angara and Sanjeev Matandur and Rajesh U. Naik, MLAs, were present.
