H.D. Kote: With the taluk recording a spike in the number of COVID positive cases, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Bagadi Gautham visited H.D. Kote yesterday and inspected the General Hospital, COVID Care Centre and COVID Mitra centre in the town.

Speaking to presspersons, Dr. Gautham said that home isolated patients must mandatorily stay in homes and not come out for any reason. Pointing out that public movement of positive patients will only help in spreading the virus, often leading to fatalities, he took the Taluk Health Officer Dr. Ravikumar to task for not shifting those under home isolation to General Hospital and COVID Care Centres despite direction issued in this regard. He instructed  the officials to immediately shift more than 300 home isolated patients in the taluk to COVID Care Centre.

Later, the DC visited Ekalavya COVID Care Centre, where he enquired the patients about their health, the food being provided and medical treatment. Some patients complained about mosquito menace and lack of hot water. The DC directed the Task Force Committee members, who had accompanied him, to address the problems.

MLA  Anil Chikkmadu, Assistant Commissioner Veena, Tahsildar Nargund, Taluk Panchayat EO Ramalingaiah, THO Dr. Ravikumar, Dy.SP Raviprasad, CPI Rajendra and other officials were present.

Later, Dr. Bagadi Gautham visited Sonahalli tribal hamlet in the taluk, where he asked the vaccine-hesitant tribals to get vaccinated for the deadly virus. The tribals demanded a good vaccine, to which the DC said that the tribals would get the same vaccine that the President and the Prime Minister of India have got.

Pointing out that there is no discrimination whatsoever in vaccinating the population of the country, he assured the tribals that there are no side effects of the jab and as such everyone of them should get vaccinated for their own health and safety.

The DC further said that based on a request by MLA Anil Chikkamadu, the Government has decided to provide nutrient-rich food to tribals throughout the year.

Channappa, a tribal leader of the hamlet, said that the Government is providing Rs. 4,000 relief to only those who have RTC. He sought the relief to everyone who does not have RTC. Bhagya, another resident, complained about lack of civic amenities in the hamlet. The DC directed the local PDO to take measures for constructing toilets.

After hearing all the complaints and grievances, he said that he had come only for an assessment of COVID situation in the taluk and assured of visiting them once again to address their problems. Dr. Bagadi Gautham later visited Bavali at Karnataka-Kerala border, where he directed the officials to ensure strict compliance of COVID appropriate behaviour by everyone.