‘Don’t harass Kerala visitors in the name of RT-PCR report’

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha tells District Health Officers

Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the State Government has made it mandatory for visitors from Kerala and Maharashtra to produce RT-PCR negative report to enter Karnataka border, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has directed the District Authorities not to insist on negative report and allow them after thermal scanning.

Two days ago, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar had issued direction in this regard following explosion of Corona positive cases in Kerala and Maharashtra, and insisted on people from those States to compulsorily show RT-PCR negative report while crossing the Karnataka border. This had been done as per suggestions of the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) headed by Dr. M.K. Sudarshan to prevent second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

This morning, while presiding over District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the ZP Hall here, Simha asked Health Department Officers not to pressurise Kerala visitors to produce RT-PCR negative report as the Kerala State Government is holding a meeting in this regard after two days. Till then, the visitors’ vehicles should not be stopped for non-producing of negative report. However, they could be allowed after random checking with thermal scanner. “Don’t harass them in the name of RT-PCR report,” he added.

No facility to converted tribals

MP Pratap Simha also directed the District Administration not to extend any Government facility to those tribals who have converted into Christianity in many haadis (hamlets). 

Any facility, including loan to build houses, education, electricity connection and other benefits of both the State and the Union Governments should not be extended to them at any cost. The authorities concerned have utterly failed to check conversion of tribals into Christianity, he added.

Other decisions of DISHA meeting

• Take doctors on contract basis and post them to Primary Health Centres (PHCs)

• Complete both Melapura and Hongalli Drinking Water Projects on time.

• Set target for the completion of Jal Jeevan Mission.

• Education Department must step up coaching to improve SSLC pass percentage.

•  Dump Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste into 10-acre plot near Belavadi ‘temporarily.’ 

• Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) instructed to identify suitable land to dump C&D waste.

• Forest Department asked to supply 6,000 ornamental plants for Service Road and also tree guards.

• Re-start PM Matru Vandana Yojana to provide nutritious food to pregnant women.

• Supply good quality food to tribal hostels.

• Set up Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to check inflow of sewage water into Dalvoy and Lingambudhi lakes.

• Construct soak pits around Chamundi Hill to harvest rain water.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri, Zilla Panchayat (ZP) President Parimala Shyam, ZP Vice-President Gowramma Somashekar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) A.M. Yogesh and Heads of various Departments were present at the meeting.