• Asks DCs, SPs of four districts to be on alert mode
• To review situation in Bengaluru tomorrow

Mysore/Mysuru: Checking has been intensified at two border villages — Bavali and Udbur — on Karnataka side which share border with Kerala, in the wake of record 20,000 to 25,000 Corona positive cases being reported daily in the neighbouring State.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is in New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders and also seek permission for the Cabinet formation, told media persons this morning that necessary instructions have been given to Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of those districts who share border with Kerala to take all necessary precautions due to steady increase in Corona positive cases in ‘God’s own country’. 

Karnataka Chief Secretary P. Ravikumar has been asked to be in touch with the DCs and SPs of Mysuru, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Dakshina Kannada and talk to them on daily basis to get the feedback. “I will be addressing a meeting of officers of those districts after my return to Bengaluru,” Bommai added.

High alert

The State has been on high alert as the daily COVID-19  positive cases have touched  a whopping 25,000 in Kerala and this has triggered tension in Karnataka. The checking has been made more stringent at Bavali and Udbur in H.D. Kote taluk of Mysuru District by deploying sufficient number of medical staff to screen each and every person entering Karnataka. 

Four Police personnel, four Forest Department staff and sufficient number of medical staff have been posted at Bavali check-post to frisk everyone. Only those who have negative report of RT-PCR test done 72 hours before journey are allowed inside Karnataka. Arrangements have been made for Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for people not having RT-PCR report, H.D. Kote Taluk Health Officer (THO) Dr. Ravikumar told SOM this morning.

Checking buses

He said the State Transport Corporation buses coming from Kerala are stopped at the border and RT-PCR test report of every passenger is being checked. The address and telephone number of each passenger is collected and entered in a separate register, he said adding that persons not having ‘negative’ report are sent back. For drivers of regular vehicles, negative report was checked once in 15 days as it was not possible for them to undergo RT-PCR test daily, the THO said.

Free passage for the vaccinated

Dr. Ravikumar said that free passage is given for people who have taken both or single dose of vaccine provided they show the message sent by Union Ministry of Health to their mobile phones to the Police personnel deployed at the check-posts. 

The check-post at Udbur has four Forest Department personnel and medical staff. The number of vehicles plying from Kerala has reduced to around 110 daily as against 500-600 vehicles during normal days. “Myself and Covid Task Force member Umesh visit these two check-posts regularly to see their functioning,” he added.

The Taluk Health Officer said the only matter of respite is that the number of Corona positive cases in Wayanad area is very less when compared to other places like Mallapuram. But, the staff deployed at both check-posts are always on high alert and not taking any chances. The district-level officers are regularly briefed about any developments in border villages, he stated.

Kodagu DC visits check-posts

Following a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Kerala, the Kodagu District Administration has asked the Health, Forest and Police Department staff to be on high alert at all check-posts that enable entry from Kerala into Kodagu. 

Deputy Commissioner Charulata Somal yesterday visited the Karike check-post near Bhagamandala and inspected the screening and surveillance measures taken to record all travellers entering Kodagu/Karnataka. 

 She asked the officers manning the check-post to be on alert and ensure that all Government guidelines were followed. The alert has to be heightened in the wake of the potent Delta variant virus spreading fast in Kerala.

Officials from the Health, Revenue and Police Department have been appointed at Kushalnagar, Koppa, Gudde-hosur, Shanivarsanthe, Shirangala, Karike, Makutta, Anechowkur, Siddapura, Kutta and Sampaje check-posts to verify the reports of all visitors coming in from Kerala and other places.