Mysore/Mysuru: With the second wave of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic causing a huge havoc, the Suttur Mutt has come forward to let out its student hostels and community halls for quarantine purposes. Speaking to press persons after a meeting with District Minister S.T. Somashekar at Suttur Mutt at the foot of Chamundi Hill here yesterday, Seer Sri Shivarathri Deshikendra Swamiji said that the District Minister discussed about setting up a Step-Down Hospital in the Mutt premises. 

Lauding the Minister for visiting all the taluks for getting first-hand information about COVID control, he said that he has given oral permission to Mysuru District Minister Somashekar and Chamarajanagar District Minister Suresh Kumar for using  the Hostels attached to educational institutions of the Mutt at Suttur, Mysuru, Nanjangud, Chamarajanagar, Gundlupet and Kollegal  and the Mutt’s community halls in Nanjangud, Gundlupet, T. Narasipur, H.D. Kote, Saragur, Suttur and Ramapura.

Stating that the Mutt and JSS Mahavidaypeetha will take the responsibility of house-keeping and free food supplies to all inmates, the Seer said that the Government should take responsibility of treatment and supply of medicines. Maintaining that the buildings together can accommodate 6,000 to 8,000 people for quarantine, he said that yoga teachers at Suttur will teach yoga for free to the infected. The Seer also announced that the Mutt will  provide 6 loads of firewood for the conduct of last rites of COVID dead.

Minister Somashekar said that he visited hospitals and COVID Care Centres at T. Narasipur, Nanjangud and Varuna. Observing that treatment facilities and medicare were good in these hospitals, he thanked  Suttur Seer for coming to the aid of the District Administration in this hour of crisis. 

Pointing out that the Seer has given permission for using the Mutt’s hostel buildings and community halls in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, the Minister said that he will make arrangements for medical treatment and medicine supplies at these quarantine centres which will be started soon.

Continuing, Somashekar said that he has directed doctors and ASHA workers to visit every household in villages for swab collection. He also pointed  out that he has instructed the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Legislators of the district to visit every Assembly segment.

He further said that two villages in Nanjangud taluk having a population of 2,000 each, have not reported any Corona cases so far. Noting that the two villages have blocked people from either entering or leaving the village, he observed that they have shown the way of checking the spread of the virus.

MP Pratap Simha, MLA L. Nagendra, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev, Jungle Lodges and Resorts Chairman M. Appanna, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) Chairman L.R. Mahadevaswamy, MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag, MUDA Commissioner D.B. Natesh and the District Minister’s Special Officer on Duty Dinesh Gooligowda were present.