While the Dakshina Kannada district administration started the screening of those entering the district from Kerala at the four border check-posts on Monday, residents protested at the Talapady check-post by accusing the Karnataka government of placing restrictions in movement between Kasaragod and Dakshina Kannada.
Teams comprising Health Department staff and the police started screening people at the check-posts in Talapady in Mangaluru taluk, Saradka in Bantwal taluk, Nettanige Mudnur-Menala in Puttur taluk, and Jalsoor in Sullia taluk.
District COVID-19 nodal officer H. Ashok said motorists were screened and allowed to move after telling them to produce a RT-PCR test negative report during their next visit. Motorists were also told that reports of Rapid Antigen Test will not be accepted.
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Dr. Ashok said students were also allowed as it was responsibility of the institution concerned to ensure that they are tested once every 15 days. There was no restrictions on movement of ambulance as it was responsibility of the hospital to test the patient and persons accompanying the patient for COVID-19. Throat and nasal swabs of 300 persons were randomly collected at the check-posts, he said.
There was a long line of vehicles at the Talapady check-post as the screening began in the morning. This led residents of Manjeshwar and other neighbouring areas of Kerala to carry out the snap protest at the check-post. The protesters accused the district administration of unneccesarily placing curbs on the movement of people across the two districts.
A group of protesters started stopping vehicles coming from Mangaluru. The Mangaluru City police and the Kerala police jointly dispersed the protesters.
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