‘Treat twin dists. as one for movement of people’

The Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday urged the State government to consider Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts as one geographical area for the movement of people and private vehicles on the lines of the arrangement made for Bengaluru and the adjoining districts.

Congratulating the State government for its efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, chamber president Issac Vas wrote to the Chief Secretary that Udupi district was carved out of Dakshina Kannada in 1997 for administrative purposes. However, the two are actually an urban agglomeration with a majority of the population residing in cities/ towns.

Office staff, technical workers and workers in many industries reside in either district and commute daily for work ably served by an efficient public transport system. The restrictions on inter-district movement in view of the lockdown are hindering the efforts to kick-start industrial and commercial activities, Mr. Vas said. While workers were deprived of livelihood, entrepreneurs were finding it challenging to move forward. Reverse migration of workers has added to the miseries of entrepreneurs.

Mr. Vas said that many entrepreneurs have approached the chamber urging it to take up the matter with the government and hence, the request. He noted that the erstwhile parts of Bengaluru district, including Ramanagaram district, and Bengaluru Rural and Urban, as well as Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts, have been considered as one geographical area by the government for movement of people and vehicles.

As such, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi too may be considered as one geographical area, Mr. Vas said.