Due to the rise in COVID-19 Delta variant cases in Maharashtra, the Belagavi administration has banned the entry of visitors at tourist spots in the district.
Places where tourists are banned include waterfalls in and around Gokak and Khanapur taluk.
On the order of Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath, tahsildars have banned tourist entry at waterfalls in Gokak, Godachinmalki and Dhupdal.
Tahsildar of Khanapur has banned entry of tourists at Chikkale, Chigule, Kanakumbi, Paravad, Man, Jamboti and other waterfalls and tourist places in Khanapur taluk.
The order follows a trend of “revenge” tourism where city dwellers, stuck indoors for months, are going on tours in hordes on weekends. Some places have also seen huge crowds even on weekdays.
“But we have a responsibility to contain the spread of the epidemic. Hence the order,” the Deputy Commissioner said.
Meanwhile, the police continued strict vigil on inter-State border check-posts. All vehicles carrying passengers without RT-PCR or vaccination certificates were sent back. Buses between Belagavi and Maharashtra districts of Kolhapur and Sangli were stopped.
A travel protocol remains in place for Maharashtra and Goa.
To enter Karnataka, a RT-PCR negative certificate not older than 72 hours or vaccination certificate of at least one dose is compulsory. This applies to those who travel by flight, bus, train, taxi, personal transport and other means.
However, vaccination of both doses is necessary to enter Maharashtra. Only those who have been vaccinated with both doses of vaccine [15 days since the administration of the second dose] and are in possession of the final vaccination certificate issued through the Co-WIN portal are allowed. If a person has received only one dose, he should carry a RT-PCR negative certificate not older than 72 hours.
All other persons should carry a RT-PCR negative certificate.
To enter Goa, one should have a RT-PCR certificate not older than 48 hours. For those going to work in Goa or those seeking treatment for medical emergencies should have have had both doses of vaccine two weeks prior to travel and should be asymptomatic.
