With the number of COVID-19 cases going up in the last fortnight, the Dharwad district administration has embarked on an extensive sensitisation programme in a bid to increase adherence to health protocol.
According to official data, Dharwad district has recorded 1,100 new cases in the last 18 days and registered 20 deaths due to the pandemic. On Monday, the district administration along with the police launched a mass sensitisation programme.
Leading a team along with Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Labhu Ram, District Health and Family Welfare Officer Yeshvanth Madinkar, vaccination nodal officer S.M. Honakeri, Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil visited market areas and infection-prone areas as part of the awareness programme. During the programme, the officials emphasised on the need for wearing face masks, using hand sanitisers and maintaining physical distancing.
The officials handed over face masks and sanitisers to vegetable and fruit sellers in the market area and asked them to be cautious in the wake of the second wave of the pandemic.
Subsequently, the Deputy Commissioner paid surprise visits to cloth shops, hotels, provision stores, among others, to check whether the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being followed.
During his interaction with traders and vendors, Mr. Patil highlighted the need for adhering to SOP during business hours and compulsorily wearing face masks. He also asked them to stick “No mask, no entry” notices in front of every shop.
Mr. Patil said that as the second wave would spread faster than the first, there should not be any negligence towards following the guidelines. Emphasising that no customer should be allowed to enter hotels or shops without wearing masks, he asked hoteliers to ensure proper seating arrangements and avoid crowding. Commercial property where there was no adherence to SOP would be sealed without any hesitation, he told them.
Later, speaking to presspersons, Mr. Nitesh Patil said that government officials too had been directed to hold meetings only if it was very urgent and such meetings should be held in strict adherence to SOP. Virtual meetings would be held for review of each department, he said.
Mr. Patil said that as per the government order, municipal officials, zonal assistant commissioners in the city limits and tahsildars in the rural limits have been authorised to issue passes for holding marriages.
“First, they should get No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the police before approaching the municipal officials for permission to conduct marriages. In case of violation of SOP, action would be taken against those flouting the norms and the marriage halls would be sealed,” he said.
