Amidst the alarming rise in COVID-19 cases in Mysuru, Minister in-charge of Mysuru district S.T. Somashekar on Wednesday visited the checkpost at Bavali on the Karnataka-Kerala border and reviewed the steps taken by the district administration and the police for controlling the spread of the contagion.
Anybody from the neighbouring State wishing to travel to the State through Bavali has to produce a RT-PCR negative report which has been made mandatory by the State government.
At Bavali, a COVID-19 Inspection Centre and Border Facilitation Centre has come up.
Mr. Somashekar, after the inspection, said the travellers not possessing the RT-PCR negative report are being sent back.
The Minister, however, admitted that the number of vehicles from Kerala entering the State through Bavali has dropped over the COVID-19 scare and the restrictions. As many as 120-130 vehicles are passing through the border daily fulfilling the norms.
Mr. Somashekar said the Kerala government has set up a swab collection centre at the border to facilitate the travellers of its State for getting the tests done. This centre has started to function from Tuesday. “Steps will be taken on our side too.”
Claiming that steps had been taken for the smooth movement of goods from Mysuru to Kerala, especially farm produce, through Bavali, he said the administration had responded to emergency situations and facilitated the movement without any difficulties.
He told reporters that the tough rules for bringing the resurgent pandemic under control have come into effect in addition to the night curfew and the weekend curfew across the State. These rules have to be complied with strictly and the Mysuru district administration will be enforcing these rules firmly.
“I am confident that the people of Mysuru will follow the COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour as the city has less number of violations of COVID-19 norms,” he said.
In reply to a question, Mr. Somashekar said there was no shortage of Remdesivir injection for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in government hospitals but the private hospitals were facing scarcity of the drug. In this connection, the Minister for Health is visiting Mysuru on Thursday and look into the matter, he said, adding that 5.70 lakh vaccine doses had been administered in Mysuru district out of the targeted 8.75 lakh doses.
He reiterated that Mysuru is also not facing any shortfall of medical oxygen.
H.D. Kote MLA Anil Chikkamadu, Mysuru Superintendent of Police C.B. Rhyshanth, revenue and health officials were present.
