The district has been put under lockdown following the wide ranging quarantine methods announced by the State government to prevent the spread of COVID- 19.
The government has asked all schools, colleges and universities to remain closed for two weeks. Examinations for classes 1 to 6 that were to be held after March 14 have been cancelled. Students of classes 7 to 9 have got study leave till their examination starts. All examinations have to be completed before March 23.
Most educational institutes have followed this instruction. However, some private schools functioned as usual on Saturday.
A.B. Pundalik, Deputy Director of Public Instruction said that officers will visit such schools and ask them to close down. A showcause notice would be served on them, he said.
Visit by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda to the district has been put off. He was supposed to hold party workers’ meetings in Belagavi, Chikkodi and Hubballi.
The two multiplexes in the city and three shopping malls have remained closed since Friday. Crowds in the old city market were thinner and business was affected. A lot of people were seen wearing masks.
Additional powers of quarantine have been given to Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli under the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897. He has issued an order to close all anganwadis till March 21. Anganwadi workers will provide food materials to the doorstep of children enrolled in these pre-schools.
Emergency contact
A 10-bed isolation ward has been set up in the district civil hospital. Isolation wards of two and five beds have been set up in all other government hospitals in the district. Doctors at the isolation ward in Belagavi can be contacted on 9449308081, 9739579688, 9980706051, 08312491102.
