Dakshina Kannada tightens covid surveillance at border areas

Mangaluru, July 14: Police in Mangaluru and other parts of Dakshina Kannada have stepped up surveillance at border areas in the wake of rising covid-19 cases and Delta variant being spotted in the neighbouring Kasargod district.

Mangaluru DCP (Law and Order) Hariram Shankar said that surveillance will be further strengthened in coming days. 

Home Minister during a video conference has directed to step up measures at the border. In Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate jurisdiction, along with check post at Talapady, check posts have been set up at Nethilapadavu, Narya Cross, Nandarapadpu, Mudungarkatte, Taudugoli in Konaje and Ullal police station jurisdiction. 

Under the guidance of the SI of each police station under these check posts, four to five police personnel will work in shifts with officials from the health department to carry out screening round the clock.

Railway police also helped set up at railway stations in Mangaluru. Those who travel daily to Mangaluru from Kerala (students and others for jobs), should undergo RT-PCR test once in 14 days which will be considered as a pass.  Unnecessary movement at the border areas will be checked. 

The bus service to Kerala from DK has not commenced yet. Once it does, surveillance will continue. A negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours or a vaccination certificate are mandatory for arriving in Karnataka, he added.

“We will ensure that there will be no inconveniences met to the parents accompanying students from bordering district for SSLC examination centres in Mangaluru. The exams will be held on July 19 and 23.  The parents accompanying their wards arriving from Kerala to Mangaluru during the SSLC examinations will not face any kind of inconvenience at the check posts.  

For the next 15 days, we will strictly monitor people coming to Karnataka.”  Shankar said, who along with DCP Dinesh Kumar visited the check post at Talapady, to review the arrangement on Tuesday.

In Dakshina Kannada police jurisdiction, 10 inter-state check posts have been set up to strengthen surveillance at the border. The check posts are situated at Saradka, Salethur, Kanyana in Vittal police station jurisdiction, Menala, Swarga, Sullia Padavu in Puttur Rural station limits and Muroor, Mandekolu, Baddadka and Kannadithodu in Sullia station limits, said DK SP Rishikesh Sonawane.

He said that in case of necessity, Rapid Antigen Tests and swabs will be collected for RT-PCR tests at the border.

The Covid-19 positivity rate in Kasargod district is 13.2 per cent, which has raised concern in Dakshina Kannada. Accordingly, a review meeting chaired by District -in-Charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary on Monday had resolved not to start bus services from DK to Kerala for a week.