JOIN USNo special vigilance on colleges, they must implement Covid norms: BBMP
The BBMP is set to keep a close watch on theatres and cinema halls, even as officials asked colleges opening from next week to take care.
The civic body is faced with the challenge to contain any potential third wave, amidst wholesale relaxations in Covid restrictions.
Ominously, daily Covid cases hover around 400 as against 150 at the end of the first wave, an official said.
As the government announced the reopening of higher educational institutions from July 26, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) asked colleges to strictly implement discipline on their campuses.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta told DH that 70 to 80 per cent of students have been vaccinated.
“Time has come to restart colleges with care and precaution,” Gupta said. “We presume that colleges will implement strict rules on mask discipline and social distancing.”
Asked if the civic body will set up a panel to survey colleges and ensure they follow Covid-19 norms, Gupta said: “We expect college managements to instil discipline themselves. We won’t contemplate special vigilance on colleges. They should be able to keep an eye on their students. However, we will step in when a complaint is raised, or we notice any violation.”
The zone-wise data provided by the Higher Education Department revealed that about 51 per cent of 62,255 students and staff in government degree and aided degree colleges have been vaccinated as of July 8. Out of the vaccinated individuals, 2,518 are staff and 31,147 are students.
As cinema halls, theatres and other performing spaces are allowed to operate with 50 per cent seating capacity from Monday, the BBMP Chief Commissioner said that marshals, home guards and other Palike officials will monitor the crowds in these places.
Crowd control
“It is important to have vigilance in crowded places like cinema halls, theatres and other performing areas and spaces. Whatever work our teams have been doing on the ground level will continue at these places, too.
"Marshals, home guards and others will make sure mask discipline and social distancing are followed strictly at these places," Gupta said.