Tension at Kerala-Karnataka border over Covid-19 restrictions

The travel restriction imposed by Karnataka on persons from Kerala in view of a high number of Covid-19 cases in the state has led to tension at Karnataka-Kerala border areas at Thalappaddy on Monday.

Congress-led United Democratic Front activists staged a protest by blocking the highway at Thalappady and prevented vehicles from Karnataka from entering Kerala. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed on both sides of the border. While Karnataka authorities blocked vehicles from Kerala, political activists in Kerala blocked vehicles from Karnataka. A section of local people also joined the protest. 

Later they dispersed after assurances that restrictions would be given for those proceeding for medical and educational purposes.

Read | Karnataka shuts borders with Kerala again over Covid-19 

According to police officials at the border area, the Dakshina Kannada authorities had given relaxation to vehicle movement on Monday. But they said that from Tuesday they would insist on a Covid negative report of the RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to entering Karnataka. Those going for emergency medical needs would be given relaxations by subjecting to antigen tests at the border. In the case of students, the educational institutions should ensure that the students were subjected to Covid tests, said sources.

District police chief P B Rajeev told DH that at present vehicle movement was going on smoothly across the border. However, the Karnataka authorities may strictly enforce the restriction from Tuesday. 

Meanwhile, local people said that the Covid testing facilities in the Kasargod district were inadequate compared to the heavy flow of people from the district to Dakshina Kannada for daily needs. Even on Monday, long queues were witnessed in front of the testing centres in the district.

Kasargod district medical office D. A V Ramdas said that steps were already taken to enhance the testing facility in the district. A maximum of around 600 to 800 tests could be done daily.

However, local people said that it would be insufficient to meet the demand. The chances of private laboratories exploiting the situation were very high.

During the initial spike of Covid in the Kasargod district also a similar situation prevailed as even patients from Kasargod to hospitals in Mangaluru were also blocked at the border.

Even as the Karnataka - Kerala border roads in Wayanad were also being blocked, the situation in Kasargod is grimmer as people of Kasargod heavily depend on Mangaluru for most needs, especially medical purpose and education. Karnataka authorities have stepped up vigil along all border roads.

Kerala is having over 58,000 active Covid cases now, which is the highest among the states in India.