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Large gatherings will be curbed until Dasara: Dakshina Kannada DC

The DC was addressing a gathering on the third wave of Covid-19 organised by DK district Working Journalists Association at Patrika Bhavan
Last Updated 11 August 2021, 18:47 IST

Following a threat of the Covid-19 third wave, no large gatherings will be permitted in Dakshina Kannada (DK) district until Dasara festival, DK Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V stressed on Wednesday.

The DC was addressing a gathering on the third wave of Covid-19 organised by DK district Working Journalists Association at Patrika Bhavan. He said there will be no offering of special poojas, sevas, by devotees during Nagara Panchami celebrations — one of Tulu Nadu's biggest festivals. The priests will perform religious rituals in a traditional manner, he said.

Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) were entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the pooja rituals in 'Nagabana' (sacred grove) and ancestral houses will be held without any mass gathering. Many festivals including Nagara Panchami, Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and many more are lined up for the next month. "Processions and installation of idols in public places during Ganesh Chaturthi are restricted and celebrations are restricted to a day," DC said.

Even Independence Day celebrations will be observed by officials and elected representatives without involving the public. There will be weekend lockdowns this week and students who have examinations can travel to the examination halls, by displaying their hall ticket, DC informed.

As the positivity rate in Dakshina Kannada district is high, reopening of schools and colleges is also likely to be delayed, the DC added. Autonomous colleges and Deemed to be Universities had been asked to inform the nodal officer in the collegiate education department about the precautionary measures taken before starting classes for students.

The 32-bedded hi-tech ICU at Wenlock Hospital will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Basaraj Bommai on Thursday. The district administration is ready to tackle Covid-19 third wave. About 9,000 beds including from private hospitals have been readied to face the situation. A separate 75 oxygen-supported beds for children have been readied. In addition, 50 per cent of the beds in hi-tech ICU at Wenlock Hospital will be reserved for children.

DC said they will appeal to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for additional one lakh doses of vaccines in addition to the district's existing quota. The positivity rate in neighbouring Kasargod district is high and the positivity rate in DK is 4.75 per cent. In such a scenario, the district administration’s decision on restrictions along border areas is justifiable. There is a need to give priority to vaccination in the villages bordering Kerala, DC said.

The positivity rate in the DK district might be high as the district shares its borders with Kasargod where cases are on the rise. People from Kasargod depend on the district for health care facilities. The testing rates in the district have also increased. On Tuesday, 9,900 tests had been conducted in the district. Thus, there is no need for any lockdown after August 15, he said while brushing aside rumours.

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(Published 11 August 2021, 18:47 IST)

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