Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (HB/EP)
Udupi, Jun 11: Deputy Commissioner, G Jagadeesha has directed officials to register cases under Epidemic Act regarding complaints from people over non-maintenance of social distance in buses running in the district. He was speaking after presiding over a meeting of private bus owners in the DC’s office on Thursday.
He also asked to register complaints under the Act concerning carrying more than 30 passengers permitted in the buses.
He asked bus owners to instruct their bus staff to provide sanitizers to passengers and to not allow people in the buses without masks. The bus owners explained that it is difficult to maintain social distance during peak hours. The DC asked the bus owners to run more buses during peak hours or to change the trip timings.
To a question, the bus owners said that they have not increased the ticket fare due to coronavirus. “The government had consented to raise the ticket fares in January and KSRTC has already increased the fares. Though only 30 passengers are permitted in the buses, the owners have to pay tax on empty seats also. Therefore tax should be levied only based on the number of passengers,” they requested the DC.
Additional DC, B Sadashiva Prabhu, ASP Kumar Chandra, RTO Ramakrishna Rai, Canara Bus owner’s Association president, Rajavarma Ballal, secretary, Sadananda Chatra, Udupi service bus owner’s association president, Rajesh Shetty, Coastal Bus Owner’s Association president, Raghavendra Bhat, Shirva Bus Owner’s Association president, Shivarama Shetty and others were present.
Presiding over a preparatory meeting of examinations at the zilla panchayat auditorium on Thursday, he said that the examination will be conducted on June 18 in 27 examination centres in the district.
“Two more additional blocks are identified for the purpose. 13,547 students will write the examination including 160 students from outside the district and one student from outside the state. 1,344 students of the district have chosen to write the examination in other districts. Eight teams are formed to distribute question papers. Supervisors are assigned and police security will be provided in the centres.”
“KSRTC will arrange free trips for students on June 18. Therefore, the pre-university education department should prepare a route map of how many students need the bus facility. Students should wear face masks and be examined by thermal scanners before entering the examination hall. Separate rooms should be arranged for students suffering from cold, fever and who are coming from the cantonment zone. The tahsildars should get the centres sanitized if those were used as quarantine centres. Students should be able to maintain social distance in their seating arrangements. The examinations should be conducted to avoid inconvenience to students. The officials should work in coordination and be a model to the state,” he said.
Additional DC, Sadashiva Prabhu, PU education department deputy director, Bhagavanta Katteemani, all the tahsildars in the district and heads of all the examination centres were present.