Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Apr 23: The district deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra maintained that clear directions to the public have been given on what activities are permitted and prohibited during curfew. "With regard to the second wave of Covid, the government has issued guidelines about what activities are permitted and prohibited. I have been receiving frequent complaints regarding offline classes being conducted. In residential colleges or any other colleges, live classes are completely prohibited. There is an exemption for final year medical colleges as we need medical students on the frontline and as they have a special provision under Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Further, VTU engineering exams will be conducted while adhering to certain SOPs. We have also given notice to the management of the colleges that has conducted live classes," the DC said.

"Residential colleges who do not have offline classes and are conducting online classes should permit outstation students to go home," he added. The DC reiterated that only essential services such as grocery stores, milk parlours, medical shops, meat, fish stalls have been allowed to operate while other forms of commercial establishments are prohibited to conduct business till May 4.

"Construction activities are permitted except on weekends, the same goes for the shops dealing with the sale of construction equipment. We have conducted meetings with the builders, KCCI, CREDAI etc. and asked them to create a conducive atmosphere for migrant labourers and make all arrangements so that they do not have to go back home. Necessary arrangements will be made for the migrant labourers and we also urge for the setting up of community kitchen," said DC Dr K V Rajendra.

"Salons, parlours are opened and have been asked to follow Covid appropriate behaviour. Malls, stadiums, public places are completely closed, while hotels, wine shop can only provide takeaway service. Public entries to religious places are completely prohibited. During the weekend curfew, the hotels on highways can operate but only to provide takeaway service in order to facilitate truck drivers," the DC informed.

He also stressed that permission for organising weddings is mandatory.

"My Family My Responsibility should be the objective of all, let us avoid social gatherings so that we can defeat the second wave of Covid together," urged Dr K V Rajendra.

No shortage of beds

"We have 124 nursing homes in the district, of which 74 are in Mangaluru. We have 5,000 beds, 3,800 general beds, and sufficient ICUs, ventilators, oxygen. A nodal officer has been appointed to monitor the same. There are many who do not have symptoms. There are those who do not like to get admitted to the hospital, in such cases, we are making an effort to tie up hotels with hospitals so that arrangement to provide oxygen facility can be done. During these situations, even doctors will be made available to treat such patients. If in the next 15 days we are faced with a crisis situation, the hotel tie-up will likely work in our favour," the DC said.

"Covid Care Centres will be set up in every taluk for the asymptomatic patients who do not have proper arrangements at their homes. We have reached out to the hostels of NITK and the ESI hospitals to help us convert their facilities into Covid Care Centres. Those who have mild symptoms should come forward to get tested," said Dr K V Rajendra.

Speaking on the occasion, police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said, "Government has issued orders to close down commercial establishments. They were strictly told to observe Covid guidelines till May 4. However, despite the government order, some footwear and jewellery shops were opened. Some establishments were operating in an irresponsible manner with 50 to 60 employees working in them. In the last two days, cases have been filed against 56 outlets, today there were around 14 to 15 such establishments that were flouting the Covid guidelines. It has come to my notice that even after conducting a raid on a jewellery outlet, they were still conducting business. This is nothing but them behaving irresponsibly."