This story is from June 30, 2020

Kerala refuses quarantine facility for Mangalureans from Dubai

Mangalureans, who arrived at Kannur International Airport (KIA) in a chartered flight from Dubai, were denied quarantine facilities by the authorities in Kerala.
Kerala refuses quarantine facility for Mangalureans from Dubai
Mangaluru MLA UT Khader with passengers at Talapady
MANGALURU: Mangalureans, who arrived at Kannur International Airport (KIA) in a chartered flight from Dubai, were denied quarantine facilities by the authorities in Kerala.
In fact, a chartered flight was arranged by Karnataka Cultural Foundation (KCF) Dubai for 150 expats of Mangaluru. When the flight landed in Kannur on June 27, they checked into lodges in Kasaragod for quarantine.
However, the district administration and police in Kasaragod made Mangalureans vacate the quarantine facility on Sunday. Later, those expats were sent to the border at Talapady in four KSRTC buses of Kerala even without communicating the matter officially with the Dakshina Kannada district administration. Following this, Mangaluru MLA UT Khader and Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu B Rupesh acted swiftly to help expats.
Puttur assistant commissioner Dr. Yathish Ullal, who is the nodal officer for expats, told TOI that all passengers have been sent for quarantine in four hotels in Mangaluru.
“KCF wanted to land the repatriation flight in Mangaluru, but they were not granted permission. Hence, they made arrangements to land the flight in Kannur. All passengers in it are from Karnataka. Hence, the Kerala government is supposed to inform us. Since there was no official communication, we have asked the Kerala government to quarantine them there itself. Those passengers reached Kasaragod and stayed in three hotels, but the police and officials in Kasaragod made them vacate the place. Later, they sent all the passengers in buses to our border in Talapady without communicating the same with us,” the AC explained.
On humanitarian ground, our DC made immediate arrangements to quarantine all of them in hotels, he said. “Kerala government did not provide details of the passengers officially. We received 150 passengers from the border and all of them have been sent to quarantine facilities safely,” he said.
On a rumour that is being spread through social media about 30 out of 150 passengers missing, the AC said, “It is not true. All are in our quarantine facilities.”
MLA UT Khader said he got in touch with the DC of DK and made arrangements to shift all passengers to quarantine facilities by 1am. “For the first time after the lockdown Kerala KSRTC buses were allowed to enter considering it as a special case,” Khader said.
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About the Author
Vinobha K T

He is an Assistant Editor with The Times of India, Mangaluru.

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