Chamarajanagar bans tourists, sets isolation rules

MYSURU: A green zone until last month, Chamarajanagar district is now battling a wave of infections and, in a desperate bid to rein the surge in, authorities have decided to impose severe restrictions, including making it mandatory for drivers of goods vehicles coming from across borders to spend three days in institutional quarantine.
The district shares borders with Tamil Nadu and Kerala and authorities currently operate six checkposts.They have also decided to ban tourists from both outside the state and within the state.
Deputy commissioner MR Ravi said, “About 45 to 50 drivers and traders visit neighbouring states every day. To curb the spread of Covid-19, we have decided that they undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for three days. Only drivers who agree to the condition will be allowed to travel.”
Ravi said of the six checkposts, two -- Palar and Nalaroad -- will be closed. “If anyone from another states wants to travel to the district, they will have to register on Seva Sindhu website,” he said, adding unnecessary movement of people between districts will be discouraged. “The whole idea is to make the district Covid-free,” Ravi said. “Health is a priority. All these decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by district in- charge minister S Suresh Kumar recently.”
He said asymptomatic patients will be moved to one of the four Covid care centres.