The district health authorities have constituted a mobile team comprising doctors and nurses in H.D. Kote to monitor the villages sharing border with Kerala that has had three confirmed case of novel coronavirus.
H.D. Kote and surrounding areas of the town have regular movement of daily wagers and local businessmen dealing with agricultural and horticultural produce that is transported to Manathavady in the neighbouring State. Besides, daily wagers from H.D. Kote are hired on a contract basis in plantations in the adjoining State just as Kodagu in Karnataka draws workers from Kerala.
But it is practically impossible to monitor and screen every individual given that scores of vehicles transport them regularly across the border at dawn and bring them back at dusk. Kabini river, which meanders through H.D. Kote, constitutes the border along vast swathe of the taluk and people use coracles and boats to cross over and return.
There is also inward movement from Kerala to H.D. Kote mainly by contract farmers who have invested heavily in farmlands here.
Bulk of the ginger that is cultivated in H.D. Kote is by contract farmers from Kerala who also tend to bring in their own workers. Given the impossibility and impracticality of monitoring every to and fro movement between the two States, the authorities have decided to step up public awareness.
“The mobile team conducts random checks and screening, besides creating awareness, especially along the border villages like Bawali and Machchuru,” said Venkatesh, District Health Officer, Mysuru. A quarantine ward has been created in H.D. Kote hospital for screening patients with symptoms of novel coronavirus, if any.
Liquor stores
Meanwhile, the liquor stores in H.D. Kote’s D.B. Kuppe Gram Panchayat limits continue to attract villagers from across the border.
The liquor store in Machchuru, a village in H.D. Kote, situated along the Kabini, has been a favourite haunt of people from Kerala.
“Many people from Kerala cross the river by boat and come to D.B. Kuppe looking for work. They also have a drink in the liquor stores,” said Ramachandra, Sub-Inspector of Beechanahalli police station. He favoured closure of liquor stores for security reasons.