GP polls: Udupi district gets 1,260 protection gear kits

The State Election Commission has provided COVID-19 protection gear to personnel working for the elections to 153 gram panchayats in Udupi district.

A press release here said that 1,260 kits comprising protection gear and 620 thermal scanners were provided to the district. Each one of the kits include four sanitiser bottles of 500 ml, six sanitiser bottles of 100 ml, 20 triple layer surgical masks, six face shields, six hand gloves and one bio-medical waste disposal bag. These would be provided to 5,030 polling personnel.

The release said that every polling booth would have four polling personnel. Voters have to cast their votes maintaining social distancing. Anganwadi workers would screen voters with the thermal scanners.

Steps are being taken to supply 171 kits for Udupi taluk, 138 for Byndoor taluk, 219 for Brahmavar taluk and 72 kits for Hebri taluk for the first phase of the elections to be held on December 22. Similarly, 287 kits would be supplied to Kundapur taluk, 205 kits for Karkala taluk and 151 kits for Kaup taluk for the second phase of the polls on December 27. Thermal scanners used during the first phase would also be used for the second phase.

The release said that voters should compulsorily wear face masks when they come for voting and cast their votes after sanitising their hands. The district administration has taken all steps to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines during the elections, the release added.