Tika Utsav to be held from April 11

BENGALURU: A Tika Utsav (vaccine festival) will be held from April 11- 14 to encourage more people to get the jab. To ensure that the utsav, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a success, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Revenue Minister R Ashoka set a target of 7.5 lakh vaccinations in 15 days in South Bengaluru for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and health officials. 

At a meeting held in the city on Saturday, with BBMP and private hospital managements, Surya said extensive awareness campaigns will be held. He said that there were around 7.5 lakh voters above 45 years of age in South Zone, comprising six constituencies of Basavanagudi, Jayanagar, Vijaynagar, Padmanabhnagar, Chickpet and BTM Layout. 

“We need to achieve the remaining target by vaccinating about 5.5 lakh people in the next 15 days. For this, we need to educate people. We need to create more awareness in slums,” he said. Minister Ashoka directed the police to prevent large gatherings during the festive period. BBMP officials said at present, around 35,000- 40,000 people are being vaccinated per day and they want to increase it to at least 75,000 per day as part of the utsav.