In a huge relief to people living in the border district of Kasaragod in Kerala, Karnataka has granted permission to allow ambulances with non-COVID patients to pass through the border. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed this to a Supreme Court bench, adding that an agreement had been reached in a meeting called by the Union Home Secretary with the Chief Secretaries of both the states.
The agreement was arrived at on the basis of parameters and protocol for passage for urgent medical treatment at the interstate border at Thalappady. Based on this, Karnataka will allow patients from Kasaragod who are not infected with COVID-19 to pass through the border to hospitals in Mangaluru.
Scores of people in Kasaragod visit hospitals in Mangaluru in the neighbouring Karnataka to avail medical services for various ailments.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday had said that permission has been granted to allow ambulances to Karnataka hospitals for patients who are not infected with COVID-19.
“A Karnataka medical team will be present at the Thalappady border. Karnataka informed that patients can get permission to travel with medical certificates. The medical team at the border will examine the documents at the border. Those who travel to hospitals in Karnataka should travel with medical certificates. They should also clearly say to which hospitals they want to go. The medical team at the checkpost will give permission after checking the documents,” Pinarayi said in the press meet.
Karanataka had closed the Thalappady border that connects Kasaragod and Dakshina Kannada district along with all other borders post the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This had put many patients who needed emergency treatment in the state, particularly those from Kannur district, in trouble. A total of eight people died due to the lack of emergency treatment.
Pinarayi also once again asserted that Kerala had not closed its borders to the needy.
“Arrangements have been made for people from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu border regions to seek treatment at hospitals in Wayanad district. These include those from Bairakuppa and Machur in Karnataka and Pandalur and Gudalur in Tamil Nadu. Twenty-nine people have come from Bairakuppa and 44 from Tamil Nadu to hospitals in Wayanad,” he said.