With the state anticipating a huge influx of Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) residing in other states, the border district of Kasaragod in north Kerala has set up 100 help desks at Thalappady, which is the entry point from Karnataka.
The help desks will start functioning from Monday, May 4, morning.
District Collector Dr D Sajith Babu, in a video conference on COVID-19 containment activities, on Sunday said that a total of 4,500 NRKs have been registered with the government to return to the state. These include mostly those who live in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Bihar. Extensive arrangements have been made to examine the details and health condition of those who reach the border. It is also anticipated that the people will be returning to the state via National Highway 66, 47 and 48.
Arrangements at the help desks
For each vehicle coming from Karnataka, either the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) or police officials will give a token. The heads of the team or drivers would be allowed till the entry point for examination of the documents only with the tokens.
Only three people are allowed to travel in a four-seater vehicle and five in a seven-seater vehicle.
A junior health inspector, RTO or officials of the Revenue Department would examine the vehicle to check the number of passengers, current health condition and whether COVID-19 advisory is followed. A medical officer would shift those with any kind of symptoms to a centre for examination. Those who are from the district would be shifted to care centres in ambulance and for those from other districts, the ambulance expense should be borne by them. Fire and Rescue officers have been assigned to disinfect the help desks every 30 minutes.
Both the private and government-run ambulances, except those needed for emergency services, that are available for shifting symptomatic people to hospitals, would be kept ready for service at the help desks. Kerala Road Transport Corporation buses would be arranged for the officials working at the help desks from Kasaragod and Kanhangad to Thalappady and also to return.
In the first four days from May 4, the help desk would function round the clock and there won’t be any delay in issuing medical certificates for those who are asymptomatic.