'Ensure basic facilities for devotees during paryaya'

Minister for Energy and Kannada and Culture Sunil Kumar instructed the officials to ensure all basic facilities for the devotees attending Paryaya Mahotsav to be held on January 18 with utmost attention to Covid-19 appropriate behaviour.

Speaking at a meeting held to discuss the Paryaya celebrations, the minister said the ceremony should go uninterrupted. Several visitors attend the ceremony from outside the state. Basic infrastructure like drinking water, clean and hygienic conditions and proper parking facilities should be assured.

He said he will hold talks with the chief minister to release funds required for the event.

The minister said additional civic workers for maintaining cleanliness in the city limits should be recruited. The repair of roads and other construction works should be completed by January 10.

He directed the superintendent of police to deploy additional police personnel. The congestion of vehicles should be avoided. CCTVs should be installed at strategic locations.

The minister said a tableau showcasing government schemes should be displayed during the Paryaya procession.

The cultural and traditional troops from the state and outside the state should be given an opportunity to participate in the procession, he added.

He said participating devotees should mandatorily produce vaccination certificates of two doses.

The KSRTC should ensure frequent transport facilities for the devotees. The health department should set up vaccination centres and Covid tests should be increased, he added.

Sunil said the Manipal Institute of Technology premises is adding more numbers to the Covid-19 cases in the district.

The area should be declared as a containment zone and more tests should be carried out and the spread of the infection should be contained, he said.

The district has received 11 ambulances in charity, which should be handed over to the cooperatives for maintenance. The vaccination for children aged 15 to 18 should be carried out in a structured manner and the condition of the children post-vaccination should be monitored, said the minister.