Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flays Karnataka's fresh travel curbs on passengers from the state
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 5: Days after neighbouring Karnataka imposed travel restrictions on persons from the state in view of the COVID situation, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the fresh curbs were against the directive of the Centre in this regard.
As per the order issued by the Union Home Ministry, states should not impose travel curbs closing their borders, he said.
"The Karnataka government has imposed the new restrictions against the Central government's directive," he told the state Assembly.
Replying to a submission by legislator A K M Ashraf (IUML), he said steps have been taken to ensure that the curbs are not causing any difficulty to the people of the state who are travelling to the neighbouring state for various purposes.
The state DGP Anil Kant had already contacted his counterpart in Karnataka who ensured that necessary action would be taken in this regard.
Detailing the restrictions imposed by the neighbouring state, the Chief Minister said an RT-PCR COVID negative certificate, taken within 72 hours, has been made mandatory for commuters from Kerala by the Karnataka government.
The officials of that state had tightened inspection at the border check post in Thalappady in this regard from August 2.
The state police was giving special attention to ensure that the curbs were causing no inconvenience to those going for treatment in hospitals in Karnataka and those belonging to the essential service sector, he said.
Arrangements have been made at the border for conducting the RT-PCR test, giving priority to those who travel to Mangaluru on a daily basis.
If anyone produces a certificate, completing two doses of vaccination, they would also be permitted to meet their requirements for which RT-PCR has been made mandatory, the Chief Minister added.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
