DC snubbed: Govt rescinds order on RT-PCR negative report for Bengalureans visiting Mysuru

Sindhuri on Thursday had said that an RT-PCR negative certificate was ‘advised’ for travellers from Bengaluru to Mysuru, but would not be checked or considered mandatory. However, she affirmed that a negative report was a must for people visiting places of tourist interest in Mysuru. The district administration had also announced that an RT-PCR negative report was mandatory to watch films in theatres.

The announcement was greeted with an outpouring of protest by citizens who termed it ‘highly impractical’, given that thousands of people commute daily/regularly between the two cities.

Damage control

Within hours, the state government resorted to damage control and issued a circular stating that district Deputy Commissioners are not authorised to announce separate contingency plans to combat the pandemic, and any such orders stand withdrawn.

The government circular, issued by Principal Secretary N Manjunatha Prasad, who is also member-secretary (Disaster Management), was addressed to all Deputy Commissioners and other government officials without any reference to a particular official (read Ms Sindhuri).

The circular stated that the government was trying to ensure uniformity in the protocols being followed to fight the pandemic and was complying with the norms issued by the Centre. It stressed that any orders or directives on containment, traffic movement, restrictions on congregations, etc., should be issued under the seal of the Chief Secretary after seeking the consent of the Chief Minister.

‘Such orders unsustainable’

“Yet, it has come to the notice of the government that certain Deputy Commissioners are issuing directives independently and at variance with the Chief Minister’s directives for uniformity in policy decisions,” Prasad said in the circular. He added that any separate directives issued by department heads, Deputy Commissioners and local corporations would stand rescinded.

This is the second time that the state government has stepped in to overrule a decision of a Mysuru DC on the issue of combating the pandemic. In October last year, the Mysuru district administration had barred people from visiting places of tourist interest during Dasara. This triggered a protest from various stakeholders. Subsequently, the Chief Minister overruled the decision, following which the district administration’s order was withdrawn.