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Mangaluru, May 6: Amidst preparation for the paid evacuation of Indians stuck in Gulf countries amidst coronavirus lockdown, the central government has announced that it would only do a medical screening of the passengers before the flight and only asymptomatic persons would be allowed to travel.

Each passenger will have to fill a self-reporting form to be presented at the health and immigration counter at their destination.

The passengers are required to state whether they are suffering from fever, cough, diabetes or any respiratory disease. This form is similar to the one filled by passengers landing in India during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak.

As per the announcement by the government, returnees would undergo COVID-19 once they complete 14-day quarantine in a hospital or government –arranged institution on a payment basis.

However, the form asks the applicants to keep themselves isolated at home for 28 days unless they develop any symptoms such as fever and cough.

During the journey, they will have to follow the protocols such as those issued by the Health Ministry and the Civil Aviation Ministry. Applicants from the UAE are yet to receive instructions on these.

On reaching the destination, passengers will have to register on the Arogya Setu app, India’s mobile application for COVID-19 surveillance.

No physical distancing!

Air India Express (AIE) which is set to operate the first two flights to Kerala on Thursday will operate its Boeing 737-800 flights, with a seating capacity of 186 economy class seats.

With nine seats reserved for isolation, only 177 passengers would be flown, sources said.

While most of the UAE flights in the first week will be operated by the AIE, Air India will operate two of its Dreamliner aircraft with a seating capacity of 256 seats. These flights would also reserve some seats for isolation.

However, the plan has made it clear that the Indian government will not be following the rules of physical distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the repatriation flights.

Several people, including the Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed concern over flying passengers, who will not be tested for COVID-19, without observing physical distancing.

Mangaluru, Jan 29: The police have registered a suo motu case against some of the youths who raised life threat slogans against former Karnataka Minister and Congress MLA UT Khader during the pro-Citizenship Amendment Act rally here on January 27.

A video of the incident that went viral on social media showed the youths belonging to BJP and other saffron outfits raising slogans that they will “cut off his limbs and chop off his head if necessary” during the rally organised by the BJP in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act on Monday.

Though Mr Khader did not file a complaint, the Congress party had urged the police to register a suo motu case.

Mangaluru, Jul 6: Two fresh deaths in last 24 hours have taken the total number of covid-19 deaths in Dakshina Kannada district to 24.

The deceased are a 52-year-old woman from Ullal and a 52-year-old man from Thokkottu.

The man was suffering from cardovascular disease and pneumonia, sources said.

The woman passed away in Wenlock hospital.

More details are awaited.