The blockade has prevented several patients from Kerala’s Kasaragod district from travelling to Mangaluru in Karnataka for its medical facilities.
KARNATAKA BORDER IN DELAMPADY, PHOTO : ABDU SWAMADH UA
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Union Health Secretary to mediate a discussion between the Chief Secretaries of Kerala and Karnataka to resolve the issue of allowing patients from Kasaragod district to avail emergency medical facilities in Mangaluru. The Karnataka government has blockaded the roads leading from Kasaragod to Mangaluru in the wake of the lockdown imposed following the outbreak of coronavirus cases in India. A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta were hearing a special leave petition filed by the Karnataka government challenging the Kerala High Court's April 1 order asking the Centre to intervene and remove blockades to allow passage for patients from Kasaragod seeking health services in Mangaluru. The matter will be heard again in the apex court on April 7. It asked both states to ‘not precipitate’ the matter until then, LiveLaw reported. The Karnataka government challenged the Kerala High Court order stating that the Kerala High Court had overstepped its territorial jurisdiction by issuing directions in Karnataka. It also stated that the decision to block the roads leading to the state was taken due to a public health emergency citing the outbreak of coronavirus cases in Kasaragod district. As of April 3, 118 coronavirus cases have been reported in Kasaragod district of Kerala. Residents in border areas of Kasaragod including Manjeswaram rely on medical services in Mangaluru. The Kerala border is around 30-35 km from Mangaluru. At least five deaths have been reported from Manjeswaram of Kasaragod district after Karnataka closed its borders. TNM earlier reported that a woman from Kasaragod’s Manjeswaram town, which is located close to the Kerala-Karnataka border gave birth to her baby in the ambulance after the road to Mangaluru was blocked. Read: After Karnataka lockdown, Kerala patients on state border struggle to get treatment The blockade has been an ongoing issue since March 27 when Dakshina Kannada district imposed stringent lockdown measures which included sealing the district borders. Mud embankments were kept in place on the arterial roads connecting the two states to stop people from travelling. BJP leaders including Karnataka Tourism and Culture Minister CT Ravi took to social media to voice their opposition against the Kerala High Court's decision directing the Centre to open the state highways leading to Kasaragod district. Congress leader Mithun Rai, who unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Dakshina Kannada constituency in 2019, also filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Kerala High Court’s order. However, key opposition leaders including former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah criticised the decision to disallow patients with medical emergencies to travel to Mangaluru for treatment. Several others also slammed CT Ravi for political opportunism and for being inhumane during a public emergency. Read: 'Communists and Congis boast of Kerala healthcare. Why come to Mangaluru?’: BJP Min
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