MYSURU: This small Dalit colony is showing the way for cities and towns on how to manage the present Covid situation. Dalit headmen of Sathyagala in Chamarajanagar district have ordered fellow villagers not to shy away from taking the Covid vaccinations or to get the RTPCR test done to face the threat posed by the second wave. The Dalit families here have decided not to entertain anyone coming from Bengaluru or Mysuru to prevent the spread of the virus.
They have set an example by making a group of youngsters working at a local choultry to undergo the RTPCR test. They have also passed a dictat, saying no one should step out of the village unless faced by an extraordinary circumstance or a medical emergency. The villagers have banned pigmy collectors or agents of any companies from entering the village till Covid subsides. They have warned of strict action, including imposing fines, on those failing to wear a mask, maintaining social distance or following directions of the panchayat.
Basavanna, a villager, said that many want to take the vaccine, but there is no dedicated doctor at the local Primary Health Centre here. “Where do we go if we get a fever or any other side-effect after taking the vaccination,” he asked.