Techies from North Karnataka logging out of IT City

Silicon City no longer appeals to techies and others from North Karnataka.
A migrant worker’s family returns to their hometown with their belongings on Saturday, apprehensive about the increasing number of Covid cases in Bengaluru | Shriram B N
A migrant worker’s family returns to their hometown with their belongings on Saturday, apprehensive about the increasing number of Covid cases in Bengaluru | Shriram B N

BAGALKOT/VIJAYAPURA: Silicon City no longer appeals to techies and others from North Karnataka. Most of them, who had migrated for better livelihood and had settled in the capital city, are rushing to their hometowns. The reason is not far to seek. An alarming spike in Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru, a dubious distinction of 1,172 on Saturday alone, is  making these panic-stricken people head back home.Most of the buses operating to the districts of North Karnataka from Bengaluru have been running full for the past few days. 

Siddramappa Navalgund, a software engineer and a resident of Kamalanagar in Bengaluru, said, “Every day, the Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru are seeing a drastic rise. This has created panic everywhere. We have decided to lock our home and leave for Gadag, our hometown, for about a month or till the situation returns to normal.”

He has been living in Bengaluru for the past two decades. He said, “Since cases in Bengaluru are rising rapidly, the tech firm where I work has given permission to work from home for the next two months. And my father, who works in a private company, has tendered his resignation due to the Covid fear. We feel safer in our hometown than Bengaluru.”

Anil Myageri, a resident of Lokapur of Bagalkot, said 12 people, including him, from the surrounding villages, work in automobile companies located in and around Kengeri and Bidadi. “We are all friends. Our parents started panicking when they heard of the Covid surge in Bengluru. After taking the permission of our respective managers, we all returned to our hometown on Friday,” said Anil. 

Speaking to The New Sunday Express, Govinda Reddy, Chief Executive Officer of Vijayapura Zilla Panchayat, said, “It has come to our notice that after the rise in Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru, people in large numbers  are returning to their hometowns. We cannot insist on home quarantine as they are intra-state travellers.”  

Officials to  keep record of  B’luru returnees

“However, we have brought this to the notice of the State Government and are waiting for their guidelines,” added Govinda Reddy, Chief Executive Officer of Vijayapura Zilla Panchayat.“We will wait for the guidelines for the next couple of days. If not, we will come up with a plan to address this issue. At present, I have directed the Panchayat Development Officers of all the villages to maintain a separate record of people returning from Bengaluru. We are creating awareness among the villagers not to panic,” he said.

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The New Indian Express
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