Decision on further easing of norms, resuming primary classes after Dasara: Karnataka CM

Basavaraj Bommai said his government would conduct an assessment meeting regarding the relaxations and would accordingly take a decision on the matter.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said border districts in the state would be offered some relaxations regarding Covid-induced restrictions that are currently in place following an assessment after the Dasara celebrations.

Karantaka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. (PTI)

Speaking to reporters at the Mangaluru airport, Bommai said his government would conduct an assessment meeting regarding the relaxations and would accordingly take a decision on the matter. A report in PTI said a decision on reopening primary schools in the state would also be taken at the meeting.

The CM’s announcement came in the wake of a gradual decline in coronavirus cases being reported across the state over the past few days. At present, Karnataka is reporting a little over 300 daily new cases on an average with 332 people testing positive for the disease on Tuesday.

With this, the total number of confirmed infections rose to 29,81,732, according to a bulletin from the state department. Also, 11 more fatalities in the past 24 hours pushed the death toll to 37,906, the data showed.

Meanwhile, the active caseload fell below the 10,000-mark and was recorded at 9,712 as of Tuesday. Bengaluru Urban with 6,595 active cases contributed the most to the state’s tally.

Earlier in the month, Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar had also spoken about reopening schools for primary classes (classes 1 to 5). On September 6, physical schooling resumed for students of classes 6 to 8 in taluks where the Covid-19 positivity rate was less than 2 per cent.

Sudhakar said the state government did not take any decision on reopening of educational institutes in a hurry. It was done in a phased manner after due consultations with parents and experts, he added.

The state has also offered some relaxations to existing norms with a gradual improvement in the pandemic scenario and allowed cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes and pubs to be reopened However, night curfews between 10pm and 5am would continue to keep the virus under control.

As of 7am on Wednesday, 59,913,592 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the state, according to the Union health ministry’s data.