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Yediyurappa opts for 7-day lockdown to curb Bengaluru’s Covid spike
Bengaluru lockdown: Karnataka government ordered a lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts from 14 July evening to 22 July morning.
Karnataka which again witnessed a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases, especially in Bengaluru, on Saturday announced a week-long lockdown in Bengaluru’s urban and rural districts starting 8 pm on Tuesday, or 14 July. The restrictions will continue till 5 am of 22 July.
In a late-night decision by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa after consulting experts, the government said essential services including hospitals, pharmacies, milk, vegetables, and grocery stores would continue to operate. Other establishments would have to remain closed.
However, exams scheduled for medical students and those in the final semester of their graduation courses during this period will be held as usual.
Karnataka recorded 2,798 new cases on Saturday, taking the cumulative tally to 36,216 which includes 613 deaths and 14,716 patients who were discharged.
Bengaluru continued to account for the bulk of the new cases with the city reporting 1,533 fresh cases, pushing the total active cases in the city to 12,793. Several legislators including tourism minister C T Ravi have also tested positive for the virus.
The government has also released detailed guidelines to establish Covid-care centers by resident welfare association (RWA’s) and apartment owners associations, as well as companies in their own premises as the number of cases continued to rise in the state.
Leader of opposition in the assembly Siddaramiah on Saturday again attacked the government for its handling of the Covid situation and hurled six questions at the chief minister.
In a video released on his social media account, the former chief minister asked the government to provide details of the money spent by the state government in fighting the virus, and the amount contributed by the Centre.
“Which ministries have spent how much on what all measures are taken to fight the pandemic? What is the market rate for PPE kit, gloves, sanitizer, thermal scanner, and other equipment brought and how much has the state government paid for each one of them and the companies from whom they have purchased? How many food kits have been provided and to whom and at what cost? Similarly what was supplied to migrant laborers returning to their native places and at what cost? How much has been spent on Covid patients till date,” the Congress leader asked.
Deputy chief minister CM Ashwath Narayan said the government would provide all details on the money spent on a later date since the focus right now was to fight the pandemic. He, however, stressed that all the purchases made by the state government are above board and transparent.
