Bengaluru, Jul 17: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday said lockdown is not the solution for controlling COVID-19 and made it clear that there was no proposal before the government to extend it in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru urban and rural areas are currently under "complete lockdown" since 8 pm of July 14 and it will be effective till 5 am on July 22.
With the spike in cases, speculations were rife that the current lockdown is likely to be extended for 15 days, as that much time is required to break the chain.
"Lockdown is not the solution to control COVID. There is no proposal before the government to extend the lockdown," Yediyurappa was quoted as saying by his office in a release.
The Chief Minister today chaired a meeting with Ministers who have been made in-charge of eight zones in the city and officials regarding the COVID-19 situation in Bengaluru.
Earlier too, on July 13, the eve of the lockdown, Yediyurappa had said the government did not plan to extend it in Bengaluru urban and rural districts, and had appealed to the people to cooperate by not paying heed to rumours.
However, earlier today city Mayor M Goutham Kumar and commissioner of the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike B H Anil Kumar had favoured its extension.
They had said that in their personal opinion, a 15 day lockdown would be good, as that much time is required to break the chain.
The Opposition Congress too had asked for a minimum of 15 days lockdown after taking expert opinion.
"Respected Chief Minister, you have imposed lockdown in Bengaluru, but it is difficult to expect results from this lockdown, which has been imposed just for for the sake of it.
Take expert opinion and enforce strict lockdown in Bengaluru at least for 15 days.
If not, even if God comes,it will be difficult to protect Bengaluru," KPCC Working President Eshwar Khandre tweeted.
Speaking to reporters after attending the meeting chaired by the CM, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said lockdown will not be extended and all activities can resume as usual from July 22.
"Lockdown will not be extended. I'm saying this after discussing with the Chief Minister. There is no such thinking before the government.
CM has got report from the experts, it was discussed in the meeting.
By lockdown we can only postpone things, we have taken that breathing time.
If we continue lockdown it will keep on continuing," he said.
The Minister said the process of sealing places, wherever required, would continue.
He said the plan to conduct more tests was discussed at the meeting and all the required zone wise arrangements would be made
"We also discussed about beds and shortage of ventilators and steps will be taken to arrange for them," he said.
As of July 16 evening, cumulatively 51,422 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 1,032 deaths and 19,729 discharges.
Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 25,288 infections.
Out of 4,169 fresh cases reported on Thursday, a whopping 2,344 were from Bengaluru urban alone
At the meeting, the Chief Minister said all necessary steps should be taken to clear all the difficulties faced by infected patients in getting admitted to hospitals.
The CMO statement quoted Yediyurappa as directing Ministers to hold meetings with private hospitals to ensure that COVID and non COVID patients get treatment.
Warning of strict action against private hospitals if they don't allocate beds for COVID patients,he said volunteers and nodal officers would be appointed to gather information about admission of such patients and availability of beds
The Chief Minister said rapid antigen tests should be conducted on those dying at hospitals or homes and necessary action taken to hand over the bodies or to conduct last rites as per the procedures, depending on the cause of death.
Recruitment was on to appoint doctors to resolve shortage, he said,adding that volunteers have been identified in each ward for micromanagement and ambulances allocated.
Marriage halls and lodges have been selected in all wards for those not having separate quarantine facilities, Yediyurappa said and stressed on increasing testing.
Deploying extra police force at places where there are chances of people gathering in large numbers, ensuring beds availability and ambulances within two hours of a patient testing positive- with decentralized monitoring, giving priority to those symptomatic above 65-years during allocation of beds were among directions given by the Chief Minister.
Palaraj, a resident of Kunduru colony, said it was true that he had killed a cow for food. “But, is it right on the part of Bajrang Dal members to beat us black and blue. Is their act justified,” he sought to know.
Comments
Modi govt has failed miserably in protecting minorities rights in the country..
Yours is one of the worst sites I have come across - disabling both Control+v and Control+c etc. Shame on you.
There is a Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964 in force in Karnataka, Section 4 of which lays down: \4. Prohibition of Slaughter of Cow or Calf of She-buffalo:- Not withstanding any law, usage or custom to the contrary, no person shall slaughter or cause to be slaughtered, or offer or cause to be offered for slaughter or otherwise intentionally kill or offer or cause to be offered for killing any cow or calf of she-buffalo.\" The law is framed by Congress government four decades back and is very much in force. As such, what the dalits did was illegal - a crime - for which they are liable to 6 months imprisonment or fine or both. Well, that does not give license to vigilantes of any party or organization to take law into their own hands and beat them up either. The only course was to stop the killing if possible, or seize the slaughtered cow (carcass) etc. and hand over to the police. If the police do not act, then they could agitate in public, etc. So both parties are wrong on this occasion."
NRI PM S ACCHE DIN FOR INDIANS
The day Mr. Narendra Modi became prime minister , all such goondasm raised in our country. Narendra Modi can't talk because these are the part of his mentor (RSS) programmes.
These goons (Bhajrangis) are paid goons of BJP.
Time has come for Daliths and Minorities to stand against these criminals.
This is Karnataka not Gujurat. Strict punishment should be handed out to the perpetrators of such a heinous crime. As per the Constitution people are free to eat what they please. Why should the Bajrang Dal or anyone get offended if anybody eats beef.
BD will get their reward from the devils who inspire them to do such acts... Devils are permanent residence in HELL... it is easy for them to take human to HELL when people encourage EvIL in the society... Evil in the society spreads when People dont Ponder or want to know about the CREATOR of all that exists...
ISLAM says no one will escape of their crime, A day will be there to JUDGE all that happened in this EARTH. and JUSTICE will be done by the CREATOR who created U me and all that exists.
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