Karnataka government will announce stringent measures on April 20

Bengaluru: Karnataka government will announce stringent Covid-19 containment measures on Tuesday after chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s meeting with the governor Vajubhai Vala and leaders of political parties.

A complete lockdown may not be imposed as there is opposition to it within the party and also from the opposition parties.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, “Legislators and leaders suggested to not go into lockdown as it will affect the poor. The chief minister, undergoing treatment for Covid-19 at a hospital, participated in the meeting on Monday and took note of the suggestions.”

After having a meeting with MLA’s, MPs and ministers, he told that the chief minister will have a virtual discussion with the governor and opposition parties on Tuesday regarding the spike in Covid cases. After the meeting, he would announce the Covid-19 control measures.

He said, “The next two months are crucial to manage things during this period and to take certain stringent steps, meetings are being held with leaders of all parties today and tomorrow.”

On April 20, the governor will chair a virtual meeting with floor leaders of both Houses of the state legislature to discuss the Covid situation. In the meantime, guidelines in posing a night curfew were circulated on social media and WhatsApp groups, but CM stated that there were no such guidelines till now.

The curfew between 10 pm and 5 am in seven districts centres will end on Tuesday. The revenue minister said that some legislators were in favour of extending the night curfew while some opposed it. But none of them proposed the weekend lockdown.

Ramalinga Reddy, Senior Congress legislator and former Minister criticised the government for not taking proper measures to control Covid-19.

He said, “There are no answers to the questions posed to the government. To cover up their failures, they have symbolically called us for a meeting. If you (govt) impose lockdown, give Rs 25,000 for every family as was sought by us.”

Krishna Byre Gowda, another senior Congress MLA said, “At the meeting, we asked as to why precautionary measures were not taken during the last two months despite the threats of the second wave looming large. It looked like they had called the meeting to escape from its responsibility.”

Saying about the details of the meeting, Ashoka started that MLAs appreciated the government for taking proper measures during the second wave and wanted to have similar measures in the second wave too. Shortage of oxygen supply was also expressed.

He said, “We have enough oxygen, but hospitals don’t have the capacity to store it. There is no issue with the big hospitals, yes the oxygen has to go in cylinders, so we have appointed nodal officers and have ordered for applying cylinders three times a day to such hospitals.”