Karnataka likely to close cinema halls, gyms and colleges for 10 days

Bengaluru: On a day when Karnataka witnessed more than 15,000 fresh Covid-19 cases and Bengaluru accounted for around 9,000 of them, the state government was looking forward to extending the night curfew duration by two hours in the city. The government also thought of imposing it on other high-burden districts as it will prevent the further spread of infection.

Other such measures include the closing of cinema halls, bars, pubs, gyms and colleges for 10 days. If the fresh restrictions are approved by the government at a meeting on Tuesday, then they may come into force by April 21.

In the last 24 hours, Karnataka reported 146 Covid fatalities out of which 97 were from Bengaluru. Karnataka likely to close cinema halls, gyms and colleges for 10 days In Bengaluru, the youngest among the dead was a 26-year-old woman who had hypertension and diabetes.

A source said that a meeting of Bengaluru MLAs and MPs chaired by Revenue Minister R Ashoka discussed these measures and the government is positively considering some of their suggestions. The government was thinking to extend the time of night curfew from 10 pm-5 am to 8 pm/9 pm to 6 am.

However, a final decision will be made on Tuesday evening after considering the opinions of floor leaders from both houses of the legislature at an all-party meeting chaired by governor Vajubhai Vala. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa will participate in the meeting from the hospital where he is being treated for Covid-19.

At the meeting chaired by R Ashoka, many MLAs and MPs opposed imposing a full lockdown that prohibits public gatherings as they have been ineffective in the first wave. They are of the opinion that lockdown and other strict curbs would put the poor and the working class in severe hardships. While some of them were also against extending the night curfew hours.

Even though Ashoka and health minister K Sudhakar tried to explain the steps that they are taking to address the shortage, Congress MLAs criticised them over the shortage of ICU beds, oxygen and remdesivir drug.

R Ramalinga Reddy, former minister told about the delay caused in generating Bengaluru Urban (BU) code numbers for patients which are affecting the pace of their hospitalisation. To this, Ashoka has explained that instructions have been directed to nodal officers to ensure BU code numbers are generated within six hours of a person testing positive.

Ashoka said, “The shortage of beds has cropped up because private hospitals, which should set aside 50% beds for Covid patients, have so far given 10% beds. To avoid this, we will bring all positive cases to Covid Care Centres and then decide who requires hospitalisation.”

ZA Zameer Ahmed Khan has requested the government not to ban mosque prayers. He also said that the community has agreed to restrict the number of attendees.