Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday reiterated that there will be no lockdown in the state, but stringent measures will be implemented to contain the spread of coronavirus. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Yediyurappa said, "Barring lockdown, all other measures will be taken. Already we have imposed night curfew in some cities. If required, we will extend it to some other districts as well."
The Chief Minister said he would consult the opposition party leaders on the next course of action and deliberate on their suggestions in an all-party meeting on April 18, a day after the bye-elections in the Belagavi Lok Sabha and Basavakalyan and Maski Assembly constituencies. Yediyurappa also said that there will not be a lockdown on the weekends.
TNM spoke to two members of the technical advisory committee (TAC) suggesting measures to the state government on handling the COVID-19 pandemic and they said that they have not recommended a lockdown in the state. The expert group has recommended a ban on assembly of people in public places and wants the government to impose Section 144 of the CrPC.
Read: Karnataka govt advised by expert group to impose Section 144, not lockdown
Meanwhile, the opposition parties said lockdown was not a solution to rising COVID-19 infections as it would only make lives more difficult. "Lockdown is not a solution.. First it has to be identified how this disease spreads and accordingly, treatment should be provided. The government relaxed the norms when the number of coronavirus cases dropped, due to which they have gone up now," Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.
He charged the state government with minimising tests when cases reduced substantially, and letting people congregate at public events. “If the government is willing to impose lockdown, it should deposit Rs 10,000 into the account of one crore families belonging to the economically weaker section,” the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly told the media.
He also claimed that he has not received any invitation from the government for the all-party meeting yet. Another former Chief Minister, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, said that the government should focus on the availability of essential drugs such as Remdesivir and beds in hospitals as it is being projected that by the end of the month, cases may shoot up to 20,000 a day.