Home and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that 8,500 Home Guards will be deployed for management of COVID-19 in the State and 15,000 Civil Defence volunteers for tracking, testing and providing services for patients recommended for home isolation in Bengaluru.
Mr .Bommai, who attended a review meeting on the COVID situation in the State chaired by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, said that more Home Guards would be deployed for pandemic management if required.
With Bengaluru recording more than 50% of positive cases of the State, Civil Defence volunteers who were registered with the department would be deployed in different wards of the Bengaluru city corporation.
The personnel and equipment of Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services would be pressed into service for cleaning different wards of the city. The government had roped in the services of the Fire and Emergency Services during the first wave of the pandemic last year.
It was decided to sanitise all prisons of the State. About 300 prisoners and staff have tested positive in the State.
All Superintendents of Police (SPs) have been instructed to deploy forces in districts for strict enforcement of guidelines issued by the government during the lockdown. Cases would be booked against all those who violate COVID curfew and indulge in unnecessary movement, the Minister warned.
