The next phase of lockdown in Karnataka for additional two weeks will come with relaxations for agricultural and industrial sectors, so as to allow slow regaining of economic activity.
Addressing a press conference after the video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa noted the impact of COVID-19 on the rural economy. He said lockdown norms have been relaxed for farmers to enable them to commence land preparations during the coming kharif season. Already, several districts have received rain during the last few days.
“The Prime Minister said fishing activity can be restored and processing of fish yield can be done. This has come as a major relief for coastal districts Udupi, Uttara Kannada, and Dakshin Kannada in our State,” said Mr. Yediyurappa.
Noting the measures taken by the State government to fight COVID-19, Mr. Yediyurappa said the State’s ranking in the country in cases has slipped from third to 11th in the last couple of weeks. “Mr. Modi said the next two to three weeks are critical and it will decide whether we have succeeded or failed. If the situation worsens, we have to face the crisis,” said Mr. Yediyurappa.
Lockdown measures
Mr. Yediyurappa said 365 check-posts have been installed in Bengaluru city alone and 588 check-posts in other parts of the State to regulate unnecessary movement of vehicles. A total of 43,432 vehicles have been seized, 1,558 FIRs registered, and 2,682 persons arrested during the lockdown period till now. The police have tightened vigilance during nights in all border areas and check-posts.
About 50 foreign activists of Tablighi Jamaat have been identified and put on quarantine. A total of 269 in Bengaluru and 485 people in other parts of the State, who attended the event in Nizamuddin, have been identified.
The Prime Minister has instructed States to take steps to check selling of goods at higher prices in the black market, the Chief Minister said. All shops related to essential commodities have been kept open and all vehicles transporting farm produce have been allowed to transport goods to market in urban areas, Mr. Yediyurappa said. In a tweet, the Chief Minister said: “My Cabinet and I attended the video-conference about #COVID19 with Mr. Modi today. We discussed vital strategies and actions to implement around the State. We are doing and will do everything in our control to tackle this pandemic.”
