Bengaluru
As the IT capital seems to be taking the Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai route in a surge of Coronavirus cases, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday ordered strict lockdown measures in wards that have high incidences of Covid-19 cases.
The strict lockdown restrictions will be implemented in the buzzling KR Market, Siddapura, VV Puram, Vidyaranyapura and Kalasipalya. All adjoining streets to these nerve centres of business and trade would also be sealed. “Boundaries will be defined and this will be a complete lockdown in these areas,” Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said. Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said these areas will be totally sealed and maximum testing will be done here.
The decision comes after the CM chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to review the worrisome situation. He called the situation as alarming and added the rise in cases can only be contained if preventive measures are strictly enforced. It was decided stringent action will be taken against those who violate quarantine, and FIRs would be filed against them, if necessary.
Apart from the government decision to lockdown key markets, Bengaluru's busy Chickpet shopping district will close for a week after traders voluntarily decided to suspend normal business due to a rise in Covid-19 cases in and around the area.
Currently, Bengaluru cumulatively has 1,398 Covid-19 cases (919 active) with most of the recent cases having no relevant travel or contact history. The state also reported five Covid deaths, taking the total to 142.
Within 21 days of Unlock 1.0, the number of Covid-19 cases in Bengaluru more than trebled from 357 to 1,272 and deaths jump from 10 to 64. This has forced the Karnataka government to form three task forces to check the spread of the pandemic.
There is a spot of worry for the police too with more cops testing positive, forcing Bengaluru city police commissioner Bhaskar Rao to order all his personnel over 55 years to stay in home quarantine and others to set up shamianas outside police stations to deal with the public.
The situation turned worse in Bengaluru as there were rampant violation of Covid-19 prevention rules. Since the March lockdown, 58,832 home quarantine violations were reported in Bengaluru while 15,157 people were warned by authorities. The total number of violations among people in home quarantine is 1,31,130.
In some cases, FIRs were registered against repeat violators. Meanwhile, Kanakapura constituency of Ramanagara Monday declared a self-imposed lockdown till July 1 due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases.
The decision to go into lockdown was taken after a meeting chaired by Kanakapura MLA DK Shivakumar along with civic officials, political leaders, and representatives of social organisations at the Kanakapura Municipality office.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar's father and a domestic help tested positive for the virus on Monday.
Further, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced complete lockdown in Madurai Corporation limit from the midnight of June 23 to 30 midnight owing to increasing infection.
Lawyers protest
A handful of lawyers belonging to the Advocates Association Bangalore (AAB) Monday held a protest in front of Karnataka HC in Bengaluru, seeking a financial package from the state govt to a tune of Rs50 crore. They alleged the Karnataka State Bar Council has not come to the aid of advocates in this distressing period of Covid-19 lockdown. A protesting lawyer said for four months courts have been shut and this has made many advocates penniless. “We are not rich like some top advocates. Hence we demand a financial package” he said. “Many of our colleagues come from rural areas and we have been driven to poverty,” another advocate said. The protesting lawyers also demanded a health package for lawyers assured by the ruling BJP at the Centre which was an election promise.
