Karnataka CM says lockdown could be imposed if need arises

As Karnataka continues to report a steep rise in COVID cases, the state government has warned that a lockdown can be clamped if the need arises. CM B S Yediyurappa insisted that people should wear face masks, use hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing.

Bengaluru:Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the state government could impose a lockdown if the necessity arises.

"People need to respond for their own good. If they don't heed then we may have to take stringent measures. If required and if the necessity arises, we will impose lockdown," Yediyurappa told reporters in Bidar.

Reacting to queries on the growing coronavirus cases in the state, which saw the numbers breaching 10,000 on Sunday, he said the Prime Minister had also spoken to him about the measures taken by his government.

"(I told him) we have imposed a night curfew in the districts where the coronavirus cases are rising," Yediyurappa said.

He insisted that people should wear face masks, use hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing.

READ:K'taka may witness COVID peak by May first week, slow down by May end: health minister

"People need to respond for their own good. If they don't cooperate then we will initiate stringent measures, which people should not give scope for. I want people to
cooperate with us," Yediyurappa said.

To a question, if the Technical Advisory Committee had recommended a lockdown, Yediyurappa reiterated that people have to understand and cooperate.

Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar told reporters that the government was not inclined for a lockdown and wanted people to cooperate.

"Neither I nor the Chief Minister is saying that we will do it (lockdown). All we are saying is don't compel us to push to that extreme. Our government is not at all willing to impose lockdown," he clarified.

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He also said that if people cooperate the second wave of coronavirus can be defeated.

The talk of lockdown came following reports that the Technical Advisory Committee has recommended lockdown for a brief period to contain the coronavirus.

Sudhakar had on Sunday said that the cases may touch around 25,000 to 30,000 by the month-end. The Karnataka government decided to impose night curfew from 10 PM to 5 AM in major cities, district headquarter towns and other urban areas for 11 days from Saturday till April 20. The state 10,250 fresh covid cases and 40 deaths in the last 24 hours.

READ:New COVID-19 cases cross 10K mark in Karnataka

PTI