Amid rising coronavirus COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday (April 12) said that a complete lockdown could be imposed in the state if need 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 necessity arises, we will impose lockdown,” CM Yediyurappa said.
Responding to queries about the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in Karnakata, the chief minister said that he was closely monitoring the situation and had also spoken to PM Narendra Modi about the measures taken by his government to curb the spread of deadly virus in the state.
“(I told him) we have imposed night curfew in the districts where the coronavirus cases are rising,” Yediyurappa said.
CM Yediyurappa appealed to the people of the state to wear face masks, use hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing.
“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,” CM Yediyurappa said.
When asked if the Technical Advisory Committee had recommended him to reimpose total lockdown to break the chain of transmission, CM Yediyurappa asserted that people must follow COVID-19 guidelines and cooperate.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said in Bengaluru that the government was not interested in imposing a lockdown.
“Neither me 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.
Sudhakar added that the second wave of coronavirus can be defeated with cooperation from people.
