Hours after Bengaluru mayor Goutham Kumar said that he has written to BS Yediyurappa seeking an extension of the lockdown for another week, the Chief Minister on Friday, July 17, said that he has "no plan to extend the lockdown".
Lockdown is not a solution to the pandemic," CM Yediyurappa said after the coronavirus review meeting with Bengaluru zonal in-charge ministers, MPs, and senior government officials.
To discuss the Covid-19 situation in Bengaluru, the Karnataka CM met the respective people in-charge in the city and reiterated that the lockdown announced in different parts of the state including the IT city will not be extended further.
Yediyurappa also said that Covid-19 patients should be taken to the hospital within two hours of receiving the test results. He also said that stringent action will be taken against hospitals denying admission to patients.
"Lockdown is not a solution to contain virus spread and the state government has no plan to extend the lockdown... Wedding halls in all wards can be converted to quarantine centers for those who do not have the facility at home. Those above 65 and symptomatic should be prioritised for hospital beds," says Yediyurappa.
It is also reported that CM Yediyurappa has always maintained that lockdown is not the way to go. Despite his stance, the CM was forced to announce a week-long lockdown.
BBMP official proposed extension of lockdown
Goutham Kumar had sent a proposal to the Karnataka CM to extend the Lockdown by one week as Bengaluru continues to see a spike in the Covid-19 cases.
"It will be better if we get more time to tackle COVID19 cases, we wish for the extension lockdown for one more week. We have given the proposal to the government," M Goutham Kumar said.
The Bengaluru Mayor also said that people are still not aware and wandering outside their houses aimlessly. "Keeping this in view, the government may extend the lockdown by a week to contain the spread of COVID-19," he said.
