BENGALURU: Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday indicated that the lockdown in the state may be lifted in 4-5 phases after June 14. He said that in the first phase, lockdown relaxation hours may be relaxed from the existing 6 to 9 am to 12.30 pm.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a training programme for doctors and officials on Covid-19 management for children ahead of the possible third wave, Ashoka said that the decision of unlocking and the phases will also depend on the number of positive cases, deaths and positivity rate. He said that a meeting with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar and experts will be held either on June 11 or 12.
“The final decision will be taken by the CM... the first phase could see relaxation in lockdown hours, opening of the industrial sector, parks and gardens. A decision on inter-state travel is yet to be taken. The target is, however, to first bring down the number of daily cases to 500. Work from home will be stressed and, if the cases continue to rise after unlocking, then the decisions could be rolled back as well,” he emphasised.
Sudhakar said that if all restrictions are lifted at one go, then the work done so far will go to waste. “There will be a rush at markets. So, a staggered unlock is ideal. Even in the lockdown, citizens are loitering around and the police have been told to come down heavily on them,” he added.Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said, “If people are expecting a normal life in the coming days, then that is not possible. There will be restrictions on gatherings for a long time. Experts from different fields are trying to understand the needs of the future.”
Meanwhile, on the issue of Yediyurappa continuing as CM, Ashok said, “I am not an astrologer. But he will remain in the post for the next two years. It’s not a seat on a bus that you can keep a towel on, to claim it. Our party issues are internal matters and the Opposition should not interfere. I am not aspiring to be the CM.”