Tough Covid-19 measures likely after Karnataka all-party meet

Imposing daytime restrictions on the movement of people and tweaking the night curfew timings are options before the state government ahead of an all-party meeting Tuesday where the next steps on containing the Covid-19 spurt will be finalised.

On Monday, the government took suggestions from Bengaluru MPs, ministers and legislators from all parties on the pandemic situation in the city. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is expected to decide on new measures after Tuesday's all-party meeting chaired by Governor Vajubhai R Vala.

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Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that all MLAs and MPs were against imposing a lockdown, but they recommended strict measures. Yediyurappa attended the meeting via video conference from hospital where he is undergoing Covid-19 treatment.

Some MLAs suggested imposing Section 144 across the city to curb the movement of people. While some suggested starting the night curfew from 8 pm instead of 10 pm, others opposed the idea of a night curfew itself, Ashoka said.

But Congress MLAs were unamused over the government's handling of the situation. "Why didn’t the government take precautions 2-3 months ago? No answer. How do we help people who aren't finding beds, ventilators and medicines? No answer. There was no solution," former minister Krishna Byre Gowda said.

Another former minister Ramalinga Reddy said every household should be given Rs 25,000 if a lockdown was imposed. Congress MLC CM Ibrahim favoured prohibitory orders instead of a lockdown, whereas Chamarajpet MLA BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan said the government should set aside 25 hospital beds for legislators who can then allot them to the needy.

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Bangalore Rural MP DK Suresh, the lone Congress MP from Karnataka, said the government was drowning. "And they want to take us down with them."

Defending the government, Ashoka said the government had arranged 14% more ICU beds this year. "Many private hospitals are yet to allot beds," he said, adding that only a tenth of the 50% beds in private hospitals was with the government. "This will increase to 60% in a week and soon all private hospitals will reserve half the beds."

A nodal officer will be appointed for every Assembly constituency to respond to Covid-19 issues, Ashoka said. "The main reason for bed shortage is that people are getting hospitalized unnecessarily," he said.

Crematoriums have been directed to remain open 24 hours, Ashoka said. He also said the government will hire more people to ensure BU codes are generated faster for patients.