Yediyurappa bats for easing lockdown in coronavirus-free districts

Karnataka's exit strategy from the lockdown proposes easing restrictions in 11 of the 30 districts where COVID-19 cases have not been reported, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa told DH in an interview on Tuesday.

"In the coming days, we can allow intra-district movement of people in these districts. If the Prime Minister allows, we can do that," Yediyurappa said.

But in 19 districts, including Bengaluru Urban where cases have been reported, more stringent measures were required, Yediyurappa said and lamented about people not responding to curbs "appropriately".

A task force constituted to draw up a lockdown exit strategy is monitoring all developments in the state regarding the disease. "We will soon convene a Cabinet meeting and form district-level task forces, which I think will be more effective in containing the spread of COVID-19," the CM said.

The Chief Minister said the government remained cautious as experts expected a surge in cases towards the end of April or in the first week of May. "I am not in a position to find solace in the fact that Karnataka is in 10th position nationally," he said. "All precautionary measures are in place, but people are not responding (to the lockdown) appropriately. It's inevitable to take stricter action."

Mincing no words on the state’s precarious financial situation, Yediyurappa, who is also the finance minister, said he will sit with officials after April 15 to chalk out the way forward.

"We aren't getting any revenues at all. Excise, motor vehicles taxes, commercial taxes...there are no collections. Everything has stopped," he said. "And it's not just Karnataka. Even the Centre's finances are not good."

The government, he said, was yet to calculate the extent of losses suffered due to the lockdown.

Asked about a post-lockdown plan to return to normalcy, Yediyurappa said it was too early for that. "You know, there's no guarantee that the lockdown will end on April 14. Only when the lockdown is over can we sit down and plan," he said.