In a bid to cap the continuing spike in COVID-19 positive cases in Dharwad district, the district administration has decided to impose a complete lockdown in the district from July 15 to July 24.
After a discussion with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa through video conference and meeting with officials and doctors of the district, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and district in-charge Jagadish Shettar made the lockdown announcement in Dharwad on Monday.
He said that the decision has been taken with the consent of the Chief Minister. The lockdown will be in force from 10 a.m. on July 15 to 8 p.m. on July 24.
Strict implementation
Making the announcement, Mr. Jagadish Shettar said that the lockdown would be strictly implemented on the lines of the first lockdown announced in the country. “However, there will be exemption for door-to-door sale of essential commodities and functioning of MSMEs. All shops, offices, supermarkets and malls shall remain closed during the period. Only medical shops, petrol bunks and milk parlours will be kept open,” he said.
The Minister clarified that there would be no inter-district travel barring cases of medical emergencies. “People who want to come to the district or go out of it could do so till Tuesday evening. From Wednesday, check-posts will be erected and entry and exit of private vehicles will be prohibited,” he said.
No mass prayers
Mr. Shettar said that he would appeal to the people to refrain from crowding at prayer halls and places of worship. Considering the instances of crowding at mosques, Anjuman-e-Islam, Hubballi, has requested the administration to ban religious congregation and mass prayers and accordingly, the administration has prohibited any kind of mass prayers during the period.
Clarifying that the police had been given a free hand to take action against offenders, he, however, appealed to the people not to resort to panic-buying as the district administration would make necessary arrangements for supply of essential commodities, including vegetables, fruits and grocery items, on the doorsteps of residents.
Mr. Shettar said that the spike in number of cases in the district was a matter of concern and all necessary steps were being taken to check it. “So far, 30,834 persons were tested for the pandemic and of these, 28,869 tested negative. While 1,088 persons have tested positive, the results of 1,275 persons are awaited. Meanwhile, 398 persons have been discharged from hospitals and there are 657 active cases. Of the 33 deaths that the district has reported, 30 % are people from other districts,” he explained.
Admitting that the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) had been overburdened because of the increase in COVID-19 patients, he said that he had requested the Chief Minister to enhance medical facilities at KIMS. The Chief Minister had responded positively to the request, he said.
Video conference
Earlier, Mr. Shettar, along with Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil, Police Commissioner R. Dileep, Superintendent of Police Vartika Katiyar and several district-level officers, attended the video conference with the Chief Minister.
