The state cabinet which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister has decided to continue the present restrictions under the weekend curfew for the next 14days from Tuesday April 27 night as a strategy to control the surge of Covid 19 infection in the state of Karnataka.
The cabinet has decided to ensure that free vaccinations would be made available in all government hospitals and healthcare centres for all persons above the age of 18 to 45 years, which would be starting from May. The vaccination drive for all people above 45 years of age will happen as before in accordance with the policy announced by the centre.
The Chief Minister while addressing the state cabinet meeting described the restrictions as the ‘stringent curbs’ and at one point even termed them as ‘bundh’. However the official sources have clarified that it will be like the weekend curfew enforced in the state from Friday night till Monday morning.
All shops and grocery related shops will be allowed to function from 6am to 10 am to enable the public to buy essential things like milk, vegetables and groceries.
The Chief minister has made it clear that shops, hotels, restaurants, bars, and other business establishments will be allowed to operate from 6am to 10am only for ‘take away or parcel’ services and not to serve customers in the premises.
The chief minister announced that Public transport, including bus services from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation and all four state road transport coperations in the state as well as Metro Rail services in the city and even other private transports including busses, taxies, cabs, auto rickshaws and other inter-state movement of busses will be stopped.
There will be unhindered transport of goods transport services.
Officials announced that detailed guidance on the activities allowed and not allowed will be announced later in the evening.
Functioning of Schools, colleges, temples, churches, mosques will strictly be prohibited during the curfew period. This would cause problems to the community observing fast and would affect the Ramzan prayers as well.
The state would request the Election Commission not to conduct any elections for next six months. It is however not clear as to what will happen for the counting on the by-election to the three assembly constituencies and the lok sabha seat in Karnataka which has been scheduled for May 2.
Banks, ATMs and Post Offices will remain open.
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