• Night curfew has failed, say experts; curfew timings might be increased from 8 pm to 6 am 
• Weekend lockdown, shifting of markets to open areas, restricting     entry to hotels, bars, clubs likely 

Bengaluru: The State Government will decide on stricter measures including extending night curfew, weekend lockdown, shifting of markets to open areas, closing all public places for specific hours and restricting entry to hotels, gyms,  bars and clubs to rein in the COVID-19 second wave at a meeting of MLAs, MPs and Ministers of all parties called at Vidhana Soudha at 3 pm today. 

Revenue minister R. Ashoka will chair today evening’s meeting. The meeting has been called as directed by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa who is receiving treatment for COVID-19 in Manipal Hospital. The CM will join the meeting via video-conferencing.

The focus of the meeting will be on controlling spiralling positive cases in cities including Bengaluru and Mysuru. To speed up the vaccination drive, the Government is mulling to give home-to-home vaccines as people are shying away from vaccination centres for the fear of contracting the disease at the inoculation centres. As per plan, people above 45 will be identified and healthcare workers would visit individual houses to vaccinate them. 

The talks come at a time when experts have warned that the Government is fast losing control over the second surge. Yesterday, Bengaluru Urban reported 12,793 positive cases, Mysuru 777, Tumakuru 494, Kalaburagi 671, Bidar 469 and Hassan 348 positive cases compelling the Government to think of extending the existing night curfew till the end of April. 

Apart from extending the existing timings from 10 pm to 5 am to 8 am and 6 am, more cities are likely to come under night curfew. 

Government sources admit that the night curfew has not helped much because not many people socialise after 10 pm. “The Government is not considering a lockdown but measures that involve stringent actions to curtail movement. The virus is being spread through the activities and movements of people. The decision before the Government is how many activities it will curtail.  As the night curfew did not see any results, its hours might be extended from 8 pm to 6 am,” sources added. 

Ahead of today’s meeting, Ashoka said that all options other than lockdown will be discussed. “There will be no lockdown. The Chief Minister has also clarified on this. We will not allow the livelihood of the poor to be affected. We have to live with COVID-19. We have seen what happened after the last lockdown, when lakhs of migrant people thronged railway stations. Lockdown will put people’s livelihood at stake,” he said. 

Suggestions from elected representatives will be taken note of and will be conveyed to the Chief Minister. New guidelines will be issued as per the CM’s advice, Ashoka added. 

Health experts have advised the Government to declare lockdowns at least on weekends. While the Government cannot impose a full lockdown considering the economy and livelihood, major cities must have a lockdown on weekends. Such an action will discourage people from venturing out and socialise unnecessarily, experts have stated.