Bengaluru: With experts opining that COVID-19 second wave was likely to peak by May first week in Karnataka, CM B.S. Yediyurappa this morning said that the State Government may impose lockdown if the necessity arises.

“People need to respond for their own good. If they don’t heed then we may have to take stringent measures. If required and if necessity arises, we will impose lockdown,” Yediyurappa told reporters in Bidar.

Reacting to queries on the growing cases in the State —which saw the numbers breaching 10,000 yesterday — Yediyurappa said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also spoken to him about the measures taken by his Government. “(I told him) we have imposed night curfew in the districts where the Coronavirus cases are rising,” he said.

The CM insisted that people should wear face masks, use hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing.”People need to respond for their own good. If they don’t co-operate then we will initiate stringent measures, which people should not give scope for. I want people to co-operate with us,” Yediyurappa said.

“We are not interested in clamping lockdown but we would be constrained to take that drastic step if people fail to mend their COVID-inappropriate behaviour,” he added. 

Meanwhile in Bengaluru, Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar clarified that the State Government did not have any intention of imposing lockdown due to its economic impact. “But people must not force the Government to take such a stringent step. They must impose lockdown on themselves by wearing masks and maintaining social distancing,” he said.