• No relief for districts with over 10 percent positivity rate
• To discuss in Cabinet before issuing fresh guidelines

Bengaluru: With Case Positivity Rate (CPR) declining less than 10 percent in most districts, the State Government is planning a phase-wise lifting of lockdown across the State. The present lockdown will end at 6 am on June 14.

Close on the heels of steady decline in positive cases, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa is holding consultation with senior officers and senior Cabinet Ministers regarding lifting of lockdown in a phased manner. 

A majority of Ministers have favoured partial lifting of lockdown only in districts where CPR was less than 5 percent and continue stringent measures in districts where the CPR was over 10 percent. 

But experts have asked the CM to adopt a ‘go-slow’ approach as the sudden opening of all activities may jack up positive cases again. The CM is likely to have a detailed discussion before taking a final call on lifting the lockdown.

Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar said in the last 24 hours, 1,30,224 tests were conducted of which 9,808 new cases reported. The CPR stands at 7.53 percent. As many as 23,449 persons have recovered including 7,664 in Bengaluru City and with this, the total recovered has reached 24.60 lakh people.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C.N. Ashwathnarayan has said the situation was slowly limping back to normalcy in some districts whereas it was still not improved in a few districts. 

Essential services like provision stores, fruit/vegetable shops, hotels may be allowed to open with restrictions. But gymnasiums, bars and restaurants, pubs, swimming pools and the shopping malls have to wait for a few days. Select  industries may be allowed to open, by allowing the vaccinated employees and restricting the working hours.

Interaction 

The CM participated in an interactive session with Anganwadi workers this morning in which Dr. Sudhakar and other officials attended. Yediyurappa is planning to have an informal meeting with senior Ministers tomorrow before working out the formalities to unlock the State from June 14 onwards.