Bengaluru, Jul 15 (IANS): The Karnataka government has allowed a group of select essential industries and those with a continuous production process to function in the city amid the July 14-22 Covid lockdown, an official said on Wednesday.

"Those manufacturing of essential goods and production units which require continuous process and supply chains are allowed to operate during the lockdown," said Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industries, Gaurav Gupta.

Food processing industries and essential goods manufacturers such as drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical oxygen, packing material, animal feed, milk products, hatcheries, poultry feed, plants, seeds, pesticides, fertilisers and others are allowed to function.

Those manufacturing soaps, sanitisers, and agriculture implements, defence and aerospace manufacturing, as well as e-commerce players for the supply of food and groceries, among others, can also operate.

On a demand to identify the continuous process industries allowed to operate during the lockdown, the Commerce and Industries Department has listed integrated steel plants, petroleum refinery units, cement plants, fertiliser plants, pulp and paper units, glass manufacturers, coal tar distillation units and integrated textile units.

As the lockdown is in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, Gupta has also clarified that people commuting for work to four contiguous districts will be allowed to do so, considering six districts as one unit.

"Bengaluru Urban, Rural, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Tumkur districts are considered as one unit for movement and transportation of people," he clarified.

Likewise, all employees working in these industries have been allowed to travel with valid identity cards.

Chief Secretary T. M. Vijay Bhaskar held a video conference with senior officials and advised the department to demystify guidelines as many industries and the common public are not clear about which industries qualify to be permitted as essential industries.

Amid surging Covid cases daily since July 1, Karnataka government had decided to re-impose a total lockdown in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts from night on July 14 till morning of July 22.