From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 19: With positivity rate of Covid infections showing downward trend in more than half of Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday night announced partial unlock 2.0 in the State with almost all daytime normal activities such as shops in as many as 16 districts including Bengaluru and Uttara Kannada, while another 13 districts, including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi with positivity rate above 5% to below 10% will continue to have previous partial lockdown restrictions with Mysuru district with positivity rate above 10% will continue to be under lockdown.

While night curfew from 7 pm to 5 am and weekend curfews from Friday 7 pm to Monday 5 am will continue all over the State, the Chief Minister has announced operation of BMTC, KSRTC buses as well as Metro trains with 50% capacity, hotels, restaurants and clubs are allowed to be open without use of Air Conditioning during daytime till 5 pm in the evening. Though bars and clubs are allowed to open during daytime and serve customers as in hotels and restaurants, drinking alcohol in the premises is prohibited. Swimming pools will be open. Outdoor sports will be allowed without spectators. 

All government offices and private establishments are allowed to function with 50% attendance subject to adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour. Gyms are allowed to function with 50% attendance but without AC during daytime till 5 pm, lodges and resorts are allowed function with 50% capacity.

The restrictions on places of worship, cinema halls, and shopping malls will continue. The State Government has allowed outdoor shooting.

The 16 districts with positivity rate below 5% which are in for partial unlock during daytime are Uttara Kannada, Bengaluru City, including BBMP, Belagavi, Mandya, Koppal, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Kolar, Gadag, Raichuru, Bagalkote, Kalaburgi, Haveri, Ramanagara, Yadgir and Bidar.

The 13 districts, which have positivity rate above 5% but below 10%, which are in for the previous lockdown conditions are: Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Davangere, Dharwad, Ballari, Chitradurga and Vijapaura. These districts will be subject to lockdown conditions as announced on June 11.

The partial unlock restrictions as well as other lockdown restrictions will be in operation till July 5 and the situation will be reviewed before that.

The Chief Minister said the State Government took the decisions based on the recommendations of experts from the Technical Advisory Committee and after consulting the cabinet ministers. The decision on unlock is to ensure that the people and trade and business activities get partial relief and not an indication of the State overcoming the dangers of the Covid pandemic.

“All of us must cooperate with the Government and follow the Covid safety norms such as mandatory wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing and sanitation to bring the situation under control,’’ the Chief Minister said.