Karnataka: Lockdown extension or relaxation? Decision by June 6

Bengaluru, May 30: The Karnataka government will take a call on relaxing lockdown norms based on the Covid-19 situation in the state during the coming week. A meeting will be chaired with experts and state ministers to decide whether to extend the lockdown beyond June 7 or not, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said.

"There are ongoing discussions on whether to extend the lockdown or not. The government will take a call based on what the situation in the state is on June 6," he said. Yediyurappa expressed concerns over Covid case numbers in some districts as cases reported there were more than expected.

"We will discuss all this on June 5 or 6 in the presence of experts and ministers, and take a call (on lockdown regulations)," he said. He was speaking at the sidelines of an event held to mark seven years of NDA rule in the Centre.

On directions by the Centre to extend lockdown till June 30, Yediyurappa said that Ministry of Home Affairs has left it to the discretion of the state governments to take a call based on the situation in the state.

To a question, he said that the government would announce the second stage of the relief package to those affected by the lockdown. "We are doing preparations for it," he said. The announcement came amidst complaints from various groups of having being left out from the Rs 1,250 cr relief announced by the state on May 22.