Covid-19: Karnataka relaxes lockdown rules, grocery shops permitted to stay open from 6 am to 12 pm

Karnataka modified its lockdown order Saturday to allow Hopcoms, milk booths, and sale of fruits and vegetables on pushcarts from 6 am to 6 pm.

The government also allowed APMCs and grocery shops to be open from 6 am to 12 pm.

Earlier, these activities were allowed only from 6 am to 10 am.

The new order comes in the wake of concerns that people were stepping out in large numbers between 6 am and 10 am.

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Further, the government has prohibited all types of fairs (santhe) "to prevent crowding", Principal Secretary (Revenue) and member-secretary of the executive committee of the state disaster management authority N Manjunatha Prasad said in his order.

According to the order, pushcarts selling fruits and vegetables must not overcharge and stick to the market price of the commodities while following Covid-19 protocols.

Karnataka announced a two-week lockdown or 'close down' on April 26, which will be in force till 6 am on May 12.