Karnataka has hinted at lockdown-like measures during all days of the week and Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s Cabinet is likely to take a call on this on Monday.
"The government wants to do it," Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar said, on continuing the weekend curfew on all days of the week.
The weekend curfew is akin to a lockdown: prohibition on movement of people, no public transportation for commuting within a city, essential shops open only between 6 am and 10 am and so on.
"But, people don’t want it. People want everything to be let loose and their attitude is that those who are dying can die. What can we do?" Kumar said, caustically.
Health Minister K Sudhakar said imposition of tougher measures will be discussed in the Cabinet meeting. "All our Cabinet colleagues will express their opinions. Finally, the CM and Cabinet will decide," Sudhakar said. "From my department's side, we will give our suggestions. Ultimately, it is the wisdom of the Cabinet."
The Cabinet is also expected to decide on providing free vaccines to citizens.
The biggest worry for the Yediyurappa administration is the Covid-19 situation in Bengaluru where cases are rising and the healthcare systems overburdened.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the weekend curfew was a success. He, too, said Monday's Cabinet meeting will discuss the possibility of imposing daytime curfews.
Among those in favour of a lockdown is former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who pitched for it at the all-party meeting Governor Vajubhai R Vala chaired earlier this week.
On April 20, the Yediyurappa administration stopped short of announcing a full-fledged lockdown, preferring night curfews and a weekend lockdown till May 4, keeping in mind the need to keep economic activities going.
Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar claimed that the state government wanted to impose a lockdown, but decided against it after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said lockdowns should be a last resort.
Chief Secretary Kumar said the government was doing its best to handle the second Covid-19 wave. "Nothing can be done overnight. For us to put an oxygen line for a ventilator, it will take a minimum of 15 days. There is a limit to the number of beds available. Even if we get more beds, we will need more doctors and nurses," he said. "People should be responsible. The government alone can't do everything. People should, at least, should wear masks. That is as good as vaccination."