No lockdown is the consensus opinion which has emerged from the meeting of Karnataka ministers with Bengaluru city MPs and MLAs on Monday.

Revenue Minister R Ashok, addressing reporters after the meet, said “After the opinion against lockdown, we are now exploring other alternative arrangements to tackle the rising Covid cases in Bengaluru city and in the districts.

Congress party MLAs at the meet proposed imposing curfew (Section 144) and implementing it with harsh measures to contain the rising cases while advising the government not to impose lockdown. Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who has contracted Covid and is hospitalised, participated through virtual mode.

“Today’s meeting was convened with a view to tackle rising cases in Bengaluru and to take appropriate decisions to contain it. At the meeting, we told the elected representatives that the next two months is crucial and critical,” he added.

With some small hospitals facing an oxygen shortage, “ The government is planning to appoint a nodal officer to help regulate and supply oxygen to small and medium hospitals,” the minister said.

The State government is tying up with Jindal group for the supply of oxygen, said Ashok and added “We are discussing with the company and they have agreed to cooperate with the government.”

Another major concern raised by MLAs and MPs was on the availability of hospital beds. The minister said “We are making arrangements to get 50 percent of beds to be made available by all private hospitals. For implementing this, we plan to appoint a nodal officer for each assembly constituency.”

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