No decision on Saturday lockdown: govt to decide, depending on situation: Karnataka Dy CM
Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan on Saturday clarified that the government has not taken any decision on imposing lockdown on Saturdays, amid spike in COVID-19 cases and said necessary action will be taken if the need arises, depending on the situation.
Under Unlock 2.0 the state government has already announced complete lockdown on five Sundays in Karnataka, starting from July 5 to August 2.
Following the spike in COVID-19 infections, speculations are rife that the government was considering extending it to Saturdays too, aimed at controlling the spread by restricting the movement of people.
"As of now there is no (lockdown on Saturdays). It's Saturday today and there is no lockdown. No such decision has been taken so far," Narayan said in response to a question from reporters.
"Looking at the situation, in future if there is such a need, the Chief Minister will decide," he said.
Following the increase in cases, some experts have reportedly suggested that the government reimpose lockdown, if not for an extended period, at least on Saturdays, along with Sundays.
As of now, there is a complete lockdown on Sundays. However, essential activities and marriages already fixed on those days have been permitted by the government.
"Lockdown is one of the solutions, there is no doubt about it, as it restricts the movement of people.
But with lockdown you can only postpone the spread and not eradicate it," he said.
The government would also have to consider the impact of the lockdown on people, the Deputy Chief Minister said.
"Lets see, many in the government are of the opinion that there should be no lockdown.
Looking at the situation, the Chief Minister and the government will take appropriate decisions," he said.
As of July 10 evening, cumulatively 33,418 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 543 deaths and 13,836 discharges. Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 15,329 infections.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
