BBMP directs govt to ban New Year’s Eve celebrations in pubs, on streets

The state government’s Technical Advisory Committee had given a clear warning about Covid-19 hitting a second wave in the state of Karnataka in the month of January and February a day ago, with which the BBMP urged a ban on celebrations of the New Year’s Eve in pubs, bars, restaurants, and on streets.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Revenue Minister R Ashoka had a discussion in a meeting with the BBMP officials on permitting the celebrations, which will draw thousands of people who want to celebrate the eve in the party hubs and bars particularly MG Road, Brigade Road, Commercial street and other places in the vicinity. BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said they were concerned about the outcome after giving allowance to revellers.

Prasad addressed the present status of Covid-19 infections in the city, which has shown an exponenetial decline from 6,000 cases every day a few months ago to 600 cases presently per day. This has been possible as crowding was not allowed during festivities like Ganesh Chaturthi, Navarathri and Deepavali.

He stated, “We are now in the winter, which is conducive to the spread for the coronavirus. We have requested the government to not allow crowding during New Year’s Eve celebrations.”

”We hope the government takes a suitable decision..” He further added.

He marked the crowd gathered in pubs and restaurants which normally have a small occupancy of 50 people, which would impact the social distancing norms.

Prasad iterated about no issues regarding the pubs doing business as long as the mask rule is enforced, sanitisers are used and social distancing is practised, but gave a clear warning that they restaurants or pubs should not have special programmes which would attract a lot of people, as it might invoke more Covid-19 cases, which may even go out of control.

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