Meanwhile, Bengaluru Metro will resume operations from September 7 after a hiatus of five-month since the same were suspended due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, an order issued by the Karnataka government confirmed on Monday. However, operations will be allowed only “in a graded manner.”
At the same time, bars will reopen in Karnataka from September 1. All licensed liquor vendors including bars, pubs and microbreweries can sell liquor along with food with “up to 50 percent seating capacity”, the state excise department said in orders issued on Monday.
The state government had in June allowed bars and pubs to sell liquor stocks to buyers at retail prices while microbreweries were allowed to sell beer on a takeaway basis.
READ | Karnataka and Goa allow bars to reopen
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Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. Also the in-charge minister of Shivamogga district, the senior BJP leader confirmed in a tweet that he was stable and was admitted to a hospital "on the advice of doctors."
"I hope to recover soon with your prayers and wishes," he tweeted.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and other leaders wished the 72-year-old legislator a speedy recovery.
Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has recorded a footfall of 1.4 million passengers for the past 100 days ever since domestic flight operations were resumed at the airport after the Centre eased lockdown restrictions across the country. A total of 15,658 air traffic movements were recorded between May 25 and Sept 1, with most of the movements recorded between Bengaluru and North East regions of India (33.7 per cent).
Filmmaker and journalist Indrajit Lankesh on Monday deposed before the Central Crime Branch police here on his claims that the Kannada film industry was in the grip of drugs.
He appeared before the CCB in response to summons and was questioned for almost five hours, days after he claimed that many in the industry were into drugs.
Lankesh had made the claim in the wake of the Narcotics Control Bureau busting a drug trafficking racket here and said some “prominent musicians and actors” in Karnataka were under its scanner.
“Indrajit Lankesh appeared before CCB officers today and gave some information. We will enquire into it and take appropriate legal action,” a CCB statement said.
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Holalkere MLA M Chandrappa Tuesday assumed charge as the new Chairman of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) in Bengaluru.
Soon after taking over, two-minute silence was observed as a tribute to former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee who passed away yesterday.
Bengaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on Tuesday conducted searches on three Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) offices in Bengaluru.
According to CCB police searches are conducted regarding the Bengaluru violence case. Speaking to Indianexpress.com, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said, "In DJ halli case and KG halli case we took search warrant from Court and three teams of CCB conducting searches in three SDPI offices in DJ Halli, KG Halli, Halsurgate."
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rainfall in parts of south interior Karnataka during the course of the week as monsoon has strengthened again.
According to IMD, “rainfall intensity over peninsular India is very likely to increase from September 1, resulting in isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of Karnataka. Orange alert for very heavy rainfall (between 115.6 mm to 204.4 mm) is issued for districts in south interior Karnataka and Malnad region for September 3 and 4.”
Yellow alert for heavy rainfall (64.5 mm to 115.5 mm) on September 2 was also issued by IMD for coastal and south interior Karnataka region.
Senior Congress MLA H K Patil Monday accused the Karnataka state government of hiding statistics related to Covid-19 deaths in Bengaluru.
Citing the total number of deaths in the city from January to July this year, he said there was a 32 per cent increase in the numbers when compared to the same period last year. "The government is hiding something," he said, adding a total of 49,135 deaths had been reported in the city between January and July this year, compared to 37,001 during the same timeframe in 2019.
As on August 31, the Karnataka Health Department attributed 5702 deaths since March 10 cumulatively when the same in Bengaluru is 1965.
Karnataka Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy claimed that drug trafficking was used to topple his government in the state last year.
Responding to an ongoing investigation into the alleged nexus between the drug mafia and the Kannada film industry, Kumaraswamy said, “When I was heading the JD(S)-Congress Coalition government, I attempted to act against drug trafficking. Some racketeers fled to Sri Lanka. My government was toppled using money generated from drug trafficking, cricket betting, dance bars, and pubs.”
“Small, young children should not fall victim to such evil mafias," Kumaraswamy said while urging the state government to take strict action against anyone who has been involved in the drug mafia.
Beginning September 1, liquor will be served in pubs, clubs, and restaurants across Karnataka. The decision comes after five months of restriction on its sale and a day after the Centre announced Unlock 4.0 guidelines .
Karnataka Excise Minister H Nagesh Monday said all the establishments will be allowed to serve liquor but with only 50 per cent of their seating capacity. “The detailed guidelines will be announced. People have to maintain social distance and take all the precautionary measures for Covid-19,” H Nagesh said.
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Bengaluru's busiest markets — Krishna Rajendra (KR) Market and Kalasipalyam — will reopen Tuesday as the government allowed business to resume after months of the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Bengaluru's local civic body the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had sealed both markets when the daily number of new Covid-19 positive reported in the city rose to around 2,000.
After inspecting the markets to review cleanliness and precautionary measures taken in the view of the pandemic, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad Monday as many as 15 BBMP marshals will be deployed at the markets to ensure "strict enforcement" of the Covid-19 protocols.
Vendors and visitors will have to compulsorily wear masks, follow social distancing norms, use sanitisers, have minimum contact with each other, and ensure segregation of waste. Meanwhile, special markings have been made inside the markets to help visitors maintain social distancing.
The BBMP Commissioner, who was accompanied by MLA Uday B Garudachar and senior government officials, added that the civic body will spend around Rs 3 crore to install fire safety measures in these markets. However, he reiterated that street vending would not be allowed citing the prevailing pandemic situation.
Karnataka reported more recoveries than new Covid-19 cases on Monday as the total number of tests done witnessed a major drop.
According to statistics issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare Services, 7238 discharges were reported on Monday while 6495 new cases were confirmed. However, the total tests conducted in the state dropped to 43,133 different from the same last week when at least 60,000 total tests were conducted daily since August 26.
Karnataka Women and Child Development Minister Shashikala Jolle Monday confirmed that she had contracted coronavirus infection and is under home quarantine.
"I have been confirmed Covid-19 positive. On the advice of the doctors, I'm under 14 days home quarantine. I request all those who had come in my contact to get tested and quarantine themselves," she wrote on Twitter.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the petition filed by businessman Vijay Mallya seeking review of its May 2017 ruling holding him guilty of contempt of court for not disclosing the receipt of $40 million in his account and transferring it to his children.
The top court, in its May 9, 2017 order, held Mallya guilty of contempt on two counts — for disobeying its order asking him to fully disclose his assets and for violating the Karnataka High Court order restraining him from alienating his assets.
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Bars will reopen in Karnataka on Tuesday. All licensed liquor vendors including bars, pubs, and microbreweries can sell liquor along with food with “up to 50 percent seating capacity” from September 1, the state excise department said in orders issued on Monday.
The state government had in June allowed bars and pubs to sell liquor stocks to buyers at retail prices while microbreweries were allowed to sell beer on a takeaway basis.
Read more
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Welcome to the live blog from Bengaluru where we bring to you the latest updates on COVID-19, lockdown 5.0, unlock phase 1 and more across Bengaluru and Karnataka. Follow the blog to stay up to date with the state in real time.