Bengaluru: BBMP stops transfers of officers, staff due to Covid-19 crisis

Bengaluru, July 14: In a circular issued by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), it stated that the transfer of its officials and staff has been stopped in view of the Covid-19 crisis in the state.

In the circular issued by BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar, it stated that officers and staff have been deployed on various duties to control the Coronavirus, and at this stage, if any officer or staff is transferred, it will affect the work. So all transfers, which are due, are hereby stopped.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru goes into a week-long lockdown from Tuesday 8 pm as the spike in COVID-19 cases in the city continued.

The state government on Saturday announced a complete lockdown in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts from 8 PM on July 14 to 5 AM on July 22.

The decision comes after it is appearing that the state is finding it hard to manage ambulances, beds, ICUs and ventilators for Covid patients and control rising number of cases.

Flights and trains already scheduled will continue to operate during the lockdown and for people to reach the airports and stations, their tickets will act as their passes.

The inter-state and intra-state movement of passenger vehicles is allowed only in cases of emergencies or for permitted activities. A valid pass will be required the Seva Sindhu portal.

Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka has hinted after a meeting with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa that the second lockdown in Bengaluru could be longer than just a week to ramp up facilities to manage the Covid pandemic in the state.

"As of now the lockdown in Bengaluru is only for a week. The situation will be assessed at the end of the week and a suitable decision will be taken after incorporating experts' views", the Minister said.

On Sunday, Yediyurappa is said to have pulled up top bureaucrats over the delay in procuring ambulances and asked why private hospital beds were still not added. Even after 11 private medical colleges and private hospitals from Bengaluru promised to reserve 50 per cent of their beds, ICUs and ventilators, that is not a reality yet.