Karnataka Allows Bakeries To Function From Today

In a move that is bound to provide relief to confectionary, sweets and bakery items manufacturers, retailers and customers, the Karnataka government allowed re-opening of bakery units across the state from the 7^th of April.

Rajendra Kumar Kataria, the state nodal officer of Essential Commodities and Supply Chain Management, issued a circular says that a central government notification on the 24^th of March has permitted the functioning of food units engaged in bakery =, biscuit, condiment, confectionary and sweet manufacturing. The move, however, limits the outlets to function with minimum labor and provide only takeaways.

The circular further justifies the move as bakery items are being consumed by patients and elderly people, children, and even normal public. The circular exempted bakeries from the non-essential services and allowed it to function as an essential service. In the circular, there is a clear directive to the outlets, manufacturers and the consumers to adhere to the social distancing.

Nanjangud Cluster Worries for Karnataka

Since the lockdown, Karnataka has allowed only essential services like the sale of groceries, vegetables and fruits, medicine, government offices, broadband services, and banks. Reiterating the center’s stand on bakeries, the Karnataka government allowed the functioning of the bakeries starting from the 7^th of April.

Karnataka was the first few states to impose a lockdown before the 24^th of March when the Prime Minister imposed a nationwide lockdown. Currently, the state government has strictly banned two-wheelers and four-wheelers by only allowing those who have authorized pass issued by the police department. Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa in an interview stated that from the 7^th of April, the lockdown will be made stricter and a free hand is given to the police.

Karnataka has a total of 163 confirmed cases of Sars-cov-2 with 20 recovered and 4 losing their lives. Out of the active cases, 47 of them are from Bengaluru Urban while Mysore, with 35 cases, emerged as a hotspot on Monday. The worry for the Karnataka government continues to be the Nanjangud cluster where the trace of infection has not been achieved yet. Once in the 3^rd position in the country in terms of the number of cases, Karnataka has done reasonably well to slip to the 10^th position.