Guards, salon workers will be given groceries: Karnataka govt

Security guards and people working in salons and malls will be considered ‘labourers’ and will be provided with groceries, said S Suresh Kumar, the state government’s Covid-19 spokesperson.

“Not just construction workers, even those working in hotels, salons and malls will be considered labourers. So will be the security guards,” he told reporters here on Tuesday.

Kumar said that after Odisha, the Bihar government had also contacted Karnataka about the condition of their migrant workers. Some migrant workers from Odisha were reluctant to go back home by the second train as they feared being quarantined upon arrival in their home state, he added.

Meanwhile, construction workers have started going to back to work in the city. “The chief minister has instructed the labour department to provide food grains to those outside the construction sector. A lot of North Indians work in other sectors. We will treat them as our own people,” he said.

No mask: Fine down to Rs 200

The penalty for not wearing a mask in public places has been reduced to Rs 200 from Rs 1,000.

BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar issued the revised order hours after the government notified a rule that fixed Rs 200 as the maximum penalty for the first and subsequent violations in wearing masks.

However, there is no change in the penalty for the violation of rules related to solid waste management. The old order “stands revised to the extent that the penalty for contravention of the directions.. to compulsory wear a mask”.

Spitting, littering and urinating in public places and creating a nuisance of any kind will continue to attract a penalty of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000.