May 8 (PPR): Karnataka woke up to a new morning on May 4 staring at a third lockdown in certain areas of this state. The state capital Bengaluru is one of the several cities in India that has a high number of patients. This Monday, when there was a temporary relaxation which saw a mad scramble on the roads for something for which the Bangaloreans are mocked about the most - liquor and beer!

Beer and Bengaluru

To say that Bengaluru and beer are one and the same would be a gross understatement. You simply can't imagine a life in that city without an evening that's not spent with beer, friends and family. According to a survey, the city guzzled up more than 10 million litres of beer in 2015. This craziness was on display when the city opened for the first time after a month-long lockdown.

No social distancing at beer shops

Bengaluru watched in panic as beer-crazy men and women thronged the state's licenced beer shops and pubs to stock up on their supplies. People stood next to each other, some even within a breathing distance of their neighbours, as they waited for the beer shops to open. Beer and baccarat India make great friends, and the idea was to have a healthy stock of Kingfisher and other beer brands to brace for Lockdown 3.0.

Groundwater levels up

COVID-19 has had a silver lining as well. According to several reports, the groundwater level in Bengaluru has risen upward by several meters. This rise has got to do with the stoppage of all commercial activity in the city due to the lockdown. This is good news for the city residents who have had to buy drinking water at skyrocketing prices because of dwindling groundwater reserves.

Migrants head home, finally

Finally, migrants from the three north Indian states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh - have finally headed home. On Monday, May 4, a special train left Bengaluru for Lucknow carrying 1,600 migrant labourers who were stranded in the city for the past month. These labourers didn't have to pay for their fare at all; the Union and state governments have agreed to split it in 85:15 ratio.

Dogs to detect COVID-19 patients

Now doctors can detect new patients with the help of man's best friends - dogs. Believe it or not, but some doctors in the U.S. are seeking the help of trained dogs in detecting the traces of this deadly virus. Eight dogs have been identified to remember the smell of the patients' urine and other body fluids. Once these animals have accomplished this skill, they will be deployed to track down suspected coronavirus patients.

BJP accuses Congress of torpedoing efforts to contain the virus

Meanwhile, in Delhi, the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party accused its principal rival, Congress of undermining the containment activity. The ruling party accused Sonia Gandhi of confusing the migrant labourers by offering them train fare for reaching their homes. Our readers will remember that a few days back, the Central government led by Narendra Modi had offered to send the migrants back to their homes by the Indian Railways.

When this announcement was first made, the government did not say about who will foot the travellers' bills. This miscommunication encouraged the Congress to declare that it was willing to pay off those bills from its own pockets. The party also accused the government of fleecing the poor during their journey to their homes. The government however promptly rejected the Congress' charges and said it was footing the travel expenses of all the travellers.