The Coimbatore Corporation field staff on Tuesday began sticking bills in front of the houses of persons who have been kept under quarantine.
According to sources, teams led by the five zonal sanitary officers were sticking bills in front of 247 houses.
The bills in Tamil read COVID-19: do not enter; quarantined house on the first row and the date of quarantine on the second row.
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The third row showed the name the person in isolation, his or her address and the number of persons in the house.
The last line showed contact numbers for further assistance including that of the district control room.
The sources said that the teams began the work around afternoon after the Corporation got the stickers from the Department of Public Health.
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An officer said occupants of quarantined houses did not resist the Corporation sticking bills. They were aware of the need for quarantine and visitors being told.
Wash basins
The Corporation on Tuesday also started placing wash basins at various locations in the city.
Under the supervision of ward engineers, the Corporation, with support from non-government and volunteer organisations, had placed wash basins and hand sanitisers at bus stops, bus stands, railway station and government offices.
It also used the opportunity to demonstrate hand washing techniques to members of the public.
Tuesday also saw the Corporation domestic breeding checkers, diverted from dengue fighting task to battle the spread of COVID-19, using 40 sprayers to spray disinfectants on buses, bus stops and main thoroughfares.
The sources also said the Corporation sprayed on cars and two-wheelers parked in front of markets and on roads to intensify its drive against the spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the district administration’s move to close down farmers’ market (Uzhavar Sandhai) while allowing vegetable markets and retail shops came in for criticism.
Coimbatore Consumer Cause secretary K. Kathirmathiyon said at a time when people were panic-buying essential goods and price of such goods was skyrocketing, it was necessary that the administration opened the farmers’ market for consumers.
When big markets in Chennai and other parts of the State were open, why was it that farmers’ market were closed, he asked.
Crowd management
An Agriculture Marketing Department official said it was to control the crowd that the Department had taken such a step.
Besides, it did not have the required staff strength to regulate the crowd and had to depend on the police for the work.
Therefore, it thought it was better to shut down all the eight farmers’ markets in the district.