To prevent vehicles from Chennai and other zones entering the district without e-pass, vehicle checks have been intensified at the check posts here.
With complete lockdown being announced in four districts including Chennai from June 19, and motorists could enter the district without e-pass, the police have stepped up vehicle checks at check-posts at Karungalpalayam, Vendipalayam, Noyal, Parisal Thurai junction, Bhavani and Vijayamangalam.
All the drivers of four-wheelers and lorries are questioned and documents are verified and allowed into the district. Two-wheelers are also allowed after ensuring that they are not from other zones. Health workers are also posted to check for fever in persons entering with e-pass.
On Wednesday, Collector C. Kathiravan inspected the check-post at Lakshmi Nagar at Bhavani where vehicles from Kumarapalayam in Namakkal district enter the district on the Salem – Kochi national highway.
Salem Staff Reporter adds
The Salem Corporation through the Salem City Police has registered cases against 17 persons who returned to Salem from other places without e-pass.
In a release, Corporation Commissioner R.Sadheesh said the civic body had mandated the government’s e-pass for people to enter the district.
Persons returning to places within the Corporation limits were initially quarantined at facilities set up in Karuppur Engineering College, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology and Government Arts College for Women here. Their swab samples were taken and based on the results, positive persons were taken for treatment and persons who tested negative were advised home quarantine for 14 days.
However, based on information from the public, the Corporation had identified persons who travelled into Corporation limits without e-pass and without undergoing health checks at check-posts.
Officials said that until Wednesday, cases had been registered against 17 persons, seven in Suramangalam zone, six in Ammapet and four in Kondalampatti. Among the 17, four had tested positive and more than six persons had contracted the disease from them.
Corporation officials advised the public to inform them about persons who travelled to their neighbourhood without passes and said that stern action would be taken against them.
The Salem Corporation is also collecting fines from persons venturing out without masks.
Between April 16 and June 14, the Salem Corporation had collected fine of ₹44,47,385 from 49,699 persons, officials said.
