THOOTHUKUDI
Declaring that the district had so far not reported any persons tested positive with symptoms of COVID-19, Collector Sandeep Nanduri, however, appealed to the public to remain vigil and cooperate with the officials in facing the challenges due to the pandemic.
Presiding over a meeting attended by senior officials from the Health, Corporation, Revenue and Food Safety departments and the representatives of wholesale merchants and retail traders here on Saturday, the Collector said that the State government had announced a number of measures to tackle the COVID-19 situation, including the 21-day curfew. For the benefit of the public and the merchants, big open space such as the old and new bus stands in the city have been identified for selling essential commodities. The public shall be permitted to buy the goods between 6.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. Similarly, make shift fish markets have been identified in Threspuram and Poovalrayapuram.
He appealed to the merchants to sell their produce only in designated locations and not in places as they wished. The objective of the make shift markets were to ensure that personal distancing was maintained by the people and also it would be effective to enforce laws in such a challenging situation, Mr. Sandeep Nanduri said and added that similar make shift markets were identified in smaller towns and municipalities in the district, where people can purchase. He wanted the people to stay indoors and avoid crowding anywhere for the next 15 to 21 days as a precaution.
He said that the district administration had made elaborate arrangements for patients visiting Government Hospital with any symptoms such as fever, cough or cold. Without delaying, people can visit the GH or the PHCs for diagnosis. Facilities were also available at Kovilpatti, Kayalpattinam, Tiruchendur as well. Select private hospitals were also told to keep beds and isolation wards with ventilator facilities in a ready mode.
With about 1500 foreign returnees in the district since March 1, the Corporation and Municipal authorities have been closely monitoring them, as they were instructed to remain in their dwellings. Hence, absolute cooperation from the citizens would help the government overcome the crisis, he noted and for identification, stickers have been pasted, while assured that their privacy would be maintained.
In homes, where senior citizens were living alone, they can take the assistance of the officials or the toll free number (1077) through which essential commodities would be arranged for delivery at their dwellings. Likewise, he wanted the wholesale merchants (who delivered goods at homes) and those operating takeaways to issue identity cards to their staffs.
For private vehicles, which wanted to transport essential commodities within the district, they shall contact the PA (General) to the Collector and obtain necessary certificate which alone would enable the police to clear the vehicles at the check posts. The idea was to curtail unnecessary movements from one point to another, Mr.Sandeep Nanduri said and urged the parents to educate their children not to venture out since the curfew was in force.
Corporation Commissioner V P Jeyaseelan, Additional Collector P Vishnu Chandran, Sub-Collector Simranjeeth Singh Kehlon, Food Safety Officer Dr Mariappan, City Health Officer Dr Arunkumar, DD (Agri Business Marketing) Shantirani, Executive Engineer Parthiban and Saravanan participated. Earlier, the Collector inspected the makeshift markets in the city.
