Allaying fears on shortage of vaccine in the district due to phased supply, Collector V. Vishnu on Monday said priority was being given to administration of the second dose.
In an informal chat with reporters after inaugurating distribution of kabasurakudineer at the Collectorate, Mr. Vishnu said the district received 3,000 doses of vaccine on Saturday lsst and top priority was being accorded to administration of the second dose to those who received the first shot six weeks ago.
Major business establishments and leading private and public sector companies had been asked to screen their employees even as the district administration increased the number of persons getting tested everyday for COVID-19 from 1,400 to 2,400. It would be increased to 3,000 in due course.
After the COVID-19 control room was set up on the Collectorate premises, ambulances were being rushed to pick up patients and take them to hospital at the earliest.
The Collector said the Departments of Police, Revenue, Public Health and Local Administration were taking action against those who did not wear masks while visiting public places and maintain physical distance. “So far, ₹41 lakh has been collected as fine from violators.”
Special arrangements had been made to screen migrant labourers working in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project and Indian Space Research Centre’s Liquid Propulsion Research Centre at Mahendragiri.
Of the 290 new COVID-19 cases reported in the district on Monday, 20 were from Anu Vijay Township, KKNPP staff quarters in Chettikulam.
As part of restrictions enforced by the State government in the wake of the ‘second wave’, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation had altered the timings of the operation of its bus services. While TNSTC buses from Tirunelveli to Thoothukudi, Tenkasi and Kanniyakumari would be operated between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Tuesday (April 20) to enable passengers to reach their destinations before 10 p.m., buses to Madurai would be operated between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m.
All TNSTC buses for far-off places such as Coimbatore, Tirupur, Tiruchi and Velankanni would be opeated only during the day, TNSTC officials here said.
TNTC buses from Tenkasi to Tirunelveli (4 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Tenkasi to Ambasamudram (4 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tenkasi to Madurai (4 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Tenkasi to Sankarankovil (4 a.m. to 8 p.m.) would be operated in restricted fashion.
Sources in State Express Transport Corporation, which operated buses to Chennai, said their services would start from 7 a.m. “Since the duration of journey between Tirunelveli and Chennai is more than 10 hours, the last bus for Chennai from Tirunelveli would leave by 10 a.m. until further orders,” said the sources.
After the judicial magistrate of the court in Valliyoor tested positive for COVID-19, the court was closed temporarily for disinfection.
Since the public came in large numbers to the District Police Office and also to police stations across the district, Superintendent of Police, Kanniyakumari, V. Badri Narayanan has ordered disinfection of the places regularly.
