Civic authorities have proposed to form a team of 110 volunteers who will be engaged in identification of people who have entered the city from other districts/States, said Tirunelveli Corporation Commissioner G. Kannan here on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, he said the Corporation had 55 wards in its jurisdiction.There weren reports coming in that people from other cities have left for their native place in the city.
Hence, elaborate arrangements to identify and isolate them had been planned, he said and hoped the residents would extend their cooperation. “The objective behind the identification and isolation is to ensure that they were not carriers of the COVID-19 virus. After observing them in isolation ward, they may have to follow the guidelines given by the doctors.”
The civic authorities had installed a special toll free number, 1800-425-4656, in which public can give information about such strangers coming into their wards or streets. “We have information that people who had gone to other States in search of jobs had left the cities for Tirunelveli. People who arrive here from outside shall be subjected to screening and testing as per the guidelines,” an officer in the city health wing said.
During the day, Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish chaired a meeting in which officials from various department participated. The meeting discussed on the modalities to permit certain trade and industry to operate from Monday (May 3) as per the government order.
After examining the feasibility of movement of workers and obtaining certain undertaking from the employers, the officials at the panchayat/municipal jurisdiction can give nod. Skilled labourers such as plumbers, electricians and other small shops and establishments may also be given nod, provided they fulfilled the guidelines. For instance, only those classified in orange zone may be given relaxation, while others in red or hot spots or containment zones, the norms as per the curfew shall be in force.
Meanwhile, the Kanniyakumari district administration had taken list of persons from other States in the district. For the last three days, police station wise list is being prepared. According to a police officer, workers employed in private brick kiln, travel agents, restaurants and other trade here were from New Delhi, Rajasthan, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Bihar.
So far, 900 persons had given their willingness to go back to their native places. In the next couple of days, they would be informed about the travel plans, the officer said and added that after holding a meeting with the Collector, the migrant workers would be transported suitably.
In the meanwhile, Collector Prakash Wadnare, who chaired a meeting with officials, discussed modalities to reopen shops and establishments. Restaurants that offer take-aways shall be allowed to function. Similarly, private engineering industry related to agriculture and fisheries might be given go-ahead soon after ascertaining that they were not in the containment zone, an official at the Collectorate said.
