While the lockdown has been largely ineffective in reining in congregations along the coastal belt, the district administration has intensified surveillance in the region to ensure that the restrictions are strictly adhered to.
Instances of fishermen returning to their native places, weeks after setting sail and visiting places including Kasaragod, which has quite become a COVID-19 hotspot in the State, have also kept authorities on the tenterhooks.
Auction at Pozhiyoor
Defying the guidelines, at least 500 people took part in an open fish auction at Pozhiyoor on Friday, prompting the police and the local parish authorities to intervene and disperse the crowd.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, who admitted that the district administration faced trouble enforcing the restrictions, said they had obtained assurances that such instances would not recur under the prevailing circumstances.
Briefing mediapersons, Mr. Surendran said some fishermen went fishing in certain places in scant regard of advisories issued to them. As many as 220 fishermen who travelled long distances and returned during the last few days were quarantined in Kulathoor. These included 26 fishermen who returned from Kasaragod. The coastal police had also been entrusted with monitoring the movements of fishermen.
The Minister, who held a videoconference with the presidents and secretaries of local self-government institutions here, said 86 community kitchens had been established in 73 grama panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram. While the city Corporation opened six community kitchens so far, the four municipalities had launched one each. The Corporation had set a target to start 25 community kitchens to serve those requiring food across its 100 wards, he said.
Over 7,000 people were supplied three meals on Friday when the community kitchens began functioning in the district. The number of beneficiaries was expected to increase in the days to come. While the local bodies intended to supply the food free of cost, many were also paying ₹20 for each meal. Mr. Surendran said 8,230 surveillance personnel, comprising of 15081 volunteers, were keeping tabs on those under home quarantine.
