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TIRUCHI: The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has equipped its drivers operating special services exclusively to transport health department staff from various places with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect themselves against the novel corona virus.
The special services were being operated from different locations in the district to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital herein view of the lockdown which has resulted in suspension of buses.
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The TNSTC has provided the PPE to the drivers operating the special services from nine places including Thuraiyur, Pettavaithalai, Thuvarankurichi, Thuvakudi Manapparai, Lalgudi and Manachanallur to the government hospital here daily.
The move to equip the drivers with PPE was one more to measure to ensure their personal safety while discharging their duty at a time there has been spread of COVID-19, say senior TNSTC officials. The drivers had been wearing the PPE and plying the specials that were being operated in the morning to transport the health department staff from their respective locations to the hospital and ferry them back to their place in the evening. The specials were being operated on the order of the District Collector.
PPEs have also been provided to the drivers operating such specials in neighbouring Ariyalur, Thanjavur and Karur districts. The provision of PPE to the drivers was in addition to supply of mask and hand sanitisers to ensure their personal safety.
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The buses operated as specials were being completely sanitised at the respective depot before they leave in the morning with the same exercise carried out after the vehicles return back to the depots, say the officials.
The vehicles were being operated on contract to enable health department staff reach the hospital from far off locations since movement of vehicles have been suspended owing to the prohibitory orders in place.
EOM/RAM