Chennai, its neighbouring areas and Madurai may face yet another extension of the lockdown beyond May 3 if the COVID-19 graph keeps climbing, according to a senior government official.
One of the obvious reasons for the authorities to contemplate such a move is that all these areas fall under ‘red’ zones.
After the first phase of lockdown between March 25 and April 15, the second is now in progress. It is scheduled to end on May 3. In the meantime, the authorities have decided to enforce “total lockdown” in Chennai, parts of the neighbouring three districts — Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur (forming part of the Chennai Metropolitan Area), Madurai and Coimbatore from 6 a.m. on Sunday to 9 p.m. on April 29. In Salem and Tiruppur, it is from 6 a.m. on Sunday to 9 p.m. on Tuesday (April 28).
The rationale behind the complete lockdown is that only if there is “more curfew” is there a likelihood of “less social interaction”.
Going mobile
In Chennai, residents will be served by at least 3,000 mobile vegetable units besides 4,949 pushcarts. On Saturday alone, over 5,000 tonnes of produce was sold through mobile units. In the last month, nearly 80,000 tonnes of vegetables and fruits was sold across the State.
On an average, the people of the State were buying around 7,200 tonnes of vegetables and fruits through different modes since the beginning of the lockdown in March. Of this figure, Horticulture and Cooperation Department, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Greater Chennai Corporation had been facilitating the sale of 5,200 tonnes and the Uzhavar Sandhai (farmers’ markets), nearly 2,000 tonnes, another official said.
