The Lakshadweep islands have retained their clean, sanitised aura despite the heightened anxiety about COVID-19 spreading to the isles, home to around 70,000 people.
No COVID-positive case has been reported there so far, despite ships and aircraft ferrying people and essential supplies from COVID-19-affected Kerala to the isles till a week ago. This apart, people who arrived in ships from Kochi and Kozhikode were not quarantined till a week ago, official sources said.
“All foreign tourists left the isles by March 10 and domestic tourists by March 22. With COVID-19 cases being reported from elsewhere in the country, 500 people who arrived recently from Kochi have been placed in quarantine,” said Asker Ali, Director, Tourism and Education, and Secretary, Information and Public Relations.
“Moreover, ferry services between the isles were stopped from March 23 as a preventive measure. We are in touch with health officials from the mainland and have readied an evacuation plan in passenger ships and, if necessary, in ships of the Coast Guard and Navy. Evacuation in helicopters will be tough due to the need for social distancing,” Mr. Ali said.
“With these confidence-building measures in place, rumours of a few people in the isles showing symptoms of the pandemic and the demand to send them back to the mainland have died down. It is confirmed that they are perfectly healthy,” he said.
The administration has stepped up procurement of medicines and essential items in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
“There are a sufficient number of masks and sanitisers. Aimed at ensuring supply of essential commodities, 1,500 tonnes of cargo has been sourced from the mainland. They will be routed through societies based on each island, to be supplied to the people at subsidised rate,” Mr. Ali said.
Travel curbs might be lifted in mid-April, depending on ground-level assessments. But ship services to Kerala will resume only after the transit resumes between the islands, it is learnt.
Kavaratti-based social activist Komalam Koya said the fear that gripped the isles till 10 days ago has lessened due to the introduction of preventive measures.
