People remain home heeding PM’s janata curfew call

Total shutdown in Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malappuram on Sunday; residents engage in house cleaning activities

Kerala, Palakkad, 22/03/2020. People clapping and making noise with steel plates and utensils at anapartment at Ayyapuram in Palakkad on Sunday afternoon in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call. Photo: K. K. Mustafah.

Keeping aside their political differences, people in the Palakkad and Malappuram districts responded positively to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a janata curfew on Sunday. Both the districts witnessed a total shutdown never seen even during hartals called by major political parties. Roads and streets remained deserted as people chose to spend their time home.

There was none to impose the curfew. Almost all business establishments and shops, except some canteens and restaurants near hospitals, remained closed.

Railway stations and bus stands in these districts too were deserted as no public vehicle was in service. The shutdown by Railways gave a fillip to the curfew. Many people chose to clean up their home premises as exhorted by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. However, there were not many takers for the clapping and clanking at 5 p.m. as suggested by Mr. Modi. Most organisations lent support to the janata curfew call as the COVID-19 situation in the country threatened to turn worse.

Special Correspondent writes from Thrissur: People in the district wholeheartedly cooperated with the janata curfew on Sunday.

In Thrissur

Roads remained empty and shops remained closed. Religious institutions too were closed for the public. Churches asked the faithful to attend the Sunday Mass online. Private and public vehicles kept off the road.

As Railways have cancelled many trains, only a few people were seen at railway stations. At the Kodungalloor town, where Section 144 was declared as the Bharani festival was round the corner, remained deserted. The Section 144 was declared as a large number of people reached the town for the Kozhikkalu Moodal ritual held two days ago despite the restrictions announced by the Health Department and district administration.

There are 8,792 people under observation for COVID-19 in the district. Of them, 40 are in hospitals.

Meanwhile, facilities to quarantine and treat 5,000 people have been readied in the district, according to the District Collector. These included rooms at various rest houses, colleges and school hostels, he said.