The mounting number of COVID-19 cases, including those without known sources of infection, has prompted the State government to reinforce restrictions and clamp down on widespread violations in the district.
Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, who convened a meeting of MLAs in the district and senior officials on Monday, said that demonstrations having more than 10 protesters would no longer be permitted during the prevailing crisis.
Besides, a cap of 20 participants had also been set for programmes organised by government departments in the district.
The restriction comes amid the State capital witnessing numerous agitations, mostly in front of the Secretariat, during the last two weeks.
Along coastal belt
Enforcement will also be intensified along the coastal belt and in border areas. Local self-government institutions have also been directed to step up surveillance and to ensure all commercial outlets adhered to the government guidelines.
Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will organise joint inspections with the police to detect violations and close down shops that violate norms.
Mr. Surendran will discuss the situation with chairpersons and secretaries of local bodies in the district through video-conference on Tuesday.
Besides, legislators will organise regular meetings with local body chiefs in their constituencies to coordinate such efforts.
The district authorities will also rein in crowding during weddings and funerals by enforcing restrictions that make it mandatory to limit gatherings to within 50 and 20 people respectively. Setting a model, the legislators will refrain from participating in such functions in their constituencies except those conducted by their relatives.
There will be a total ban on visitors in hospitals in the district with no one except the care-givers of patients allowed entry.
Auto travel
In light of an autorickshaw driver testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 recently, the public have been advised to collect and maintain the details of autorickshaws and taxis, including the contact details of the drivers and the vehicle registration numbers in which they travel.
The directive would be applicable for app-based cab aggregators like Uber and Ola, Mr. Surendran said.
At least one institutional quarantine centre will be opened in each grama panchayat.
The facilities, which could be a house or a cluster of houses, will be utilised to accommodate people coming from abroad and other States who are unable to self-isolate themselves in their own houses.
In a bid to reduce rush in prominent market places including Chala and Palayam, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will permit shops to function on alternate days, thereby bringing down the number of outlets functioning every day by half.
Besides, social distancing and crowd management must be effectively maintained by the trading community.
Shops found to violate the norms will be closed with their licences temporarily suspended.
The norms would be applicable for shopping malls and supermarkets too, City Mayor K. Sreekumar said.
In addition to the existing 31 institutional quarantine centres in the city, the Corporation will commence five more such facilities in the Vizhinjam, Poonthura, Shangumugham, Attipra and Kazhakuttom health circles to boost containment efforts along the coast.
The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has also imposed restrictions for the public in its headquarters.
Complaints will be received at a special counter outside the office building. In addition, grievances could also be sent to complaints.tmc @ gmail. com , through the web portal smarttvm.corporationoftrivandrum.in, or through the WhatsApp number 8590036770.
