R. ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MARCH 15
As the number of coronavirus cases surging across the nation and neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka states, the Tamil Nadu government has ordered the suspension of the classes for students from KG to Std V and ordered the closure of shopping Malls and Cinema Halls till March 31.
In a six-page release issued here on Sunday, the Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami appealed senior citizens, persons with less immunity and children to avoid public places where people converge in large numbers as a preventive measure to safeguard from coronavirus. He also urged the general public to maintain personal hygiene and wash hands quite often with soaps, especially immediately after returning home from outside.
He also appeals the public to keep off from social gatherings such as marriages, public meetings etc.
Mr. Palaniswami urged the people to avoid travelling out of the state for the next fifteen days. The Chief Minister also ordered the closure of cinema halls and malls in 16 districts which are sharing borders with neighbouring Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states till March 31.
The 16 districts where the malls and cinema halls will be closed are: Theni, Kanniyakumari, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Krishnagiri, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Tiruppattur, Ranipet, Erode, Dindigul, Dharmapuri and Virudhunagar districts.
The Chief Minister also urged parents not to allow children to play in groups and to ensure their personal hygiene. The general public is advised to approach the nearby government hospitals if they suspect any symptoms of high fever, cold and cough coupled with breathing trouble etc. Palaniswami sought cooperation from all quarters, including the general public to safeguard from infection.
Allocates Rs 60-crore from Disaster Relief Fund
The Chief Minister has sanctioned a sum of Rs. 60-crore to various departments to take up preventive measures from the Disaster Relief Fund. A major chunk of this fund – Rs. 30-crore has been allocated to the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Mr. Palanisamy ordered to carry out disinfection and cleaning activities in public places, especially the shopping malls, cinema theatres and places of worships. These activities should be effectively monitored by the top officials.
HR & CE and Health and Family Welfare Department officials have been instructed to create awareness about COVID-19 among those visiting places of worship – temples, mosques and churches.
They had also been advised to identify those who cough and sneeze and caution them against coming to public places.
The Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA) has been instructed to coordinate anti-COVID 19 efforts with all departments. All District Collectors are to send daily reports to the CRA and those reports would be compiled and submitted to Health Minister and the Chief Minister without fail.
Officials have been advised to sensitise the media about the preventive measures taken from time to time, the release added.
