R. ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MARCH 22
Entire South India – Tamilnadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana came to a virtual standstill on Sunday, with deserted roads, bus stands, railway stations, retail stores, hotels and restaurants keeping their shutters down, in solidarity with the with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Janta Curfew” call to help prevent the spread of coronovirus.
Although some vehicular movement was seen on major roads of the state, these were largely private vehicles and their numbers were miniscule. Public and private buses, autos and taxis stayed off the roads in most parts of the South India.
In Chennai, arterial roads, including the Anna Salai and the GST Road here, which usually see a serpentine queue of vehicles during peak hours, were empty. The urban local body along with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metrowater) began mass disinfection many parts of Chennai city such as Marina Beach, under the fly overs and other parts from the morning. The Greater Chennai Municipal Corporation using 70 jetrodding vehicles for this purpose, according to a tweet by Prabhushankar T. Gunalan, Executive Director of Metro Water.
As part of the Corona Outbreak control measures of GoTN, mass disinfection in Chennai is being undertaken by GCC using 70 Jetrodding vehicles of @CHN_Metro_Water. Kudos to our field staff who have joined the Anti Corona battle.@srkias2012 @albyjohnV pic.twitter.com/EQlwAognfs
— Prabhushankar T Gunalan (@prabhusean7) March 22, 2020
The Koyambedu wholesale and retail market for vegetables, flowers and fruits was shut. Similar was the scenario in other cities and towns of the state such as Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai in Tamilnadu.
However, the local body-run ”Amma Canteens” were open which came as a boon to migrant labourers and workers since all other eateries were shut.
Essential services like milk distribution and hospitals (including the state-run Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital which treats COVID-19 patients and the Stanley) functioned as usual.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Government has extended the Janta Curfew till 5 a.m. on Monday (March 23) on Sunday.
PUDUCHERRY
Shops and establishments, hotels, places of tourist interest in Puducherry remained closed on Sunday as the union territory responded to the Prime Minister’s call.
The local bus terminals, railway stations and municipal markets wore a deserted look. The entire stretch of beach road which is normally teeming with people, tourists and others was out of bounds for the people as the government had closed the road till end of this month. Vegetable markets and other outlets suspended their business.
The territorial government had already declared closure of all retail outlets selling liquor, arrack and toddy in Puducherry and outlying regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam which are traditionally wet pockets.
All temples, Aurobindo Ashram, Bharathi park and tourist centric boat houses were closed and there was restriction on visitors in several other places of worship.
KERALA
Kerala is under a complete lock-down and roads in the state capital and other parts wore a deserted look on Sunday.
Barring a few vehicles, roads in major cities including Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam were empty.
State-run transport buses were off the roads while Kochi Metro Rail also stopped its service along with private buses and the auto-rickshaws.
Fire department officials were seen spraying water mixed with disinfectant at many places in Thiruvananthapuram city.
Some of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) offices across the state has also initiated cleaning of its premises.
An official of KSRTC in Thrissur said they were cooperating with the curfew and the staff engaged in cleaning work were those who stayed back after yesterday”s night shift.
12 new positive cases reported in Kerala, total rose to 49
With 12 new positive cases of COVID-19 reported on Saturday, the total number of infected persons under treatment in Kerala had gone up to 49. Earlier, three people were cured.
“We urge the people to stay inside their homes and clean their residence and premises,” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said on Saturday.
KARNATAKA
Streets in the capital city Bengaluru and other parts of the state wore a deserted. The Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has complimented and thanked people of the state for supporting the Prime Minister’s call for observing the ”Janata Curfew”.
Appealing to people in the cities not to travel to villages for the next 15 days to control outbreak in rural areas, Yediyurappa said a decision has also been taken to screen all domestic passengers henceforth at airports.
The Karnataka government has decided to shut state borders, also postpone all exams including SSLC (class 10), aimed at controling the spread of COVID-19 virus, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Sunday.
“We have decided to completely shut state’s borders, we request cooperation of every one in this regard. All examinations including SSLC (class 10 that was scheduled from March 27) have been postponed, however only one PUC (class 12) paper scheduled for tomorrow will be held,” Yediyurappa told reporters here.
The chief minister said he held detailed discussions with Narayana Health Chairman Dr Devi Shetty, senior Ministers and officials of his government this morning regarding certain important measures need to be taken.
A 1,700-bed facility at Victoria Hospital in the city will be converted as a special hospital for COVID related cases with immediate effect, he added.
Yediyurappa said already all international passengers are being screened, and it has been decided toscreen all domestic passengers at airports from now on.
He said Balabrooie Guest House in the city will be converted into “Corona War Room” and all related measures will be monitored and implemented from there under his leadership.
“The War Room will function round-the-clock and all task force meetings and video conferencing will happen from there,” he added.
The Chief Minister asked people not to fear or panic and go for stocking of food grains and other essential substances and said “the government has taken care in this regard.”
Noting that it has been decided to immediately increase the number of labs to test for COVID-19 virus, Yediyurappa said, all those who have come into contact with infected persons whether they show symptoms or not, will be tested.
“Facilities are being made ready to testat least 200 out of every 10 lakh people. With the help of ICMR and NIV we have decided to get permission to as many government and private labs to test COVID-19,” he said.
TELANGANA
Roads in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana wore a deserted look on Sunday.
Citizens remained indoors at several places in the city and across the state from Sunday morning after, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday called for a 24-hour voluntary curfew from 6 am on March 22 to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Rao, who supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi”s call to observe ”Janata curfew” on Sunday from 7 am to 5 pm, urged the people of Telangana to stay at home from 6 am Sunday to 6 am on Monday.
Telangana should stand as an ideal to the entire country in the decision that the country has taken to observe ”Janta curfew” with self-control, he said.
Roads wore a deserted look at many places even as shops and eateries also remained closed in the state.
State-run Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses were not operating even as the Hyderabad Metro Rail remained closed, but five trains have been kept on stand-by to attend to any emergency.
With two fresh cases being reported on Saturday, the number of positive cases reported till date in Telangana rose to 21.
