R. ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MARCH 23
Entire Tamil Nadu will be under a lockdown till March 31 from 6 p.m. on Tuesday to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Section 144 CrPC will be invoked for its implementation, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced on Monday.
மாண்புமிகு தமிழக முதல்வர் திரு.எடப்பாடி கே.பழனிசாமி அவர்கள் இன்று சட்டப்பேரவையில் தமிழ்நாட்டில் கொரோனா வைரஸ் பரவாமல் தடுக்க பல்வேறு துறைகளின் சார்பில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வரும் தொடர் பாதுகாப்பு நடவடிக்கைகள் குறித்து விளக்கம் அளித்தார். #TNAssembly #TN_Together_AgainstCorona pic.twitter.com/P8x4pBuunn
— CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) March 23, 2020
Making a statement in the assembly on Monday, he said that barring essential and emergency services, public and private transportation will not function. The announcement came a day after the COVID-19 cases in the state rose to nine. Earlier, on Monday evening, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has announced 75 districts, including Chennai, Kanchipuram and Erode in Tamil Nadu as coronavirus-affected districts and advised the state government to implement lockdown to contain spreading of COVID-19.
In his four page statement, the Chief Minister appealed everyone to cooperate with the government’s efforts to contain spreading of coronavirus. Those who have returned from foreign countries should voluntarily go for quarantine and tested for coronavirus either at government hospital or an approved private hospital.
Besides these, the Chief Minister announced slew of measures to be observed from Tuesday 6 p.m.
The chief minister said that the District Collectors and Police Officials are empowered to effectively implement Section 144 CrPC against violations.
