Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced lockdown for a week starting from May 24 further tightening some of the relaxations to break the chain of Coronavirus infection. In a statement issued here after a meeting of lawmakers belonging to all parties, Stalin said the current lockdown will be extended from May 24 early morning for a week.
According to him, the following services are exempted from the lockdown from May 24:
-Pharmacies — allopathy, traditional medicines and veterinary
-Milk/water/newspaper supplies
-Vegetables and fruits to be supplied by the horticulture department through vehicles to people here and in districts
-Essential departments at the State Secretariat and District Headquarters
-Employees in the private sector, banks, insurance companies are requested to work from home
-E-Commerce companies can function between 8 am to 6 pm
-Only takeaways from hotels/restaurants can function between 6 am to 10 am 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm. Food delivery companies like Swiggy and Zomato can deliver only during the above period
-Fuel outlets will function
-ATM services will be allowed
-Trucks carrying agri produce, farm inputs and essential items will be allowed
-Interdistrict travel for medical reasons and death allowed with e-registration
-Intradistrict travel for medical reasons are allowed without e-registration
-Media allowed to function
-Continuous process industries and industries manufacturing essential commodities and medical equipment are allowed to operate
However, the government is silent on the operation of grocery and provision shops during the lockdown. The government has allowed keeping all shops open till 9 pm on Saturday and between 6 am and 9 pm on Sunday as lockdown kicks in on Monday early morning.
Buses to outstation will be allowed to ply on May 22 and 23 to enable people to travel. Earlier speaking at the meeting of lawmakers here Stalin said that medical and healthcare experts had suggested two weeks complete lockdown without any relaxations to bring down the COVID-19 infection numbers.
He said that the infection rate has come down but still not under control. Listing out the various measures taken by the government to augment the oxygen supply for COVID-19 patients Stalin said that people are roaming on the streets as if it was a normal holiday.
