Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edapaddi K Palaniswami, has asked all district collectors to send a detailed report on those industries and works in their districts that can be allowed in a staggered manner.

This information should be based on the current status of the Covid-19 pandemic which has forced a nation-wide lockdown, to contain the spread of the virus, ending on May 3. A meeting of the Cabinet is scheduled to be held on May 2 to decide on whether the lockdown should be extended or not.

Field support committees

The State government has also formed field support teams comprising bureaucrats and senior police officials for five Corporations — Chennai, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Madurai and Salem — to ensure management of containment zones; provide essential services in the containment area and contact tracing and testing for the virus, according to an order issued by Chief Secretary K Shanmugham. The team was formed by Palaniswami while reviewing the works done by the 12 Coordination State Level Teams.

For Chennai, which is the worst affected due to the virus, field committees will be formed for six zones - Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Triplicane, Tondiarpet, Anna Nagar and Kodambakkam. For the rest of the zones, one committee for three zones each will be formed, said a government press release.

The four-day intensified lockdown ended on Wednesday in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai corporations in Tamil Nadu. On Thursday alone, grocery and vegetable shops will function between 6 am and 5 pm in the three corporations. However, from Friday, these will be open only between 6 am and 1 pm.

The lockdown will continue till May 3 in these corporations as per the restrictions that were in vogue before April 26. “People need not rush to shops in a hurry and maintain social distancing while at grocery and vegetable shops,” says a press release.

Hike in positive cases

Chennai witnessed another surge in Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. Out of the 104 cases in the State, 94 were recorded in the city with 27 being primary cases. The total number of people infected with the virus in the State is 2,162.

The total number of active cases as on date is 922 - including two deaths notified to other States; one patient died after turning negative for infection. After treatment, 82 patients were discharged.

Today, 8,087 blood samples were tested. With two Covid-19 patients dying, the number of deaths due to the virus increased to 27, according to government data.

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Published on April 29, 2020