Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Friday (April 24) announced a complete lockdown in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai from April 26 to April 29 in order to curb the spread of coronavirus COVID-19.
"There will be a total lockdown for four days in Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai from April 26 to April 29 from 6 am to 9 pm. In Salem and Tiruppur, total lockdown will be in effect from 6 am on April 26 to 9 pm on April 28," said Chief Minister Palaniswami.
The Chief Minister assured people that vegetables and fruits shall reach their doorsteps via mobile outlets.
The government had already made mobile outlets (mini trucks and tri-cycles) selling vegetables and fruits operational in urban regions and Palaniswami had time and again appealed to people to buy food staples for at least a week and eliminate the need to visit local markets everyday.
The Chief Minister said that bank and central government offices in these cities would be allowed to function on 33 per cent employee strength whereas the ATMs would function as usual.
He added that hospitals, Tamil Nadu secretariat and the pharmacy would be functional as usual.
Home delivery of food alone is permitted from restaurants, the government said and listed community kitchens and aid for the indigent people (with approval from authorities) under the limited activities that are allowed. While employees in sectors like information technology could work from home, other private sector firms shall remain closed, the government said.
According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu has recorded 1,683 positive coronavirus cases with Chennai topping the chart with 400, followed by Coimbatore 134 and Tirupur 110. Out of 1,683, 752 patients have been cured/discharged and 20 lost their lives.
