Kerala on Sunday appeared to align itself with the rest of the country with a sizeable majority of people choosing to remain mostly indoors in a public bid to limit the community spread of the COVID-19 infection.
A large section of the public seemed to have heeded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to observe a Janata Curfew from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had backed the move and additionally requested citizens to set aside time to disinfect their homes.
Mr. Vijayan tweeted: “There is no miracle cure yet. Wait for science to do its job. The virus does not discriminate based on religion, nationality or dietary habits. We have to fight this battle. Not enough evidence to claim it will go away in summer.”
The Chief Minister’s message suggested that the fight to defeat the pestilence is likely to be a long haul. Mr. Vijayan is monitoring the epidemic situation from his official residence at the Cliff House here. He is expected to make a public announcement in the evening.
Capital at a standstill
Meanwhile, the State capital, Thiruvananthapuram, appeared eerily still with no pedestrians or traffic on the roads. Public squares and parks appeared abandoned. All avenues for entertainment, including malls, sporting enclaves, floodlit outdoor turfs and cinema halls, remained sealed.
The ubiquitous sound of vehicle horns and people was strangely absent. Few citizens ventured out of their homes.
Television channels continuously aired the images of the deserted cityscape. The panorama seemed the same everywhere, including the cities of Kochi and Kozhikode.
The Thampanoor Central station appeared desolate, with Railways whittling down services. Railway staff in personal protective gear disinfected the platforms and coaches. The airport activities almost came to a standstill, with very few airlines operating flights.
Places of worship shut
The gates of the iconic St. Joseph’s Metropolitan Cathedral in the capital remained shut. The clergy celebrated Sunday Mass, but without the usual crowd of parishioners thronging the aisles and spilling on to the grounds outside.
Nearby, the Palayam Juma Masjid and Ganapathy Temple also remained sealed. The triad of shrines of different faiths sited adjacent to each other at Palayam in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram is often celebrated in images and literature as a symbol of the State’s secular spirit.
The signature tea stalls on sidewalks were missing. The capital had shut down its stadiums, beaches, public parks and weekend tourist destinations since last week, disrupting the schedule of hundreds of urbanites habituated to morning walks.
The historic Chalai market was like a ghost town. Most of the shops remained shuttered. Only a few flower stalls selling funeral wreaths were open. The landmark Connemara Market, established by the British colonial rulers in 1857, in Palayam also remained closed.
Appeal by politicians and actors
An assemblage of politicians, bureaucrats and celebrity actors came on air to make the public aware of the need to maintain social distance to break the spread of the virus.
Television channels and FM radio stations broadcasted the messages of a range of film stars and social media celebrities. Actors Mohan Lal and Mammooty, who have a sizeable fan following in Kerala, led the campaigning.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala met reporters at his official residence at Cantonment House here. He said the government should shutter bars and liquor outlets to prevent overcrowding and follow the example set by Rajasthan by introducing a four-hour workday.
Most Cabinet Ministers remained at their homes to set an example for other citizens. Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran claimed to journalists that he had swept the grounds of his official residence himself. He said he had earlier asked his concierge staff to go on leave and remain at their homes.
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac held forth on the State’s economy to reporters he met at his official residence, the sprawling Manmohan Bungalow near the Kerala Raj Bhavan.
Health Minister K. K. Shylaja saw journalists at her residence. She warned of strict action against those who disregarded health safeguards and caused the spread of the pestilence due to personal negligence and unwillingness to quarantine themselves. “The time of requests and pleas are over”, she told a television channel.
Appeal to Tamil Nadu
Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty told reporters in Kollam that the government had asked Tamil Nadu not to deter vegetables coming into Kerala through the Aryankavu check-post.
Some overzealous Tamil Nadu officials had detained few loads of perishables bound to Kerala on their side of the border. Ms. Mercykutty foresaw no shortage for food grains, edible oil, pulses, sugar or fuel.
The government is coordinating with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to ensure that supplies freighted to Kerala from other regions reached local markets and replenished store shelves.
Police Chief works from home
State Police Chief Loknath Behera, dressed in paramilitary camouflage fatigues, worked from his home. His officers had set up a small space as a control room with video conferencing facility. Mr. Behera is scheduled to join other bureaucrats on a video conference with the Union Cabinet Secretary. He also used the police net to coordinate with intelligence officials and district police chiefs.
The district administration anticipated that people would start returning to the streets after 5 p.m.
