Police scrambled on Saturday to enforce the State government's stay-at-home orders in Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Friday asked people to retreat indoors on the weekend and emerge out only to buy emergency supplies from neighbourhood shops.
Nevertheless, State police officials said they found it challenging to staunch the flow of vehicles. Scores had turned outdoors armed with affidavits citing reasons for travel. Most said they required to stock up on provisions and perishables.
However, the police turned back many who had strayed kilometres away from their place of residence under the pretext of shopping for essentials. An official said the traffic had dwindled to a trickle in the afternoon in most parts of the State.
Police and revenue officials attempted to build a wall of extra vigilance and impose stricter curbs on movement around epidemic hotspots and demarcated containment zones.
With the help of elected local body representatives, local volunteers and health workers, the police could seal off hotspots from adjoining localities to some measure.
Horse race
In some localities, police said they found it difficult to persuade people to follow the pandemic protocol. A conspicuous violation of the pandemic code occurred in Chittoor in Palakkad in the morning.
People thronged the streets to witness horse racing held every two years as part of a local religious festival. The Palakkad police have booked the organisers on the charge of endangering public health.
Hotels, bars remain closed
Hotels, bars, gymnasiums, State-run liquor outlets, shops, supermarkets, public parks, beaches, cinemas, malls and sports centres remained closed. A sprinkling of restaurants opened for home delivery and takeaway.
Kerala was still reeling under the economic hardship wrought by the initial coronavirus surge and protracted lockdowns last year. Hence, many seemed to accept the 48-hour lockdown somewhat grudgingly.
A government official claimed the lockdown did not disrupt farm or plantation work. Some medium and small scale enterprises worked on minimal staff, he said.
All-party meeting on April 26
Mr. Vijayan is scheduled to chair an all-party meeting on April 26. Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and Bharathiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K. Surendran or their representatives are slated to attend the video conference.
The meeting would deliberate on whether the government should press on with the lockdown like restrictions imposed on the weekend or introduce a different set of curbs on civic life.
Mr. Chennithala has argued against bringing the economy to a standstill. He had also said that slashing business timings was counter-productive. He said the government should allow businesses to extend their operational timings and work in shifts to prevent rush.
Meeting with private hospitals
On Saturday, Mr. Vijayan chaired an online meeting with private hospital managements here. He urged them to set aside 25 per cent of their beds for COVID-19 treatment. Mr. Vijayan reportedly told the hospitals to reduce treatment charge to make the institutions more accessible to the commoner.
