Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday instructed District Collectors to screen lorry drivers and cleaners entering the State with supplies. “Else, the [coronavirus] disease might spread from them,” he warned at a virtual meeting with Collectors.
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Many Collectors told the Chief Minister that though they initially did not have any COVID-19 cases in their respective districts, eventually, when several natives employed in other districts returned, they had tested positive for the infection.
Many people from Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thanjavur and Tirunelveli districts, among others, were working in Chennai. The Chief Minister assured that such natives, when they return from Chennai, would be tested within three or four days and given necessary treatment.
As for the movement of migrant workers, Mr. Palaniswami said that the delay in arranging trains for them was due to the delay in getting approvals from Chief Ministers of their home States and the number of trains allotted on Tamil Nadu’s request, every day. Only about 8-10 trains were allotted to the State a day, he pointed out.
“We will arrange trains for workers to return, but until then, they should remain patient,” he reiterated. Steps were on to bring back stranded Tamils, he said.
Attributing the increase in COVID-19 cases to more testing, he said the aim was to test people and treat them back to good health. Lockdown measures are being relaxed in a phased manner, he said.
He instructed Collectors to ensure the supply of drinking water and said that industries must ensure that employees wear masks at work.
In his opening remarks, he pointed out that public health experts had opined that the number of COVID-19 patients would go up before the curve flattens. He yet again sought the people’s cooperation in following precautionary measures.
Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar, Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam, Director General of Police J.K. Tripathy and senior officials participated.
