Beaches shut down; corpn sets up hand wash facilities

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

22.03.2020

All beaches in Greater Chennai Corporation limits have been closed to the public until further instruction. The civic body implemented the restriction from 3pm on Saturday.

The move is expected to help prevent crowds or revellers from gathering in the city as the state government has asked people to stay indoors and practice social distancing amid the Covid-19 scare.

Corporation commissioner G Prakash said that the Marina, Elliot’s Beach in Besant Nagar, Palavakkam and other beaches would stay shut. The beaches have also been barricaded to dissuade anyone from getting in. Beaches were the only place for people to gather in the city or take a walk or jog after parks were closed from Wednesday.

The civic body has also launched hand-washing facilities across the city from Saturday. Wash basins with tap water have been introduced in areas like Besant Nagar and Shollinganallur, said regional deputy commissioner (south) Alby John.

Liquid soap is given to people and they have been encouraged to follow the guidelines on washing hands regularly to avoid the spread of Covid-19 infection.

Awareness campaigns have also started in public places, bus stands and railway stations. Major public gathering places are being disinfected with the help of tractor-mounted cleaning machines as well as jet-rodding machines from Metrowater.

These machines have a capacity of around 9,000 litres and apart from disinfectants like Lysol, bleaching powder is also being used, a senior corporation official said.

Prakash also said that all Amma canteens, urban community health centres (UCHC) and maternity homes run by the civic body would keep functioning as usual on Sunday when a ‘janata curfew’ has been called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Conservancy operations would also continue as usual since it is an essential service, Prakash said.

It means the urban poor would get two square meals a day from Amma canteens, while garbage would also be collected from dustbins on roads and streets. Residents need not worry about garbage lying uncleared in the bins.

The corporation also announced a new helpline number for anyone residing in the civic body limits. They may call the number at any time for clarifications regarding Covid-19 and measures to be taken to prevent it. The toll free number 044-25384520 was launched on Saturday. The civic body is also running round-the-clock medical helpdesks at Dr MGR Central and Egmore railway stations.

OFF LIMITS: Marina Beach was deserted on Saturday as people stayed away to safeguard against Covid-19 infection