Youth ignore lockdown order: violators continued to be booked

28/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,TIRUNELVELI

Heavy vehicle movement witnessed at Vannarpet in Tirunelveli on Friday.

As the public continue to ignore the lockdown and move around freely along all major roads here without realising the gravity of the situation, almost all the roads were busy with the cars and the two-wheelers throughout the day on Friday.

Consequently, police have registered 12 cases against 19 violators in Tirunelveli city while Tirunelveli Rural police have booked 64 persons by registering 40 cases till Friday afternoon. In Tenkasi district, 120 cases have been filed since last Wednesday against 142 violators.

When the youth, who are roaming around on their bikes in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai, continued their revelry on Friday also, the policemen posted at important junctions appealed to them with folded hands to remain in their houses to avoid community transmission of SARS – CoV – 2 virus. Since they were let off with just appeals, they could be seen moving around till 2 p.m. along Thiruvananthapuram High Road, South and North Bypass Roads, Tirunelveli Junction and Palayamkottai Bus Stand Road.

The Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaath’s Masjid-Ur-Rahman, which would attract a minimum of over 3,000 persons for the Friday prayers, wore a deserted look on Friday as the TNTJ office-bearers asked the Melapalayam locals to offer prayers in their homes itself to avoid huge gathering at the mosque.

The inmates of Sri Lankan refugees’ camp at Subramaniapuram near Gopalasamudram have banned the entry of outsiders into their colony fearing community transmission of the dreaded virus.

Meanwhile, the Government Siddha Medical College in Palayamkottai sent ‘nilavembu kudineer’ herbs to the house quarantined persons in the district on their return from foreign countries or other States. “The ‘nilavembu kudineer’ herbs that gave a lot of relief to the patients suffering from chikungunya and dengue, are being sent to these persons to strengthen their immunity,” the Government Siddha Medical College doctors said. Since the consumers in large number throng the ‘Uzhavar Santhai’ at Maharaja Nagar, Kandigaiperi and Melapalayam and also the vegetable markets at Palayamkottai and Tirunelveli Town, the Corporation, created spaces for vegetable shops at Tiruchendur Road police quarters, VOC Grounds, Nehru Open Auditorium, Palayamkottai bus-stand and a few more areas. However, the vegetable traders put-up their shops only at Tiruchendur Road police quarters area, where vegetables were sold at inflated price.

Though personal distancing is being advocated to prevent community transmission of the virus and it was stressed by the officials through public address system, the consumers ignored this instruction and stood in the long queues to buy the vegetables.

Swamy Nellaiyppar Gandhimathi Ambal Temple authorities have cancelled the famous ‘Panguni Uththiram’ festival celebrations while all other regular pujas would be performed as usual.