Social distancing, who cares ?

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.44 AM IST

Trichy: Even as social distancing is identified as a practical and safe way to ward off the novel coronavirus, many Trichiites seem to be in no mood to pursue the practice. A day after the city observed the self-imposed Janata Curfew by staying indoors, people in large numbers, mostly youth, preferred to wander around on their bikes and hang out at tea stalls, many discussing the funny memes on Covid-19. With non-essential outlets too opening on Monday, cautious residents now pin their hopes on section 144 of CrPC coming into effect on Tuesday evening to prevent gathering at public spots.

The authorities had urged the traders to cooperate with the government by refraining from doing business that attracts crowds till March 31. But, around 11 am on Monday, even fashion retail outlets started opening their shutters and customers carelessly thronging them. Mobile and car showrooms as well as second-hand two-wheeler sales showrooms were seen open for business despite the restrictions.

With school and colleges ordered to be closed, youths were seen roaming in their two-wheeler, many riding in triples. “We have been repeatedly insisting on the youths to stay indoors but they are in no mood to oblige. They have not understood the seriousness of the Covid-19 outbreak,” a police officer patrolling Cantonment locality said.

Among those who ventured out to Thillai Nagar and Palakkarai roads were youths heading to mobile and computer accessories shops that were kept open. The city seemed to be completely unaware of the potential infection threat it faces with the local people interacting and travelling at a very close distance. “Residents should cooperate with the authorities, we all have the responsibility of combating the viral infection,” M Sekaran, a social worker said. Neither the police nor the district administration, despite being alerted, bothered to enquire with textile showrooms why they were kept open inviting the public.

TNSTC runs 120 spl buses to Chennai

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.45 AM IST

Trichy: The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Trichy operated 120 special buses to clear the rush for people to reach Chennai ahead of the Tamil Nadu lockdown announced from Tuesday evening till March 31. The transport division has also announced that no buses will be plying after 6pm on Tuesday.

“There is a heavy rush among people to reach Chennai. So, we will be operating special buses on Monday night and Tuesday morning. We will operate the special buses in a manner that the fleet will return to Trichy depot before the lockdown,” an official with the TNSTC said. tnn

Rumour mongering can hamper govt’s efforts

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.35 AM IST

Madurai: At a time when Covid-19 scare is looming large, some mischief mongers are spreading rumours on social media, which could torpedo various measures taken by the state government in general and the health department in particular.

A video by a youth, criticising people for taking various precautionary measures in the wake of Covid-19, is being circulated largely through WhatsApp and Facebook. While in some of the houses people have started using turmeric powder mixed water and neem leaves to clean their front yard, he is seen criticising the precautionary measures done by a particular community, from which he too purportedly hails from.

He goes on to say that Covid-19 will not affect people from a particular community, who are strong by nature. In another video the same youth is seen asking people not be afraid of the virus at it would not affect the community. People, who are unaware of the strict warnings given by the Madurai district police and city police, have been circulating such videos.

A police official from Madurai district police said that they are scanning social media for rumour mongers and will be taking appropriate action against them. People have been asked to contact the police control room created for this purpose through 7708806111.

Wrong info makes tracking patient movement difficult

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.40 AM IST

Madurai: With district officials facing difficulties in tracking the movement of the 43-year-old male Covid-19 patient admitted to the isolation ward at Tirunelveli medical college hospital (MCH), collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish on Monday urged the people to follow home quarantine more strictly.

The collector told TOI that though the patient is showing improvement he is still undergoing treatment at the isolation ward. “I spoke to the patient. His symptoms had reduced compared to Sunday and he was able to communicate without difficulty. We are making all efforts to not miss any person who may have been in contact with him and quarantine them,” she said. However, sources said that local district officials were apprehensive when putting together the patient’s contact history.

“The whole purpose of putting together contact history is to ensure that infection doesn’t spread even by mistake. However, on investigation and cross-verification, it was found that the patient may have been staying for four days at a hotel room though the patient himself has insisted till Monday morning that he had been just staying with one friend at a room in a village,” a source.

The source from the health department further added that whatever information the patient gives for contact history could not be 100% accurate or trustworthy, so it has been difficult to track his movements. So far, the co-passenger of the car by which he came to Tirunelveli from Madurai and the friend staying with him have been quarantined as a precautionary measure.

On the other hand, Madurai district health officials said that the patient was screened on March 17 at Madurai airport. “He was not symptomatic then, so we advised home quarantine as per protocol. I urge the public to be more responsible when in home quarantine and immediately seek medical help if any symptoms of Covid-19 appear,” said Dr P Priya Raj, deputy director of health services, Madurai.

Covid-19: Tamil Nadu to be under lockdown from Tuesday evening, Section 144 to be in force

TNN | Mar 23, 2020, 03.55 PM IST

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will be under lockdown from 6pm on Tuesday till March 31 to prevent spread of Covid-19, and Section 144 of the CrPc will be in force to prevent people from gathering in any place, chief minister Edappadi K Palanisami announced in the assembly on Monday.

“Following the Centre recommending steps to ward off Covid-19, the state government has decided to lockdown all districts from 6pm on Tuesday. People must follow social distancing to prevent the virus from spreading,” said the chief minister.

He said though the Centre had recommended lockdown only in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Erode districts, the government decided to lockdown all the districts.

“From 6pm Tuesday, all district borders will be closed till March 31. A detailed order on this will be released in the evening. All district collectors and police officials have been asked to implement the order under Section 144 of the CrPC,” the chief minister said.

Only essential vehicles would be allowed and all other vehicles like government buses, private buses, any other private vehicles, autos, taxis and others would not be allowed to go from one district to another.

“Essential commodities like milk, vegetables, groceries, fish and meat shops will remain open along with medical stores. All other shops, malls and others will remain closed till March 31. Similarly, essential government services and departments will work, and all other departments will remain closed,” said the chief minister.

The essential departments include police, health, district administration, fire services, prison and local bodies.

“All private company employees will have to work from home. These companies include IT companies. But private hospitals will continue to work. Essential commodity manufacturing companies will be allowed to work with less number of workers,” said the chief minister.

Except urgent construction, all other construction work will have to be stopped and the companies must pay the employees for the days when there was no work, he said.

“To help homeless and other workers who don’t have any roof above their heads, hotels will be allowed to function. Amma canteens will also work,” he said.

Those who come from abroad must quarantine themselves. They must compulsorily screen themselves either in government hospitals or in private hospitals and take proper medicines, Palaniswami said.

Steps would be taken by district collectors to help pregnant women and senior citizens during the lockdown. “We are thinking about helping families which have been affected due to the lockdown and order will be released separately,” said Palanisami.

The chief minister sought the public support to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Crowd before the curfew

TNN | Mar 24, 2020, 04.19 AM IST

Chennai: The Koymabedu bus terminus was a nightmare on Monday. No one cared about social distancing, as thousands crowded the terminus pushing and shoving to board the few buses that were plying in their bid to leave the city before the lockdown from 6 pm on Tuesday.

There are no trains and on Monday, the state cut by half the usual 3,000 buses operated along 700-odd routes within the state. Almost all the government buses were packed and many women, children and the elderly were unable to board a bus even if they were willing to stand and travel. Men jumped into buses through the windows even before incoming passengers had got off.

“We can clearly see people are risking their lives. Even if one or two were affected by coronavirus, it will easily spread to thousands. The government is solely responsible for this. There is no way they could track patients in this chaos,” said V Prasanna,who ended up taking a taxi for Rs.6,000 to his native place (Thanjavur) after waiting at the terminus for an hour.

The situation was no different at Perungulathur and Tambaram and it took almost two hours for buses to cross Chengalpet.

To clear the rush, Tamil Nadu transport minister M R Vijayabaskar announced that 100 Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses were diverted to ply to Trichy, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai and other districts.Buses from other districts were also told to report to Chennai to transport more people out from Chennai.

Besides, private omnibus operators were told to run all available buses from Chennai to other districts. Earlier, private operators told the government they were not willing to run buses till March 31. But they have now responded to the government’s request and started transporting people. Despite warnings, many operators charged exorbitant fares.

As for commuting in the city, no MTC buses, local trains, metro rail, autos or taxis will be allowed to ply after 6 pm on Tuesday. Movement of private vehicles within the city and to neighbouring districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Tiruvallur will be restricted to emergency trips. Checkposts would be erected to curb any movement between districts. "We will have checkposts near Meenambakkam and Kundrathur, where Chengalpet district meets Chennai and Kancheepuram districts, respectively, to prevent movement of people between districts. However, there would not be any restrictions on movement within a district," a revenue official in Chengalpet district said.

Chennai district with a radius of 426 sqkm shares borders with Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. The arterial roads in the city covers a distance of about 20 kilometres in all directions. Moulivakkam and Karambakkam form the borders of Kancheepuram district in the western suburbs. However, the restrictions may also be done based on police districts. Greater Chennai Police jurisdiction expands till Perungalathur in Chengalpet district, Kundrathur in Kancheepuram and Redhills at Tiruvallur district. "It is more practical because cops would be manning these check posts," the official added.

Covid-19: Tamil Nadu govt operates additional buses to clear extra rush ahead of lockdown

TNN | Mar 23, 2020, 07.25 PM IST

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu transport minister M R Vijayabaskar on Monday announced that 100 Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses are being diverted on mofussil routes (inter-district trips) to clear extra rush of passengers after the government announced that a lockdown would be in place starting Tuesday evening to combat spread of Covid-19.

These buses were operated from Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT), Koyambedu, from Monday evening to clear extra rush. As all trains were cancelled, more people crowded at CMBT.

MTC buses, which usually ply only in the Chennai, were diverted to Trichy, Villupuram, Thiruvanamalai and other districts.

Also, private omnibus operators were told to operate all available buses from Chennai to other TN districts on Monday, Vijayabaskar told reporters. Earlier, private operators informed government they were not willing to run buses till March 31. But they have now responded to the government's request and started transporting people.

Koyambedu was chaotic till late evening as all buses were packed and many people were unable to find a bus even if they were willing to stand and travel.

There was no way one could think about social distancing in such a situation, said passengers. It was all about getting home.

கொரோனா வைரஸ் அபாயம் மின் கட்டணம் செலுத்த சலுகை

Added : மார் 22, 2020 22:25

சென்னை:இந்த மாதம், மின் கட்டணம் செலுத்த வேண்டிய நுகர்வோர், முந்தைய கட்டணத்தையே செலுத்தும்படி, தமிழக மின் வாரியம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.

தமிழகத்தில், வீடுகள், கடைகள் உள்ளிட்ட தாழ்வழுத்த பிரிவு மின் இணைப்புகளில், மின் ஊழியர்கள், இரு மாதங்களுக்கு, ஒருமுறை நேரில் சென்று, மின் பயன்பாடு கணக்கு எடுக்கின்றனர். கணக்கு எடுத்த, 20 தினங்களுக்குள் மின் கட்டணத்தை செலுத்த வேண்டும். இல்லையேல், மின் வினியோகம் துண்டிக்கப்படும்.பின், அபராதத்துடன், கட்டணம் செலுத்தியதும், மீண்டும், மின் வினியோகம் வழங்கப்படும். கொரோனா வைரஸ் தாக்குதலில் இருந்து பாதுகாத்து கொள்ள, பலரும் வீடுகளை விட்டு வெளியே வருவதில்லை.இதனால், மின் பயன்பாடு கணக்கெடுக்கும் பணியில் ஈடுபடுத்த வேண்டாம் என, ஊழியர்கள், மின் வாரியத்திற்கு கோரிக்கை விடுத்தனர். எனவே, இம்மாதம் கட்டணம் செலுத்த வேண்டியவர்கள், முந்தைய மாத கட்டணத்தையே செலுத்துமாறு, மின் வாரியம் அறிவுறுத்தி உள்ளது.இது குறித்து, மின் வாரியம், நேற்று விடுத்த செய்தி குறிப்பு:கொரோனா வைரஸ் பரவல் பீதி காரணமாக, தாழ்வழுத்த இணைப்புகளில், 2020 மார்ச் மாத பட்டியலுக்கு, 22ம் தேதி முதல், 31ம் தேதி வரை, 'மீட்டர் ரீடிங்' எடுக்க முடியாத நிலை ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால், ஜனவரி, பிப்ரவரி மாத கணக்கீட்டின்படி, பணம் செலுத்த கோரப்படுகிறது.

இவ்வாறு செலுத்திய கட்டணம், பின்வரும் மாத கணக்கீட்டு மின் கட்டணத்தில் சரிசெய்யப்படும். மின் கட்டண மையங்களுக்கு வருவதை தவிர்த்து, ஏற்கனவே தெரிவித்தபடி, இணையதளம், மொபைல் செயலி போன்ற, 'டிஜிட்டல்' முறையில்மின் கட்டணத்தை செலுத்தலாம்.இவ்வாறு அதில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

4 மணிநேரம் மட்டுமே வங்கிகள் செயல்படும்: இந்தியா முழுவதும் இன்று அமல்

Updated : மார் 23, 2020 01:13 | Added : மார் 23, 2020 01:12

புதுடில்லி: கொரோனா பரவலால் இன்று முதல் வங்கிகள் 4 மணிநேரம் மட்டுமே செயல்பட உள்ளது.



கொரோனா தாக்கத்தால் வங்கிகள் பல்வேறு புதிய விதிமுறைகளை பின்பற்றும்படி இந்திய வங்கிகள் சங்கம் பரிந்துரைத்துள்ளது. அதன்படி வங்கிகள் காலை 10:00 மணி முதல் பகல் 2:00 வரை மட்டும் செயல்படும். சில வங்கிகள் வாடிக்கையாளர்களுக்கு ஏற்ப காலை 11:00 மணி முதல் 3:00 மணி வரை இருக்கலாம்.



பணம் எடுத்தல், பணம் கட்டுதல், காசோலை, அரசு தொடர்பான பணிகள், மற்ற வங்கிகளுக்கு பணம் கொடுத்தல் பணிகள் மட்டுமே நடக்கும். நகைக்கடன் வழங்கப்படமாட்டாது. புதிய வீட்டு கடன் உள்ளிட்ட கடன் வழங்கும் பணிகளும் நடக்காது. இத்தகைய விதிமுறைகள் இன்று 23ம் தேதி முதல் உடனடியாக அமலுக்கு வருகிறது. சில வங்கிகள் இந்த நேரத்தை அமல்படுத்த ஒரு சில தினங்கள் எடுத்துக் கொள்ளவும் அனுமதியளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

‘COVID-19 is a new animal in the zoo’

States have been told to marshal all resources to contain the virus, says NITI Aayog member

23/03/2020, YUTHIKA BHARGAVA, BINDU SHAJAN 

PERAPPADAN

Co-chair of the Empowered Committee for COVID-19 Response, India, and Member of the National Institution for Transforming India, NITI Aayog, Dr. V.K. Paul said the changed circumstances of the spread of the disease called for a revised testing strategy and marshalling of all resources to contain the pandemic.

Why has India revised its testing strategy making it more inclusive and now also allowing private laboratories to test? Is this an indication of the trends that you may be seeing in terms of a wider spread of COVID-19?

It’s best to align our thoughts with what the Prime Minister has articulated. We know we have a problem. We have been containing it to a large extent but the way these things pan out, emerging scenarios are unpredictable and can be very serious, so let us put our act together.

Why have we changed criteria? Because we think it is time to get the first indications to know if it is spreading in India. If it spreads, serious patients will come in and we cannot miss this indication. COVID-19 is a new animal in the zoo, we are still understanding the virus. We know that it is a pandemic, it is somewhat explosive and somewhat delayed. We may be better-off currently but be prepared for the worst. We should be sensible for the next two months.

NITI Aayog had advised the government to rectify the lack of health infrastructure, skewed patient-bed and medical staff ratio…keeping this in mind how prepared is India if we do slip into community transmission? The trends currently indicate massive spikes.

It is no secret that India’s health infrastructure needs to be augmented. Currently, States across India have been instructed to marshal all their resources to ensure that we are able to contain the virus. They have been asked to use all legal and emergency powers and funds to cater to any medical situation that may arise. You know, it is a situation for which you have to pull out all the stops and get makeshift arrangements if need be.

How does the 14-hour ‘Janata Curfew’ help?

This one-day bandh is the only way we can cut down or dent transmission. Though we are still at stage 2, what if we moved further? Since we cannot create a perfect situation, social distancing is key and this drill is essential. Perfect social distancing cannot happen under normal situation. What the Prime Minister has done is say “OK guys, we have been making an effort to break this chain.”

Where are we in terms of making available testing kits and vaccine?

We are looking at two types of technologies/products — one is diagnostic kits and the other, of course, vaccine which is a long term solution.

Currently, everything related to COVID-19 is new but I am very happy to be able to tell you that we are very close to making available a simpler and indigenous diagnostic test. There are four to six promising projects being carried out and we are very close to an early validation and early scale up. I am hoping this could be in a matter of weeks.

Also, remember if a vaccine comes out somewhere else, they may find it very sensible to manufacture here in India. So that’s the silver lining, we have a huge vaccine production capability.

(Read the full interview at: https://bit.ly/VKPaulInterview)

Families impose self-restriction for marriage

Only core members of the families take part in ceremony, advanced 

to 4 a.m. to comply with the curfew diktat

23/03/2020,S. SUNDAR  MADURAI

Unforgettable: This couple got married early in the day before the beginning of Janata Curfew in Madurai on Sunday. R. Ashok

After a long and meticulous planning for a marriage by two families from Chennai and Madurai, the ceremony took place on Sunday with a handful of people, following the Janata Curfew announced by the Prime Minister.

Seven months back, the bridegroom’s family near Chennai and the bride’s family in Madurai had booked a marriage hall in the heart of Madurai. Over 900 invitations were distributed and everything was set for a grand reception on Saturday followed by ‘muhurtham’ on Sunday morning.

But when the families and friends of the groom were planning to leave Chennai for Madurai, the news about the curfew reached them. By then it was too late for them to do anything. Only the core members of the groom’s family came to Madurai.

With the curfew beginning at 7 a.m. with no public transport, the families decided to advance the ‘muhurtham’ for the convenience of the guests. From 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m., it was advanced to 4 a.m.

“We informed about the change in timing to those who were in Madurai. For the rest, we requested them to not take pains to make it to the marriage function. We told them that we will not feel bad about their absence,” said J. Sampath, 58, uncle of the groom.

Masks and sanitisers

Initially, the family planned to provide masks to all the guests and place sanitisers outside the hall as a precautionary measure. However, they could not manage to get both masks and the sanitisers.

All that the family could do was consciously avoiding handshake. “Instead we welcomed people with folded hands,” he said.

With only a few guests turning up, the marriage was solemnised early in the morning. By 7.00 a.m. most of them had left after having breakfast.

“Only the close relatives of the bride and groom stayed back. There was no disappointment at all for any of us. It is only a small contribution from our side to stop spreading COVID-19,” said Mr. Sampath.

Another couple

R. Kayalvizhi and I. Paul Vinoth was another couple who married at Poonga Murugan Temple in Madurai between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Mr. Vinoth said around 2,500 invitations were distributed and a private hall was booked.

Earlier, the muhurtham was fixed between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. “We changed the entire plan after the announcement from the Prime Minister. We realised the gravity of the situation and decided to contribute our little part to curb the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

Thoothukudi

Shankar and Sivasankari from Thoothukudi had planned to get married at a Siva temple, but the permission to conduct the ceremony was denied after the Prime Minister’s announcement. So the couple got married at a Mariamman temple in Muniyasamypuram with just a limited number of family members. The couple also wore face masks during the ceremony to send home the message of social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

(With inputs from

P.A. Narayani)

Weddings in the time of a virus

Notwithstanding the ‘Janata Curfew’ , some couples tie the knot

23/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

DMDK leader Vijayakant presiding over a wedding on Sunday.

Amidst the ‘Janata Curfew’, some families managed to conduct weddings in the city and elsewhere in the State.

While some cut down on the number of guests, others decided to hold the receptions at a later date.

The wedding of V. Vimalkumar and K. Kamali of Saidapet was held at the house of DMDK founder Vijayakant. “We had planned to conduct it in a temple, but since temples were closed, we had no place to go. When we informed the Captain (Vijayakant) about this, he welcomed us to his house. We will never forget his gesture. The wedding was held with a priest officiating it and 17 members from the families of the bride and the groom taking part,” said P. Venuram, the groom’s father and DMDK’s labour wing deputy secretary. Mr. Venuram, who runs a tiffin centre at Venkatapuram in Little Mount, arranged for breakfast at his house after the wedding. “There was a very different feel to it. We were concerned about whether we would be able to pull off the wedding, since the van driver refused to come,” he said.

L.N. Srinivasan of LVN Catering, Mylapore, said they seated two persons in place of the usual three at each table. “The wedding party ensured that the guests were safe and arranged for hand sanitisers. In place of 800 guests, they had 150,” he said.

In Tiruchi, events held in a couple of prominent wedding halls witnessed a muted attendance of family members. “A majority of our relatives arrived here last night, knowing full well that there will be a lockdown, and stayed put at the wedding hall to participate in the event on Sunday. We went ahead with the wedding as it could not be cancelled, given that all the arrangements had already been made,” said K. Ravi, an uncle of the bridegroom. In some wedding halls in Thanjavur districts, face masks were provided to the participants.

In Madurai, Thoothukudi and Thiruchendur, couples advanced the muhurtham to between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., before the start of the curfew.

As in other places, weddings in Udhagamandalam and Krishnagiri took place with very small gatherings. In Udhagamandalam M. Jayanandhini and R. Mathan Raj called off their reception on Sunday due to the curfew. The wedding took place in a temple, with just 20 participants.

The wedding plans of Revathi from Krishnagiri and Sharath from Bengaluru got derailed by the virus. The couple wed in the presence of just eight persons. In Dharmapuri, a Muslim couple got married in the presence of a modest gathering.

(With inputs from R. Rajaram in Tiruchi, P.A. Narayani in Madurai, Rohan Premkumar in Udhagamandalam, P.V. Srividya in Krishnagiri and Deepa H. Ramakrishnan in Chennai).

For city residents, it was a stay-at-home Sunday

With public transport off the roads, traffic was down to a bare minimum; in the evening, many came out to applaud health workers

23/03/2020, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday to encourage social distancing among the public, to contain the spread of COVID-19, received an overwhelming response in Chennai and the rest of Tamil Nadu, with the entire State observing a near-complete shutdown.

With the State government fully backing the initiative by suspending public transport and later extending the curfew till 5 a.m. on Monday, all roads and public places wore a deserted look. Heeding the government’s call, the public largely remained indoors. A negligible number of vehicles were seen plying major roads and highways.

In Chennai, all the arterial roads, including Anna Salai, looked deserted. Many government-run Amma Unavagam outlets providing food at subsidised prices, which were kept open, reported a considerable turnout of people from marginalised sections of society.

While fuel stations were open with a minimal number of staff, they hardly had any customers. “I have never seen such a complete shutdown. We have not had a single motorist coming in for fuel till the afternoon,” said A. Kathirvel, who works at a fuel station on Cathedral Road. In a few places, however, the curfew was not complied with. For instance, in some areas in and around Royapettah in Chennai, small groups of children and youngsters took to the roads to play cricket. On the Beach Road, a few youngsters who came in bikes clicked pictures of themselves sitting on the vacant road.

In South Boag Road and Wallajah Road, where small groups of people assembled late in the evening, the police made announcements asking them to disperse.

The Prime Minister’s appeal to the public to come to their balconies and windows to give a round of applause for the health workers and other professionals who are on the front line in the fight against COVID-19 also received a resounding response. In most places, particularly apartment complexes, people came out with their families to clap and clang on plates as a gesture of appreciation. Social media was flooded with such images and videos.

Though the Centre and the State governments had said that shops selling essential commodities can remain open, such establishments remained closed.

T.N. to decide on curbs in three districts today

Inter-State bus services suspended

23/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

Residents of an apartment complex in Chennai beating vessels. B. Jothi Ramalingam B. Jothi Ramalingam

The Tamil Nadu government will on Monday take a decision on imposing stringent restrictive measures in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Erode districts, which figure among the 80 districts countrywide where the Centre has advised maintaining only “essential services” in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. On Sunday, three more patients tested positive for COVID-19, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said.

“We will take a decision on imposing severe restrictions in these districts at a high-level meeting on Monday morning. We want to be cautious before announcing closure of establishments in Chennai and elsewhere,” a government official said.

Another senior official said that the State government is taking stock of the situation and will come up with a notification. “No lockdown as of now. It is a normal day tomorrow [March 23]. The State government will take a call,” he added.

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami issued an order suspending till March 31 operation of all government and private inter-State bus services. Earlier, the State had operated minimal bus services to Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Chennai Metro services have been cancelled till the month-end.

Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar said from Monday minimal bus services would be operated within Chennai and the rest of T.N.

“Only inter-State bus services have been stopped. If there is any change, the decision will be taken tomorrow [Monday],” Transport Secretary Dharmendra Pratap Yadav said.

4 pvt hospitals allowed to treat Covid-19 patients

Mar 22, 2020, 04.25 AM IST

Coimbatore: The district health department has allowed four private multispeciality hospitals in the city to set up 50-bed isolation facilities to treat patients with Covid-19 symptoms

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Collector K Rajamani on Saturday said the government has decided to allow Kovai Medical Center and Hospital, PSG Hospitals, Royal Care Hospital and Abhinand Hospital to admit and treat patients suspected of having Covid-19 and those tested positive.

“The hospitals have been asked to keep ready isolation wards that have 50 to 60 beds,” he said.

While the hospitals can admit and treat patients, the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital will be the authorized centre to do the test.

The health department is asking all those who were travelling and have Covid-19 symptoms to undergo the test, unlike earlier, when they were only testing people with specific symptoms so as to not overburden test centres and waste testing kits.

The collector also oversaw screening activities at the Walayar check post and Anaikatti. “All vehicles carrying essential commodities and patients with medical emergencies are allowed to enter the state,” said the collector. “We are also planning to establish another makeshift corona observation centre at Othakkalmandapam.”

Seven people who were tested at the Covid-19 test centre in CMCH have tested negative and so have four people tested on Thursday, health department sources said. This includes a 77-year-old man who visited Mumbai, a couple from Mettupalayam who returned from Sweden and a girl who returned from Spain.

Three patients were isolated at the CMCH and ESIC Hospital on Saturday include a three-year-old boy who has cold and fever. The boy and his family had recently returned from Rajasthan. The others are a 45-year-old man who returned from Odisha and a 35-year-old man who had been to Germany.

Train to Tambaram will benefit region, say railway users

TNN | Mar 22, 2020, 04.28 AM IST

Coimbatore: Several rail passengers associations in the Pollachi to Udumalpet belt are demanding an overnight train from Mettupalayam till Tambaram.

Representatives of the associations said they had wrote to Coimbatore MP P R Natarajan and Southern Railway general manager demanding a train from Mettupalayam or Coimbatore to Tambaram or Chennai. “We want more rail connectivity between Coimbatore and the delta regions via Pollachi and Dindigul,” said secretary of the Welfare Association of Rail Passengers in Pollachi Mohan Kumar, who is also a businessman.

“Many Udumalpet industries and farmers buy banana leaves and betel nuts and leaves from the delta region and vegetable traders can easily travel between Mettupalayam and Dindigul for buying and selling vegetables,” he said.

Such a train will fill a large void in the tourism and pilgrimage sector, said Kumar. “This train should pass through Palani and Kumbakonam, both of which are popular destinations for pilgrims and start and end at Mettupalayam, giving travellers in delta region easy connectivity to NMR and Ooty,” said Mohan Kumar.

President of the Thanjavur District Rail Users Association P K T Shanmugam agreed. “Every day, at least six government buses operate between Palani and Chidambaram. As many buses operate between Palani and Mayiladuthai, and Thanjavur. A special fare train will help the passengers because it is more convenient. Moreover, the railway will earn more revenue,” he said.

Bachelors find it tough in lockdown

TNN | Mar 23, 2020, 04.43 AM IST

Trichy: While families enjoyed a comfortable Sunday by locking themselves in the houses, bachelors and people who stay in private stay facility (locally called mansion) in the city had a tough time in sourcing food. Though online food delivery platforms were operational in the city, the high demand owing to the extended lockdown has put them in a misery.

“Fortunately, there was food delivery option available in the mobile application. But many of the inmates in my mansion had managed to feed their hunger with bread and biscuits they purchased on Saturday,” R Aravind, a student residing in a mansion at Woraiyur, said.

The youths residing in the mansions have managed to stock eatables and snacks from a few tea shops and cafés that were opened on Sunday morning. Bachelors residing in mansions said that their friends in the city came to their rescue by bringing cooked food. tnn

Dubai returnee tests positive for Covid-19 in Tirunelveli

TNN | Mar 23, 2020, 04.06 AM IST

Madurai: A 43-year-old man from Tirunelveli has tested positive for Covid-19, state health minister C Vijayabaskar said on Sunday. This is the first case to be tested positive in the southern districts of the state.

“The man landed at Madurai airport on March 17 from Dubai. He is said to have travelled to Tirunelveli from Madurai by road. Efforts are on to track his movements before he was hospitalized and identify those he may have been in contact with,” Shilpa Prabhakar Satish, Tirunelveli district collector, told TOI.

She also confirmed that the patient’s condition was stable. He is in intensive care as he has undergone bypass surgery in the past, sources said.

The man, a native of a village near Radhapuram in Tirunelveli district, works in the Gulf.

As he grew suspicious of his symptoms, he went to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital on Saturday afternoon and got admitted. Swabs were duly collected and sent for testing.

On Sunday the test results confirmed Covid-19 infection.

Allow students to stay back in hostels, MHRD tells institutes

TNN | Mar 23, 2020, 04.19 AM IST

New Delhi: The ministry of human resource development (MHRD) on Saturday advised all educational institutions to let students, especially foreign scholars, who are still in hostels to stay put and take necessary precautions in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak . The ministry also said that faculty members, researchers and non-teaching staff be permitted to work from home till March 31.

“Students who are still in hostels, particularly foreigners, should be allowed to continue in their hostels and were advised to take all necessary safe precaution,” said Amit Khare, secretary, MHRD in a letter to the institutions.

The universities and colleges have been issuing advisories to students to leave for homes and not stay in hostels as classes have already been suspended in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The ministry had already directed that all exams in schools and colleges be postponed till March 31 and evaluation work be suspended.

Permitting the faculty and non-teaching staff to work from home, the ministry states that they will be considered on-duty during this period.

“The faculty members should utilise this period for academic activities such as development of online content, online teaching and online evaluation,” said Khare.

The teaching and non-teaching staff is required to be available on phone and email, the institutions have been directed to count the period as being on duty. Union HRD minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal has also sent the message for all the students, teachers and parents and appealed them to support ‘janata curfew’ on March 22.

Govt to give overworked doctors, nurses a break

To Postpone Elective Surgeries

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:23.03.2020

The health department on Sunday decided to send ask at least a third of its workers – doctors, nurse and paramedics – in all medical college hospitals, other hospitals and clinics to stay at home for at least a week. All medical college hospitals and district hospitals have been asked to postpone elective surgeries, keep out-patient ward to the minimum,butcontinueemergency services and deliveries.

As Covid-19 cases see a climb and an increasing number of patients queue up outside the government hospitals with symptoms of flu and virus, the working hours of doctors has been steadily increasing. Many of them have been working gruelling shifts, sometimes without food and water.

While people stood on rooftops, balconies and clapped for medical professionals who have been fighting a fierce battle against the virus, several men in white coats were still in the intensive care units keeping a watch on patients who tested positive. Many others were screening patients or running tests. On Sunday, the health department decided it can’t continue.

“The idea is to ensure all our healthcare workers are not at risk. This means doctors can’t do private practice either. They must take adequate rest so they can return to work when there is a surge,” said director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu. All health workers on leave will not be allowed to leave the city or town and may have to report to work as soon as they are called. “We may call them to do assist the government to interact with people who are in home quarantine,” he said.

Last week, a post-graduate medical student was asked to go on home quarantine, after he was exposed to a Covid-19 positive patients. This young doctor, officials said, did not show symptoms of the disease, but it was necessary to send him home because they did not want him to infect other healthcare workers or patients.

On Saturday, health minister C Vijayabaskar said he had seen many doctors working tirelessly with their masks and other safety gears in crowded airport, bus stops and railway stations. “All of them were happy to serve. But when I spoke to them I realised that they were working without food and water for hours,” he said.

Initially, the government decided that they would ask doctors to remain at home for 14-days – the incubation period of the virus. That plan, senior officials said was still not scrapped. “It will be decided by next weekend,” a senior official said.

Meanwhile, many private doctors and hospitals have also postponed elective surgeries and isolated beds for patients coming in with symptoms of Covid 19. Medical representatives have told been not to visit private hospitals till March 31.

TOUGH TASK: Many health professionals in the state have been working gruelling shifts, sometimes without food and water

Visu’s women-centric films were a big draw

Neeraja.Ramesh@timesgroup.com

23.03.2020

Family relationships were at the core of most films directed by Visu, who passed away in Chennai on Sunday at 74. When the end came, his large ‘family’, including his wife and three daughters and the film fraternity, plunged into gloom.

The veteran who strode the film industry and the world of drama for more than five decades was also a writer, stage artist, actor and talk-show host. His family-oriented, women-centric movies based on interpersonal relationships depicted with wry humour, particularly “Manal Kayiru” (1982), about a young man’s impossible conditions for getting married, and “Samsaram athu Minsaram” (1986), brought film buffs to the theatres in droves.

Everyone who knew Visu, whose brothers Kishmu who died a few years ago and Rajamani were also actors, remembers him as warm hearted. Actor Lakshmi, whose association with Visu dates to 1964, says she is suddenly feeling lonely. “We were like a family when we started off at Y G Parthasarathy’s drama troupe. I was an innocent girl who laughed even during serious scenes, thanks to Visu and Mouli making faces while I was performing. Mrs YGP blamed them for my errors and asked the boys to leave.”

“The cast of ‘Samsaram Athu Minsaram,’” she says, “was a dream team.” “The last scene, which is talked about till today, was achieved because I was given complete freedom. Afterwards, all appreciated except Visu. When asked why he did not say anything, he conveyed his emotions through tears...” Visu, she recalls, lived life on his terms. “Even death may have come after he felt enough is enough.”

S Ve Shekher, who collaborated with Visu in such classics as “Chidambara Ragasiyam,” “Manal Kayiru,” “Mr Bharath” and “Dowry Kalyanam,” says they were thick friends. “He was the first person to introduce my play in an outstation, in Bengaluru. I have acted in 20 films with him and all have been hits. A man of emotions, Visu and I bonded over excellent comic sense.”

Shekher said Visu was a large-hearted man. “He would give financial and emotional support to anybody who asked for help, and conducted at least 10 marriages every year for free.”

Actor-turned politician Khushbu Sundar, who did “Mannan” and “Va Magale Vaa” with him, says Visu valued time and money. “He knew how to make movies within a stipulated budget, with no frills attached. His scripts always spoke about women empowerment, a trend that he started many years ago.” He was way ahead of his times, she says, adding that the way he interacted with his colleagues was unforgettable. With his trademark “kuptiyada kanna”, Visu as host of “Arattai Arangam” got thousands glued to their television sets for more than an hour each Sunday, many cancelling important appointments. He always appreciated good work. Srinivasan Shivpprasadh, nephew of theatre legend R S Manohar, says Visu, after watching his ‘Dhronar,’, patted him saying he was fortunate after a long time to have watched a gripping stage drama.

1 July 1945 - 22 March 2020

MEMORABLE MOMENTS: (Top) A still from the movie ‘Samsaram Athu Minsaram’, (bottom) A scene from Rajinikanth’s ‘Mannan’

HC dismisses woman’s plea for compassionate appointment

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:23.03.2020

The Madras high court has dismissed a plea of a woman seeking compassionate appointment after her mother, who was working as a sanitary worker, died in 2011.

Justice J Nisha Banu passed the order while hearing the plea moved by P Sathya who sought compassionate appointment after the demise of her mother, Pavunthai.

Pavunthai was working as a sanitary worker in Usilampatti municipality in Madurai district.

The judge observed that as per the GO passed by the labour and employment department in 1995, time limitation of three years has been fixed for the legal heirs to submit an application for compassionate appointment. Her mother had died in 2011 while she filed an application seeking compassionate appointment in 2013, according to her counsel.

The same was rejected in 2018 on grounds that it was not submitted with three years. The authorities stated that she had submitted her application only in 2017.

The judge noted that the petitioner could not produce any proof to show she had submitted an application within three years. Hence, the judge dismissed the petition. “The object being of providing compassionate appointment is to enable the family to get over the financial crisis which it faces at the time of the death of the sole breadwinner. Compassionate appointment cannot be claimed when the crisis is over,” said the judge.

The judge noted that the petitioner could not produce any proof to show she had submitted an application within three years

TN’s move to provide reservation in MBBS may revive govt schools

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:23.03.2020

The state government's move to provide special reservation for NEET qualified government school students may revive the staterun schools as it gives hope to the students to join MBBS.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that the state government would form a committee headed by a high court retired judge to make recommendations on this regard. The special reservation would be provided within existing 69% reservation.

The number of students joining medical colleges from government schools has reduced from 34in 2016 to 2 last year following the NEET based medical admission. Though more than 2000 students from government schools qualified in NEET only two students were able to join due to the increase in the MBBS cut-off last year.

"It is an excellent move. More students will join the government schools thereby they would flourish again. It also would help government school students to study in government medical colleges," said G Shanmugavel, headmaster, Government Higher Secondary School in Chennai.

He said government school students are equally talented when compared to the private school students but not able to give repeat attempts to crack the test.

Last year, about 70% of students joined MBBS courses were old students.

"We have been demanding it for many years. Students' strength in government schools would be increased," said R C Saraswathi, headmistress of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Ashok Nagar.

Another headmaster from a city school requested the government to relax the Class I to XII rule and asked to make it either Class I to XII or Class VI to XII. "Many government schools do not have primary sections. So, parents are admitting their wards in neighbourhood primary schools. They mostly come to government schools only in Class VI," he said.

A Peter Raja, president of Tamil Nadu High School and Higher Secondary Schools Headmasters' Association said the reservation would be a big encouragement to the government school students. "Parents also will get motivated to put their children in government schools. Bright students also will stay back in government schools after completing Class X," he said.

However, educationist Prince Gajendrababu called it as a populist announcement. "The state government has failed to understand the problem. The move has to clear several hurdles," he said.

‘Thanked you doctors, police’

23.03.2020

I am a dentist and I put on my scrubs and went to work in the morning. Every day we handle dental emergencies such as extractions. We have a thorough screening of patients and inform authorities whenever we come across people with a travel history.

At 1pm, I decided to do a small five-minute Bharatnatyam performance on Facebook Live wearing my scrubs as a tribute to healthcare workers and the police who are bravehearts. I choreographed the piece, where I emoted how the emergency services have been working in this time, how they check on those who are quarantined, how they treat people, how they follow up, and, in the end, I saluted them for their services. It was a personal experience that inspired me to do this – I was impressed by the beautiful way in which they did the follow-up for my uncle, who was in quarantine after returning from Australia. The dance was dedicated to healthcare professionals and essential services staff on the front lines. I salute you!

— Dr Sahana Selvaganesh, dentist

Govt cancels passenger trains, crisis looms at Central station

100s Of Migrants Stranded Without Food And Water

L R Shankar & V Ayyappan TNN

Chennai:23.03.2020

Hundreds of passengers, most of them labourers from other states, are stranded at MGR Central railway station struggling for food and water after the Centre decided to suspend all passenger train services across the country till March 31. 

They thronged the station premises, starving in the morning but queuing up for hours to get food packets brought by volunteers and water by Metrowater authorities at noon. They didn’t care about social distancing. All they wanted was food and water and a train to go home.

The authorities should have seen this coming when they cancelled trains.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel wielding lathis tried to chase them away, announcing over a megaphone that there will be no trains for a week. However, the irate crowd stayed put, shouting “Chalo Bihar, Chalo Bihar”. Totally outnumbered, the RPF personnel allowed the people to settle down in different parts of the station campus. A few hundreds would have left if railways had operated a special train which they had announced to Santragachi for Saturday night.

ENDLESS WAIT: Hundreds of workers are stuck as train services stand cancelled till March 31

Cancellation of trains comes as a surprise for many

But, a rethink on the part of the officials that they would be encouraging more people to travel in crowded coaches made them cancel the service. “The special train was cancelled because it is risky for people to travel because of the spread of the virus,” said an official. However, the total cancellation of trains has now stumped them.

Ram Kumar, a load worker, said he needed to return to his village in Bihar. “There is no work here. I have come to the station from Chengalpet with my family. We all came here a day earlier. We have confirmed tickets. But they now say trains are not there. There is no way for us to go back. Staying back is difficult as there is no work.” The workers have been flooding the station in the last two days.

Many said they did not know about the janata curfew and train cancellations. And they were not ready to believe that there would be no trains on Monday. “We will wait and see,” said a worker.

Ashish Kumar, who was at the station on Friday, said that for many of them returning to their worksite may not be an option. “No point in going all the way back because I have told them that I will not be returning for a few months. So if there are no trains, people will have to stay here till trains resume.”

Those who had confirmed tickets bought from the counter cannot cancel the tickets and get the money back because railways have also closed reservation counters till March 31.

A senior railway official said that “We have moved them out of the station building to prevent them crowding there. That defeats the purpose of cancelling the trains. Now, it is the responsibility of the state government to move them to a safe area or a shelter.”

The mass of people who used to work at restaurants, small eateries, paan shops, ice cream shops, small firms, industrial units in the city and its suburbs have suffered the most because of small businesses either cutting down staff or closing.

With a lockdown on the cards from Monday, they now have nowhere to go but to sleep on the pavements near central station waiting for trains to resume.

Coronavirus In Karnataka: RGUHS suspends all classes, lays down instructions for medical colleges, details

Coronavirus In Karnataka: RGUHS suspends all classes, lays down instructions for medical colleges, details: Karnataka: With the continuous spread of Covid-19 across the state, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka issued a circular suspending all classes till 31st March, 2020. In a letter to...

The particular susceptibility of old people to COVID-19

22/03/2020

In India, the first three deaths due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were among the elderly. There might be a number of reasons for the potency of such viral infections in old age, one being ageing itself as the immunity levels drop after the age of 50.

Secondly, multiple diseases – high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney diseases, strokes and cancer – are responsible for lowering the immunity. Thirdly, taking multiple drugs such as steroids and chemotherapy agents will definitely reduce the immunity. The fourth is the lack of proper nutrition. Elderly people, including in the rural areas, do not take a nutritive diet. So, more than one factor is responsible for lower immunity in elderly persons, putting them at high risk of infections.

Unlike earlier, we see that the immunity levels go down at the age of 50 as diseases start at the age of 40. This is why the older population picks up infections easily.

Normally, we see pneumonia that is commonly caused by bacterial infection. That is different. Coronavirus induces two major problems – chest infection and renal problems. Chest infection causes cough, breathing difficulty, and phlegm leading to respiratory failure. The lungs of a 20-year-old man are much better than the lungs of a 60-year-old. So, this is the reason for deterioration of health.

Coronavirus affects the lung, causes pneumonia and when pneumonia is not treated properly or persons do not respond to treatment, they go for respiratory failure and should be put on ventilator. Approximately 30% of persons affected by COVID-19 died due to kidney failure.

How can we protect ourselves? Elderly persons should avoid going out. Stay indoors, no small walks, no visits to parks or shops. Within the house, it is important to take care as children can easily transmit the infection to the grandparents.

They should always use a tissue or handkerchief when coughing or sneezing, and wash hands on returning from outside. In case of mild temperature or sore throat, they should isolate themselves immediately, and consult the family physician. It is important to keep all existing diseases such as diabetes under control.

They can drink hot water, and take a diet that helps in improving immunity. Gooseberry that is an anti-oxidant and rich in vitamin C, citrus fruits such as orange and lemon, nuts such as almonds, bitter gourd, honey, curd and mushroom, could boost immunity.

If they start adding such food a little more to their diet, the immunity levels will start rising after two or three weeks. Many of them are house-bound and not exposed to sunlight.

As a result, many of them have low vitamin-D levels. So, they can try and sit just outside their homes or walk within the premises for 30 minutes in the morning and evening for exposure to sunlight. If elderly persons take all these precautions, they can be safe.

Passport office to only handle urgent cases

22/03/2020, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

The Regional Passport Office here and all Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and Post Office PSKs will be handling appointments of only those who have emergencies, from March 23 to April 3.

The offices will not be functioning in full capacity.

In a statement, Ashok Babu, Regional Passport Officer, requested all those who have scheduled appointments for this period to reschedule them to a date after April 3.

The release added that social distancing was key to prevent COVID-19.

Retired doctors to be roped in

22/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The Health Department has invited retired doctors to serve in government hospitals for the management of COVID-19.

“Our doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are working round-the-clock in government hospitals. We are now inviting retired doctors, experts and ex-servicemen. We have formed a team to identify retired doctors to be ready to come and work in government hospitals at any time,” said Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar.

“Though the present situation in the State does not warrant such measures, we are looking at what happened in China, what is happening in Italy and the United States. When tackling COVID-19 is a huge challenge for even developed countries, we are looking at how we can face such challenges,” he told reporters, after inspecting the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital on Saturday.

A health official said that they would be calling both retired doctors and voluntary private doctors.