NEET toppers’ diary launched

27/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

A diary with handwritten notes by NEET toppers has been compiled and is proposed to be given free of cost to NEET aspirants.

Amma Kalviyagam has launched the Toppers’ Diary Handwritten Notes which is aimed at helping students preparing for the test scheduled for May 3.

The 600-page diary is a compilation of concepts, formulae and notes jotted down by NEET toppers and can be downloaded on www.ammakalviyagam.in.

Love in the time of lockdown

Youth jumps quarantine, elopes, only to be nabbed and brought back to the facility

27/03/2020, S. SUNDAR, ,MADURAI

A 23-year-old man who returned from Dubai a few days back and was quarantined at a government facility near here, escaped from there to meet his lady love in a remote village on Wednesday.

“Probably those around him mistook him for a sanitary worker as he was sporting a mask,” a police officer said.

The man who walked to the Inner Ring Road hitch-hiked on a two-wheeler towards his village in Sivaganga district.

Midway home, he was picked up by his relative and taken to the village.

The police say the unskilled labourer had come to India only to marry his lady love as her parents had arranged her marriage with another person on March 30.

Despite the lockdown and vigil of family members in the village, the man managed to bring the girl out of her residence with the help of his friends and they eloped.

Meanwhile, a health official at the quarantine home lodged a complaint with the Madurai City police and a team of police and health officials nabbed him at a hideout and brought him back to the quarantine facility.

“The man claims that he has married the girl,” a police officer said.

The girl has been handed over to her parents.

E-commerce companies allowed, ban on food delivery apps remains

Cooperative societies, provisions stores can deliver goods home

27/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

A review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister has cleared e-commerce deliveries. File Photo

The State government on Thursday, after a review meeting by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, said e-commerce companies such as Grofers, Amazon, Big Basket, Flipkart and Dunzo have already been allowed to deliver provisions and medicines.

“Other companies, cooperative societies and provisional stores are allowed to deliver essential commodities in their respective areas,” an official release stated. However, the ban on food delivery apps Zomato and Swiggy would continue.

Depending on the prevailing situation in their respective districts, Collectors could take steps for distributing financial assistance and essential supplies at the doorstep of beneficiaries if necessary, but asked not to collect thumb impressions during such exercises.

“The movement of agricultural produce to companies and markets and agricultural labourers is allowed. The movement of cattle, poultry, fish, eggs and cattle feed is also allowed and they can contact the helpline: 044-28447701, 044-28447703,” it stated. Emergency helpline ‘108’ (also for ambulance services) could be called by elderly persons, patients, pregnant women, quarantined families and those with dialysis.

The Chief Minister, who also held a videoconference with District Collectors to review the ground situation, directed them to set up help desks in the Greater Chennai Corporation and in each of the District Collector’s office to ensure supply of essential commodities.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining three feet physical distance in places such as provisions stores, medical shops and groceries. Habitations with dense population would have to be cleaned with disinfectants, he instructed.

Medicines must be supplied to pregnant women, patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and those with infections through hospitals for “two months”, the Chief Minister said.

Corpn. looks to put unused homes to use

Civic body in need of quarantine space

27/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

The Corporation has launched a drive to create spaces for quarantine in each of its 15 zones.

According to data generated by the civic body, the space in government buildings in the city is limited, with less than 5,000 public buildings maintained by various civic agencies.

Chennai has more than 20,000 properties that remain vacant.

“Due to the need for more quarantine space as reserve security arrangements, an appeal has been made by the Greater Chennai Corporation administration to the general public to allow the use of unused homes, lodges and mansions with rooms for quarantine purposes,” said Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash.

‘Nation’s interest’

“This being the need of the hour, those who have such properties are requested to offer their services, in the interest of the nation,” he said.

The decision to request people for space was taken following a social media post by actor Parthiban to share such spaces with civic agencies.

“I have a few residential properties. I am willing to share the houses for containing COVID-19,” said Mr. Parthiban.

Corporation officials will regulate the use of such spaces for quarantine and handover the buildings to the owners after the spread of COVID-19 has been contained. Officials are also exploring options to use unsold houses in the city and suburbs for quarantine.

Police get tough with joyriders

Those found making unnecessary trips made to do squats, not allowed to proceed

27/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

Grounded: Policemen locking wheels and taking away two-wheelers of violators in Chennai on Thursday. K. Pichumani and R. Ravindran

Faced with the task of implementing a curfew, the Tamil Nadu police often resorted to force across the State, on the second day of the total lockdown on Thursday.

Since Wednesday, people have been complaining of police high-handedness. But on their part, the police have pointed out people taking joy rides or unnecessary long trips on the pretext of buying groceries. Some people, on the other hand, said that they were making legitimate efforts to go out for medicines or groceries, but were not allowed to proceed. Video clippings showing people being forced to do squats did the rounds of social media.

On Wednesday evening, the police resorted to mild force and chased around 50 youngsters playing cricket in an open ground in Kancheepuram, despite prohibitory orders.

In Chidambaram, the police made a group of youngsters, playing cricket, do sit-ups. In Thiruvannamalai, the police made a few motorists do squats.

Wielding of lathis

Similarly, the Singanallur police in Coimbatore wielded lathis on motorists on Wednesday evening, drawing criticism from various quarters. A video of the police beating up motorists at the Singanallur traffic junction went viral on social media. Police high-handedness continued on Thursday.

In Madurai, a Railways Assistant Loco Pilot, who was going for railway duty, was fined by the traffic police at Goripalayam junction on Wednesday morning. Railway sources said that he was going to the railway junction to operate a light engine for a specific railway work.

In Koyambedu, the traffic police on Wednesday evening caught two youngsters, riding a motorcycle, and took away the vehicle’s keys. They were made to do squats for violating orders.

The city police chased people who were taking joy rides on their two-wheelers, in the western suburbs of the city.

A senior policeman said that youth were riding motorcycles from Tambaram, past the Central station, claiming that they had come out “to buy groceries”. The police said that they had regulated inter-zone movement of people, and for all essential needs, residents could shop in their own areas. They added that people travelling for medical emergencies would be allowed to pass, even across zones.

Skeletal staff keep Secretariat ticking

Personnel asked to take turns

27/03/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN,CHENNAI

A few government employees have been asked to be present at the Secretariat to coordinate work related to COVID-19 response. S. R. RAGHUNATHANS_R_Raghunathan

Amidst the 21-day countrywide lockdown across the country in the fight against COVID-19, skeletal staff in the Secretariat have been keeping the machinery functioning at Fort St. George, the seat of power of the Tamil Nadu government. Special arrangements have been made for their transport.

In line with the detailed notification issued by the State government on Monday evening, the employees in several departments have been instructed to work on rotation in the Secretariat. Besides the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, a few Ministers visited the Secretariat.

However, a section of the staff opined there was no need for skeletal staff in all departments but only in specific departments. “It will be better if only officials from Revenue and Health departments and the DIPR are allowed to work. Others can be exempted from coming to office because their departments are not related to COVID-19 at all and their coming to office should not make Secretariat a COVID-19 hotspot,” an official contended. While several employees in the Secretariat preferred to commute on their own vehicles, many officials who had been using public transport thanked the government for the special arrangements made for their transport.

Special buses

Two MTC buses have been pressed into service for their benefit from over 10 pick-up points to the Secretariat both in the mornings and evenings. “While one would start at 9 a.m., the next would start 30 minutes later. On our way back, one would start at 6 p.m. and another 30 minutes later," an official said.

Doctors, nurses cannot return home every day: circular

27/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

In a bid to protect healthcare providers from coronavirus disease (COVID-19), all deans and heads of government medical institutions have been asked to identify a team of doctors, staff nurses and paramedical staff to work in isolation wards on rotation for four to seven days.

In a circular to deans of medical college hospitals and joint directors of health services, the State’s Emergency Operation Control Room of the Health and Family Welfare Department, has said that persons with symptoms of COVID-19 were admitted and taken care of in government medical institutions. Medical and paramedical staff in these institutions were exposed to infection.

The heads of institutions were instructed to strictly adhere to certain guidelines while posting doctors and paramedics at isolation wards. A team of doctors, staff nurses and paramedical staff should preferably be identified to work on the trot for four to seven days in isolation wards in rotation. They will not be allowed to return home every day as there was a possibility of them spreading infection. So necessary arrangements for providing accommodation in any hostel/quarters on the hospital premises should be done for them during their duty at isolation wards.

Strict disinfection protocols should be followed in the places of stay. After their turn is over, a fresh team should be posted, the circular said.