Coronavirus: Tamil Nadu to implement Section 144 from March 24 evening

Tamil Nadu, which has so far reported eight active COVID-19 patients, will go for a complete lock-down from Tuesday evening with the implementation of Section 144. The state has also announced the closing of district borders and asked people to remain indoors to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19 virus.

The restrictions which will kick in from 6 pm on Tuesday will continue till March 31. However, essential services like shops that sell milk, vegetables, provisions, meat and fish would continue to function, besides hospitals, chemist shops and ambulances.

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Announcing a slew of measures to contain the outbreak of COVID-19, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the government was also considering providing financial assistance to those who have been severely affected due to the lockdown owing to Coronavirus.

The government also asked people who have been advised home quarantine to strictly follow the guidelines and not venture out. While announcing that the low-cost Amma Canteens would continue to function, the Chief Minister said restaurants can open their doors but should only allow food to be packed.

No passenger traffic will be allowed between districts and movement of public and private vehicles for non-essential purposes will be disallowed during the period. The state had sealed its borders with Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala on March 21 and suspend inter-state public transport since March 22.

Read: From lockdown to legal action: Govt clamps down on people movement to check COVID-19 spread

“This government will not compromise on the lives of the people. We will not allow even one person to die because of COVID-19. The people will have to cooperate with the government,” Palaniswami told the assembly.

The state has so far reported nine cases. While eight cases, including two Thai nationals, are active, one patient has already been discharged from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGH) here.

While four patients are admitted to hospitals in Chennai, two are quarantined in Perundurai and one each are isolated in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli.