Identify homeless, daily earners struggling for food & start community kitchen: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

In order to ensure the supply of food to all the needy in the state at the time of lockdown, the local bodies in the state will be setting up community kitchens.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said all local bodies were directed to identify homeless and daily earners who were struggling for food and start community kitchen to provide them food. All hospital authorities were also directed to ensure the supply of food to all patients and bystanders. Rice and provision would be supplied to all households. The government would ensure that no one starved owing to the lockdown.

Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

The Chief Minister also said that no organisations would be allowed to directly extend relief to the public and try to make publicity at the times of disaster. All reliefs should be extended through the government agencies only.

3,162 held for curfew violations

A total of 3612 persons, including a priest, were booked by the police across Kerala on Tuesday and Wednesday for flouting the lockdown directives.

Read: PM announces 21-day lockdown: Here’s what Narendra Modi urged India to do

In view of the rampant violations of the instructions to avoid unnecessary travels and gatherings, the Kerala government has decided to bring in new legislation that gives more powers to the government to impose social restrictions. The proposed legislation, titled Kerala Epidemic Disease ordinance, also warrants up to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 on the offenders. The state cabinet recommended to the Governor to promulgate the ordinance, said the Chief Minister.

The priest, identified as Reji Yohannan, was booked at Adoor in Pathanamthitta on Wednesday for conducting a funeral prayer in which nearly a hundred people participated.