Violation of home quarantine rules: Tamil Nadu warns of impounding of passports

Tamil Nadu government on Monday warned of severe legal action, including impounding of passports, against overseas returnees violating self-quarantine guidelines that have been put in place by the administration.

Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar had rued that some of the travellers who have been advised home quarantine to have been flouting the guidelines putting others to risk.

“Though tracked, some of the travellers violate Govt’s strict order to self-quarantine, thus becoming a threat for community transmission. The list of travellers is handed over to district admin and police for tracking. If anyone violates the order, legal action will be taken,” Vijayabhaskar tweeted on Monday morning.

A few hours later, the minister told the Assembly that the government would recommend impounding of passports of people who have returned from foreign countries and not adhering to strict guidelines of home quarantine.

The warning by the Health Minister came even as the number of positive patients in the state rose to nine. Eight out of the nine patients, who have tested positive for Covid-19, have returned from various foreign countries and the government has laid stress on home quarantine for all those who have returned from abroad in the past one month.

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Stickers pasted outside house of those under home quarantine

Civic authorities on Monday began pasting stickers outside the residences of those who have recommended home quarantine by doctors to ensure social distancing.

While more than 3,000 houses in the city will be pasted these stickers, authorities in other districts also followed suit. “The move has been devised to ensure people maintain social distance and also to prevent those under home quarantine to come out,” officials said.

More than 12,500 people are under home quarantine across Tamil Nadu. Officials in Erode pasted such stickers outside 169 residences whose occupants came in contact with two Thai nationals tested positive for COVID-19.