CHENNAI: The state government on Monday informed the Madras High Court that decision to reopen places of worship will be taken by May 15.
The government made the submission for a plea seeking to reopen religious shrines, and permit people to offer prayers with adequate social distancing.
The division bench comprising Justices Vineet Kothari and Pushpa Sathyanarayana, before which the PIL from RK Jaleel came up, posted the matter for further hearing on May 18. Additional Advocate-General SR Rajagopal appeared on behalf of the State government, and submitted that as per lockdown guidelines issued by Union of India, no exemption is given to religious places.
‘Migrant workers will be sent back in a week’
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday said, over 9,000 migrant workers in the State have been sent back home till date and that all efforts are on to send the remaining within a week.
“Till then, I appeal to all migrant workers to stay in their relief camps,” said the CM. “The government has been making coordinated efforts to send migrant workers willing to go back to their home states,” he added.