Meat and fish shops to remain shut in Chennai during lockdown from June 19

All meat and fish shops within the city corporation limits will remain shut during the intensified lockdown from June 19 to 30, according to a late-evening statement from the Greater Chennai Corporati

With no one venturing out to the sea for fishing, mechanised fishing boats are anchored at Kasimedu Fishing Harbour in Chennai | P Jawahar

CHENNAI: It sure is going to be a complete lockdown for meat and fish lovers in the Chennai.

All meat and fish shops within the city corporation limits will remain shut during the intensified lockdown from June 19 to 30, according to a late-evening statement by the Greater Chennai Corporation. 

The city corporation's slaughterhouses in Perambur, Villivakkam, Kallikuppam and Saidapet will also remain shut during this period, the statement issued on Thursday said. 

Since the relaxation after the earlier lockdown, the city corporation has been sealing meat shops and other shops in the city that failed to enforce social distancing norms. It had also issued showcause notices to several shops which it felt were increasing the risk of COVID-19 spreading.

The Corporation also recently asked shops along the MKN road, the Alandur market area and the Arya Gowda road to close down to reduce the spread after several infections were traced back to the hubs.

The measures come even as the TN government had announced relaxations to their original government order issued. The relaxations announced on Wednesday were as follows:

• Pre-paid autos, taxis and private vehicles allowed to ferry passengers from railway stations and airports.
• Police personnel will regulate these vehicles in railway stations and airports and e-pass will be issued by TN e-governance agency.
• Headquarters of banks and financial institutions are permitted to function with minimal staff.
• Bank branches with minimal staff may function from June 20 to June 26 from 10 am to 2 pm for cash transactions relating to distributors and retail dealers of essential items like petroleum products and LPG. No direct service to public is permitted.
• Workers staying within the premises of industries need not be tested for RTPCR.
• E-passes will be issued by the Industries department to managerial and supervisory categories of industries for movement in and out of Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate areas and other areas enforcing lockdown to their industrial units.
• Seaports will be permitted to handle cargo for essential commodities, medical equipment and other medical services with minimum staff.
• Telecom, essential IT-ITES services to function with minimal staff and e-pass will be provided to workers in the list provided by the companies.
• Milk and drinking water vehicles permitted.
• Permission to staff working in petrol bunks provided they carry id cards, delivery of LPG cylinders allowed.