THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Taking into consideration a possible community spread scenario, the city corporation has strengthened security measures within the city limits. The functioning of Palayam and Chalai markets and major shopping centres will be reduced to 50 per cent every day. Shops can be opened on alternate days and police will manage the entry of people into public places. The decision will be applicable to malls and supermarkets also. The city has decided to strengthen monitoring of fishermen going to Tamil Nadu shores for fishing.
Giving a boost to the ‘Break the Chain Campaign,’ all shops should have washing areas and sanitisers. Physical distance must be followed here. Shops which fail to follow these steps will be shut down and the licences cancelled temporarily. A meeting of traders in Chalai and Palayam markets will be held at the city corporation office as soon as possible to communicate the new restrictions and measures to be taken for smooth functioning of shops.
Coastal areas under radar
“Fishermen from our coastal region leave for fishing to Tamil Nadu shores. We will increase our monitoring in the coastal regions to ensure that there is no local transmission. As of now we have 31 institutional quarantine centres. Five new such centres will be opened based on health circles of Vizhinjam, Poonthura, Attipra, Shanghumugam and Kazhakoottam which cover our coastal region,” said Mayor K Sreekumar. The decision was taken in the wake of concerns about local transmission in the coastal areas. All regulations in place for weddings and funerals will remain the same. Breaking the protocol will invite severe actions. Within the Thiruvananthapuram city limit, ward level committees will work overtime.
Restrictions in corp office
Restrictions will be in place at the corporation office too. Those who go to the office for various purposes will have to go through a special counter outside the office. All applications will be accepted there.
The Mayor’s Complaint Cell will attend more cases than earlier. Complaints can be sent to complaints.tmc@gmail.com or through the smarttvm.corporationoftrivandrum.in website or through the WhatsApp number- 8590036770.
Meet to decide on new action plan
The meeting held at Thiruvananthapuram city corporation office to form a new plan of action had Minister Kadakampally Surendran, District Collector Navjot Khosa and DMO P P Preetha in attendance apart from Mayor K Sreekumar, council party leaders, police and corporation officials. The increase in the number of Covid cases with no known source of infection within the corporation limit has given rise to concerns of community spread.
The main roads in Manacaud, Kalady and nearby areas have been sealed off by erecting barricades, with police officers stationed at entry points.
New treatment centre at MCH
A new treatment centre has been set up for patients arriving from hotspots and containment zones at the Government MCH here. It is established at the newly-built casualty block and is chiefly aimed at preventing contact between those from these zones and Covid patients. The centre is equipped with a special operation theatre, swab collection system, procedure room, wards and ICU. Those arriving from hotspots and containment zones will be screened before they are sent to the new treatment centre.