KARAIKAL: Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said that the government was taking steps to provide
essentials at the doorstep of people during the national lockdown period.
He was in Karaikal on Thursday to monitor the preventive measures undertaken there. Addressing media persons, he appealed to the people to strictly stay indoors and not step out of their houses unnecessarily.
"The Puducherry government and district administration, and Karaikal district administration are taking steps to deliver the essentials such as milk, vegetables, and groceries at your doorstep," he said.
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Social distancing was followed at the meeting held in District Collectorate. Chief Minister, department ministers, elected representatives and officials sat in chairs which were placed about two to three feet away from each other. They also washed hands before entering the Collectorate premises.
The CM further said that international tourists had left Puducherry but people who worked in tourist places like Auroville are under quarantine.
According to officials, 1200 people, including 515 who worked in tourist places are under quarantine. As many as 334 people from Karaikal district have returned, and 185 people are under quarantine.
Four samples which were sent for testing came negative.
A total of 624 foreign-returnees in Mahe are under home quarantine while three are under isolation. An older woman from Mahe who had earlier tested positive has reportedly recovered. Twenty-four people from Yanam are under home quarantine and one person is receiving treatment a hospital in Kakinada.
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Narayanasamy further said that Puduehrry's fight against Coronavirus is inevitable due to its connections with European countries like France, Asian countries and gulf countries. He thanked employees of various departments such as health, police, revenue, electricity, sanitation, municipal and commune panchayat for
their service.
CM receives medical equipment worth Rs 40 lakh
The Chief Minister received medical equipment and other medical essentials worth Rs 40 lakhs donated by Karaikal Marg Port. The port's Assistant Vice President G Rajeswar Reddy and Chief Operating Officer Vijay Nicodemus handed over four ventilators worth Rs 20 lakhs and medicine materials and materials such as gloves, sanitisers, and hand rubs worth about Rs 20 lakhs.
Don't hoard commodities, traders warned
He also asked traders not to hoard commodities and hike the prices during this period. "I request the traders not to seek profits as we are going through a global catastrophe and sell our people with quality commodities," he added .
Health and Fisheries Minister Malladi Krishna Rao, Social Welfare and Port Minister M Kandasamy, Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan, Neravy-TR Pattinam MLA A Geetha, Karaikal North MLA PRN Thirumurugan, Ariankuppam MLA T Djeamourthy, Karaikal District Collector Arjun Sharma, and Karaikal Senior Superintendent of Police Mahesh Kumar Barnwal joined him in the stakeholder meeting on Thursday.