Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the Tamil Nadu government on Sunday announced the imposition of complete lockdown on Sundays and a night curfew from 10 pm to 4 am, which will be effective from April 20.
The government also announced the postponement of Class 12 public examination. Though the Class 12 public examination is deferred, the ongoing practicals would be conducted as per plan, the government said in an official release. Originally, the government had planned to hold the Higher Secondary Second Year exams from May 3 to May 21.
The curbs were announced after Chief Minister K Palaniswami chaired a high-level meeting to to review the COVID-19 scenario in the state.
Complete lockdown on Sundays:
Vegetable and fish markets, cinema halls, shopping complexes and standalone shops will remain shut. Essential services, including milk and newspaper deliveries, hospitals and diagnostic centres, pharmacies, ambulance, and vehicles transporting petrol, diesel, LPG, will be functional.
Timings for restaurants and hotels restricted to 6 am-10 am, 12 pm-3 pm and 6 pm-9 pm. Services of Swiggy and Zomato will be permitted during these timings. Other e-commerce platforms will not be permitted.
Night curfew:
Private and public transportation, taxis and autos not allowed to ply during night curfew. Inter-state/district transport also suspended during curfew. Only those driving for emergencies will be allowed.
Essential services will be exempted from night curfew. Journalists, petrol pumps, continuous process industries and industries producing essentials will be allowed to work. Those working at night will be permitted to travel on producing required ID card.
Besdies, tourism will be suspended in hill stations. Beaches, museums, parks, zoos, and ASI sites, to remain shut. 50% of employees will be allowed to work in IT firms. Tea shops, restaurants, grocery stores, jewellery stores, etc. can function only with 50% capacity, to be open only till 9 pm, the guidelines said.
Attendance at wedding and funerals limited to 100 and 50 respectively. Theatres to continue functing at 50% occupancy, it added.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu on Sunday reported 10,723 new COVID-19 positive case. With 42 fatalities in the day, the death toll in the state has jumped to 13,113. There are 70,391 active cases.
