Pondy CM warns traders violating lockdown norms

: Territorial Chief Minister V

Narayanasamy on Monday warned those violating lockdown norms of strict action while making surprise visits to business centres following complaints.

The complaints came over phone from some legislators, political leaders and a section of the public.

During the visit to trade centres, the Chief Minister saw absence of social distancing on the part of the shopping public, lack of sanitisers and virtual crowding on the premises of various shops.

He told a shopowner that "The government will not brook the violations. We will not hesitate to suspend trade licences if you do not adhere to the lockdown norms."

Narayanasamy told one shopkeeper not to let consumers gather in large numbers and should ensure social distancing on their part.

 

"How can you abstain from using face masks while carrying on business activities," he said after finding a shopowner selling masks.

He told another shopowner: "You have no right to offer room for the pandemic to spread by your negligence; unless you play a pro-active role you will face the music, including booking of cases."

Later speaking to reporters, he said with neighbouring districts of Villupuram and Cuddalore of Tamil Nadu registering a rise in the occurrence of COVID-19, the Union Territory which is close to the districts should be cautious and ensure no intrusion of anyone from these districts into Puducherry.

Already, around 70 people from Puducherry, who had contact with those returning from Koyambedu in Chennai, were subjected to a medical check-up.

The samples collected from them were being examined and the results would be known shortly.

Territorial Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao expressed fear of rise in number of COVID-19 cases, as Puducherry lying close toCuddalore and Villupuram is in a perilous situation.

Rao told a separate press meetthat he had anticipated a threat to the Union Territory as the flow of people from other states would increase once lockdown norms are eased.

He said people's cooperation was not up to the expected level.

The borders between Puducherry and Tamil Nadu have been sealed as a preventive measure to restrain flow of people from other states and also to check people travelling from the Union Territory to other states.