Festivals: CM says don't be lax due to dip in COVID-19 cases

Puducherry, Oct 21 (PTI): Chief Minister of Puducherry V Narayanasamy on Wednesday said the Union Territory was now seeing a drop in COVID-19 cases but it was not good to be lax as crowding during the forthcoming festivals could cause the spread of the virus further.

Puducherry, Oct 21 (PTI): Chief Minister of Puducherry V Narayanasamy on Wednesday said the Union Territory was now seeing a drop in COVID-19 cases but it was not good to be lax as crowding during the forthcoming festivals could cause the spread of the virus further. While speaking to reporters here, the Chief Minister referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation asking people not to lower their guard in the fight against the coronavirus.

Narayanasamy further said there should be utmost care and caution so that there is no scope for the virus to spread during the festivals. Also, he referred to the alarming number of people gathering in the weekly markets here on Sundays, causing concern among the authorities.

He said the territorial government has decided that the Sunday market in the heart of the town would not be permitted after Ayudha Pooja and the market would be shifted to Subbiah Salai. The Chief Minister said despite repeated warning, he merchants still spread their wares in the open during the Sunday market in the heart of the town, causing crowding.

He asked nationalised banks' branches here to take care of the loan requirements of farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers by utilising Rs 2,100 crore earmarked for distribution as loan to farmers alone. Narayanasamy asked the Central government to ban online card games like Rummy in the light of the recent alleged suicide of a man from here, who lost Rs 40 lakh in a card game.

The Chief Minister said the territorial government has intensified implementation of Goondas Act. "Those undergoing imprisonment in the Central Prison here were contacting people (criminals) outside through mobile phonesmade available to them with the alleged connivance of jail staff," he said.

The inmates were directing the criminals outside to collect mamools, he said. "Even the jammer in the prison was made non-functional which enabled the communication of criminals in and outside the jail," he said.

Stringent action would be taken on the issue, he said. The prison authorities had seized some mobile phones inside the prison and this crackdown would continue, he said.

PTI COR NVG NVG.