No let-up in virus cases; cops, officials implement restrictions in districts
The lockdown had not much impact on the second wave in the districts and officials are forced to strictly implement it from this week.
In Thanjavur, after police intensified the checks on lockdown violators around 200 vehicles were seized in the past three days and fine amount to the tune of Rs 2 crore had been collected so far in the district, said SP Deshmukh Shekhar Sanjay on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, the SP said, in order to ensure strict enforcement of pandemic restrictions imposed by the state government, the police have been instructed to seize vehicles of the violators. “Doctors are worried that the number of cases are not receding despite the lockdown though a week has passed. We have been constantly insisting the people not to come out of their houses unnecessarily. Though over 80 per cent follow the instructions, the remaining are wandering on streets without any purpose. So the police have tightened the checks,” said the SP.
Meanwhile, the SP said that as many as 250 FIRs have been registered in the past three days in the district and 200 vehicles seized. On May 17 alone, as many as 148 vehicles were seized and FIRs registered, he added.
Stating that as many as 54 police personnel had tested positive for COVID-19 and are under treatment, Deshmukh Shekhar Sanjay said, among those infected, 50 had already been vaccinated. So they are recovering fast while a few, who had the symptoms were under home isolation, added the SP.
Similarly, in Tiruchy, the police registered cases against those who were seen on road after 10 am without e-registration. On Tuesday over 200 cases were registered. While in Ariyalur around 100 vehicles were seized on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Kanniyakumari Collector M Arvind said that the lockdown had no impact in the last week as the cases are on the rise in the district. Unlike the first COVID wave last year when around 400 cases were reported on a daily average in the district, the second wave is more virulent and there’s a surge in cases beyond thousand every day. In Madurai, Corporation Commissioner S Visakan convened a meeting with officials concerned on shifting of vegetable, fruit and fish markets on a temporary basis to avoid crowding of people.