TN decides to extend lockdown till Aug 31 Restrictions on intra-state, inter-state travel continue
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced the continuation of the current lockdown till August 31 with existing regulations and a few relaxations but clearly restricted intra-state and inter-state travel despite the Union ministry of home affairs doing away with e-passes.
Among the few relaxations are allowing industries, private companies and export firms that were earlier permitted to function with 50 per cent staff to increase it to 75 per cent, letting vegetable and grocery shops and other business establishments to be open for an additional hour — vegetables and groceries from 6 am to 7 pm and other shops from 10 am to 7 pm.
E-commerce has been allowed all over the state for both essential and non-essential goods and celebration of Independence Day on August 15 has been permitted with the adaptation of social distancing and other such norms for the prevention of Covid-19.
Places of worship, other than the small ones earning less than `10,000 a year, would remain shut and restaurants and teashops can allow dine-in facility but in 50 per cent of their seating capacity. They can function between 6 am and 7 pm though takeaway would be
allowed till 9 pm.
However, in containment zones no activity would be allowed and Section 144 would be in force everywhere, preventing more than five persons to gather in public.
The Chief Minister urged companies to encourage their employees to
work from home, said that the decision to continue the lockdown was taken on the basis of the views expressed by medical specialists, health experts, district collectors, senior bureaucrats and ministers, besides taking into consideration the Central government’s advice.