In light of the government of Tamil Nadu’s decision to increase restrictions to control the spread of coronavirus in the state, the civic bodies of Chennai and Coimbatore have announced that whoever is found without a mask inside city limits will be penalised.
According to reports, the Coimbatore Corporation announced a penalty of Rs 500 for anybody who is found without a mask within its limits. The local body also announced that any commercial establishment found violating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the state government will be sealed for a period of one week. Meanwhile, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has announced that whoever does not wear a mask will be fined Rs 200 and those who spit in public places will be fined Rs 500. A penalty of Rs 500 will also be imposed on those who do not maintain adequate physical distance in public places in Chennai.
Coimbatore reported 427 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths on Thursday due to the virus. The total number of people currently being treated for COVID-19 in Coimbatore is 3,059. Tamil Nadu reported 4,276 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. Chennai reported 1,520 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday and the total number of patients being treated for the disease as of Thursday stood at 11,633.
In addition to this, the Tamil Nadu Petrol Traders Association has announced that fuel will not be sold to customers who do not wear masks. In a statement, the association said that this decision will come into force from April 10. The government of Tamil Nadu has also announced restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus from April 10. As per the order, the government has imposed a complete ban on religious congregations and imposed an upper ceiling on the number of attendees for weddings at 100 and for funerals at 50.
The state government has also prohibited wholesale markets in places like Koyambedu and other districts to control the spread of the virus. As per new regulations, from April 10, buses will not be permitted to ferry passengers who do not have a seat and e-pass will be mandatory for those entering Tamil Nadu from other states.