Banking staff will be allowed to travel to their workplace on two wheelers during the week-long total lockdown, the Tamil Nadu government informed the State Level Bankers Committee Tamil Nadu (SLBC). Permissions will only be given if the staff carries an authorisation letter from the bank. According to reports, on Monday, the State Level Bankers Committee met the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management, Atulya Misra IAS, to clarify the government’s directive to staff of essential services during the lockdown.
An order issued by the Greater Chennai Corporation’s Revenue and Disaster Management Department on May 22 said that all “private companies, banks, insurance companies and IT companies have to work from home”. This created confusion among bank staff who approached the Additional Chief Secretary.
Further the Greater Chennai Police also clarified that those travelling in the same district need not carry an e pass. This after the order created confusion on whether e pass is required to travel within the district.
During this lockdown, we have removed the e-pass requirement for persons travelling within the district. For funerals, medical emergencies and other reasons, if the person shows proof in the form of doctor’s prescriptions, death certificate or crematoria receipts, they will be allowed to go. There is no e-pass required. However, persons travelling between districts will be asked for an e-pass,” S Vimala, Deputy Commissioner of Police told TNM.
With grocery stores shut from May 24 to 31st, the government has authorised thousands of push carts selling fruits and vegetables after collaborating with the state horticulture department. Residents can check the list of push carts in their zone and buy daily groceries from these carts.
The DMK government announced a total lockdown in Tamil Nadu from May 24 for one week. Some of the services that are exempted are pharmacies, milk, water and newspaper distribution, e commerce services which will function from 8 am to 6 pm, online food delivery services such as Swiggy and Zomato which will operate at specific timings, petrol bunks, ATMs, continuous process industries, industries manufacturing essential commodities and medical equipment etc.