Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday warned of tightening the prohibitory orders in place in the state to implement the lockdown to battle coronavirus, saying people were yet to realise the seriousness of the contagion.
Tamil Nadu has so far reported 411 positive COVID19 cases, the second highest in the country after Maharashtra.
He also announced an assistance of Rs 3,000 for accredited journalists while acknowledging their role in the dissemination of information on COVID19.
Noting that section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure, which bars assembly of more than five persons, was only being enforced to protect the public from the virus, the chief minister said many were 'casual' about it.
The reason for clamping prohibitory orders was to ensure maintaining social distancing as COVID-19 was 'a dangerous contagion', he told reporters in Chennai.
Though people are aware that it has affected some countries very badly, they were still not realising the gravity of the situation and many 'are casually roaming around in two-wheelers and cars', Palaniswami said.
"What the government requests is, realise the impact of the disease. Doctors say there is no medicine available for the virus. It has rattled the world and people should fully cooperate with the government in preventing its spread," he said.
Despite adequate media awareness, some were not heeding this, he said, adding the Union Home Ministry has asked that 'severe action' be taken against violators.
"We were patient. All should follow it. Clamping of Section 144 CrPC is not to harass people. It is for the safety of all...people should give complete cooperation to the government," he said.
He advised people not to step out daily to buy essentials but purchase a week's stocks once when they are out.
"Some don't pay heed to the repeated requests. Henceforth law has to do its duty. The government is giving best cooperation to public. If people fail to utilise it properly, then the government has no other way other than to tighten the restrictions," the CM said.
The state police has booked over 45,000 cases relating to violations and arrested around 50,000 and let them off on bail.
The prohibitory orders won't be binding on transportation of essential commodities, although there was some difficulty in movement of certain grocery items from other states due to curbs there, besides dip in number of trucks being operated, he added.
However, the matter was being addressed.
To a query, he said there would be no pay cuts for the state government employees despite dwindling GST revenues due to the closure of many industries and firms due to the ongoing national lockdown.
Lauding the media for helping the government in its fight against the spread of coronavirus, Palaniswami announced an assistance of Rs 3,000 to accredited journalists to meet their incidental expenses.
The chief minister, who visited camps where migrant labourers are accommodated, assured all assistance to such persons in the state.
Around 1.34 lakh labourers from various other states were employed in factories, hotels and farms in Tamil Nadu, he said.
Similarly, the welfare of Tamil Nadu labourers in other states was also being ensured following the state taking up the matter with them, he added.
