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MP Kathir reaches out to stranded Vellore taxi drivers on Odisha-West Bengal border
DMK MP DM Kathir Anand helped nearly 120 drivers of 60 taxis, who were stranded at Odisha border for nearly 10 days after ferrying relatives of CMC patients back to Kolkatta.
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Vellore
Learning of their plight, Kathir Anand through his interaction with civic officials at both Chennai and Bhubaneshwar reached out to them with food and essentials, sources revealed.
Taxi driver Y Raja, said, “We started for Kolkata from Vellore carrying nearly 100 passengers, who were relatives of those discharged from CMC hospital on April 17 with e-passes. While ambulances carried the cured patients, their relatives followed in taxis with each vehicle having two drivers. We had no problem in reaching Kolkata as we were allowed through in all check-posts based on the e-pass. But problems started when we left West Bengal and were about to enter Odisha on the return journey. We were stopped 2 km from the border at Lakshmananath toll plaza on Sunday, April 19, near a toll plaza.”
“We were told that we would not be allowed to proceed further till the lockdown was lifted despite having the e-pass,” added another driver Nandagopal.
What irked them was the administrative apathy to their plight. “We were given different phone numbers to contact, but no official understood our plight or was willing to help,” lamented Rajan.
Finally, they sought help of Vellore DMK MP Kathir Anand. Asked about this, Kathir Anand said, “I am following the issue and was told by Odisha officials that there was a lockdown in the districts bordering West Bengal as many COVID19 cases entered the state through this route. The lockdown will be lifted in a day or two and all vehicles would be allowed to leave in batches.”
Kani flags packaging units’ woes to CM
DMK Women’s Wing leader and Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi has sought Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s immediate intervention to ensure smooth functioning of packaging industry.
Taking to social media to draw the CM’s attention to the difficulties faced by packaging industry, Kanimozhi tweeted, “Tamil Nadu packaging industry is experiencing difficulties due to lockdown in spite of exemption by Ministry of Home Affairs. Due to these difficulties, distribution of food, groceries and allied items will be affected.” “@CMOTamilNadu needs to intervene and issue necessary orders in this regard to maintain smooth chain of supply.” A few days ago, Kanimozhi, who has been overseeing relief distribution in Thoothukudi during the lockdown, had also organised a blood donation camp in Chennai East party district. She also donated blood during the camp.
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