Efforts pay as Erode set to move into green zone

Officials has been leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to ensure the district moves and stays in green zone and they are in no mood to relax lockdown restrictions to prevent emergence of any new cases.

The district is among the hotspots when COVID-19 surfaced in Tamil Nadu with about 70 positive cases. The infection began to surface with the arrival of Thai nationals from Delhi to Erode after attending Tablighi Jaamat congregation and one person even died of it. However, within a month, the district moved from red to orange zone as all the 69 infected persons were cured. There has been no positive case since April 15. Besides strict quarantining, Erode Corporation has also begun to take stringent action against commercial establishments violating social distancing norms. On Tuesday, over 30 shops, a bank and three ATMs were sealed by the civic body for functioning without adhering to social distancing norms and proper sanitisation.

A team led by Corporation Commissioner M Elangovan inspected shops and commercial establishments in various areas as curbs are eased following recommendations of the state.

People flocked to several shops throwing social distancing norms to the wind in the corporation limits. The civic Commissioner sealed a cell phone shop on Gandhiji Road, where more than ten persons without masks crowded it. A crowded private bank and a few ATMs weren’t spared as they too came under lock and seal action. Many other shops selling groceries, bakery and eateries were also closed by officials.