Tiruvannamalai district to send back people travelling without e-passes

Tiruvannamalai

Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy, revealing the new measures, said the measures were necessitated as of the 30,837 samples tested, 714 had turned positive with results being awaited of another 306 samples. Contact tracing prove that the virus spread from those entering the district secretly, he added.

As the virus spread mainly due to outsiders entering the district through little known paths, he said checking would be ramped up in the 27 border checkposts. Those entering with e-passes would be allowed to go after their swabs were taken. But, those entering without passes would be deported from the district at the check post through which they entered, he added.

Relatives and friends who help such people would face criminal action while passengers without face masks would not be allowed to enter buses from Tuesday, he added.

Following meetings with the local edition of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Collector said private hospitals and clinics had been requested to operate to their sanctioned capacity as it was patients from such hospitals who came to government hospitals which add to the workload of staff on COVID-19 duty there.

Similarly, 165 private practitioners had been alerted that their services would be requisitioned in case of emergencies as such action was proposed on a war footing, Kandasamy added. Also hospitals with large bed capacities would also be pressed into service, he added and said that unused beds from hospitals would be placed in facilities like engineering colleges and polytechnics for emergency.

On the patrolling side, to enforce the lockdown strictly, a total of 20 vehicles from police and revenue departments had been allotted to form special COVID-19 patrols which would inspect urban and rural areas and fine Rs 100 for those not wearing masks.

Driver held in Kumari for faking travel permission certificate
A day after a fake e-pass holder was held in Kanniyakumari, another vehicle driver has been arrested in the district on a similar charge, sources said on Monday.

Kanniyakumari Superintendent of Police N Shreenath said while a team was engaged in corona prevention duty at Anjugramam check post, the vehicle carrying passengers from Chennai was intercepted and checked for QR code in the e-pass given by the driver S Vignesh (28) MGR Nagar, Aninkundram, Chengalpattu. The ‘TN Epass- Tamil Nadu COVID-19- Outside District’ had features including pass number, name, mobile number, father’s name, age, vehicle type, reason for travel, destination place of travel and identity proof. However, the e-pass given by Vignesh was found to be a fake one. The accused took five passengers from Chennai in his car by using the fake e-pass. All the passengers and the accused were sent to Kanniyakumari Government Medical College Hospital, Asaripallam by ‘108’ ambulance van for COVID-19 test.

Based on a complaint, the Anjugramam police have filed a case under Sections 465, 468 and 420 of IPC. The vehicle was also seized, the SP said. Meanwhile, Kanniyakumari District police are spreading awareness among the public to adopt precautionary measures against COVID-19.