Tamil Nadu on pause mode on last Sunday lockdown in July

On the last Sunday of intense lockdown this month, Tamil Nadu came to a virtual standstill with the operation of only milk supply and health care services while people stayed indoors and roads wore a deserted look. To check violations and effectively implement the complete shutdown, being enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus, check posts were set up at key intersections and district borders with nearly 200 of them in the city, police said. 

Health care services were open, sanitary workers continued their clean up work, and personnel of civic bodies conducted door-to-door surveys to detect people with flu-like symptoms and fever camps were also held. Similarly, state-run low-cost eateries "Amma Canteens" and community kitchens to cater to the destitute and elderly worked as usual. Shops selling essential commodities, fuel pumps and markets were closed as part of measures to help fight COVID- 19 and officials inspected their jurisdictional localities to check violations. 

Vehicles barring cargo trucks were off the roads and roads were deserted but for the presence of security and civic personnel who carried out disinfection work. Already, three Sundays this month witnessed full curbs without usual relaxations.

On Saturday, people thronged vegetable and fish markets and meat outlets to stock up for Sunday. Also, tipplers flocked state-run TASMAC liquor outlets and bought their choicest spirits across the state barring Chennai where the sales remained suspended since March 24, Be it markets or liquor stores, anti-COVID norms like social distancing were often breached by the people.

Tamil Nadu continued to reel under the coronavirus with the state breaching the grim milestone of two lakh cases on Saturday while the death toll stood at 3,409.