COVID-19: Pondy Health Department comes in for praise

Puducherry, May 13 (): Puducherry has presently beentesting 400 samples per lakh of population for detectingCOVID-19 and the health department's measures to contain thespread of the infection were laudable, Collector T Arun said.

Talking to reporters, the official said, "We tested 102and now it had shot upto 400 perlakhof population."

He said the Union territory government was takingmeticulous care in enabling the guest workers leave for theirnative places keeping in line with the guidelines of the HomeMinistry. "Not all applying for the departure from here toother states will be permitted. Only those who are reallystranded and had emergency causes were permitted to leave fortheir native states," he said.

So far, 700 people have been helped to leave for theirrespective states and there were also cases of people goingto Mizoram, their native State. Around 5,000 workers hadapplied for permission to proceed to their native places,Arun said.

A nodal officer has been appointed by the territorialgovernment to process the applications of guest workers. "Weare careful in ensuring good coordination between Puducherryadministration and other state governments and Collectors sothat there would be no problem for those proceeding to theirnative places," the Collector said. He said Arumbathapuram village near here has been broughtunder containment zone and this was the sixth such zone solabelled as a resident of the village working in a privatefirm had tested positive for coronavirus. Senior Superintendent of Police Rahul Alwal, who was alsopresent, said the Police Welfare Society had set apartRs 25,000 as an assistance to any policeman affected by theCOVID-19. CORNVG NVG