Chennai, May 13 () Blaming reluctance of vegetablevendors of Koyambedu market here to move out as a major reasonfor the spread of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister KPalaniswami on Wednesday indicated that the ongoing lockdowncould be lifted "gradually" depending on people's cooperation.
He also attributed the high spike in daily virus numbersin the recent days to increased testing of samples and askedpeople not to panic, citing views of experts that the pandemicwill "slightly go up" before declining.
As on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu has reported a total of 9,227coronavirus cases with 64 fatalities.
The sprawling wholesale campus at Koyambedu has turnedout to be a super spreader of the coronavirus with the numberof positive cases in otherwise low prevalence districts likeCuddalore seeing a sharp rise in recent days after people fromthere travelled to the market.
The market, which houses nearly 4,000 shops and employingaround 20,000, has since been closed and shifted to atemporary facility at the suburban Thirumazhisai.
Palaniswami said the numbers in several districts hadgone up due to Koyambedu market which also contributed to thespike in this city, which tops the list with over 4,000 cases.
Chairing a review meeting of district collectors andother officials to take stock of COVID-19 preventionactivitiesat the Secretariat here, he also said the state was bearingthe cost incurred on sending guest workers stranded in TamilNadu to their native states by special trains. In his opening remarks, he listed out his government'svarious efforts to ensure people did not suffer during thelockdown and had access to essential items. "People should extend total cooperation (to thegovernment).. depending on the kind of cooperation extended byyou, the lockdown can be withdrawn gradually," he said.
Tamil Nadu is one of the worst affected states in thecountry by the deadly virus with the number of casesstanding in excess of 9,000.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday said therewill be a fourth phase of the lockdown, which will be verydifferent from the earlier three phases. The third isscheduled to end on May 17. Later, in his concluding address to the bureaucrats, thechief minister spoke in detail about the Koyambedu episode.
He recalled that the first round of talks betweenofficials of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA)and market representatives was held as early as on March 19when they were asked to shift sighting the crowd, but they didnot accept the idea. Subsequent rounds of meetings were held between governmentand the representatives, some even chaired by his deputy OPanneerselvam to break the deadlock, but the vendors were firmon not moving out fearing losing business, Palaniswami said,adding even basic precautions like wearing masks was notadhered to by many there. "So, the government held many rounds of talks with thetraders. But ths issue (of spread) arose because they werefirm that shifting will affect their business," he said. "Now, because many from Koyambedu had travelled to otherdistricts, the number of infected there (in those places) hasgone up. This is the reason for the spike in cases in Chennaialso," he said.
Finally, following a major spread, the market was closedwith the concurrence of the stakeholders and has beenfunctioning at Thirumazhisai from May 10, he said. On Chennai topping the list of positive cases, he said thedensity of population, especially in narrow alleys andstreets, was a significant contributing factor. Referring to sending back guest workers stranded in thestate, he said the Tamil Nadu government was footing the billinvolved in the operation of trains.
While a large number of people have been sent home sofar, the others would also get their chance to return in thecoming days, based on availability of trains, he said andasked them to remain patient till then.
Palaniswami also stressed on intensified testing of lorrydrivers and workers entering Tamil Nadu from other states.
He said efforts by his government have resulted in peoplehaving access to essential items while it was also reachingout to various sections of the society like guest workers,destitutes and the poor through distribution of dry ration aswell as providing food through Amma Canteens and communitykitchens. Seeking to give a fillip to economic activities, thegovernment had set up a high-powered committee (under theChief Secretary) to attract businesses "moving out of certaincountries," he recalled and pointed out at the resumption ofvarious industries to benefit the working class. Further, due to the coordinated efforts of various arms ofthe government, including the medical professionals, thepandemic was under control, he said, adding Tamil Nadu hadthe lowest death rate of 0.67 per cent while its dischargerate stood at 27 percent.
Even those undergoing treatment in hospitals will soonreturn home and the government was with them, he added. VS VS