The city of Tiruppur wore a deserted look as the complete lockdown came into force on Sunday.
Tiruppur is one of the five cities in the State which will be under a complete lockdown within the existing nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19. The lockdown began at 6 a.m. on Sunday and will continue till 9 p.m. on Tuesday.
Vegetable markets, grocery stores and other outlets were all closed and appeared devoid of people, in sharp contrast with the heavy crowd witnessed on Saturday as people engaged in panic buying.
Tiruppur Corporation Commissioner K. Sivakumar termed the first day of the complete lockdown as “100 % successful.” Around 80 mobile vegetable markets are available for home delivery of vegetables, out of which 30 are operated by Tiruppur Corporation. “We have given passes for the rest of the 50 mobile vegetable markets, which are private vehicles,” he said.
To ensure the availability of vegetables for the mobile markets, the vegetable market in Thennampalayam remained open from 10 p.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Sunday, he said. The public shall order vegetables and markets through the mobile numbers provided or online for home delivery, Mr. Sivakumar said. A total of 10 Amma Unavagams will be open for around two hours in mornings, afternoons and evenings, he noted.
Out of the 60 wards in Tiruppur Corporation, 12 COVID-19 containment zones are currently present. The Corporation will disinfect all public places twice a day and hospitals (including Tiruppur Government Hospitals) five times a day, according to Mr. Sivakumar.
Police personnel deployed
Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Badri Narayanan said that 550 police personnel from Tiruppur City Police were deployed across the city to monitor the complete lockdown. “People are highly compliant,” he observed.
The police also cracked down on vehicles venturing unnecessarily in the city. A total of 104 vehicles were seized and 121 cases were booked for violating the lockdown orders in Tiruppur city on Sunday, Mr. Narayanan said.