Tamil Nadu may be less liberal in relaxing norms

Julie Mariappan | TNN | Updated: May 2, 2020, 05:46 IST

A day after a health expert committee endorsed a phased exit plan, finance secretary S Krishnanled committee for exit strategy submitted its interim report to CM Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday with recommendations on sector-specific relaxations.

A day after a health expert committee endorsed a phased exit plan, finance secretary S Krishnanled committee f...Read More

CHENNAI: Though the Centre has issued zone-based guidelines for relaxing lockdown restrictions for the next two weeks, the state government is expected to come out with its own set of restrictions. The new rules may be more liberal than the existing ones in the state, but not to the extent envisaged by the Centre, say sources.
The state cabinet will meet at 11am on Saturday to decide on it. “The Centre’s guidelines are a virtual lifting of the lockdown. The state may not go that way, at least not till May 15. The state is yet to implement many of the Centre’s guidelines issued on April 15. So, we will consider local factors and we are at liberty to be more restrictive,” said a source. A panel for exit strategy submitted its report to the chief minister on Friday.
E-passes set to be provided to industries
A day after a health expert committee endorsed a phased exit plan, finance secretary S Krishnanled committee for exit strategy submitted its interim report to CM Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday with recommendations on sector-specific relaxations.
The cabinet note will be prepared based on that, sources said.
Meanwhile late on Thursday, chief secretary K Shanmugam issued an order to provide e-passes for industries to enable movement of employees and others and standard operating procedure for social distancing in offices, workplaces, factories and other establishments in line with the Centre’s guidelines issued on April 15. Tamil Nadu has about 37,220 factories with more than 24 lakh employees.
At present, intra-district, inter-district and interstate movement of people is restricted and emergency travel passes are issued by the district administration. Henceforth, to streamline the issue of passes, an online portal, TN e-pass, has been developed by Tamil Nadu e-governance agency (https://tnepass/tnega.org). While intra-district passes (travel within a district) will be issued by district collectors/bdistrict industries centres or Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner in the city, inter-district passes (to travel outside the district) and inter-state pass (to go out of the state) will be issued centrally from the state e-pass control room in Chennai by a team of officials from industries, MSME, police and revenue. Individuals can get epasses for three reasons - marriage, funeral and medical emergency.
“When more areas are opened up, there would be a huge rush for passes. E-passes will help employees, industries and individuals,” said a senior official. All organisations (shops and establishments, IT, industries) can apply for these passes by uploading their GST/RoC registration certificate/Udyog Aadhar as proof. Details of vehicles permitted for transporting employees will be notified by the government from time to time.
The SOP on social distancing in offices, workplaces, factories and establishments, include compulsory wearing of face cover, prohibition on gathering of five or more people and sanitisation of work place between shifts. Large meetings are prohibited, and spitting is punishable with a fine.