Chennai, Apr 26 (UNI) The Madras High Court today suggested
to the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments to consider
enforcing total and complete lockdown on weekends--May one
and two--to prevent the spread of the second wave of COVID-19
pandemic.
In a suo motu plea, the First Bench comprising Chief Justice
Sanjib Banerjee and Mr Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy
said since counting of votes polled in the April six Assembly
elections is slated for May two, which falls on Sunday, the
government could only allow movement of vehicles needed
for the counting purposes and emergency services.
The Bench observed that the main purpose of the lockdown is
to prevent people from venturing out and to control the virus
spread.
'If an appropriate announcement is made well in advance, say
by April 28, people may have sufficient notice and may complete
their weekend purchases by Friday and follow the lockdown norms
as was evident in the Sunday full lockdown observed yesterday",
the Bench said.
The State government had already imposed night curfew from
10.00 P.M to 4.00 A.M from April 20, besides complete lockdown
on all Sundays, the first of which was observed yesterday.
While announcing fresh restrictions that came into force from
today, the government said the night curfew and the Sunday
lockdown will continue.
The Bench initiated the suo moto plea to check the preparedness
of the state and the availability of Remdesivir, oxygen supply,
ventilators and beds for treating those infected by the second
wave of COVID-19.
UNI GV 1835