Tamil Nadu: Govt allows industrial estates in Chennai to resume work

Further easing curbs, the Tamil Nadu government on Sunday (May 24) allowed 17 industrial estates in Chennai to resume work from tomorrow with conditions, including confining the workforce to 25 per cent and implementing safety measures.

The industrial estates situated in non-containment zones, including the Ambattur and Guindy clusters in Chennai can resume work from May 25, the government said, adding that employees residing in containment zones would not be allowed to report for work.

The strength of the workers should be capped at 25 per cent and thermal scanners must be used for screening employees, an official release said.

Following social distancing, disinfecting work places twice a day and practising personal hygiene were among the other norms that should be implemented.

The industries in the clusters are expected to resume work partially from tomorrow after a gap of two months.

Related news: COVID-19: Death toll past 100; cases cross 15,000-mark in TN

On Saturday (May 23), the state government allowed beauty parlours and salons across the state, except those in Greater Chennai police limits, to reopen from Sunday with certain riders.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami said the businesses should ensure both workers and customers wear masks and strictly enforce social distancing in the work place.

The shops should be disinfected at least five times a day and frequent hand washing should be practised, he said in a statement.

The shops can function from 7 am to 7 pm, but without using air-conditioners.

In a slew of relaxations during Lockdown 4.0, the state government also allowed auto and cycle-rickshaws to ply across the state, except Chennai, from May 23, with conditions including a limit on the number of passengers allowed in an auto.

Related news: COVID-19: 786 new cases, 4 more deaths in TN; tally 14,753, toll 98

Vehicles in the Chennai city corporation police limit areas will not be allowed to ply, while those in containment zones also cannot run, a government release said.

However, due to the state reporting more than 700 cases for the fourth-straight day on Saturday, and the spike weighing heavily on the state government, it is not in favour of restarting domestic air services connecting cities in the state till the end of May and might take up the matter with the Centre, an official said.

The immediate concern of the government is to screen all the passengers arriving to the state and keep track of the infected, if any.

(With inputs from agencies)