Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has, on Saturday, announced fresh relaxations and resumptions amid the seventh phase of the lockdown that has been imposed to curb the spread of the COVID-19 viral infection. 

In the fresh announcement, the Chief Minister has consented to the resumptions of the places of worship in the city corporation limits across the state. According to the reports, the government has granted permission to re-open temples, churches, and mosques, that make annual revenue of less than Rs 10,000, in the corporation limits. These places of worship can re-open from Monday after attaining necessary approval from the respective district collectors. 

As far as the places of worship in Chennai are concerned, the establishments must grant approval from the Commissioner of the Greater Chennai Corporation. The fresh relaxations of the resumption of places of worship in the corporation have come a month after the state government permitted the resumptions of the small places of worship in the rural areas. 

The government has given regulations and advisories regarding social distancing norms at the premises of the temples. The devotees must wear masks and adhere to the health protocols and the places of worship must refrain from organizing religious events and congregations and the government has also directed the respective district collectors to conduct inspections in these places of worship. 

Along with the resumptions of the places of worship, the government has also permitted to resume the driving schools across the state from August 10- Monday and the government has ordered these establishments to stick and follow the Standard Operative Procedures (SOP) issued by the authorities in containing the spread of the global pandemic. 

The fresh relaxations have come a week after the state government allowed the resumptions of the standalone gyms. According to the reports, the standalone gyms can resume across the state from August 10 and the gyms have to follow the SOP issued by the government including a ban on those aged over 50 years and below 15 years from using the gym and these gyms must mandate its customers to maintain six feet distance between each other inside the building. 

As of Friday, Tamil Nadu has reported 2,85,024 cases so far of which 52,759 are active, 2,27,575 have been recovered, and 4,690 had succumbed to the virus.