Amid the rapid spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has addressed the people on the COVID-19 situation and the mechanisms rolled out by the government to flatten the curve of the affected cases. 

In his address that lasted for nearly thirty minutes and has come in the middle of the taking contradictory move of re-opening the liquor shops across the state, the Chief Minister said that the state is on war-foot towards fighting against the spread of the pandemic and its has been gripping up the preventive measures to mitigate the human to human transmitting virus. 

While highlighting the intense spread in Chennai, the Chief Minister stated that the city has a dense and congested population that had let the city to record soaring cases of the virus each day and along with the population factor, the usage of the public toiletries has also been effecting to increase the cases. The Chief Minister said that the state has been testing about 12,000 samples each day through the 50 COVID-19 testing facilities. 

#COVID19 cases are more in Chennai because it is densely populated. In all containment zones, sanitisation is being done 3 times a day: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami pic.twitter.com/8nONRzraTF

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2020

Hospitals in Chennai are currently equipped with 4000 beds to treat the patients and the authorities are distributing herbal concoctions of Nilavembu Kashayam and Kabasura Kudineer to all the virus-hit patients across the state and the government has been speeding up the measures through which the state has been reporting more number of discharges and recoveries. 

He further stated that the government has been taking necessary steps towards sending all the migrant workers stranded in the state to their respective home states. According to the Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu currently has over 50,000 migrant workers and they would be transported gradually with the coordination of their state governments. He divulged that the Central Committee has complimented the state for its efforts to fight against the virus.

The Chief Minister announced that the government would continue to provide free rations to the ration cardholders at the free of cost through the Public Distribution System (PDS) for May and June and the relief package would provide people with free rice, sugar, oil, and other essential commodities with the view of easing the hardship endured by them in the wake of the lockdown. 

According to the Chief Minister, the government has been providing free food for at least 7 lakh people each day through the state established Amma Canteens, and the state government has installed extensive mechanisms than any other state in the mission of containing the virus. Earlier on Tuesday, the Chief Minister has reviewed and took stock of the situation in Chennai and held a meeting with the Chennai corporation officials on tacking the spread and he, with folded hands, appealed to the people to be co-operative to the government by adhering to the protocols, guidelines, and advisories.

Senior Ministers Vijayabaskar, Jayakumar, and Velumani were present during the press meet. It was anticipated that the Chief Minister would take back the decision of re-opening the TASMAC liquor shops across the state amid the outbreak after strong criticism from the opposition leaders. However, no announcements were made concerning the sudden development. According to the state government, the TASMAC liquor shops would be re-commencing its operations across the state, except Chennai, on May 7 and the shops would be functioning from 10 am to 5 pm. 

Also read: TN Govt opens TASMAC amid the outbreak - Revenue over welfare?