Puducherry government orders closure of bars till month-end

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Wednesday announced closure of all bars in the union territory as part of steps to prevent spread of coronavirus.

While bars have been ordered to remain closed from Thursday till the month-end, wholesale and retail sales of liquor would however, be permitted, he told reporters here.

He said the government had already launched a slew of measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus in Puducherry.

Narayanasamy said he and the Health Minister Malladi Krishna Rao would visit Mahe region, an enclave of Puducherry in Kerala, and review steps taken there to prevent spread of the infection.

He said one woman belonging to Mahe region who had returned from Saudi Arabia recently after attending a religious function had tested positive for coronavirus. She was admitted in the isolation ward in the government general hospital in Mahe.

"Doctors are attending on her and she is stable," the chief minister said, adding the health authorities were collecting details as to whether anyone had been in contact with the patient.

Meanwhile, the territorial government intensified measures to impose restrictions on the movement of the people in various public places.

The district Collector T Arun announced closure with immediate effect of all public parks, botanical garden, Aurobindo Ashram, museum, boat houses at Poornankuppam and at Thengaithittu.

In a release, he said the closure became necessary in the wake of COVID-19 being declared a disaster under provisions of Disaster Management Act.

He said preventive measures had been intensified to improve various restrictions under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 to prevent spread of the infection.

He also said all medical colleges, dental colleges and physiotherapy centres had been directed not to declare holidays as services of the students, faculty and paramedical staff would be needed for strengthening the healthcare delivery systems.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister M O H F Shah Jahan launched the spraying of disinfectant solutions on the vehicles at bus terminals as part of the preventive steps.

All schools, colleges, malls and cinema houses had been directed to remain shut till this month-end, the Chief Minister had announced on Tuesday.