Entire villages goes fishing, warning issued

On information, Collector KS Kandasamy threatened to quarantine all for flouting total lockdown norms, said officials.

Around 500 residents of Ilaneerkundram, Aathi, Kazhiyur, Kanikulam and Sethupattu villages caught fish, officials said.

What irked the district administration was that all restrictions, including wearing of face masks and social distancing, were thrown to the winds. Moreover, people of all age groups participated with gusto in the activity at a time when the district was seeing a gradual rise in COVID-19 cases and inching toward the 5,000 mark.

When asked, why the villagers indulged in fishing, sources said that there was a gap as the contract period got over recently. Villagers wanted to make use of the gap and have a good catch before a new person was given the contract of the lake. “Even if we catch four or five fish it is enough for a day’s lunch,” was the feeling of most of those who came to the irrigation tank.

Upset over the behaviour of the villagers, Collector Kandasamy said, “Officials were not able to identify the person behind the unruly act of the people in the tank, that was why a warning to quarantine the villages was issued if they again commit a similar violation.”

Under normal circumstances, such community behaviours would be overlooked, but when the administration has been battling to contain the virus, such violations would be a spoiler, he added.