1. Amid Corona Fear, Thousands Protest Against CAA in Chennai
As experts recommend social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, in Chennai, on 18 March, at least 3,000 people took to the streets protesting the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The hundreds of members of a local Islamic outfit, Thowheeth Jamaath, called for a massive ‘Jail Bharo’ protest in 36 places across Tamil Nadu. They demanded that the Centre revoke the controversial legislations and vowed to continue their fight until the Tamil Nadu Assembly passes a resolution to put on hold CAA and NRC.
2. 1,890 With Travel History Quarantined in Chennai
Teynampet and Adyar zones of the city corporation have the highest number of people quarantined in their houses, according to data available with the civic body. A total of 1,890 people have been quarantined. In Teynampet, a total of 522 people have been quarantined, of which 341 have completed the quarantine period of 28 days.
Mapped against the Teynampet zone’s population of around 8 lakhs, the Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone with around the same population has only 88 cases. In the Adyar zone, 293 people are quarantined. However, those quarantined are not symptomatic so far, said corporation officials and that have been quarantined only on the basis of their travel history to Corona-affected countries after they were screened at the airport.
3. Lack of Funds for Treatment of Rare Diseases, HC Shocked
The Madras High Court has expressed dismay over the delay on the part of the Centre in finalising the National Policy on Treatment of Rare Diseases and the reluctance of the state government to allocate funds for treatment of rare diseases on the perception that treatment could only prolong longevity of patients and not cure them permanently.
Passing orders on a public interest litigation petition by Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSD) Support Society, a Bench, led by Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi, said: “We may put on record that such a perception need not deter the government from proceeding further as we are of the firm opinion that it is difficult to exactly predict the expiry of anything in this world.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Unorganised Sector Bears Brunt of Near Shut Down
While most of the city shut down on Tuesday, people working for the unorganised sector including construction labourers, watchmen, cab and auto drivers were majorly affected. A lot of daily wage labourers have been asked to get back to work only after the scare settles. “Our owner suddenly called us and asked us not to come for work for at least two weeks.
We depend on our daily wages even for our food,” said Dharmendra, one of the workers at Velachery. Security personnel too are facing the same problem. “Since the theatres have been asked to shut their doors, we have been asked to stay at home. The owner informed us that we will not be paid till the theatre opens again. Hundreds of people like me lost their job in the city in just one day,” said P Saravanan, who used to work as a security personnel at one of the companies on OMR.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Film Industry Comes to a Stand Still
The closure of theatres and malls in the State as part of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has affected the film industry, which is now hoping that its most lucrative summer months, April and May, are not wasted.
While the Film Employees’ Federation of South India, an umbrella union of all 24 film crafts, has decided to suspend film shoots, members of the film industry are taking ‘social distancing’ seriously and refusing to hold meetings too, preferring to start working when the situation is back to normal. With film shoots and other work coming to a standstill, several stakeholders are raising doubts as to whether the audience, who are now being asked to avoid large gatherings and public places, will be returning to theatres any time soon.
(Source: The Hindu)
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