Kurnool collector G Veera Pandiyan said Meat, fish stalls to down shutters

Kurnool: As part of efforts to curb the spread of killer virus Covid-19, the district administration has ordered the meat and fish outlets to down the shutters till further orders. The move follows non-observation of social distance norms at meat shops, particularly on Sunday. Officials are already implementing social distance at Rythu Bazars where jostling crowds sent alarm bells ringing among official machinery during the initial period of lockdown. To mitigate the situation and social gathering of consumers, mobile Rythu Bazars have been introduced to deliver vegetables at doorstep and even delivery on phone has been made available.

Through these steps, the district administration has largely succeeded in maintaining social distance, but on Sunday, people in large numbers are seen thronging the meat and chicken counters. This is ruining the efforts of the officials who are striving hard to stop the spread of contagion.

District collector G Veera Pandiyan told the media on Saturday that assembling of people at these non-vegetarian outlets in violation social distancing was resulting in spread of the virus. Stating that it would be better to stop the sale of meat and fish till the situation came under control, he urged the people to cooperate with the local officials and police till coronavirus was got ridden of. He ordered the officials of the departments concerned and police to keep a strict vigil in their areas in this regard.

The collector further said that district administration had dispatched N-95 masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the doctors discharging their duties in Covid-19 hospitals. Two hospitals in the district, Santhi Ram Medical Hospital and College at Panyam and Vishwa Bharati Cancer Hospital and College near Penchikalpadu have been identified as Covid-19 hospitals. The N-95 masks and PPEs a consignment of each 500 have been dispatched by the APMSIDC on Saturday, said the collector.