advertisement
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, 26 May, announced passengers returning to Kerala from abroad will now have to pay for quarantine.
According to the quarantine rules, all those who return from abroad will have to go for institutional quarantine for a week and then remain at their home for another week.
Expressing his strong resentment, Lok Sabha member and RSP leader N.K. Premachandran, pointed out the state government had told Kerala High Court that adequate rooms are ready to keep the returning diaspora in quarantine.
But putting a brave face was the lone CPI-M Lok Sabha member from the state, A.M. Ariff who said that he was always worried about how a small state like Kerala with limited resources can provide free quarantine accommodation.
"Kerala is a fund-starved state and all know that the finances are also poor. I on several occasions was wondering if it would be possible to provide free quarantine for all the diaspora who returns," said Ariff.
T.K. Ashiq, speaking to a TV channel from UAE, said this was an astonishing remark from the Chief Minister's side.
"We are reaching a new phase of Covid-19. We had a video conference with all the state lawmakers (MPs and MLAs). Irrespective of the party affiliations, each one agreed to work jointly against Covid-19," he added.
The Chief Minister said a large number of people had registered to return from abroad and within the country. "We will receive all our people who wish to return... Once they are here, they will have to undergo quarantine," said Vijayan.
Vijayan said over one lakh people, who had registered from other states, had returned. Also, 11,189 of the 1.35 lakh registered from abroad had returned, he added.
During the day, nine more hotspots were added taking the total to 68 in the state.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)