Release Rs 995 cr to Puducherry for COVID-19 relief works: Naryanasamy urges PM

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 995 crore to the Union Territory to carry out relief works related to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"The (COVID-19) situation is under control in Puducherry," he said.

The prime minister should immediately release Rs 995 crore as there are three positive cases who are under medical treatment and another 3,075 persons under home quarantine, Narayanasamy said.

Besides, the Centre should also release Goods and Services Tax arrears of Rs 400 crore to Puducherry, he said.

Narayanasamy said all the three coronavirus positive cases are those who returned from the last month Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi.

Three other persons who attended the conference tested negative of COVID-19, he said.

The positive cases belong to Ariyankuppam, Thirubhuvanam and Katterikuppam, the chief minister said, adding that people who were in contact with them have been quarantined.

People from 1,000 families who had come in contact with the three persons who tested COVID-19 positive and the areas where these families reside have been cordoned and declared sterile areas, Narayanasamy said.

Intensive medical check up is being carried out and the government is now trying to identify other persons who were in contact with the positive cases, he said.

The Congress CM reiterated that the Centre should provide more assistance to Puducherry in the form of finance as well as medical equipment like monitors, testing kits, medicines, ventilators and personal protection equipment.