Chennai: The Madras High Court asked the Government Pleader on Thursday asked why complete lockdown can’t be implemented for some time in Chennai while observing that the pandemic situation in the city and its suburbs is alarming as cases continue to rise.

The Madras High Court Judges Justice Vineet Kothari and R. Suresh Kumar said that the Covid- 19 cases are spreading speedily in the state, despite the steps taken by the Tamil Nadu Government to contain the Covid- 19 spread.

The Covid- 19 cases steeply rising and the situation has become alarming particularly in the Chennai and its outskirts. The Judges asked the Government Pleader during the virtual Court proceedings after concluding the listed cases, the Judges asked that “We want to know whether the government has devised any special scheme, which includes complete lockdown or curfew to contain the spread in Chennai and surrounding areas for some time”.

The judges made it clear they raised the question about lockdown as citizens of the state and the city in the interest of public and were not initiating any public interest litigation (PIL) proceedings ”Suo motu” (on its own). With nearly 26,000 cases, Chennai accounts for over 70 per cent of the state’s tally and the rising number of deaths (326) too worried the court. Responding to the court’s query, the pleader sought time till Friday for getting instructions from the government, if any.

However, he pointed to guidelines issued when the government extended the lockdown till June 30 in the state and announced various relaxations, including allowing public transport in other parts of the state. The state government has allowed functioning of shops, dine-in services in hotels and private sector offices with more workforce, but barred public transport buses and trains in the city and neighbouring three districts where the case load is high. “No further decision has been taken.

I will get instructions from the special officer J Radha krishnan, who has been appointed to coordinate COVID-19 work in Chennai, and other officials on the latest development by tomorrow,” the pleader added. The government has recently appointed a group of ministers to monitor containment activities in the city. Adjoining districts of Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur, where the city’s suburbs fall, have also reported large number of COVID-19 cases.