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TN govt announces one month rent freeze: Action can be taken if house owners disobey

The state government has also directed all employers to pay their employees in full for the month of March.

The Tamil Nadu government has ordered that rent cannot be forcibly taken from tenants across the state for the month of March, given the lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Government Order (GO) further stated that lawful action can be taken against landlords who pressurise tenants to pay up.

The order applies for all tenants – students, professionals, daily wage workers, and migrants – who stay in rented accommodations. It states, “To ensure that wherever the workers, including migrants, are living in rented accommodation, the landlords of these properties shall not demand payment of rent for a period of one month and if any landlord is forcing labourers and students to vacate their premises, they will be liable for action under the government.”

The order has also directed all employers to ensure wages are paid without deduction to workers. “All the employers, be it in the industry or in the shops and commercial establishments, shall make payment of wages of their workers, at their workplaces, on the due date, without any deduction, for the period their establishments are under closure during the lockdown,” the state has ordered.

Keeping in mind the hardships faced by migrants across the state, the government has ordered that adequate arrangement for temporary shelters be made for them. It has also ordered district administration to oversee that food is provided to those stranded due to the lockdown.

“The migrant people, who have moved out to reach their home states/hometowns, must be kept in the nearest shelter by the respective District Collectors/Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days as per standard health protocol,” states the order.

These additional measures have been taken based on a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs to deal with the situation for effective implementation of lockdown measures and to mitigate the economic hardship of migrant workers.

Renewal dates of vehicle licence and Fitness Certificate (FC) have been extended by 3 months. Renewal can be done upto June 30. Payment of property tax, water tax, etc that has to be paid to the local bodies can be done until June 30.

The country will continue to remain under lockdown until April 14 to fight the spread of COVID-19. Tamil Nadu had already announced Section 144 in the state ahead of the lockdown and all commercial establishments except essential services were shut down.

Source: The News Minute