The UT labour department held an awareness camp in markets of the city on Tuesday after its decision to allow shops to remain open round-the-clock on all seven days received poor response. The camp will continue for a month and cover all markets.
On June 26, the UT administration allowed all commercial establishments, including shops and restaurants, to remain open 24x7, provided they are registered with the labour department.
During the camp, labour inspectors Prem Sagar and Ramphal explained the new notification and its registration process to shopkeepers in the markets of Sector 24 and Sector 15. They assured shopkeepers that while keeping their shops open 24 hours was optional, registration was mandatory and would bring several advantages.
Shopkeepers were uncertain about the requirements and implications of the new law, leading to widespread reluctance to register. Misconceptions about the registration process arose, as the shopkeepers thought it would cost them more to follow the protocols.
A senior officer of the labour department said, “We have already issued the detailed standard operating procedures (SoP) regarding the opening of shops 24x7. We are hopeful that now more shopkeepers will come forward to operate their commercial establishments for 365 days.” Rajan Mahajan, president of the Market Welfare Association of Sector 24, said, “It is a positive move by the UT administration and will encourage shopkeepers to follow the same.”
Sanjeev Kumar, president of the Patel Market in Sector 15, said, “The awareness camp has brought a positive mindset among the shopkeepers. The camp provided an open platform for shopkeepers to voice their concerns and get their questions answered directly by the officials. This interaction cleared up many of the misconceptions and highlighted the practical benefits of complying with the new law.”
{{/usCountry}}Sanjeev Kumar, president of the Patel Market in Sector 15, said, “The awareness camp has brought a positive mindset among the shopkeepers. The camp provided an open platform for shopkeepers to voice their concerns and get their questions answered directly by the officials. This interaction cleared up many of the misconceptions and highlighted the practical benefits of complying with the new law.”
{{/usCountry}}Shopkeepers who have not registered with the labour department can register themselves through the online portal—labour.chd.gov.in. They will be charged ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 depending on the category of trade and issued a certificate.