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Chandigarh traders oppose weekend curfew
Say they had barely recovered from the previous year’s crises; seek concessions for the markets; industry also slams move, demands permission to operate like essential services; warns of revenue loss, migration of labourers
City traders have opposed the administration’s decision to clamp lockdown on the weekend, saying that the fresh curbs will cause losses to their business, which had barely recovered from the previous year’s crises.
Chandigarh Beopar Mandal president Charanjiv Singh said, “The traders are sure to lose out on business. The small traders will be the worst-hit.”
The administration in its war room meeting had also said that action must be taken against the shopkeepers attending to customers without masks, which Charanjiv termed an “undemocratic” step. “We insist our customers on covering their faces and even hand out masks for free to those who come without it. However, many a time customers just refuse to comply, which lead to arguments and even more,” he added.
Also read: 55-hour weekend curfew clamped in Chandigarh
President of Sector-11 Market Welfare Association (MWA) and chief spokesperson of the Beopar Mandal, Diwakar Sahoonja, said, “Traders are organising awareness campaigns and distributing masks and sanitisers. It is not right on the administration’s part to alienate us this way.”
Meanwhile, following the latest guidelines, large crowds gathered at the Sector-26 grain market on Friday. One of the wholesale traders here, Tarsem Kumar, said, “The lockdown poses great challenges for traders like me, who stay in Panchkula and have to travel to work. Last year too, we faced problems due to this and some panic buying could be seen here again.”
However, in most of the markets, footfall continued to remain on the lower side. President of Sector-46 MWA, Balwinder Singh, said, “We understand that cases are rising, but such curbs will destroy our business. Some concessions must be made for the markets.”
Punjab Mandi Board has also written to its Chandigarh staff to keep the apni mandis closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Residents divided over weekend lockdown
Baljinder Bittu, chairman of Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC), said, “The weekend lockdown is a half-baked measure. Covid can spread on the weekdays as well, so what’s the point of restricting movement for just two days.”
Meanwhile, chairman of Chandigarh Resident Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) Hitesh Puri said, “The weekend lockdown is a result of refusal of people to adhere to the SOPs. The administration has taken this measure to send out a warning that people need to take the rules more seriously.”
Meanwhile, closure of factories has elicited sharp response from the industry. “Even in Delhi and Mumbai, the industry is not closed during lockdown. With SOPs in place, the industry should be allowed to operate like essential services. The manufacturing activity had just started to gain momentum. The shutdown will be a big blow to the SMEs in particular and the whole economy in general. There will be loss in revenues, including GST. Any additional restrictions can lead to migration of labour as well,” said Naveen Manglani, president, Chamber of Chandigarh Industries.
