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Chaos, confusion in Ludhiana as govt imposes curfew
However, no restrictions for medical emergency cases, para military forces, military, government officials on duty
With the Punjab government imposing a statewide curfew, the city turned into a fortress, and police stopped all vehicles and brought down the shutters of all shops around noon, leading to utter confusion and chaos. The curfew has been enforced without any relaxations. However, on Wednesday, it is expected that the restrictions may be relaxed for a few hours for the public to make essential purchases.
There are, however, no restrictions for medical emergency cases, para military forces, military, government officials on duty.
CARRIERS OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES STOPPED TOO
On Monday, the drivers of the mini-trucks and pick-up vehicles, and even vegetable vendors, who were until then unaware of the curfew, were baffled as to why the police was stopping them. A number of these drivers were seen arguing with cops that what they are carrying falls under essential commodities. Some of them were even seen making frantic calls to their company officials to find a way out.
The dairy workers who supply milk in the city were also stopped and residents who came out to purchase vegetables, medicines and other essential commodities were also left in tizzy.
Police had a hard time explaining to people that a curfew has been imposed in the state and that means all shops will remain closed and time-bound relaxation for essential commodities will be announced soon.
Ludhiana goods transport association president Didar Singh and press secretary Jagdish Jassowal said that after the announcement of curfew in the state, the transport sector came to a complete halt. “Other states have also closed their borders and no truck from other states is being allowed to enter. The trucks carrying vegetables, medicines and other essential commodities also came to a halt due to which residents may face shortage in the coming days. Even labourers are not ready to load and unload the goods due to fear of infection,” he said.
The decision to impose curfew has also left the dairy owners also in a dilemma over the supply of milk in the city from Tuesday onwards. President of Tajpur road dairy owners association , DS Oberoi said that the government should give relaxation for providing milk and other essential commodities to the residents. “On Monday also, a four-hour relaxation was given to us but dairy owners faced problems in supplying the milk in the evening as the police stopped their vehicles. The administration should give relaxation in the evening also otherwise they would suffer losses and the residents will not get the supply milk,” he added.
Curfew call triggers panic to hoard more groceries
Meanwhile, as the news of curfew being imposed spread like wildfire, panic gripped the residents with regard to supply of vegetable, milk, grocery and other essential items.
The residents threw caution to the wind and gathered in large numbers pushing away the idea of social distancing.
One of the residents of Model town extension, Gurvir Singh, who was purchasing vegetables from a vendor near Jawaddi canal bridge, said the state government should have given some time to residents to gather grocery and essential items. This has triggered panic among the residents and large numbers of residents have come out to gather essential commodities, said Singh.
Uncertainty looms over supply of veggies:
While the Ahrtiya associations in main vegetable market in the city were mulling closure of the market for two days – Wednesday and Thursday— for taking up sanitisation of market area, the administration has been able to convince them for operating the market from 5 am to 11 am daily so that the public should not face any problem.
Chairman of Sabzi Mandi Ahrtiya Association, Raju Malik said that even if they operate the market, there is no vendor who would supply the vegetables in the city as curfew has been imposed and the vendors also fear infection. Even if they do not receive supply for next few days, there is enough stock in the mandi to ensure supply in the city but with no vendors it is not possible, he added.
