HC asks Delhi govt to consider opening all weekly markets

The Delhi high court on Monday sought the response of the Delhi government on a plea by the Saptahik Patri Bazar Association, a body of weekly markets, which has challenged the decision of the government to open malls and markets, but not weekly markets

The Delhi high court on Monday sought the response of the Delhi government on a plea by the Saptahik Patri Bazar Association, a body of weekly markets, which has challenged the decision of the government to open malls and markets, but not weekly markets.

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Justice Rekha Palli, while issuing notice to the city government, said street vendors should also take proactive steps to get themselves vaccinated in order to keep the much feared third wave of Covid-19 at bay.

The high court asked the Delhi government to consider allowing more weekly markets, while observing that a strata of society makes purchases only from such markets since they could not afford the regular shops, malls and markets.

“It is expected that DDMA (Delhi Disaster Management Authority) will consider this aspect in its right perspective. It is also expected that street vendors will also take proactive steps to get vaccinated so that we can avoid the third wave and the NCT of Delhi is not left facing a surge as was faced recently,” the court said in its oral order.

Presently, with an eye on preventing an escalation in Covid-19 cases, the Delhi government has allowed weekly markets to open only with 50% vendors and only one market is allowed in each municipal zone.

The court went on to clarify that “it was not asking the Delhi government to allow all weekly markets to operate”, while also adding that the authorities should consider the issue and take a decision and ensure that all conditions are in place to check crowding.

Delhi government counsel Satyakam told the court that there has been a “sudden” uptick in Covid-19 cases, with Delhi currently reporting about 45-49 cases daily — the city recorded 85 fresh cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, according to the state health bulletin. He sought time to seek instructions and inform the court.

Advocate Rajat Wadhwa, representing the weekly market association, said restrictions on other activities were relaxed on June 13 and vendors of weekly markets, who belong to the poorest of poor class, are left to suffer.

When the court remarked that the opening of these markets will lead to crowding, Wadhwa said if only one weekly market is allowed to be open in a municipal zone, then there will be more crowding because people would rush to that single market to make all their purchases.